kindofright | (no subject)

[ Elena and Damon stumbled on one Alaric Saltzman very late last night.

Her ~~pseudo-daddy~~ former history teacher had fallen through the rift only moments prior to their discovery, and she would've been alone in this discovery had Damon not ~~gone caveman~~ insisted on making sure she got home safely.

After the recent turn of events, one can never be too careful.

She hasn't completely processed what any of this means, nor has she wanted to acknowledge the impeccable timing of it all. She doesn't want to linger on the fact Ric's in danger by being here, the way Jeremy is, but it's there; a helpless thing. The concern wars with the sheer relief that came with seeing Ric again, the hope that swelled in her chest because she'd missed him so much. Part of her can't help but wonder if he'll recognize her at all. If he'll find she's different, in a way she can't reconcile with, and part of her resents herself for even making that a concern.

Elena insisted Ric stay over. There's a couch with his name on it, and she wasn't take no for an answer. It's early in the morning and Elena finds herself in the kitchen. She's making breakfast for them. She can't save the world and she can't change what's happening with the CLF, but she can make them breakfast. She can do this. Ric still undoubtedly has many questions and Elena wants to fill him in on everything as best she can.

Just not with an empty stomach.

She's arguing with Damon when Ric's incoming footsteps alert her to his presence and no one is surprised. ]

Damon, cut it out.

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[With the CLF out actively again, there is no way that Damon would let Elena walk home alone. He doesn't feel that's him going caveman. It's him taking the right precautions, and it turned out well anyway. They wandered onto Alaric quite literally, and Damon won't pretend like it's not a relief to see him again, to see someone he can trust, someone he counts on as a friend even if he can't put that into words. He can't put into words the gratefulness or the fact that he considers Ric one of his friends. These all involve dealing with feelings, and Damon's way of dealing with feelings is to... deny them. Repeatedly.

When the whole city has gone to hell again, it's more of a relief than ever before, and he is in the kitchen when Elena is. He didn't sleep at all the night before, waiting for the potential CLF threat to occur. They have the best security in place, but it doesn't stop him from obsessively waiting for the worst to happen. It hasn't. ...yet. But it will. It's only a mater of time.

Damon smirks at Elena, popping some tiny bite of whatever she's making into his mouth. He has likely been stealing bits ever since she started making breakfast, and it's likely one of the things she is referring to when she's telling him to cut it out.]

I'm just giving some helpful hints, Elena. You're not really known for your cooking ability.

[There are more important things to be discussed and to be focused on, but that doesn't mean Damon will stop being Damon in the meantime.]

[ Last night hadn't turned out to be a dream after all. This isn't his apartment and waking up on a couch was so three or four months ago, it isn't even funny. Sometime near midnight, less than ten hours ago, Alaric had stumbled out of an alley and bumped right into Damon and Elena. Two of the people he was glad to see; mostly because he was sure he had just walked into his worst nightmare.

Chicago. How in the world did he end up here? What was it they said? A wraith? No. A rift. Something that broke the space-time continuum or something that opened up a pocket to another dimension. (He needs to brush up on his knowledge of Star Trek.) ]

I see some things haven't changed. [ He doesn't sound all that amused as he leans his tired form against the nearest surface and squints at the two figures standing a few feet away from him. His stomach lets him know in no quiet way that it wants breakfast, but he could use a cup of coffee first and foremost to wake him up. What he knows he doesn't want is to hear these two playful squabbling over god knows what. (Damon better not be a smart mouth at this hour. Alaric had only just accepted his half-ass apology back in the cave.) ]

I could use some coffee. [ He looks to Damon, and then to Elena, and his brow furrows slightly, wondering just what he's missing and what's been going on here while the two of them have been stuck in Chicago -- for what? Two years now? Oh. Oh no. No, no. Please tell him Damon's not living here is what the look on his face says. (Did he stay over?) Instead of moving to take a seat at the counter, Alaric crosses his arms over his chest and gives Damon a pointed look. ] What's going on? [ What he means to say is, what the hell is Damon doing here at this hour... It's instinctual. That need to keep vampires out of the house of a young teenage girl and her younger brother. He's newly arrived and there's a lot he he hasn't yet figured out, but he can't help feeling protective over the two kids. And he knows Damon. (And Damon needs to dial down that charm of his.) ]

[ Elena grows still, though only for a sliver of a moment, and then she turns to Alaric with a small, wry smile on her face. It's probably for the best she not touch that comment within a ten foot pole, if his lack of amusement is any indication. Not as though she could explain any of it if she was pressed to. Damon doesn't live here, but he and Elena have grown a lot closer than they were at the start. For over a year, it was just the two of them, and while she's reluctant to admit it, she knows she wouldn't have survived this place without him. There's no putting that to words. She knows it is what it is. ]

One step ahead of you. [ She lifts up the coffee mug and extends it toward him in offer with a pleased smile on her face. It's exactly how you like your coffee, ~~Daddy~~ Ric. She hasn't forgotten. You can't be grumpy at this face, Alaric. Or maybe you can, but lookit.

Elena blinks at the question in surprise, lips parting as she seizes a small breath. It's been a while since anyone asked over what was going on specifically with something of this nature, and she knows he isn't asking for further explanations on the Rifts and its ongoings. It's both strange and familiar in its comfort. She glances at Damon almost imperceptibly before soundlessly clearing her throat, continuing on with her chopping. She's getting this ~~hopefully edible~~ breakfast done if it kills her. ]

Damon's just ... he's been going over our new security system. There's ... a lot going on right now we didn't get to explain to you last night. [ The Rift, how it changes you, the new dimensions -- that's really just the tip of the iceberg. ]

[Damon, of course, has no idea that he just apologized to Ric for anything, but he's going to get really annoyed with this future!Damon and all his choices. Knowing himself, they were less choices and more reactions. Details, they're still consequences he has had to deal with.]

Good morning to you too. Would you prefer it if they did? [Change, that is. Damon smirks at him. No, across universes and across time, Damon and Elena are still Damon and Elena. There's the bickering, and there's Damon here to keep her safe. Her brother fall under that umbrella at the moment.

Damon glances back at Elena when she glances his way, but he doesn't say anything from his position, sitting up on the counter, looking far too comfortable with himself exactly where he is. He doesn't blink at the question, doesn't look like it makes him consider anything at all, but that's Damon.]

Don't look so worried. Chicago is being more Chicago than usual. I'm not really willing to take any chances. [He stayed the night but he didn't stay in Elena's room. Damon stayed in the kitchen, checking and rechecking the doors to make certain they would stay shut and secure.

Damon has been considering outfitting the windows with bulletproof glass too. He's not willing to take chances when it comes to these people or this city. ~~Damon is so pleased Alaric thinks he's charming by the way.~~]

[ Alaric takes the coffee from Elena with a grateful smile. If there's one face he can appreciate seeing here, it's that of Elena's. He knows this version of Chicago is probably the last place he should want her to be stuck in, but it's not as if Mystic Falls has been the safest place for her as of late, what with Klaus being a major problem for them; one they hadn't been able to get rid of. (No thanks to the Salvatores and their failed attempt to stake the original douche.) ] Thanks.

[ And he's going to ignore Damon's smartass remark. Also that smirk of his. But he's thankful the guy had the decency to stay in the kitchen while Elena slept in her room. Now he won't have to feel the need to stake a vampire at this hour. Alaric moves to takes a seat by the counter. He rubs the sleep from his eyes and takes a slow sip of the coffee. It tastes funny, but that's to be expected. It's strong enough to wake him up at least and that's all he needs. ]

It's just the three of you here?