Not as It Seems

“I can never tell if my cat wants attention or help getting down from somewhere and there is no guilt like the guilt of getting those two things mixed up.”

“Sounds like my ma’s cat. I had to watch her one and she would act like she needed attention, but then bite the shit out of me when I tried to pet her.  Guilt trips sound far better than that.”

Luckily, her glass was nearly empty as the other one hit her. Somehow managing to miss spilling any on her dress. “It’s fine. Couldn’t make this night any worse, and it’d give me a reason to slip out of here without getting in trouble for coming home early.”

“I’m still sorry, miss.” He offered her before his brow furrowed with concern.He knew better than to be nosy, but if she needed help he wasn’t one to say no. “It’s not any of my business, but is everything alright? If someone’s bothering you or something I can give you a cover story.”

“Oh it’s no trouble!” Gwen said, as cheerful as ever, even if she had spilled some of her drink on her dress in the collision. It wasn’t too bad, and she was confident she could fix it. “It happens to the best of us. Are you alright?” 

He sighed with relief as she assured him it was fine. “I’m still sorry, I should have been paying attention. His mind was still lost everywhere but in that moment. If not for his sake then for Beck’s. After the last event, he needed to be far more careful.” he chuckled, nodding his head. “I’m fine, don’t worry about me. I’m just glad I didn’t ruin your night or your beautiful dress.”

There was really no time like the present, and while she heard the other’s voice, it still only felt like an echo, something from the distant past that she had separated herself from entirely. Even when she saw him in town, it didn’t lead to much, a bounced glance and an avoidance of eye contact, as she knew what she had done to him, not believe him to be real for a while, the ghosts of her pasts coming to haunt her instead. But, truth be told, there was the nagging sensation that forced her to turn towards him after he spoke, her lithe words lacking in a manner she wasn’t ready to admit to yet. “The seat is all yours.” Adelaide couldn’t help but continue to stare at him, truly he was a ghost, something imaginary, before she let her lips thin. “I suppose we have been avoiding this for some time, haven’t we?”

He took his place next to her, letting himself for the first time since he’d returned really look at her. She was as he remembered her, she was as timeless and she was beautiful. His heart ached for what they lost so long ago, but life was never so kind so to even meet again would have to be enough and for know--he was grateful for that despite it all. History did seem to repeat itself, he just never knew he would have to take it so literally. “We have, you caught me off guard when I moved here and took me a while to work the nerve back up to talk to you.” It felt more like a dream, her being here of all places. He never saw it, but maybe she wasn’t the person he believed her to be. “After that long, I thought it’d be easier if I ever saw you again. How have you been?”

“Things aren’t exactly getting easier out here for us, especially you. It seems like every other day some vampire is causing more and more trouble for the town and giving all of you a bad rep.” He paused as he looked to his dad, nothing but concern pained across his expression. “I just need to know you’re going to be okay out there. I love Hawthorne as much as the next person, but maybe it’s time to seriously consider moving.”

@willhcollins

Will sighed softly, setting his mug down as he looked to his son with worry in his eyes. “I’ve been wondering the same thing. The town doesn’t seem to be living up to what we were sold on. I never heard of a place having multiple incidents happening and there being no arrests, no follow ups. My kind, we never had a good reputation, I’m worried about you getting poisoned again.” Will did not want to up root their lives again, he was tired of having to move them every few years, but they hadn’t been there more than a few months time and he was already looking. “I can lose a job, stand losing the house, but I don’t want to risk losing you again. I was hesitant to bring it up, but if that’s how you feel--maybe we should consider it.”

Neil slid out of the uber without a word, rating the driver five stars for not speaking to him the entire time. He needed to get to know Hawthorne, seeing as how he planned to make this place his new home. “Excuse me,” he asked the first person he saw. “Do you know where the library is from here?”

Will never  usually put off Christmas shopping, but with things being far more difficult this year at work he’d nearly forgotten about the holiday in general.He was leaving lunch with a co-worker, ready to get back to getting ideas when a man stopped him. He offered him a kind smile before speaking “Sure, it’s down the street, you take a left, and its the fourth building on your right.” He spoke, hoping he was being clear. “I promise you can’t miss it.”

“I need to find those flipper things that you use for swimming in the ocean, but one that looks more like a mermaid tail.”

“I think there’s a swim shop in town, but have you tried something called Amazon? My son says they’ve got everything on there, it might have it. What do you need it for? It’s almost winter, hate for you to freeze out there.”

“I have no other reasons, nor do I need them,” Scarlet said flatly. “I’ve dedicated my life to repaying for my sins. How can I properly fight for justice in this form? I train everyday, I’ve killed humans and supernatural alike, and I’ve made it this far. But I’ll grow old, I’ll grow weak. I’ll be damned if I die before I’ve repented for all the innocent souls I’ve killed.”

“I think that is a just decision, not that you need my opinion.” He offered, he had tried to reply for his own demons with the time he’d been given, fix what he felt he never could. While there was relief, there were still moments he wished he could grow old and live a natural life, but in the end--he knew this was the greatest price he had to pay. “When you first turn, it won’t be easy. If you need help of any kind, I’m happy to offer. I was turned years ago--the 40′s to be exact. I’m fairly young, if anything I understand better than most in more ways than just that.”