"..Or maybe he needs somebody that he isn't already close to him to show that they care." Daniel countered softly. "Salem doesn't seem to like either of us.. but.. he still called you for help. He might appreciate that more than you think."
Before John could agree or disagree, he felt the familiar destruction of one of his cards.
John chuckled, "Luv he doesn't care, he was desperate and-" The blonde paused when he felt the oh so familiar feeling of one of his cards being destroyed. "Bullocks." He folded up the paper he had before him, placing it a box before the House took it away in the blink of an eye.
"Looks like you're getting your wish, luv." He commented as he headed towards the coatrack to slip on his trench coat.
"You don't have to spend your life looking backward,"
The brunet blinked in surprise. "Another card was destroyed?" He asked as he set his book down and got up from the couch.
He understood where John was coming from. He really did. For all Daniel knew, attempting to reach out to Salem would backfire horribly and only upset him more- but there was a worry that wouldn't settle in Daniel's chest.
Salem was just a kid. One who very clearly lacked any sort of parental care for... longer than Daniel wanted to think about.. He deserved to feel like more people cared for him than just his close friends.
"What happened to the dream of rejecting the routine?"
"Louisiana." John replied, securing his trench coat on before double checking the pockets. "Wouldn't be surprised if it was the lad himself."
He just hoped Havaa hadn't decided to seek her revenge by attacking her own kid- the blonde swallowed uneasily at such a thought. He quickly shook his head before looking to Daniel, put a charming smile on. "You coming?"
"We've been through this over and over again, you can't just wish it away,"
It took a few moments for his charming smile to earn a smile from Daniel. "Always." He said, joining John as they made their way to the front door.
Damian paced nervously next to a park bench in Baton Rouge. He was still picking apart Constantine's card absent-mindedly as he tried not to panic. Would he show up? He said he'd show up if they destroyed his card..
Salem said that Mr. Constantine showed up when he needed him.. so that meant he'd show up now..
That's what he hoped, at least. He didn't know what else to do..
It wasn't hard to trace his calling card's location, he was just more surprised to see the Prince rather than Salem. "Well this is a surprise." John commented out loud once he was close enough to Damian. The Warlock took a subtle glance around, not a bad location, he'd have to come back here one of these days when he needed some quiet time.
"Hard to know where to turn when your life's a disaster, trying to start all over again,"
Daniel was equally surprised to see Damian, with Salem nowhere to be found.
The moment the Moriandus Prince spotted the two, he bolted over. "Please- please tell me know you know where Salem is!" Damian pleaded immediately.
Daniel felt a painful tug in his chest when he saw tears in the Prince's purple eyes. "I'm afraid that we don't.." He confessed. "What happened?"
Letting out a sad, worried noise, Damian grabbed his head in panic and started pacing again. "I-I don't know! I don't know!"
John grimaced at the obvious panic on Damian's face, he let out a quiet breath before walking over and placing his hands on his shoulders. Anything to keep the Prince from panicking anymore. "Lad, lad, breathe." He remarked firmly, but not unkindly. "Start from the beginning, when was the last time you saw him?"
"Life's not a game you can play to get even, we all make mistakes but we need to move on."
Damian stopped when John's hands on his shoulders grounded him. He nodded a little, taking in and letting out a shaky breath. "L-last night.." He said. "Last night w-we had a fight.. when I woke up this morning I couldn't find him anywhere- o-or the Imps! He doesn't talk about home much.. but I-I know he grew up in Baton Rouge! I haven't had any luck tracking him.. though.."
He pulled a partially crumpled slip of paper from his hoodie pouch and held it out to John. "This was all he left.."
A fight? The two of them? They were like oil and water in terms of personality, but they still managed to go well together regardless.
John raised an eyebrow when Damian produced a note, he let go of Damian's shoulders to take the note and started to read it.
The chances of Salem being here were slim, but then again... why go somewhere you don't know, when you can just go home when things get tough?
'Sorry Dame, but I can't keep my promise. I've got my own family issues, and I can't have you be a part of any of it. Good luck.
- Salem,'
"He- he's been acting weird since the week before his birthday, and he's been miserable, and he won't talk to me- and now he's- he ran off!!" Tears streamed down the Moriandus Prince's cheeks. "He's my best friend- my only friend! He promised to help find my dad and my siblings!"
Daniel pulled Damian into a hug when he really began to cry, and the younger brunet responded with a crushing hug in turn.
Daniel would have believed that Salem would've talked with his friend about what had happened with Havaa and Silas.. but it made sense that Salem wouldn't want to share such horrible things with his friend, and shoulder that pain all on his own..
John grimaced at the obvious panic and fear that came off of Damian in waves, thank goodness Daniel decided to come. It was clear that the older brunet was better suited at being a good shoulder to cry on than himself. The blonde read the note again, again, and again. It was obvious Silas' words effected Salem than he thought...
Pocketing the note, he used his magick to bring up a map of the state they were in. He whispered to the needle he pulled out of his pocket, soon letting the magick guide it to find Salem.
"You can run 'till your pain's through, one thing I won't do,"
The needle circled the map more than normal, an obvious indication that Salem had put in the effort to not be found. But the lad didn't have the power or the skill to outclass John Constantine, so the needle eventually found it's target, landing down.. several blocks away.. at Salem's childhood home.
Looking at the map worriedly when the needle landed, Daniel guided Damian over to the bench and gently sat the Prince down. "..I hate to say it, but it might be better if we split up this time." The golden eyed man whispered, glancing back at Damian worriedly.
"I don't think it's a good idea to leave Damian on his own.. but it's a worse idea to bring him along to.. Havaa's Temple.."
John nearly paled when he saw where the needle landed. "Bullocks." He snatched the needle away, letting his magick fade as he took in a shaky breath. What was he thinking!? Going there- that-! The Warlock sucked in another shaky breath before he looked to Daniel, "Get to the House and stay there." John whispered firmly to Daniel.
"I'll bring Salem back." Kicking and screaming if he had to, but he'd do it.
Giving John a worried look, Daniel nodded. "Be careful, okay?" He pleaded softly.
He looked back at Damian again, who was looking up at the two of them through his tears like he was waiting for some kind of instruction. "You were right to come here to look for Salem." Daniel said, in hopes that it might cheer the Prince up. "John's already found him. Thankfully, he isn't far."
"He is?!" Damian repeated hopefully. "What- what are we waiting for then?" He asked, turning to John specifically, eager to get moving and find his friend. "Which way?"
"No. No, no, no, no." John quickly shot that down. The last thing he needed was Damian anywhere near a temple for Havaa. "You are to stay in the House with Daniel and wait until I come back with Salem." The Warlock replied.
"I know you think you're being selfless, but you're not,
I refuse to risk another's pain again,"
Damian deflated instantly. But unlike his best friend, he didn't argue. "...Okay.." He said sadly, looking down at his shoes.
Daniel gave a small sigh, before he offered Damian a smile. "I know you want to help, but it'll be better to let John handle this. Besides, I'm sure Orchid would be happy to see you again."
That seemed to perk Damian up. Drying his eyes one last time, he stood up from the bench. He'd never met anyone like Orchid before, he thought it was so cool that the House was alive. There were about a million questions he'd wanted to ask them before Salem urged him to leave.
John sent Daniel a grateful look before facing Damian again, "I'll bring him back, but he'd skin me alive if he knew something happened to you under my watch." He pointed out. He pressed his lips into a thin line before breathing again. "Don't do anything stupid, either of you." He commented before he headed out of the park and towards Salem's home.
"The pain is when you shut me out and take off on your own,"
Daniel caught John's hand quickly before he could leave. "Don't do anything reckless either." He said, giving John's hand a gentle squeeze before letting him go.
"Good luck." Damian said to John, soon following after Daniel as the taller brunet headed back to the House.
The Warlock went still the moment Daniel gentle grabbed his hand. That gentle squeeze did dangerous things to his heart and John swallowed thickly as he nodded. "I'll be fine luv." He reassured him, quickly stuffing his hands in his trench coat pocket as he continued onward.
