Charming took in the night skyline from where he was standing on the roof of the club. Even outside, he could hear the music pulsing into the night like it was its heartbeat. After Scary Larry's performance, Aurora had led him up here for some fresh air. He shivered a bit as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Leather wasn't very warm on a cold night like tonight.

"Here."

Charming's view of the skyline was soon obscured by a glass that had suddenly been shoved in his face. He narrowed his gaze on the glass in front of him before looking sideways at the person holding it. Aurora stood there with a small smile on her face; a glass for herself in her other hand. Charming matched her smile as he reached up a hand to take the glass from her. He held up the dark colored liquid in the light, looking at the way the bubbles kept floating to the top.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Soda," she said. "Don't worry. It's not alcohol. You look like the type that doesn't drink alcohol."

"And what would make you say that?" asked Charming as he lifted the glass to his nose and gave it a sniff; trying not to look shocked when it didn't have a scent to it.

"You look very uncomfortable in clubs," said Aurora, chuckling at his actions. "I can tell you don't come to these sorts of places often."

Charming had seen the others drink soda but had never tried it himself yet. For whatever reason, it bothered him to see the bubbles popping freely in the drink. He feared what it would do inside him if that's how it acted before entering his body. He couldn't be afraid in front of this woman though. He took a deep breath and took a sip, coughing a bit at the way it tingled in his throat as he swallowed it. Aurora laughed out loud as she watched Charming fight to swallow it. The night hid the blush that rushed to his cheeks as he looked over at Aurora.

"You're a fascinating person," said Aurora as she took a sip of her drink. Charming couldn't hide the brief look of shock as she did it as if it didn't faze her in the slightest, even letting out an 'ahh' after.

Before Charming could try to figure out something else to say to her, a jingle rang out into the night. Aurora stuck her hand into her pocket to dig her cell phone out; her face lit up briefly by the display as she checked the ID.

"I'm sorry. I have to take this. I'll be right back."

Charming nodded as he watched Aurora set her drink down on the wall in front of him before answering the phone and walking a little ways away. Charming turned back to face the night that yawned before him, holding up the glass he still held in his hands in the moonlight.

"It's not going to kill you," said Charming softly to himself; the carbonation still causing bubbles to pop and fizz to the top of the glass.

He took a deep breath before putting the glass to his lips again. Though he wanted to spit it out as soon as the fizzing sensation started to take over his mouth, he forced himself to swallow it. He put the half empty glass down beside Aurora's, casting his gaze upwards as he forced it down. Anyone that was to look his way right then would think he had just swallowed medicine.

"I can't believe it! He knows how important this is!"

Charming turned his head to look in the direction Aurora was stomping back towards him in. She shoved her hands angrily into her pockets as she came to stand beside him and glare out into the night.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"What's wrong?! What's wrong is having flaky friends that back out on you during one of the most important points in your life at the last minute!"

"Sorry?" said Charming, not sure what else he should say at that moment.

Aurora sighed as she shook her head, turning her head so she could look at Charming.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. I'm sorry. It's just...it's frustrating. He has abandoned us at the last second and I'm just clueless about what to do."

Charming fell silent for a moment as he turned away from Aurora to look out at the night again. He had no idea what she was talking about but found himself wishing he had some words of wisdom for her. As his eyes studied the twinkling stars, he tried to think of what his friends would say if they were here. Eventually he stumbled across the words that he figured would work in this situation. 

"If it's important, you'll figure out a way."

Aurora - who had gotten wrapped up in her thoughts for a moment - snapped out of them when Charming started to speak.

"What did you say?"

"That you'll figure out a way," repeated Charming as he looked at her. "If it's important, you'll figure out a way to do what you need to do without him."

Aurora smirked slightly, shaking her head with a 'tsk'.

"Aren't you mister positive," she said, "But I do appreciate that. Thank you."

Charming nodded, watching Aurora shiver as the night wind crept up on them again. He shrugged out of the leather jacket he was wearing, immediately moving to drape it over her shoulders without a second thought. Aurora softly grinned as she looked over to see that - without his coat - he was now fighting a shiver himself.

"You don't have to make yourself cold for me," said Aurora as she moved to start taking the jacket back off.

Charming moved his hands to keep Aurora from shrugging the jacket off, giving her a small smile.

"It's fine. Really."

'Man do I miss my fur at times like this though,' thought Charming as he looked away from her and tried to force himself to not shiver like he had forced down the soda earlier.

Aurora stayed staring at the side of Charming's face as he faced away from her, taking in the features of him that were highlighted by the moonlight. It was then that an idea hit her, causing her to let out a very loud, "I got it!"

Charming jumped at the sudden exclamation as he turned to look back at Aurora, who now had a smile so bright on her face that it was enough to rival the moon.

"Are you okay?" asked Charming.

"Yes! Yes, I'm fine! I just figured out how to fix the problem!"

"That's great," said Charming, relieved that his words had worked.

"Are you busy tomorrow?" she asked, causing Charming to look surprised.

"I...I um no...but what..."

"That's great!" exclaimed Aurora, interrupting Charming's stammering. "I want you to come practice with me and my band. You'll be a great stand-in."

"Whoa...okay. Hang on a second. What are you talking about?"

"Richie - our lead male vocalist - decided to bail out on me and the rest of the band right before our big audition, but you...you sing. You could be a stand-in for him."

'Why am I always being asked to be a stand-in?' thought Charming, remembering the last time he was a stand-in for Jungkook; the pain in his heart returning with it.

"That was just a one-time thing," said Charming quickly. "The singing. I'm not a singer."

"Oh," said Aurora; the smile fading from her face and a pout taking over instead. She looked absolutely deflated now and Charming felt badly.

"I'm sorry," said Charming with a bow of his head. "I...I should get going."

Charming tried to turn away to exit as quickly as possible. As he made his way towards the door that led back downstairs, he came to a pause when he heard Aurora saying 'here' behind him. Pausing, he turned to see that she was holding his jacket back out towards him with a passive look on her face. He felt shame wash over him as he walked over to take the jacket from her hand before quickly turning to make his way down the stairwell.

As he left Wonderland and headed back to the apartment, he sighed as he shoved his hands into his pockets. He felt rotten for causing the joy to leave Aurora's face, especially when every time he thought about her, he felt something blossom in his chest. He came to a pause on the sidewalk when his fingers felt the tip of a piece of paper inside his pocket. Confused, he grabbed it and pulled it out to examine it under the streetlamp he stood under. There was a phone number on the slip of paper without any sort of name. However, he figured he knew who the number belonged to. Even though he didn't see her slip it into his pocket, she had been the only other one to wear his jacket tonight.

'Did Aurora really slip me her number?' thought Charming as he focused on the delicate writing for a moment before putting it back into his pocket.

Even if she did, Charming knew that he couldn't call her. After this, there was no way he could bring himself to face her again.

- - -

"What are you doing?"

Ame was worried about Charming. Ever since he got back from his date, he had been lying like a starfish on his futon without talking to anyone. Ruby, Jungkook, and Taehyung had all taken turns trying to pepper him with questions and would only get the shoulder shrug in response. All of them could tell that something had happened and that his mind was elsewhere. Eventually Ame asked the three of them to leave the apartment for a moment so she could try to talk to Charming on her own. Now here she stood, watching as his eyes stared at the ceiling; his mind clearly focused on something else completely.

"Charming, what are you doing?"

"I heard you the first time," he said to the ceiling above him. "To answer your question, I'm walling."

"Walling?"

"Yes."

"What the heck is walling?"

Charming sighed as he moved to prop himself up onto his elbows to look at her. The cheerful look she was used to seeing on his face was gone.

"You know. It's when you lie down and just want to forget everything."

"Oh...you mean wallowing."

"Whatever," said Charming as he moved his arms out from their position so he was flat on his back again.

Ame sighed as she walked over to Charming, moving to sit near his legs as she turned her head to look at him.

"Did Aurora do something?"

"Why are you always assuming it was someone else that did something?" asked Charming. "What if it was me?"

"I highly doubt that."

"Why?"

"Because you're you..."

A smirk flitted across Charming's face as his eyes scanned the ceiling tiles.

"Your reasoning would not hold up in any of those court shows we watch."

"Good thing this isn't court then," said Ame as she smirked in return, reaching out to gently slap Charming on the knee, keeping her hand there. "Talk to me."

"I just...I let Aurora down. I messed it all up."

"What happened?"

"She asked me to be a stand-in for her bandmate that skipped out last minute. She saw me sing and thought I'd be a good replacement for the male vocalist."

"And I take it you turned her down?"

He nodded as he moved to put his hands over his face.

"I can't handle being human, Ame. It was less complicated being a bunny."

Ame gave a small, pained smile as she moved her hands so she could grab his. She laid on her side a bit as she brought his hands away from his face so they could lock eyes.

"Listen to me," said Ame. "You didn't mess up. You panicked. We all do that. It's not like you ruined things with her forever."

"I mean...I would have helped her if I could..."

"Well then help her. Charming, you can sing and even if you're nervous, that's okay. The risks are worth it sometimes."

Charming moved to sit up, taking Ame's hands in his.

"She did leave her number in my jacket pocket," said Charming down to Ame's hands, watching as her hands squeezed his.

"Well then call her. I don't want to see you walling anymore."

"I thought it was wallowing," said Charming as he lifted his head to look at Ame.

"I like your word more," said Ame in response, causing a small smile to come onto Charming's face.

Charming moved to grab Ame in a hug, wrapping his arms about her tightly as she wrapped hers about him back.

"Thank you, Ame," he said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"No need to thank me," said Ame. "I feel the same. It's what friends are for."

'Friends,' thought Charming as he kept hugging Ame, trying not to let the thought rest heavy in his chest as he focused on fixing things with Aurora.