the challenge, bring order to the whole

[braveandstupid]

Comments

[praevaricatio]

They mixed something into the mountain ash. ( He calls out. ) Dave?

[maleficum]

[David steps out not long after, physically fine, aside from what will be a future black eye swelling on the right side of his face.]

They'll be sending reinforcements. We should not be here when they do.

["Go home then?" Jaqueline suggests, seemingly wanting to cocoon herself in the safety of the elders.]

[praevaricatio]

( He's by his husband's side in an instant, inspecting that future black eye, fingertips lightly touching around the outskirts of the forming bruise. )

That's not protocol.

[tearhiseyesout]

Fuck protocol.

[She turns a scowl back on Ezra.]

We're the heirs and David can open a door anywhere. We don't need protocols.

[praevaricatio]

This is exactly why there's a protocol.

( Despite what he thinks, what he really thinks, he believes Jacq is still embedded within their ranks. )

We don't know who else is out there and who else is being targeted. The nearest Colony outpost is in Maryland. There, we can get a safe idea of how many of us were targeted.

[maleficum]

Ezra's right. We don't know how far this goes. We should wait to go home until we find out.

[Jaqueline sets her jaw, before nodding. "Fine. I'll go pack my things. Oh wait, I don't have any." She moves past them to head towards the kitchen. "I hope you have some decent booze here."

David watches her go, before putting a finger to his lips and gesturing for Ezra to follow him.]

[praevaricatio]

We're witches from California and Upstate New York.

( What. They have a liquor cabinet most would be jealous of.

After saying that, he follows close behind David, stepping over the dropped stick. )

[maleficum]

[He eases back into the bedroom, closing the door behind him and then heading into the bathroom.]

If we're going to be stuck with her long term, we need to be prepared.

[What does prepared mean exactly? Well he's about to show you.]

[praevaricatio]

( His husband always surprises him with what he means. Together over ten years and still there are facets to his magic he doesn't see coming.

Especially when it comes to keeping things between them when it comes to the Colony. He doesn't trust Jacq, but she's theirs for the time being. )

I agree.

[maleficum]

[He opens the medicine cabinet, going through his half of it, a collection of tiny vials and tinctures, before he pulls two identical looking vials from the back of the collection and passes one to his husband.]

This will keep her out of your head. At least for a little while.

[praevaricatio]

Right. Her legacy.

( That trick passed down with each witch family, something that eluded David's husband's family line. He accepts the vial. )

Bottoms up?

( He kisses him once, steps back, and downs his. )

[maleficum]

[David smirks in return before downing his own. Then he takes a breath as they take in the last alone time they'll likely have for a while.]

This is going to be ... not fun. We should check on Elena so that we have an answer when people ask about her.

[praevaricatio]

( He sighs at that, nodding, pulling up her contact information and huddling together as he dials her. )

[braveandstupid]

[Elena sees the name and sends a quick text before she answers: I'm not alone.

But she does not answer the phone on speaker. She doesn't want Katherine getting into her business.]

Hey.

[praevaricatio]

( OK. )

Hey, not alone in danger or not alone you're in mixed company?

[braveandstupid]

The latter.

[She doesn't want Katherine involved in her doppelganger problems until they absolutely need her. And honestly, she's also possibly doing Katherine a favor by not putting her on the Colony's radar.]

I'm okay. We managed to get the drop on the hunters who came to the hospital and got out without getting into an outright confrontation.

[praevaricatio]

Hunters got the drop on us, but we survived. We're going to be leaving town. Guessing you are, too?

( He won't be asking for specifics. One excuse he can use? Hunters coming after him, his husband, and Jacqueline, and protocol. )

[braveandstupid]

Yeah. Going to go hole up in a Winchester bunker.

[So yes, she will be perfectly safe. But also sending the signal that it's probably best that Ezra and David don't follow them.]

[praevaricatio]

The Colony is going to close in their ranks, so you'll be an afterthought until it's clear everyone is safe. Get out of here. But, call us if you need anything.

( He doesn't know how David feels about his transparency, he hasn't exactly discussed his real friendship with Elena with him, but he has friends, right? He gets it. He can't put her through this again. So, if it comes down to it, this is the line he draws in the sand. )

[braveandstupid]

You too. Be careful. I have a feeling this is just getting started.

[Not that she wants to be back on the Colony's radar at any point, but she wants Ezra and the people he cares about to be safe.]

[praevaricatio]

We'll share anything we know.

( He promises. He promptly ends the call and looks up at his husband. That decided, he needs to address something. )

Jacqueline's a wildcard.

[maleficum]

She always has been.

[Ever since he's known her, she's never done what's expected. It's one of the things that drew him to her, once upon a time, that he liked despite his family's meddling, but that was a long time ago.

Now he just knows she's dangerous.]

Hopefully, for most of this she'll be a wild card in our favor.

[praevaricatio]

Until she's not. We can't forget that. This goes our way for only so long, and as far as she's concerned, we're company men.

( He says it to himself as much as he says it for his husband's benefit. )

I don't trust her.

[maleficum]

Neither do I. But right now, we don't really have much of a choice.

[They survive together or not at all. Because if they hang Jaqueline out to dry, she will murder them.]

We just have to suck it up until we get home.

[praevaricatio]

Whichever home that ends up being. Fine.

( Bringing his hand up, he rubs his thumb and pointer finger together )

Una mens.

( He comes close, running his thumb along his husband's temple. )

There. You want to say anything, I'll hear it. But only when you want me to hear it. She won't be able to. Just don't send me Silver Chair all day long.