if sam is looking for any trace of regret, he won't find it in damon. his anger has cooled after spending time with elena, but he still thinks ilde got exactly what she deserved. the people here don't fear him like they should, think that just because they aren't allowed to kill each other that he can't do anything truly terrible. if elena weren't here he'd prove them wrong just to be contrary.
If you're going to lecture me, save it. You'll be wasting your time and mine.)
[ There's something like a snort across the mental link, and the impression that Sam's shaking his head. ]
(Man, I ain't your baby sitter. Both of you can make your own damn decisions, stupid or otherwise.)
[ The obvious implication being that he thinks both of them could have made better choices, but there's nothing like blame. Just a faint hint of exasperation, a little amusement, a little concern. ]
(I'm not sure what reaction she thought she was gonna get with what she was doing, but it's not like people who're that deep in grief think all that rationally. You okay?)
( damon maintains that he made a perfectly reasonable choice and was then very unreasonably stabbed. he was tired of the whole stalking around each other like predators thing, he wanted something to happen. so he made it happen, and then she stabbed him. ilde is the rude one, here.
I'm fine. I've had worse.
he still thinks he was the one wronged here, but... what did he do when elena and katherine both rejected him? he killed jeremy. he was once a grieving moron too.
and then he remembers that he tried the nice thing, and she tore into him for it, and he stops feeling as bad.
She wasn't thinking. All she cared about was how sucky she felt, fuck everyone else. Been there.
just because he's been there doesn't mean he's not judging hard, though. )
[ Sam's pretty damn sure that Ilde would also maintain that she made a perfectly reasonable choice, but that's not what he's here for. It's not his job to get them to have empathy for each other, not really - although if he'd known that it'd make Damon relate even if for a moment, he'd take it. ]
(Me too.)
[ Been there, he means, although technically he's had worse, too. And Sam's not judging - either of them - but he ain't excusing it, either. ]
(Feeling fine enough to come punch the shit out some stuff with me?)
( damon isn't incapable of empathy — he used to be, when his humanity was off, but now it's on and he can actually consider other peoples' feelings... he just chooses not to. it's easier than worrying about the fragile feelings of humans all day every day.
I would break anything you wanted me to punch.
misato's been teaching him how to hit things better, so where that may not have been strictly true before — he had raw power but no form, so he was as likely to hurt himself as he was to break anything else — it is more likely now. )
[ There's a trickle of amusement across the mental link, and the impression of a smile. ]
(Some people might say that's the point of punching things.)
[ And some people might not say it, but there sure as hell were a lot of broken punching bags and other training equipment around the Avengers compound. Sam knows how good it can be at getting out irritation. ]
(Thought you were too goody-goody to be one of those people. No offense.
there's... a little offense meant. only a little though, and mostly it's drowned out by a certain sense of raised esteem. sam has seemed... if not straight-laced, then good. the kind that goes down to his bones and informs every choice he makes. the kind of good that worries about shit like helping people and respecting peoples' rights to the sanctity of their minds. it's nothing damon's ever been concerned with, but it's exactly stefan's syle, and stefan is... well, to be blunt, he's a giant stick in the mud. sticks in the mud don't let people break things just because they're angry. that sam can be good while also being fun is a more than welcome surprise.
[ This time the amusement amps up to more than just a trickle. No offense, huh, yeah, he knows offense was meant. Good guy doesn't necessarily meant goody-goody - all Sam's gotta do is look at Steve for that, let alone himself - but it's easy to make the assumption.
All he's gotta do is look at Steve for that, too, and remember how few people know that Captain America ain't too good to make fun of a veteran on his morning run. ]
(Just wait until you see my wings.) [ He's teasing, deliberately keeping it vague on whether he's making an angel joke about being seen as a goody-goody or if he actually means real wings, and he follows it up with a hum of affirmation. ] (Meet you there.)
( whether the wings are real or metaphorical, the joke lands, and the amusement that leaks through damon's end of the link matches sam's. yes, offense was meant, but sam is at least decent enough not to be truly offended.
it's a welcome revelation, after damon's 170-odd years, that he can be friends with the good guys.
he sends his own hum through the link, a vague background noise so sam can track him through the station as he makes his way to the hangar. he's still a ways away, but as soon as he can sense sam getting close, he puts on an extra burst of speed, blurring into the room and lounging against the wall, looking for all the world as though he's been waiting for ages. )
[ Fortunately, it takes a lot to really offend Sam. Mostly because he can take a joke and it's easy to roll with things, but he'd be lying if it wasn't in part because staying unruffled in the face of people who're really trying to offend just makes them madder.
His eyebrows shoot up when he gets to the training area and sees Damon lounging there - and yeah, all right, he can guess Damon was probably trying to show off a little, but Sam'll give it to him. His speed's impressive, and there's nothing wrong with a little showing off.
There's a slow, playful smile at Damon's greeting. ]
( a man after damon's own heart, sam is — being flippant in the face of assholes is the best way to go through life, not least because they hate it so much.
(damon knows this because he is one of those assholes, of course, but he's not actually looking to offend sam, so he can find the guy funny.)
the playful response just makes damon's smile widen — his anger is still simmering just under the surface, anger at having put himself on the line only for it to be thrown right back in his face, frustration that he even cares that it was thrown back in his face, the constant hunger that has plagued him since he decided to only feed from elena, and not enough to hurt her... but it's easier to think of other things when talking to sam. his mind is like open sky and clear air, and it's hard to be angry when you have the clarifying effect of sam's mental landscape around. )
Well consider me abuzz, Sammy. What are we breaking?
[ It wouldn't surprise him to know that Damon swapped between being flippant in the face of assholes and being one of those assholes. Of course, most of Sam's friends could be called assholes - some of them more than others - so really, Damon fits right in.
He can feel the edge of Damon's anger, but aside from the calm, steady quality that Sam damn near always has flavoring his side of the mental link, he doesn't try to soothe it. They're here to get their anger out in the old fashioned, physical way.
The nickname makes him snort, shooting Damon a look that's half amusement and half really?, but he doesn't protest it at all. ]
There's a pretty wide variety of training dummies and punching bags back here, you can take your pick. [ A lot of it's reinforced, Sam's noticed - he's guessing it's because of the symbiote enhancements. He nods towards a trio of punching bags set up over a mat. ] We could start with those, see how you feel after you tear through 'em.
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no subject
if sam is looking for any trace of regret, he won't find it in damon. his anger has cooled after spending time with elena, but he still thinks ilde got exactly what she deserved. the people here don't fear him like they should, think that just because they aren't allowed to kill each other that he can't do anything truly terrible. if elena weren't here he'd prove them wrong just to be contrary.
If you're going to lecture me, save it. You'll be wasting your time and mine. )
no subject
( Man, I ain't your baby sitter. Both of you can make your own damn decisions, stupid or otherwise. )
[ The obvious implication being that he thinks both of them could have made better choices, but there's nothing like blame. Just a faint hint of exasperation, a little amusement, a little concern. ]
( I'm not sure what reaction she thought she was gonna get with what she was doing, but it's not like people who're that deep in grief think all that rationally. You okay? )
no subject
I'm fine. I've had worse.
he still thinks he was the one wronged here, but... what did he do when elena and katherine both rejected him? he killed jeremy. he was once a grieving moron too.
and then he remembers that he tried the nice thing, and she tore into him for it, and he stops feeling as bad.
She wasn't thinking. All she cared about was how sucky she felt, fuck everyone else. Been there.
just because he's been there doesn't mean he's not judging hard, though. )
no subject
( Me too. )
[ Been there, he means, although technically he's had worse, too. And Sam's not judging - either of them - but he ain't excusing it, either. ]
( Feeling fine enough to come punch the shit out some stuff with me? )
no subject
I would break anything you wanted me to punch.
misato's been teaching him how to hit things better, so where that may not have been strictly true before — he had raw power but no form, so he was as likely to hurt himself as he was to break anything else — it is more likely now. )
no subject
( Some people might say that's the point of punching things. )
[ And some people might not say it, but there sure as hell were a lot of broken punching bags and other training equipment around the Avengers compound. Sam knows how good it can be at getting out irritation. ]
no subject
there's... a little offense meant. only a little though, and mostly it's drowned out by a certain sense of raised esteem. sam has seemed... if not straight-laced, then good. the kind that goes down to his bones and informs every choice he makes. the kind of good that worries about shit like helping people and respecting peoples' rights to the sanctity of their minds. it's nothing damon's ever been concerned with, but it's exactly stefan's syle, and stefan is... well, to be blunt, he's a giant stick in the mud. sticks in the mud don't let people break things just because they're angry. that sam can be good while also being fun is a more than welcome surprise.
Training room in the hangar? )
no subject
All he's gotta do is look at Steve for that, too, and remember how few people know that Captain America ain't too good to make fun of a veteran on his morning run. ]
( Just wait until you see my wings. ) [ He's teasing, deliberately keeping it vague on whether he's making an angel joke about being seen as a goody-goody or if he actually means real wings, and he follows it up with a hum of affirmation. ] ( Meet you there. )
no subject
it's a welcome revelation, after damon's 170-odd years, that he can be friends with the good guys.
he sends his own hum through the link, a vague background noise so sam can track him through the station as he makes his way to the hangar. he's still a ways away, but as soon as he can sense sam getting close, he puts on an extra burst of speed, blurring into the room and lounging against the wall, looking for all the world as though he's been waiting for ages. )
Took you long enough, Flyboy.
no subject
His eyebrows shoot up when he gets to the training area and sees Damon lounging there - and yeah, all right, he can guess Damon was probably trying to show off a little, but Sam'll give it to him. His speed's impressive, and there's nothing wrong with a little showing off.
There's a slow, playful smile at Damon's greeting. ]
Maybe I just like building a little anticipation.
no subject
(damon knows this because he is one of those assholes, of course, but he's not actually looking to offend sam, so he can find the guy funny.)
the playful response just makes damon's smile widen — his anger is still simmering just under the surface, anger at having put himself on the line only for it to be thrown right back in his face, frustration that he even cares that it was thrown back in his face, the constant hunger that has plagued him since he decided to only feed from elena, and not enough to hurt her... but it's easier to think of other things when talking to sam. his mind is like open sky and clear air, and it's hard to be angry when you have the clarifying effect of sam's mental landscape around. )
Well consider me abuzz, Sammy. What are we breaking?
no subject
He can feel the edge of Damon's anger, but aside from the calm, steady quality that Sam damn near always has flavoring his side of the mental link, he doesn't try to soothe it. They're here to get their anger out in the old fashioned, physical way.
The nickname makes him snort, shooting Damon a look that's half amusement and half really?, but he doesn't protest it at all. ]
There's a pretty wide variety of training dummies and punching bags back here, you can take your pick. [ A lot of it's reinforced, Sam's noticed - he's guessing it's because of the symbiote enhancements. He nods towards a trio of punching bags set up over a mat. ] We could start with those, see how you feel after you tear through 'em.