innerglow | 𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓃 𝓅𝑜𝓈𝓉

( jase feels entirely out of his element — and maybe it's because he is, surrounded by so many different types of people that overwhelm heightened senses in possibly the very best way, a little dizzying in how strong it all is, but a steadying exhale lets him feel the sense of calm in the air, the familiarity between everyone, alike or otherwise.

fingers curl into the now-overlarge sleeves of his deep burgundy sweater, stretched out from years of doing the very same thing, much to the chagrin of the family's launderer who pinches the bridge of her nose each and every time and reminds him of all the money wasted on ruined clothing. it's never been an issue for jase, though, who has quite literally worn this sweater for longer than any man should considering the single large pull-turned-hole near the hem. he thinks it makes him look pretty cool, anyway, not quite so uptight as the rest of his family, even with it half-tucked into dark grey tailored trousers and leather shoes that make the wooden floor creak with every step he takes further inside this —

coffee shop? that's what it smells like, anyway, the overpowering fragrance of roasted beans enough to block out the chaotic mess of scents of the other patrons the closer he meanders towards the counter. jase was really looking for something a little more ... magical coming here, some sort of impossible solution to his little previously unspoken internal dilemma, an apothecary as promised by the woman he'd asked on the street — but maybe a latte will have to make do in the meantime.

he's sheepish when he finally stops in front of the counter — once he finally lays eyes on the beautiful boy standing on the other side with a genuine smile on his face, with dimples that seem to deepen by the second, those eyes bright and his features soft and as delicate as jase has ever seen and. ahem. words. hands end up shoved hastily into his pockets so he can fight the urge to shield his face from the doofy grin, wide and bright, that seems to creep across his cheeks as he looks up and pretends to read the menu board. ) Iiiiiiii ... am not sure I'm in the right place —

[ this happens more often than not. the coffee smell tends to overpower anything else, even when certain mixes involve scents as strong as lavender or vanilla. ( though briar admits that when less attractive ingredients must be used, it's always wise to immediately turn on the espresso machine. ) he's been working at this place since his late teens, having somehow inherited ownership from a kindly outcast fae ( former fae, he supposes ) who had known exactly the kind of path briar wanted for himself. there is magic in him, there is no denying that, but there are so many things he would much rather do with his time than look down his nose at other people. helping them is more of priority and perhaps his kindly nature had been his burden to bear even as an infant.

there are two counters split down the middle along the left wall of the narrow shop covered in mismatched wood paneling, stools and small ottomans squeezed in to accommodate as many denizens as possible. mari, the part-timer, hurries behind the coffee counter to fill a bulk order for a frazzled business wizard, but her superspeed helps with the process. it's what briar has his eyes on, ensuring that she isn't endangering herself or the customers, before he turns his attention to the tall young man who has confusedly entered his cozy shop.

his smile his soft, voice softer but somehow still audible above the din of the room. ] Well, I have answers. Perhaps not the ones you're looking for.

[ he leans forward, pulling his hands out of the pockets of his teal-green apron to fold his arms over the counter, tilting his head to the side. he doesn't have to look at this boy for very long to know exactly what he is, though he's curious as to what has brought him into this little nook in the first place. ] How can I help you?

Well.

( and he pauses, because — well. jase could explain his whole family story through generations and generations, how they once were mighty protectors of kings and secrets and treasures, but the world has changed so much since then and decisions must be made to adapt to it, to make their family flourish for centuries to come. he could explain how he's never once seen his parents transform — how, wealthy as they may be in the mortal world, celebrated and revered, there's still vitriol and judgment from certain circles of the underground for abandoning their heritage, for choosing the meager spoils of the mortal world instead.

or jase could just make a joke about it. )

You see, I have these ... abilities, ones that I've never really tried to use until recently. Suffice to say, I'm having some performance issues.

( and his crooked half of a smile persists, unwavering though he could practically run away screaming about the fact that he's making goofy innuendos to his own detriment to this very beautiful boy, who looks up at him with an equally persistent sense of genuine curiosity and wonderment that makes his legs feel like jello. fingers tap idly against the countertop, nervously maybe, to give him something to do with his damn hands. )

Maybe you could ... hel...p me...?

Hmm.

[ if briar is amused, it's hard to tell save for the slight quirk of the corner of his mouth. looking at him, he can already put together a few pieces of his story – it feels familiar to him, even if his own abilities slowly made themselves known as he grew up. he folds the too-long sleeves of his blue button-down up to his elbows ( though the fabric always sinks down to the middle of his forearm ) and turns to face the curved wall of jars behind him, pulling a few things out, sliding a few jars back onto their individual shelves. ] I think I might be able to help you – overcome certain barriers.

[ he turns around in a flourish and arranges the potential ingredients between them before leaning forward again, a little closer this time as his mortar and pestle slide across the table. it's his way of at least making the magic here known, as some quiet attempt to let him know that he has indeed found the right place. ]

I have a few ideas on how we can begin, but I will need to know more about what keeps you from transforming. [ oops, he didn't say a single thing about what his abilities are, briar. ]

We specialize in healing here. Is that what you need?

Maybe — I'm not really sure.

( and if jase is at all surprised by the shopkeeper's assessment of his problem, it certainly doesn't show on his face; he's far too attentive to the way the seemingly slight boy reaches for ingredient after ingredient seemingly intuitively without needing to stop and contemplate anything. wow, this place — this boy, too, really must be magical. maybe his curiosity gets the better of him for a moment as he breathes in, tries to really focus in on his scent to maybe identify what he really is beneath those doe eyes, but he's never sensed anything remotely like him. huh.

he lets out a huff of a laugh, like he might expel any remaining traces of nervousness from his body in the process, his lingering embarrassment. )

It's not that I can't transform, it's just that I end up — mm, I'd show you, but it's a little embarrassing ... It doesn't work the way it's supposed to. ( theres a beat, where he lets that thought hover for a moment. ) I know it's hard to tell — ( sarcasm. dry, dry, sarcasm. ) — but this isn't really my usual scene.

No one is going to judge you here, especially me, [ briar assures him gently, his voice light and airy as always.

this is a curious case from what he can decipher but not unusual. there have been wolves who have needed help in either state, stuck as a human or a beast ( or for the less fortunate, the transition state ), vampires who can't sleep during the day – everyone has their off days. or off months, however it may be. ] I believe powers are sometimes like muscles that need exercising. When one hasn't been active, it needs to be tended to.

Let me try to put you at ease here, especially since all are welcome. [ and a soft smile follows that as he extends his hand across the counter. though the history of this boy's family is not quite familiar to him, he can sense that there is something very powerful within him; he might just need a little nudging. ] My name is Briar.

Briar, ( he repeats, voice light and soft in return. briar, a name unlike any he's heard before, which seems to make it all the more special. fingers close around that delicate hand that's offered and jase nods, a small squeeze his version of a handshake.

it's enough to make his lips curve up into another smile, anyway, still a little bashful no matter how badly he wants to school his expression into something cooler. ) Call me Jase.

( he withdraws his hand before he hangs on for an uncomfortable-for-a-stranger amount of time, shoves both hands into his pants pockets again. gods, he's glad that his hands aren't sweating. there's a dramatic roll of his neck, a roll of his shoulders, and he streeeetches out his back, like he needs some extensive warming up to be able to exercise those very muscles that briar has mentioned.

his shy smile turns a little smirky, a little goofy, and he suggests: ) Is there somewhere more private we can go? I'm not sure I can do it with so many people watching.

( please, someone stop him. )

Jase, [ he hums, always a little musical in nature. it's endearing, really, watching him try to be something else – always trying to transform into someone else, it seems like. lowering his hand to the table again, briar lifts his eyebrows at the question and looks around the room; there isn't anyone here who would take offense at any kind of display but if the customer wants something, he will at least try to provide it. ]

Mari, I'll be in the back for a moment.

[ he slips out from behind the counter after the girl nods her acknowledgment and, without waiting, grasps jase's wrist to lead him into the back area of the shop, through a door that leads them into a narrow alleyway. in theme with all the lights in the cafe, there are lights strung across balconies and fire escapes, still lit even though the sun remains high in the sky.

satisfied as the door magically closes behind them, he turns around the gives jase's wrist a small squeeze again, as if wanting to convey the same message a few times over. ] Will this do?

Edited 2019-03-13 02:06 (UTC)

( jase doesn't need enhanced senses to be able to hear how loudly his heart beats in his chest, pulse quickening the moment those delicate fingers slip around his wrist and tug him away from the counter and towards the back of the store; he can't help but watch the boy before him and admire the ease with which he moves, the calm, effortless nature that seems to radiate off of him in waves. he envies that, as someone who's never really been sure of what his place is in this or any world. they walk, and jase finds himself practically staring in awe, like the more he watches briar, the more he'll be able to learn about him and about what he is.

they arrive in the back alley behind the shop, and the moment they stop and briar gives his wrist another squeeze, he realizes that he's been smiling giddily this entire time. wow, he's super embarrassing.

he clears his throat and tips his chin up so he can look at the sky above, all those stringed lights and fire escapes that stretch high over his head, and he thinks that he's maybe finally gathered himself. )

Yeah, I think it'll work. ( and jase rolls his shoulders again, stretches out his arms, bounces on the soles of his fancy leather shoes like he's gearing up for something big — or maybe he just facetiously thinks that there's something to briar's muscle theory (ha). he lets out a long breath, eyes fluttering closed ... and when they flash open again, pupils are slitted, and he grins cheesily, offers: ) I won't blame you if you laugh.

( and then it happens in a practical blink of an eye: his tall, broad frame is gone, those designer clothes, that grin, and in its place? a common house cat, fur jet black save for the occasional deep brown outlines of where spots might be, more visible in the sunlight than at any other time.

hoooo, briar looks so much bigger from down here — and probably because he is, and probably because jase still isn't very used to this change in perspective yet, having only succeeded in getting this far maybe five, six times. a very pointed meow, as though to say: see? )

[ he seems to float when he walks, it's true, though for the most part, he tries to remain grounded, content with this human form he had been given as a child. despite his open face and his eagerness to help others in need, there is much that briar would rather keep in the dark. ( if the boy wants to unravel a few small mysteries, however, he is welcome to try. ) when briar does turn around, he doesn't expect to see that kind of smile on his face. curiously, he cants his head to the side in a silent question, waiting for him to explain or continue. ]

I won't laugh.

[ but as soon as that sentence leaves his lips, the boy is gone, a cat in his place. a very pretty cat, though not quite the size he expected to see. though his eyes do not widen in wonder, he does observe bemusedly for a moment before slowly lowering himself to sit on the ground, feet tucked under his rear. ]

You mean to be bigger, I see, [ comes a murmur finally as he leans forward, folding his arms across his lap so he is just about nose to nose with the cat before him. ]

It sounds to me like you just need more practice along with a calming remedy. There is a lot rattling around in that brain of yours, [ he points out, lightly tapping the top of the cat's head. ]

( there's that pause between his transformation and briar's reaction that feels like an eternity, and jase wishes in that moment that he were capable of spreading those paws of his nice and wide and shout ta-daaaa, or really just do anything to break the relative silence other than stare meekly up at the boy with widened pupils and ears that turn outwards and threaten to press flat back against his head. and then.

and then briar simultaneously diagnoses his exact problem and makes him nervous as shit all in one fell swoop, tail fluffing up to twice its size as that boy kneels in front of him, bending lower so jase ends up eye to large, doe-like eye with him. ohhhh, no, why does he have to be so ... beautiful ...

there's a boop to the top of his head, and jase would very much like to even try articulating to briar just what is rattling around in this brain of his — a silly crush based almost entirely on attraction, excitement at this new world he's stumbled right into, a fear that he might not be able to find a solution, and their family's genes will grow more and more dormant by the day. it's a lot of weight to bear, especially for such a small cat — and goodness, does he wish he could ask how briar is capable of reading him so accurately.

despite the very telling body language, this cat tips his head curiously, lets loose another series of meows, head tilted. what else are you able to tell about me? )

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