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MENTAL LINK ❰ ɪɴʙᴏx ❱
BLOOD its burden is a beast | FEAR |
FURY | LOVE i will always choose you |
[ Okay then. ]
Esther was the original witch. She turned her husband and children into the original vampires. [ A pause, and then ] She's Klaus's mom.
Esther was the original witch. She turned her husband and children into the original vampires. [ A pause, and then ] She's Klaus's mom.
Klaus' Mom?
❰ that's such a stupid idea damon doesn't even know what to do with it. elijah had talked about his siblings, so that makes sense, and of course he can't have just sprung up from the ground fully formed and evil, so he had to have had a mother, but... it's still ridiculous. ❱
What does she have to do with Ric? ❰ a pause, and then, slightly horrified: ❱ Please tell me he didn't have a really terrible rebound fling.
❰ that's such a stupid idea damon doesn't even know what to do with it. elijah had talked about his siblings, so that makes sense, and of course he can't have just sprung up from the ground fully formed and evil, so he had to have had a mother, but... it's still ridiculous. ❱
What does she have to do with Ric? ❰ a pause, and then, slightly horrified: ❱ Please tell me he didn't have a really terrible rebound fling.
[ That is such a ridiculous idea that Elena can't help but laugh, the sound bursting out of her in a way that sounds half like crying. ]
No, he didn't do that.
[ When that broken laugh passes, she's quiet for a moment, and then she shakes her head. ] Every time that Alaric died while wearing the ring, she manipulated him from the Other Side. She brought out this darkness in him, it was like he was a completely different person at times.
No, he didn't do that.
[ When that broken laugh passes, she's quiet for a moment, and then she shakes her head. ] Every time that Alaric died while wearing the ring, she manipulated him from the Other Side. She brought out this darkness in him, it was like he was a completely different person at times.
❰ well, thank god for small favours. as damon listens, though, this begins to sound familiar. not esther's manipulation, but... isn't this the way elena always talked about stefan on a human blood binge? ❱
Stefan on human blood different?
❰ another pause. ❱
What's the "other side"?
Stefan on human blood different?
❰ another pause. ❱
What's the "other side"?
[ She shakes her head at the first question, then closes her eyes at the second. Right, more things he hasn't experienced yet. ]
The Other Side is where supernatural beings go when they die.
[ Pulling back from Damon, she turns away slightly, lifting her hands to cover her face and then sliding them up over her hair. ]
She preyed on his hatred of vampires, twisting everything so she could turn him into the 'ultimate hunter'. She made him feel like he was weak for having been friends with vampires at all, so he agreed to let her make him stronger.
[ Her next words tremble and it's so hard not to cry. ] She used my blood to turn him into an Original.
The Other Side is where supernatural beings go when they die.
[ Pulling back from Damon, she turns away slightly, lifting her hands to cover her face and then sliding them up over her hair. ]
She preyed on his hatred of vampires, twisting everything so she could turn him into the 'ultimate hunter'. She made him feel like he was weak for having been friends with vampires at all, so he agreed to let her make him stronger.
[ Her next words tremble and it's so hard not to cry. ] She used my blood to turn him into an Original.
❰ so... worse than stefan on a blood bender. cool. great. awesome. damon follows along, doing his best not to be affected, because if elena senses upset from him it'll only make her more upset, and she's already close enough to tears as it is. it's hard not to be angry, though, or to be... it's strange. that's how ric had started out, how he should have been, by all rights, but... he saw good in the people he never wanted to see it in. there's a reason he fit in so well with the gilberts, after all, the family that bled compassion from its fucking ears.
it makes damon furious that that was taken from him, and that he can't hold behind his wall of feathers. ❱
If he hated vampires so much, why would he agree to be one?
it makes damon furious that that was taken from him, and that he can't hold behind his wall of feathers. ❱
If he hated vampires so much, why would he agree to be one?
He didn't, not when he was Ric again. When he woke up, he decided not to complete the transition. But Esther got Bonnie to force him to feed, and he started on his mission to rid the world of vampires. Kill the Originals, kill the lines they sired.
[ That fury from Damon is like a flame, burning into her and searing away her emotional instability. Her mind calms like an ocean going still as she continues to the next part of the nightmare that was their lives. ]
Esther didn't want him to live forever, so she bound Alaric's life to mine.
[ That fury from Damon is like a flame, burning into her and searing away her emotional instability. Her mind calms like an ocean going still as she continues to the next part of the nightmare that was their lives. ]
Esther didn't want him to live forever, so she bound Alaric's life to mine.
❰ damon's quiet for a long time, furious, staring into his glass of stupid liquor on a stupid planet in stupid space. all these witches, manipulating people, trying to fix their mistakes with betrayals and more fucking mistakes. at least vampires are honest about being out for blood. at least vampires don't try to pretend that they're anything but what they are. ❱
Fuck witches, ❰ he growls eventually, downing his glass. he'd meant to save it to toast alaric with, but... fuck it. fuck all of it, fuck all of this stupid supernatural bullshit that ruins good people. ❱
Fuck witches, ❰ he growls eventually, downing his glass. he'd meant to save it to toast alaric with, but... fuck it. fuck all of it, fuck all of this stupid supernatural bullshit that ruins good people. ❱
[ Damn but that's a really good feeling coming off Damon. Sam lets their mental connection open a little bit more, just so he can feel more of it, and the impression of an easy smile as he settles in. ]
( Maybe not "better," but hopefully less confusing. I'm guessing you and Elena finally talked? )
[ Not that he minds both of them coming to him after their kiss one bit - he's actually really glad they did - but they definitely needed to talk to each other about it. ]
( Maybe not "better," but hopefully less confusing. I'm guessing you and Elena finally talked? )
[ Not that he minds both of them coming to him after their kiss one bit - he's actually really glad they did - but they definitely needed to talk to each other about it. ]
[ Sam is - exhausted. He knows he's exhausted, knows he's past the point where he's really even capable of being much use to anyone - knows exactly what happens to you when you don't sleep for days on end, that's why he's so damn determined to get people in the Nest to sleep properly - but he can't help it.
He can't sleep. He has to look after Bucky, make sure they don't try to come take him back to the Station, and if he sleeps - if he sleeps he leaves his mind unguarded. If he sleeps he might not be able to stop himself from slipping under.
Sam's been focusing on the connections of the people he's closest to, here and there, trying not to be too much for any one person, reaching out to hold on just for a little while. His mind's brushed over Damon's before now, just wanting to reaffirm that he's there, that at least Sam still has him -
But now it's less of a brush and more of a startled grab. He'd caught himself almost falling asleep, and there's the feeling of a jolt as Sam's mental presence suddenly floods their connection. It's brief, and then Sam pulls back a little, but he still lingers. ]
( Sorry, man. You, uh. You awake? )
He can't sleep. He has to look after Bucky, make sure they don't try to come take him back to the Station, and if he sleeps - if he sleeps he leaves his mind unguarded. If he sleeps he might not be able to stop himself from slipping under.
Sam's been focusing on the connections of the people he's closest to, here and there, trying not to be too much for any one person, reaching out to hold on just for a little while. His mind's brushed over Damon's before now, just wanting to reaffirm that he's there, that at least Sam still has him -
But now it's less of a brush and more of a startled grab. He'd caught himself almost falling asleep, and there's the feeling of a jolt as Sam's mental presence suddenly floods their connection. It's brief, and then Sam pulls back a little, but he still lingers. ]
( Sorry, man. You, uh. You awake? )
( I'm gonna ask you a question, Damon. You answer it right... We'll see where this goes. )
[If he doesn't? No further questions, of course. But the calm, businesslike demeanor is only the mask to a sort of dark pleasure living in Shepard; she's up to something.]
( I don't know about patience, but I consider myself to be a fairly reasonable person. So are you as tired of the whole cloak-and-dagger pace around here as I am? )
[If he doesn't? No further questions, of course. But the calm, businesslike demeanor is only the mask to a sort of dark pleasure living in Shepard; she's up to something.]
( I don't know about patience, but I consider myself to be a fairly reasonable person. So are you as tired of the whole cloak-and-dagger pace around here as I am? )
( At least someone around here has perspective. Alright, I've got an idea. )
[An awful idea.]
( It might be a little crazy, and it's definitely gonna get us in trouble, but it's not gonna be boring, and it's not gonna be nice. I just need you to give me a little cooperation for the night.
You interested? )
[An awful idea.]
( It might be a little crazy, and it's definitely gonna get us in trouble, but it's not gonna be boring, and it's not gonna be nice. I just need you to give me a little cooperation for the night.
You interested? )
❰ You had me at "an idea".
there is no overstating how bored he is, truly. all of this stealth bullshit is chafing something fierce — he is not an infiltrator except when he has to be, and even then he doesn't like doing it. he likes doing it even less when he doesn't get to kill anyone.
What are we doing? ❱
there is no overstating how bored he is, truly. all of this stealth bullshit is chafing something fierce — he is not an infiltrator except when he has to be, and even then he doesn't like doing it. he likes doing it even less when he doesn't get to kill anyone.
What are we doing? ❱
( I'm tired of pretending we give a damn about the social stability of these envoys. I say, we walk in to whoever's house seems like they know the most, take whatever we want, and if someone tries to stop us... They don't stop us. )
[With Damon's help, it doesn't even necessarily have to be lethal. Shepard knows that it will, but let it not be said she doesn't try.]
( There's a finite number of groups here, and anybody we can check off the list is progress. I want actionable intel, no more screwing around. The longer we wait, the more bodies we'll be tripping over, and people will get stupid with the tension; I wanna do this today, right now. )
[In broad daylight. Like you do.]
[With Damon's help, it doesn't even necessarily have to be lethal. Shepard knows that it will, but let it not be said she doesn't try.]
( There's a finite number of groups here, and anybody we can check off the list is progress. I want actionable intel, no more screwing around. The longer we wait, the more bodies we'll be tripping over, and people will get stupid with the tension; I wanna do this today, right now. )
[In broad daylight. Like you do.]
❰ Have I ever told you that you're my hero?
it's so, so very nice to have someone around who gives as few shits as damon does. results are what matter, not how they get them, and damon doesn't necessarily want this whole planet blown up just so that they can go home (although the idea gets more and more appealing every day), but he doesn't want to have to keep pretending he gives a shit about this people either. they're aliens he will never see again after this is done, their lives don't mean shit to him.
Lead the way, Red. Whoever you want to hit. ❱
it's so, so very nice to have someone around who gives as few shits as damon does. results are what matter, not how they get them, and damon doesn't necessarily want this whole planet blown up just so that they can go home (although the idea gets more and more appealing every day), but he doesn't want to have to keep pretending he gives a shit about this people either. they're aliens he will never see again after this is done, their lives don't mean shit to him.
Lead the way, Red. Whoever you want to hit. ❱
( We start with the Descendents. )
[Her target is chosen more by gut than science, in this case; Shepard doesn't feel like she has enough information to make even so informed a choice as to defend it as good judgement. None of this is anything but ill-advised, but then... no risk, no reward. And she has always been the kind of person to take a heavy load of both and come out ahead.]
( Let's go. )
[Her target is chosen more by gut than science, in this case; Shepard doesn't feel like she has enough information to make even so informed a choice as to defend it as good judgement. None of this is anything but ill-advised, but then... no risk, no reward. And she has always been the kind of person to take a heavy load of both and come out ahead.]
( Let's go. )
Edited 2018-01-21 17:45 (UTC)
[ Sam listens to the option presented to them by those that've been on this mission the longest, listens to everyone's questions and responses, and then reaches out to those closest to him.
He knows what he wants to do, but he also knows that being back on the Station with Damon and Elena planetside would be... difficult, to say the least. The way Sam cares about Damon might be unspoken - aside from the time that Sam told him he knows what it feels like to love Damon, and Damon was gracious enough not to bring it back up - but it's still there.
There's no world where Sam isn't gonna check in on where Damon wants to do. ]
( What're you thinking with all this? )
He knows what he wants to do, but he also knows that being back on the Station with Damon and Elena planetside would be... difficult, to say the least. The way Sam cares about Damon might be unspoken - aside from the time that Sam told him he knows what it feels like to love Damon, and Damon was gracious enough not to bring it back up - but it's still there.
There's no world where Sam isn't gonna check in on where Damon wants to do. ]
( What're you thinking with all this? )
❰ I'm thinking it's about fucking time we get off this rock.
to say that damon hasn't been best pleased about their extended stay on hyrypia would be an understatement. he's not a spy, much as he is probably one of the people in the nest best suited to it — compulsion gets rid of a lot of problems that being a good infiltrator just can't do anything about — and he's fucking sick of the costumes. he doesn't give a shit about any of this, and he doesn't quite get why they can't just kill everyone and get it over with. this is the best news he's heard since they landed here.
and yet...
I'm also thinking Elena will have Opinions about where we go. You know how she is.
namely, if she thinks she's needed, she'll stick around no matter what he says, and damon will stay with her no matter how much he hates it. ❱
to say that damon hasn't been best pleased about their extended stay on hyrypia would be an understatement. he's not a spy, much as he is probably one of the people in the nest best suited to it — compulsion gets rid of a lot of problems that being a good infiltrator just can't do anything about — and he's fucking sick of the costumes. he doesn't give a shit about any of this, and he doesn't quite get why they can't just kill everyone and get it over with. this is the best news he's heard since they landed here.
and yet...
I'm also thinking Elena will have Opinions about where we go. You know how she is.
namely, if she thinks she's needed, she'll stick around no matter what he says, and damon will stay with her no matter how much he hates it. ❱
[ There's an immediate feeling of agreement - goddamn Sam is ready to leave this planet behind, to take his people and go. To be somewhere he can be more useful, to do something that he knows he's good at instead of having to middle through all this.
But Damon's right about Elena, and Sam doesn't bother to hide the fond exasperation. ]
( Yeah, 'course she will. And I know I don't really wanna be somewhere that the two of you aren't. )
[ He didn't have to say it for the sentiment to be clear - but he does anyway. ]
( Maybe we can talk to her. Try to get her to consider her own happiness and what she wants, for once, because you two sure as hell deserve to get some space to be together. Or at least remind her that there's other ways of being there for people and doing the right thing than this. )
But Damon's right about Elena, and Sam doesn't bother to hide the fond exasperation. ]
( Yeah, 'course she will. And I know I don't really wanna be somewhere that the two of you aren't. )
[ He didn't have to say it for the sentiment to be clear - but he does anyway. ]
( Maybe we can talk to her. Try to get her to consider her own happiness and what she wants, for once, because you two sure as hell deserve to get some space to be together. Or at least remind her that there's other ways of being there for people and doing the right thing than this. )
❰ on damon's side, there's relief — if sam wants to go, that's just one more reason to head back to the station, and one more person to convince elena it's a good idea. she rarely listens to damon when it comes to things like this, and he has some theories why — their different levels of giving a shit probably play a part — but if another consummate do-gooder gives her permission to be selfish, she's more likely to listen.
You can try that. I think it'll mean more coming from someone less selfish.
at least damon sounds amused about it, and not entirely self-deprecating. look, he knows himself, alright, he doesn't tend to think about others unless he's taken care of his people first. ❱
You can try that. I think it'll mean more coming from someone less selfish.
at least damon sounds amused about it, and not entirely self-deprecating. look, he knows himself, alright, he doesn't tend to think about others unless he's taken care of his people first. ❱
[ There's a flurry of feathers, soft and playful, the faint hint of something like the sensation of a beak running through hair. ]
( Oh, I'm plenty selfish. I want to grab you guys and run and spend the next month not worrying about anything but making you happy. )
[ But he knows that he's not gonna get everyone he cares about to come back with him - and he knows the kind of selfish Damon really means.
Sam's not gonna try to deny that he'd stay here no matter how much he hated it, if he thought it would do good. ]
( I'll try. I don't think having a lot of us here is really doing any good, and I think she can do more good back on the Station. )
( Oh, I'm plenty selfish. I want to grab you guys and run and spend the next month not worrying about anything but making you happy. )
[ But he knows that he's not gonna get everyone he cares about to come back with him - and he knows the kind of selfish Damon really means.
Sam's not gonna try to deny that he'd stay here no matter how much he hated it, if he thought it would do good. ]
( I'll try. I don't think having a lot of us here is really doing any good, and I think she can do more good back on the Station. )
❰ see, this is why sam and damon get along so well. despite sam being a Good Guy, capitals necessary, and damon being very much not that, in the end their goals are the same: take care of their people, take care of what they can, forget what they can't. sam is just more likely to adopt more people as his own than damon is.
I don't care what good she can do up there. I think being here is bad for her.
it's just a lot of pain with no time to stop. her life in mystic falls was much the same way, and now she has the added stress of having to be veiled all the time, thinking about the mission, stressing about everyone around them — she doesn't need any more of it. she needs a fucking spa day, is what she needs, but failing that they can try to get her to the station.
I've been wondering something. ❱
I don't care what good she can do up there. I think being here is bad for her.
it's just a lot of pain with no time to stop. her life in mystic falls was much the same way, and now she has the added stress of having to be veiled all the time, thinking about the mission, stressing about everyone around them — she doesn't need any more of it. she needs a fucking spa day, is what she needs, but failing that they can try to get her to the station.
I've been wondering something. ❱
[ It's practicality, Sam likes to think. He'd drive himself crazy if he tried to save everyone all the time - he knows, because it's a lesson he'd had to learn the hard way. Not that he doesn't forget it sometimes, but it's still something he keeps in mind.
And he agrees with that, too, strongly enough that he doesn't even bother saying it. He knows Damon can feel how much Sam thinks bring here is bad for Elena, how much she needs to get away from this and get some space just to try to process everything.
Sam'll do his best to make sure that happens.
His mind shifts at Damon's comment, opening up a little and focusing in, attentive. ]
( Yeah? )
And he agrees with that, too, strongly enough that he doesn't even bother saying it. He knows Damon can feel how much Sam thinks bring here is bad for Elena, how much she needs to get away from this and get some space just to try to process everything.
Sam'll do his best to make sure that happens.
His mind shifts at Damon's comment, opening up a little and focusing in, attentive. ]
( Yeah? )
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