[ It's been a very long night. Sure, it'd been easier to ignore his grief over Steve and to pretend like he isn't upset over him and Bucky fighting when he was focused on trying to make sure Rani didn't kill Elena and Damon, but it's - he's tired, is all.
He's not stupid enough to think everyone could just chill for a little while, but damn it'd be nice.
When he feels Damon seeking him out, Sam automatically relaxes into their connection, just a little. Fighting or not, Sam'll always care, and Damon's one of the people who's been there for him in the past - even if the last few days have been rocky.
Still, he's irritated enough that he doesn't immediately come to find him. ]
❰ yeah, that's fair. there's a curl of amusement in the link, but damon doesn't push it. he deserves sam's irritation, and the sensation of hands held up in surrender.
Call it a delayed reaction.
a delayed response to sam's distress over steve, a delayed apology, a delayed... everything. damon never feels the things he should when he should, it's all delayed or premature. at least he understands that "i'm here now" is no excuse. that counts for... well, bupkiss, probably, but sam ascribes more worth to the little things than damon does. ❱
(Uh-huh. I think I'd rather call it being a jackass.)
[ Which he's already well aware that Damon can be, honestly, and he's not gonna be all judgey about it. His tone is almost teasing.
Sam would be a huge hypocrite if he dropped Damon because of something he did when consumed by anger and grief. But just because he's not fickle, just because he hasn't stopped loving Damon doesn't mean he's gonna let it slide when Damon's shitty to him. His shields are up more than they usually are with him, and Sam's a little more distant. ]
❰ damon is reminded so strongly of ric he can't help the affectionate amusement that permeates the link between them, the sense that yes, this is exactly what he is used to and expected, and it feels good to finally fall back into a familiar pattern he likes. sam is mad, sure, but he won't stay mad forever, just like ric never did. they'll be back to buddy drinking and snarking and stupid pet names within a few days, and sam will help with elena, and the world will get back on its axis.
Call it what you want, as long as you're still talking to me.
he loves you saaaaaam.
One of the unoccupied rooms. We need to talk, and I didn't want to wake up Elena.
unlike sam's, damon's shields are as far down as he ever lets them be, and sam can trace him through the link if he so chooses. ❱
Except no, don't stop, because it's hard to deny the fondness that trickles out even through the exasperation. Still, Sam is mad, and even though he knows damn well he's not gonna stay mad forever, he's not quite willing to give it up.
Not until they actually talk, which - well. Damon pretty much said the magic words there. There's a hum of agreement across the mental link, and he traces it back to the room. He leans against the door once it's shut behind him, raising an eyebrow. ]
We gonna talk about you punching my face in or about avoiding me?
sam enters the room and london flies toward him, landing on his shoulder and preening his hair. damon doesn't have the connection with london that he did with merlo, but the bird always seems to know what damon wants from him anyway. it makes damon smirk, his eyebrow raised at sam in a sort of "look, i'm trying!" expression. ❱
If I had bourbon I'd offer you some.
❰ all peace offering/apologies should come with alcohol, damon thinks. and then sam comes out with that and damon's expression sobers. he pauses for a moment, considering, and then speaks again, slowly. ❱
Sometimes... I do things I don't have to do.
❰ like punch his friends, and avoid them. it's as close to an apology as he can get. ❱
[ London pulls a smile from him, and Sam reaches up to card his fingers through the feathers on his back, between his wings. Yeah, yeah, all right, Damon's trying - and Sam appreciates it.
It's a balance, between being too accepting and drifting into enabling and being too harsh and drifting into judging, but it's not a balance that Sam's unfamiliar with. And it's not one that he expects to get right every time - he sure as hell hasn't in the past - but he's not perfect. Neither is Damon, and Sam'd never want him to be.
He kind of gets the feeling that doing this, that having people who stay around after a fight like that and make an apology necessary - having people who still love him even when things are bad - is rare for Damon. ]
You think?
[ But he shakes his head, and his mind opens back up a little as he moves in closer. ]
We can raid the stocks in the kitchen later, see what passes for alcohol around here. God knows I need it. How you doing with all this, huh?
❰ london croaks, a little, turning his head to peck and bite at sam's fingers, playful. like damon, the only way he knows how to interact with people involves a little bit of pain, but he's trying to figure out how to be better.
or maybe he's just a bird, and he shouldn't be psychoanalyzed so much.
their connection opens further, and damon smirks. yeah, he knew sam wouldn't be able to hold back for long. it'd be smug, and probably piss sam off again, if not for the blatant relief that he doesn't even try to hide. he missed you sammyyyyy. ❱
Shitty. I'm just glad the Nest got me from... this time. Last time I tried to teach a baby vamp it went... poorly. I didn't care enough.
❰ vicki was a mistake he doesn't think about often, but that doesn't mean damon doesn't know he fucked up. shitty thing is, she probably could have made it, if she'd had better teachers than him and stefan. she was unstable, sure, but if blondie's made it this far, vicki could have found a way.
rather than returning the question outright, damon prods at sam's mind, poking around for steve. how is sam doing, is there anything damon can do? ❱
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no subject
He's not stupid enough to think everyone could just chill for a little while, but damn it'd be nice.
When he feels Damon seeking him out, Sam automatically relaxes into their connection, just a little. Fighting or not, Sam'll always care, and Damon's one of the people who's been there for him in the past - even if the last few days have been rocky.
Still, he's irritated enough that he doesn't immediately come to find him. ]
( What, you're talking to me now? )
no subject
Call it a delayed reaction.
a delayed response to sam's distress over steve, a delayed apology, a delayed... everything. damon never feels the things he should when he should, it's all delayed or premature. at least he understands that "i'm here now" is no excuse. that counts for... well, bupkiss, probably, but sam ascribes more worth to the little things than damon does. ❱
no subject
[ Which he's already well aware that Damon can be, honestly, and he's not gonna be all judgey about it. His tone is almost teasing.
Sam would be a huge hypocrite if he dropped Damon because of something he did when consumed by anger and grief. But just because he's not fickle, just because he hasn't stopped loving Damon doesn't mean he's gonna let it slide when Damon's shitty to him. His shields are up more than they usually are with him, and Sam's a little more distant. ]
( Where are you? )
no subject
Call it what you want, as long as you're still talking to me.
he loves you saaaaaam.
One of the unoccupied rooms. We need to talk, and I didn't want to wake up Elena.
unlike sam's, damon's shields are as far down as he ever lets them be, and sam can trace him through the link if he so chooses. ❱
no subject
Except no, don't stop, because it's hard to deny the fondness that trickles out even through the exasperation. Still, Sam is mad, and even though he knows damn well he's not gonna stay mad forever, he's not quite willing to give it up.
Not until they actually talk, which - well. Damon pretty much said the magic words there. There's a hum of agreement across the mental link, and he traces it back to the room. He leans against the door once it's shut behind him, raising an eyebrow. ]
We gonna talk about you punching my face in or about avoiding me?
no subject
sam enters the room and london flies toward him, landing on his shoulder and preening his hair. damon doesn't have the connection with london that he did with merlo, but the bird always seems to know what damon wants from him anyway. it makes damon smirk, his eyebrow raised at sam in a sort of "look, i'm trying!" expression. ❱
If I had bourbon I'd offer you some.
❰ all peace offering/apologies should come with alcohol, damon thinks. and then sam comes out with that and damon's expression sobers. he pauses for a moment, considering, and then speaks again, slowly. ❱
Sometimes... I do things I don't have to do.
❰ like punch his friends, and avoid them. it's as close to an apology as he can get. ❱
no subject
It's a balance, between being too accepting and drifting into enabling and being too harsh and drifting into judging, but it's not a balance that Sam's unfamiliar with. And it's not one that he expects to get right every time - he sure as hell hasn't in the past - but he's not perfect. Neither is Damon, and Sam'd never want him to be.
He kind of gets the feeling that doing this, that having people who stay around after a fight like that and make an apology necessary - having people who still love him even when things are bad - is rare for Damon. ]
You think?
[ But he shakes his head, and his mind opens back up a little as he moves in closer. ]
We can raid the stocks in the kitchen later, see what passes for alcohol around here. God knows I need it. How you doing with all this, huh?
no subject
or maybe he's just a bird, and he shouldn't be psychoanalyzed so much.
their connection opens further, and damon smirks. yeah, he knew sam wouldn't be able to hold back for long. it'd be smug, and probably piss sam off again, if not for the blatant relief that he doesn't even try to hide. he missed you sammyyyyy. ❱
Shitty. I'm just glad the Nest got me from... this time. Last time I tried to teach a baby vamp it went... poorly. I didn't care enough.
❰ vicki was a mistake he doesn't think about often, but that doesn't mean damon doesn't know he fucked up. shitty thing is, she probably could have made it, if she'd had better teachers than him and stefan. she was unstable, sure, but if blondie's made it this far, vicki could have found a way.
rather than returning the question outright, damon prods at sam's mind, poking around for steve. how is sam doing, is there anything damon can do? ❱