dazed and confused

“ claudia? ” yeah, it’s obviously claudia. but this is more of a remark that carries an underlying dude, i can’t believe i’m seeing you right now. she straightens up in her seat and twists immediately, confusion and concern battling it out within her. “ where have you been? are you okay? ” leave the donuts to the side for a second. next to will, claudia is the one the MOST affected by everything that went down with jack. and since it’s been a deafening radio silence from claudia’s side, she’s been honestly fearing the worst.

surprise, surprise. she always seems to know when to jump out when people least expect it. this, however, is not the reaction she had expected. there’s less... anger. there’s more CONCERN. “i went underground,” claudia manages to spit out, hands raising in surrender  --  hoping it would calm lizzie down a little or a whole lot, but she still doesn’t know why she’s reacting this way. “i’m fine.” and here’s a thing: SHE’S NOT LYING. sure, she’s been drinking but otherwise? she hasn’t had to hear jack’s voice in a while and that seems to of put a little pep in her step. “what happened? it’s not like i died.” maybe in another universe, sure, but getting away for a while seemed easier. it’s hard to give people their space when you see them every day. as far as jack was concerned, claudia had never met them. “what happened?” she repeats, softer this time. her eyes check her over as if she’s looking for some wound or reason for the panic. “are you and will okay?”

there was a change in their dynamic. in their RELATIONSHIP as a whole– something that had been modificated with almost every passing second they spent together. harlow remembers the strange change in emotions, how curiosity became fondness, curiosity, desire, and more things she couldn’t figure out. how they then became guilt and regret– and how now there was loyalty… love. harlow was one to always break the rules and cross the lines, for claudia, there were lines she was willing to stop herself from crossing.  for the most part, she didn’t think claudia would believe her. being BELIEVED and TRUSTED by the one person she cares about had been something she hadn’t exactly had the luxury of for a while. ( not like she blamed claudia. ) so when she did, and the look on claudia’s face shifted to something good.  harlow knew one thing, IT HAD BEEN WORTH IT. “you like her?” she knows there is ODDNESS in picking up a hyena that has just been making people her dinner. something that could do the same to either of them. that’s probably where the allure was. “i haven’t really thought of one– i’ve been calling her Y,“ she shrugged. it certainly set some confusion to the few people that have asked and didn’t end up getting thrown in the traffic just for that question. “what do you think would be a good one?” 

someone asked her WHY once. why did she love harlow? h o w could she? because lately she feels like a teenager again, falling in love as if it were the very first time. forgiveness brings a chance in you if you let it  --  and claudia had forgiven harlow, and even found a way to see reasoning behind her actions. she’d like to think she understands. it doesn’t matter what person harlow is to everyone else because she gets the real harlow at the end of the day. “i love her,” claudia interjects firmly. her eyes flashed between harlow and the hyena, hints of the very word LOVE working and weaving itself into a simple look. she should probably ask or even wonder  --  WHERE DID THE HYENA COME FROM? they weren’t exactly native to san francisco. she should care because she’s not dumb, she knows a hyena could rip them to shreds as they slept or even just sat there, but there’s a strange sense of peace. there had been a reason she had come but it slides itself onto the back burner for now. “Y?” a delightful laugh rips it’s way out of her throat. she loves this woman, there’s no denying it, but maybe she has a death wish for questioning harlow’s ability to name an animal rather than whether or not the animal’s going to eat them one day. the circle of life, right? “i can’t judge your naming ability. i’d name her mariska hargitay.” claudia admits before nearing, “she deserves a powerful name... definitely after a bath.”

she doesn’t inmediately look up, but if she spoke in memes– a really loud AND I OOP would’ve been heard. because for starters, she would never talk to claudia like that. second, she wouldn’t reference her mother in any situation in general, knowing what she does. harlow looks up and to the side to look at claudia. the silence prolongues for a moment. “….sorry.” it’s still hard for her to say such simple word. ( when is a demon ever sorry for anything? ) she tries, though just like that the topic gets pushed to the side. “nah, she just needs a bath. though she continues biting.” she grins– no, she’s not dumb. she knows this isn’t actually a dog, she enjoys the reactions though. “would you believe me if i tell you i got it for you?” she’s…. not lying to be fair. it was an impulsive decision, 50/50. the hyena has decided to lay at harlow’s feet. she notes it almost acts like a hellhound. “she was tearing some guy open.” 

a few months ago she probably would’ve yelled. she would’ve turned away and cursed the very ground harlow walked on, if we’re being d r a m a t i c a l l y honest. the topic of her mother is a sensitive one. it’s the one thing she has left of a life she could’ve had without jack. without harlow. without will. without all of it really. it’s the one thing that jack tried to kill but couldn’t, that she’s tucked away and kept to herself until... until she started slowly telling will and harlow about it. lately it’s been less but it’s still there, waiting to be told. “it’s okay, harlow.” she values the apology and the attempt that was made. claudia isn’t going to fault her for it. there is, however, the matter of the hyena who indeed needs a bath. “you got me a hyena?’ her voice is soft, like the weight of the action hitting her right in the figurative and literal feels. “she’s perfect.” and it’s not just because she had been eating someone when harlow found her. “what’s her name?”

“And I’m just supposed to grateful?” Piper snorted at her comment about the leaves. 

“I could’ve taken care of myself, ya know. Just because I’m older doesn’t mean I still can’t fight. I could blow you up if I wanted to.” Piper retorted with her nose up in the air. She was starting to get the feeling as though everyone was treating her as if she were fragile and it was really getting on her nerves.

her eyes roll and her arms cross over her chest. “gee, thank you for saving my life!” claudia sings out, head tilting. “oh you’re welcome. wouldn’t want my brother’s grandmother to get hurt or anything.” because she’s already fucked up loving harlow and harlow got jack on lizzie’s path so... call it an attempt to make up for her fuck up. lord know’s she’s got a long way to go but at least she tried. it’s not like anyone else had bothered.

There’s few people that come to mind when it comes to keeping up with Fletcher’s drinking habits, but one of them was definitely Claudia Davenport. If there was anyone that could drink for drink with the male she was definitely the first that came to mind. That and she wasn’t terrible raising a little hell and causing chaos. “And here I thought the couch was just an optional request.“ The male groaned, as looked over at her through one sleepy eye. “You always were a ball buster but I swear to god if you don’t throw that fucking slurpee away right this second, I will make you live to regret it.“

claudia sneers at that. for a moment she looks as if she’d set him on fire. “no, it was an unspoken rule you jack ass.” sure, she’s cussing up a storm and if someone happened upon them it would look like she’s ripping him a new one, but the truth is, it’s mostly teasing. hell, some could call it a pet name if they were into that kind of thing. “yeah and you’ll regret existing if harlow finds you in my bed smelling like the sewer.” she definitely regrets it, getting the brilliant thought that she’d have to burn her sheets. “i will if you get up before harlow gets the wrong idea. i don’t know how to clean blood out of egyptian cotton!”

coming back to life countless of times was getting confusing, to say the least. let alone being in mystic falls and now in san francisco, a place she had never been before. why was she in san francisco? her first thought was to figure out what had changed, but her new surroundings were something she was going to have to get used to. “sooner or later, i’ll forget how to use my own two feet - “ her lips parted for a laugh, hazel eyes turning away from her legs to eye wherever it was that she had shown up to. 

call her childish but she couldn’t relate. if anything she’d feel jealous of the woman for having been dead not knowing this is lizzie’s bio mom. sorry lizzie. but she’s considered the idea before, even going as far as suicide by doing something good but in the end it’s still cowardly in her mind. it’s an easy way out even with the bottle hidden in her hip pocket just adding fuel to the fire. “i wouldn’t want to forget how to walk in a city like this. you might get eaten by a yeti.” and you’d think that’s a joke but she gives no hint of humor -- even if the situation could be considered funny. claudia grew up in a world of supernatural creatures but even she hadn’t known yetis were a thing until they were storming their way up and down the streets last year.

“mommy didn’t teach you not to STARE?” harlow asks as she feels the presence having been there for too long. sure, she knows the reason why there might be a prolongued stare. even gouged a few pairs of eyes out because of it. ( good thing she did, because she noticed her latest FRIEND liked the taste of those ) but sometimes the blood on her hands made it difficult to use the touch screen, so it was their lucky minute. “don’t mind the dog,” the HYENA at her side laughs. “it’s just high.” 

she knows the blonde doesn’t know who it is and claudia almost finds it funny. “i’m sure she would’ve but mommy dearest is dead.” there’s a whole trauma there that claudia never likes touching upon. not with will who would understand and definitely not with harlow who claudia doesn’t want to see her as weak or broken -- even if she is both, deep down. still, she doesn’t say it with anger or annoyance  ( GIVE HER SOME CREDIT, she would’ve burned the building down a year ago at the thought ). “i might be drunk but your dog looks like a fuckin’ hyena, harlow.” and she’s not sure why but that seems like the funniest thing to her because it’s almost as if she’s seen this coming somehow. “what did you do?” and call it character development but she doesn’t ask that so accusing this time. it’s like she blinked and all hell broke loose... but that’s a trend lately. for her? or the whole city of san francisco.