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@elijahsteele

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9-1-1 | S09E12 : Dads and Cads
ALL AMERICAN 6.01 Things Done Changed
ultimate ship meme // declarations of love âłÂ Nick Zhao & Lily Diaz (With Love)
Psych â 6.09: Neil Simon's Lover's Retreat

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âł endless hosie scenes 1/â
Community (2009â2015) 3.16: âVirtual Systems Analysisâ
Juliet's first instinct was to panic. If Elijah was here, that meant Benji certainly was. Surely they couldn't have left Alicante by their own instruction, not with guardian numbers dwindling by the day. Either they'd broken the rules, which seemed ridiculous, or the elders had authorised a scouting mission to Alexandria. Which meant it wasn't safe for her here, it meant they were watching. She'd barely gotten one foot in the door, and she was already having to debate fleeing again. Juliet's mind ran a mile a millisecond, failing to understand how this was possible, and debating whether she could even trust Elijah right now.
But the chaos in Juliet's mind disappeared as quickly as it'd arrived. The second Eli embraced her, she felt all that doubt and paranoia and fear fall away, as though he'd siphoned it directly from her. She refound her place in his arms, settling into the warmth he provided. He smelt good, but she felt no hunger, too distracted by his sentiment to struggle with bloodlust. "I missed you too. So much." Her emotions, now heightened by her vampirism, were hard to subdue, and her eyes welled up as a result, dampening the fabric covering Elijah's shoulder.
Juliet had a thousand questions, but she allowed herself this minute before seeking answers, desperate for the physical contact. It had been years since anyone outside of Troyan had hugged her, or offered words of affirmation. It'd been an unfillable void, a longing, a dull, constant ache. She'd died, and she'd been denied her friends. She hadn't even gotten a goodbye, and had been left wondering what they thought of her. Clearly, it wasn't as negative as she'd made herself believe. This wasn't shame, or disappointment. There was no love lost here, the soothing rubs on her back could attest to that. Elijah hadn't shown an ounce in hesitation at flinging himself towards a vampire. He'd said so little, yet healed so much.
Elijah was unsure how long they remained in eachother's arms, but it certainly extended past the usual limit. It didn't matter, they both needed it. Eventually, he had to pull away, tugging his sleeve down so that he could wipe the moisture from Juliet's cheeks with it, ignorant to the fact that he was sniffling himself. "Hey, it's okay. This is a happy day." Juliet opened her mouth to protest, so Elijah quickly shook his head to interrupt her, trying to place himself in her shoes. "I will explain everything, I promise, but I want you to know before all of that â you are safe here, Jules. I'll keep you safe. We all will," he nodded along with his promise, aiming to reassure her. They hadn't even been allowed a single protest against her banishment, but that didn't stand here. This was vampire territory, not Moroi territory. She belonged here, and they belonged with her.
"Oh, der'mo, I'm meant to be meeting everyone... an hour ago. What an excuse to be late, you're gonna' have to come with me, 'cause they're not gonna' believe it." Caught up in his own excitement, Elijah began to ramble, trying to release every thought at once. "Maybe we should tell Ben first, though, this is gonna' be... yeah. Okay. I'll call him out first, and then we can surprise the others. Wait, is Mr. Blackwell with you, too? He should come too."
The choice to relocate hadn't been an easy one. Juliet and Troyan had stowed away in an abandoned cottage after Juliet's banishment from Alicante, and whilst she'd grown to love the scenery, they'd come to realise it'd finally served it's purpose. Juliet had regained control of herself, her bloodlust was now manageable, her heightened senses settled into a new rhythm. It was no longer enough. They needed people. After tuning into to several radio broadcasts, listening for signs of life, eventually they found a place that provided what they were seeking. Safety, company, rebellion. Alexandria. Ensuring to counteract every risk with a potential reward beforehand, Juliet and her father then decided to pack up what little belongings they had, beginning their journey. They studied en route, discovering that it was originally founded by vampires for vampires, practically promising her safety, and acceptance. Neither of which she'd been offered in a long time. Her hesitance lessened as they travelled, replaced by something akin to excitement. Perhaps she could have friends again. Ones who would understand the struggles she faced as a downworlder, who could help her progress more than Troyan could. Living amongst humans would certainly test her restraint, but Juliet felt ready to brave it now. After a week, they arrived, and whilst the initial enrolment process was extensive and tiresome, Juliet and Troyan remained honest and level-headed, determined to plant their roots. All of this was aided by a vampire no older than Juliet, an eternally positive blonde, full of life despite what she'd become. It was inspiring, an affirmation, a step in the right direction. Even as they settled into the halfway house, nothing had made the Blackwells second guess their decision. For a town so mixed in population, it seemed surprisingly uneventful, and controlled. The first night of sleep went without incident, and Juliet rested soundly, drifting off with an imagination of the future. As Juliet's pessimism had unfortunately come to expect, the peace didn't last past that first slumber. With Troyan attempting to secure a job at the school, she'd decided to head into town the following morning, searching for supplies. She would've smiled at the dimly lit supermarket sign, had her scent not caught a hold of something else first. Juliet froze in place, washed still with fear, eyes frantically searching for the source. Dhampir blood. Dhampir blood that distinctly wasn't her father's. "It's not possible," she muttered, trying to hone her senses. She wasn't used to this much traffic, every passing human or wolf interfering with her tracking. But it didn't matter. Whoever it was found her first, calling her name through the shallow wind with a surprise she could certainly mirror. " â Elijah?"
Running late for a group session, Elijah frantically shoved all of his training supplies into his duffel bag, almost certain that he'd forgotten something. At least he wouldn't be in trouble with anyone outside of Benji, as there was no official routine yet, although the idea had certainly been toyed with. For now, the guardians were mostly meeting to upkeep their own fitness together, also serving as a familiar way to pass the time. Benjamin had already left an hour ago, cussing out his baby brother for his tardiness as he went.
Eventually, the youngest dhampir was ready, flattening his hair with one hand, and locking the door with the other. It was important he kept up appearances, considering who was attending today. He didn't want Isabelle to see him dishevelled, she always looked perfect, even after three rounds of sparring. But all thoughts of his attire, and appropriate time management, melted away the second Elijah jogged passed the supermarket. The sight knocked the breath out of him, and he skidded to a halt, stunted by disbelief as he saw her standing there. "Juliet?"
Of course, Elijah doubted himself, unsure if the encroaching daylight was tricking his eyes. It felt impossible, too good to be real. But so had his reunion with the Lightwoods. In those few seconds, he allowed himself to hope, to believe. Seeing her turn around, he immediately got the confirmation he'd been seeking. It was undeniable, she hadn't aged a day. She called his name in return. "It is you! Ot angela â" With no consideration to what she'd become, Elijah sprang in Juliet's direction, throwing his arms around her the moment he was close enough. He held her close, and firm, burying his head into her neck. She felt colder, but Elijah paid that detail no mind. All that mattered now was her presence here. With him, with them, where she'd always belonged. "This is the greatest fucking day ever. We've missed you so much, Jules."
I should probably go and explain to everyone why Iâm not really dead.
LEGACIES, S02E16 Facing Darkness Is Kinda My Thing

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As usual, Izzy had arrived to training earlier than was required, wanting Alec to feel supported. She set about warming up, waiting for the others to arrive. Though as they filtered in, it seemed she was only one of few who was actually keen to train. Or perhaps the only one. They still showed up, dutiful and ready, but the energy seemed low, and Izzy knew sheâd end up overcompensating for that, wanting to make sure her brotherâs efforts werenât wasted and that everybody felt supported. Times were different, and sheâd realised pretty quickly it was a lot tougher outside of their normal training environment, away from the home they knew so well. They were no longer under the watchful eye of generations of leaders. They were fumbling through it on their own, re-learning old patterns and going through the motions all while trying to work out the purpose. Why were they bothering at all? It was hard, she knew, but she was willing to put in the effort, especially now that the Steeleâs had joined them. Their traditions were still important, their jobs were still important, and she trusted in that more than ever now that Eli was back by her side. She loved training with him, discovering more about their dynamic, learning things she never knew. They were more in tune with each other than theyâd ever had a chance to be before and it made her feel peaceful. It was a secure kind of peace, knowing someone was always looking out for you.
The groupâs energy only got worse when Adrian arrived. Again, Izzy mightâve been the only one happy to see him, which frankly surprised her, considering he was usually on great terms with Eddie, and was friendly with Juliet. She wasnât sure why, but everything felt off. There was something noticeably different about Adrian, the way he carried himself, yet she wasnât aware enough of his condition to realise what it was. It didnât seem like his typical tipsy behaviour, though. If sheâd known, sheâd have tried to help before things escalated any further. To her great surprise, Juliet was the first one to break the awkward silence, addressing the manâs behaviour. From there, everything became a total mess. Alec lost control of the room completely, and his second-in-charge, Benji, was one of the main perpetrators.
Izzy continually scanned the room, trying to stay on top of the unfolding argument so that she could find a way to diffuse it, but it moved too quickly for her to keep up. Or rather, it went beyond her understanding, accusations of things sheâd never noticed before coming to light. Juliet and Benjiâs dynamic was hardly surprising. It was a dynamic sheâd been quietly rooting for for years, having encouraged Alec herself to pair them together, if only to force them to face their feelings. Besides, Elijah had, unwillingly, always been in the middle of them, and Izzy believed he deserved better than that. Adrian and Eddie, however, was a total shock. She knew they were close, but apparently it went a lot deeper than sheâd ever noticed, too wrapped up in her own relationships to pick it for herself. She was itching to know more, equal parts curious and supportive, but now was clearly not the time.
Unfortunately, Adrianâs attitude only seemed to worsen, the man stumbling as he turned to accuse the entire group, pulling skeletons out of closets. She loved him but his behaviour shocked her, not sure anyone there truly deserved it. She knew he was upset, and clearly struggling with a lot of things, but they were all in this together. They didnât need more division.
The digs at both of her brothers deeply bothered her, always the first one to defend them, and she pressed her lips together, arms folding over her chest. Sheâd gone from surprised to deeply unimpressed, joining the rest of the groupâs stance. Sure, Adrian had been provoked, but now he was crossing the line. Hearing Eli being called a âgenetic mistakeâ made her gasp, a quiet inhalation, causing her to drop her arms. âAdrian!â She chided, willing him to stop. âThatâs enough.â But the Moroi wasnât done, getting one last shot at Benji in. She looked over at him, eyes wide. Sheâd never seen the guardian so furious. He was always the perfect picture of stoicism, of collected and cool, but it had clearly only been the calm before the storm. She wasnât sure she could intervene now, wasnât sure what she could even do to coax him back from doing something heâd regret. Sheâd never seen him like this, never seen any of them this upset. Distressed, she looked to her big brother, wondering what he could do as a leader. Was there even a solution?
Eli seemed to think so. Her guardian stepped forward, thankfully working on diffusing Benji. The man was still, dangerously still, but perhaps that meant it was working. Izzy was immensely grateful for it until she heard Elijahâs proposal. Again, her eyes went wide, and she waited for the cries of reason, telling him no. Only they never came, as if everyone was trapped in some kind of daze. Shaking her head, Izzy stepped in, taking on the responsibility herself instead, hoping Eli would listen to her.
She didnât understand spirit use, having only discovered the element wasnât just a thing of lore when theyâd reunited with Adrian. But considering the darkness in the Moroiâs expression, it didnât seem safe. âEli⌠I donât think thatâs a good idea.â Her voice was gentle, a harsh comparison to everyone elseâs behaviour thus far. She reached for him just as he had for Benji, a hand resting on his arm. âWe donât even know if itâd work, and if it did, it might harm you. I know heâs really hurting and you just want to help, but there has to be another way. A way that doesnât mean endangering anyone else.â She met his eye, shaking her head once, resolute. âDonât do this.â
To Eddieâs surprise, Benjamin had chosen to shoot back with words as opposed to his fists, which admittedly threw him off guard, but he remained in his tense stance nonetheless, ready for anything, assuming it would spiral out of control eventually. Benji himself had taught them that lesson â to always remain expectant. There was no way heâd win in a fight against their mentor, none of them would, but it didnât mean he wouldnât try. Nothing would come between him and his duty to protect Adrian. No matter what had occurred between them, that wouldnât change. But Mason was right â being so locked in on Benji and his movements had left Adrian himself as a complete blind spot. Heâd been so resistant to look his charge in the eye, to look at him even at all, his mere presence enough to flood Eddie with all sorts of emotions. He became even more hesitant after hearing Adrianâs obvious distress with him, unwanted reminders of the mistakes heâd made pressing at him. But Eddie couldnât have those feelings distracting him now, couldnât have Adrian take away his focus, or heâd fail. But it meant missing all the signs, every symptom that pointed to the excessive use of spirit. Heâd been working so hard to protect Adrian from everyone else, he hadnât stopped to protect him from himself.
Feeling the nudge from his best friend, Eddie finally broke eye contact with their mentor and his twitching muscles, blinking over at Mason in confusion. He was almost bewildered by the distraction, so caught up in thinking the fight through, on how to get out of the room alive, he wasnât even sure what Mason had disturbed him for. But then he saw it. Eddie finally looked over at Adrian, stumbling around behind Mason, and it felt like a punch to the gut. He looked genuinely ill. Eddie couldnât see any shadows but he imagined they clung onto him, dragging on his expression, weakening his limbs, darkening his eyes. âFuck,â Eddie muttered in response, his own muscles finally relaxing, changing tact immediately. He agreed with Masonâs plan. There was no winning against Benji anyway, so he may as well remove the antagoniser altogether. He clearly needed the intervention. Eddie couldnât remember the last time heâd seen Adrian looking this bad. He grit his teeth, remembering the time heâd promised not to use spirit without discussion first. Clearly that promise had broken when their relationship had. Before Eddie could make any moves, the Moroi pushed past them, continuing to antagonise. And it wasnât just Benji he came for.
Eddie hadnât been expecting so personal of a remark, the pureblood suddenly whirling around to face him, accusing. Heâd been waiting for Adrian to have the last say before finally intervening, terrified now that whatever was said next might be the last straw for Benjamin. But he hadnât foreseen being dragged into the argument himself. It was the first time theyâd made eye contact in weeks, and Eddie was wildly unprepared for the effect it would have on him. Adrian looked so far gone, so unlike his normal self, the usual sparkle gone from his eyes. Suddenly, Eddie realised this too was his fault. They were unable to help his attachment to spirit, but the guardian shouldâve done better. He knew that now. They had to have boundaries, heâd worked that through with Mason, but he shouldnât have abandoned Adrian so resolutely, so completely, without a proper plan. He was so disturbed by the darkness in Adrianâs expression, he hadnât even begun to process the words that had actually been thrown at him. But when they did, Eddie felt himself shrink.
Whilst Benjiâs reaction to having his love life dragged out into the spotlight was blinding rage, Eddieâs was mortification. Shame consumed him, sucking away all the testosterone-fuelled tension heâd felt earlier and replacing it with utter humiliation and regret. Heâd failed, broken almost every rule in the rule book, and now everyone knew about it. Heâd only confided in Mason, his best friend having spotted it from a mile away, but he hadnât wanted it to get any further than that. Heâd cut things off so suddenly with Adrian for exactly that reason. It couldnât get out, it couldnât jeopardise their working relationship, they couldnât take Adrian away from him. Eddieâs cheeks burned, unable to form a reply, afraid to even try. The dhampir wasnât entirely familiar auras and all that their colours meant, but Adrian had framed his wording in such a way that Eddie understood regardless. In fact, he was sure everyone in the room had. There was certainly no chance of denying it or going back now. The truth was out there.
Adrian continued on, seemingly unbothered by the lack of reply, turning his accusing gaze on the others. Eddie was left reeling, deflated, his mind racing. He could barely pay attention to the following remarks, desperately trying to figure out how they could come back from this. What would the Lightwoods think? Would he be reported? He didnât think Benjamin would hesitate at the chance to make Adrianâs life a little worse, not after what heâd done today. He wondered how far his mutual relationship with the fellow guardian went, how much Benji could be trusted now that heâd been pushed. They were usually on good terms, their dynamic one of mutual respect and understanding. Eddie looked up to him. He wanted to be as good as him, do what he could do for Adrianâs sake. Surely, there was a way out of this, one that wouldnât involve the elders, and him being stripped of his title.
Eddie tuned back in at âgenetic mistakeâ, hearing Isabelleâs gasp. As expected, things were now spiralling beyond anyoneâs control. He had to get Adrian out of there, now. He was certain those last comments would have sealed the deal for Benji. Eddie took a few steps forward. But then he paused. Shoving royalty? The dhampir blinked, confused. At Barcelo? Benji had been at Barcelo? âHe what?â Eddie asked, the question a near whisper, as if asking it of himself, asking if heâd even heard Adrian correctly. His brain was struggling to compute any more shock. âHe did what?â It took Eddie far too long to piece it all together, overwhelmed. By the time he had, Adrian was muttering nonsensically and Eli had stepped in, offering to siphon him. But the moment he understood, Eddieâs head snapped up, meeting Benjiâs gaze. That anger heâd thought had been zapped from him entirely returned in a flood.
âDid you touch him?â Eddie demanded to know, his voice cutting through the rest, near a yell. The guardian finally moved from the spot heâd felt trapped in, charging towards Benjamin, ignoring the rest. In an instant, that respect heâd had for their mentor completely shattered, lying in pieces at their feet. âDid you fucking - touch my charge?!â Eddie reached him with a shout, shoving the other dhampir back with unbridled rage. He didnât care what happened next, didnât care that he wouldnât win this fight. Benjamin had betrayed them and that was the biggest sin of all.
Eli felt Isabelle approach him before heâd even turned to face her, always in tune with her movements. It was his job, of course, but it had long since surpassed that, her safety his number one priority whether heâd been instructed or not. Her touch felt electricity even over his clothing, so he avoided placing his hand over her own, but still smiled softly in acknowledgment. For those few seconds, she had the entirety of his attention, despite his disappointment with her statement. Eli knew she was right, but held firm with his disagreement, still deeming it worth the risk. Siphoning Juliet had proved itâd work, and whilst the effects were certainly up for debate, it wouldnât last forever. If it stopped whatever this chaos was, he could work through it. But after a brief moment of internally debating with himself, Eli sighed in defeat anyway. He couldnât deny Isabelle of anything, especially not with the way she was looking at him. âOkay.â
In his distraction, Eli hadnât noticed Eddieâs flip in temper, questioning whatâd gone down at Barcelo. It was an emotion heâd never seen in the other dhampir, a reaction triggered from a place of overprotection, which only made more sense with the revelation of his relationship with Adrian. Unfortunately for those around them, Eli was in no place to withhold an outburst of his own, because that rage had been directed at his brother. âNo!â Any relatability between the pair had been tossed aside with the shove, Eliâs eyes darkening as he barraged himself in front of Benji. Almost everyone in the room was stronger than Eli physically, especially when he wasnât juiced up, but he was still fast. His condition also left no room for rational pause, often acting without taking a moment to consider the consequences. âDonât touch my brother.â
Now that Eliâs body was in a position of fight or flight, adrenaline coursing through him, it was impossible not to seek an energy source in preparation. His fingers clasped around Eddieâs wrist, his grip firm, using the element of surprise in his favour. The glowing began, scarlet burning around his clenched hand, his inhalation deep as he felt the dhampir magic settle into him. But even after he returned to his natural setting, Eli didnât let go. He found himself wanting to demobilise Eddie, a feeling born from revenge, however overreactive it seemed. Witnessing someone take aim at Benji was rare, at least outside of constructed scenarios, and Eli couldnât swallow down the anger it stemmed. He kept draining, ignoring the shocked gasps and shifting figures around them.
It wasnât unusual for Adrian to be late to training, nor skip it entirely. It was, however, unusual for Eddie to not do a thing about it. When the Moroi wasnât in his direct sight, he was typically wracked with anxiety, but ever since his breakdown with Mason a week or so earlier, heâd been desperately trying to work on boundaries. He realised now that boundaries would protect them both, but most importantly, protect Adrian, and Eddie couldnât be guilty of crossing that professional line again or theyâd both suffer the consequences. He thought heâd been doing the right thing, but heâd only gotten lost in the intensity. Misguided, lead by only instinct and no formal training, Eddie had put Adrian at risk. Now that heâd had some distance, some time alone, he saw it for the failure that it was. And he refused to do it again. Without any conversation, heâd put space between them, and so far, had maintained that distance successfully. It was just better that way.
Which was why, when Adrian showed up to training after all, Eddie didnât immediately relax, like he might have before. Instead, his body tensed up entirely, jaw clamped with the sheer effort made to not look back in the Moroiâs direction again. Heâd clocked the cigarette, seen the irritated expressions on everybody elseâs faces, and had immediately been flooded with guilt. Adrian didnât deserve this reception, and he was itching to intervene, to de-escalate. But he kept reminding himself that it wasnât his place anymore to interrupt. Boundaries. Boundaries meant letting Adrian fight his own battles, from time to time. To deal with his own fallout. He could handle it.
It all seemed to be going relatively smoothly, Eddie letting out a breath he hadnât realised heâd been holding when the cigarette was put out. There was certainly awkward tension, an obvious shift in mood that made Eddie feel like shit, but thankfully, Adrian had decided to play along. Or so heâd thought. Eddieâs eyes widened at the remark, not having expected it. Heâd thought the hard part had been over, but tensions had been flared once more, now bordering on aggression. Worriedly, Eddieâs eyes flicked over to Benjamin, scoping out the reaction. Unfortunately, heâd been right to be concerned. Benjiâs expression had gone from one of annoyance to sheer rage, his fists curling dangerously, and with the verbal confirmation that Adrian was harboring very real resentment toward Eddie himself, he realised silence was no longer an option. Not if he was to keep the peace, keep Adrian safe and the rest of the group placated.
Seeing Benji turn, Eddie shoved his guilt aside and quickly intervened, snapping. ââ Thatâs enough, Adrian. Leave her alone.â Thankfully, this stopped Benji in his tracks. The man was still obviously rigid with anger, but Eddie didnât want to see him pushed any further. He was their mentor for a reason, he was known as a god for a reason. He didnât want to see him anywhere near Adrian when he was like this. Continuing on, desperate to defuse the situation, Eddie tried his best to ignore the deep sting Adrianâs final words had caused and made his tone soft this time, keeping his gaze focused on Benji despite addressing Adrian. The more tension he noticed in the mentorâs body, the more his own muscles responded accordingly, feeling protective. âYou donât have to do this, okay? Just - go.â
Once heâd helped Alec quiet down the gang for the morning briefing, a task made a lot easier without the presence of Rose and Adrian, Benji took his place back beside Juliet, still refusing to look in her direction. Unfortunately, Alec had decided to make their training partnership more permanent as the program developed, the Shadowhunter proud of their progress so far; and as dutiful as ever, neither had said a word against the idea. Neither had dared, because that meant explaining why the pairing didnât work, and that wasnât something either were ready to acknowledge. So, the cycle of torture continued, Benjiâs devastation only growing the more interaction they shared. But despite himself, he knew it was better than no interaction at all.
Hands clasped behind his back, posture stiff, Benji appeared to listen to Alecâs every word, seemingly attentive. But in truth, he was working on his breathing, attempting to get himself into a meditative state, or as close to one as he could manage. Heâd discovered a combination of faith and focus was the only way he could make it through his training sessions with her, but it took some time to completely surrender over to. Fortunately, he knew the briefing and expectations well, having worked with the Lightwoods to set the assignments in the first place, and could now wholly focus on lowering his respiratory rate. He was halfway through reciting a Russian prayer in his mind, feeling the slowness of his breath, when the smell of smoke hit his nostrils. Having dulled his senses, it took Benjamin a moment to make the connection, but Adrianâs smug voice dispelled any mystery.
Immediately, Benjaminâs jaw tightened, feeling the tension heâd just worked on draining away return to his muscles. If the Moroi had just slipped in quietly, actually shown some respect for the process for once in his life, perhaps the dhampir could have let things slide. But Adrian seemed intent on causing drama wherever he went. Already, Benji was planning on chewing him out, though he did muster enough patience to think his wording through first. Perhaps it was better left for the Lightwoods to deal with. The Moroi were his superiors, after all. But to everybodyâs surprise, Juliet herself piped up.
As always, her voice sent electricity through him, the sound a reminder of her presence right beside him. He wouldâve become consumed by the sensation had he not noticed the biting edge in her voice, an impatience that went beyond mere irritation. Although he felt the same upon hearing Adrianâs sarcasm, he felt concern for her, wondering what the source of her frustration was and how he could solve it. The answer shouldâve been obvious, but he rarely spared a thought for himself, all protective instinct and dutiful follower. His frown grew, wondering what signs heâd missed, when Adrian provided the answer for him. Hearing his name, Benjaminâs head snapped up to look at the royal.
He almost couldnât believe it. The elementalist seemed more alert than Benji had ever seen him. How could he have been so callous? Seeing the grin, the dhampirâs eyes narrowed, feeling the anger shoot through his limbs immediately, his fists following suit. Embarrassment and rage cycled his veins, heartache that the fracture between him and Juliet was so obvious to everyone else, fury that it had been dragged out into the limelight without either of their permissions. Suddenly, nothing seemed more important than wiping the grin off the Moroiâs face. He took a step in the manâs direction, only for Eddie to quickly intervene. Right then, respect for his fellow dhampir was the one sole thing stopping Benji from smashing Adrianâs face in. Eddie was his guardian, and heâd done the right thing by de-escalating. Benji continued to battle with reason, fingers aching with how tightly they were curled, but he attempted to breathe. He could come back from this, pull himself back from the knifeâs edge, so long as the Moroi behaved. But Eddie had given him too easy of an out.
ââ No,â Benji interrupted immediately, the edge in his voice dangerous. âHe should stay.â If the man werenât a Moroi, he wouldâve made it an order, but unfortunately, he had no real jurisdiction. Still, he wouldnât be letting him off that easily, not after heâd taken aim at Juliet, had made their issues so public. Only, this time his voice had lost its malice, replaced by condescension. Two could play at this game. âI mean, youâve finally shown up. Youâve come here to work, havenât you? To put in some actual effort? To show your guardian some respect? Itâs a good thing.â His smirk was suppressed, but barely, his eyes not leaving the Moroiâs. âA sign of progress. I mean, I canât recall the last time Iâve ever seen you sober. Seems like weâre all finally getting to meet the real Adrian Ivashkov.â
Adrianâs tardy entrance, and the attitude that coincided along with it, came as no surprise to Mason. Theyâd spent a long reach of time in close proximity, so he arguably knew Adrian better than anyone else in the room now; discounting Eddie, of course. They werenât exactly close, but heâd learned to dismiss the unlikeable behaviours, if only for the sake of his work and his best friend. Clearly not everyone in their circle had reached that point, and tensions in the room quickly arose at Adrianâs inability to keep his mouth shut. Juliet may have been the initial target, but as Masonâs eyes scanned the room, he realised Benjiâs reaction was the strongest. Instinctually, he stepped out of his initial position, moving to put himself in front of Adrian, instead. The blonde was certainly out of line, but those ingrained guardian duties hadnât dismissed themselves, and Mason was suddenly arced up, preparing for the worst. Irritating or not, that was still his Moroi to protect. This wasnât a test he wanted to fail.
Noticing Eddie exhibit a similar stance to himself, Mason tried to meet his eye, a pleading look in his expression. He was more than willing to fight for his best friend, but going up against Benji was a ridiculous notion. Heâd wipe the floor with both of them. He only hoped it wouldnât reach that point, and that the tension could be diffused in time. Eddie intervened with his first attempt, but Benji didnât take the bait, the verbal damage had already been inflicted, and their mentor began to combat it with his own. âAlright, easy ââ Masonâs voice was drowned out, clearly not being registered by either party.
At a loss, Mason could do nothing but wait for Benji to finish, and once he had, silence descended over the room. He was hoping it would goad Adrian into leaving, but as Mason glanced back at his former charge, he knew instantly what the outcome would be. He couldnât take anyone physically, but heâd never backed down from a fight where words were the ammunition. The tell tale signs of excessive spirit use were all over Adrian, too. The longer Mason stared, the more of it he saw. The darkened eyes, the twitching, the expression that flickered between here and a plain no one else could see. âEddieâŚâ Mason reached over, nudging his best friend, trying to get him to redirect his attention. He was so focused on Benji, on protecting, heâd fell behind on spotting it. âHeâs slipping. You should get him out of ââ his voice again was cut off, Adrian already brushing past the duo, clearly having his next reply loaded. This wasnât going to end well. âAdrian. Donât. Leave it.â
Hearing Eddie speak up against him only expanded upon the negative emotions Adrian was already feeling, so he disregarded any rational thought that told him it was coming from a place of protection, and not beratement. Theyâd been too distant for him to take the response in a positive light, only seeing the act as something that put more space between them. Space he hated. But it was Benjamin who twisted the knife. For a second time, he was doubting Adrianâs respect and care for Eddie, and making a mockery of his sobriety. The moroiâs eyes darkened, and his mind suddenly became a battle of will and spirit, one which Adrian was clearly losing. He didnât even hear Mason as he moved around him, gaze locked in Benjaminâs direction.
âOh, Iâm the real Adrian Ivashkov either way. Sober or not, Iâm honest. The same canât be said for you. You see, Benjamin, the upside of my extended sobriety is that I have access to my magic. I can see your aura, and what a picture it paints,â Adrian smirked, now focusing on the sea of colours surrounding them all. âDonât worry, youâre not the only one. Iâve seen less masking at a masquerade ball. Even those closest to me are guilty of it. Like my guardian,â he started, pointing in Eddieâs direction. âYou tell me to go. You pretend you donât want me around anymore unless itâs official, that what we had was wrong. But you look at me, and the space around you bleeds purple,â his tone become unstable, flickering between poetic and angry, the most obvious sign of excessive spirit use. His sessions with Wanda, whilst precautions had been taken, were clearly making him ill. With no Eddie to balance him, he was slipping. If anyone tried to stop him, he didnât acknowledge them, continuing on with disregard.
âJace, you hide behind bravado and confidence, but youâre as damaged as the rest of us. Baby Steele, pretending you could be the perfect guardian, when you lack the most basic form of discipline all you dhampirs were raised with â emotional control. Jules, you hate the system as much as I do, with valid reason, and you continue to show up here and play dutiful, why? What does that do for you beside further your pain?â Adrianâs fingers twitched, so he clenched his hands, fingers scratching along his palms. Heâd spent a long time watching his friends, trying to understand them, and whilst he couldnât be certain he was completely correct, he felt as though he was close enough. Heâd always been an excellent judge of character. âAlec, I donât know what your deal is. But itâs something. Your sister is the only one whoâs colour doesnât betray her,â he muttered, glancing at Isabelle with a temporary fondness. âMason too, most of the time. At least he tells me hates me to my face, instead of hiding. Iâm not the one who isnât being real here.â
âWhich brings me back around to you, Benjamin. The perfect role model, the most resolved guardian. But your head doesnât align with your heart, does it? Youâve sworn yourself to a way of life that punishes the two people closest to you. Your brother is a genetic mistake and your lover is a mortal enemy of your species. I mean, no offense,â he said, shrugging apologetically in Juliet and Eliâs direction. âYou know I donât care. But he should. If our elders showed up here tomorrow, would he throw himself in front of you?â Adrian paused for thought, but it was the smallest of moments. âMaybe, actually. I know he has no issue with shoving royalty, considering how eager he was to push me up against the wall in Barcelo. I wonder if God heard the confession for that one, let alone the rest of you.â It was a cheap shot, but Adrian had long since surpassed rationality. His temple began to ache, and he wiped over his face, trying to brush the intensity off.
âRose was right about all of this. This whole idea is an empty fucking oath,â he quietened, finally, wondering whoâd come for him first. At least if it was Benjamin, a punch could knock him straight into the hospital, where the painkillers would be easily accessible. If Eddie and Mason would even let that happen. Now that Adrian had stepped back, he noticed how tense their postures were, always ready to protect despite themselves. He didnât want it, it was only furthering their problems, and his own confusion. âWe arenât even supposed to love unless they tell us to, but we do anyway. We betray ourselves for a broken system. Enoughâs enough. No more⌠weâre going to end up scared and confused. No. More,â Fragments of his argument with Eddie spilled over into the present, and soon enough, Adrianâs rambling became incomprehensible, only for himself.
Eli was already feeling antsy before Adrian had even entered the scene. He hadnât siphoned in longer than usual, and his body was desperate for the energy conversion, like a feeder waiting for their next fix. Luckily, it was a feeling heâd become accustomed to, and Eli was managing to keep the irritability in check with the management tactics he and Benji had spent years perfecting. That was, until, Adrian started talking. As soon as his older brotherâs relationship was mentioned, Eli switched from a controlled demeanour to something more panicked, his back tensing up. He was desperate to rise up in Benjiâs defence, but the conversation was carried by voices much louder than his own.
It only continued to worsen with further involvement, and Eli felt the power in the room charge up. He was drawn directly to Adrian, and he could practically see the hum of magic filter back in as the effects of the Moroiâs cigarette wore off. This was spirit. Most of it, anyway; Eli imagined the resentment wouldâve been there regardless, considering how itâd ended at Barcelo. Unsure of his next move, of whether or not he should call it out, the dhampir remained still and silent, but prepared. If this became physical, heâd be beside Benji in an instant. Confrontation was a trigger from him, but he was still trained in dealing with it, and could swallow down the intensity of his own emotion temporarily if it meant protecting his family. Nothing was more important.
For a moment, Eli considered taking Isabelleâs hand to regain stability, his stress rising as the back and forth played out, hating how targeted Benji had become. The comments about himself stung, but were easily dismissible. The ones aimed at the person he loved the most were not, and as the anger pressed at him in retaliation, he dismissed the idea of falling in line with his charge. He didnât want to drain some of her power by mistake, or prove Adrian right. It was already blindingly obvious without the magical aura confirmation that he was in love with her, and Adrian hardly needed be reminded of further ammunition.
As soon as the words genetic mistake were uttered, Eli knew he finally had to step in. He himself wasnât overly bothered, Adrian had already made it apparent he saw Eli as an equal, but it was certain to make Benji furious; and that was the point. Heâd already noticed the way Eddie was staring his brother out, ready for the first space closure in case he needed to defend. Which is why he had to be fast. Benji could handle any altercation with ease, deeming fighting even more pointless. They shouldnât even be arguing when all they had was eachother. Eli darted forward, his hand gently grasping Benjiâs shoulder from behind. âDonât. Itâs not his fault. Well, kind of. The spiritâs all over him. He feels like a fucking magnet to me,â he was itching to drain it, and that was obvious by the desperation in his tone. âWhatever it is, donât react to it. Itâs making him worse. And you know how youâll feel after, if you do this,â Eli muttered, gesturing to Benjiâs still clenched fists. âItâs not worth it.â
Adrian continued to ramble, and Eli glanced at him in confusion, no longer understanding his point. He was also interfering, purposely or not. âStop being a prick! Iâm trying to help you.â He now spoke to more than just his brother, voice carrying across the room. Heâd certainly been heard, now, because the Moroi paused in his surprise. âYouâve been using spirit. Too much. I can feel it. Let me take some of it from you, then maybe youâll stop picking fights you need Eddie to finish.â Eli sighed, and softened his tone. âItâs obviously hurting you. If I drain some of it, it wonât be so bad. You wonât need to act like this, and this doesnât need to get any worse.â Eliâs gaze then flickered between Eddie and Benji, as if asking for permission. âI can handle it.â
Sabrina is needed at Court. CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA, âHeavy is the Crownâ

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Dick Grayson & Donna Troy in Titans 1.08Â âDonna Troyâ
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DC Titans (2018-2023)