i want your potential

It was fascinating to Valentine-- how much he'd forced himself to grow, too exhausted with his previous lifestyle. Everything he experienced these days was something new to him, either shiny or discomforting, but he squared his shoulders and pretended it came naturally. No, no, not in a million years. He was artificially grown, but passionately maintained, like a well oiled machine.

He was putting all his current efforts towards setting up the Afterlife Resource Institute, acting as though he'd been born to do this. God, he hadn't, but he'd sooner crucify himself than let that hold him back. There was a certain pride that had to be lived up to, and a need to be someone important. He'd be left behind, otherwise. Twenty-one, and he was already nervous about the younger generation stealing from him! Nobody was going to give him the right to be relevant, so he needed to built from scratch, create a reason for it. Past claiming I'm the Death horseman, the fucking Grim Reaper with little other than an aura and powerful necromancy ability to his name. He couldn't reap, was still horribly sick, didn't have any destiny helpfully laid out for him.

So he was taking shots in the dark. But even without his title in mind, this was something he was dedicated to. Death magic, and showing encouragement rather than shame towards it and anyone involved? He held that very dear. He didn't think of it as a joke. He wanted to bring individuals and their specialties together so they could accomplish more. Manta Carlos was full of untapped potential in this area, currently unorganized where it could be far more. Honestly, he wanted to study everything up close, and this gave him quite the excuse and advantage to do so. To claim it was purely selfless and community focused would be wrong.

It just so happened that Val had decided being respectable got you more places than being an angst ridden teenager with a boner for casual abusive behavior did.

It took hard work to move away from that, and he wasn't about to forget about his origins and play pompous. He'd been reaching out to the people in his field because they were what would help this flourish. A lot were already long graduated scholars, drifting reapers, undead that felt alone.

But today, he was popping in to visit a student. That wouldn't be so unusual if it was a simple case of offering them a place for comfort and growth of skills with peers. And he would be offering that. But he also happened to want to secure this young man for the institute's own sake. Florentin Blanchett. In the top ranks of his classes, with a near silly amount of eagerness to spare. Always trying to make a grab for the best books and whatever the Academy had to offer in terms of necromancy. From what Val heard, he was bright. From what Val saw, he was hardworking. The latter was the truly special quality, not one to be taken lightly.

And not to be forgotten, not by Val's curiosity, he was from a well known line of healers. Most of the riff raff at the school wouldn't recognize surnames or gossip the way Val did, but he'd been born here to a famed, wealthy magical family of his own. He knew. Whenever he heard the name, it was impossible to avoid thinking of. If more had known, they might've been baffled, but Val knew magic like this was two sides of the same coin. Necromancy and healing? Hilariously similar, one just had considerable ambition added, and often took away some of your skills with the lighter pursuit. That anyone would look at them and not connect the dots seemed pathetic. And if Val ever had the chance, he wanted to learn about Florentin's transition. It wasn't something you heard about every day, despite sounding so fitting.

Val had high hopes when he arrived to Florentin's current residence that day, a very pretty villa. He had a bag at his side with information on CARI to look over, and was dressed in his usual professional but not overdone look, sunglasses on, cane at his side. He rang the doorbell, and was soon escorted to a sitting room, casually examining the household as he went. After that, he waited patiently, legs neatly crossed, gloved hands laced together on his lap.

It'd been a while since Valentine had been in school, around half a year, and he'd hardly ever had the chance to take a closer look at Florentin even back then. Val wasn't known for his history of a rich Academy social life, focused more on getting in and out, and before that, being a gloomy, prickly little jerk. What recognition and watchfulness he'd had in terms of other warlocks was done from the quiet sidelines.

He took the opportunity to do so now, instead, giving the younger boy a once over and feeling at the magic around him. He had a very solid aura, Val found, similar to his own. That was promising. He couldn't count the times he'd come across individuals that claimed talent for his field, but who felt as pleasant and unthreatening as a fucking flower garden. Doing or being made from extensive death magic was likely to have a toll on you, physically, mentally, or in terms of how you interacted with the world around you. It was morbid, but that was what you signed up for, and Val was personally more likely to take people seriously when their existance responded realistically to what they'd undertaken.

Now, entirely petty and unrelated to anything else, Val still happened to be a recent twenty-one year old, and that meant he put aside a moment to let his heart skip a beat at Florentin's appearance. Pretty, pretty thing, highly reminiscent of the delicate girls he chased after as a teenager, distracting himself between their thighs. All features were ideal, the bow was undeniably endearing, and Val swore he could smell what seemed to be lilies. On a more significant note, Florentin's eyes left the slightest jarring impression, especially in comparison to all that. What a color. The artist in Val was absorbed in it immediately.

He pushed the musings aside, deciding to experiment with mixing his paints later. Val was very about professionalism, and not about to waste Florentin's time away by dragging out leering at him, despite being careful not to show it. He was stoic enough to get away with these things, but that didn't mean he should. He nodded amicably to Florentin, ghost of a smile on his own face, which was considered the epitome of friendly in Val's book. "Good afternoon, Mr. Blanchett, I hope your day has left you well thus far? Now, pleasantries aside--" He murmured a quiet thank you to the help when given tea, then returned his attention to Florentin, intent. "You've heard of it, then? My work must be paying off. Yes, that's an entirely correct assumption."

Val paused and tapped his lip before he went on, inhaling as he prepared himself to sell this to Florentin. "I'm of the opinion that my organization would strongly benefit from your presence. You're at the top of your classes in the Academy, and the teachers I've recently checked in with speak of you with excessive praise, in terms of your intelligence and dedication to your major. You've had papers published already, despite being an undergrad, which I've read."

He took a sip of tea. "I'd like to offer you a position and research funding at the institute, if you're open to the concept. Details can be discussed, and while being a student means you'd have a part time spot with us currently, I don't have a doubt we'd welcome you full time after graduation. The research and necromancy departments are my main interests for you, though you'd be starting with research. Thoughts?"

Valentine nodded patiently, not looking to pry into Florentin's personal matters. "Ah, I'm sorry. Illness is hardly ever pleasant, especially when you're hands on in our work." He sipped at his tea again while waiting for any signs of approval or disapproval, gaze steady. It was possible Val would never adjust to this. Proper scheduled meetings and serious adult talks. It was very far from the little cursed boy indeed. Perhaps he should stop lingering on it, clear oddity or not, but that was still difficult. If not adjust, he needed to be able to shrug it off, never show his clumsy side.

He sighed lightly and smiled back at Florentin, admittedly both relieved and pleased by his reply, and being mindful to show gratitude. "Thank you so much for considering it. I'd be happy to give you a tour myself. Please, there's absolutely no need to apologize, that's all quite understandable. I wouldn't expect anything less, and I'm welcome to any observations. At CARI, if there is anything I can do to help accommodate you, simply say the word and I'll do my best, within reason. If you have questions currently, as well, I can answer them."

With a short pause, Val realized they'd nearly run out of business to discuss, and would soon return to the pleasantries. Instead of ordinary small talk, he preferred the topic of Florentin's magic. "I think… I am very interested to see you assisting with active necromancy related projects, rather than only schoolwork. It can make all the difference. And I find that coordinating the studies in groups tends to be better outside of school." He snorted. "The people aren't as… sullen? How do I put it… No offense to your classmates, of course, but even in college, the atmosphere was different than that of something like CARI."

"My point being, you should shine the most around those as bright and invested as you are, and when being fully encouraged." He tapped his lip. "The teachers are lovely, but you could be bigger than a classroom, even now. No need to be trapped there."