[Rusty lingers because he drove and he doesn't want to leave Bela and Elijah stranded. They're caught up in a conversation not too far away, but as soon as they're free to confirm whether they're staying or going, Rusty intends to be back on the road, recouping some of the miles he spent in order to manage this coup, and decide what he's going to do with the rest of his life.
There are so many options. He'll have to really think on it, though part of him just wants to go back to the cafe for a while.
But naturally, Max manages to catch him before he can do that. He knows that they need to have this conversation, but also he desperately doesn't want to have it.]
Take your pick. But, we can start with, Celeste and end on, you have feelings for me. We can bounce around between, but that's my rundown. Want to add anything to the agenda?
( He's snarky. He can't not be snarky. He's also trying here. Again. Kind of. He will try. )
[Oh, that second one he's going to try to avoid, because he doesn't exactly know what his feelings regarding Max are. Celeste read a feeling and hit close to the mark, but Rusty isn't ready to acknowledge it because he's a Melraux. Which means he will always be tied up in Celeste.
But let's talk about Celeste. Celeste is easier.]
I grew up in her house. I was a ward of her uncle, and they were teaching me magic. I fell in love with her when I was young and stupid and allowed her to lead me on until it ended with my daughter dead by her hand and me cursed to an eternity of her and her husband hunting me down and murdering me.
I thought she loved me, but I was just a tool she was keeping on the string until I outlived my usefulness - or more to the point, dared to disagree with her.
The only way to break my curse is to die of natural causes in old age. To live a full life.
[Which he has space to do.]
I can't guarantee what will happen tomorrow. I could still be hit by a bus or drown or something else but at least my former friends won't be looking to do me in before I hit fifty anymore.
[He hasn't really thought things through that far.]
I have some things I need to tie up in Hershey that will take time. And I have some family that's setting up shop on the West Coast as of late. But ... beyond that I haven't decided.
Well, I know where I have to be within the week. And now I have 'track down a husband I never asked for' on my plate. INO. In. Name. Only. ( He looks at him, one hand in his pocket. Is it now or never. Or is it just never. He's not his mother and not the woman inhabiting his mother. And maybe Rusty always had something holding him back. Whatever spark Celeste grabbed onto. Maybe it's not Max's to have. Or, even to want.
He leans forward, stepping closer, pressing his body to Rusty's, lips close. Maybe they can. This once. )
[Once again, Rusty finds himself at a crossroads of things he could take and just allow to crash and burn behind him. His hand reflexively finds the other man's side, the first time he's actually touched him or even tried to bridge that gap. He tries to decide which side of the road he's going to wind up on.]
Max -
[The words die before he can get them out. He's not in a place to give anyone anything, at least not right now. He barely knows who he is anymore. He's spent so long just trying to survive, that what would a relationship even look like. Or maybe he's just thinking too hard about it because of who he is when all Max is looking for is catharsis.
The problem, in fact, is Rusty himself. The problem is that all of his practical experience is Celeste. Which isn't to say that she's the only person he's ever been with. There have been flings over the centuries, other women, other men. Puppy love relationships when he's young but before his memories awaken. But Celeste is the relationship that consumed him, and part of him worries that he will simply fall into the same patterns because Max shines the way Celeste did, and he doesn't know if he can trust himself to fall off that cliff again. And he has been used. He doesn't want to be someone who uses.
( He's going to be offended, like it's easy for him. Easy for Max Melraux. Everything comes easy to him. He isn't told no. But, Max also doesn't bring anything on someone that they don't want. He charmed for his parents and for the coven, not to get between somebody's legs or in their pants, so the vulnerability, the little drip of hope that emanates from his eyes - it's all Max. )
It doesn't have to mean anything. That wasn't my mother like I'm not Celeste.
[And he does know that. He's seen more than enough evidence to the contrary at this point, which is why he's allowed himself to be drawn, rather than dismissing him out of hand - or more to the point, killing him outright. Because he would have, early on, if he found himself betrayed again.
Things are different now, and things are more complicated, and he can't promise himself that he'd draw those lines, and the way Max is looking at him ... no. They could tell themselves that it would mean nothing, but Rusty isn't in the habit of lying to himself. Not anymore.]
And I know it doesn't. But can you really say it won't?
( There isn't. There's also admittance. But, neither man is budging, nor moving closer, nor removing a strategically placed hand. Max is breathing with him. But, he's not daring him. )
He also can see the pattern, the easy way he was hooked because the person with the proverbial power in the situation didn't push him away. Which doesn't absolve him of his own choices, but he can't help but think about how better his life would have been if she had just let him go find himself on his own instead of letting him use her as an anchor.
The hand on his side tightens it's grip, ever so slightly, before gently pushing him back, putting some space between them, before letting it him go.]
( They're covered - for now - by several comatose people connected to him, and yes, he and his sister, connected to him as long as he's wearing that bracelet. )
Nope. Think Ezra would know where he might go to ground?
[It seems to be the most efficient, though they likely are not the same, as they probably broke up a long time ago given how long David and Ezra have been married.]
[Rusty lets him go, letting the final words sink in because they're not wrong. But he will manage.
He has time to figure things out now.
He continues to wait until Bela emerges and gives him leave to go. Once done, he climbs into his car and begins to drive, getting a good distance from the compound before pulling over and pulling out his phone.
He doesn't know what time it is, wherever Rhett is, but he'll call him all the same.]
[Because he needs to say it to someone who will get it, someone who's lived through the rebirths and restarts and who actually cares about him. Not that he thinks Max doesn't on some level, but he doesn't know him. Not the way Rhett does.]
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praevaricatio) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
everyonelives2025-10-11 07:15 am
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There are so many options. He'll have to really think on it, though part of him just wants to go back to the cafe for a while.
But naturally, Max manages to catch him before he can do that. He knows that they need to have this conversation, but also he desperately doesn't want to have it.]
What about?
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( He's snarky. He can't not be snarky. He's also trying here. Again. Kind of. He will try. )
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But let's talk about Celeste. Celeste is easier.]
I grew up in her house. I was a ward of her uncle, and they were teaching me magic. I fell in love with her when I was young and stupid and allowed her to lead me on until it ended with my daughter dead by her hand and me cursed to an eternity of her and her husband hunting me down and murdering me.
I thought she loved me, but I was just a tool she was keeping on the string until I outlived my usefulness - or more to the point, dared to disagree with her.
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( Over and over again. )
I'm sorry about your daughter, but the curse is done now, right? She had to die? Or did they all have to die?
( Or was it tied to the Gemini? )
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The only way to break my curse is to die of natural causes in old age. To live a full life.
[Which he has space to do.]
I can't guarantee what will happen tomorrow. I could still be hit by a bus or drown or something else but at least my former friends won't be looking to do me in before I hit fifty anymore.
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( At least. That's lame. )
Where are you going to go?
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[He hasn't really thought things through that far.]
I have some things I need to tie up in Hershey that will take time. And I have some family that's setting up shop on the West Coast as of late. But ... beyond that I haven't decided.
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He leans forward, stepping closer, pressing his body to Rusty's, lips close. Maybe they can. This once. )
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Max -
[The words die before he can get them out. He's not in a place to give anyone anything, at least not right now. He barely knows who he is anymore. He's spent so long just trying to survive, that what would a relationship even look like. Or maybe he's just thinking too hard about it because of who he is when all Max is looking for is catharsis.
The problem, in fact, is Rusty himself. The problem is that all of his practical experience is Celeste. Which isn't to say that she's the only person he's ever been with. There have been flings over the centuries, other women, other men. Puppy love relationships when he's young but before his memories awaken. But Celeste is the relationship that consumed him, and part of him worries that he will simply fall into the same patterns because Max shines the way Celeste did, and he doesn't know if he can trust himself to fall off that cliff again. And he has been used. He doesn't want to be someone who uses.
So in the end, what comes out is:]
- this isn't easy for me.
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It doesn't have to mean anything. That wasn't my mother like I'm not Celeste.
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[And he does know that. He's seen more than enough evidence to the contrary at this point, which is why he's allowed himself to be drawn, rather than dismissing him out of hand - or more to the point, killing him outright. Because he would have, early on, if he found himself betrayed again.
Things are different now, and things are more complicated, and he can't promise himself that he'd draw those lines, and the way Max is looking at him ... no. They could tell themselves that it would mean nothing, but Rusty isn't in the habit of lying to himself. Not anymore.]
And I know it doesn't. But can you really say it won't?
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( There isn't. There's also admittance. But, neither man is budging, nor moving closer, nor removing a strategically placed hand. Max is breathing with him. But, he's not daring him. )
Rus...
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He also can see the pattern, the easy way he was hooked because the person with the proverbial power in the situation didn't push him away. Which doesn't absolve him of his own choices, but he can't help but think about how better his life would have been if she had just let him go find himself on his own instead of letting him use her as an anchor.
The hand on his side tightens it's grip, ever so slightly, before gently pushing him back, putting some space between them, before letting it him go.]
Some questions are better left unanswered.
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Guess I'll be the one living rent free in your head, then.
( And vice versa.
He doesn't wait for a retort or a goodbye, just fades away and out of his view and he leaves Rusty alone in the parking lot.
Serena slaps her wife's ass and takes over the yelling and orders.
Max finds his sister halfway up the steps out back. )
Looking for me?
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Hallewell's gone.
[Which maybe was part of Max's plan all along, but she wanted to make her displeasure known.]
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How long ago?
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[Which is a wider swath of time than she'd like.]
It's possible he could have just been waiting for the bodies to start dropping and slipped out in the blood bath.
[She's not going to get on his case about Rusty, but she will ask:]
You good?
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( They're covered - for now - by several comatose people connected to him, and yes, he and his sister, connected to him as long as he's wearing that bracelet. )
Rusty's out. Any sign of my husband?
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[It seems to be the most efficient, though they likely are not the same, as they probably broke up a long time ago given how long David and Ezra have been married.]
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( He figures something. )
And he can't have gotten far, or both of our hands would be open wounds right now. Means he's still in the radius.
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He has time to figure things out now.
He continues to wait until Bela emerges and gives him leave to go. Once done, he climbs into his car and begins to drive, getting a good distance from the compound before pulling over and pulling out his phone.
He doesn't know what time it is, wherever Rhett is, but he'll call him all the same.]
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( Rhett checks the time, sitting up and glancing over at a sleeping Scarlett.
He closes the bedroom door behind him, clad in his black silk pajamas with white outlining.
He takes a seat on his other son's couch, stifling a yawn. )
Everything okay?
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[Because he needs to say it to someone who will get it, someone who's lived through the rebirths and restarts and who actually cares about him. Not that he thinks Max doesn't on some level, but he doesn't know him. Not the way Rhett does.]
They're all dead.
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( The entirety? )
You, my dear boy, are free.
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[He lets out a dry laugh.]
But fuck if I know what I'm going to do with it.
[Freedom had never seemed truly achievable, but now that it is ... how do you start a life in the middle? (Or in his case, at the very, very end.)]
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