constellations

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍   on   lily’s   face   is   almost   enough   to   make   her   feel   guilty   for   the   outburst,   but   she’s   far   too   concerned   with   the   state   of   her   lover’s   portrait.   even   as   the   twins   retreat,   she   makes   a   point   of   pulling   the   chain   back   over   her   head   to   tuck   the   locket   into   her   shirt   before   she   steps   out    to   follow   them.   she’s   not   trying   to   intrude,   but   she   knows   someone   else   will   approach   them   if   they   wander   for   too   long.   as   her   palms   press   against   the   cool   metal   of   the   crash   bar,   she   pauses,   unsure   if   she   should   interrupt   their   private   conversation   until   she   hears   the   mention   of   a   memory.   it’s   all   the   confirmation   she   needs   to   know   that   their   presence   is   not   a   coincidence,   or   the   work   of   some   witch.   they   are   the   cooper   twins   from   her   past,   even   if   they   don’t   know   it.   ❝  what   memory  ?  ❞   dominique   calls   out   while   exiting   the   building. ❝ hopefully, it was a pleasant one ? my understanding is that you spent weeks trying to keep everything a secret when you had the locket made. ❞

the bartender's voice causes her to jump, she hadn't been expecting that she would follow the twins outside. the air is still sticky, weighing heavy against her body, engulfing her as she succumbed to the panic brewing in the pit of her stomach. "i said it was like a memory." she snaps, unwilling to allow herself to think for even a fucking second that she was some weird reincarnated version of this random person's long lost lover. "your locket must be like haunted or something." lily doesn't want to pause to actually think about what just happened, to relive the memory again, mainly in fear that it would happen all over again and she would find herself thrust into another time and place. "besides didn't you say your girlfriend just liked dressing up like she was from different decades?" she points out, arms crossing over her chest in a huff. "in this creepy vision i wasn't just dressing up. my ass was stuffed inside a corset staring down the lens of a massive old school camera in some antique looking manor."

❝ whatever   you   say,  ❞   the   bartender   replies,   fixing   her   face   into   a   more   neutral   expression.   in   the   past,   she   might   have   taken   the   woman’s   response   as   a   challenge,   but   she’s   no   longer   the   same   vampire   that   she   used   to   be.   she   can’t   even   imagine   luring   this   woman   into   her   bedroom   &   leaving   her   dead.   ❝ long   as   you’re   not   homophobic,   we’re   good.  ❞   she   jokes   in   an   attempt   to   lighten   the   mood,   but   it   seems   to   fall   flat   since   new   lily   is   busy   staring   at   the   locket.   the   young   redhead   looks   as   if   she’s   seen   a   ghost   &   dominique   is   half   a   second   away   from   asking   if   she’s   alright   when   the   ornate   pendant   drops   onto   the   counter.   ❝ hey  !  ❞   she   calls   out,   swooping   the   necklace  up   with   a   sour   expression.   she   does   a   quick   once - over   to   check   for   any   damage   &   cradles   the   piece   close   to   her   chest   once   she’s   certain   that   it’s   unharmed.   ❝ what   the   hell   is   wrong   with   you  ?   you   could   have   broken   it.  ❞ 

everything feels fuzzy around the edges, like she knows things are continuing to happen around her but there's static in the way and the colors have been muted. she had pregamed before coming here but she hadn't consumed nearly enough alcohol to make her feel like this. what was happening to her? almost with a cinematic pop the room comes to life again, and she's being scolded by the brunette standing in front of her. "i-" she trails off, what excuse did she have? "it must have slipped from my grasp" the words are soft, her head still a bit foggy. "i'm sorry, i must not be feeling well." she sounds distracted, even to herself, her body on autopilot as it tugs her from her seated position. "i think i just need some air." she speaks but she's already turned, stumbling to the door. it flings open the hot and intensely heavy heat of a summer night hitting her like a brick wall, the stark contrasting cool a.c breeze from the bar on her back cutting off as the door swings shut. outside, away from that woman, things feel more clear, she feels a bit more steady. she can sense her twin's presence though she hasn't heard her exit the bar. "i'm fine." she dismisses before reese can even speak. "i just - i don't know what happened in there but i swear as soon as i touched that stupid locket i felt something, like a memory." red hair swaying in the wind as she shakes her head. "i know that sounds insane, but did you see that photo? it's me."

𝐃𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐐𝐔𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐀 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 at the other patrons of the bar, almost all of whom are known vampires by her account. ❝ something like that, ❞ she hums in response. satan would be the least of their worries if any of the so - called bikers in the corner took an interest in them, but she wouldn't let that happen. since her latest massacre, she's built up quite the reputation. no one would dare question her authority, except perhaps her grandmother who had lived during the time of ancient egypt & was by far the oldest vampire she knew. ❝ usually ? ❞ the bartender arches an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth twitching upwards on one side. she can hear the sudden increase in the woman's heartbeat, but she tries to ignore the warmth that blossoms on her skin, across the bridge of her nose, & down the delicious slope of her neck... it's the first time in nearly three decades that she's taken an interest in any human, but the familiar burning sensation that rises in the back of her throat is immediately followed by guilt. she does have a photo of her lily, wrapped around her neck & cradled close to her heart. always. ❝ i'd have to look for one of us together, but i have this. ❞ her hand moves to the vintage locket without much thought & she removes it, shockingly, for perhaps the first time since she received it. ❝ she was, um... into vintage photoshoots & stuff. ❞ the vampire silently curses herself for being so inarticulate as she offers the woman her most prized possession. doppelgangers exist, but it's just so hard not to trust someone who feels like her lily.

between the looks she's been getting from the patrons of the bar, to the look she's getting right now from the bartender, she can feel the pace of her heartbeat growing faster with each passing second. something feels just a little off, like she's been here before or she's knows this bartender - but how could any of that be possible? "i don't know why i said usually." was it hot in here? or was it just her? the flush of her cheeks pairing with the sticky tingling of sweat forming beneath her hair at the nape of her neck. "i don't date women, i'm not interested in women like that." the redhead comments, sounding much more certain of her response this time. she can feel the way the other is staring at her, only making her more self-conscious about the blooming rose hue coating her otherwise pale skin. she reaches instinctually for the locket, relieved to be taken off the spot somewhat. the second her fingers brush against the cool metal her body reacts. the room begins spinning, her eyes locked on the photo, her own reflection staring back at her. suddenly and all at once she is no longer in the bar, the scent shifting from stale cigarettes and beer to honey and fresh linen. she's dizzy, so incredibly dizzy, her stomach tightening as she gazes at the man holding a camera in front of her. her clothes and her hair are different, but she knows she is home, she invited this man to take her photos - not for a vintage photoshoot, but to gift, to her one true love. the locket falls to the counter, any pigment left in lily's cheeks is drained, her lips quiver, trying to udder a word of what just happened, but she falls short, unable to begin, frozen in her own terror.

how was anyone meant to act when confronted with their ex being consensually groped by their new girlfriend? lily didn't have a handbook and grey had been the first person since college that she'd dated — seriously or otherwise. she knew badmouthing maeve wasn't a smart idea, not with so many work colleagues and higher ups around them. so lily simply stuck to the truth, insinuated without quite voicing those words exactly. it was no huge secret grey's new girl was a lot to handle and not in a fun way. lily was just supremely happy to not have been handed her as a client. "babe?" she repeats, eyebrows rising as grey refuses to look her way. of course. "yeah we used to live in the same town ... did some really fun things together too, right grey?" her smile is wide and sickly sweet, lashes fluttering as she watches out of the corner of her eye maeve straightening her spine. oh well. "i work here now. accepted a job a few weeks back and got started pretty much after that. so you might be seeing more of me than you're used to these days." which was not going to do anything for lily's blood pressure or mental capabilities that was for sure.

she's already annoyed and trying desperately not to show it. she certainly hadn't missed lily's greater than thou attitude and her stupid nauseatingly sweet demeanor to match. grey wants to snap, wants to tell lily to stop acting like a child when they had broke up so long ago. there was absolutely no reason for her to be behaving like this, especially when they were in front of not only her boss, but grey's new partner - even if they weren't really that together, it was still fucking rude. "relax." her tone is short, the words tense, the air around them shifting. her face quickly reflects the emotions she goes through when lily mentions seeing her around more often than she was previously used to. "well unfortunately you're working for maeve's pr firm, not mine, so seems like you two will be seeing a lot of each other." a fake smile plastered back onto her face. "i'm sure you guys will be the best of friends."

"i know that i ended it, but why won't you chase after me?"

"you can't be serious." a dry, incredulous laugh slipping past glossed lips. "you ended it, you don't get to show up and ask why i'm moving on." the age gap between them might not have been huge but it certainly felt that way sometimes. "i'm far too old to be playing these fucking games - get out of my face." it was harsher than it needed to be, jade knew that, but between work and this she didn't need to continue to reopen this wound, though she would never admit just how much their breakup actually did wound her.

❝ yes, ❞ dominique agrees in a soft tone, likely imperceptible over the sound of the music. ❝ you mustn't be. ❞ she tries not to let the disappointment of that realization sink into her bones, but it's practically unavoidable. this person, whoever she is, cannot possibly be her lily. she was a vampire & would surely remember her... or at least feel a vague sense of familiarity ? maybe that's just wishful thinking. ❝ you should do more research before you pick a place next time, ❞ she advises, forcing herself to look away as she adds the cranberry juice to the woman's cocktail. no one will bother them while they're in her presence, but a vampire bar is no place for a human──not even a potential witch. ❝ it's... it's a really long story, i shouldn't keep you. ❞ dominique flashes her best version of a smile & leans forward to place both beverages on the counter. ❝ basically, i dated a girl named lily once. she had a twin named reese & looked... pretty much exactly like you. ❞ normally, she wouldn't divulge any personal information to a stranger, but this woman was either completely harmless or she already knew about her past with the cooper twins. and the more they spoke, the more likely it seemed that she was just a human.

the disappointment is so blatant on the other woman's face, lily almost feels guilty for not being whoever it was she was thought to be. clearly there was something unresolved between the bartender and other lily. she shifts uncomfortably, the leather barstool beneath her letting out a soft whine at the transference of pressure. "why is this place haunted or something?" again her tone seems light for the anxiety rolling in her stomach. "you guys going to sacrifice us to satan?" she continues the joke, though by the looks of the crowd here it doesn't actually seem that far off. petite hand adorned with gold rings and long coffin shaped artificial nails grasps the glass in front of her, thankful for alcohol to ease the tension the second it begins to slip down her throat. the liquid gets caught, the redhead nearly choking when the woman speaks again. "dated?" she repeats shyly. "oh - well, i'm not -" a pause. "i mean, it couldn't be -" another beat. "i don't date women, usually." it comes out in a rush, the usually on the end of the sentence something added on subconsciously it seems, a bright red crimson color creeping up the length of her neck and settling on her cheeks. "you must have a photo of your lily then, no?" her sister finally speaks, lily jumping at the sound of the familiar voice. she had all but forgotten reese was there. "yes, you must have at least one photo of the two of you together, let me see. we must not look that much alike."

"what, you about to tell me you're questioning or something?" ursa teased, a small jab of her elbow to her best friend's elbow. "whatever it is, i am sure it's—wait, wait, did you kill someone? because if you killed someone and didn't call me to help move the body, i'm livid with you."

with a shake of her head olivia dismisses any foolish notions that she may have killed someone - naturally ursa would be the first person she called if she had murdered someone. "no of course not." an incredulous laugh spilling from her. "what if i was going to tell you that i was, you know.." she pauses, fidgeting nervously. "questioning." the word comes out quieter than the rest of her sentence. "would that be totally weird?"