Loona brought Brooklyn to a little place called The Poe Toaster. The wooden sign by the door had been cheaply made, but the craftsman still put in the effort have the lettering underlined by an ornate carving of a rose.

They had to walk down a set of concrete stairs to get to the door. Keeping guard was a tall buff woman with a spiked choker and aqua-colored hair.

"What's the password?"

Loona smirked. "'Mary Shelley sent me. She says Lovecraft was a hack.'"

The woman chuckled. "You're right about the first part. Just don't let Benjamin hear you say the second part." She stepped aside. "Head on in."

Brooklyn made no objections as Loona paid the cover. Their efforts to sneak into the concert had failed, so he could let this slide.

They made their way over towards the bar and Brooklyn looked around at all the black-clad misfits chatting and dancing. This was a tad preferable to the concert as it wasn't as tightly packed.

He spotted a trio of young women at a small table together, and he blushed when he realized they were checking him out. One of them, a tawny-haired girl with pig-tails, rosy cheeks and a Jack Skellington T-shirt, even winked at him. He could get used to this.

Meanwhile Loona still felt out-of-place. She had been there before, but not on a date. While she was adjusting to being among other oddballs and passing for human, it was the strictly social setting that had her stumped.

What's more, she saw how Brooklyn was liking the attention he was getting from those three girls. She wanted to object but she looked away, an internal voice screaming at her that she was a fool to think he would like her.

They were approached by the bartender; a black woman with a lip ring and fuchsia highlights in her braids.

"What'll it be, folks?"

"Straight whiskey," Loona ordered.

The bartender gave her a suspicious look. "Let's see some ID, kiddo."

Loona groaned and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll just have a soda."

"Water for me," Brooklyn ordered. "I'm the designated flyer."

The bartender chuckled. "You got it, Lestat."

As they waited Loona sniffed the air. Her heightened senses picked up a myriad of rank colognes and perfumes. A whole cocktail of mints, lavenders, florals, clove and eucalyptus. She nearly gagged. These smells were fine on their own, but too much at once.

They got their drinks and took a seat at an empty booth.

Loona took her coat off and set it next to her.

Brooklyn paused. He had always found her to be attractive for a human, but it was then with her coat off that he realized that she had a lovely overall shape to her. How could she hide herself all this time?

To prevent from staring at her, he observed the spooky decor, particularly some cheap plaster gargoyles crouching up near the ceiling. Given these people's interests he wondered if he would be welcomed as his regular self.

"So, do you come here often?" he asked Loona.

"No, not really," Loona admitted. "I only just found out about it a couple days ago."

"Really? Then how did you know the password to get in?"

"It's not a real password," Loona laughed. "Apparently it's just tradition."

Brooklyn leaned in, prompting her to go on.

She took another sip of her soda. "See, this place used to be a speakeasy back during prohibition. Upstairs they used the restaurant as a front while you had to be in the know to get down here for some bourbon. Or watered-down wood varnish."

"Yuck!" Brooklyn laughed. "Broadway would love that."

"What, varnish?"

"No, my brother. He'd love that story."

"Would he?"

"Yeah. He's a huge fan of those old gangster films." He looked around with a smile. "I'll bet Lex would love to come here too…"

"Hmm… You guys sound pretty close."

"Yeah… Well, I'm sure they'd love to meet you, at least."

Loona shrank back in her seat. "Not so sure about that…"

They were interrupted when the trio of ladies from before approached their booth.

The girl in the pig-tails leaned on the table and smiled at Brooklyn. "I've never seen you before, cutie. You new to the Poe Toaster?"

Brooklyn flushed and Loona scowled at her.

She loudly cleared her throat. "Do you mind? We're in the middle of a conversation here."

"Yeah, Pris!" her friend with long ribbon curls agreed. "They're obviously on a date!"

"Ugh, you're no fun, Myndi," Pris pouted.

Myndi took Pris aside. "So sorry about my friend. She'll hit on just about any guy who doesn't have a ring. And even then…"

"Ugh! I do not!" Pris protested.

Myndi guided her friend away, but the third young lady, a petite woman in a sleek purple dress and with a bob cut, remained, her eyes on Loona.

"Hi, my name's Xandra," she smiled. "You're pretty cute yourself, fluffy."

Loona blushed. She'd have asked her not to call her "fluffy" if she wasn't so flattered.

Xandra leaned in. "Tell me, where'd you get those contacts? That's a cool shade of red there. So subtle."

Loona flinched and looked over at Brooklyn, who hadn't heard them. She got up and grabbed Xandra's arm, guiding her back in the direction of her friends.

"Listen, I, uh… got them specially made," Loona lied. "My-my aunt's an optometrist."

Xandra's face lit up. "Ooh! Really? Who is she?"

"I don't think you got the message from your buddy there. I'm on a date right now. I can tell you all about it later, okay?" She lightly pushed Xandra in the direction of her friends. "Okay."

Loona sighed in annoyed relief.

Brooklyn had gotten up and put his hand on her shoulder. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just… I'm just not a people person."

"Yeah, I figured. If you want to go—"

"No, no, no. I'm fine. W-what I meant was…" She rubbed at her forehead. "I'm not used to people getting all up in my face like that. It's just a… It's just a bit much…"

Brooklyn shrugged. "You seem pretty okay around me."

"Well, that's 'cause I like you—" Loona defended, clasping her hand over her mouth immediately after. Too late. She said it.

Brooklyn smirked. He knew. He just wanted to get her to say it.

Loona glared at him for tricking her like that, but her gaze softened as he sweetly smiled at her. The feeling was mutual.

"You wanna dance…?" he asked.

Loona nearly squeaked. "Yes." She paused to finish her soda first. It wasn't booze, but the sugar would have to do.

They stepped out onto the dance floor with the opening chimes of a retro New Wave song, fit for a post-modern tango.

They drifted across the dance floor along with the song's chords interwoven with guitar riffs. Loona's heart raced with every beat and every step. The lights illuminated everything in shades of violet, blue and magenta, with Brooklyn's arm around her waist and that beautiful, intense look in his eyes. It was all so intoxicating that she had to remind herself to breathe.

Brooklyn glanced around the club; all these misfits and rebels. These were his people, and to walk among them safely as one of their own. Truth be told, he could have been dancing with anybody there. He had seen the sheer amount of men and women who were checking him out. But the spell was bound to wear off in a few hours, and Loona was the only one he wanted to share this dance with.

They touched palms and locked eyes in their impromptu tango. Brooklyn knew of Loona's attraction to him from the start, but unlike any of these people she liked him even as a gargoyle. It was thanks to her that they could enjoy this together.

The song faded out to their disappointment. They wished it to last longer.

His suspicions confirmed. He found Loona very attractive, and he wasn't afraid.

Before he could convince himself not to, he draped his arms around her waist and kissed her.

"Brooklyn…?"

"Loona…"

He kissed her again, and she kissed him back, her fingers stroking his long hair. It was softer than she had expected. Lightheaded and heart racing, her hand moved down his shoulder to his bicep. Brooklyn kissed her harder as Loona's fingers admired the contours of his muscles. No one was going to tell them to stop now.

There was no alcohol in their blood and yet they were intoxicated. Loona guided Brooklyn out the back door to the alley. Normally others would be there for a smoke, but for now they had it to themselves.

Brooklyn panted as she pressed him back against the wall, an eager smile across her face and a hungry gleam in her eyes. He shivered in anticipation as his legs grew weak. He slid down ever so slightly as Loona unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hand up his stomach and around his back. She kissed him again, this time twisting in her tongue, and he held her tight.

He wanted this. Her body pressed against his, the softness of her skin; he gasped as even a light scratch from her nails excited him. He wanted this so badly.

And yet that light scratch reminded him that this wasn't his skin.

"Wait…!"

He took Loona's shoulders and gently pushed her away, prying her lips from his own.

"What's the matter…?" Loona reminded herself where they were. "Do you wanna get a motel room or…?"

"No, Loona, it's not that. It's just…" He looked at his pale hand. "…this isn't me. I can't do this. I can't live like this."

"Sure, you can," Loona reminded with pleading eyes. "We can get Puck. See if we can work something out with—"

"No, Loona. You don't get it. I have a family. They need me."

"But… You said that they didn't…" Loona sighed and stepped back hugging her elbows, her once eager eyes now hurt. "You're right. I really don't get it…"

"Loona, please. Don't take it like that." He reached out but she pulled away.

She looked away. "Don't even bother…"

Brooklyn sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"… At least let me take you home."

"… Fine."