General POV
When Samael woke, there was no trace of fatigue in his body. Despite spending most of the night talking with Alice, he felt perfectly fine. Ever since he had begun absorbing life force, his body had changed in ways that went beyond simple strength, rest had become optional, and exhaustion no longer meant what it once did.
Still, there was something different about this morning. Something anticipatory.
As he moved through his routine, his phone buzzed softly in his hand.
Alice: good morning, Samy! <3
Alice: did you sleep well?
Alice: although i know you didn't have much time
A faint smile appeared on his lips as he leaned against the counter and typed back.
Samael: morning, pixie
Samael: i'm used to sleeping for short periods
Samael: so i feel perfectly fine
The response came almost instantly.
Alice: good ^^
Alice: i was worried you wouldn't feel good
Alice: and wouldn't come to school
His smile widened slightly as he replied.
Samael: oh?
Samael: you wanted to see me that much?
There was no hesitation.
Alice: of course!!!
Alice: do you even have to ask?
He let out a quiet chuckle.
Samael: not really
Samael: but what about you?
Samael: you slept no more than i did
There was a brief pause before her reply came through.
Alice: mmh
Alice: i slept enough ^^
Alice: don't worry about me
Alice: i feel great!
Samael watched the screen for a moment, a small, knowing smile forming.
Samael: sure, sure
There was a brief pause before she continued.
Alice: are you on your way yet?
Samael stepped outside, phone still in hand.
Samael: about to leave
Alice: good ^^
Alice: i'm already on my way
Another message appeared right after.
Alice: i'll be waiting for you <3
Samael glanced at the screen for a moment, his expression softening slightly.
Waiting?
His gaze lifted toward the window. A light rain was falling, steady and quiet, the sky thick with clouds. He could feel it, something he had gained from the vampires he had hunted. The rain wasn't stopping anytime soon. At least a couple of hours.
He let out a quiet breath.
If it was anyone else, he might have doubted it.
But this was Alice.
A faint smile formed.
She would definitely be waiting.
Samael: see you at school, pixie
Alice: hurry up, Samy ;)
…
Fifteen minutes later, Samael pulled into the school parking lot, immediately noting how much more crowded it was compared to the previous day. Cars continued to arrive in a steady stream, students stepping out and quickly making their way toward the building, their movements hurried as they tried to avoid the persistent rain.
He found an empty spot and parked, the engine falling silent as he stepped out into the cool, misting rain.
The air was crisp, fresh in that way only rain could make it, but beneath it lingered something else - something warmer, softer, immediately familiar. It was the same honey-like scent from the day before.
His senses sharpened instinctively as he inhaled again, unconsciously searching for it, letting it settle deeper as his awareness narrowed around it. Without quite realising it, he leaned slightly into the sensation, as if drawn toward it
Then he heard it - light footsteps approaching from behind.
A small smile formed as he turned.
Alice stood there.
She held an umbrella loosely over her shoulder, the dark fabric shielding her from the rain while faint droplets clung to the edges of her neatly tousled pixie-cut hair. The soft strands framed her face naturally, complementing the fitted coat she wore, its muted tone blending seamlessly with the quiet morning.
She was silently smiling at him.
Samael stepped closer, closing the distance between them with calm, unhurried ease, his gaze steady as it settled on her. Rain dotted his shoulders and darkened the fabric of his clothes, but he didn't spare it a single thought.
"I think I said something like this yesterday," he said, his voice low and warm, "but it clearly needs repeating."
His eyes lingered for a moment.
"You look incredible."
Her gaze held his a second longer than it had the day before, softer, heavier and slightly unsteady in a way that hadn't been there before. There was something different about her now, something deeper beneath the surface, as if the night they had spent talking had settled into her more than it should have, sharpening every emotion just a little further.
For a brief moment, she simply looked at him like that.
Then her expression warmed, the intensity easing naturally as a soft, musical laugh slipped from her.
"Thank you," she said, her voice light but warm. "And you look suspiciously good for someone who barely slept."
Samael's lips curved faintly.
"I could say the same," he replied. "Though I'm starting to think the conversation had something to do with that."
Alice's eyes brightened instantly.
"Oh, definitely!" she said. "I don't think I've ever been so happy to lose sleep."
He let out a quiet breath of amusement before gesturing lightly toward the school building.
"Shall we?"
She didn't hesitate.
"Always," she said, stepping easily to his side.
They walked together through the rain, the umbrella shifting as Alice tried to angle it to cover him as well, though the difference in their height made it slightly awkward. After a moment, Samael reached up without a word and took the umbrella from her, adjusting it so it covered them both.
Their conversation resumed just as naturally as if it had never paused the night before.
"I don't like the idea of you waiting out here in the rain for me," he said.
Alice tilted her head slightly, her smile turning playful.
"I wanted to see you," she replied, a light note in her voice. "And a little rain isn't nearly enough to stop me."
He studied her for a brief moment before letting out a quiet, amused breath.
"Then I'll have to make sure I arrive first next time," he said, a hint of laughter in his voice, "wouldn't want to keep the lady waiting."
Her smile turned a touch more playful.
"Planning ahead already?"
"Always," he answered easily.
By the time they reached the building, the rain had softened. They stepped inside together, the warmth replacing the chill as the distant noise of the halls settled around them.
Their pace slowed naturally as they reached her locker. Alice moved quickly, opening it and gathering her books before turning back to him.
"We have History before lunch," she said lightly. "Don't be late."
Suddenly, she stepped closer, and Samael noticed the movement clearly, but he didn't move, his attention fixed on her, curious to see what she intended.
She leaned in and pressed a quick, soft kiss to his cheek.
Just as quickly, she pulled back.
"I'll see you there, Samy," she added, a small, satisfied smile playing on her lips before she turned and slipped into the flow of students.
Samael remained still for a brief moment, his hand rising instinctively to touch the spot she had kissed, a faint smile forming as he exhaled softly.
"See you, Alice", he murmured under his breath.
A few feet away, one student who had been watching a little too closely let his forehead drop against his locker with a quiet thunk.
"Why is the world so unfair?" he muttered.
His friend gave him a look, then patted his shoulder like he'd just witnessed something tragic.
"Man," he said, shaking his head, "we never even had a chance."
…
His first class passed quickly, though not quite as smoothly as usual, as his attention drifted more than once back to a certain pixie-like girl somewhere else in the building.
By the time he reached the history classroom, only a few students had arrived. Alice was already there near the back, and the moment she spotted him, her face lit up without hesitation as she lifted her hand slightly.
"Samy! Over here!"
A couple of nearby students glanced over, more surprised by how easily she called out to someone who had only been there for a day, but Samael paid them no attention at all. He simply crossed the room and took the seat beside her.
"How was your first class?" he asked as he settled in.
Alice leaned a little closer, her expression bright.
"Honestly? Boring," she said. "Trigonometry this early should be illegal."
A quiet hint of amusement touched his expression.
"I can imagine," he replied.
She gave a small, knowing nod.
"I do way better with things I actually care about."
"Oh?" he asked, glancing at her.
"Mmhm," she nodded. "Art, design, fashion… anything with a bit of personality."
His gaze lingered on her for a second, a faint smirk forming.
"Yeah," he said quietly, "I noticed it yesterday."
Her lips curved, clearly pleased.
"Well, someone has to bring some style into this town," she said lightly, tilting her head just a little.
She held his gaze for a moment, then shifted forward with easy familiarity.
"What about you? Was yours any better?"
"It was alright," he said. "Nothing special."
She hummed softly, then glanced at him with a small, knowing smile.
"Well, obviously," she said lightly, "I wasn't there to make it interesting."
His lips curved a little more at that, the amusement clear in his expression.
"Absolutely," he agreed easily, "that does seem like the main issue."
Her smile widened just slightly, clearly pleased with that answer.
…
As more students filtered into the room and the lesson began, neither of the two paid much attention. The material was too familiar to hold their interest, and their conversation continued in low, easy tones, drifting from one subject to another.
They talked about music for a while, Alice mentioning songs she liked, Samael adding a few of his own, which she listened to with brief consideration before giving a small, approving nod.
At some point, she shifted slightly closer.
The movement was subtle, almost unnoticeable unless someone was paying attention, but it wasn't accidental. Her shoulder brushed against his and stayed there, and neither of them moved away.
After a while, Samael's thoughts shifted, drifting naturally away from their quiet conversation toward something different.
Many people spent time wondering when the right moment was to ask a girl out, weighing options, overthinking possibilities, and hesitating far longer than necessary.
In his previous life, he had always followed one simple rule: if you were sure she would say yes, and more importantly, that she would be happy about it, then you simply asked. There was no reason to complicate something so simple. It was a date, not a lifetime decision.
So why wait?
A faint smile touched his lips as the thought settled, and instead of asking plainly, he decided to make it a little more interesting
"Alice," he murmured, "I think I might want to break one of the promises I gave you."
She stilled, her thoughts scattering for a brief moment as they were pulled in too many directions at once. His voice had been far too quiet, impossibly quiet, in fact, and her first instinct was to ignore it entirely, to pretend she hadn't heard anything at all, because no human should have been able to. And yet, he had spoken with a quiet certainty that made it feel as though he had known she would hear him.
The realisation settled quickly, bringing with it a question she couldn't quite push aside. Did he know? She had already seen enough to understand that he wasn't a normal shapeshifter, not something that fit into any familiar description, but this level of awareness made things even less simple. The thought lingered just long enough to matter, followed closely by another, how would he react if he knew what she was?
That uncertainty stayed with her as she lifted her gaze to him, searching his expression carefully, but what she found there didn't match her concern. There was warmth in his eyes, something steady and calm, touched with a faint, quiet amusement that felt almost like teasing, yet carried no hint of suspicion or calculation.
It didn't feel like a test.
So she let the questions go, not because they had been answered, but because she chose to follow what she felt instead.
Leaning in slightly, she lowered her voice even further, softer than his had been.
"Which promise?" she whispered.
He smiled.
The fact that he heard her so easily did not escape her notice, and a flicker of surprise passed through her thoughts. Shifters weren't supposed to have hearing like that in their human forms, but it faded almost as quickly as it appeared when he continued without hesitation.
"We both know where this is going," he said softly, that same quiet confidence threading through his voice. "So why wait?"
"Would you go on a date with me, Alice?"
At that, all worried and questions seemed to fall away. She simply looked at him for a moment, her mind going still, not out of hesitation, but because there was nothing left to consider.
"Of course!" she said immediately, her voice coming out just a little louder than intended.
A few students turned, and the teacher glanced over.
"Let's keep it down. This will be important for the test."
Samael gave a small, polite nod, but Alice barely noticed, her attention still fixed entirely on him.
"Tonight," she added quickly, lowering her voice again, her smile bright and unwavering. "Pick me up at seven."
He studied her for a moment, clearly amused by her certainty.
"Alright," he said. "I'll plan something."
She nodded quickly, her excitement impossible to hide now.
"Good," she said, a quiet laugh slipping into her voice. "I can't wait."
There was no trace left of her earlier uncertainty, no lingering doubt, just a light, unmistakable happiness settling naturally into her expression.
Samael let out a soft breath of a laugh.
"I'll make sure it's worth it," he said.
She leaned just a little closer again, her shoulder resting comfortably against his.
"It sure will be," she murmured.
He glanced at her briefly before adding,
"Send me your address later."
"Mmhm," she nodded quickly. "I will."
Then, as if everything had simply settled into place exactly as it should have, she relaxed against his shoulder again, her pencil moving across her notebook in absent-minded sketches, though every so often her gaze drifted back to him, a small, lingering smile still playing on her lips.
Samael's thoughts, however, had already moved somewhere else, drawn toward the evening ahead and, more specifically, toward Alice herself. He had a few ideas in mind, different places he could take her, nothing too complicated.
But his thoughts didn't stay there.
Without quite realising it, they drifted further, settling not on the beginning of the evening, but on how it might end. He wasn't thinking about anything too far, like sex, because it was too early for that, but the idea of a kiss lingered in his mind, quiet at first, then harder to ignore.
And that was when he made the mistake of looking at her lips.
The reaction came instantly, before he could stop it, sharp and sudden in a way that made him go still for a brief moment. He shifted slightly in his seat, slow and controlled, trying to ease the tension without drawing any attention to himself, though it wasn't nearly as easy as he would have liked.
Beside him, Alice's pencil slipped, the line on the page dragging off course as she paused and glanced down at it for a second before her attention shifted to him instead, her brows knitting together just slightly.
"Hm?" she murmured, studying him now. "Are you okay?"
Her question was simply out of concern.
Samael didn't hesitate.
"Yeah," he said quietly, his tone calm and controlled. "The chair's a bit uncomfortable."
Alice blinked once, then glanced down at her own seat as if checking it for herself.
"…Oh," she said, accepting the explanation without question. "Yeah, these are kind of terrible."
Just like that, it made sense to her.
The concern faded from her expression almost immediately, replaced by something lighter as she shifted slightly in her seat.
"You want to switch?" she asked, already moving a little as if she might actually do it.
Samael let out a quiet breath of amusement, a faint smile forming as he shook his head slightly.
"It's alright," he said, "I'm fine."
"Alright," she replied, watching him for a moment longer as if making sure he meant it before relaxing again.
Just as naturally as before, she leaned back into him without hesitation or second thought.
Samael exhaled slowly, keeping his posture steady even though the situation wasn't nearly as resolved as he had made it seem.
Beside him, Alice remained completely relaxed, unaware of anything beyond the simple explanation she had already accepted.