❰ 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. ❱
[ 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.)
❰ 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. ❱
❰ 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.
[ 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. ]
❰ it never stops being a surprise, saying something and getting so much approval over it. no matter what sam says, or how much he mentally dumps affection on damon, there's a part of damon that still expects his more selfish impulses to be met with disapproval and lectures. taking elena back to the station is at least somewhat selfish, there's no denying that, but sam... approves. agrees, even.
it's still weird.
Elena doesn't have a daylight ring. If we ever go somewhere we don't need to cover up for...
bad, burn-y times.
Think that's something the Station could conjure up, or is she shit out of luck? ❱
[ It is selfish, maybe, but it's also wanting Elena to take care of herself and be happy. Sam's never gonna do anything but approve of and agree with two of the people he cares about most taking care of themselves and being happy.
Even if he has to stick around a really, really long time until Damon gets used to it. With what he knows about what Damon's been through... he can't blame him for still being surprised. ]
(I think it's possible. The Station found Steve's shield even though he didn't even know what it was yet, and it's come up with a hell of a lot of other things. Can't hurt to look - or ask Cathaway.)
❰ well, that's a relief. damon is of the opinion that it's a hell of a lot harder for a vampire to get her life together, to even have a life, if she's confined to the darkness. how inhuman you feel directly impacts how inhuman you act, and if elena can't even come out during the day... she's going to be miserable.
How low a blow do you think it would be to bring that up to try to get her to come back?
the question is asked with mirth, but it is... semi-serious. he's going to tell her about it no matter what, but he needs to know how annoyed to expect her to be at the blatant manipulation. ❱
[ Sam doesn't know what he'd do if he could never see the sun again - he knows it's gotta be the same for Elena. He makes a mental note to himself - or to Damon, technically, considering they're in each other's heads - to move that high up on his list, and hunt Cathaway down if they can't find it quickly.
His immediate reaction is something like a chuckle, little prickles of warmth across their link, even as there's the impression of him making a face. ]
(It's not what I'd lead with. But it's definitely a bonus. If it were me...) [ He pauses, considering. ] (I'd wanna know the people I'm leaving behind are gonna be okay, that they'll be taken care of. I'd wanna know that the people going back need me, that I'm gonna be able to do some good there and I'm not just gonna sit around thinking about what's happening down here. And maybe I'd need a few dozen reminders that it's okay to think about what I want, what I need. That I can think about the good things that might be back there. )
[ He says if, but that's... pretty damn close to exactly what he needs. Sam's gotten to know Elena more than enough to notice how similar they are about some things. ]
❰ damon listens to all that quietly, considering, and then there's the sensation of nudging shoulders.
The people you leave behind are going to be okay. You'll help more being up on the Station.
it's half a joke and half serious — no matter that sam is better at practically prioritizing than elena, he's still like elena. if she needs to hear that, so does he. and it's not like it isn't true, either. there are a lot of pretty damn capable people here, and the ones who decide to stay here know their own capabilities — they can all take care of each other. the more junior hosts, the people who can't hack it down here — they're going to need people who know what they're doing, who can empathize with their struggles. the first is damon and sam; the second is sam and elena. ❱
[ There's the briefest flair of surprise, then it settles quickly into the impression of a bright grin, bumping shoulders in return. The mental equivalent of shit I love you, man. Sam's still consistently surprised when someone does something like that for him, but less so because it's Damon.
It's one of the things that Sam loves about him. ]
(I think so. I hope so. I wanna make sure the new people know what they're getting into, that they can handle themselves. Run some support groups. Get you really drunk.)
❰ it's... easier to be this person with sam and elena. the one who comes up with the really insightful, emotionally relevant things to say. damon's always been an empathetic person, but for most of his life he's had to use that to manipulate people. using it to make someone he cares about feel better is... nice. damon is not a good person, not by any stretch, but no matter how he has tried not to, he cares. he'll probably always care, switch off or not.
slowly, bit by bit, he's coming to terms with that.
That last one's going to have to come before the support group. And don't expect any kind of participation. I'll be a butt filling a chair.
because as if sam would let damon get away with not showing up to a support group, damon won't even fight that one — at least if he's there he can keep a constant mental commentary in sam's head and try to make him laugh at inappropriate moments. ❱
[ Damon is... a lot of things, but yes, he cares. And that means more than Sam can say. He's already come to terms that one of the things that Damon is, is Sam's - like one of the things Sam is, is Damon's, like he's always gonna be Damon's.
No matter what shit comes down the line.
There's a laugh across their link, low and pleased. He's just happy Damon'll be there; that's all he'll ask, for now. ]
(A really attractive butt filling a chair.) [ It's easy, almost an absent habit, to flirt teasingly with him. ] (We'll have a themed group, all the alcohol you can drink and still sit up.)
❰ some might say it's a mistake to think of others as belonging to you, but it's not really so much that sam belongs to damon — he grew up in the antebellum south, okay, he knows how that reads, and he'd rather die than own sam — but sam is... his. his to look out for, his to make laugh, his to protect.
even if sam thinks the same about him.
I knew you'd been staring at my ass, damon thinks, delighted, and the sensation of a grin is unmistable through the link. Now that's a support group I can get behind. ❱
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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. ❱
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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. )
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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. ❱
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( 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. )
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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. ❱
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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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it's still weird.
Elena doesn't have a daylight ring. If we ever go somewhere we don't need to cover up for...
bad, burn-y times.
Think that's something the Station could conjure up, or is she shit out of luck? ❱
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Even if he has to stick around a really, really long time until Damon gets used to it. With what he knows about what Damon's been through... he can't blame him for still being surprised. ]
( I think it's possible. The Station found Steve's shield even though he didn't even know what it was yet, and it's come up with a hell of a lot of other things. Can't hurt to look - or ask Cathaway. )
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How low a blow do you think it would be to bring that up to try to get her to come back?
the question is asked with mirth, but it is... semi-serious. he's going to tell her about it no matter what, but he needs to know how annoyed to expect her to be at the blatant manipulation. ❱
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His immediate reaction is something like a chuckle, little prickles of warmth across their link, even as there's the impression of him making a face. ]
( It's not what I'd lead with. But it's definitely a bonus. If it were me... ) [ He pauses, considering. ] ( I'd wanna know the people I'm leaving behind are gonna be okay, that they'll be taken care of. I'd wanna know that the people going back need me, that I'm gonna be able to do some good there and I'm not just gonna sit around thinking about what's happening down here. And maybe I'd need a few dozen reminders that it's okay to think about what I want, what I need. That I can think about the good things that might be back there. )
[ He says if, but that's... pretty damn close to exactly what he needs. Sam's gotten to know Elena more than enough to notice how similar they are about some things. ]
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The people you leave behind are going to be okay. You'll help more being up on the Station.
it's half a joke and half serious — no matter that sam is better at practically prioritizing than elena, he's still like elena. if she needs to hear that, so does he. and it's not like it isn't true, either. there are a lot of pretty damn capable people here, and the ones who decide to stay here know their own capabilities — they can all take care of each other. the more junior hosts, the people who can't hack it down here — they're going to need people who know what they're doing, who can empathize with their struggles. the first is damon and sam; the second is sam and elena. ❱
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It's one of the things that Sam loves about him. ]
( I think so. I hope so. I wanna make sure the new people know what they're getting into, that they can handle themselves. Run some support groups. Get you really drunk. )
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slowly, bit by bit, he's coming to terms with that.
That last one's going to have to come before the support group. And don't expect any kind of participation. I'll be a butt filling a chair.
because as if sam would let damon get away with not showing up to a support group, damon won't even fight that one — at least if he's there he can keep a constant mental commentary in sam's head and try to make him laugh at inappropriate moments. ❱
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No matter what shit comes down the line.
There's a laugh across their link, low and pleased. He's just happy Damon'll be there; that's all he'll ask, for now. ]
( A really attractive butt filling a chair. ) [ It's easy, almost an absent habit, to flirt teasingly with him. ] ( We'll have a themed group, all the alcohol you can drink and still sit up. )
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even if sam thinks the same about him.
I knew you'd been staring at my ass, damon thinks, delighted, and the sensation of a grin is unmistable through the link. Now that's a support group I can get behind. ❱