this is Salem, a land filled with magic and maladies. It is a place where witches and their elemental familiars gather, a home to legend and
lore that predates time itself. Yet of all the wicked and wonderful stories the past can tell us of, the most magical are the ones yet to happen.
This is Salem - this is the start of your very own journey. Welcome to starfall
Starfall is an animaga witch roleplay set in mostly modern times. Members play as witches in a world plagued by monsters, where the only safe spots are walled cities. Starfall strives to be a character-driven roleplay with expansive lore and a highly interactive plotline. We want to allow members to
create and look back on a magical journey, and mold the site and its plot as their characters grow.
"Oh. Um I think you just left it here? I wanna say it got rained on but I dont really remember?" He would also not say that this was not the only piece of clothing he had of the redhead. If the other boy took time to actually study his dresser and/or closet he would see at least three other pieces of clothing from him.
Charani popped the movie in and let the thing play. It was a simple romantic comedy type movie about best friends. You know with that guy from the Av3ngers in it. It was nice and made him feel good.
The young man took small bites of his pizza eating much slower than his friend. Mostly because he was not super hungry at the moment. He was just enjoying the handsome company. Er friendship time. Yeah. That.
"One of these days I'll get you to appreciate horror mark my words Aiden <3" He wouldnt probably ever do so but maybe make him much more desensitized to it. It was kind of cute to imagine him trying to hide his eyes away from the horror preferably using Charani as a shield from the horror. Nope. Hahaha. Gay fear.
The redhead could only side eye his friend for a bit longer before going along with his response. It sounded plausible after all. He tended to spend a lot of time here, it wasn’t that far off from imagination that he’d also forgotten stuff here. “Sounds about right…” he said, trying to recall the last time he’d been caught in a storm and ended up coming over to take shelter. Really, he should’ve stopped taking up his friend’s time like that at some point, but the seer never seemed to mind. He pretty much got invited in one way or another, and then got too comfortable to leave. Oh, wait- maybe that was irresponsible on his part.
He was enjoying the movie well enough. Twenty minutes in and he’d already eaten his fill and knocked back more than half of his drink. It had some jokes, and Aiden made mental notes of the costumes used. He turned towards Charani, offering a small laugh tinged with a bit of nervousness. “I appreciate the thought…but I’d rather we didn’t.” he reaffirmed, preferring to stay as far away as possible from the genre. He had enough problems to worry about, the last thing he needed was to imagine something out of a horror movie was following him. Besides, he’d practically lived out his own horror movie experience with Charani before in that dream world. Once was enough for him. At the thought, he snuck a glance at his friend, held his tongue and went back to watching the movie for a little longer, not wanting to interrupt their relaxation time for a bit longer.
Was that cowardly? Maybe. But he wasn’t perfect even if he sometimes tried to be. Still as they both watched the movie idly, he started to feel distracted. The issue growing in the back of his head until it couldn’t be ignored anymore. He’d begun to feel that pressure once again forcing him to speak. “Hey Charani, you’ve been sleeping better right?” he asked idly, slowly trying to ease into that subject that’d been subconsciously eating away at him. “After our dream, I mean.” He added, having given the boy something he had hoped would help.
"Only joking. I know you really dont like those kinds of things." He once had the same reactions to horror films as Aiden though thanks to watching them again and again with Perceus he had grown to... well not like them but more like tolerate them? Something like that.
"Yes. I've been sleeping fine actually. I have that dreamcatcher on the wall behind my bed." He couldnt say it had made his nightmares completely vanish outright but they were much less frequent. Maybe once a month or so now instead of every night. It felt nice to get sleep now he doesnt know how he went about it before.
He would give the other boy a small peck on the cheek. He smelled a bit of garlic but hey that was the pizza. "Thank you for that. I mean it." The redhead had done something very good for him. Maybe thats why his feelings changed. No. They changed before that. Or did they change at all? Who knows. He certainly didnt.
"Oh this is the best part." He was talking about the movie. Which part it was... well that didnt really matter now did it? Aiden probably wasnt paying super close attention to the film since he was trying to bring things up with the other boy. You know. Some gay shit.
Aiden eyed his friend for a bit feeling a sense of genuine relief wash over him. It was good to know, even if he hadn’t made the thing, that it’d helped. It wasn’t like he’d been using it in the first place. “I’m glad. If you ever need it fixed or…even a new one. I can make them now.” He replied with a quick grin. Even if it could only do so much good, he was glad it’d managed something for Charani. He would smile through the kiss on the cheek before adding, “I’m just glad I could help.” Especially after he’d asked how he could try to help and been told there was nothing he could do. He’d been so frustrated at that time.
His eyes shift back towards the screen, watching silently as he was directed/ It took him a moment to follow along but for a few minutes, he was engrossed in the film trying to figure out why his best friend thought it was the best part. It wasn’t the dance scene so why? The redhead goes quiet for a long time before his mind begins to wander, and again he’s reminded of the pressing matter at hand. Right! He had questions, really important and awkward questions for Charani. “By the way, I wanted to ask about your dream magic.” He piped up once more, eyes on the screen as lazily followed what was going on before turning to his companion.
“You-…have you had that dream again by the way?” he asked, eyebrows furrowing with concern. That dream had been so weird on many levels, plaguing the last of his unconscious memories with strange, horrifying visions. He hadn’t been able to really talk to Charani about that. He didn’t even know if he’s seen that himself or if it was just Aiden’s mind going buck wild at the last minute. “I mean, does it always manifest in that way? Super lucid and creepy and then visions?” There was something else, waiting right at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't bring it up just yet. Or, more like he wouldn't. He was...afraid? But if it stayed buried and unanswered it'd plague him every time he spent time with his friend. So what could he do? But instead of pushign forward with another question he stayed quiet, watching the brunette intently.
"I will let you know." He would let the boy know if it needed fixed or he needed another one. That was good that he could make them now as that means it would be easier to get. Plus it was like he was getting a present from him. Maybe he would accidentally 'lose' it and ask for another just to get a present from him.
"Dream magic? Oh you mean dream-walking? What about it?." He couldnt say he knew that much about it. What he knew was only what he had experienced and what little information he had gotten from books or Ezra in his time with her. He wasnt really that proficient in control obvoiusly.
Had he had that specific dream lately? No. Had he had other dreams of similar content every so often... often after spending a large amount of time with Aiden? Yes. "Not that one specifically no." The redhead was starting to dig into weird questions. He didnt suspect did he? No. Or maybe he did. He couldnt tell.
"No not really. They can be but some are like your in a movie playing a part without control. Sometimes there is no sound. It all depends on how much is dream and how much is prophecy ya know? I dont really get it much." He was trying his best to explain it. He didnt really understand this affinity that well even with how much time he had spent under Ezra's watchful eye or how much time he spent honing his powers. He got some parts way easier than others but it was very different from purification.
He nodded, happy to craft another dreamcatcher for Charani any time. It’d be a fun project since he could personalize for him with a specific color scheme and tassels or feathers. Probably some nicely dyed feathers if he could find any. It’d be tedious if he tried to dye them on his own. “Oh, it’s called dream walking?” Oops. That would explain the lucid nature of their dream at least. Aiden chewed at his lip thoughtfully. On the one hand, good? Since the dream had a bit of…questionable content, as well as being literally the worst time ever once the Wraiths started manifesting. On the other…there was no other hand this was a good thing. He’d done his best to help Charani overcome that dream. They’d failed, and it had been frustrating but even then, he’d managed some of his goal.
“Mmm…I mean… that kind of sounds like what I saw at the end. You saw it too right? Me, getting stabbed in the back?” he asked, unconsciously pressing his back further into the couch cushion. He’d mulled over what it could mean, but he probably was never meant to see that in the first place. He wasn’t a seer after all. He didn’t get these things like Charani would. He supposed there was no point in mulling it over or even looking for meaning in it. Maybe if he didn’t think about it long enough, he’d forget about it. There was nothing he could do about it after all. Even if whatever was in the vision actually happened it wasn’t like he could really tell when it happened, or even have a guarantee it would. These thoughts were useless. He pushed them aside, tugging at the neck of his sweatshirt.
There’s a moment of hesitation as he opens his mouth, but nothing comes out and he frowns, frustrated with forming something he couldn’t quite say yet, at least, not tactfully. McKenna hums in the back of his mind, attempting to soothe over turbulent thoughts. He tries to piece it together the best he can. That question at the tip of his tongue- “The dream I saw felt…cyclical. You already knew what you were doing then so… I mean- how many times had you gone through that?” He stops once more before passing his hands through his hair, struggling to put into the air something really embarrassing. “How many times have you dreamt we were married?” He stared at his unfinished drink, pink dusting his cheekbones.
"I did. That was... not the same... that didnt happen the other times." He cracked his knuckles at the thought of the vision. There was a knife going through Aidens gut. That wasnt what he felt or saw though. He felt the sadness of the woman. Felt the cold iron in his hand. Saw the look of shock.
"Most of my dreams tend to be like that? Like they replay until I make the right choices? Or something like that.." He couldnt say he knew that much about how dreams worked but they tended to be tied to how he was feeling. Like his visions they were often steeped in metaphor. For example his marriage to Aiden could be interpreted as the strong bond they had with each other. Or it could be that he held latent feelings for the boy. It could be many things.
How many times did he have that dream? A lot to be honest... or some variation of it. At least lately it seems. "A couple of weeks maybe? Though um... uh... haha um... yeah...." The color of the brunettes face turned bright right. Okay so he did remember and seem to care at least a little about that part. So they were married and had sex in his dreams. It didnt mean anything. Nope. Who was he trying to convince. He could feel Teddy scowl inside his mindscape.
"Anyway. This movie is so good. ...ha..." He was very much trying to change the subject. He was beat red and his body language read super uncomfortable gay. Abort! Abort! Mission control we have a problem. Would that stop him from swerving hard into the gay lane? Haha good one.
He isn’t sure what to think. Mild panic flared up in his chest at the strange coincidence that…the night he joins the dream is the night they also share a vision. But there’s a little bit of comfort in knowin Charani has witnessed it. It hadn’t been some weird, terrible side effect the dream walking had on him. He is comforted with the thought that the vision was meant for Charani, and he was simply caught in the crossfire… Then again, he doesn’t like that his friend may have watched him die, but at least when he woke up he’d been with him to prove he wasn’t dead. Not then and…not anytime soon. His thoughts drift back towards the letter and the green was seal and the impeccable gold handwriting. Foreboding.
But that wasn’t what he was getting at tonight. He wanted to clear the air, dispel this awkwardness in his chest caused by that stupid dream full of really conflicting emotions. “Trial and error huh?” how exhausting. He never ceased to be amazed at how much strain being a seer was. He never stopped worrying either. His questions seemed to have flustered his friend. Seemed that it was just as embarrassing to him as it was to Aiden. So then was this just the dream’s fault? Was it just because of his seer powers and how close they were anyway that it somehow melded into that? He didn’t know.
Aiden didn’t really know how much of all this was his magic, or Charani’s doing. It made him nervous to pry so deep into something he’d thought he understood. “So…for a couple of weeks you dreamt we were married and we- we-…” he paused expression dropping once more as he tried to put this as plainly as he could. “We had adult naptime.” McKenna snickered in the back of his mind. He was an adult he could say it. “Intercourse.” No sooner had the word left his lips that cheeks brightening up like a lobster coming out of the pot. He glanced at the movie for a moment, completely dazed. He hadn’t been paying attention. “I guess.” He mumbled as he held his head.
He managed to look back at his best friend. “Though what…? You- you were saying?”
"Fuck" Well shit. He figured it out. I mean it wasnt hard to figure out at all since... you know it was pretty flippin obvious what they had done given what he had said as well as what the redhead had experienced. He wished he had mind wiping powers. That would be so helpful right now. Just ignore and pretend it wasnt happening.
"So um... yeah? Kind of... like... a lot. Um..." He couldnt believe they were having this conversation. I mean to be fair it depended on the dream but yes they for sure had adult nap time. Sometimes multiple times a dream. Sometimes that was the entire dream. You know? Well this is... haha where is someone like Zephyr Hart when you need him.
"You were very large if it makes you feel better... er I mean good? Er... um... say nice weather in here right? Uhhh wit that doesnt make sense. We're inside. Anyway. Hi." The color of the brunettes face remained bright red. He was fucking panicking all right. His words kind of slurred a bit together but not enough to make him mumble. He was very much understandable. Unfortunately.
He was very much trying not to panic. He was obviously failing quite hard. Teddy was rattling the cage inside his head. Panic mode. Dont let the dog out. Who let the dog out? Nobody unless Aiden wanted to get bitten for making Charani so uncomfortable. Sure this was all his feelings and not Aidens fault but that wasnt the point. The point was these feelings needed to stay away. Thanks. Check please.
Aiden flinched as his friend spoke, feeling his ears tingle with heat and his heart start thumping harder in his chest from the nerves. “Yeah…that…” he stated as he covered his face with his hands for a moment. It doesn’t help when Charani admits they’d been sleeping together in his dreams a substantial amount. It’s enough to rattle his friend and while he wishes he could drop the subject, he can’t because even this much still didn’t dissuade his worries or put his questions to bed. Ha!
He makes a choked sound unsure if he really wanted that kind of detail from his friend. It had…been a dream of course and sometimes people had those kinds of dreams and that was ok…but wasn’t it kind of telling when it was a lot of dreams? Aiden watched his poor friend, amazed and a little horrified. He’d never seen him rattled or flustered. Charani was always very in control of himself it seemed, a level Aiden felt like he was beyond reaching as his emotions painted his face easily. “Um…sure?” he managed trying to collect words into coherent phrases. “We, um, we did that and then we almost did that and- well, in the dream we were- we were married and I wanted to. But I also wanted to make fondue and travel for winter like an old man.” He began, pulling together thoughts as quickly as he could.
“I- I just wanted to clear the air…since that night was really…hectic.” He added hoping to put this as kindly as he could. “And we’re friends- best friends even-” he continued fingers clutching into his sweatpants in an attempt to stay calm and actually follow through. He needed to ask. He needed to know. “Hi- I- Look what I’m getting at is-…w-were these just dreams that you keep having and I had or-” his throat tightened refusing to let him utter the last part despite all his mental preparation and coaxing. McKenna was silent, unable to do much for her witch other than watch. This was his problem after all. “Or something different…entirely.” He trails off, horrified he’d managed that at all. He instantly regretted putting that out into the universe but it was something that was important to analyze. They were close and- and- he didn’t know. He didn't know anything except that dream had made him awkward by putting such a close personal relationship under a different light and it had honestly left him shaken. He didn't know in what way yet was the problem.
"I um..." Well this was just getting out of hand. How did this happen? He couldnt breath. It was like the walls around them were closing in. Was this a panic attack? Was this what that felt like? It was like something heavy on his body pushing and pushing.
He couldnt look at Aiden. What should he say? What should he do? Lie? It would make things way easier. It would make everything the way it was before. Lie to him like he lied to himself. That was the best option right? He didnt know.
"Something... different..." He repeated those words out loud and in his head over and over again. Was it something different. Probably. Okay more than probably. Was he ready to say that out loud? Nope. Probably not.
"I... um... I dont... I dont know..." Okay so he was being at least somewhat more truthful than his instincts would normally go. He didnt know for sure. At least not fully. Maybe he was like 95% sure but that could be twisted to mean what he said. He wasnt technically lying right? Right. He couldnt look Aiden in the eye when he spoke. Afraid he would just somehow know.
The further this goes the harder his heart pumps. He feels adrenaline kick in under the pressure, and with no mortal danger to run from he’s left thinking too much too quickly, and lightly trembling from sitting so still. But he’s not ready to move closer to Charani or away, fearing any rash decision would just give off a bad impression. He wanted to disappear, that much was clear. He’d pushed so much but he didn’t want to have this conversation again, so he needed to keep pushing. But how could he search for a truth he was so afraid of putting to words himself? Did that even make sense? Was it selfish of him? Should he have tried harder in pretending that dream never happened? Maybe.
Then again this wouldn’t be the first time he’d royally messed up. If anything, that was probably one of his key traits: messing stuff up because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Speaking out of turn. Overturning stones that should’ve been left alone. He looked away from the tv screen, long since ending the movie and beginning to go into the credits sequence. Say something nice. Something that’s not foreboding or easily misconstrued. He so badly wanted to smooth this over, pretend it never happened but the hole he’d dug was so deep. “Is it…that you don’t know or just… you don’t want to tell me?” he asked, words coming out slowly as he looked back at his friend.
What was he doing? Was this how you communicated with other friends properly? There’d felt like a sudden shift in the conversation and it felt more one sided. It worried him. If Charani tried to shove this entire topic under the rug again there may not be much he could do about it. “I- I’m not mad…I just...” Just what? Just wanted to stop feeling self-conscious? Stop doubting your friend’s kindness? Justify some sort of insidious doubt in the back of your mind? What? “I just wanted to know for sure.”
"Why cant it be both? The truth is never so cut and dry when emotions are involved." He was dancing around the issue. He wasnt totally sure how he felt and this doubt was what caused his hesitation. If he said; yes I have a crush on you and ended up being mistaken about his feelings... then what? Ruin something. Ruin everything. It didnt matter. They would all die soon anyway.
He didnt expect the other boy to be mad at him for how he felt. He knew the red head better than that. He was sure he knew him better than that at least. Nothing had lead him to the idea he might react poorly. Just that he might not react how he desired.
"Ive never though you would react poorly. Just that you wouldnt react how I hoped... ya know...?" He sighed, grabbing the remote and turning off the television at this point. It was just ambient noise that was getting in the way of this conversation. A conversation he was back into having.
"If you really want to know then just ask. One question. I wont lie or dodge it. You get one. Thats it." Okay so it was like a truth potion except you know... he didnt have one of those. He was sure his grandmother had some of them. It was something she liked to called business insurance when making deals with less than reputable people. Just a pinch.
Aiden held back a sigh, scratching as his sweatpants trying to calm and imaginary itch on his knee. “I-…I guess it could be both.” He said evenly. As much as he wanted to get to the truth of the matter and figure out if there was really anything going on between them or if this was just a him kind of thing, he couldn’t force his friend to speak if he didn’t want to. This wasn’t an interrogation after all. The atmosphere seems to slowly dip away from embarrassing and scandalous and it feels heavier, gloomier even. It suddenly got serious, the weight of the topic at hand beginning to make itself known.
“Oh.” That’s all he can offer really. Maybe this conversation had been a mistake then. An unintended consequence of accidentally bringing him into something he was never meant to see in the first place. Maybe he should stop harping on something that was never intended to happen in the first place. The TV switches off and Aiden awkwardly turns to sit facing Charani. It’s a little striking, but he’s given one chance and one chance only. The redhead is quiet averting his eyes as he considers his words, intent on pushing through the entire thing without stuttering but also making the question as specific as possible. No outs. At the end of the day he wanted to understand this fully. Sure, it’s not the best situation but communication was never perfect. “Ok.”
His familiar whispers something in the back of his head meant to help her witch choose to be brave. She could tell he didn’t want to speak, but he had to. He’d drive himself mad if he didn’t. Then again, he would sound like an idiot if his doubts weren’t justified. But what was the worst that could happen? He’d get teased for a bit, right? He tried to speak before his mind concocted more worst-case scenarios, not willing to even consider something harsher, more painful. “Charani, do you have romantic feelings for me?” he asked, desperately straining to not trail off in doubt and shame. He levels his gaze with the seer all the same, forcing himself to be braze.
"Okay. That... is indeed a question." He did promise he would answer. But would he like the response he got from the other boy? Probably not. Would this change their relationship form here on out? Probably.
"I... always thought it was kind of obvious that I had a crush on you. But I guess it wasn't." He said as matter of factly as he could. There was a small strain to his voice... a quiver perhaps as he admitted it.
"I mean sure holding hands and being close is something close friends do but like... I guess I just kept pushing it further and further hoping it would click for you but I guess it just... didnt. Until the dream of course." Okay so the feelings hadnt clicked inside his head at first either. At least not right away. It took time to figure out the difference in feelings between close friends, family and relationship material. I mean he only had one serious boyfriend in his life.
He just stares at the red head with his wide green eyes and kind of pouty lips. He knew this would change everything. Not in the way he had hoped probably but... it would change things. It had to change things. There was no way around it.
