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[blooded]

WELCOME TO THE SALTBURNT NETWORK
USERNAME: SALVATORE
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@sstrange

[rehandle]

[ Slightly less than sober: ]

The gang's all here, huh?

[blooded]

We've multiplied since I saw you last.

[ has anyone told him about the half-sister? probably not. after all, ]

We didn't see you at the funeral, Doctor.

[rehandle]

My apologies. I'm on respite from public appearances.

But I'm sorry for your loss, Damon. He was a titan.

[blooded]

He was.

[ he was also a bastard. unfortunate how often those two traits coincide. ]

I was sorry to hear about you and Christine. I always thought she was good for you.

[rehandle]

[ — ah. He tries not to take any longer over this message than the last, for all it's made him flinch. ]

It is what it is. Not everything's built to last.

Seems mine isn't the only marriage in flux.

[ A swift evasive manoeuvre, if not a particularly kind one. How's that whole situation going? ]

[blooded]

It doesn't seem a stable institution, does it?

[ marriage. love is real, damon knows that, he feels it in all its shades and nuances for katherine, for stefano, for darling roza—even for giuseppe, god rest his soul. but marriage? what has ever been gained from that contract that it hasn't destroyed itself years later?

not that that's a conversation he wants to have with stephen, of all people—he already has a confessor. a pivot of his own, moves and counter-moves. ]

How are you, Stephen? Really. It's been years since we've spoken, and I know time hasn't dealt you a fair hand.

[rehandle]

Thank you, Damon, I appreciate your reflections on time's contributions to my hand.

[ And his hands, for that matter. He's doing extremely badly, actually, thanks for asking. ]

I'm fine. I was better before half the world descended on what had been a peaceful retreat, but I was never going to be able to monopolise the house forever.

[blooded]

[ time's contribution to stephen's—oh. oh no. ]

I swear, mentioning hands was not on purpose. English is my fourth language.

[rehandle]

Don't worry about it, I'm messing with you.

[ Yes and no. Read: he's in a bad mood and ready and willing to make that everyone else's problem. ]

[blooded]

You can say something about eyes, if you'd like. It would only be fair.

[rehandle]

Would it? I did the work.

[ Dunking on him for any flaws with his eyes would be an own goal. It begs the question though, now Damon's opened the door to it - ]

How have things been?

[blooded]

About as good as you told me to expect. Some degeneration, but nothing my regular ophthalmologist is concerned about.

She compliments the work of my surgeon. As I recall, her exact words were, "Whoever he was, he saved you from complete amputation." She wants to pick your brain about technique, but I haven't given up a name.

[rehandle]

I appreciate that.

[ It's not a procedure he much wants to revisit, cobbled together from the inside out, relying heavily on his neurological expertise to patch over the expert knowledge he didn't have. But there hadn't been time to hesitate, and he has the skill to improvise.

Had. ]

Sorry to darken your door here. I imagine you enjoy the trip down memory lane about as much as I do.

[ Probably considerably less, actually. ]

[blooded]

Not at all. In fact, it's nice to see you, Dottore. I've been especially grateful to your work recently, I wouldn't have been able to see my sister without it.

[rehandle]

[ Oh. Interesting. ]

The multiplication you mentioned?

[blooded]

Would you believe my father had an affair?

[ trick question, of course you would. ]

Her name is Roza, she's wonderful.

[rehandle]

Only one?

[ No offense. ]

Congratulations, though. Always nice to find more family. Younger, I assume?

[blooded]

That he admitted to.

[ damon, at least, is still waiting for some other half-siblings to pop out of the woodwork. it's only a matter of time, as far as he's concerned, but he hopes, selfishly, that whoever they are they wait until after the business concerns have been taken care of—another sibling could only complicate things further. ]

How did you know? [ giuseppe continues to be a cliche in all the worst ways! ] It's not her fault, of course. I adore her, but Stefano and Katherine have both been reluctant to give her the time of day. They've always been so jealous that way.

Ah—I don't plan to tell her about what happened, but it's not a secret among family, so she may find out regardless. If she comes to you with questions, answer as much of them as you feel comfortable. No need to spare details on my account.

[rehandle]

Understood. And as much as I appreciate the clarity, if she doesn't feel comfortable asking you directly, I don't plan to be the one to give her a family history lesson.

[ His involvement with the Salvatores is messy enough already. ]

Enjoy getting to know her. I'll send her your way if she feels compelled to ask a stranger questions about your life.