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

[beanchaointe]

Thanks for that.

[She glances around and the Grill isn't too far from here.]

C'mon. Let's get lunch and we can catch each other up.

[illtempered]

It mattered.

( It doesn't. )

Yeah. You think this town knows what a kale salad is?

( Wait, before they start to walk, Jackson turns. He hugs pulls his best friend into his arms. It's good to see her in person. )

[beanchaointe]

[It's good to see him too. She leans into the hug, enjoying it for a moment, before pulling back with a smirk.]

I'm surprised you know what a kale salad is.

[illtempered]

One date judged me on what I ordered. It's not that I cared. I need to not stand out. Bisexual bombshells don't eat their weight in calories.

[beanchaointe]

[She rolls her eyes as she links her arm in his.]

Then you'll be happy to know that they use an air fryer. Come on.

[illtempered]

( And they, arm in arm, reach the Mystic Grill which is - fine enough, Jackson guesses, sliding into a booth.

Jackson's phone vibrates, so he pulls it out. He laughs at the message, smiling, that familiar flush coming to his cheeks. )

[beanchaointe]

[Her eyebrows go up at that as she picks up her menu.]

Who are you flirting with?

[illtempered]

( Firing off a text, and then his eyes come up from the phone. )

Alexander. One time criminal turned... Supernatural Witsec. We almost spent the night together.

[beanchaointe]

And then impending doom intervened?

[How rude of it.]

Sounds like you two hit it off.

[illtempered]

Us a gifted bottle of expensive scotch. I don't know where he is now. He's a part of the underground.

( As for Damon, who saw Lydia come in, he does not use his better judgment. He listens, very carefully. First, she comes in with a friend. From DC? Definitely a friend considering they discuss someone he's flirting with.

His ears perk up when he hears 'Supernatural Witsec.' and the word, underground. )

[beanchaointe]

That outfit Scott's working with. Interesting.

[She glances up at him again.]

Your new school friends didn't happen to mention anyone by the name "Lockwood," did they? Isaac said they might be a good person to talk to.

[illtempered]

No, no Lockwood mentions. There's a Lockwood mansion they're talking about moving graduation to. Did Isaac mean the mansion?

( Sirens go off for Damon. Lockwood? Really? They're looking for Tyler? And the underground whatever that is.

The waitress starts to approach Lydia and Jackson behind them but Damon ushers her away, a hand around her back. It's comical, actually.

A few seconds later, Damon steps up to the table.

"Welcome to Mystic Grill. I see you got your car." )

[beanchaointe]

[Oh look, just the person she wanted to talk to before Jackson got here. She looks up with a smile.]

I did. I thought I'd stop in for lunch while I was here.

[Not a word, Jackson.]

[unforgivably]

( "You left your car here last night?" And he thought he had a cute story to tell. Look at Lydia stealing his thunder. )

We're happy to have you back. I'm Damon Salvatore.

( "Salvatore." Jackson repeats. "Like the school."

Damon's friendly smile doesn't break, but his nose does crinkle. )

The boarding school on the outskirts of town? Yeah. A friend named after my brother and I's - our family's legacy.

( Jackson just nods. )

Is this your friend from DC?

[beanchaointe]

Sort of.

[She doesn't want to get too bogged down in who Jackson is. It's not why she's here.]

I was actually wondering if you could answer a local question for me.

[unforgivably]

I might be able to.

( He bites his tongue. "Lockwood," he's expecting. Jackson sits back to look at the menu. But, from under the menu he is very impressed. Damn, Damon. )

[beanchaointe]

[He is not wrong.]

A friend of mine wanted me to check in on a friend while I was here. Jackson mentioned there being a Lockwood mansion. Are there any Lockwoods actually in it?

[Just a curious friend of friend. No big deal. No harm here.]

[unforgivably]

( A friend of hers is a friend of Lockwood's. Maybe. There are also hunters here. Great. Is she a hunter or a friend. )

Not the last time I checked. Tyler skipped town after his mom died. Which wasn't long after his dad and uncle died. It's a real, tragic story. He hunts in his downtime.

( He nods, trying to read their reactions to that word. )

[beanchaointe]

[Her brow furrows as she considers that. Stiles said the Lockwood guy was a werewolf. And Damon seems to be implying a hunter.

So what does Damon know? There's something that's been nagging about him from the moment she met him and now seems to be the time to figure that out. One hand comes out, and so does the sympathetic Lydia face that Jackson is familiar with because it's not her ... actual sympathy face.

Its the face she uses when she's trying to get something out of someone.]

That's so awful. It's always such a shame when someone goes through so much loss.

[Her hand finds Damon's wrist. It's the first time she's actually touched him, and the moment she does, everything comes into a clearer picture. While past deaths don't do much for her the way that current and future deaths will, she can still tell when someone's drenched in it.

Her free hand curls against the the table, the only tell that she got something out of that.]

I hope he's doing okay. I'll let my friend know to reach out.

[illtempered]

( Damon just smiles. He knows loss. His mouth does curl in sympathy but this is Lockwood and there's still bad, but respected blood between them. He gives them another moment to look over their menus. )

Lydia. The Salvatore School is named after the Salvatores. Vampire brothers.

( And that's when the jig is up all around. In a split second, Damon is in the booth next to Jackson, silver knife pressed against exposed deep vee douchebag flesh. Anyone else would just see Damon sitting close, leaning in.

"Alright. Who are you two and what do you want in Mystic Falls. Why are you looking for Tyler Lockwood and, "What is the Underground?" )

[beanchaointe]

[Lydia's eyes go to Jackson's because while she knows silver isn't going to hurt him, getting stabbed will still hurt. And vampires are vampires.

Lydia does not look ruffled.]

We're looking for Tyler Lockwood for the reasons I said. A friend told us he might be able to help us. As for what is the Underground, why don't you ask the head of the school? I'm sure he'd probably give you more trustworthy information if you're so close he named his school after you.

[Then she lowers her voice and leans in closer.]

But if you don't stop threatening my friend, I might find myself less and less inclined to tell you what I do know.

[She folds her fingers in front of her and smiles sweetly.]

We wouldn't want anyone walking away with a scratch.

[And that last bit was for Jackson. Because she's willing to bet of all the things that Damon is expecting, it's not a kanima.]

[illtempered]

( Well. He can at least put the knife down on the table and push over so he's not crowding them.

"How do you know Alaric?"

Jackson looks to Lydia, retracting any claws he was ready to use. Flies and honey. )

I rescued supernatural foster children yesterday and brought them to the school.

( Damon nods, looking to Lydia, suddenly disappointed he'd threatened Jackson. But, old habits "What are you?" Hunters? That's what he's expecting.

Jackson grabs up his water glass, taking a drink. Half-truths for a reason. ) Werewolf.

[beanchaointe]

Banshee.

[And that's smart Jackson. Keeping his full status in their back pocket is for the best. But she's expecting questions because as far as she's aware, there's not enough of her.]

[unforgivably]

And we know what I am, don't we.

( There are questions he has, more personal ones, like whether Lydia knew who he was beforehand. If she played it that well.

He relaxes back then, seeing Lydia in a different light. She can hold her own. And, Jackson is a werewolf. Just what he needs. )

Are you actually asking for Tyler Lockwood because he's in and out of town. Mostly, his mansion is used by the historical society. Whichever friend suggested him should know that.

( For the record. )

I see now I could have called Alaric before playing the vampire card, but he has his hands full. His daughters. Out-of-towners. Relocating an entire graduation ceremony because of a tip that - I'm guessing you two here are on.

[beanchaointe]

My friend just mentioned a guy named Lockwood. Jackson was the one who brought up the mansion. My friend also hasn't been stateside in a while.

[So obviously he wouldn't be aware of Tyler's current location. Moving on.]

And not exactly. I got a ... feeling. Jackson was the one who told me about the hunters, but if I had to hazard a guess, I'd guess it's Tamara Monroe?