for the rest of us death will be a relief

[praevaricatio]

Comments

[fullofdynamite]

They weren't exactly forthcoming on the details.

[His fingers flex around the glass.]

And our portion of the ceremony was interrupted so maybe it didn't take.

[richrisque]

Maybe, but you ran away from the only people you could ask. Probably. I could do a little digging in the meantime. Put some feelers out.

( Maybe ask his mom without involving him. )

In the meantime, you need to get some sleep. Do you want your usual room?

[fullofdynamite]

[He isn't sure he trusts any of them which is also part of the problem. But that's probably a better problem for an Elton who's had some sleep.]

Yeah, if that's okay.

[He knows he hasn't been the most reliable lately, but he would rather sleep somewhere he feels safe. He stands a higher chance of actually getting sleep that way.]

[richrisque]

Done.

( She lets the moment drag on before she leans over again, grabbing the bottle and her glass this time, filling her own and then his. )

Lucas' parents were brought in to help with your future prom dresses. Not them, specifically, but other members. Your bodies weren't the only ones on the line. Because they were involved, he was returned to them, along with another girl's parents. Dean Winchester has a girlfriend, apparently, but I'll believe it when I see it.

[fullofdynamite]

Yeah. It's Elena fucking Gilbert.

[He caught a quick glimpse of them having a moment as he was making his way you. He reaches for his freshly filled drink and tips his head to the side.]

Do you think putting two death magnets together actually reverses the process?

[That's mostly sarcasm, but also given precedent maybe it's a little true.]

[richrisque]

I believe that ancient witches have strange senses of humor.

( And a lot of failsafes. )

Fucking Elena Gilbert. How do you know about her?

[fullofdynamite]

She's the Petrova Doppelganger and you've met my mother. Even if she was never going to use her for anything, she likes having information.

[Or at least he hopes that his mother doesn't have any plans involving doppelganger blood. Not after how this evening went for the Inner Circle.]

Her and Katherine Pierce have been floating around for a while.

[A beat.]

Unless you mean how do I know about her and Dean, and it's because he's the knight in shining armor who rode to her rescue.

[richrisque]

Yeah. The latter.

( But, good to know his mother has one eye on her. )

Elena Gilbert was invited to prom?

[fullofdynamite]

Elena Gilbert was the ... prom crown?

[Is there a proper comparison that fits with this analogy.]

She was the upgrade to the ascension ceremony. Her blood was part of the spell that wasn't just going to allow them to highjack our bodies but also make us immortal in the process.

[richrisque]

Ah, the piéce de resistance.

( She smirks, shaking her head. )

And Dean Winchester, naturally, brought his brother and who knows who else because when you go after one of them...

[fullofdynamite]

His brother, Elena's brother, I want to say Allison Argent?

[It looked like Allison Argent, so he doesn't really know her.]

And then throw in Stefan Salvatore and Elijah Mikaelson for good measure.

[richrisque]

They really have friends in high places. The Argents working with the Winchesters now. I heard there were sightings of each of them in New Orleans, but they weren't reported being together.

( Maybe that was deliberate on their part. )

Well, Stefan Salvatore, because of the obvious. Elijah signals that Dean Winchester has finally gotten over his Bela grudge. Also, that he knows Bela's even alive.

At this point, I want to know who wasn't there.

[fullofdynamite]

Actually, I think Bela was there on other business.

[She seemed to have an in with David Gainor, though what is yet to be determined.]

That may have just been a coincidence.

[richrisque]

Your wedding was a regular who's who. Was Elena Gilbert on the groom's side or the groom's side?

( Give her just a little more ribbing time and then they'll get down to it. Also, he's so tense. He needs a smile. )

[fullofdynamite]

It wasn't a wedding.

[There's barely any fight in that, but he's not calling it that, he won't. Even if it absolutely one hundred percent was.]

And she wasn't there.

[So he doesn't know.]

[richrisque]

Wow, you are really down deep. Okay. You're not going to be any good like this. Because I need Elton with solutions, not whatever this ( she gestures, circling her palm in front of him. ) is. So, take that bottle, by the time you get up to your room, it will ready for you. You can even take the bottle, but tomorrow morning, I need you in fighting shape. This isn't over and maybe you can't see it right now, but, you're going to have something on your hands. And you need sleep. And a shower. I'll keep the boys away, but I can't guarantee you won't have brothers in your living room tomorrow.

[fullofdynamite]

Fine.

[The grumbling is half-hearted, but he will take the bottle because yes. He's not done getting drunk tonight. If he has to suffer Ken and Hiro with a hangover tomorrow so be it.

He gets to his feet, still sober enough to do that on his own, before he glances over at his stepsister and nods.]

Thanks.

[richrisque]

You won't thank me tomorrow. But, I'll take it now. Go. Or, do you want a more handsome escort. I'm closing down the bar tonight. I could call Valentine.

( Head of security. )

[fullofdynamite]

[He shakes his head, before turning to head back to the elevator.]

No. I can make it to my room just fine.

[He can navigate a casino, thanks. He'll wait to get very drunk until after he gets to the room.]

[richrisque]

( Her bar is still empty, however, so she can stay on this side and dial her boyfriend's number. Because. Sigh. )

[abad_influence]

[Lucas smiles when he sees her name on his phone, answering as soon as he sees it.]

Bored at work already?

[richrisque]

Oh, I would be, if my long lost step-brother hadn't reenacted a platonic Casablanca. ...Admittedly, that one got away from me. Elton is upstairs. And ma -

( She brings the phone down, typing back )

married.

[abad_influence]

Married? Does his mother know?

[Lucas met Mrs. Zhao a grand total of once and he thinks he would be happy if he was never in her presence again.]

She's going to be pissed if not.

[richrisque]

Not like that kind of married, if I correctly made sense of his story and from what Felicity is messaging about. Think more, ceremonial, less God. Zero romance. What we wouldn't have.

( Infodump and flirt! )

[abad_influence]

Oh, so you've been thinking about our wedding? Good to know.

[He has not because, well. Hunter. He figured if he ever got married it would be a Vegas wedding chapel or something small. Then he fell in love with Emi, and ... well, expectations adjusted.

The Azumas don't do anything small and they certainly wouldn't do a Vegas chapel.]

Is Elton okay?