everyonelives | why is it you always get to sit in the shade

[Rhett loves the rolling hills of Scotland.

Scarlett does not.

It's not that the countryside isn't beautiful. The rolling hills can be quite breath-taking when the sun hits them just right. But the sun is in fact the problem. Dreary and drafty, the rain has not let up for the entirety of their trip, and if she thought it would do anything of value, she would have complained to the manager long ago.

Still, she bursts into the pub as though the weather is intentional rather than an inconvenience. Shaking off her coat, she strides towards an empty seat at the bar, assuming that Rhett is not far behind, ordering herself a strong martini as she deftly shakes off her coat. The glass is placed down in front of her, and she grabs it, taking a long sip as she scans the room, taking in the ambience.

She stops, a slow smile spreading across her face when she sees a familiar face. Placing her drink down, she raises her voice just enough to get his attention in the din of the pub.]

Damon Salvatore. As I live and breathe.

[Neither mind that she neither lives nor has to breathe.]

( Damon gets the grand tour. He's assigned a room, attends the big group meal that makes him feel like he's staying with an army (that's right, he is), and he settles in. After a shower, one of the more curious slayers asks if he's coming out with them tonight. He asks his brother, invites himself either way, and joins the caravan into town. The ladies are chatty and just as curious as the first slayer that approached him. Some ask him about Stefan, others ask him about Mystic Falls, or America. One asks if he's single. Another slayer says, 'Alright now, Buffy,' and Damon snorts as he climbs out of one of the vans.

The rain lets up just enough to not soak the group as they make their way inside.

Hands on his brothers shoulders, he walks them into the small town Scottish pub. What feels like a quiet and quaint night has now been brought up a notch with fifteen girls, his brother, Buffy, and a man with an eye patch joining the proceedings. Damon does not buy a round, or crowd the bar, he moves to the far, far end to order his drinks for Stefan and Buffy. Before he can get one of the bartender's attention, his own is requested.

He hasn't heard her voice in over a year when she and her husband got into a tiff during the movie in the square. And before that, easily a decade. He turns, a grin already forming. He would say it's a bit too dreary here for Scarlett O'Hara, but of course Rhett is seated opposite her, having followed her gaze. )

Twice in one decade, I'd think you need something from me. ( But, he jokes. She's one of his favorite sirings, if he were to rank them, anyway. Elena would always be number one (not the means and not the aftermath, but, it's Elena), and then it would go Scarlett and Isobel. R.I.P. Isobel. ) Or, I could say something about kilts and coincidences. Rhett.

( "Damon Salvatore, you son of a bitch."

Now Rhett's not too far off from that one. )

What are you doing in Scotland?

Just doing some traveling. Rhett loves to come back and spend time here every now and again.

[You have to keep moving sooner or later, and honestly, Scarlett has never really been one for sitting still to begin with. And occasionally, the two of them take trips to soothe the wounds in their marriage that get torn open again every so often.]

Wesley insisted on taking some time to himself, so he's off in the Pacific Northwest somewhere, but oh, Melanie will be delighted to see you. She's supposed to meet us here when she gets in from London. Come, you must sit with us for a drink.

[Or two. Or ten. Who counts when you have an immortal liver. She glances back over his shoulder to see the disapproving face of his brother in the crowd.]

Maybe your brother and his lady friend would like to join us as well?

( "I spent time in London." Rhett starts, leaving out the part where he took their daughter with him. "And fell in love with weekends in the Scottish countryside." They were simpler and gave him salvation from his business dealings in the city. Bonnie played a good sport, but she missed her mother, as did he. He tried to express this when he'd returned, but of course, as things do with them, everything was torn asunder.

Damon looks back as he sees that, yes, Stefan has spotted his compatriots. Buffy, too, as she asks Stefan who they are. Considering her reaction, he tells her. Gone with the - Huh?

It's not Dracula, but you can't blame a girl for falling for the charms of Rhett Butler in English class. Thank the Sunnydale substitutes for showing Gond with the Wind one week when their teacher up and... died.

Damon looks back. That's when the bartender finally reaches him. )

Two more of what they ordered, your top shelf bourbon... ( He indicates for Stefan and Buffy to make their way through the crowd of girls. ) two glasses, neat, and a dark, dry red wine.

( He turns back to Scarlett and Rhett as he waits. )

I should warn you Stefan's lady friend is the Buffy Summers. We're in Slayer territory. But, she plays nice if you don't try and kill her or sleep with her. ( He thinks.

"Rest assured, Damon, I make it a habit to not kill everyone I share a drink with," Rhett assures him. It is a shame Melanie isn't with them, the last time they were all together, Rhett thought he'd seen a spark, but Damon had been thoroughly preoccupied with Elena and her friends. So, Rhett pries. "How is Elena Gilbert?" )

On the run and in a relationship with a Winchester. My turn. Why is Melanie in London?

( He listens to the answer while gathering the various orders and depositing them to the table, turning only to hand Stefan and Buffy their drinks. )

Your brother always did like to fly a little too close to the flame.

[Katherine Pierce, an Original vampire, now a vampire Slayer. Almost as though he likes living on the edge.]

Melly is visiting family. Her great-great-great-however many great-granddaughter is going to school here, and you know how she likes to keep tabs on the family.

[Stefan makes his way to the table and flashes her a pinched smile. "Scarlett."]

Stefan. Seems as though the highland air is doing you good.

[She says it in that southern way that makes it sound like there's a dig in there somewhere, but he doesn't want to spend the energy to find it.

"Buffy Summers, this is Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler."

Scarlett holds out her hand with a smile.]

Charmed, my dear. You're quite the celebrity.

Stefan, the moth.

( It's too easy, really, but the quip is right there! )

Mmm, it's a vampire thing, helps you slip back into society. Suddenly, your great-great-great however many great granddaughter is your free ticket aunt back into society.

( R.I.P. Zach.

As for Buffy, she feels like a celebrity is calling her a celebrity and all she can do is take her hand and sink into a free chair.

"When you're the slayer who lived well past her thirties, you reach celebrity status. I'm like Emerald level if life were Royal Caribbean." Which, Yes, Stefan is another hint for that Mediterranean cruise. Blame Xander, he found deals. What it is is an ongoing, nudging joke as both of their lives don't afford them all the vacation time. And knowing their luck, they'd find a job. "And, if you don't mind me saying, if any of us is the celebrity, it's you two. It's not often I meet people who I didn't know were real people. I prefer to forget Dracula. Everything with him was 'thrall,' and 'be my creature of the night,' like he couldn't offer one dinner, not even a night of passion. Not that I wanted a passionate night with Dracula and oh my god I'm insulting the poster couple for the South..."

She takes a labored sip from her glass.

Rhett nods to Stefan, leaning back, smiling to himself.

"Believe it when I say, it is far more peculiar for us. But, we did what any generous, sympathetic vampire marrieds would do. That Margaret Mitchell was in some dire straights."

So, they helped in their way.

"Melly kept us on track when one of us would go off on a tangent," he shares. Tangent, fight, long diatribe about Ashley Hamilton. "And Dracula is as self-obsessed as he is every bit the broken record. You can't throw a stone without hitting one of Dracula's Air BNB castles these days." )

[Scarlett rolls her eyes in agreement.]

The man is dramatic. And when it's me saying so, you know you've gone too far off the reservation.

[At least, in her opinion. But she gestures to the table for all of them to have a seat, as she reaches for the second martini Damon graciously ordered for them.]

But still, it's delightful to make new friends. Especially ones where you don't have to go through the song and dance of supernatural secret keeping.

( "I tried that in high school," Buffy says. "But, you know it didn't work when the senior class all puts together a special award at prom."

It was easier in college, anyway. And from then, she didn't have much to hide if it did come up. )

I've always wanted to know, how do you explain your names in relation to each other. Dumb luck?

We don't.

[She smirks as she sets her drink down.]

We simply introduce ourselves and watch their faces as their minds do the mental gymnastics of trying to deny that we are who we are. I think most come to the conclusion that our parents were massive fans and we happened to find each other.

Kismet.

( Unless they are on one of their off periods.

"The ignorant prefer the romance of our connection and leave it at that," Rhett says.

"People not in the know always like the easiest explanations. Do you know how many gas leaks there were in my town? A siege on parent teacher night was reported as a local gang on PCP." And if that isn't one of the more nineties things to happen to Buffy. "I wouldn't have asked," Buffy continues, pleasantly surprised by Damon's choice in wines. )

I wouldn't have minded if you did.

[A beat.]

Actually no, I would be more offended that Stefan hadn't mentioned his dear old friends.

[Stefan raises an eyebrow. "I think 'dear' is stretching it a little."

Scarlett rolls her eyes.]

Now, now, Stefan. I treasure you dearly, you know that.

Like, lost treasure you've heard about, but don't make the effort to find.

( It's there, hypothetically, and worth finding if you're willing to put in the effort.

"Careful you don't get lost trying to find treasure, darling," Rhett shares, a playful rib between lovers as he takes a sip from his drink.

"Maybe it's all the passive aggression or the surprisingly strong wine, are you and Stefan friends?" Buffy asks, trying to follow the details and the sarcasm. )

[Stefan gives a small shrug.]

We're not not friends.

[Scarlett smiles. "Darling, when you reach a certain age, the people who knew you in the beginning often become friends whether you realize it or not. We were all turned around the same time, give or take a few years."]

It's true. It bonds you, even when you don't always like the other person.

[He cares for Scarlett, he just doesn't always like her.]

Oh, like you and Damon.

( Did he deserve that? Probably. He's used to it. For sure, Rhett laughs.

"You could indeed call us family," Rhett says toasting to Stefan. "Forgive us of our lack of manners, but you must know it is equally as auspicious to be in the presence of the Buffy Summers." )

Au-what?

[Stefan smiles at her.]

It means they have a healthy respect for your work.

["And a lot of reasons why we'd prefer not to become a part of it," Scarlett teases, but as she does, the door opens across the room.

Looking a little rain soaked, Melanie Hamilton steps out of the weather, hair slicked back from her face and her jacket covered in rain. She shakes out the tails as she scans the room, looking for her companions, and her eyes fall on Damon first.

A smile curls across her features, and she slowly starts to make her way closer, not drawing too much attention to herself just yet.]

( "Scarlett O'Hara respects me, I don't know how I feel about that. ...I'm just going to go with honored." And she'll leave it at that.

With Buffy and the O'Hara's making nice, Damon's gaze wanders the long, crowded bar and falls on an old friend. One he thought was out of town. Melanie doesn't need to draw attention, she commands it. Her smile has waned as the years piled on, an eternal optimism now a comfortable realism that Damon also respects.

Downing his drink, he excuses himself and moves around the table meeting Melanie halfway. )

Melanie Hamilton.

Damon Salvatore.

[She smiles as she stops in front of him. It always is a pleasure to see him, even if their lives have only gotten more complicated as time went on.]

It's been too long.

( Never less, always more. Though his life is as uncomplicated as it's been since his tumultuous breakup with Elena and recovery from that. )

Always. How ( have the last few decades been? ) was London?

Oh, the usual. Very damp, very proper.

[She loves her family, but they always seem to want to be rid of her sooner rather than later.]

Nothing too interesting. What brings you to Scotland?

My brother. His girlfriend. The wedding they both swear they don't want. ( He talks out of the side of his mouth, the kind he always does when his wry sarcasm kicks in. With his closest, his guard does come down a minute later. Like so. ) And, my name ended up on a universal hunter's hit list. There's nothing like fallout to send you literally to the Scottish hills.

[Her brow furrows at that last part, concern coloring her features. While there is time and distance between when they've seen each other last, Damon is still important to her. He's always been important to her, in ways she has trouble articulating, and she doesn't want him to come to any harm.]

Are you alright?

I'll survive Stefan's heart eyes.

( He knows what she means. )

I'm good. There was a minute there where I got up close and personal with a hunter duo's car trunk. But, here I am.

[Her hand coming up to brush against his cheek gently. She runs her thumb over his cheekbone, a brief bit of connection and a familiar gesture over their long friendship. It's almost as though to ensure for herself that he's actually there, or that he's in one piece.

Then her face melts into a warm smile.]

Well, I'm glad you're here in one piece. And we should have a drink.

( It is timeless, and it's like it's the early 1900's all over again, or the bloody 90's (literal, in Damon's case). It takes him to seven parallel instances, and reminds him he used to actually feel something, even if he could never work up his nerve for something deep or meaningful. There were moments. Twinges. Tries. But nothing until Elena. Not after Katherine. )

I have a drink. You need to catch up.

[She smirks, singling the bartender to get herself a glass of wine.]

Oh, don't you worry. I'll catch up soon enough.

[She eyes the other companions at their table, taking in the details.]

Stefan seems happy.

[Which is a rare occurrence in all the years she's known him.]

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