taxonomites | now i rock a house party at the drop of a hat.

It's around five o'clock in the morning when the citizens of Taxon find themselves inexplicably transported into rooms within the Sanctuary. Doors are left open and beds unmade, food abandoned and lights left on, still shining brightly for those who were awake and are no longer present. The Extras don't seem to notice the captive population's sudden disappearance, continuing on with their business as usual.

For those relocated, though, it's an entirely different story.

They find themselves in rooms with white, alabaster walls that gives them an almost too-clean feeling, as if the entire place was sanitized prior to their arrival. The room assignments are seemingly random, people placed on floors with those they don't know and don't like, people they would rather not be within twenty feet of. It matters not, for what's done is done and cannot be undone. For those who happen to have pets, they'll find them waiting for their owners in the rooms as if nothing is out of the ordinary.

The only thing the captives have managed to bring with them is the clothes on their back and the tablets. On them, they find the following message:

SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE PLEASE ENJOY YOUR STAY WHILE WE ADDRESS CERTAIN TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

Unfortunately for those who try to find a means of escape, they'll discover there is none. Leaving the Sanctuary will prove to be as difficult as leaving Taxon itself. However, if one heads down the right corridor and the right floor, they'll find something else entirely lurking in their midst...

( ooc | sorry for the delay in posting! your mods were otherwise occupied with things of the irl variety this morning. THIS BE A PARTY POST, Y'ALL. room assignments are here, and refer back to the sott post proper for any additional information. please contact us with any questions/concerns you may have in regards to this plot. ♥ )

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Damon can't control his flinch, the way his face twists into something ugly for a moment. Et tu, Stefan? (Not that Damon started it or anything.)

"No. You didn't, did you?"

"Do I look like I work for Child Protective Services?"

He's regretting it already, but keeping it up for appearances sake. There's a lot of guilt where Damon's concerned, and Taxon and what he's doing with Katherine (nevermind what he's feeling, and dear God Damon would kill him if he found out about that) has only served to add to already existing long-list.

"No, fratellino. You don't."

The gentle, even tone is a lie. Stefan should know that tone only leads to badness.

"...I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

Part of the cover, and also giving Damon an open opportunity to yell at him. It may be within the confines of what they can and cannot say with regards to their cover, but the open offer is still there with Stefan playing the hand of the teenager realizing he stepped too far over the line. Not just with calling Damon's guardianship of him into question, but also with Elena and Katherine, given that to those who aren't in on the full bredth of the secret, Stefan looks like that guy who left one twin for another.

Stefan knows Damon wants to tear into him, and Stefan feels he deserves to be yelled at. It would probably make them both feel better, in a very twisted sort of way, as well as reinforce their cover with Damon actively acting the parent-guardian role and coming down on the rebellious ward who's been acting out a ridiculous amount lately - or so it must appear.

"Oh, you have no idea how much."

But instead of the expected lecture, Damon just sighs heavily, the very picture of an aggrieved, caring older sibling-- it's only half an act-- and shakes his head. "I can't make your choices for you, little brother. Just remember this isn't an awful Ben Affleck world war two movie. Your war bride might not be waiting when you come home for her."

Which is actually exactly not the plot of Pearl Harbor, but carry on Damon. Prodding at Stefan's Elena issues with sticks is a quick and easy way to get a response, and honestly Damon wants to make Stefan hurt, make him doubt. To feel a fraction of what Damon has, watching him choose Katherine over everything else.

That does well to make him think, Stefan's guilty gaze going to the floor for a moment. He's well aware of how much he's hurting Elena, of the mess he's in. There's so much more to it now, too; things Damon doesn't know and Stefan would sooner hack off a limb than tell him, things he knows Damon probably suspects at this point. His older brother knows him better than he knows himself. He hates what this is putting both Damon and Elena through, but there's nothing he can say or do (yes, there is; leave Katherine, but he can't do that just yet) to make it better.

"Not how that movie went," he says when he looks up, and he'll deny blinking back anything resembling hot, angry tears of self-loathing. "What are you going to do, ground me? I'll be eighteen in five months."

"Details." Damon waves that off, looking away for a moment. Stefan's not the only one having trouble keeping his cool during this argument. "No one saw that movie for the plot, anyway."

Looking back, he shrugs delicately. "Maybe I'll pick up the slack you've dropped. What else would a good big brother do?"

now i rock a house party at the drop of a hat.

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