everyonelives | there are prizes all around you if you're wise enough to see

[Lucas runs a hand over his face, trying to process all of this, and he's angry. He's so angry that things seemed to have gotten worse, rather than better. That his friends and family may not be dead, but for some of them she's not sure it's better.]

You need to tell him.

["I will. Once everything's -"]

No.

[He has energy to walk off so he's going to go do that - maybe find Ezra because they should probably hit the road, but he's going to make his wishes clear here:]

Tell him now.

[He takes a breath, trying to burn off some of it.]

I'm gonna go pack.

He gets that Tamara Monroe's hunties falling apart is a good thing, right?

( but Lucas was in London, so he was in the middle of it. maybe he doesn't...

Evelyn puts a hand on her son's shoulder and Dean takes his leave, returning to the Gilberts.

"You're doing what you think is best. He knows that, honey," she says, before leaving her son and husband to check in on Lucas. )

["No, he knows," Michael says in response to Dean's question. "But he and Mickey were also close. I feel like that might be coloring everything else."

But Michael will leave Evelyn to deal with their son, and Cooper will nod at what his mother said, before plopping himself in a chair and pulling out his phone. He stares at it for a bit, before opting to not be an even bigger dick than he already is being, and heads out of the bunker to sit on the hood of his car and giving Mickey a call.

And when the man does pick up, he opens with:]

So I've been an asshole, and I'm sorry.

( Mickey spent years moving from one phase of life to another, often with no lead-up. He left Texas and joined the military before being plucked by a lieutenant of Tamara Monroe's, lost the best friend he made there (and probably the only person who really knew the real him), separated from Lucas' little brother, jumped the shark in Mystic Falls, was turned in an instant... One thing after another.

Finally, in Star City, he slows down. It isn't easy. And it comes with soul searching and dates he hopes are leading somewhere. While Wes has grounded him, it's really Mia, Cooper's boyfriend's sister that saves him from aimlessness. He patrols with her. Applies to a job in her uncle's club to keep himself busy. (Bouncing is easy when you're a vampire.) She's the only one who knows Wes exists (and has met him), and the only other one he thinks knows he's a vampire. That wasn't an easy conversation, but he's never heard about a slayer. He doesn't know anything about the supernatural world. He and Mia had that in common, being thrust into something they never asked for.

He finally works the courage up to invite Wes back to his first ever apartment after his shift, and leaves Wes in the front room with William's sister to answer the call on the balcony.

Maybe a part of him resented Cooper, finding William as a touchstone, someone to ground him after everything, but he doesn't hold that to him. Doesn't begrudge him his own life and his own mourning.

Truth be told, he hasn't had a chance to mourn. That came out on one of his dates with Wes. Not attractive or hot, but necessary.

He's given Cooper his space. Cooper has earned that. So, when he sees his name on the phone, he thinks maybe it's something hunter-related. Or related to what he is... )

Coop --

( He doesn't get any more words in before Cooper says that.

Looking over Star City, he doesn't really know what to say. There was a time, early on in his transition that he wished for a call like this. Or, an in-person something. Any acknowledgement with New Orleans. But fuck if he also wanted to leave it in the past.

So, his first instinct is to dismiss it. He doesn't need the guilt on either end. )

I'm not holding you to anything. We both have our stuff.

Maybe, but ... I've made some deliberately dick moves lately. I've been a really shitty friend.

[Maybe his intention wasn't to hurt him, but he did. He's going to. He takes a deep breath, before running a hand over his face. He usually prides himself on being a better friend.]

Okay, first thing: my dad knows you're a vampire.

[He'll start with the smaller blow.]

I didn't know until today, but apparently he figured it out after we hit the blood bank.

Fair play, I was asked to kill you.

( That could remain under his skin, he doesn't begrudge him that. But, Cooper sounds determined, so he stays on the line and hears him out. )

Coop, what the fuck.

( He's not as bothered as he would be three months ago, but it's his thing, not Cooper's. But, he doesn't want to ask his next question, doesn't even know what question to even ask. Is he being marched back? Threatened? Welcomed back into the friend-fold? This didn't start negative. )

Fine. He knows. Unless he and your mom doubled back to off me, I don't care, man.

They're not. He doesn't seem pissed, more amused that we thought he was that dumb, apparently. That's not the worst thing.

[No, the worst thing is the douchebag move he knew would be a douchebag move but did it anyway.]

That call I got at dinner the other night? It was my mom. She was helping the Winchesters out with something, and it triggered some kind of magic that brought Lucas back.

( If his heart could beat, it would drop. )

What's the worst thing.

( And why now? He doesn't care about the call. It was nice to be invited and then kicked out shortly after getting there, though, that, too was a dick... move. )

Back from - where - from - ( he half drops against the exposed brick of the building, fighting to keep his legs up. ) the dead?

Yeah.

[Coop sits with it for a minute.]

There wasn't a lot of information when she called me but we were going to the Winchester bunker. I didn't realize they knew about you already.

[Clearly the moral of this story is that he makes douchey decisions when he just assumes shit.]

But since I didn't know what was going on or what the situation was I figured I'd wait to tell you until we knew for sure. And that wasn't my call to make. I should have told you.

( one of them. )

Your brother, your call.

( one thing is true though. )

If you'd ever asked, you'd know Sam Winchester was in the basement, as was Katherine Pierce, Klaus' baby momma, both Salvatores, Elena the compassionate wonder, and a banshee we were never briefed on. And of course, Klaus.

( he shakes his head, though, looking back into the apartment. his apartment. )

You gave me the space I needed. You're figuring out your family shit. ( so miss him with the guilt. ) How is he? Can't be an easy transition back.

Edited 2024-12-31 04:14 (UTC)

The banshee was probably Lydia Martin.

[Who Cooper has not actually met, but she's the only banshee with enough prominence to be involved. But that's not the point.]

I think it's hard because he's not really back. Not yet. He has to go kill this witch or he could potentially wind up her meat suit so ... it's hard to actually feel like you can adjust when it isn't a guarantee yet. And it's not just his autonomy that he's worried about, it's Elena's parents too.

[Coop wishes he could help, but the loophole is clear.]

And he was pretty pissed with me for not having your back.

Elena Gilbert's parents are involved?

( Is he misses something? He will get back to slowing your guilt down, though, this is just catching him off guard. )

Yeah.

[He doesn't really know all the details but:]

From what they explained to me, she's with Dean Winchester and the Winchesters are helping these witches take down the inner circle of this big coven by destroying these ancient witch bodies and they were booby trapped. This one was booby trapped to bring back the loved ones of the person or people who destroyed their body in order to provide new vessels for them to jump into. I think the Inner Circle is like ... possessing new bodies to extend their life.

Anyway, Elena got caught in it and so did my parents.

( that is so much. he regrets asking. and has -- a modicum of sympathy because, parents, but that's not the part that has to do with him for that matter. )

Two things. One. We were split off from one another by untrustworthy superiors and pitting against each other. I don't blame you for that and he shouldn't either. ( is that why he's calling? ) ...Is he asking for me?

I think he does want to see you, but not right now. He's about to leave for Mexico to try and deal with this witch situation.

[Coop doesn't like sitting still about it, but he understands the reasons why he can't.]

But after, yeah. I think he would like to see you. I'll let you know once things are done and we'll either drive up there or find somewhere to meet.

( Good... talk? )

Okay. Anything else?

( Sorry, but unless you want to delve into the dickery further, he doesn't feel like you're on better terms just yet. He's not opposed, but you really need to lead the charge.

Also, it feels like this is more about alleviating your guilt than helping him, as there's nothing active he can do. )

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