is that ROMAN CALVO i see beneath the neon lights ? not much is known about the 198 (50) year old who has lived in neocouver for 85 YEARS. though the shadows do whisper about their GENTLE ways but it may be their SECRETIVE habits that very well lead to their damnation. it has been said they can often be found working at NEOCOUVER SECONDARY as a PRINCIPAL but their free time is spent at WHISK. many will be able to hear NEW BORN by MUSE when they enter the room but it's A SHADOW LURKING BEHIND THE TREES IN THE DARKNESS ; GORE HIDDEN BENEATH A WARM & GENUINE SMILE ; QUIET WHISTLES THAT GO SLIGHTLY OFF-TUNE ; THE FEELING OF RELIEF AFTER UNEARTHING YOUR BURDENS that truly leaves a lasting impression on even the quietest of souls. only time will tell if the SHIFTER has what it takes to live and protect what might be the very last bit of salvation for supernaturals and mortals alike.
BASIC INFORMATION:
full name: roman vicente calvo (roman, rome)
age, birthdate: 198, november 15th
hometown: santiago, chile
current residence: neocouver, british columbia
occupation: principal at neocouver secondary
species, affiliation: shifter, the wintercrest pack (prime)
physical traits: dark brown eyes and dark brown hair with specks of gray on the temple; patchy, scruffy beard slowly growing gray; thin mustache; fairly muscular and tall at 5'11
physical traits (wolf): thick brown fur with patches of gray, white fur on his underbelly. 135 lbs, 3' tall and 6'5 long, bigger than gray wolf
sexual orientation: pansexual
BIOGRAPHY:
01. to be a firstborn is undeniably lonely. roman was destined to carry the weight of his family's lives on his shoulders. the dutiful son, everyone called him. could he afford to be something else other than himself?
02. people changed, gradually. realization trickled in, and when it set, the decision that needed to be made nearly crushed his soul. how can he, the dutiful son, sink his claws on the reason why he was even born: alive and well? but what was done was done. he now had one more responsibility to bear.
03. tension rose and soon, it snapped. like a mirrored image, roman found himself staring at his brother, sharp teeth just several inches away from his neck. life truly came full cycle. however, it didn't end the way roman had expected it to. one more person gone from his life and never to be seen again.
04. roman ... lived on. he'd grown fond of the cubs regardless of their species. those who were going through puberty, though, were truly something else. he gave detentions, he gave speeches. he kept them safe, the way he couldn't do to his own family and pack. he still tried, he tried harder as days passed. how could he not?
HEADCANONS:
roman has a massive resting bitch face. full scowl, downturned lips: all the time. it's part of the reason why parents avoid him. underneath all of that, he's just a big ball of fluff who cares too much about his students (his cubs, as he calls them)
he's nearsighted; though, with his heightened sight, makes his range of vision like one of an ordinary human's. 20/20 vision and all that
joey nodded and offered them a smile. "alright... no mint... no chocolate." the witch glanced at the case to see what whisk had to offer today.
"alright... the cinnamon roll is a classic, so is the pie and the cheesecake. i like the cupcakes too, there's a bunch of different flavours for those ones." he explained. "i was personally thinking about the brownie or the cinnamon roll myself." they told him.
"it all depends on what kind of flavour you're feeling today."
roman listens raptly, nodding every once in a while, the space between his brows is now creased in a frown. so many choices offered in front of him and what roman does is stare at the display with a scowl on his face as if the innocent cookies are offending. he is definitely going to skip the cheesecake, even the sound of it makes roman want to scrunch his nose. cinnamon roll, though-- "maybe i should get two or three pieces of each cookie they have on the display," roman muses quietly, more to himself than the person next to him. he glances at them with a small, rather hesitant smile. "thank you. i think i'm going to get the cinnamon roll too." at the limited amount displayed, roman cranes his neck as if to peer into the kitchen. "do you think they have more back there?"
she liked to believe her self control was close to perfect but when it came to bread? bread was her vice. who didn't love a lazy sunday sandwich or a bowl of soup with breadsticks? she would bake it herself if she weren't so busy these days with work, chasing leads and selling secrets. then there's her side work as a willing donor. her days were booked and her nights were full. "i can't say no to that. two loaves it is." lillian declared with a laugh, moving to look at the selection better. "you know what. i think you're right - and now i'm hungry. two loaves of bread, a dozen strawberry cookies and..." her eyes scan the selection once more before looking back to the other. "are you a nut fan by chance? i think you'd like the macadamia nuts if you aren't a fan of overly sweet cookies."
roman watches her with a quiet laugh, nodding his head in approval. people are so easily swayed that it amuses him. though, roman muses, he's not one to say since he's equally easy to influence when it comes to food. "two loaves," he says sagely, lips curling up into a smile despite the tone, "you won't regret it. going to be your best purchase today, promise." this time, his eyebrows raised high on his forehead in surprise. "a dozen? are they all for you?" he glances at the display, gauging their size, before returning to her. "that's quite the number, don't you think so?" another glance back to the cookies, now with his head bent down to take a better look. "i didn't know they have macadamia nuts cookies," roman says, voice hushed. it's one of the things that don't cause him awful stomach pain when eaten. to say that he's grateful is understating it. "i'll get two dozen."
imagine how many wars could've been avoided if people actually spoke to one another. imagine how many brothers wouldn't need to go decades because, who knows? they worked together instead of fought each other. well crap. it wasn't so much that he hated roman and therefore he stayed away all these years - cause the truth was, if he had, he would've finished the challenge without a second doubt - but rather he didn't hate him at all. he's too much of a self loather to hate anyone else other than their father and his followers.
he nodded wholeheartedly. it only took him so many years away to really see that. his self exile helped him in plenty more ways than it did to break him. "good -- i doubt fifty years of mediation'll do me very much good if they were." it's a hint, a sign, that he knows where a lot of his own issues stemmed from. it didn't help that they didn't talk and they weren't close enough to share feelings, but it wasn't all of the problem. the larger picture was clear in his head now. luca let the topic fade away when the sound of chattering, rushing people around them came back to him. it was like a rubber band snapping back into place.
his expression is warmer than it's been on the topic of the kid he lovingly called birdie. luca's still unsure if he'd ever introduce the two much less admit that he never found a pack outside of theirs, but it's selfish and he knows it. he wants to keep her safe. he wants to make sure she's loved and never placed in a situation like he found himself in so long ago. but... but he's happy it's out there in some aspects. "i think you'd like her. she's nothing like me." it's a low dig he's happy to make. a crumb of knowledge he's willing to give. luca moves at his brother's urging, making sure to dodge passersby where he could. "i'll have to look into it but i'm okay with okay too." he laughed, glancing back at him. "i'm alive. i think it's a sign i'm okay. i have my own business so, you know, if you ever need help finding something let me know. it's what i do."
the finality in luca's words feels like closing a book. roman inclines his head in agreement; he, too, fell into a reclusive state not long after luca left the pack. he drove in and out of what people said was a depressive haze and had an epiphany that finally broke him out of his solitude. it wasn't his proudest moment but the pack remained and only grew stronger since. all the distance between him and luca is what makes them better men now and, while roman wistfully wishes that they didn't need to go through all of that, he can't help but think that they should've done it earlier, taking time off from each other and live separately for a while. what if, what if. those thoughts are buried as soon as they emerge.
even from several feet away, roman can see the changes in his brother's demeanor when he is talking about the mysterious birdie. a good part of him itches to know more, but he settles with a smile and, "bet you're good--to her. good father." unlike ours, roman doesn't say but it is there, laying between the lines. "must have been a good partner too." from the way luca said it, it's only him and his kid. a partner must have been there, somewhere along the way, but left. roman doesn't want to think about the other possibility, that luca's partner is gone from life, but it is among the questions roman is not willing to ask without jeopardizing the tentative relationship between them. for all luca's saying she's nothing like him, roman knows the calvo genes are strong. the image of a luca calvo, female-looking and smaller, younger, makes roman smile to himself. it's the closest he could ever get to being in the presence of his niece and he's fine with that.
"i don't have any of mine," roman says as they walk towards a food stall. the smell of grilled meat makes his mouth water. "i deal with enough of them at the school and there are some pups back at home so it's enough for me." the pack isn't how it used to be. roman has made sure it will never be the same place where he grew up. he could only hope that luca feels safe enough to bring his kid home, no matter how far along in the future. he gently nudges luca to pause his walk. "here, the best place to get your steak at the eatery. let's grab a seat." he gestures to the row of seats before settling onto one of them with only the slightest of nerves. "that's--that's good. glad you're okay." roman peers at his brother, lips curling into a grin, slightly playful. "yeah? you're a detective now, luke?" the nickname slips past his lips easily, like time hasn't passed them, and roman feels his smile falter before it's up again, a little tense.
never truly paying attention to her surroundings, saskia was humming and whistling away in her own world, thinking of what she was going to do tomorrow, and maybe even next week as opposed to right then are there. it was no surprise that she almost jumped out of her skin when the person in front of her asked an odd; though quite adorable question. she leaned in, peering over at what he was referring to and chuckled. "if you enjoy eating chocolate after brushing your teeth then sure, it's great." she hated anything mint and chocolate, she was as passionate in her distaste for it as she was for pineapple on pizza. "i'm partial to white chocolate and raspberry, myself. it's like elegant, almost."
the comparison makes roman chuckle. he never thinks of it that way, having avoided mint toothpaste his whole life, but he could imagine the taste and a grimace comes soon after when realization settles in. "that's... quite the image. i don't think i'd enjoy something that tastes like toothpaste," roman admits with yet another chuckle. "white chocolate and raspberry, got it." he leans in to take a better look at said cookie. it does look appealing and roman doesn't think he'd have any complications with white chocolate and raspberry. "it looks..." roman pauses, grappling for the correct adjective to describe the cookie, "... pretty? i think my staff would enjoy them." roman then glances at the woman. "what are you getting, by the way?"
can't go wrong with a tried and true. comfort foods rule. "you bet. i hope you like them as much as i do," lillian replied with a click of her tongue. her mind bounced back and forth between bread and sweets now. "i'm thinking about it. do i want fresh sourdough and risk it or do i want rye that i know fits a rueben right out of the gate?" she honestly couldn't decide and it didn't matter. she was hungry no matter what but she wasn't sure she'd eat two loaves of bread all by herself. she nears closer, inhaling what she could in scent and sighing with happiness. "i might get two loaves after all. what do you think?"
roman could only hope that his decision to try out something new won't come and bite him in the ass. strawberry... roman couldn't remember when he had a bite of the fruit. it was most likely a long time ago and, as far as he could remember, he could stomach the fruit just fine. so the cookie, unlike the very blue-ish mint chocolate chip cookie, could be another favorite, because roman is sick of the plain brown sugar cookie. "two loaves is better than one," roman says in agreement solely because he knows he'd wolf them down (pun intended) in no time. "rye for savory sandwich and sourdough for the more sweet kind." he offers a shrug of his shoulder. "might get two for myself as well."
adding chocolate chip cookies to the display that had started to run dangerously low , minty snorted lightly as she overheard the conversation . ❛ don't come in here insulting my goodies . maybe your palette just isn't refined enough to understand the iconic - ness that is mint chocolate chip . ❜ she couldn't say herself that it was one of her favorite flavors , but both an employee and some customers had begged for the flavor so she'd added it to something small on the menu . toffee , or peanut butter crunch , seemed more like his speed , but she'd let him figure that out himself . ❛ hasn't anyone ever told you before not to knock it til you've tried it ? ❜
roman doesn't twitch, he most certainly doesn't, but he nears twitching in surprise at the voice that chimes in and, importantly, answers his rather silly question. he flushes red right to the back of his neck, a rare occurrence that only happens when he's embarrassed to the bones, something he doesn't know could happen to an old man like him. "sorry," roman mutters, glancing at the owner with an apologetic smile, "it wasn't an insult, really. it's a 'me' problem. i just couldn't stand the smell of chocolate mint." he doesn't know about how his stomach would react to it and he doesn't know if he would like to know. "i'd--i'd get some. just to try. but not too much, if that's fine."
he hoped that staying away would be better for everyone. him, roman, and his kid. family had been a hard topic for him to deal with for as long as he could remember. his kid gently poked and chipped away some of his angst and annoyance over the years but the truth was, he held it like a safety blanket. a reminder of what not to do and who not to trust. mediation was helpful in some aspects. he was too much of a hot head back then. add the nagging whispers and expectations on top of that? he was a powder keg who barely knew what the word love was until he swore he'd never be his father - or let any reason be worth it to cause doubt in his kid's head.
there's no real anger evident. he's flighty sure. a caged animal looking for an out in his head while his heart seemed to hold him captive and on lockdown. his fingers itch to move. how he's not sure. he's standing there not sure what to do. comforting his brother still feels foreign. it feels wrong. the calvos were meant to be strong and nothing else... but he's a fuck up just the same. "you heard those voices too, huh? too many whispers from people who didn't matter." that's it though wasn't it? it took time away from the pack for him to see he wasn't a prime. he was barely a placeholder as a brother and son. it isn't agreement with roman's words though. he's not sure what he thinks exactly but he knows going down that road will only annoy him.
the use of the word peachy catches him off guard for a moment. he felt an eyebrow raise before it heavily dropped. "that's something. better." for a moment it's just the two of them. they're speaking more now than they had decades before. progress? two steps forward and three steps back? who knows? "i can eat. if i don't bring anything home, birdie'll have my head." luca laughed wholeheartedly before he realized what he had done. he didn't plan on seeing roman on this trip much less going home. "know a good steak place? my treat if you want." because it beat luca arguing later about buying his own food himself.
it is, to roman, an acknowledgment, or close enough to one. calvo men do not talk their hearts out to each other and perhaps that is why there is barely enough familiar sense between the two of them right now. looking back at it, roman was too much of a savior complex with his head deep inside his own problems. never once did it cross his mind that his brother might have gone through the same thing as him, hearing whispers and talks about how he wasn't good enough for the family, how he wasn't good enough for the pack. he just thought it was an experience unique to him as the first child. perhaps it was naivety, but back then, roman thought that challenging his father for the prime position was the only way to make his pack happy. happier, at least. he'd learned the hard way that keeping everyone happy is impossible work. contentment comes with a price.
seeing luca in front of him, older but well, with tired eyes and lines around his eyes but clearly healthy, has ripped a decades-old bandage off. at least roman could laugh at it, albeit weakly, awkwardly. he never quite knows what to do around his brother. there has always been a rift between the two, one that roman doesn't know how to bridge. he thinks he could learn and he could start now, only if luca lets him. "it was everywhere," roman said with a hint of a despairing smile, "good thing they're all gone now." this isn't something he wants to talk to his brother about in the middle of the eatery, surrounded by people who come and go as they please. he wants this talk to happen in the comforting protection of his house, but inviting luca to his--place doesn't seem like a good idea. not when what happened decades ago is still fresh in his memory.
"got someone with you, eh? good, good." roman aims for a light tone despite the curiosity. there is a lot to catch up on and he doesn't even know if his brother would let him know. is that a partner or a child? where has luca been in the last few decades? he, however, keeps his mouth shut and makes a gesture for his brother to march first. "there's one around here. it's rather new, but i think it tastes okay." roman glances at luca, the corner of his lips pulled up into a smile, this time less despondent. "there's one called electric terrace. way up my budget but it's got amazing steak. too bad it's booked until the next month." as he walks just several paces away behind luca, roman dares to ask, "how are you?"
a twitch of porcelain and cold lips happen at the notion of the man's home becoming what aurelian would describe as in need of a good cleaning. " are you under the impression that flowers will florish in a home smelling and looking like a sewer ? " the ancient vampire takes a few steps out of his sanctuary, heading for the counter where his florists usually stood. " i could recommend you to some nice cleaning services if need be ⸻ plants and flowers do not thrive within bad habitats. " it's not to be cruel, it is simply stating the reality of it. however, he is not going to turn the man away he after all must be out of it, considering he walked into a store with a sign of being closed for the evening. " tell me, what sort of flowers would you like sir ? "
it doesn't take a lot for roman to flush pink, the harsh lines on his face turning soft. his lips curl up into a sheepish grin. hearing it from the other man sounds nearly uncanny as it is the exact words spoken to him back when roman fell in and out of a depressive haze. roman is, quite forcibly and harshly, reminded of it once again. "you're right, i should clean my place first before getting any flowers," he said, bouncing the plastic bags full of groceries in his arms. "thanks, by the way. i... think i needed the reminder." roman chuckled, the sound was part wry and nostalgic. "gardenia, maybe?" with that, he takes another step forward, gaze darting around the place. roman thought he has something in mind. it's humbling to feel out of his element. "i don't know, what would you suggest? maybe i'll get one that looks pretty and one that smells good."
joey had over an hour to kill between their classes and instead of studying, he thought, why not get themselves a treat. the witch smiled at them and let out a light laugh. joey had actually tried the mint chocolate chip cookie and normally, he didn't like that flavour but in the cookie, it was fantastic.
"it's really all about what kind of sweet you are craving." they told the other. joey shrugged. "i've had the mint chocolate chip cookie once before and granted, it wasn't as bad as you would assume." they explained. "although, personally, i usually end up getting something involving double chocolate." they said with a light laugh. "i'd start there."
having taught teenage cubs for decades makes roman keep imitating their behavior out of habit. he scrunches his nose up, exactly like one of the cubs that got into his office for detention, and grimaces. an old dog nose like his is sensitive to any scents that are just slightly off and, unfortunately, the smell of the mint in the cookies is off-putting. even though it's an artificial flavoring, the nausea it induces is much too real. "i can't stand the smell and taste of mint," roman admits a little bashfully. "other than double chocolate, what do you recommend? i don't eat chocolate as well." well, not too much. but he'd rather not take the chance of getting himself sick.
whisk was without a doubt her favorite place in neocouver. it smelled like, well, heaven. there's a special sort of warmth to the place that feels both delightful and decadent to the human. today she's after a fresh loaf of whatever the daily bread deal is which just so happens to be sourdough. her brain is trying to decide which meat would go best on it for a sandwich later when she hears a somewhat familiar voice speak to her. they're not friends but friendly. she often found him staring off into the distance, struggling to pick an option himself.
lillian grinned at his plight. "i have not but my go to are the strawberry cookies. i can't say knock it before you try it."
from one customer to another, roman knows her advice is sound. he bends down a little to get a better look at the said strawberry cookies and, he has to agree, it does look delish. better than the blue cookies, at least. roman keeps throwing concerned glances at the mint chocolate chip cookies, the light blue hue makes him want to grimace. "strawberry cookies, i'll get some of that. it smells better than the blue cookies. thanks, by the way," he says to her, offering a little smile along the way. "are you getting the bread too?" roman holds his hand out at the basket full of bread and lets it hover. the warmth emanating from the bread still reaches his skin. "i think they just got these bad boys out of the oven."
it's a quick assumption really. he assumes that roman will want him to avoid his territory and avoid him as well. just the same to him. he's stubborn as hell and still under the impression that roman hated him. it was hard not to be. there had been a part of him once that wanted his attention and love because what little brother didn't want that? but the voices, starting out as whispers, planted the seeds of doubt luca would eventually sow.
luca took another slight step, this time to avoid an oncoming person trying to get to the stall he stood in front of. "excuse me," it's not kind per say but rather friendly enough to not be taken as harsh. his eyes drifted away from roman for a moment. "a while," it seems like a while but it's not the truth. he doesn't know why he clarifies. neither of the two owe each other anything. his eyes look back at him. his brother. the reason he sought meditation and avoided situations like this. "two months? i have an engagement requiring i stay a while." luca still would, sure, but he'd avoid the eatery for a while just in case.
there's a thought eating at him. a slow growing gnaw as if nibbling at the sides of his cheeks with too much teeth. "you know, for what it's worth, i know i would of been a shit prime." it's not why he hesitated all those years ago - and it's not something he thought he'd ever admit, but it slips out before he can pull it back in. the worst thing he thought, would be to admit he hesitated because for every seed of doubt implanted in his brain, there was a thought of... he loved his brother. it's a crumb though. a carrot dangled in place of a white flag. "how... how you doing?" there were plenty questions, sure, but he thought it might be the better place to start.
roman takes his time to stare at his brother, to truly look. two images overlap: there is a ghost of the wolf whose fangs closed an inch away from his neck underneath the tired shadow of his brother's eyes. he's... grown old, roman realizes, and so does he. he half expects himself to still be angry, bitter from the betrayal and distrust when he only tried his best (and isn't that the kicker, that even his best wasn't enough?) but roman finds none. the tightness in his chest loosens up and is replaced with bone-deep relief that shakes him to his bones. perhaps age has softened them both. absence makes the heart grow fonder--or some things like that; roman isn't sure of what goes inside luca's head right now, but he sure feels that way towards his brother. not--fond, not yet. perhaps--someday.
two months. his brother has returned to the city and has lived here for two months, and roman only knows this now. the tightness in his chest returns. what comes out of luca's mouth, though, feels like a sledgehammer to the chest. the physical weight of the words sinks deep down under his breastbone. then why? roman wants to ask, wants to shake luca by his shoulders, wants to know. then why did you do it? did you have such little faith in me? his breath comes out shaky. regardless, roman flashes his brother a smile, tight around his eyes, and swallows around those demanding questions. "i--nah," he said, waving it off once again, playing it cool, "i wasn't a good prime back then too." we were all trying, roman was trying, too.
"i'm good. peachy." that part, at least, isn't an outright lie. nerves have roman scuffing his feet to the ground like a cub caught sneaking out at night. just as he thinks of something more to say, his stomach lets out a pathetic growl. ah, well. "hungry, too. have you--have you eaten? want to get something to eat? to bring home, maybe?" home. there is a place out there that luca calls home, and it's not his pack. regret is truly an awful feeling to have.
it was strange, sure. decades away and yet he could still pick out his brother's scent as if it were freshly implanting itself in his brain. maybe, in a way, it's a pull and tug to see his prime. maybe, in a bigger way, it's all of his senses trying to tell him flee once more. he wants to go. oh he wants to go far, far away again - but he promised HER they'd stay awhile. he thought he could simply avoid the pack's territory long enough to make her desire come true.
his own expression is sour, although less angrier than it had been those last few moments all those years ago. he thought he'd leave and yet he stood there watching and waiting for roman to make a move. it was his choice to go... but he also knew he'd make a true enemy the day he challenged roman for the pack. when roman neared, he swallowed the hard lump that had been creeping it's way into his throat. "roman," it's something of a greeting. not bitter yet tough. like he hadn't spoken his name since before he left all those years ago. "i'm around." he corrected, stepping slight. "don't worry. i've been making sure not to enter your territory."
their relationship has always been hard to define. roman loves his brother, he really does, but he's let decades of resentment and jealousy rots their bond and--it festers, before it finally snaps. seeing his brother again unearths all the memories that lead to their fall out, the anger painted clearly and plainly on his visage, and all roman could do back then was to--let him be because he thought there was no salvaging of what they had left (he should have tried harder, better, and--).
"no, i'm not--" words, once again, fail him. roman waves it off. teeth gnawing on his lower lip, he feels so out of his elements. he's always been so sure of his steps that this hesitation he's feeling is eating him alive. still, being careful... roman could do that and that is what he will do. "how long have you been around? and..." roman swallows around the questions he wants to ask and asks something else instead: "how long are you staying?"
he doesn't look like it, but if roman could, he would happily spend the rest of his life in whisk, surrounded by the scent of freshly baked bread and the warmth he's associated with cookies. as soon as he steps into the place, roman inhales deeply with a look of pure bliss on his face. his teeth itches to have any of those sweet, decadent, pillowy goodness, and maybe, a sip of good coffee to start his day. humming to himself, roman siddles to the display, keen eyes observing the display. he needs to pick some for his staffs and pack, and some coffee, too, because half of them are caffeine addicts. roman glances at the person next to him. "what do you think i should pick?" he asks, pointing at the display, nails clicking on the clear glass. "have you tried the--the mint chocolate chip cookies? that doesn't sound, look, and smell appetizing, to be honest."
"come on, 'sandra," he spoke in a charming sort of tone as he waved the crate in his hands as if to say take a gander. "you wanted it a week ago. what's changed?" luca wondered, making sure to bat his eye lashes at her. was it working? the woman sighed and held out her hands. luca smiled and placed the crate in her hands. "pleasure doing business with you." the crate? housed what many thought didn't exist from the time she sought --- red wine. the air is light around him until he smells something and he pauses, turning to seek out the scent now burning in his nostrils. oh, well, fuck. "i'll pick up my payment tomorrow, 'sandra." he said, eyes no longer able to look at her. they were too busy trying to keep the familiar figure in his sights. at least if he could do that he wouldn't be a caged animal, right? two months in the city now down the drain.
a man's got to eat, that's what the old principal said when they found roman holed in his office, you're no good to the kids starving. long after they passed away, roman still keeps the advice close to the heart and it's the reason why he wanders along the eatery, looking for something to eat. underneath all those spices, his nose catches a scent that he thinks he's forgotten as it has been a long time, decades even, since he smells that. roman looks around, brows furrowed, and--
there it is: a man. his sight has surely deteriorated over the century but, there is no mistaking, his brother (oh, how odd that word sounds) is just a distance away from him, alive and well, in the flesh. the scowl on his face smooths out. before roman could think, his feet move on their own. then--he stops. and hesitates, because they didn't part ways in a good term and that's putting it lightly. this is a regret roman carries deep inside of him. "luca?" roman says, voice hoarse as if disused for a long time, "you're--back?"
there is something about the serenity of lingering amongst peace and quiet, surrounded by plants and flowers of different regions in the world, some still out in the wild, others long forgotten to time. the onyx haired vampire sits amongst his creations and ponders upon the world as if he hasn't done so for centuries. however, amongst thoughts and horrors voices break through. cat-like hues snap towards the florist shop and silent footsteps are taken towards the small crack of light from the back door.
none of the florists are at work right now and it seems whoever approached has not seen the sign of closed for the day lingering upon the front door. " can i help you with something ? " shrilled and cold voice comes forth, but fangs and hues have returned to their human shell.
absent-minded is, perhaps, the most accurate word to describe roman lately. between caring for his pack back at home and dealing with cubs in their puberty at school, most of his energy has been zapped out of his body and there is nothing left for himself. that's the thing, a saner part of his brain says, you always have to turn everything into yours to care for and now you're living like a slum rat because of it, eating snack bar and anemic from the lack of care you put for yourself.
and, alright, roman could not find a fault in that logic. so, when the hours ends, he finds himself on his merry way to the florist with an armful of groceries to get some flowers for his house. it seems silly, but his house has started to have this odd, stale smell to it that makes his nose itches and roman figured flowers would help. his steps come to a halt as soon as he enters, though, nose twitching at the onslaught of scent. the coldness of his eyes rendered roman silent for a moment. "i need flowers for my house," roman says, tone lilting at the end. he doesn't mean to make it into a question, but his nerves have taken control of himself. "it's started to smell and look like a sewer and i think flowers would help."
