Maya raised an eyebrow at him. "Because, I'm good at running. been doing it my whole life." well if he ran away he'd go to ethir someone or some place he felt safe. though for him that was h is house now. sure it was lonely an dempty and jus thim living there but it was a good place to live. "does he like gardens or something.. he might be in the woods at the edge of town.. there's a patch that's nothing but flowers, flowering bushes and th elike.. or does he have a friend here in town that he might of went to talk to without telling you?"

Asha snorted. "Because before he knew I was a shifter he was..nice. he stuck up for me and I guess. for a while I wanted to be normal. i didn't go to any special schools or anything like that like they have for shifters in far from civilization shifter community's.. so it felt..nice to have someone who liked me. and when he said he loved me I just couldn't NOT tell him about my other self it felt wrong.." pain entered his voice again.. and in the telling his happy life had ripped itself to shreds.. maybe that was why shifters only dated shifters?

This guy didn't give up. It baffled Zaire, almost as much as it baffled him that Asha should leave without saying a word. He shook his head, still feeling tense and a mix of defensive and aggressive. "I don't need your help," he reiterated. Turning on his heel, he looked down the street, wondering if it was even worth trying to follow Asha wherever he went. It hurt, but he didn't know the answer to Maya's questions. Would he run to the woods? Did he have friends here? Zaire didn't even think to ask those questions until now. Did he know nothing? "If you're so good at running, then why don't you run along. I'm going to get some food." Biting out those words, he turned down the street at random, just more than anything trying to get away.

A frown pulled down the corners of Gage's mouth. He could hear the pain in Asha's voice despite saying he'd once been loved. It all got under his soon, maybe too far under and he didn't know if he should step away so he could sort these feelings out or step even closer to the flame. He wanted to throw himself forward until he crashed. "I heard that....my mom said shifters were only allowed to mate with other shifters or in their animal form. I never asked why." Could it be the fear humans had of the magical realm, or even more than that? Until now, it never felt important to his lonely life. He never thought a person would show up that would be with him. But maybe Asha? He shook the thought away, trying to bury it with a reassuring smile. "You're probably right though."

Asha swallowed as he closed his eyes, breathing in shakily. and then of course he'd thought he'd never find someone to love..and then he'd run into gage.. how no one could see how beautiful the other was was beyond asha..but that just meant he might have a chance ..right? quickly he shoved the thought down. not wanting to do something stupid and scare the other.

Maya watched the other head off and rolled his eyes. 'running form me's gonna do a lot of good isn't it..' he wanted to snap after the other but then remembered his boyfriend or girlfriend or whoever was missing ..he could just be overwhelmed.. now did he give him the space he needed or keep up with him to make sure no one did anything stupid to the guy now that his thoughts where all but scrambled.. sighing maya moved along a bit back from Zaire to give him the illusion of space.

Gage stepped away after a long sigh and sat on his bed, feeling the atmosphere between them had finally deflated. Though with it, he wondered what to do. "I hope no one heard us talking from downstairs. This would be pretty awkward to explain." He quirked his lips up in a half smile. Considering Asha climbed in his window like a shady night time lover. If he stayed, could they get away with it? "Do you feel better now?"

Zaire didn't have anywhere to go. The one place he did have, he didn't go toward, knowing that he couldn't just wait for Asha at his home. The waiting would kill him. At least walking burned some of the passion that always churned under his skin. Though even that couldn't cool his memories that threatened to boil over. 'Demon! You're not my son! Devil-child, you can never pretend to be one of us!' the familiar voice echoed in his head. It was all because of his eyes, but because of them, he could never be normal and live a normal life. It was all he wanted. Normal. Looking at the cafes lining the street, filled with normal people, it made him sad. Even if Asha couldn't be the one normal thing in his life, he still wanted him.

Asha flushed a bit. "Y..yeah.. m..more c..c..centered t..thanks to you.." sure his type where solitary but they did have family unites. and if you added in human nature tha tmeant they where very affectionate and tight nit in a sort of pard. he was glad his face was away from Gage, he didn't need the other feeling his blush.

Maya fallowed the other and frowned at the sadness that flickered over his face. he wanted to try and make th eother feel better but he didn't really know how. or if th eother would accept his help ether. heck he didn't even know WHY he desperately wanted to help th etoher. shakin ghis head he turned his feet towards one of his friends homes. wondering what gage was up to. and if the other was free to talk. 'an dmaybe his family will be out.' it was odd how they seemed to hear everything..

Gage nodded, his gaze straight ahead because he wasn't sure what else to do now. "I'm glad," he mumbled. It still felt strange to be something that centered another person, but it felt more pleasing to him now. "Do you maybe want to play some music or something? Though if we stay here, you should meet my family first." He paused. "If you want, that is." It was probably about time he stopped hiding Asha behind a closed door.

Finally passing through the populated corner of the city, Zaire settled at an abandoned corner of a park where it verged on the edge of a water treatment plant. The noise hummed over the entire surroundings and he sat against the link fence with its danger warning signs and wondered where he went wrong. Had he really been been with a demon inside him like his father said? It made him angry. It made him sad. Hanging his head, he decided he should go back to asha's place later when he felt less emotional.

Maya entered the park no t to far from his home, ignoring the hum of the water treatment plant as he moved to the section of hte park he'd been working on so far no one had stopped him and in that corner he'd gotten plants to grow in varied ways .. the kids loved to play hide and seek there. if he'd of looked over at the fence he'd of seen a familiar form but he was to focused. carrying a box that held some of his tending kit. a closed jug of water for watering the plants. some good soil, and other paraphernalia of caring for growing green things. as he crouched down to start to work he hummed under his breath. voice rising and falling in a few songs he'd picked up in his younger years. it was a soothing song.

"If you'll be my star
I'll be your sky
You can hide underneath me and come out at night
When I turn jet black
And you show off your light
I live to let you shine
I live to let you shine "
The words danced in the air as he hummed catches under his breath and at other times sang the lyrics. his voice clear and light with a husky under edge that made one think of velvet rubbing along the skin. soothing and safe.

Asha blinked rapidly, family.. 'oh.. right we're at his house' his cheeks heated up. the rest of the world had literally faded away as his whole being focused on gage so fiercely that even his hearing only heard the other's breathing and heart beat.. "I.. Uh.. s..s..sure t..that'd..t..that'd be okay if it was o..o..okay with you I mean.." and he stumbled over his words then hid his face in his hands. the embarrassment definitely growing.

As Zaire felt himself drifting off into a fitful sleep, an odd melody drifted in, as if from the air itself. He almost believed it wasn't real, as half asleep as he was. He'd been drifting since he sat down, but none too restful considering his twisting thoughts. The formless melody slipped into his conscious in the last minute so that his muscles relaxed a little more, ready for a real nap. He slept well last night, better than in a long time, but it never felt like enough. As he fell into sleep this time, just a little of his fitfullness eased, replaced by an unknown melody that repeated through his mind.

Gage flushed at Asha's embarrassed tone. He didn't feel as self conscious about it until Asha proved he should be. This was awkward and he didn't know how to deal with this. Since when did he introduce friends to his family? Ducking his head, he stammered out his own response. "O-of course it's okay. I suggested it d-didn't I?" he managed. Pulling to his feet again, he let his fingers trail against the wall, finding the corner and guiding himself toward it with an ease that said he didn't need touch to help him find things in this space. It was just a casual habit. He turned back toward Asha. "But you should probably go back out and enter through the front door first...."

Asha swallowed. what if they didn't think he should be friends with gage? he didn't want to get the other in trouble. voice hesitant he forced the words out. even as he moved towards the window. voice barely a breath. "W..what if they don't like me..w..w..what if they don't think we should be friends?" the thought of losing gage..left him terrified he didn't know why.but the other was..safety and comfort and knowing he had just one person who liked him no matter what..it had given him a bit of strength to let down some of his walls. even the others in the orchestra had noted that he was a tad more relaxed.

Maya spent all afternoon in the garden singing, seeing as it was a week day there weren't many there so it wasn't until near sun fall that he even became aware of someone and that only because he was heading across the park to another area of plants. he paused and studied Zaire. hesitating before he moved to keep watch over the other. unwilling to leave him asleep and defenseless.. what if someone came and bothered him? 'he looks so exhausted..' after a bit of time he'd hum and sing soft songs to the other. soothing melody's that where gentle and held notes of love and warmth.

Gage resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Normally he was the hesitant one, but it sounded a little absurd to be concerned over that. It wasn't like he was asking for his hand in marriage. This was only having a friend over to hang out, a thing he hadn't done since the sixth grade. He hardly thought his parents would mind. "It'll be fine," he muttered back, trying not to sound too insensitive considering how much of a loner he was himself. In Asha's shoes, he might feel the same even if it sounded silly from this side. "What my parents think doesn't have anything to do with this." He ducked his eyes, knowing he admitted in an indirect way that him liking Asha mattered more.

A melody eased into Zaire's dreams, going down the layers to tickle at his mind. It was familiar, though he couldn't place how, not realizing he heard it as he slipped into sleep as well. He shifted against the fence to hear it better. Why did it feel so gentle? He only met two gentle things in his life and his mind went to the most recent one as he pulled back into wakefulness with the sun already hitting the horizon behind him. "...A...sha...?" Zaire blinked his eyes open, the world in front of him slowly coming into focus. Like before, his face instantly fell before he stiffened with his back straight against the cold metal fence. "Did you follow me?!"

Asha flushed. realizing just how..pathetic he'd sounded and nodded. "O..Okay..I..I'll g..go around tot he front of the house.." he murmured easily sliding out of the other's bedroom window on silent feet, he moved down the roof as if walking along the street and did a jump that most humans would of broken their necks on, to a tree not to far away though far enough away that anyone else would of had issues getting to it then he moved down it almost seeming to glide before he padded around tot he front of the house.

Maya Huffed and picked up the basket that held his gardening tools as he raised an eyebrow at the other. "No I come to this park every late afternoon to care for the gardens I planted in it so the children had something pretty to look at.. I saw you over here asleep and didn't want anyone messing with you so I stayed to watch over you." his tone had gone cool at the accusations as he stood up straight and started padding for the sidewalk at the far end of the park heading towards his home. now that the other was awake he wasn't going to stay. especially as it was apparent his company wasn't wanted.

As Asha left, Gage took a deep breath, afraid his own emotions would color his face and betray him. His parents would know this friend didn't just drop by right now. Still, he wasn't ready to turn Asha away yet. After a few seconds and the sound of Asha swinging into a tree, he stood and walked straight for the door without a hint of the hesitation he'd shown a second before. "Mom, a friend of mine is coming over," he called at the top of the stairs. "He just texted he's almost here so..." The doorbell rang before he could finish. Well, it didn't matter if they were all lounging around in animal form though he doubted they would be in the middle of the day. After all, Asha was like them.

Making a noise of utter surprise and joy, his mother rushed to the door before Gage could reached it. "Oh my, I wonder just who this friend is?" Then she pulled the door open and smiled. "Hello?"

Zaire lowered his eyes just slightly, hating that he assumed any of this had to do with him. The other boy was just here by coincidence. He was just nice without a reason for it and that made no sense at all. It couldn't be trust. "Whatever. You don't need to do that to someone like me. That sort of stupid niceness will get you in trouble," he grumbled. As the other pulled away, he tucked his knee against his chest, watching him go. At the last second, he found himself calling out though. "You never even told me your name!"

Maya glanced back at him. "It's Maya,.." he hesitated then nibbled at his bottom lip. "Feel like a cup of coffee? there's a shop down the street that i like the visit..my treat?" he had no clue WHY he kept trying. but something kept pushing at him to reach out to this person who looked so..lost. and he knew about being hurt.. but he refused to let that show through. he'd been hurt before it was why he now went to self defense classes..

Asha stared up at the other and tilted his head marginally, not low enough to show submission but to at least show respect tot he mother of someone he liked. "Hello Ma'am." he murmured in a polite voice. body tense and wariness in the back of his eyes but general friendliness showed in his eyes as he watched the women.

Zaire shook his head, instantly turning down the other boy. He didn't know why he stopped Maya when he was finally leaving, but he felt at this point, he needed a name to put to this annoying face. Anything more than that was too much. He shrugged away from the fence with a casual stroll, barely offering Maya a glance at his proposed question. "Nah. I don't drink coffee. But just so you know, if I see your face first thing when I wake up again, I'm going to punch you in it," he added at a slight growl, to keep his distance. "And....I'm Zaire." With that, he turned away and didn't look back. It was time he got back to Asha's place and got that all in order.

Gage's mother tutted under her breath as she ushered him inside. "What a strange child. You make yourself right at home okay. We were about to have dinner. Were you planning to stay? No need to act nervous here."

Behind her, Gage offered Asha a smile. As expected, his mother couldn't help but dote on his only friend. He hesitated, wanting to tell his family that Asha was like them so they could be open with each other, but he decided against it, wanting Asha to also feel ready for it. "...We were going to play music together for a while..." he cut in, a soft whisper against his mother's much louder voice.

Asha dug in his heels when she tried to usher him away from Gage, his eye's narrowing as hef ought back the urge to growel. breathing in as he tasted the air to find out exactly what types of shifters he was dealing with and how much of a threat they'd be if he turned down being dotted on an dinstead tried to stay by gage.. "I..um n..no thank you M..m...ma'am I..I came over to practice with Gage.." he held up the violin he'd left near theh ouse so he didn't drop it on his first climb up to gage's window. of coruse he was also holding a second but THAT one was a gift for gage himself..

Maya watched theother go and couldn't help but snort. "Your welcome." he called after him and re positioned the box of gardening things in his hold and made his way back towards the side walk, heading for his own house which was a couple blocks up.

When Zaire reached Asha's place, he'd already made up his mind. Going back to the guest room he slept in the night before, he fixed up the bed, leaving it like he found it. He didn't bring much of anything with him when he showed up on Asha's step so he just placed the pack of gum and small charm he always had in his pocket and stepped away. He stepped back from the man he'd chased with blind obsession, leaving only a small note behind, stuck to the front of the fridge.

'I'm going to try to cool my head, but that doesn't mean I don't still love you. I will always love you, Asha, my sunshine. If you still want me like you said, leave me a note at Marianne's Cafe.'

Gage's mother shook her head, holding up a hand, knowing she'd been beat. "Of course. I wouldn't want to interrupt your practicing, but both of you come down for dinner when you're done," she hummed. And when Asha left, she would definitely have a few questions for Gage because there was a suddenness to this friendship that made her curious as a mother.

Taking Asha's hand, Gage nodded back to his mother. "Will do. Now come on. We can play in my room..." He hesitated, adding more for his parent's sake. "...So we don't bother anyone." Then, he pulled away toward the stairs again, still holding Asha's hand like it was his first time in the house which technically it was outside of his room, but in reality, he just wanted to hold the other boy's hand.

Asha had no prokblems with that and had tucked both Violin cases under one arm so theother could do so. and if his face softened at Gage's touckh. well these people didn't know him well enough to catch it.. maybe. as he was lead up the stairs he absently took in everything as he passed it by. making a mental map.. when they entered gage's room again he tilted his head. "Got you something.. and no you can't decline because i got myself one as well." he gentle disintangled his hand from the other's hodl and set both violin cases on the bed. picking out the one that gage had played in the shop, he turned and placed both bow, and violin in theother's hand. "It's already tuned.." then he opened his own case and picked his own up.

Gage's mother watched the boys go up the stairs, a smile on her face. It was nice though, seeing her son with a friend. She just hoped this was the start of good changes in his life and not something entirely different.

All the way up to Gage's room, he was silent, until the door clicked closed behind him. After a second, he flipped on the lights as well, seeing no change, but trusting that the bulb still worked. Others liked the lights on after all. "Got me something?" he murmured back as the song of latches on a case reached him, then a familiar shape pressed into his hand. He knew this feel and recognized where he felt this exact wood texture and shape before. Asha remembered that? He felt his cheeks heat as he lowered his gaze, though his fingers tightened over the violin and its bow. "You didn't have to, but.....thank you." With hesitation, he placed the violin against the crook of his neck and pulled the pull across the strings, listening to the sound it left behind. "It sounds beautiful."

Asha felt pleasure wash through him. "Yes..yes it does.." he murmured. then undid his own violin's case and lifted it out. carefully letting his bow slide across the violin to draw the music from the elegant item. fingers danced over the strings to play a little ditty before he paused. "I figured we could practice together.." and if he could work the other up to it he'd get him into the orchestra..which would be so much better with the other there.

Gage hummed a bit under his breath, feeling a little more content than he expected. It was nice to play with another person. He'd always played alone since school and even then, he practiced and played his best without others around. He would always ask to use a practice room after school and all alone, create music that was just for him. Now, as his bow sung along the strings, picking up a melody from an easy and well known classical piece, he felt different. Asha was next to him playing and that felt completely right. "...If you want...we can do this whenever you'd like..." he murmured back. "Practice together, I mean."

Asha felt joy wash through him at the soft voiced suggestion. "I'd like that.." he murmured back just as softly as his bow shifted and he fell into the tune the other was playing, automatically playing counter point. and for a little while. all was right in his world. Asha's face all but glowed with contentment as they practiced. his bow always fallowign after Gages, playing back up..anyone listening was defiently in for a treat as the two of them together sounded amazing. better then a whole orchestra in fact.

Eyes closed and his body left behind, Gage was only ears. He felt and heard the music like they were the same sense. Asha's melody joining his seemed to lift him up even more and long after he would normally stop, he let the song drag out just so he could feel this music a little more. Finally, he let the last notes fade across the violin's strings to rest in the air above them. Gage didn't both to open his eyes just yet. "....You play very well," he murmured. After that music, he couldn't bring himself to speak loudly and break the atmosphere. "I've never played with anyone like you before." It had just been high school average players for him and Gage lost in his own world, but he was used to living in his own world alone when with music. Now, Asha had somehow entered that solo world. "You?"

Asha smiled. "I've played with artist.. but they let their ego's get int he way of the music..you yours is pure music..so no I've never played with anyone like you before.." Asha's voice was also soft. not wanting to break the atmosphere they'd built up. it had been like coming home. his soul finally cried out that he'd FINALLY found home. and he was so not letting it go. asha had always been the one int he bands hew as with to bring all the other players together because they didn't know how to work with anyone.. he'd never melded so..perfectly music wise with anyone. and he defiantly wanted the other to join the band he worked for..the two of them together could take the orchestra to another level and he knew it.

Gage bit his lip, not sure how to take those words. "I don't know about pure," he murmured. "But I enjoy playing with you." After a second, he lowered the new violin, sure he couldn't bare to play anymore right now. He'd save that for when he was alone and craving nearness with whatever it was that Asha always brought around with him and released into the air. Sitting on his bed, he reached for the violin's case, grunting slightly when it didn't immediately come to hand. He hadn't been paying as close attention as usual when he took it out. "Do you want to come again next week and play...?" His voice carried both a hint of hopefulness and worry that Asha might say no.

Asha perked up as he absently nudged the case to where the other could grasp it. "I'd like that. very much." bashfulness laced his voice as he watched the other de tune the violin and slip it back into its case. "and even fi you don't join me in the orchestra maybe..you could come listen to us perform..maybe you'll hear whats off that I keep missing.." he thought it was they where all off tempo not blending together as good as normal bu t he couldn't pin it down.