[ Location: The Nest ] [ Accidental Video ] Done the 50s twice now

[faderbroderson]

The glitch is over, and Godric is sitting alone on the roof of the nest, contemplating the past two weeks. He wonders what it means that even in the fantasies of aliens, he still had a horrible childhood. He wonders if the glitch would have bothered him less if they'd made him an average teenager with an average life, rather than a too-young veteran who'd escaped to a bloody war because it was preferable to his home life. Probably. Maybe one day, they'll uproot his entire world in a way that he'll enjoy.

(He isn't holding his breath, so to speak.)

He pulls out the picture of Sookie and stares it, wondering why he was left with it, unaware the tablet is recording.

Comments

[vikingvampire.livejournal.com]

It doesn't take a silly little tablet to alert Eric that Godric is upset about something. Although the tablet helps. And while Eric knows Godric probably doesn't want company at the moment, that's never stopped him before and it certainly won't now.

It only takes a moment before Eric is outside and hovering just beyond the edge of the roof. He doesn't say anything, it's not exactly like he needs to make his presence known anyway. He just watches his maker, guessing at what might have put him in this mood to begin with.

[faderbroderson]

Godric is aware of Eric in the same way he's aware of himself; it's impossible for either of them to hide from one another. Were he in a truly unapproachable mood (which happens rarely when it comes to Eric), a warning would have sliced through their bond, and Eric would know to make himself scarce very quickly. No such warning comes. Instead, the bond feels something like resignation, and Godric's body language remains open. Eric is welcome, however much Godric doesn't think he wants company.

After a moment, Godric breaks the silence with a quiet intonation.

"Why do you think they do it? The glitches?"

[vikingvampire.livejournal.com]

Ah, so that's what Godric is thinking about. Eric isn't too far off in his musings. "Some sadistic sense of glee maybe?"

This is the first time Eric has experienced a glitch firsthand here in Taxon, so he can't really give a better answer than that. All he knows is that the hamsters, or aliens, or whatever they are, took away his memories of his family and replaced them with false ones. A false life. He doesn't appreciate that one bit.

He closes the gap between himself and the roof, and sits down beside Godric. With his arms resting on his knees, Eric turns his gaze to the surrounding foliage. "How many of these have you been through?"

[faderbroderson]

"Two now. They seem to be fond of turning me into a human." He doesn't have to remind Eric about the first time. Not when the consequences had been, and still are, so far-reaching. Turning the photo over in his fingers delicately, he passes it over to Eric.

"They left me with this. I don't know why." It's a reminder of a life he never truly had, which nevertheless failed to make it less painful when he'd been living it. It's also a reminder of Sookie -- the real Sookie -- and he misses her.

[vikingvampire.livejournal.com]

Eric can at least empathize with the human part, if not the rest. Being turned human after so long and he doesn't even get to enjoy it as himself. Now that's just mean.

He takes the photo and stares at Sookie's retro image. She would've done well in that time period, he thinks. It's a shame she wasn't there. "Maybe they thought you needed it." He hands the picture back. "They left me the bike."

[faderbroderson]

Tucking the picture back into a pocket, Godric's eyes flicker over to Eric's and away again at the comment about the motorcycle. It's something that suits Eric; maybe in some way, Sookie's picture suits Godric too.

"It would have been novel," he speaks very quietly, after moments of silence, "if they had given me a better life, in their fantasy world."

[vikingvampire.livejournal.com]

Eric nods, understanding full well what Godric means. He knows exactly how hard Godric's life had been in the real world and to be given a shitty life in the fantasy one is definitely a low blow. It's a shame the aliens didn't take that into account when they made this glitch.

"They clearly don't know what they're doing, or neither of us would've been given the lives we were." Eric definitely would've preferred to keep his own memories of his family, as painful as they may be. Even if his time with them was cut unforgivably short, he cherished the memories he had of them. It wasn't right that they were tampered with.

[ voice ]

[stacked]

[ faith is Out for the moment. for many reasons, including the fact that's she's the only slayer in taxon, now. the slayer, for all intents and purposes. she might be freaking out a little. ]

Kind of going public here, Godric.

[ visual ]

[faderbroderson]

An unexpected voice, but not unwelcome. Godric greets her with a little smile that dispels some of the brooding sadness.

"Thank you, Faith. I've ceased to be surprised when these turn on by themselves." He tucks the picture away again, aware that it's something of a faux pas to be lingering over the picture of a woman while speaking to one you're sleeping with, even if your relationship with the woman in the picture is platonic.

[ voice ]

[stacked]

Pretty sure they just make 'em that way.

[ faith doesn't really care about the picture; of all the things she wants from godric, monogamy isn't even one of the desires she holds close to her chest and doesn't admit to having. ]

She's hot.

[ visual ]

[faderbroderson]

Monogamous or not, Godric does his best to be classy. His smile widens at Faith's frank appraisal.

"She's a lovely person." The implication being that she's very nice and also hot, yes. "You never met her when she was here before, did you?"

[ voice ]

[stacked]

[ whereas faith is basically all the not-classy ever. ask for her thoughts on watching eric and yourself go at it sometime, godric. seriously. ]

Nah, I kind of bailed when she was around. Got the feeling she didn't feel like talking with the chick Fang was banging on and off.

[ faith has... issues with other women, too. call it 'one of the boys internalized misogyny syndrome' swung into overdrive. sookie scared her, a little. ]

[ visual ]

[faderbroderson]

Faith, what are your thoughts on yaoi?

A burst of laughter escapes Godric. Faith's observation is a keen one, and the implications of it are an incredible source of hope and amusement.

"She insists she doesn't like him. You should see them argue," he teases. Sookie and Eric are so full of sexual tension when they're annoyed with each another that Godric half expects them to jump each other right in front of him. Or he did, when Sookie was still in Taxon to drive Eric up a wall.

[ voice | locked ]

[tothelibrary.livejournal.com]

Just a heads up, you're kind of broadcasting.

[ dawn hesitates here, about to ask 'are you okay' but not sure it's a question she's allowed to ask in this particular situation. ]

[ visual | locked ]

[faderbroderson]

"Hello, Dawn. Thank you." He tucks away the picture and picks up the tablet. "How are you?"

It's probably a foolish question, but he wants to be sure she's coping well with Buffy's absence. He wants to know she has support, because he feels he's failing rather spectacularly in that role, consumed as he is with his own problems.

[ voice | locked ]

[tothelibrary.livejournal.com]

Don't worry about it. At least you weren't torturing innocent books. [ ...dawn, let that go. seriously. ]

I'm-- [ tiny laugh here, more bitter than anything else. ] Are you going to call me on it if I lie and say I'm fine?

[ visual | locked ]

[faderbroderson]

Torturing...what? He looks confused (and vaguely concerned) before refocusing on the matter at hand.

"Yes. I usually do." He smiles sadly. "Do you have people there with you?"

[ voice | locked ]

[tothelibrary.livejournal.com]

Okay, then I'm not fine. [ pause here. ] Yes?

[ by which she means: 'depends of how you define there' which means no. ]

[ visual | locked ]

[faderbroderson]

"I'm afraid I'm not much comfort at the moment...but I don't want to imagine you alone in that castle." The castle that had been Buffy's.

[ visual ]

[virtued.livejournal.com]

"Someone you knew?"

The nosy teenager act is being laid on thick today, apparently.

[ visual ]

[faderbroderson]

Godric doesn't recognize this one, but fresh faces -- even nosy ones -- are nothing new. Curiosity isn't usually a crime.

"Someone I know." Tenses are important. "She was sent home, not too long ago."

[ visual ]

[virtued.livejournal.com]

"Oh. I'm very sorry to hear that." Despite the nosy act, he is genuinely sincere in that sentiment. "I'm Stefan. Stefan Salvatore."

[ visual ]

[faderbroderson]

"Godric." He nods in greeting, and in recognition of Stefan's condolences. "Have you been here long, Stefan?"

[ visual ]

[virtued.livejournal.com]

He shakes his head. "No, not long. About two months. I take it you've been here longer?"

[ visual ]

[faderbroderson]

"Over a year now." He doesn't sound proud of it; he sounds resigned. "Do you have loved ones here, or people you know?" While they're on the subject.