hey old friend, whadaya say old friend

[beanchaointe]

[Stiles has told Lydia several times that she doesn't need to stay in Mystic Falls. She's refusing to listen. Things are starting to get worse here, and whatever impending storm is coming is going to be here soon. She puts herself out and about in town when she can, trying to see if she can catch something that might give her a clearer idea of what's going to happen.

What she isn't expecting, is to run into a familiar face.

She's having another text argument with Stiles about her current life choices when she catches a familiar set of cheek bones out of the corner of her eye. She turns towards them, eyes narrowing before she asks:]

Jackson?

Comments

[braveandstupid]

I think it means there's a significantly less chance that someone here is going to wind up getting stabbed.

[It's tradition, but it's a tradition Elena could live with out.]

I'd prefer to keep the bloodshed to my actual job.

["And I think you'd rather not have to replace any rugs."]

[unforgivably]

I guess we were due some bloodshed. It's been so long, I thought our town's reputation was long gone.

( The animal attacks of yesteryear. He does give a glance at his rug choices, tilting his head to Caroline. )

Considering you helped me pick that rug out and traveled to bring it to me, you have an extra horse in the race.

[braveandstupid]

["Exactly. It was a gift, and you should take care of gifts given to you by friends who went through a great deal of effort to get them."

And then she's waved over by Stefan for something in the kitchen and gives Elena's shoulder a squeeze before she goes. Elena shakes her head, before turning back to Damon.]

Go figure that she's back in town for five minutes and we're already having a party.

[unforgivably]

You say party, I say summit. Summit... torture... information gathering -- ( He gives in. ) party. Leave it to Caroline.

( He's been to worse, though. Thrown worse. )

It's no masquerade. Or, your hospital's gala. That was fun.

[braveandstupid]

You did have fun that night.

[He spent most of it flirting with one of the nurses on her floor. She knows he had a good time.]

I don't think this one is going to end quite the same way.

[unforgivably]

( That night, anyway. Turned out she still had a thing for one of the other nurses. Still, Damon likes love now. Anybody who can get it should. )

I don't know... I walked Lydia to the bed and breakfast last night.

( He sing songs, every bit the juvenile. )

[braveandstupid]

[She laughs before shaking her head.]

Oh, yeah, because nothing turns a girl on like a night of compulsion and torture.

[She's mostly teasing. Who knows, it might be some girl's thing.]

[unforgivably]

Hey, I can entertain a girl. I haven't lost my touch. I'm introducing her to new people, showering her around town. She sees I have friends. Only temporary roommates.

[braveandstupid]

You truly are living the dream.

[But she's mostly teasing. Whatever's brewing between Lydia and Damon, she hopes it works out. Mostly for Damon, but that's because she doesn't know Lydia very well yet.]

I'm sure it's very impressive.

[unforgivably]

Please. If anything is impressive, it's this house. And that I get along so well with my exes.

( Ex. Caroline's not an ex. But, the joke does its' job, doesn't it? )

[braveandstupid]

[Yes, it does. Elena then tips her head to the side, studying him for the moment with that insightful "I'm reading your mind" look of hers.]

You really like her.

[unforgivably]

She's insightful.

( Will downplaying it make it any less obvious? He likes her. He likes how she got him, how he got her. How she seemed just mysterious enough to draw him in. How she let him walk her to the B & B. He reminds her a little of Sage, but more refined. More confident. Not fixated on one thing.

And a banshee to boot? )

[braveandstupid]

[That says enough. Damon claims not to like people who call him on his b.s. but he's also the kind of person that tends to need it.]

You should go for it. Worst she can do is say no.

[unforgivably]

She was on her way to DC. Lives in Boston. Pals around with hairy gay men. The only thing we have in common is that we're both here and we're both around death. Or, dead. Or, attractive. We're both attractive.

( He's usually the one who will take the leap, but it's been a long time. And there are more important things. Plus, it feels weird for Elena to be the one to ... nudge him in Lydia's direction. She is also age appropriate. That's true, too. )

Why do you care? You should focus on your hunter sleepover sandwiches.

[braveandstupid]

[Her brow furrows, before straightening a bit.]

What's that supposed to mean?

[unforgivably]

I don't - it's not a brother thing. How expected would that joke be. I just mean, two, single, attractive hunters. One, I heard was your childhood something or other. And by heard I mean, I overheard a conversation between you two when you were sixteen.

( On a road. Get the picture? )

[braveandstupid]

Well, that was when I was sixteen.

[Which was a long, long time ago.]

We were both different people then. We're still getting to know the people we are now.

[unforgivably]

And the people you are now are hot. I have eyes, Elena. I'm well-adjusted enough to tell you letting that walk out of your life, that's a mistake. Just some free advice from the host.

( Not that she'd asked. )

[braveandstupid]

I will take it into consideration.

[But she's never been that impulsive. She's always taken her time when it comes to matters of the heart, so if things aren't right, then they aren't.]

But right now, I think we have bigger fish to fry.

[unforgivably]

In my sardines in a can basement. You're right. I should get on with it.

[braveandstupid]

[She nods and gives his shoulder a small squeeze.]

Good luck.

[With the interrogation. But with that, Caroline will come back to retrieve her, and she'll go off to gossip with Buffy. /scene]