William Brown

“Only because I didn’t want to hurt you. And don’t say I wouldn’t have because one minute I was talking to Evie and the next I killed her.” Which was obvious considering she was stood in front of him as a human. The point was, she hadn’t meant to do it, but she did. Aria didn’t want what she thought was her last hours to end with his death too. “… Okay?” She was surprised, it showed on her face. The fact he said yes so quickly had shocked her. “Well that’s not an issue, I can’t run very fast now and I won’t be doing it in designer boots. Next? …” She smiled. “Yes well you might have to fight your sister for her, Maddie has kept her alive every time I disappeared.” Aria smiled, pressing her hand against his chest. “I think you should take some time to think about it, Will. You’ve built a whole life here and I don’t want you to give all that up just for me. Friends, family, your job, hell, this is probably the longest you’ve been in one place for years, right?” Aria smiled. “I have a place in Ohama, Nebraska. I’ve had it for three years now. It’s a beautiful little place, I visit as often as I can, the locals actually know me now and I just thought… That’s where I wanna be. Somewhere people only know me as Aria and not anything else.”

William pursed his lips, knowing very well she was right. If he had stayed, he would probably be dead by now. Would be worth it? No. Aria would suffer from it until she’d meet her end. His sisters would suffer for the rest of their lives. It wasn’t fair to any of the three to do something that awful to them. He asked Evie to stay with her, and what he wished for was standing right in front of him, asking him to drop everything and follow her. Will smirked at the surprised look on her face, “And you can’t push me ten feet away like I was nothing either, so another win”, he said and then chuckled, “Maddie wasn’t the only one keeping Nox alive, you know. Besides, I’m planning on leaving my car with her, so she won’t complain that much”, he pointed out. Maddie would ‘borrow’ his car often, it would be good to leave something for her. His brows furrowed at her next words, tilting his head to the side as he thought of how long he’d been in Mystic Falls, and all the things that had happened, not only to him, but to his siblings and family. It didn’t take him too much time to make his mind up. His mind then went to all the hunts he had in Nebraska, near Ohama, which were few ones. Perhaps, this could be a chance for him too... He never thought it would be possible to drop the hunter life, but for a chance of being happy, of building a family with the woman in front of him, William would drop it, and leave everything behind. “Aria...”, he sighed and took her hand, kissing the palm. “All of my friends are either hunters or witches. Madeline spends more time with Leo and on solo hunts, and I know that as soon as Sofia takes the cure, she’ll fly to Donovan, and find some happiness and peace. Mystic Falls is one of the places I stayed the longest, yes. It’s also the place where a lot of shit happened to me, to my siblings, my whole family”, he stopped and looked down. “I want to try, Ohama. I want to be just William there. I can find a new job, build a new life. As long as I have you by my side, anything is possible”

Evie felt like it took her so long to find her way to Death and get herself back to her body. It was tedious at this point to say the least. Finally, she woke up to another unfamiliar surrounding. It was more homely than it had been in recent times but that didn’t make her entirely comfortable to trust where she was. She chose not to drink the water and took her time to quietly stretch out her body. She could hear some kind of movement in the house but she wasn’t entirely sure whereabouts. She walked quietly out in to the hall way and followed the sounds until she reached the kitchen and found Will. “Hey.” She breathed out. 

William had already heard walking into the kitchen before she called. “Hey back”, he said, his gaze breaking from the food he was cooking to watch her briefly before he nodded. “Are you hungry? I wasn’t sure if you do get hungry, and if the answer was positive, what you liked, so I decided for pancakes”, he said a bit shyly. How to say ‘thank you’ to the person who saved Aria’s life, and for that to happen had to die. Food seemed like a good ice breaker for any conversation, including that one. 

“Yeah, it’s like… 100 degrees in this town, who knew?” Slight exaggeration. The weather hadn’t bothered her in decades and now she got cold and hot, it didn’t seem like such a big thing but for her it was one more adjustment to add to the list. And there it was, that puppy dog expression she’d been dreading ever since she left. Talk about an effective guilt trip. “I know and I didn’t plan on-” She paused, shoved him and scowled. “You were wrong to ambush me with a freaky angel cure person. Wrong.” Aria pointed. “And you should know, it was an accident.” She sighed, figuring it was only fair that he knew the truth. “I thought she was someone else, attacked, then snapped back into reality and realised what I’d done.” Shifting on her feet, she shrugged. “I didn’t want this and when I woke up I totally freaked and I left. I had to go follow the yellow brick road and speak to a wizard.” She tilted her head, curving a little smirk on her lips. “A slightly murderous but surprisingly protective vampire wizard, actually.” Even though she’d exiled Marcel from her life after what he did, there was nobody who’s advice she took better. “I needed him to help me figure out what I wanted, because honestly, suicide, or running far away from here was still on the table.” Aria reached for his hands and squeezed. “Marcel helped me realise that maybe fate had cut me some slack, and I needed to cut myself some too. I decided I can get behind the idea of a new start… But not here.” She looked a little wary as she confessed, unsure how he felt about it. “I came back to ask you to consider.. moving, with me. I know it’s a lot to ask, uprooting everything you’ve built here, your sisters, friends… So I don’t need an answer right now, just know that if you wanted it, then I want you with me.”

William smirked, “Welcome to my world”, he said playfully and then just gazed down on her. His feelings about her, hadn’t changed. Vampire or human, that woman was the love of his life. He knew if he said it out loud, she would probably never forgive him, but he was happy that she was human, because now they could grow old together, and she wouldn’t break up with him because of their age. It was an egoistic thought, he couldn’t deny... But anyone who had met Aria would want the same thing. William pursed his lips as she paused and frowned when she shoved him. “Hey...”, he crossed his arms when she accused him of what he did, his pout growing bigger. “I wasn’t thinking clearly, alright? And you gave me no other choice, I wanted to be there with you, all the way till the end, but you had to threaten me and my family”, he retorted, but didn’t admit it was wrong of him to leave her alone with Evie. She spoke of following the yellow brick and wizards, and William didn’t understand a thing at first. From confusion to surprise, he gasped and unfolded his arms as she said she went to find Marcel. He was happy, and also proud that she met him, considering the last time they saw each other, Aria didn’t want to see the other vampire ever again. His heart clenched when she said she considered suicide, which was something he’d never be able to live with, knowing he was responsible for this. He could live with the fact that she’d run away, and never wanting to see him... If she was happy, then it was all worth. He pursed his lips, looking down at their hands. Will was sure she was saying goodbye, that she was going to start over somewhere away from him and Mystic Falls. So once she asked him to move in with her, his heart raced fast, and he looked into her eyes, searching for any hint that she’d be joking or anything. He nodded, thinking of Sofia and Maddie, Chester and Riley, his students... Distance was never a problem with his sisters, during hunts they’d spend time apart, he was used to it. He could videochat and visit his friends once in a while, and truth to be told, his students would miss him more than he’d miss them. He looked at Aria as he made up him mind. “Yes, under one, no... two conditions”, he said. “One, don’t run away”, he let go of her hands and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him, “If things get hard, we’ll handle whatever fate throw at us together”, he kissed her temple, “And we’re taking Nox with us”, he smiled. Will hadn’t had any pet before the cat, and he was used to have the black cat in his life.

It might have been sightly cruel to take off after she woke up human, but given that she had drained Evie through a hallucination, her nerves were shot. Aria didn’t want to be human, she’d made her decision and she was sticking to it, so what now? She did the only thing she ever did when she needed help; she returned home to Marcel. An incredibly surprised Marcel, for sure, but she knew he was the only one who had the ability to really get through to her when she couldn’t see the positive in her own mind. Just over a week later, she returned to Mystic Falls, much calmer than she was when she left. Human. Aria was still struggling to adapt and she knew, if she was going to do this, there was one person she wanted by her side. Without even knocking, she walked into Williams home and made a b-line for the J.D. and cola she knew she’d left in his kitchen. Her heart was racing, also a very odd feeling, and she began pouring her drink whilst she waited for him to come to see who came in. She felt guilty, did he think she had died? Probably, but hopefully seeing her would make up for that. 

“So apparently, I have the tolerance of a ten-year-old drinking shandy now, don’t let me have more than one of these.” Wiggling the whiskey bottle, she turned around to face him, breathing in a deep breath as she did. “… Hello.” Aria smiled, a little sheepishly for her usual expression range as she stepped around the counter. “Surprise?” She chuckled. “Hope you weren’t secretly hoping I was dead because if you were, we’re gonna have a problem.” She teased, an awfully soft smile curling onto her lips. @eldestbrownhunter​

Waiting was like a torture as William stayed home. Evienne’s words burned in the back of his mind. Killing her would be a merciful death. No, Will didn’t have that it takes to end Aria’s life, after all meeting her was the best thing that has happened in his life. Only thirty seconds had passed when he cheked the watch again, but it felt like it has gone way much longer than that. Making up his mind, he drove to Aria’s, expecting pretty much anything. He spotted Evie on the floor, and he quickly checked on her. Dead. He lost his breath and staggered back. She took it... She was human... His heart started racing... Where was she? He had no idea of what could be on her head now. Was she scared? Was she angry? Was she too pissed at him, by pushing her into a situation she never wanted to be in? “Aria?”, he called, and searched for her in every room, but he only found Nox. Her car wasn’t at sight either, so William figured she ran away. It was so Aria to run away when things got complicated. This is what he wished it happened. He was upset that Aria decided to run away, especially when she was a bit vulnerable now. But at least she was alive, right? That was the only thing he’d believe. Picking Evienne up, he craddled her against his chest and walked to the car, going back home.

He called and texted, but all he got back was silence. The following week went like a blur. William got on a closed off mode, grumpier than usual with the kids at school, and more ruthless and precise on the hunts. And every night before heading to bed, he’d text her. Maybe one day she’d reply back... Or maybe someone else would finally text him back, and he’d know she’d changed her number. With Madeline hanging out with Leo that night, he was alone in the house, so he searched for any unusual death, while listening to the police radio. A small hunt in the neighborhood would cheer him up a little, but it wasn’t like he would get any adrenaline rush that evening. Will grabbed his car keys while putting his jacket on. At least he could go and check on Nox, feed her nad make sure Aria’s place would still look the same by the time she’d be back. He heard the door opening, and someone inside the house. He imagined Maddie would be back, and he was about to invite ‘her’ to join him when he stopped on his heels, looking who exactly was in the kitchen. As she turned around, he swallowed dryly and lost his breath. There she was, joking, breathing, blushing... Talking to him and smiling. “Hi...”, he breathed, frowning. He didn’t have much sleep lately, she could be an hallucination, right? In the following seconds, his face went from shocking, to happiness... He took a few steps closer to her, and cupped her face gently, “You’re so warm”, William said with a small smile. She wasn’t a demon, or a shifter, or any monster tricking him by looking like the girl he loved. He knew the woman he was holding was his girl. He looked at her amazed, and then his face went from happiness to hurt. “I had no idea where you were, what you were feeling... I had no idea if you were facing this all by yourself, and I hated I couldn’t be there for you. Don’t you ever disappear like that again, please...”

Maybe she would be a little more flattered if it wasn’t for her own thoughts about this entire event. In her opinion it was overpriced and all for show. An all you can drink and eat banquet? As if that matched the sacrifices these soldiers made for everyone. When she heard a voice beside her, she turned her head after having been distracted by her friend dancing. Once she turned and noticed that the guy who had been watching her was now beside her at the bar, she lifted a silent, slightly accusing brow towards him. “If I tell you I am one of those girls would you leave me in peace?” It was a joke, she wasn’t that rude, especially not to a soldier or at least, not to one as cute as he was. Perhaps she was just making a point that she wasn’t here to bag herself a man, she didn’t even want to be here at all. “My dog is a Boxer hound that I rescued from a dogfighting ring.” With the help of her fellow fierce women, hell-bent on saving innocent dogs from brutal harm. “Poodles are fine for those much like the women here.” She was casual with her words as she slyly nodded to the corner, where four high-class women were actually stood, holding poodles and tiny dogs dressed in silly fur coats. It made her giggle and she relented with her seating and chose to twist on her stool to face him. “Personally I prefer a dog who likes to get a little rough out in the mud. So I don’t know anything about poodles and I don’t care which skirt appeared on the high-street today. This dress makes me itch, my hair is annoying me, I’m wearing make-up that doesn’t suit me and now I have this guy giving me those dreamy eyes like he’s got the ability to charm it all off.” Figuratively or literally, who knew - she certainly didn’t know just how on point her words were. Her whole expression was amused because she wasn’t saying she didn’t want his company, she was simply making a bold point that she was not going to sit here and be seduced by him. “That was me politely telling you that you won’t be taking my dress off tonight, if that wasn’t obvious.” She smirked, twisting to face him and then the bar, ordering herself another drink. 

William smirked at her joke, “Of course, but if you really were one of those girls, you’d probably be fawining over some guy already”, he pointed out and took a sip from his drink. He came off a bit cocky, but in that case, he knew he was right about her. Will watched her long enough to see how bothered she was by the whole event, just as much as he was. He listened to Aria, not expecting her story at all. He suspected she wouldn’t have a common dog like a poodlee, but rescuing one from a dogfigthing ring? It only peeked his interest on the girl. Not like seducing her, turning her into his private doll as vampires like James would. No, Aria was out of ordinary, a fresh spirit among the girls in the decade. He frowned lightly with her nod, his hazel eyes follwing the direction and looking at the women with their dogs, babbling with fellow soldiers. “What on earth are those dogs wearing?”, he questioned, shaking his head. He smiled at the sound of her giggle, liking how it sounds better standing this close to her. He held her gaze, standing tall and dignified. The war alone would change a man’s soul... The things he had seen in the battlefield, if he wasn’t so old and human, he wouldn’t be there in an event, chatting and dancing with people who had no idea of what a war looked like. If they really knew how much it costed to win the war... They wouldn’t be celebrating so expensively as the ball was. He laughed softly at the end of her speech, and looked up and now he was the one with the  accusing brow. If he wanted to take any dress off, he wouldn’t have compelled the blonde girl to walk away. “Honestly, I’d be disappointed if that happened. I have no such intention like many other men I see around. I was hoping you’d allow me to share your company tonight, so I wouldn’t have to call any other girl off, and in return you could be saved from any other guy who’d have second intentions about your itchy dress”

Aria made their order, seating herself at the bar, it took her friend all of two minutes to attract the attention of a handsome man and totally forget Aria was even here. “Yeah, fine, just drag me here then leave me.” She muttered as her blonde friend went off to dance. She didn’t mean it miserably though, it only made her laugh as she looked to the bartender. “I guess I’ll be having her drink too.” She smiled, content on just staying in her seat. She’d have a couple drinks and make her way home, her friend probably wouldn’t even notice. Aria glanced around, eyes falling onto the male she saw walking in, looking at her once again. Rather than looking away this time, she offered him a smile before she did. Part of her wanted to walk over, the other part of her was uncomfortable. She didn’t want to be here, in a dress that made her itch, make-up she was certain didn’t suit her and a pin in her hair that tugged every time she moved her head. Honestly? It made her sigh. She didn’t fit in, in fancy places like this, around people who thought a good time was polite chit chat and one glass of champagne that cost more than a three-course meal. She almost felt sad, and it showed on her face, how she longed to be elsewhere, preferably at home with her sister. Aria pulled the pin from her hair, letting her long brunette locks fall out around her face and shoulders, rubbing the back of her head where it had been digging in her scalp. “No, thanks, I’m gonna have this and go.” She shook her head as the bartender offered her a refill. “Maybe. Once I’m sure my friend over there is going home with a gentleman and not a sleaze with ten other girls at every port.” She added, bold as ever, she laughed, because she found herself quite funny. She found these girls here funny, the way they stumbled and battered their lashes at every man who looked their way, and then there was her, who just wanted to sink into her seat and not attract attention of any kind. Though, she couldn’t help but notice, there was still a pair of eyes on her, so she glanced over to him again, chuckling under her breath and looking back out at the crowd. He could look all he wanted, she wasn’t desperate, nor was she the kind of girl to make a move or fall at his feet like she assumed he expected, given his heroic status. 

William watched Aria from a safe distance, his gaze barely looking at the blonde girl talking to him. She wasn’t his type, and any girl with some decency would have already left if she noticed the guy wasn’t into it. He frowned when he glanced back at the brunette he was eyeing and realized she was all alone. His gaze searched through the room, daring any other to approach the girl he already claimed as his. His gaze landed back at Aria, and she made eye contact again. And her smile... Will smiled back at her, looking down at his drink when she looked away. Something about the way she wasn’t throwing herself at him, like her friend did with the guy she was dancing with, really picked his interest on her even more. The light sound of a sigh capture his full attention back at her. Was she sad? She was there at the bar, having a drink, but even from that distance, Will could see she wanted to be somewhere else. She pulled the pin from her, and it took all of his strenght to not vamp speed to her. How he wished he could be close to her, and take a deep breath and get drunk in her scent. He licked his lips, the picture of the girl in his arms, his hand brushing through the long locks. He was lost in scenarios in his mind, having her as his imortal lover when he tensed up. She couldn’t just leave... She was the most interesting person in the entire room. Will turned his gaze back to the babbling her in front of him, and locked her under his charm, “Why don’t you go to the restroom, and retouch the make up, doll”, he squeezed her shoulder gently and flashed her a smile while he watched her hurrying away and then he walked towards the bar. Still keeping a safe distance, he kept listening to her, and smiled at her joke. Even though her friend ditched her for some guy, she was still worried about her. Not only she was beautiful outside, she was caring and good inside. It would really be a shame to corrupt something so good and pure. They locked eyes again, and William took her chuckling as an invitation. He finally stood beside her, and called the bartender attention. “Scotch. Neat, please”, he asked and then casually turned his gaze back at her. “I need someone to save me from hearing another story about poodles and fashion. Don’t tell you’re also one of those kind of girls”, he sighed heavily. No, he knew she wasn’t like any other, but still, he had to pretend he hadn’t listen to every word she said from the moment she walked in.

“Yes, I know, I know, smile and be a lady.” Aria looked at her friend who had practically dragged her along to this party. Her eyes sparkled with amusement and a sigh free from any form of grief escaped her lips. “You know I left my sister for this? I promised her a full weekend together and instead, I’m here, with you, just so you can eyeball all the cute soldiers.” Aria giggled as her friend slapped her on the arm, walking through the doors to the event room. “Well maybe not all the cute soldiers, there’s at least one not looking at me.” Her friend prompted, nodding her head stubbly towards the dark-haired male. Naturally, her eyes followed, landing on the guy looking right at her. “Oh.” She could only whisper, an instant blush creeping onto her cheeks. She had to admit, at least to herself, the guy was a vision to look at. Maybe even hand-carved by God himself, but – “Alright, Lily-pops, I don’t need a man, we’re here to find you one.” Aria chuckled, pushing her friend towards the bar, unaware the male could hear their every word. “He is cute though.” She added. “But so is a double whiskey and cola, which is what my lips are really craving.” 

Damn, that blush on her cheeks made the girl look even more irresistible if it was possible. Her friend was a pale image compared to her and William pulled himself back from marching over them and introduce himself to the woman. He focused only her, and it didn’t take too long before he made himself familiar with the sound of her voice. Standing still on his place, gazing back at her, he smiled when she chuckled and moved towards the bar, saying what she thought of him. Will wasn’t surprised though, since every girl on the even seemed desperate to catch his attention. Still listening careful to Aria from the distance, he noticed the unusual order. Finishing the glass of champagne, he walked towards the room, standing closer to the girls on the bar, about ten feet distant. A blonde girl stood by his side, batting her eyelashes at him as she started a conversation. He had to admit, the girl knew what she wanted, and she wasn’t afraid to go and take it. But he only had eyes for the mysterious brunette at the bar.

He had lived enough to not care about something as meanless as a ball. People gossiped how out of place he looked in an event made to celebrate his heroic acts in war. But there wasn’t anything heroic about a vampire being in a war. he used his enhanced reflexes in his leverage, and feasted in his enemies’ blood. He was a predator, his body a deadly weapon hard to be killed. William was a menace to everyone in that ball, in a blink of an eye he could end the lives of all the guests and other war heroes present in that room. But even a carnage like that wouldn’t be enough to end the boredom he found himself watching all those people waltzing and chatting around him. He just wanted to go back into the shadows and disappear... Until they walked and the room somehow brightened up in her presence. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, nor he wanted to. There was something special about the girl, and he knew that by the end of the night he’d figure out what was it.

@splinteredsinner​

@madelinebrown​

“I don’t think it’s fair to ask me considering the circumstances.” Meaning, that she was dying, that telling him she would say yes, or no, didn’t matter because she wasn’t going to be here tomorrow. “I mean, in another life… Maybe. Because in another life, we wouldn’t be decades apart, you know?” Aria smiled. “In another life, we would have met when I was still human. When I was kind and gentle, when I loved the sunrise and not the sunset, bright colours and not black… When I had a family you could meet and a smile untainted by grief and pain. My Lottie, she had the biggest brown eyes, you would have liked her. Everyone did.” She sighed softly. “And I think you would have liked me better that way. I think I would have prefered to meet you back then, before I turned into what I am.” A soft frown spread across her face. Maybe he wouldn’t understand but what she meant was that, back then she wasn’t so defensive, she wasn’t mean, she was a ray of light that would be better suited to him. With the confusion, hallucinations and reality all crashing into one, she gripped at her head and screamed. “I said now!” Aria flashed to him, gripping his shirt and slamming him against the wall, veiny eyes and fangs on display, arm across his throat. “I don’t want to hurt you, Will, but if you stay, I’ll end up breaking your neck.” She was trying to scare him as much as she was showing him the reality that he wasn’t safe with her. 

“You know what’s not fair. All these circumstances”, William retorted. This how they should end. He imagined he’d have a couple more of years before they split paths. She would still be a vampire, beautiful and distant, and he would keep hunting things, until one of them ended him. He was probably going to be a memory in a couple of years to her, maybe she’d forget about him in a decade, if he worth to be remembered that far. She would live more adventures and rule another town, while he knew he would never be able to settle down, because no other woman he could be with would be her. “Maybe”, he smiled a bit and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, “Maybe I’ve already met that version of you”, he said, “That time I took you to the zoo, right after you had your humanity back on. I went to buy us popcorn, and when I turned to walk back to you, I saw your with that little girl. She was scared and lost, and you smiled to her, and I saw the way you calmed her down until her parents found her. When I came back to you, I pretended I didn’t see you, I think I said the line was too long or something...”, he chuckled, “I have never seen you that soft before, it was like all that burden you carry upon your shoulders had disappeared for those couple of minutes” he shared his little secret, “I’m sure I’d be in love with every version of you, Aria Hale. This conection I feel to you is deeper than anything”, he said and then frowned with the confusion look on her face. Was she in pain? He leaned to join her, ignoring her scream, and then he felt his back against the wall. His first instinct was to defend himself, break her neck... Correction, if he had a vampire flashing fangs while he was against a wall, he would probably stake right into the heart. But a vampire never had told him they didn’t want to hurt him before. “Fine...”, he mumbled defeated. His conversation with Evienne flashed in his head, he couldn’t die with her, not when Sofia and Madeline needed him. “Just let me...”, he took her arm from his throat and wrapped around his waist. One last moment... One last time with her in his arms. That was all he needed. He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her close to him. He took a deep breath, taking in the scent of her hair, his skin memorizing how she’d feel against him. He rubbed her back softly and whispered, “Thank you, for some of the happiest, craziest, and fullest years in my life”, he kissed the top of her head and then pulled away, “I’ll never forget you, Aria Hale”, he said looking in her eyes, and then nodded. He had to leave at that exact moment before he changed his mind, before he allowed the love of his life kill him right there if he decided to stay. He pulled away from her and didn’t look back as he walked from the room.

“Fucked up, isn’t it?” She shrugged. “I never asked for any of this. I just wanted to be among the humans. I wanted humanity and I got this.” She sighed but ended up shaking her head. “No problem, and just be careful. Vampires with werewolf venom are pretty dangerous when the hallucinations hit. Wouldn’t want you to go all this way to get killed at the final hurdle.”

“Yeah”, William agreed. It seemed that everything about angels were all fucked up, “I’m sorry, that this happened to you. If we have free will, so should you angels have too”, he said, eyes on the road as they approached Aria’s. Will nodded, “Thank you, I’ll remember that”, he promised and climbed off from the car. He hated to admit this, but if it came to Aria threatening him, the chances of getting himself killed were high, and if he was alone in this world, he’d go with her... But he wouldn’t be stupid to leave his sisters alone on this damned town.

-

He had no idea for how long he had stayed inside the house, but as he walked back to the car, he had his sight blurred with the tears. Leaving her behind hurt him like hell, but he knew it’d hurt Aria harder if she was responsible for his death. Shutting the door hard on his side, he look down, avoiding eye contact with Evienne while he was fucking angry. “She doesn’t want it”, he said after a moment, “She wants to die, she thinks she deserves to die as a vampire, that she didn’t deserve to be happy”, he let a bitter laugh out. Hazel eyes finally turned to Evienne, “I know you have nothing to do with it, but can you stay with her? Talk to her... I just don’t want her to be alone when she’s gone”

“She’s the one who wants it.” She counter-argued, but her tone was gentle. She was tired. Fed up of talking to someone who didn’t listen and annoyed that he would take a cure to her over his own sibling, the person who actually wanted it. “Evienne?” Aria frowned and continued to do so until he explained that the cure was in-fact, a woman. She wasn’t opposed to draining someone but in this case, as long as her willpower and sanity allowed her, she would continue to refuse. Aria sighed quietly, looking down at her palms as he spoke. He was sweet. More than. A good man, someone she didn’t deserve. He never gave up and he always forgave her. Loved her in spite of what she was and the things she’d done. “You’re right, you are being selfish.” Lifting her eyes up to him, she brought a knee to her chest and rested her arm on it. “I’ve told you numerous times I don’t want the cure and I won’t take it if I had the choice and you think a romantic, sappy speech is going to change that?” Aria tilted her head and smiled; soft and tired of.. everything. “But I get it. I understand why. It’s just who you are. You don’t give up.” She added, falling silent until quiet laughter broke out. “You know, you really sounded like you were trying to propose?” Aria scooted from the floor and crawled towards him, sitting opposite with her shins tucked under her legs. “I need to ask you, right now, if there was a choice between a cure for the bite..” meaning, Klaus’s blood. “or the cure for vampirism… which?” She asked. “Which would you want me to take?” Aria sucked in a deep breath and raised a hand up to his cheek. “You talk about acceptance but you’re lying to yourself. To me. You accept me the way I am only because of the hope that there’s a way out. Because deep down. you want this. You want me to be human, because that fits in with your perfect life… You know, the one you trick yourself into thinking we could have?” Her tone twisted and her mind fuzzed over, the wolf bite causing her fourth hallucination where she could only see William as a stranger. Aria shot up, vampire speed to the other end of the room. Her hands pressed against the wall she was leaned on and she shook her head, again and again until reality returned. “Get out.” She grumbled. She didn’t want him to see her this way. “Get out!” Aria repeated, yelling louder. “Marcel is on his way… He’s the only one I want here.” She mumbled, lying but of course, just trying to get him out of harm’s way. 

“Aria...”, he sighed, giving up on the topic. Sofia wanted the cure, but Aria was the one who needed the most. No matter how many times she said it, William couldn’t understand why she’d refuse this unique chance for a fresh start, for a happy life with him and his family. Despite how he’d usually feel when called selfish, this time he didn’t regret being it. He listened to her, a sad smile forming on his lips at her question. “No, I didn’t think it would work, but it was worth a try”, he said and looked down. She was right about one thing, he didn’t give up. He almost did, but he didn’t give up on her when he found out what she was, nor when she turned her humanity off... He came and looked after her when she got her humanity back, and he had been happy with her since them. He wouldn’t label her as his girlfriend, Aria was a force of nature, and she belonged only to herself. No, she was the woman of his life, no woman would be good enough for him after her. Hazel eyes turned and looked up to her, “Really? If I would propose, what would you answer?”, he joked. William Brown proposing to a vampire... He almost summoned a demon, to ask if Hell was frozen, because that was exactly what he thought that happened when he considered the idea of marrying the woman in front of him. Her question brought him back to the night Sofia turned. She didn’t want to complete the transition, and he respected her choice. But Maddie... She begged the contrary, she wanted her big sister still alive somehow, she didn’t want to lose another loved one. He remembered how broken he felt when he thought Sofia was gone. It was like losing a part of himself, and Will realized he couldn’t lose anyone else. Her hand upon his cheek made a single tear running down, and he quickly wipped it off. He realized he wasn’t only being selfish, but also hypocrite. After the Halloween party, after feeling how being a vampire was like, he knew he didn’t want it, he’d rather die than complete the transition. He would just be gone, exactly what Aria was planning on doing. “I’m scared ok? I can’t lose you too”, he whispered, looking at her through his eyelashes. “Aria... Please, don’t start a fight”, Will sighed. His life was far from being perfect. He had brought the possibility of her taking the cure a couple of times, but that was it... He was content on living the present, on enjoying every little moment with her. But one way or another, he would lose her. She wouldn’t stay when he was old, if he survived that long... She would probably leave as soon as the first grey hair showed. At least, with the cure of vampirism, there was a real chance they could stay together for eyes. He frowned as her tone changed, and by the time he got up, she was on the other side of the room. “No! I’m not leaving”, he said firmly, he wouldn’t leave her, not when she was like this. He was surprised when she said Marcel was on his wya. It meant one thing... She had made her choice. “That’s good. But I can’t leave you. I’ll wait till he is here, and then I’ll leave you two alone”, he ignored Evienne’s advice on being careful when Aria was hallucinating. He trusted his hunter reflexes to stop her from doing anything to harm him, or herself.