WAY DOWN WE GO

[bsbennett]

familyreject

“No,” he answered, pausing thoughtfully. “I heal pretty fast here. It’s not instantaneous, but I haven’t cared enough to help it along or anything.” He looked over to the witch, gears turning behind his gaze. He doubt the same applied to the Bennett. The world didn’t work the same around her and Damon as it did for him, for reasons that seemed to make some sort of sense. So much so that Kai wasn’t willing to risk trying it out. Not in that moment, anyway. There was a soft nod at her words, not denying them in the slightest. “I still believe what I did was in retaliation to what they did to me, but I’ve spent a lot of years here. It puts things in perspective.” He explained whilst taking on an almost knowing smile. Her question had cracked a grin, though. “I like you, Bon. If this is going to be goodbye, I want it to actually be good.” Another spoonful of soup later and Kai’s watching the witch curiously. “Do you want to see mine?”

“Guess they couldn’t have their prisoner escape his life sentence because of something as simple as death.” It was a thought that had been running through her head ever since Kai had pulled his reappearing act. They’d stuck him in an entirely different dimension, without so much as the sound of birds for comfort, and to top it off, they’d made sure he’d be stuck in the repeating hellscape until the end of time, or the end of the coven he so desperately wanted to finish off. It was undeniably cruel, effective, and in a sick way, ironic. “Perspective is key.” Resuming with sipping at her soup, each bite becoming a little easier as she grew accustomed to the discomfort. She’d even found a rhythm when he said something that made her roll her eyes before shooting a look that made it more than clear just how believable she found his sentiment given the past twenty-four hours. The witch tried to go back to her soup, but then he asked a question, and she found herself giving him her attention. Looking at him suspiciously, waiting for the gemini to expand on his comment before finally relenting with “I’m sure I’m going to regret it, but sure, why not.”

[bsbennett]

familyreject

“They’d be more like little pricks…” The grin he wore wasn’t helping his case, visibly amused by the way she expressed her concern. “But it wouldn’t be for the sake of practice. It’s to help you heal.” The final statement was delivered as a factual matter, Kai pausing to take a sip of his own soup as gray eyes fell on green. “Whatever you want, though. I figured I’d at least offer,” he began, stirring his bowl’s hot contents. “I’m a terrible person but I’m not completely out of mind. I hurt you, and it’s only polite to take some responsibility for my actions.” He gave a shrug that almost looked bashful as he leaned into the elbow that was propped on the couch’s arm. “Among other reasons…”

"Have you gotten stitches without anesthetic before?" the Bennett witch bluntly asked the siphoner, rolling her eyes at the grin on his lips. She did simmer down a bit after his next comment, but her eyes were still on him as she weighed her options. Trusting him versus trusting herself not to get far without the stitches. When he looked her in the eye she held his gaze, looking for some sort of sign of what was going on behind those grey eyes, but he was hard to read, and once again she was left with more questions than answers. "You didn't seem to like that idea when it came to paying for what you did to your family..." It was a low blow, but it was one she was proud of, even if it was offered in a low whisper. It wasn't until it left her lips that she considered his other comment, and found herself asking "Such as?"

[bsbennett]

familyreject

Before too long, Kai had returned to the kitchen and was soon back in the main room, placing Bonnie’s bowl at her nearest end table. “You’d scar anyway,” he pointed out before blowing at a spoonful of his own dinner. He had sat himself at the opposite couch, sitting on the arm of it specifically with one leg on the cushion and the other leg swinging idly below. His head picked up curiously. “Are you saying that because you just don’t like the idea of me being helpful, or do you just have a thing against wheelchairs?  And help in general.” He was planning on getting the supplies anyway. She couldn’t stop at least that. Probably would wait for her to fall asleep.

Bonnie watched as he set the bowl beside her, waiting until he was a few steps away before carefully maneuvering herself to retrieve it. With the bowl in hand, she took the soup slow, choosing to focus on the broth at first. The last thing she needed to do was overdo it. "Thanks for the soup." It was quick, practically painless, but thanking the man who had shot her not long before still left a bitter taste in her mouth. "But at least I won't have to deal with knowing that I let you stab me over and over again with a needle for the sake of practice."  If the witch was honest, she wasn't sure what she feared more, the idea of the siphoner teaching himself to sew on her, or the idea of him being so close to her at all. "I don't want to rely on anything or anyone. Things like that are what got me stuck here in the first place."

[bsbennett]

parkerprince

A smirk played on his lips. “Second day was pretty rough.” There was nothing satisfying watching the vampire and witch bicker endlessly into the nights. And when they weren’t bickering, they were bonding, and finding comfort in each other’s company. Which would fill him with a volatile combo of contempt and envy. It could make him see red, have him hunger for the smell of their blood on steel. An idle shrug, half of his focus on putting together their dishes. “I can check the library for a book or something. How hard can stitches be anyway?” Then, without much extra shuffling to indicate his change of direction, he’s returning to the foyer and back toward Bonnie – offering her a glass of water. “Of course, of course,” he mused – feigning a sense of resignation. “Might need to pick you up a wheelchair.” Kai wasn’t in any rush to make plans for the end of the twenty-four hours. He was a play-it-by-ear kind of guy, and ultimately, he had zero expectations of just walking away from this situation. Not in any way that Bonnie was hoping for, at least.

“The third must have just been torturous.” While normally she found it in poor taste to laugh at her own jokes, she made an exception for this once case as she looked over and offered a smirk of her own to the heretic. The laughter was instantly a mistake, her side throbbing in protest and she sucked in a short breath. It was going to get worse before it got better, but that didn’t mean she had to find ANY pleasure in the pain the healing process brought. Then he mentioned the stitches again and her side seemed to ache intentionally to make her consider the offer.  “I don’t want to be permanently scarred from agreeing to be your test dummy on my forever vacation to nineteen-ninety-four-hell.” she argued, though her insistence was waning. The witch took the water he offered, taking a sip as he mused about a wheelchair, “I’ll take my chances on my own two feet.”

[bsbennett]

parkerprince

A playful scoff escaped him at the sentiment, his own thoughts wandering. “It was a change for me,” he openly expressed one of those many firing neurons – an idly delivered point of view. But there was a sense of control in the chaos. She must have started to feel it too, in the short time she was in this place. One can get too comfortable with the routine of a repeating solar eclipse. It almost made the soft pattering of the weather outside feel daunting, creeping up the Gemini’s spin with every soft reminder of the change to come. It was as exhilarating as it was chilling. If Kai had caught Bonnie’s stares, he made no move to react to them – his expression remaining calm and relaxed as he went through the familiar motions of preparing a night-time meal. “I didn’t hit any vital organs – wasn’t too deep, either. If you let me close enough, I might even be able to stitch some of that up.” The final statement was delivered with a small, albeit pleased smile, flashing her a glance. “We’ll manage the pain by keeping you off your feet, ‘kay?”

Now that was something she hadn’t considered, something she knew she didn’t really care about, but it almost felt important when he said it, and she wasn’t quite sure why. “You would have gotten bored of it eventually.” Relaxing into the couch, staring straight ahead, she started to wonder if this was what her life would look like from then on. An unchanging landscape, without anyone in the world, without any unintentional noises and happenings. The same as it had been, except now Damon was gone, and it was just her and the siphoner, but soon he would be behind her too. Her somber thoughts took a turn as he mused about his shot, the witch couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of his proposition despite the pain. “Even if I trusted you to be within five feet of me with anything sharp, I don’t think you actually know how to do stitches.” Not that she had a better option, and stitches, well done or not, had to be better than holding a towel to it until the end of time or the end of the prison world, whatever came first. Sparing him a look, Bonnie didn’t even realize that her smile faded just a bit as she reminded “Just for the next twenty-four hours.” 

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

Bonnie smiled weakly at the heretic, closing her own eyes and finding it easy to give in to her own exhaustion. “Good night, Kai.”

That cracked a smile, small, and tired, but it was there. “Night, Bon.”

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

“You’re tired is what you are.” Bonnie teased, smiling gently at the heretic. “You know If you go to sleep, I’ll still be here when you wake up.” she offered, pressing another quick kiss against his lips and moving a bit closer. “Tomorrow is all about making today up to you, so that pretty much means I have to be here…”

He breathed deep and exhaled; a yawn. “Makes sense to me.” His tone was sweet, and he’s clearly taking her word for it as his head lied back on the pillow. 

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

Bonnie met the kiss with as much passion as he did, the soft gentle kiss progressing into something a little more. “I thought you’d rather I be doing something else with my lips…” she chuckled softly, grateful for the smart remark. She pressed her lips against his once more before asking “Or was I wrong?” 

“I’m conflicted,” he sighed, his lips brushing hers in return. He’d never felt so drained before in his life, but falling asleep meant losing the focus he had so intently built up on her and her presence. 

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

Bonnie met the kiss happily, reaching up to touch his cheek as she returned it. The skin to skin contact was nice, something that had been rather lacking on this day, something she’d missed, and something was entirely her own fault. Still, she could forget about that and simply focus on the moment, on the kiss, and on him. 

He felt a tear fall to his chin as he deepened the kiss. There was no telling if it was already there, or if new tears fell, because he was paying them no mind. The euphoria of being out of that room, of having let go so much pain and anger, and then spending this quiet, peaceful moment with Bonnie Bennett.. he was happy. “You forgot to ask,” he teased breathlessly against her lips, a smile on his own. Though one could argue just how much later it had been.

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

As his grip loosened, so did hers, slow and subtly as she looked up at him for just a moment. It seemed like the worst of it had passed now, but she wasn’t going to leave him, not unless he asked her to. She leaned against him, enjoying the new embrace, something more than obvious by the small smile playing on her lips. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else right now.”

Tempted by her smile and encouraged by her words, he’s stealing himself another kiss. Not as hard or desperate as the one from earlier. This was gentle, slow. It made him feel better, which was a given, and with him being at a loss for words – appreciation or otherwise – it seemed like the best course of action.

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

“Yeah, it does.” Bonnie admitted, looking up at him to see the tears streaming down his face. She was tempted to reach up and wipe them away, but she didn’t dare release her embrace for fear it would only cause him further distress. “But it’s okay to hurt. Just let it all out.”

As the waves slowed, as did his hold on her loosen. It was still warm, and he basked in their embrace, but he was relaxing again. His hand moves up under her shirt to trail the soft skin of her lower back – sighing deeply as he felt his head become lighter. “I’m glad you’re here,” he mused idly, shifting into her in an affectionate snuggle.

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

“Guess I’ll keep that in mind..” she chuckled softly, taking the light hearted response for what it was. The silence that followed wasn’t unsurprising, so she just focused on their embrace, letting her head rest against his chest with her eyes closed, not going to push him any further. Not now, not after everything else. “It’s okay. You’re okay.” she offered softly, pulling him even closer if that was possible. “I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Her response was fitting, as he was holding her like he was afraid she’d slip from his grasp. He was still fighting the emotions, the sobs, but it was a losing battle as he felt the hot tears on his cheek. “It hurts so much,” he spoke his thoughts aloud. And it was. He felt like he was being ripped apart inside, but there was also a sense of relief twisted up in it. Like all that he had held onto had been purged. Despite it leaving him feeling empty, it felt like he could finally breathe. Only, the reality of those breaths were labored as more sobs followed.

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

“Yeah, I didn’t figure you’d let me tie you up of your own free will.” she teased weakly, figuring it was easier to do that than take the comment at face value. She climbed into bed with him as she had for almost a month now, cozying up to the heretic. “You might not believe me, but I only did it because I care.”

“You’d be surprised,” he tried to give the topic a ninety-degree turn, if only because she’d opened it up. He doesn’t know how to respond to her next statement. It was far beyond not believing her, as he knew she believed herself. No one had ever done anything like that for him, and even if he questioned the methods, the outcome, and ultimately the future, it was a display of love he wasn’t sure how to process. Kai kept silent, trying to focus on their closeness to keep him grounded; practically hiding himself in their shared embrace. He’d let himself relax a little too much, however, as barely a moment had passed before his chest was wracked with a sob. 

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

In response to her question she’d expected a lie, or some vague answer, but his honesty was refreshing. He wasn’t okay, and that was okay. She matched his smile with on of her own, nodding at his comment, offering “Will do.” as she let him take the lead for the first time that day. “I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”

“You did snap my neck,” he reminded her, the words playful but lacking their normal snark. He was being lazy in his exhaustion, surely, but there was something about her that made him feel a little less than not okay. Teasing her into bed with him, he’s quick to embrace her and pull her close to his chest – only then letting her get comfortable beside him.

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

The sudden movement caught her off guard, but she accepted it for what it was. At least he was reacting, that was a start. Bonnie hadn’t expected the kiss, in fact, it was the last thing she’d expected, but she took it. She kissed him back, holding him close for just a moment before breaking the kiss and looking up at him. “Hey, are you okay?”

His thumb brushed her cheek as their kiss broke. “Nope,” he popped the last consonant, not bothering to open his eyes until he did so. A faint smile graced his lips. “Ask me later.” It was then that he pulled away from her and lead her out of the room, following her suggestion from earlier – heading to their bedroom.

[hiiyakai]

brokenbcnnett:

Bonnie didn’t speak as she took her opening and started to undo the chains. She didn’t respond to Jo because she didn’t have to, she knew the witch knew the answer. Although she had just put him through all this pain, she wouldn’t let anyone else hurt the heretic, and she was going to dedicate herself to trying to comfort him. She didn’t regret it, not after what she’d witnessed, but that didn’t mean she didn’t worry about him. When she was done she looked up at him for just a moment before standing up and holding out a hand. “Come on. Let’s go to bed.”

It was hard to watch Jo go, so he didn’t, instead keeping his attention on Bonnie’s hands as she released him. She barely had time to finish speaking before he’d taken the hand she offered, and in a fluid motion, he’s on his feet and putting one foot forward – closing that remaining distance between them. His free hand moved to her cheek, and his lips to hers, kissing her deeply.

[brokengcmini]

mxlxchxi

They’d gotten there, apparently, which he understood the moment he caught sight of Bonnie crossing the threshold. Any remaining tension in him seemed to fade as he came to the realization that it was finally over. Even the hand that held Jo’s was held up only weakly. The two’s exchange was barely a concern as he watched his twin prepare to leave. “Goodbye, Jo,” he offered quietly, sitting up as his bounds were undone – more than ready to leave the room far behind him. Maybe he was encouraging her, or maybe he was accepting the fact that he wouldn’t be able to face her for some time after this. Everything was still so raw.

The gemini witch didn’t wait for a response from the Bennett witch, afraid she might lash out if she did. She was took emotional to have a conversation right now, to deal with anything right now. “Goodbye Kai.” she replied, turning away from the pair and taking her leave.