["Oh yes. Well ... biologically speaking, at least. I'm sure there were a few up there who felt things we didn't have words for at the time." Feelings for which theater was an outlet and a restriction all at the same time. "Women weren't allowed on the stage officially until 1660."
Erica makes a face because how do you explain the alpha thing.]
Well, it depends on the kind of werewolf you are. For my kind of werewolf it's a little more direct. An alpha is more powerful than a beta werewolf, their eyes are red, and they can turn other people into werewolves. But in Hayley's case it's more of an honorific? They choose who the alpha of their pack is, but otherwise they're all the same kind of werewolf.
[She pauses.]
Maybe Hayley's a bad example because she's also a vampire.
[Sophie smiles before giving a shrug. "This has always been my stage. Eliot can attest to the fact that I haven't always been the most compelling artist on stage." Mostly because it's hard to find the truth in herself. But she is good at bringing it out of other people.
Erica glances over her shoulder, making sure that Scott or Derek aren't about to walk through the door to get her before shrugging.]
It's weird. My friends are all so much older than me now, and in different places so they feel more like trusted adults than actually friends? So I have to make new ones, and then I've been gone for so long that I'm not sure if I should like ... go see my parents? Or just let them keep thinking I'm ... you know. They didn't know I was a werewolf or anything.
[For some reason, it's easier to say all of that to a veritable stranger than it would be to say it to her actual friends.]
("You're compelling when and where it counts," he says, leaning in.
Gray looks in the direction Erica does, before turning his attention back to her. )
As someone who's one half of a sibling pair with parents who aren't our parents, I'm probably not the person to ask. But, I've seen parents... They understand. In time. If that's something you want. It helps that those friends of yours -- they could help. But, it depends on if you want to go back, want to tell them, or, leave them in the dark, to their lives. It's day one, right? Or, two? You have time.
["Exactly." Sophie will meet that lean, energy matching energy. "It keeps things interesting. I've also gotten much more into direction as of late."
Erica nods, because he does have a point.]
Yeah, I guess I do. Davina says there's no take-back clause in the magic that brought me here, so I guess I have all the time in the world to figure it out.
[She still doesn't know if her parents are an option worth taking. From what Isaac's told her, they buried her, grieved her. It doesn't seem worth opening that old wound just yet, as much as she may want to. They might not believe her anyway.
She'll see how she feels after everything in Mystic Falls.
But before she can elaborate on that, Josie's head pops around the door, giving Sophie a wave, and a more surprised wave at Damon before heading over to Erica. "Hey. You all set?"]
Yep, I'm good. Oh, Josie this is Gray and Stephanie.
[She points back to where Stephanie is finishing up with Breanna over her shoulder. She introduces them because everyone is new to her so she assumes that everyone is also new to everyone else.]
("Think you can direct my kids into not getting into trouble while I run an errand?"
Not that they'll get far without him or Sophie or these new identities. But, he's gotta ask. )
...Longer you do spend it here, the more they might feel about you being back and not contacting them. If that comes up. ( But, his expression lets her know he's only giving unwanted advice. Who is he to say what she should or shouldn't or even could do.
Damon pops an eyebrow up and gives his patented multiple-fingered wave.
Gray - well, his Josie is older by - if he did math correctly. Several years? More than a decade? )
["Of course." Then she pauses. "They may know how to pick locks and crack safes by the time you return but they won't get arrested."
As far as Damon's concerned, those may just be practical life skills.
Erica does acknowledge his point, but she's also not going to agree or disagree just yet. It's not like her parents are going to be looking for her in New Orleans.
Josie however, nods in surprise.]
Yeah, that's me.
[She then blinks as she looks at him.]
You look familiar. Do you go to Tulane?
[She doesn't quite realize that she's recognizing pieces of Damon and Elena just yet. She's just confused.]
("The blonde that talks a mile a minute and that's staring at me but thinks I don't know she's staring at me?" he asks, not looking up above to the balcony where Parker is currently perched, hand in a cereal box.
Gray, less confused, sighs. )
Yeah. My sister and I both are. Stephanie is over there finishing up with Brianna. And Damon -- this is going to sound crazy, just, fair warning. He's our dad.
[Sophie nods. "That's the one. Check for your wallet before you leave. It's a right of passage."
Josie's eyes go wide, and she glances back to Damon again, and fights down the first few questions she has, namely being 1) How???? and 2) When????? and settles just to work with the most pertinent.]
( Parker grins, fishes his wallet out of the cereal box like he's found a prize and tosses it down into Damon's awaiting hands.
"How'd she do that?"
Wasn't she up there? The entire time? Her mom. This is one of those land mines he and his sister are going to encounter. ) It was great. You were doubling a visit to see your sister and her husband. I think our parents were grateful for the break. They don't really fly international.
["She's the best thief in the world," Sophie replies. "She doesn't give away her secrets for free."
Aww, Lizzie's married. Part of Josie wants to ask who it is. She wants to ask it she's seeing anyone. But there's also part of her that doesn't help but feel like that's spoilers.]
Good. Glad I could pay it forward. Are you going back to Mystic Falls to see Elena?
[Sophie lifts her drink in agreement, and she will keep an eye on them. If nothing else by the time he returns, anything stolen they'll be able to steal back.
She nods.]
Right. Erica, too, which is why we were going shopping. Are you coming back to New Orleans after? Damon's been living here for a while.
Oh. Right. You want to know about her? That won't be weird?
( He's never been a shopper, anyway. And shopping with his younger aunt and the hot werewolf girl - and his sister - yeah, he'd rather feel whole, with an identity today.
[She has her own story to tell, but it could be fun to peak at someone else's. She then takes Erica's hand as they turn to head to the door.]
We'll see you around.
[And with that, she and Erica will head out the door while Breanna gets ready to set Gray up. Stephanie eyes up curiously, if there's something he wants to talk about, but she wait to see if he actually wants to talk.]
We don't have a choice. We may not know this version of him, but he's our dad. I at least trust that. If there are answers there, then, we stay on our best behavior, let all sleeping dog secrets lie unless directly asked - we'll survive it.
( Because they have each other. Yuck. He did not say that part out loud. )
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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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We don't know all that much about werewolves, other than what we've read. But, I didn't read anything about an alpha. How does the alpha thing work?
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Erica makes a face because how do you explain the alpha thing.]
Well, it depends on the kind of werewolf you are. For my kind of werewolf it's a little more direct. An alpha is more powerful than a beta werewolf, their eyes are red, and they can turn other people into werewolves. But in Hayley's case it's more of an honorific? They choose who the alpha of their pack is, but otherwise they're all the same kind of werewolf.
[She pauses.]
Maybe Hayley's a bad example because she's also a vampire.
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Do crime?, he doesn't ask, not reflecting on what his kids think. )
We're going to take your word for it, ( Gray says, also without choice. ) How is it. Being back?
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Erica glances over her shoulder, making sure that Scott or Derek aren't about to walk through the door to get her before shrugging.]
It's weird. My friends are all so much older than me now, and in different places so they feel more like trusted adults than actually friends? So I have to make new ones, and then I've been gone for so long that I'm not sure if I should like ... go see my parents? Or just let them keep thinking I'm ... you know. They didn't know I was a werewolf or anything.
[For some reason, it's easier to say all of that to a veritable stranger than it would be to say it to her actual friends.]
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Gray looks in the direction Erica does, before turning his attention back to her. )
As someone who's one half of a sibling pair with parents who aren't our parents, I'm probably not the person to ask. But, I've seen parents... They understand. In time. If that's something you want. It helps that those friends of yours -- they could help. But, it depends on if you want to go back, want to tell them, or, leave them in the dark, to their lives. It's day one, right? Or, two? You have time.
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Erica nods, because he does have a point.]
Yeah, I guess I do. Davina says there's no take-back clause in the magic that brought me here, so I guess I have all the time in the world to figure it out.
[She still doesn't know if her parents are an option worth taking. From what Isaac's told her, they buried her, grieved her. It doesn't seem worth opening that old wound just yet, as much as she may want to. They might not believe her anyway.
She'll see how she feels after everything in Mystic Falls.
But before she can elaborate on that, Josie's head pops around the door, giving Sophie a wave, and a more surprised wave at Damon before heading over to Erica. "Hey. You all set?"]
Yep, I'm good. Oh, Josie this is Gray and Stephanie.
[She points back to where Stephanie is finishing up with Breanna over her shoulder. She introduces them because everyone is new to her so she assumes that everyone is also new to everyone else.]
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Not that they'll get far without him or Sophie or these new identities. But, he's gotta ask. )
...Longer you do spend it here, the more they might feel about you being back and not contacting them. If that comes up. ( But, his expression lets her know he's only giving unwanted advice. Who is he to say what she should or shouldn't or even could do.
Damon pops an eyebrow up and gives his patented multiple-fingered wave.
Gray - well, his Josie is older by - if he did math correctly. Several years? More than a decade? )
My sister. Josie Saltzman?
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As far as Damon's concerned, those may just be practical life skills.
Erica does acknowledge his point, but she's also not going to agree or disagree just yet. It's not like her parents are going to be looking for her in New Orleans.
Josie however, nods in surprise.]
Yeah, that's me.
[She then blinks as she looks at him.]
You look familiar. Do you go to Tulane?
[She doesn't quite realize that she's recognizing pieces of Damon and Elena just yet. She's just confused.]
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No -- sorry, your unc -- Damon didn't -- ( He looks up, this is awkward. Looks away. ) Why are you here?
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Josie's face softens as she glances back over to Damon, confused, before looking back to him.]
My girlfriend's mom asked us to help Erica get settled. We're going shopping. Are you also part of all this?
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Gray, less confused, sighs. )
Yeah. My sister and I both are. Stephanie is over there finishing up with Brianna. And Damon -- this is going to sound crazy, just, fair warning. He's our dad.
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Josie's eyes go wide, and she glances back to Damon again, and fights down the first few questions she has, namely being 1) How???? and 2) When????? and settles just to work with the most pertinent.]
Who's your mom?
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Gray sucks in a breath. )
Elena Gilbert. He's human. In... our world. And you're older. You're our aunt Jo. You took us to Switzerland once.
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Oh, that makes sense.
[In some weird, roundabout way that only their world would make sense in. She's curious about how things landed there.]
I don't think I've ever been Jo. That's always been my mom, and people would just get confused.
[A beat.]
Was it a good trip?
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"How'd she do that?"
Wasn't she up there? The entire time? Her mom. This is one of those land mines he and his sister are going to encounter. ) It was great. You were doubling a visit to see your sister and her husband. I think our parents were grateful for the break. They don't really fly international.
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Aww, Lizzie's married. Part of Josie wants to ask who it is. She wants to ask it she's seeing anyone. But there's also part of her that doesn't help but feel like that's spoilers.]
Good. Glad I could pay it forward. Are you going back to Mystic Falls to see Elena?
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( Damon smirks, finishing off the last of his glass. "Make sure she doesn't steal from my kids," he says, finally, leaving everyone there. )
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She nods.]
Right. Erica, too, which is why we were going shopping. Are you coming back to New Orleans after? Damon's been living here for a while.
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( Maybe. )
We're all going shopping?
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[She gestures to her and Erica. She doesn't know if Damon will be okay with that.]
But if you're coming back, maybe we can hang out some more. You can tell me more about future me.
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( He's never been a shopper, anyway. And shopping with his younger aunt and the hot werewolf girl - and his sister - yeah, he'd rather feel whole, with an identity today.
Speaking of... )
I think it's my turn.
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[She has her own story to tell, but it could be fun to peak at someone else's. She then takes Erica's hand as they turn to head to the door.]
We'll see you around.
[And with that, she and Erica will head out the door while Breanna gets ready to set Gray up. Stephanie eyes up curiously, if there's something he wants to talk about, but she wait to see if he actually wants to talk.]
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( Breanna can say whatever she wants, listen in, he feels freer talking about everything. And his sister was giving him that look. )
I know I've been taking this really well, but, that may have finally taken me to my limit. Everything here is different.
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[Stephanie settles, studying her new ID as she's glad that her brother is finally catching up with her in terms of freak-out land.]
Sure you want to go back to Mystic Falls still?
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( Because they have each other. Yuck. He did not say that part out loud. )
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