some guys think they can't be winners

[beanchaointe]

Comments

[commend]

( Scott leaves the friendly line of fire, a smile coming to his face as he steps out of the carnival grounds. )

Hey you.

( He does check back, making sure no food is thrown or a werewolf hasn't stormed off. )

[regentem]

Hey, yourself.

[He can hear the smile in her voice, because as much as they've been texting, it's good to hear his voice. Remind her that he's a real person and not just a figment of her imagination.]

Did I call at a bad time?

[commend]

Never.

( Absolutely call anytime, though. She can definitely hear the smile behind his voice, too. )

Just at a carnival with Stiles. How are you doing?

[regentem]

I'm good. Just getting some things in order for next week.

[Some of the witches also happen to be bakers. And the French Quarter is going to be full of sugary confection very, very soon.]

Which is actually why I was calling. I was wondering if you might be free to come back to New Orleans?

[A beat.]

Not permanently. I mean, it'd be great if you did want to come back permanently, but I know you have Stiles and I'm not trying to...

[Breathe, Davina. Take it from the top.]

There's this beignet festival next week and I was going to go and I thought we might be able to go. Together.

[commend]

( That smile doesn't die as she rambles. He waits for her to say what she means, though. )

What're beignets? ( (2) Not ... what he should say. ) I mean. Yes. I want to. Are they a New Orleans thing? Don't tell me. I should wait until I get there. Which, I want to do if I haven't... made that clear.

[regentem]

Beignets are basically the best pastry on Earth.

[She will give him at least that much, so he knows what he's preparing for.]

But good. I think you'll really like it.

[And she's missed you. But she's not sure if they're on the right ground to be able to say stuff like that yet.]

[commend]

Good. Great. Next weekend?

( Or tomorrow? Is he taking a plane? )

[regentem]

Next weekend.

[He has time, no rush. She wanted to make sure he could make the plans to get here.]

I'm glad you're coming. It'll be fun.

[commend]

Yeah. It will be. Should I -- bring anything?

( Why is he asking? Doesn't the guy usually just bring the flowers without asking? )

[regentem]

Just you.

[She's never really been a flowers girl, though she'd certainly be charmed by them.]

I'll text you all the details.

[commend]

OK. I'll draw up a flight plan.

( He's cute, ain't he? )

[regentem]

[He very much is.]

Good. Then, I'll ... see you soon, I guess?

[Which feels weird to say after so long doing long distance, but she's clearly excited.]

[commend]

Yeah. See you soon, Davina. Thanks for the call.

( Yeah, he be giddy. And then he -- hangs up. is that okay? He totally hangs up but takes a moment to revel in the phone call. )

[impetere]

[And when he eventually floats his way back to the table where Cora is waiting, she answers his question about Stiles with a shrug.]

He went to the bathroom. How's Davina?

[Because she doesn't have to ask who it was. She was in New Orleans when they met, and she knows that look on Scott's face.]

[commend]

Planning a beignet festival. And she invited me. It's some kind of pastry.

( He's fighting the urge to Google. )

[impetere]

They're good. Kind of like funnel cake but it's stuffed with fruit.

[You'll like them, is her point. And then, because she's curious.]

Is it a date?

[commend]

It's a date. She called and asked personally... Should I get flowers?

( He should bring flowers. )

[impetere]

[Cora is probably not the person to ask. Because while she is a woman, her romantic liaisons haven't exactly been the most formal endeavors. She's still a Hale, which means she stumbles into things, enjoys them while they last and hope they're not out to kill her pack.

That being said, she is still a woman:]

I don't think flowers will hurt you.

[commend]

I'll bring flowers.

( It's a deal. Oh, right. Food. He continues to attack his food.

And that's about the time Damon saunters up.

"Well, if it isn't the nicest werewolf in town and --", who are you, Cora? "Also, I agree. Flowers. Couldn't hurt. Davina Claire?" )

[impetere]

[Enjoy that Hale glare, Damon.

Cora's been aware of Damon and Lydia's presence (12), but she wasn't looking to interrupt her friend's date. But now Damon's here and Lydia is nowhere to be seen.]

What's it to you?

[unforgivably]

She's feisty. I'm going with second werewolf. Well - eleventh - where Scott goes. Or, I guess where Stiles goes. Or, whomever makes up your pack. You all love to travel in - well. Packs.

( Scott, being so close to the school knows enough about Damon to not trust him (14). He even pushes his tray further, finally regarding him. )

Do you want something, Damon?

( "Just checking up. We used to be vampire country but now it seems like we're all-country. So. Checking up." )

[impetere]

Weren't you here with Lydia?

[So yes, she figures it's more than just checking up.]

Or did she decide she had better things to do?

[Aka why are you bothering them instead of bothering the person you actually want to talk to.]

[unforgivably]

Well, this is a dynamic I like.

( And he's above explaining biological systems. )

Should I ask the same of Stiles, or do we both pretend we don't know where our dates are? You heard. I heard. We have impeccable hearing.

[impetere]

[Cora's eyes narrow, because she's trying to read between the lines of what Damon's implying, but before she can come up with a witty retort, a scream echoes through the air.

The thing about a banshee's scream, is that while humans aren't specifically attuned, the supernatural are. Both werewolves snap to attention, turning in the direction of that supersonic sound.

Probably, somewhere over a tub of cotton candy, two vampires do too.

As the sound fades, Cora's eyes meet Scott's as she pushes up to her feet, prepared to move.]

Lydia.

[unforgivably]

( (9) Less attune to Lydia's scream, he just hears a scream, not having heard her cry the night Stiles died. But, Cora and Scott making the connection and having better ears than him (and knowing her scream) snaps him to attention, too, as he looks back in that direction and then to Cora and Scott. )

You heard it, too. Lydia? ( Wait. )

She screamed.