( Cami agreed to see him, as a referral, and recommended Rousseau's. She even promised to keep Klaus away for the night so he could have some peace and quiet. (She won't always, and can't always, but keeping Klaus and Damon apart is best for everyone.) But, his consultation tomorrow is set in stone. She hasn't taken him on as a client. That comes after.
First, he shows up. Tomorrow.
He's leaving it all behind, starting anew. Said goodbye to Melanie and Lydia - well, Lydia left and he left Melanie. Let her continue on. See her nephew's boytoy. Who doesn't like him. Maybe it never would've worked. He misses Scarlett, though, and Rhett. Maybe they'll pass back through town.
He knows Stefan is also here. What a coincidence. With his girlfriend. Klaus has a wife. Elena has a boyfriend. Everyone's pairing off. He didn't used to care about any of it. He was happy to be the proprietor.
Was he?
Right now, he has himself - and this shot of bourbon. Wes, the vampire wonder, got him thinking. So, here he is.
"Hello, bourbon, my old friend." )
Bourbon's probably the only thing that's never done me wrong. ( And the only person. He purses his lips. Unless it was laced with vervain. But that wasn't the bourbon's fault. He downs the glass, setting it down in front of him, nudging it with his fingers. ) I start therapy tomorrow.
[She does mean that genuinely, even if her natural tone makes it come out a bit dry. She's heard good things about therapy. Never tried it herself, but according to Cami, it crosses several ethical lines that she's not willing to do in order for Cami to treat her and she's the only one remotely qualified.
Probably for the best.]
I've heard great things, though I've never gone under the metaphorical knife myself.
I'll report back. Tell you if it's all it's cracked up to be. I bet she carves my heart out, slaps it on a plate and solves all my problems.
( If it works, if it makes sense, and he stays. Comes back to this slice of paradise. He does take it in, more, not just focusing on his glass of bourbon, but the decor. The remodel. He doesn't mention the explosion, he assumes she's heard it. My what you've done with the place. )
Or is it about the brain, not heart. What Wizard of Oz archetype do I get?
I heard New Orlean's a big old melting pot. Good to see that never changed. Wouldn't blame you if you wanted to slide down a few stools. Witches and vampire business.
Oh, I agree. My trouble has always been figuring out the right ones.
[She's made her mistakes. She'd like to think she's doing better, but she always knows there's going to be portions of New Orleans that will never trust her, not really.]
So what brings you to the Big Easy? Other than, I'm assuming, your therapist.
( Doesn't that make them all the right ones, then? )
Other than my head-shrinking, a friend is getting married, and, I suspect may need help with the finer details. She's not the bride-type.
( And it's somewhere else to be. And then he shrugs, again, nonchalant. He's been everywhere. A lot of everywhere's. Here just made sense. But that vulnerability masks. )
[Freya knows that feeling. She's felt it more than once over the various years she got to be awake and alive. She's about to gently prod, see if she could get more information when something catches out of the corner of her eye.
She sees a couple of the few remaining customers start to move closer, and the energy in the room has shifted some.]
If you all are here to destroy the bar again, I would advise against it.
["We're not here for the bar. But I think you already knew that."]
They weren't here for the bar last time either, but it didn't change the end result.
( Damon is flirting, and a bit in his head about why he's here and all that, so he misses the convergence and its' significance until she addresses them, and then he turns, not moving. )
Sounds like I should be getting out of your hair. Freya. You guys.
( He says, like he doesn't care. He picks himself up from the stool, slaps a bill down on the bar and smiles at the group, glass in hand. He finishes it, letting it go down with an "Ahh,". )
How do the Greeks say goodbye?
( He launches the glass at the closest person, intending for it to shatter on, at, and in them. (14) )
Opa! ( He brings a finger to his lips. Oops. ) Or, maybe that was supposed to be in celebration? Anybody know the Greek words for 'Get' or 'Out?' That's probably be more apt, right?
[The witch leans just enough that the glass flies past him (16), but his eyes meet Damon, almost as though it's the first time he's noticing that Damon is relevant.
"We have no quarrel with vampires. We're only here for the witch."
So Damon is free to divest himself of this scenario, as he sees fit.
Freya raises an eyebrow.]
You know, I don't speak Greek. But I will say that I wouldn't want to impose upon your evening.
[They've just met after all. Damon doesn't have to stay and defend her honor. But he also seems like he's spoiling for a fight, and she won't stop him.]
Because I'm working on a little project, and they don't like it.
[The lead witch turns to face them. "You need to stop searching. What you seek is not for you to find."]
Maybe. Maybe not. But I'm not going to stop just because your masters tell me to.
["Then you brought this on yourself." He raises his hands to start to cast and Freya shrugs, glancing over the side of the bar and nodding to the knife the bartender is using to cut lemons.
Freya lifts a hand, magically flings the knife (nat 20 vs. 13) and it slices firmly into the witch's vocal chords, forcing them to choke on their own blood. The witches they brought with them let out a small scream of surprise, and Freya glances back over her shoulder to the bartender.]
I'd take a break, Evangeline.
[She nods, quickly, before ducking down behind the bar to get out of the line of fire. She then turns back to the quintet of witches surrounding them.]
[And with that, things descend into chaos. There are five witches remaining. Three of them go to swarm Freya (1, 13, 8), and she deflects their spells accordingly (14, 19, 3), save for the last that pushes her back into the bar.
Two of them go after Damon (13, 5), drawing stakes as clearly they anticipated vampire interference, even if this isn't the vampire they expected.
Freya grits her teeth before throwing a spell at the one that critfailed, (16 vs. 12), pushing them back to give herself some room.]
( Damon's a little cornered, also against the bar, and watches Freya take the brunt of another spell, so both blows land as he goes on the defense, arms coming up to shield his pretty face (3, 5).
Using his frustration, he tries shoving his palm at one witch to send him flying back (7) and tries to redirect two's stake into himself, sorry not sorry. (16) )
[The first witch dodges Damon's blow (18), and the second catches the force of the stake, not able to bat it back, but unfortunately holding it steady as they try to fight back (16)
One tries to come to their partner's aid, taking their own stake and attempting to jab it into Damon's side (13), while Two just holds in place, not wanting to risk Damon getting the upper hand.
Freya takes another round of blows (7, 6, 15), and does her best to deflect (nat 20, 9, 14). The first witch goes down with a snapped neck, dropping to a useless pile on the floor, the second spell is blocked, but the third lands, snapping her arms down to her sides to prevent her from casting briefly.]
One dodges the kick (15), stepping back before whipping out an aneurysm spell (17) to try and distract as best she can. Two lets Damon at least get him up into the bar, before planting his feet on top of it and holding firm (14), attempting to push the stake down again (8).
More spells fly on Freya's side (11, 19), and both spells hit home (9, 9), lifting a nearby barstool and slamming it into her gut with a groan.
She grits her teeth before pushing up and trying to fling Four back (1 vs. 2), but failing but managing to knock Five back with the same barstool (14 vs. 4).]
( Damon gets hit with an aneurysm (7), beginning to buckle under the pain, but he's done this dance before and he knocks Two's feet from under him before he can plunge the stake down (nat 20), so he hits the bar hard and rolls off - hopefully not onto Evangeline.
He tries speeding to One and grapples him around the throat (also nat 20!) )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
somanyadjectives) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
everyonelives2025-07-26 07:05 pm
no subject
First, he shows up. Tomorrow.
He's leaving it all behind, starting anew. Said goodbye to Melanie and Lydia - well, Lydia left and he left Melanie. Let her continue on. See her nephew's boytoy. Who doesn't like him. Maybe it never would've worked. He misses Scarlett, though, and Rhett. Maybe they'll pass back through town.
He knows Stefan is also here. What a coincidence. With his girlfriend. Klaus has a wife. Elena has a boyfriend. Everyone's pairing off. He didn't used to care about any of it. He was happy to be the proprietor.
Was he?
Right now, he has himself - and this shot of bourbon. Wes, the vampire wonder, got him thinking. So, here he is.
"Hello, bourbon, my old friend." )
Bourbon's probably the only thing that's never done me wrong. ( And the only person. He purses his lips. Unless it was laced with vervain. But that wasn't the bourbon's fault. He downs the glass, setting it down in front of him, nudging it with his fingers. ) I start therapy tomorrow.
no subject
[She does mean that genuinely, even if her natural tone makes it come out a bit dry. She's heard good things about therapy. Never tried it herself, but according to Cami, it crosses several ethical lines that she's not willing to do in order for Cami to treat her and she's the only one remotely qualified.
Probably for the best.]
I've heard great things, though I've never gone under the metaphorical knife myself.
no subject
( If it works, if it makes sense, and he stays. Comes back to this slice of paradise. He does take it in, more, not just focusing on his glass of bourbon, but the decor. The remodel. He doesn't mention the explosion, he assumes she's heard it. My what you've done with the place. )
Or is it about the brain, not heart. What Wizard of Oz archetype do I get?
no subject
[She signals to the bartender for refills for them both before tipping her head to the side.]
I always liked The Wizard of Oz. Though I'm more familiar with the book than the film.
[She slept through all of Judy Garland's career, sadly. She's still catching up on all the things she missed.]
no subject
( It was a story, alright, thought not one of his favorite favorites. He isn't the reader his brother is. )
When things were always just a little more gruesome than they are, now. Now everything gets a technicolor redo. Disneyfied.
( He waves to the bartender as a thank you, and then raises his glass to Freya. )
Thanks. You're local?
no subject
[She raises her glass in return before nodding.]
I am. I've been living here for ... a little over a decade now? Probably the longest I've lived anywhere.
[At least somewhere she's liked, anyway.]
I'm Freya.
no subject
( It's a classier way of asking if she comes here often, but she does seem to know the bartender. )
I'll take any suggestions for where I should go, being so new in town and all.
no subject
[This being Rosseau's. She does spend much of her time here.]
It's also supernatural-friendly, if you're interested in that kind of thing.
[It's probably tipping her hand already to show that she already knows he's a vampire, but best to get that out of the way as well.]
Witch, in the interest of full disclosure.
no subject
( He offers, flinging a hand up. Surprise. )
I heard New Orlean's a big old melting pot. Good to see that never changed. Wouldn't blame you if you wanted to slide down a few stools. Witches and vampire business.
( Though his business is therapy. )
no subject
We try to be less antagonistic to each other these days. Besides, I probably spend more of my time with vampires than I do with witches.
[Given that they are a majority of her family, even if that's become more fluid than it's been in the past.]
I ... burned a lot of bridges when I first came to New Orleans.
no subject
( And she gets a clink to her glass for her efforts. )
no subject
[She's made her mistakes. She'd like to think she's doing better, but she always knows there's going to be portions of New Orleans that will never trust her, not really.]
So what brings you to the Big Easy? Other than, I'm assuming, your therapist.
no subject
( Doesn't that make them all the right ones, then? )
Other than my head-shrinking, a friend is getting married, and, I suspect may need help with the finer details. She's not the bride-type.
( And it's somewhere else to be. And then he shrugs, again, nonchalant. He's been everywhere. A lot of everywhere's. Here just made sense. But that vulnerability masks. )
It was as good a place as any.
no subject
She sees a couple of the few remaining customers start to move closer, and the energy in the room has shifted some.]
If you all are here to destroy the bar again, I would advise against it.
["We're not here for the bar. But I think you already knew that."]
They weren't here for the bar last time either, but it didn't change the end result.
no subject
Sounds like I should be getting out of your hair. Freya. You guys.
( He says, like he doesn't care. He picks himself up from the stool, slaps a bill down on the bar and smiles at the group, glass in hand. He finishes it, letting it go down with an "Ahh,". )
How do the Greeks say goodbye?
( He launches the glass at the closest person, intending for it to shatter on, at, and in them. (14) )
Opa! ( He brings a finger to his lips. Oops. ) Or, maybe that was supposed to be in celebration? Anybody know the Greek words for 'Get' or 'Out?' That's probably be more apt, right?
no subject
"We have no quarrel with vampires. We're only here for the witch."
So Damon is free to divest himself of this scenario, as he sees fit.
Freya raises an eyebrow.]
You know, I don't speak Greek. But I will say that I wouldn't want to impose upon your evening.
[They've just met after all. Damon doesn't have to stay and defend her honor. But he also seems like he's spoiling for a fight, and she won't stop him.]
no subject
( He makes the quotation gesture, of course. )
no subject
[The lead witch turns to face them. "You need to stop searching. What you seek is not for you to find."]
Maybe. Maybe not. But I'm not going to stop just because your masters tell me to.
["Then you brought this on yourself." He raises his hands to start to cast and Freya shrugs, glancing over the side of the bar and nodding to the knife the bartender is using to cut lemons.
Freya lifts a hand, magically flings the knife (nat 20 vs. 13) and it slices firmly into the witch's vocal chords, forcing them to choke on their own blood. The witches they brought with them let out a small scream of surprise, and Freya glances back over her shoulder to the bartender.]
I'd take a break, Evangeline.
[She nods, quickly, before ducking down behind the bar to get out of the line of fire. She then turns back to the quintet of witches surrounding them.]
Anyone else want to try?
no subject
( The witch drops with a gurgle as Damon cracks his knuckles. )
In case you need any backup.
no subject
[And with that, things descend into chaos. There are five witches remaining. Three of them go to swarm Freya (1, 13, 8), and she deflects their spells accordingly (14, 19, 3), save for the last that pushes her back into the bar.
Two of them go after Damon (13, 5), drawing stakes as clearly they anticipated vampire interference, even if this isn't the vampire they expected.
Freya grits her teeth before throwing a spell at the one that critfailed, (16 vs. 12), pushing them back to give herself some room.]
no subject
Using his frustration, he tries shoving his palm at one witch to send him flying back (7) and tries to redirect two's stake into himself, sorry not sorry. (16) )
no subject
One tries to come to their partner's aid, taking their own stake and attempting to jab it into Damon's side (13), while Two just holds in place, not wanting to risk Damon getting the upper hand.
Freya takes another round of blows (7, 6, 15), and does her best to deflect (nat 20, 9, 14). The first witch goes down with a snapped neck, dropping to a useless pile on the floor, the second spell is blocked, but the third lands, snapping her arms down to her sides to prevent her from casting briefly.]
no subject
Damon tugs both him and his grappling witch a way, One missing getting him with the stake.
Turning, he tries to throw Two over the bartop to the other side, (8) before directing a kick at One (3). )
no subject
More spells fly on Freya's side (11, 19), and both spells hit home (9, 9), lifting a nearby barstool and slamming it into her gut with a groan.
She grits her teeth before pushing up and trying to fling Four back (1 vs. 2), but failing but managing to knock Five back with the same barstool (14 vs. 4).]
no subject
He tries speeding to One and grapples him around the throat (also nat 20!) )
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)