Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice

Heels clicked the floor as she walked down the hall from her elevator to her penthouse. Throughout the years, Kennedy made a name for herself. Mainly in the vampire world. The sweet girl still poured sugar, but if someone poked her the wrong way, there was trouble. It made her more confident. More excited to live life. The blonde needed control, and what better way than to have a little power? Watching Nicolas throughout some years, she picked up a few tricks. 

As she got to her door, she was surprised to know it was unlocked. Lucas, or so called boyfriend, but truly just a puppet, must have not locked it. Rolling her blue eyes, she walked inside. Instantly, Kennedy knew something was off. She placed her purse down on the entry way table before walking in. Turning, she walked into the living room to find blood everywhere. It didn’t take her long to figure out who did it when the person was sitting on her couch with a glass in hand. Even though she hasn’t seen him in 15 years, it still made her heart tug slightly.

“Hello, Erik. I see you took it upon yourself to redecorate.” She spoke before making her way to pour herself a drink.

“You’re weird, thinking I’m a good person.” Erik shook his head, it was hard to believe really, that he was a good person in her eyes. 

“Hm, I’ve been called worse.” She smiled brightly at him. “Are you sure you want to stay down here? I can always lock you in your room...or mine.” She laughed softly. “Do you want your journal or anything?” 

Kennedy: Hmm, never heard of that rule, so I don't believe in it ;)

Shawn: you don't trust your own brother? I would never lie.

Kennedy: I trust you!

   Lexi’s feet remained planted on the porch a moment after Kennedy invited her in, the house as pristine on the outside as the vampire who owned it. She wondered, as she pushed past her own defenses and stepped inside, what made Kennedy so drastically different from the rest of the suburban homeowners in Arcadia, with nice linens and tall hanging curtains. No one would ever suspect the blonde, who’d stepped into a beautiful kitchen, which still smelled like baked goods, had been contemplating murder a few hours ago. 

Refraining from staring too long at too many things, Lexi’s hazel eyes settled on the glass she was being handed. She took it, gratefully, but didn’t drink just yet, choosing to stand behind the island and set her beverage down on the cool surface whilst Kennedy went into detail.

Her brows furrowed at the picture Kennedy painted for her, the way she said things, almost as if she wanted to be everything but a complication, was familiar to her in it’s most extreme forms. She could find some common ground, at least, with the final words that escaped her lips.

“I’m…” Lexi sighed, eyes falling to the liquor between her fingers. “Not the best person to talk to about this but…”

“People come and go, Kennedy. Doesn’t mean you’ve got nothing to offer them. If it did, I would have cleaned house a long time ago.” she muttered, gaze still adrift, as she felt caught between hypocrisy and defiance, and of course, actually giving the newborn across from her something to hold onto. Deciding she’d need to consider the last before all else, Lexi looked back at Kennedy. 

“Erik’s great, and being in love, I guess, must be great, but–” She waved her hand at the uncertain blonde, as though trying to point out, in summary, what there was to lose on the other side of things. Any corny tail-ends to her point choked her, however. Nothing like saying she was selling herself short, or that she was better than she thought she was left her lips, and as she tore her gaze away again, Lexi couldn’t help but hate the sound of her own silence. Heaven forbid she gave someone a compliment. The brunette cleared her throat, and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. 

“He loves you, okay? Just take my word for it and don’t tell him I told you.” 

Kennedy smiled. She was really glad that she was able to hear all this stuff with Erik’s best friends. She knew it took a lot for Lexi because they were not close at all, but it was still nice to know that someone else knew he loved her. “Thank you.” She spoke. “I know this isn’t your perfect evening, but I really do thank you.” She poured herself another drink. 

“Anything on your mind that you want to talk about?” She offered. 

“And you’re certain it affected everyone?” He asked her pointedly, remembering the people he’d encountered, and trying to recall whether they’d acted in any way out of the ordinary. He supposed the best example was right in front of him. Before he could question her about it though, he ceded to her request with a tilt of his head and began walking out of the alleyway. 

Nicolas didn’t stop once they were out, but squinted slightly as the sun greeted them from between the tall buildings. “What did you  f e e l  during the event then? If it was so out-of-character for you?”

Kennedy shrugged. “I haven’t questioned every single person that went, but most of the people that I know went, did have some sort of affect.” She knew it was all hard to believe. Especially without evidence of who done it, but wasn’t them all acting horrible enough? As they walked into the light, she almost stopped at his question. 

“Um, I felt really jealous and insecure...more than normal.” She softly spoke. Obviously she didn’t like to be insecure, but that was who she was. 

“And you’re certain it affected everyone?” He asked her pointedly, remembering the people he’d encountered, and trying to recall whether they’d acted in any way out of the ordinary. He supposed the best example was right in front of him. Before he could question her about it though, he ceded to her request with a tilt of his head and began walking out of the alleyway. 

Nicolas didn’t stop once they were out, but squinted slightly as the sun greeted them from between the tall buildings. “What did you  f e e l  during the event then? If it was so out-of-character for you?”

Kennedy shrugged. “I haven’t questioned every single person that went, but most of the people that I know went, did have some sort of affect.” She knew it was all hard to believe. Especially without evidence of who done it, but wasn’t them all acting horrible enough? As they walked into the light, she almost stopped at his question. 

“Um, I felt really jealous and insecure...more than normal.” She softly spoke. Obviously she didn’t like to be insecure, but that was who she was. 

Erik silently nodded his head then pressed his lips against hers in a light kiss for a moment. “I love you, you know? I definitely don’t deserve you.” 

Kennedy softly kissed him back. “I know.” She smiled. “And you do. You are a good person, Erik. I wouldn’t be with you if I didn’t see otherwise.” She pulled him into another light kiss.

A bit too late for that I’m afraid. That particular thought she was nice enough to keep to herself, however. The run in with the old vampire did teach her one important lesson: it was best to hold her tongue around these creatures. Kennedy said she wouldn’t hurt her, but since she was a young vampire Abigail was uncertain as to how much control the vampire had.  

“I am curious about one thing,” she continued to try and clear the air, “Why tell me such a huge secret? Sure the likelihood of someone believing me if I spilled anything is small but it would have been just as easy to not tell me anything at all.

Kennedy looked at Abigail as she asked her question. The blonde shrugged. “You’re a witch, so it’s not like you don’t know about supernatural creatures. However, I told because I don’t see you as a threat or a horrible person.” She shrugged with a small smile on her face. “Plus, it’s nice to have friends that I don’t have to hide myself from.”

He chuckled, surprised that she had listened, “I’m sure your hangover will thank you in the morning,” He teased lightly - something that he was having to ease back into. “You can be honest with me if you haven’t been… I can’t say that heavy drinking is a behaviour I’m accustomed to with you. But, perhaps I just don’t know you as well as I should.” He was gently prodding, giving her a way out because he could be wrong - or she could simply not want to talk about it. Though, heavy drinking was very different from the heavy-cleaning way of coping that he had gotten to know.

Kennedy smiled softly. Alexandre was always so wonderfully nice to her, even with his humanity off. She nodded. “Everything is actually going really well. I just wanted to have a little fun and relax. Obviously, I’m not a person that does relax often.” She laughed. 

“I don’t know. I wish I knew myself.” Erik hung his head, looking down at his feet. “I never wanted you to see me like this, ever.” He was ashamed that it got this far in the first place. 

Kennedy took his hand. “Hey...” She softly spoke. Her other hand lifted his chin. “I want to see every part of you. I’m going to do my best to help you through this. I know it will take time, but it will be okay.”