Now that he thought of it, Damien realized he didnt know much about the publicizing process either. Other than the obvious manuscript-gets-sent-to-print-and-becomes-book, he didnt know much else about what exactly went on behind the scenes and what were the selection criteria for a story.
"Oh… I see…"
Now the question why humans had so many myths about creatures that presumably exist started to receive a clear answer.
"That… thats good to know." he nodded, playing with his hands. "i didnt know that could happen, i just assumed i had done something wrong the whole time"
He shrugged gently, with the shy barely sketched awkward smile still on his face.
"Better than nothing, i guess?"
Honestly, neither did Marissa. She just knew it was much more complicated with writers, literary agents, publishers, critics, editors, and she wouldn't be surprised if lawyers were involved as well.
She shook her head softly. “Damien, as sweet as you are, I doubt you ever did anything wrong.” she said, hoping to be assuring. She didn't think it would make the actions of those people seem any different or excuse them in any way, she just wanted him to know he wasn't to blame.
“Absolutely better than nothing.” she smiled back, glad to see that he seemed more positive about this little mystery.
That information should probably be somewhere out there, he was sure of it. Just had to ask someone who knew more about it, and he relayed that to Marissa as well. Another curiosity to check out added to the list.
"I hope i didn't… Because then i wouldnt know what it was i did." he admitted, sinking in the pillow he was leaning against.
The notions that humans could turn violent out of fear were rolling around in his head, changing his perspective on the memory of those long gone days, where he shook in fear almost constantly, wondering what on earth did he do to anger all those people at him. He closed his eyes, continuing on his train of thought silently.
Slightly cheered, Damien nodded.
"So, um, where do we start? Do you need to go home to start looking or how? By the way, didn't you mention something about your parents giving you a curfew? I wouldnt want to hold you here more than i should…." the boy perked up, remembering their talk at the start of the day
That information was very likely available in the library… or in a writer’s blog, and Mari was curious about the information as well. She would probably look it up some time and if it was in a book, she would bring it over for Damien to read… If he wanted to.
She smiled softly at him. “Damien, you are… Even though you are, technically, older than me… you seem like a kind, innocent, and young man. I doubt you would hurt anyone or do anything wrong on purpose.” she assured him. “Anything that happened to you, it wasn't your fault.”
“Well… Yeah, I do still have that curfew. I probably should start heading back.” she nodded sadly. “I’ll look more into the cherry blossom festivals in Japan and see if I can find any cities or towns nearby and see what I can find.” she promised before smiling a little at him. “And I’ll be back tomorrow so we can test your abilities, if you're still interested.”
Damien seemed to blush a little, his visible cheek stained a delicate shade of pink, from her description of him.
"You're right, i wouldnt…" he agreed with the last statement, which was mostly true, given he'd never inflicted violence upon anyone, ever, not even animals. But it was hard to all of a sudden drop the guilt of somehow being the instigator in all of that, just by being himself.
"Aww, time to go back already? When did time fly…"
Neither of them kept an eye for the time, but the boy had hoped she could stay just a little longer, had it not been for the looming threat of possibly getting Marissa into trouble at home if she was late.
"Do tell me if you find anything." he said, sitting up to help her pack her things. "And yea, im still interested to test those out"
Once the girl had gathered her things, he was ready to lead her through the same path as last time.
Mari chuckled a little at the cute little blush on his face. Though it was a relief to know that he hadn't been offended by her opinion of him. “I thought so.” she smiled assuringly. It would probably take time to build up his confidence enough to the point where he wouldn't blame himself, but she was willing to help him with that as well.
She glanced at the clock on her phone and nodded. “I don't have to hurry at least and I can always run the path to get home.” she told him. She wouldn't be in too much trouble for being a little late… Honestly, she wanted to spend more time with him too. “I definitely will.” she promised as she carefully gathered the books he was letting her borrow and put them in her bag. Come to think of it, she had a lot to do when she got home. Not that she minded, she actually liked researching things and reading all kinds of good books and bringing him new things for him to try or experience was a treat for her as well.
"You've been the first person to ever believe this much in me, how do you manage this?" he asked, overwhelmed by just how much she encouraged him all the time.
He motioned with his hands semi defensively, like he wanted to reassure her.
"I really wouldnt want you to have to run back home, i should have been more careful with the time, and i will, next time." he promised, slightly worried. Even if she had mentioned the trouble wouldnt be too big, he would have been more comfortable if there wasnt any at all to begin with. After all, Marissa was his only actual friend, he would have felt bad to create inconveniences in her life.
Damien nodded briefly in an acnowledgement, helping her gather the last of the books he lent to her, making sure nothing was forgotten. Just like her, he too was kind of excited to dive into the new books she'd brought him. Finally something new, after so many years of rereads.
Once all was packed, he headed to the small flight of stairs, waiting for her to follow him through the now familiar corridors.
“Easy.” she smiled at him. “You haven't given me any reason not to. Besides, I try to look for the good in… most people.” she admitted sincerely since there were a couple of exceptions that she struggled with.
“Don’t worry, Damien. I usually enjoy running.” Mari assured him in return. “But I appreciate your concern. Honestly, I should have kept better track of the time too. I just really like spending time with you.” she said as she stood up with her bag finally packed and walked with him. If days like this continued, she was sure she'd know her way around in no time.
Damien lowered his gaze, slowly nodding to himself.
"Well, im glad i havent given any so far.. And i hope i dont in the future" he dared to chuckle as well, lightly. He was secretly very relieved by her words, which also comforted him greatly.
"Isn't it hard sometimes? To look for the good in people?"
"If you enjoy running, then i guess its not that bad… But i still wouldnt want you to have to rush back all the time." the boy spoke his mind, standing up as well. "I really like spending time with you too.. I really do. It was pretty boring here, you know?"
Upon her following him, he opened the door to the corridor and invited her first, leading her through the same route as last time, ending up back at the door where he'd handed her his umbrella so she could walk home during the storm. Judging from the clouds outside the door window, it seemed like the rain was going to make a come back somewhere during the night.
"So, this is it." he nervously presented the door to her. "Would you um, like me to accompany you to the main gate? Im sorry i didnt do that the first time you left"
Mari chuckled a little and shook her head at the thought of Damien ever giving her a reason to change her mind about him. “I hope I don't give you a reason to not trust me either.” she told him gently, reflecting his comment before nodding briefly. “There are some people who are just… If they have a good side, it's buried very deep and you have to go through a forest of thorns to find it.” she admitted softly.
“I can sort of imagine how boring it was for you.” she agreed, appreciating his candor… Well, she hoped he was being honest about that. It was most likely, he didn't seem like the type of person who would lie casually about anything really.
She smiled at him letting her go through the door first but she waited for him before walking alongside him to the door. “Yeah… Well, only if you want to. I can find my way there but if you want to talk a bit longer, then I won't mind.” she nodded politely at his offer. “But you don't have to apologize. It wasn't the best weather for that the last time.”
"oh, im sure you won't" he smiled genuinely, sure she wouldnt do anything to make him lose trust in her. After all, they were friends, and friends dont do that, right? Betrayal wasn't something he'd faced before, but he'd read about it so while he moderately knew what it felt like, he didnt think nor want to imagine Mari could do something like that to him, not when his trust was already so frail and easily attachable.
If its so deep, why bother looking for it? I mean, wouldnt it be better to just distance yourself away from the person?"
Damien shook his head, his smile turning into a sad version of itself, as he continued his walk. What reason would he have to lie? Aside from the books which he would read over and over again and the daily chores, there really wasnt much to do around here, aside maybe from talking to one self.
"There's only so much one can do when completely alone in a large place like this."
"Mhm! Mhm! I do want to talk!" he quickly jumped at the offer, wanting to fulfill his duty as a host all the way. He opened the door and stepped outside, waiting for her to join him. As it was a little past noon, the sun was already up high in the sky, illuminating the clearing in the forest gently, sometimes obscured by the passing clouds.
"Still, i shouldnt have left you to go all alone" he commented, moving slowly towards the old metal gates. "So, um, tomorrow you're coming back right? For the testing part…"
“Thank you.” she blushed at his confidence in her. She would certainly do her best to keep it as she had no intention of betraying him at all. He didn't deserve that kind of painful experience. Mari shrugged a little at his question. “Yeah, it usually is better that way and I do try to but there are times when you just can't avoid them and all you can do is try to make the… situation shorter.” she agreed.
She nodded sympathetically and softly wrapped an arm over his shoulders. “I believe you, Damien.” she assured him. All she could really imagine was what she felt when she was bored… and times that by… probably a hundred since he’d been on his own for years.
She couldn't help but laugh a little at his enthusiasm to just be outside for a few minutes but happily walked out with him. Unlike the last time she had visited, the weather had turned out to be very beautiful today. And the scenery around Damien’s house was likewise more beautiful. It seemed like something she would have read in a book. “If you had done this at the time, you would have ended up soaked just getting back to your door.” she pointed out. “Seriously, it was fine that you stayed at the house.” she insisted as she matched his pace, a little reluctant to leave him alone again. “Yes, I’ll be back tomorrow. I promise. Hey, if tomorrow is as nice as it is today… Do you want to test some of your abilities outside?” she asked with a gentle smile.
"Oh, i see how it is…" he understood, looking away. Guess she didnt have the option of just locking herself in the house for a very long time like he did in order to avoid the problem altogether.
The boy's thin frame leaned forward a little bit under the weight of Mari's arm on his shoulders. It hadnt been a significant weight, just a small reflex.
"But hey, now im no longer alone. Cuz i have you here…"
Now outside, Damien walked slowly next to her, like he was counting every step he took on the grass. Once they stepped into direct sunlight, the boy's hair was once again proven as a gentle shade of dark green, with a rather smooth texture, that somehow made obvious his not so straight haircut.
"Getting wet wouldnt have been that big of a deal, the house isnt too far away, i would have been fine." he tried to deflect the problem, puttin on what looked like a brave face.
"Yeah, outside would be great. Wouldnt want to break anything inside"
“Yeah…” she said softly. She was somewhat thankful that he had never met someone like that, except maybe the people who hurt him and destroyed his self-esteem, but she was certainly going to try to help him avoid those kinds of situations if and when they came up. She may not be able to hide from them like he currently could but at least she knew how to deal with them.
Seeing the response that he had to her action, Mari lifted her arm and let it drop back at her side. “Sorry.” she apologized as she had just meant to be friendly. But she couldn't help smiling at his comment. “That’s true and I'm glad I can help with that.” she laughed a little.
She was once again a little surprised by the natural color of his hair. It was beautiful, she’d admit, but it was also surreal since the only time she ever saw someone with that color hair… It was usually dyed. Maybe… If he got his hair color from his dad, then that would help in tracking the older man down…
Marissa gave him a slightly exasperated look at his insistence. She didn't know if he could get sick or not but… “You can be pretty stubborn when you want to be, chamaco, did you know that?” she said, lightly teasing but willing to drop the previous topic. She didn't want to fight with him, especially over something so small. ”Ok, then.” she smiled, a little excited to see what he was able to do. She already suspected he was stronger than he looked because of how easily he moved that hidden door/bookcase in the library. “Tomorrow we’ll do some outdoor tests.”
"No no, its alright. It's just me…" he reassured her, waving his hand gently. Apparently he hadn't realized the way he'd changed over the years and where before he could withstand a decent amount of weight, now discovering he bent under relatively small amounts. Guess he was just a little tired at the moment.
"You've no idea how much it helps… Really." the boy replied, with what could be described as the pained expression of someone who was tired of just doing the same things all over again, with little to no change.
"Is all okay?" he asked, turning to look at her once he noticed her head was facing his direction. Apparently he'd been observing her out of the corner of his eye, and caught her sorta staring at him, which made him concerned about wether there was something on her mind
Damien blushed slightly, at her little teasing observation of his behavior. Guess he really was stubborn when he wanted to be, although he liked to think of it as him fulfilling the obligations of a host, which he'd been taught as a young kid. He wouldnt be able to sleep soundly if he didnt do things the 'right way'.
"Yep, tomorrow it is. Same time as today?" he asked, once at the rusty metal gates.
“What do you mean by that?” she asked, raising a brow slightly. She hadn't considered whether or not he had gotten much exercise when he was alone… Or if he really needed it. In fact, she thought his reaction might be more related to his shyness and lack of physical contact over the years. “I’m sure it does.” Mari chuckled a little, smiling softly at him. But she had to admit he was right; she really didn't know since she had never been completely isolated.
“Oh… Yeah, everything is fine.” she replied, blushing a little at being caught staring. She hadn't even realized she had been staring.
She smiled brightly at him and nodded. “Same time works for me.” she agreed, still a little hesitant to leave yet. “I-I’ll see you then.”
"Its my, you know… Quirks. But also like how i kinda almost lost my balance there for a bit. Its hard to explain." the reply came, as the boy looked down at his feet, moving them like he was trying to find a position where he couldnt easily lose his balance. Sure, he had been a little hesitant about having one's arm around his shoulders after just getting used to physical contact, but at the same time it felt like it had tipped his apparently fragile balance. It was odd honestly, for he'd never noticed that before.
"It really does, you know? I cant even say how glad i am to have you here"
"You're sure?" Damien probed further, with an innocent look on the visible half of his face. He didnt mind her staring, mainly because she had already expressed her interest in his not so common appearance.
The boy too was a little hesitant to part just yet, so he didnt hurry up on saying goodbye. He stopped right before the metal gates, not daring to take another step past them, like an invisible barrier.
"Mhm, i'll bee waiting then" gently waving one hand. "I'll uh, see you later then as well. Stay safe out there"
She nodded slowly as she tried to understand. “You mean you're just not used to it?” she asked, hoping that was all it was. If he really couldn't explain it then she would let it drop for now. Unless it became a problem later. “I’m glad too. That I found you and get to be your friend.” she smiled sincerely.
“Yeah, I'm sure.” she nodded again. “Just a thought. I know you said you never saw your dad but… do you remember what color hair your mom had? I mean, if it was the same as yours?” she asked.
Mari smiled softly at him, glancing at the bars briefly before turning back to him. “I’ll be fine. I’m used to out there.” she chuckled lightly.
"i… i guess that might be it, im not sure." he responded after a brief moment of thinking. Honestly he wasnt too certain either about what exactly it was that he'd experienced. It wasnt like he'd lost his balance before, or at least didnt notice it if he did.
"Guess it was a chance meeting, that you were here and it happened to rain. You really did find me" he chuckled at the end, finding the train of events rather sweet.
"My mom?"
The question seemed to take him a bit by surprise, given its randomness, but he did his best to remember, biting his lip as he slowly recalled what she looked like. Although faded and slightly warped by the passage of time, he pieced back together the one face he held dearest in his heart.
"Dark. It was a dark color, i remember, with a bit of a white streak on one side." the reply eventually came, Damien still gazing in the void, like he was visualizing her portrait. "It was different than mine, and i remember asking her about it once. She said it was nice"
The boy started swaying his body once again, similarly to a cartoony shy gesture, while gently kicking some pebbles at his feet.
"Well, you never know what might happen. Just saying, you cant be too careful out there"
She nodded a little with a brief hum. For now she would accept that answer but they might be something that they should look into later. “A lucky chance. If I hadn't turned down that little path on my run, we wouldn't have met.” she smiled at that fact, glad that she had.
Mari stayed quiet as he recalled the memory before answering. She could understand if his memory was a little fuzzy but smiled softly as he gave her the description. It may be a long shot but it was still something… If her basic knowledge on genetics was right. “She sounds very pretty.” she told Damien. “You know, if your mom had dark hair… like black or dark brown even, then your dad probably has the same or a similar shade of hair as you do.”
She chuckled softly at the cute swaying and nodded. “Yeah, I guess that's true. Alright. I'll be careful.” she assured him. “At least I know you’ll be safe here.”
The way these small decisions led to their meeting, even though by chance, felt like a cosmic combination made by whatever higher being was out there, but in the end be was very much satisfied with the end result.
"Lucky indeed" he replied with a smile of his own.
Damien's only response to her compliment was a slow nod, while looking at her and then away. Yes, she had been beautiful, in his eyes at least.
"He could, i wont argue, but i cannot guarantee anything. Mom didnt describe him too much to me."
He honestly hoped it would be that easy to identify him, but he wasnt ready to bet on it. If vampires really had powers, and one of them was shapeshifting, then they might as well look for a needle in a haystack then.
"I'll be okay, dont worry. I wont go anywhere." he promised, before gently motioning towards the path in the forest.
"I guess you should get going now, i've held you here enough"
Mari shrugged a little but still smiled hopefully. “I understand. It's still something though.” she pointed out. In all the stories about vampires having powers, she couldn't remember one where a vampire actually changed their human-like appearance. Most of the shapeshifting described was a bit more extreme rather than simple disguises, such as turning into wolves, mist, bats, or some more monstrous version.
“Yeah, I probably should.” she agreed with a sigh. “I got a lot of research to do.” she added with a wink as she tapped the bag at her side before carefully squeezing through the bars. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
"i really hope it helps, as little as it is." he told her, looking like he was sorry he couldnt provide more information on the matter. When it came to tracking down an actual vampire, he really did not know much at all, reason why when she'd mentioned they could shape shift he automatically assumed his father may have done something to that extent, perhaps to conceal his identity? After all, vampires were very hated back in his time, so it would make sense to go for a disguise; also, if he had taken residence somwhere, wouldn't people be a little suspicious of a seemingly never aging person? Unless he was in a very secluded place just like he was, with no neighbours around.
"I wish you the best of luck with that" he nodded gently towards the bag the girl had tapped with her hand. She really did have a lot in there.
"Tomorrow then. Byee"
Damien waved at her shyly, still remaining on the other side of his gate, silently watching her as she vanished off on to the deer path.
“It might.” she told him with an encouraging smile. Even before meeting Damien, she understood that some of the “facts” she knew about vampires were either completely made up or very skewed. It wouldn't surprise her too much if it turns out that they didn't actually have some of those powers… But it would really be cool if they could.
“Gracias mi amigo.” Mari replied, returning the wave as she walked away. Once the house was out of sight, she picked up the pace to a steady jog. Honestly, she was looking forward to reading the books he had let her borrow and was nervously hopeful about the research she said she would do for him.
While he may have not been as confident as she was about the whole thing, Damien elected to just give an understanding nod, biting his lips as he did so. After all, she possessed all those new things she'd showed him, perhaps she had more chances of finding his dad than he ever could, who knew? If Mari insisted to look for him, who was Damien to stop her from doing so?
When he couldnt see her anymore, he turned around and slowly began walking towards the mansion again. The sun at its peak felt very warm on the top of his head, despite it only being gentle. Thankfully, with the hair covering half his face, he didnt feel any discomfort whatsoever, just the nice warm feeling. He did not hurry to get inside, just enjoying the moment, up until he reached the mansion's door, where he crawled back into his chill lair.
