[GP/EP] You're not clear of story out here

[st_arkcrowblack]

Even before she knew for certain that it was the first of a month, Snow’s body had started bracing for it. She was wary and tense, preparing to cope with yet more people in the space of the hotel. It seemed that no sooner had she adjusted to whoever had showed up the last time, there was someone new again.

She didn’t want anything to do with the lot of it. That was what those busy women on the welcome committee were for. She didn’t think the committee was a stupid thing, not at all. Focusing on settling new people in kept the lot of them busy and away from her, and that was where she wanted them. They terrified her.

Snow White had only come into the main building to forage for food. The original plan was of course to turn right back around and escape before the expected rush (small or large) of new people to flood in.

But that was of course not what happened. When a universe was a pocket, it had less to focus on and fewer people to fuck with, and so Snow was entirely certain it was fucking with her when she was the one in the lobby when a new face came through the door.

Comments

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

Caroline slipped her jacket back on over her sundress - the shop left a lot to be desired in terms of clothes - and flipped her hair out from under the collar. Tucking her hands into the pockets, she waited for him to finish packing up, then turned for the door. She found herself humming his song under her breath.

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

He noticed the humming, but limited himself to internal smugness. Lindsey wasn't rattling just now, neither was Caroline, and you let sleeping snakes lie. He gestured for her to lead the way, catching the door on the arm carrying his guitar as he followed her through it.

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

The evenings were getting warmer and the lights from the hotel weren't enough to block out the stars. Caroline started walking from the main building up the hill. The pool area was quiet and dark but the lights were on in the gym.

"Did you do that a lot, back where you're from?"

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

"Some," he shrugged. "Crappy bars in nowhere towns while I was traveling could be a good way to pick up a few bucks or something better than sleeping in my truck. And there was this karaoke bar for awhile before that, the Host liked me, let me play when I liked. Gave his ears a break from bleeding, I think."

Then Lorne had chosen sides, and it was probably a good thing Lindsey'd taken off. He couldn't risk singing for Lorne any more.

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

Sometimes he sounded like the songs he sang, just a rough country guy. Sleeping in his truck, singing for supper. But sometimes he sounded like... Alaric or Klaus. Smarter than everyone else around him. Like the kind of guy who'd pick a song with about twenty layers of meaning.

Caroline still wasn't sure what the truth was. She had been trying to tell herself that she didn't care, that it didn't matter who he was as long as he kept his part of the deal.

"There's a bar back home. I sang there once. Lived out a rock star fantasy for two minutes." It felt like a hundred years ago.

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

"Two whole minutes, huh – what'd you sing?" Her answer would possibly be more informative than asking if she was any good, and it was better than sharing Lindsey's thoughts on 'rock star fantasy'. He tried to calculate the chances this walk and talk was more angling for a duet sometime than just thirsty (or thirsty) vampire.

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

Caroline smiled at the memory. "Eternal Flame. I was apologizing to my boyfriend at the time."

It had worked too, for a while.

There wasn't any point to this. She was just making small talk while she tried to figure out what she actually wanted to say. His song still pounded in her head and some part of her felt like rattling.

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

Lindsey was pretty sure that song had come out while he was in high school, but without knowing what year it had been for her before she came here, sometime late 80s or after didn't narrow things down. 'Boyfriend' sounded young to him, but whether Caroline was as young as she looked, or she maintained the lexicon to blend in better when she would look like a teenager forever, he couldn't say.

It was enough for him to finally ask something he'd been wondering for awhile now, though. "How long since you became a vampire?"

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

"A few years. I'm not that much older than I look, actually." Especially not compared to the only other vampire in the hotel. Caroline wondered if he knew about Rebekah.


"What about you? How old are you?" After all, if she was going to own up, he should too.

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

"Not any older'n I look," Lindsey turned back on her. "Thirty. Give or take whatever from the time travel of getting here. Thirty's close enough."

Technically his birthday had been a few days after he'd arrived, by the calendar they were using here. But he'd been closer to his thirtieth than thirty-first, so he didn't see any reason to jump ahead. Old enough if Caroline had been as young as she looked, she hadn't lived enough for him. A few years more... he wasn't sure.

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

A lot closer than the last guy she'd slept with. Caroline's lips curved. She could have sworn she heard rattling. "I have another question."

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

Oh that look could herald bad things. Caroline probably knew it too. Lindsey met it calmly, one eyebrow lifting fractionally. "just one?"

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

"That depends on the answer." She stepped closer, tilted her head so her face caught the light as she met his eyes. "Do I look drunk, drug, compelled or confused?"

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

That would be some rattlin'. "Looks can be deceiving," he observed, "But no. You currently do not look drunk, drugged, compelled, or confused."

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

Caroline nodded, satisfied with that. "And are you drunk, drugged, compelled or confused?"

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

"To the best of my knowledge, I am not currently drunk, drugged, compelled, or confused."

Drinking, yes, but nowhere near drunk. And Caroline would probably know better than Lindsey if he'd been compelled, since she was the one with the best opportunity to have done it.

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

She took another step closer, so that the slightest shift would brush her body against his. "Good. Because I want to know the answer to the question I asked you the other day."

She smiled like it was a dare, then kissed him.

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

The answer, as it turned out, was no. Lindsey wasn't pushing her away when neither of them were under the influence of lust magics. The influence of nothing but his hand for longer than he cared to count, but could without difficulty, and an either interested or manipulative (or both) hot, blonde – and vampire, can't forget that – was enough for Lindsey to return the kiss. His hand came up to curve along her jaw, tilting her into the kiss.

Blue eyes glinted sharp and bright when he pulled back enough to meet her gaze. "Answer your question?"

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

"Answers that one." It answered another one too. Without something forcing her to want him, she still did. She wet her lips, curled her fingers around his collar. "Wanna do it again?"

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

"Depends." Some things, it was better to be clear on upfront. Doubly so when trapped in a pocket dimension with only a handful of people and nowhere else to go.

"Are you asking for foreplay or a makeout session?"

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_raighttovampire]

Caroline tilted her head, narrowed her eyes and then huffed out a sigh. Why couldn't they just see what happened?

Because he was a weirdly paranoid dude who'd warned them both with a song like ten minutes ago. And okay, Caroline could appreciate clarity. "The first one, obviously. But only in the one night only, no encores way. Don't get mushy on me."

Re: Lindsey - OT3, then by arrangement

[st_ableandbar]

There was nothing about Lindsey to suggest he got mushy about anyone. Ever. Not any more. One night only, no encores suited him just fine. No need for him to state the obvious when leaning in and taking another kiss was answer enough.