ONCE BURNED was made by MEL. Copying, altering, or stealing any of the site's content is prohibited. All of ONCE BURNED's characters are the original work of their owners and may not be replicated or stolen. All images and graphics belong to their rightful owners and ONCE BURNED does not claim to own any of them.
Her words were like they had been plucked from his mind and he nodded, "Pretty much. I mean, I haven't done it in...shit, probably before I manifested." He was twenty-four now and it came as a sort of shock that he couldn't forget something he had learned nearly twenty years ago.
When she mentioned his father's reaction to his decision to not only move back to the States and give up on following the Ivaskov name, but then to also buy a burlesque club, Luca grimaced. He shrugged his shoulders, "He's never been happy with anything I've done, I didn't figure I should give him false hope that I might actually be the son he wanted." That's what Cristian and Darius were for anyway. Nothing had changed on that front, Dmitri had told Luca never to come back, that he wasn't welcome and that he didn't deserve the Ivaskov name. Luca had even gone so far as to think about changing his last name.
If it wasn't for his sisters, for the memory of his mother, he might have gone through with it. Luca lifted the corner of his mouth into an attempt of a smile, "But hey, what can you do? I don't regret my choice...not yet anyway." Not when it brought him to a place where he'd run into her again.
It was settled, there was no way he was getting out of this one. Luca narrowed his eyes at her and smiled when she took his hand. Reluctantly, if not automatically, his free hand rested just under her shoulder blade, near the middle of her back. He kept his elbow propped up underneath hers and gave one final shake of his head.
Once he was ready he took the first step. His mind immediately counting for him 1, 2, 3. Quick, quick, slow. It was something that had been ingrained in his mind since he was five or six when he had taken his first lesson. While art had always been his kind of thing, the waltz was something even his father had gotten into. He said that the way a man led in the waltz said a great deal about him. Proper technique, good posture and strong arms meant that he would be successful. Funny how even then he'd been told how to be a real man, just from the way he danced.
Luca twirled her around on the stage and he felt lighter than he had the past few days. The stress of the club opening, finding employees, getting it designed correctly, it all melted away briefly and he just watched Callie. He led her into an underarm turn and smiled, "I can't believe I remember this stuff."
He arched an eyebrow, "What am I good at? Uh, none of it. Which is exactly why I don't dance, I leave that to the pros like you." Luca smiled and shrugged when she mentioned the waltz. Of course she would know that about him, he came from a stuck up, pretentious family. "Okay, okay, yes I can do that, but this isn't that kinda club, doll."
Not that it mattered, she was already making her way to the stage. He took a moment to appreciate the way it looked, her standing in the center. It seemed fitting, but it was about to be very unfitting the moment he made his way up the stairs and to the stage. Luca had always just been behind the piano, not a singer, not a dancer, just the accompaniment. His clothes were not very good for a waltz either, an open button-up, dark jeans and black Converse. Definitely not a fitted tux or dancing shoes.
Luca stood there in front of her, shaking his head back and forth, "Are you sure this is a good idea? I haven't danced in a while, I don't want to step on you or anything."
The way she said 'dance for you' made him feel a little creeper-ish. It was a burlesque club, and while he'd had dozens of girls do exactly that earlier, for some reason he felt very strange having Callie do it. More than likely, he knew it was because his focus wouldn't be on her technique or her confidence, it would be on things that no boss should be paying attention to. He bit down on his lip, looking for an answer to her question, but failed miserably to think of one that didn't make it sound worse.
But then her curve ball made him even more unsure of himself. "W-with you? In all the time you've known me, when have I ever been a dancer," He laughed nervously and shifted his weight. Of course it was an appealing thought, having close proximity to her again. But while he was elegant and composed most of the time, he'd never done this kind of dancing and he wasn't as certain he'd be good at it as he was just regular slow dancing. He could even waltz, but this was not like that.
His eyebrows pulled together and he shook his head, "But I mean, when have I ever really been good at saying no to you either."
It was always more apparent when someone removed their hand or any physical contact from him. The warmth was just gone and although it was probably more comfortable for him, he didn't quite like that she'd dropped her hands to her sides. Luca did his best not to follow them with his eyes, so he settled on looking at her straight on. Also probably not the greatest idea because he was left studying her features, looking for things that he didn't recognize, but it was all so familiar.
He didn't believe her when she said it was her curiosity to see what it was like that led her to the club. Sure, she was obviously curious, but it went deeper than research for her students and reminiscing about what she used to do. "Ever considered trying out yourself? I think the owner would be willing to work around your schedule, he's a pretty nice guy sometimes." He grinned at her and shrugged.
If he were to be completely honest with himself, the role that he was still searching for was beyond perfect for his former flame. She had the vibrant and luring personality. She was gorgeous and talented and could be cunning, he was certain. But if she didn't audition, he couldn't very well just tell her how perfect she was for it. That would be forward. It had been years after all and they weren't dating. He should probably be professional about it right?
Luc nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. It was a little unnerving the way that he could relate to what she was saying. He'd never felt safe anywhere except for the academy. Or at least, the area surrounding the academy. Places where he could escape from judgment and prying eyes. Having his own space now made it even better. He had an apartment, a club, a life, even after only a couple months being back. If he hadn't had any of those things, there was still his sister and the familiar faces that came few and far between.
Biting down on his lower lip, he looked down and cleared his throat, "I, uh, I own the place actually." Luca used to be so involved in flaunting his money around like he was some kind of God in these parts of the world. But he was an adult now and flaunting his money didn't quite have the appeal it had before. "Trust fund and all that," He shrugged and laughed shortly. It was still weird to consider that he invested in a club. One that might fail completely for all he knew.
"I bet you're a pretty good teacher, Cal. You're good with people," There was no denying that fact. For her to be able to stomach his personality was a test in and of itself. To actually care about him was still a miracle he was trying to decipher. "What made you come here? Just out of curiosity..."
The proximity did nothing to clear his mind. Having her close just made him miss her more. The half-assed relationship back in Romania had nothing on the comfort he felt when he was with Callie, although he'd tried to force it frequently just so that he could feel something. There was very little comparison between Callie and Elena, though.
Her response took him back to his home briefly and he sighed heavily. "I tried, lasted about six years, too. I'm sure you of all people can probably understand how well that went though," He shrugged and shook his head, "What about you? Oregon, Callie? Really?" Of course he had to laugh, it wasn't as though he had much room to talk. He was in the same state, but with a semi-decent reason. Luca had Jezebel to blame for his placement, with Bellefonte having moved and all.
He focused on the hands that remained on his shoulders and he knew he wouldn't stop smiling. It was safe to say that Callie was probably his best friend, the only friend, really that he had. "I expected something more like LA or New York for you what with dancing and all."
Luca could feel the corner of his mouth tilting up at the corner. He hadn't quite expected her to want anything to do with him honestly. Sure, it could be said that he was the 'victim' but there was obviously a reason that things had happened the way that they did and he was in no position to blame Callie for anything. He wasn't as well-adjusted to anything as he wished he was. That much was clear by the fact that he'd wanted to hug her just as much as she said she wanted to hug him.
He took a moment to hesitate before he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a hug. "Answer your question?" He asked with another half-laugh. For anyone who didn't know him, it was probably more shocking that he'd initiated the contact, but Callie had been one of the only people he felt comfortable enough with initiating contact with. She didn't cringe away from his cold skin and she never made him out to be uncomfortable.
As he hugged her, he allowed himself to realize how much he missed her. Even with all that had happened, she was still one of the only people he'd ever cared about that wasn't directly related to him. Luca pulled back finally and smiled a bit awkwardly, "Is it even weirder that I didn't feel even slightly weird doing that?"
Luca could admit that he had absolutely not clue how he was supposed to approach her. Was he supposed to act like an asshole, like he probably would have with anyone else? Or was he supposed to smile and hug her like he had loved her at one point? It was some awkward midpoint that he felt he was stuck in, but it wasn't due to the fact that he wanted to be an asshole to her, he just had no idea he'd have run into her in...Oregon. Of all places.
"No!" He realized his response came much to quickly and eagerly than he'd intended. But it was simple in that moment, he hadn't wanted her to go. Silly as it probably was, he'd missed her inexplicably. The sound of her voice eased him, although he knew it probably should have made him feel worse. Her presence had always had that affect on him though. Luca closed his eyes and tried to think of what he wanted. It was clear that her leaving was not what he wanted, but what did he expect? Them to just sit there and talk awkwardly about their lives after what had happened?
He took a step towards her, a small one, but still a progression. Luca stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at the ground in front of her, "Is this weird for you, too?" He laughed a little before looking up at her, "I'm not really sure what the grounds are for running into an ex."
Auditions had been going, well, as well as they could all things considered. He wasn't familiar with many of the dancers, though he'd recognized a few from the dance squad at Bellefonte, he didn't know them personally. A few of them were good, a few of them were terrible and some were mediocre. He supposed he had expected to find less than he had actually found. His expectation hadn't been very high going into this. He hadn't even opened the club yet, for lack of performers, but with what he'd seen, he was sure he could probably manage in a few weeks. Even so, he still had yet to find his main act.
Just as Luca was beginning to gather his paperwork with all of the candidates, he heard his name from a familiar and unsettling voice behind him. He glanced over his shoulder towards the sound and his body froze when he recognized who it had come from. Although he knew he shouldn't have been surprised, he was. After six years, he supposed that it would make sense for him to be surprised by her, right? Luca chewed on his lower lip as he looked at her and he sighed, "Callie..." All of the hard feelings, all of the hurt or disappointment or whatever he'd felt all those years ago towards her had faded significantly, but as he looked at her, he couldn't say that his awe of her had faded at all.
"I didn't...you're...Oregon?" He realized how ridiculous his fragmented questions must have been, but he was in completely shock. "You look exactly the same, ya know."
((Posted around Stagfort, a flyer for the hot, new burlesque club. Auditions are being held and there are many job opportunities outside of the musicians. If you are interested, you can post here or PM me!!))
AGE: 24 GENDER: Male ORIENTATION: Heterosexual POSITION: Local - Club Owner
♦ THE ABILITY ♦
POWER: Cryokinesis He can shape and manipulate ice, snow, slush, hail,and icicles by reducing the kinetic energy of atoms and thus making things colder, for various effects and combinations. He's not a weather manipulator, but he can cool things down if he's directly touching them. This includes water; he can freeze the water into ice.
LIMITATIONS: -But he can only freeze water. He can't do anything further than that until it's frozen. Kinda weird, right? -Liquid states do not work well with his ability -He can't lift giant ice sculptures with his mind, nor would he even attempt it -Basically, he can touch something and freeze it or he can shape and morph frozen substances.
SIDE-EFFECTS: -He's unnaturally cold to the touch -Temperatures above freezing are hard for him to withstand for long periods of time -Does a cold personality count as a side effect? -Heat-exhaustion/dehydration
♦ THE FREEFORM ♦
You think you're smart, you're not
It's plain to see that you want me to follow
I've always had things expected of me, but everything was split between my parents. My mother expected me to be sweet, compassionate, a genuinely good person. But my father wanted someone hard, calculating and business-like, the way he'd morphed my older brothers.
I was my mother's baby boy, I guess that was why things were different for me. Even though I was a twin, I was still the youngest boy and I was treated much differently than my brothers had been. My mother engulfed me in the arts, I was taken to recitals of all kinds, I was given piano lessons and had recitals of my own. We would go to the library for hours and hours, her and Lorena and I. (Lorena is my twin sister.)
Sports were forced upon me by my father, I was pushed to toughen up while the girls were told to remain delicate. My home, the way I grew up, it was very old-fashioned, but that I suppose stemmed from the nobility standpoint of our family. We had money, therefore, there was a reputation to uphold.
You've got the gall Come take it all
I was eight when she died. It's sort of funny in a humorless way, but she died from birth complications after my youngest sister was born. Nobody could have ever foreseen it. Jezebel was fine, healthy, even. She was early, but nothing had seemed out of the ordinary. My brothers were both out of the house by that point. Darius had moved out and onto uni while Cristian was at the mutant academy. They were only able to come back for the funeral. Father said that it was unnecessary for them to miss more classes than they must.
It was like my life went straight down the gutter then. I was the black sheep of the Ivaskov men with no sanctuary to turn to. I was the only one left in the house with the girls and my father took to enforcing much stricter rules than he had before. But it didn't matter if I reached out to my brothers, they told me to suck it up like they had to. Father was just doing what he thought was the right thing.
Easy for them to say when they followed the way he thought so closely while they were living in the same house. They had been like his own personal drones.
I'm trapped in this world, Lonely and fading
heartbroke and waiting for you to come
It lasted for about four years, the way he road me and criticized everything that I did. I took solace in the fact that I had my sisters, Lorena and Jez. (Mariana had been sent to a boarding school when I was ten because she was crazier in our family than I was. She took my mother's death especially hard, I think.) Jezebel had me wrapped around her finger and I was always able to confide in Lorena despite the fondness she held for my father.
There was a day when I was twelve that Nausicca, our housekeeper, was helping get us ready for school. All she'd done was touch my hand and she'd immediately panicked. She'd made a phone call to my father, but naturally, while he was at work, he didn't answer. So with a split second decision, she took me to the hospital. I found out on the way that she was worried I had hypothermia because my skin was ice cold and I had been shaking with the body temperature adjustment.
She was a bit miffed when they told her nothing was wrong with me. But they kept me for observation because they knew something wasn't right. I got a little cup of water while I was watching tv in my room, Lorena was sitting in the chair beside my bed and she was the only other one who noticed that when I reached for my cup, the contents had frozen solid.
It only took a couple of days until recruiters came to my home and told me that I was a mutant like Cris. I was sent to the same school, close enough for my father to maintain his dictatorship of my life. I only lasted a year before I requested a transfer and after some of the things I told the administrator, I think they could tell why I was begging to leave. Even if I was sent to America...eugh.
We are trapped in this world That's not meant for me
Montana was the farthest thing from Romania that I had ever seen in my life. In fact, I hated it more than I thought was possible. The climate wasn't quite different, it was still not cold enough in the winter and it was too hot for me to withstand in the summer. But at least at the academy in Europe, I didn't feel like I was talking to the exact same person repeated over and over again.
America made me feel unnatural, more so than when I was at home with my family. Everyone looked at me like I was some unknown creature, despite being exactly the same as them. My accent was mocked, my patience was tested, and I just wanted to graduate so that I could do whatever I wanted. Nothing changed when we up and moved the academy to Oregon.
It was miserable, but I had a few highlights I guess.
I met a girl, I know, cliche sounding, but this girl was finally different. We had interacted a few times, here and there, nothing significant. Until one day it just kind of clicked. She reminded me a lot of my mother and my sister, not in a creepy way, but in a familiar and comforting way. She never judged me for the things I enjoyed, and she was tolerant of my sour attitude and cold demeanor.
After a year of loving her, things happened. I reacted in a regrettable way and by the time I graduated I had made the decision to move back to Romania because I couldn't think of anywhere else to go. I felt as though I didn't belong anywhere, but at least in Romania, I was comfortable with my surroundings.
So what you got?
One last shot.
What a laugh. 'Comfortable in my surroundings?' I went home to what I had pointedly left behind in the first place. A controlling father, a life I didn't want and memories of the woman that I had looked up to since birth. I tried though, I tried to fit the lifestyle that my father set out for me. I worked for him, went to college out there while I was working for him. I met a Romanian woman that bored me to tears and I had no connection to, but I dated her anyway because she was 'perfect for an Ivaskov.'
I was numbed by life. I didn't listen to music. I didn't have any friends (not that I'm a people person to begin with). And I just, over all, needed something different. When I turned eighteen, I could access my trust fund, but it wasn't until this year that I even thought about the possibilities I had.
I've moved back to Oregon because Jezebel preferred the American mutant academy and I bought a club. It's under development at the moment and I'm looking for performers, but it's a start. This is my last shot at the life I want.
♦ THE PLAYER ♦
USERNAME: Trix AGE GROUP: 22 EXPERIENCE: Since I was a smolbean WHERE DID YOU FIND US? Mel slid right into those DMs
