Gumbo Guru

twenty-three, sister, aunt, pariah, witch. ~Part of Vieuxnoyesrp~

[courageouscami]

Chalk one up to Decompulsion || Camille x Sophie

[sophie-deveraux]

courageouscami‌:

“Marcel?” Cami exhaled, with a slow shake of her head. “I don’t… I don’t know. Not immediately, if anything. I’d say I only noticed the gaps several weeks - maybe months - after I first met him.” She thought of the one-hundred year old photograph again, of Klaus and Marcel staring back at her from a different time. “But maybe-… I don’t know, maybe it started with-… Klaus.” It wasn’t a name she’d mentioned much around Sophie, and the subconscious feeling of dread only became all the more palpable as she considered (not for the first time) the possible connection that Sophie was hinting at. “But I-… I mean at this point, it’s no better than a coincidence, a correlation in time. I don’t have any proof of cause-and-effect.” Cami hugged her arms across her chest, feeling smaller than she would have liked. She no longer thought she was crazy, and the photograph she’d discovered was definitely a hint that there was a bigger picture here, but that didn’t mean she had any of it figured out - or that she understood how exactly she fit into the new, hypothetical picture she’d painted.

Still, a brief smirk touched her lips when Sophie called it an AA meeting. “Nice to meet you, Pot, I’m Kettle. Should’ve clicked when we both found ourselves working in a bar in the booziest state in America, huh?” She cracked, indulging Sophie’s dark humour because it suited her own. And yet the gravity of the situation didn’t elude Cami either. Sophie was still struggling; and she had a sneaking suspicion that her coworker’s boozy antics when she’d entered earlier were simply a new page in the chapter titled ‘Poor Coping Skills’ of her biography. She was musing a way to get her friend to open up about that when Sophie’s offer took her by surprise. “Wait. What??… Soph,” The blonde blinked and shook her head again. “This isn’t your burden to bear. None of this is on you, I don’t want you to feel bad.” Her mind traveled to Malia, to the teenager’s agonizing attempt to prove the existence of the supernatural to her. It hadn’t worked, and she was afraid of getting her hopes up again so soon. Still, despite the mix of emotions, a single word escaped the press of her lips. 

“… How?”

“What are you-... How do you even?” Sophie’s face contorted in a mixture of horror and confusion, mentally piecing together a puzzle when she didn’t yet have all the parts. There was only one Klaus worth mentioning in New Orleans; the big-bad boogieman whom witches had been warned about, the literal freak of nature, and apparently some sort of ally to Davina despite his supposed feud with Marcel? His name had cropped up all too many times in the past few months, something to be expected considering his flair for dramatics rivaled Marcel’s, but she didn’t quite understand where Cami fit into all of it. Had Klaus inserted himself into Cami’s cross hairs to get under Marcel’s skin? It was the most likely option but it didn’t bode well for anyone involved if it were the case. Sophie let out a pathetic laugh and shook her head at the blonde and being too far too pull her into a hug, instead laid a hand on her arm. “What have you gotten yourself into, Cams?” 

She could see the emotions flick across Cami’s face, the affection, the doubt, the hope. She’d never seen Cami so open and vulnerable and at her wit’s end. “It’s not your burden to bear either. None of this is your fault, if you believe anything, believe that.” She sucked in a breath of air, steadying her mind and clearing her thoughts. The ancestral magic had left her after the failed Harvest just as it had left all the Witches in her coven but she could still feel the hum of it in her veins, could feel the invisible force within her. She’d ignored it as she had for many years, convinced everyone that her fate had been the same as theirs But she’d left New Orleans before and knew what it felt like to be powerless. This wasn’t just power, but an entirely new kind and she wasn’t sure how to access it. She needed to fix this one thing, to say she’d finally done something right. Hesitantly she let go of Cami’s arm and reached for the spoon in the pot, laying it flat on the counter. “Promise not to hate me?” She spared one last pleading glance at Cami before returning her attention to the spoon holding her hand above it and raising it slowly. In an anticlimatic twist, nothing happened the first time and she huffed impatiently. “Just-...Give me a second.” A second attempt was made and though she could feel the power begin to stir, it wasn’t until the third try that the spoon finally floated a foot in the air before falling back onto the counter with a loud thud. 

“Get the picture? It’s all real, vampires, werewolves, witches. You’re not crazy, you just keep a lot of shady company these days. But that’s not all. You’ve been compelled which means someone’s been messing with your mind, changing your memories, all kinds of crazy messed up stuff. You following me?” 

[spencerhastinghs-deactivated201]

[courageouscami]

@sophie-deveraux

[courageouscami]

Chalk one up to Decompulsion || Camille x Sophie

[sophie-deveraux]

courageouscami‌:

‘… What happened to both of us sucks and I think we let it get in the way of our lives for too long.’

Cami’s lips moved to accommodate a tentative smile at that. “That includes you… Right? As in-… It’s time we both found a way forward?” It was more a suggestion than a question, and the hope in her voice was clear. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to tie her boat to Sophie, or to speak as though she had complete authority over her future. What if she wasn’t better yet?… What if she couldn’t guarantee it?...After-all, her confession to Sophie just now hardly sounded like the musings of a levelheaded woman. 

“I-… Don’t know. See, I still can’t answer that. It’s like one day I just woke up with the-… Compulsion that not only were they real; but that there was one I had to find. Like- like some sort of  m i s s i o n  or something. I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind, my brain was somehow sure of it. And for a while, for a few weeks there I was convinced it was all real. I must’ve made up some world concept where it was all… Plausible. Hell!-” She exclaimed, throwing her arms up, “Hell, the puzzle pieces still seem to click if I think on it long enough. It’s like some Alice in Wonderland spiral, where, if I let myself fall in, there’s no crawling back out. I emerge three hours later with a theory for everything.” A mirthless laugh followed as her mind raced to the one hundred year old photograph of Marcel and Klaus, as if to say ‘But maybe it’s possible… Maybemaybemaybe…’  - She couldn’t say that to Sophie. She couldn’t admit that to anyone until she’d confronted Marcel about it.

“I know when I drink, Soph. It’s-… Yet another thing you don’t know about me. Because I didn’t want you to know it about me; because I thought I buried it. I had a drinking problem for a while… After Sean died. I like to think it never reached the point of full-blown addiction but my grief-counselor at the time would argue otherwise. Since then, I keep tabs on when I drink. Limits. How many days in a given period, how many bottles. I-… I have to. Too easy to slip back into old habits. It isn’t that. And I don’t know what it is, if it’s not genetic. I can’t guarantee it won’t happen again, even though New York did me some good. Haven’t had an amnesiac episode since-… Well, since I left New Orleans, actually.” Yet another thing she wanted to confront Klaus and Marcel about. The timing stuck out like a sore-thumb. “Everyone has tried to tell me I’m not losing it, but no one has any reason for me to  b e l i e v e  that.” She added quietly, resting her hands against the island counter and leaning into it gently. “I know you mean well… I just don’t know what that means for my mind anymore.”

Cami received a hesitant nod in reply; Sophie wasn’t sure she was ready to move forward quite yet - it felt like she was giving up on her family. She didn’t want to promise things she couldn’t keep and expected no less from the blonde in return, but she owed it to Cami to at least try. “God, is it just me or does it feel like we just had an AA meeting?” It was an attempt to lighten the mood and Sophie nearly cringed at the halfhearted attempt; the past couple years had taught her the importance of not treating everything like a joke. 

Sophie listened to Cami’s account of the past months, watched as she scrambled to find some sort of sense in her words and scramble even more to present them to her former co-worker in a way that didn’t sound as insane as what she assumed the initial story did. Seeing the nearly desperate look on Cami’s face, Sophie had little doubt of the truth to her words; but as the word compulsion jumped out at her, she was forced to question whose truth it really was. She was stupid to think Cami had been safe just because she was human. In a world that was just and fair, she would have been free from the supernatural politics of the Quarter. But that wasn’t the world they lived in; in theirs teenage girls were murdered needlessly and innocent people suffered for the crimes of the guilty. And she had a strong guess about who was more guilty than anyone. “Did this all start to happen after a certain karaoke frequent of ours took an interest in you?” It angered her, the thought of Marcel going and messing with Cami’s mind as if she were some doll to be played with; as if her feelings or thoughts didn’t matter. Sophie had warned Cami through means of half told stories and this was the consequence.

“...Yeah, definitely an AA meeting.” This time Sophie really did cringe and hoped her friend would forgive the badly timed joke. “I had no idea. I guess that...Well it actually makes a lot of sense. I just can’t believe I didn’t realize it sooner the way you hold your liquor.” She didn’t intend to make light of Cami’s situation, but it was the sort of camaraderie she and the blonde had and even the more serious and forlorn person she had become had little filter. Even more guilt barraged her, her knowledge of Sean’s death, her knowledge of the supernatural, Cami’s compulsion. Cami had laid everything out on the line, risked sounding like an absolute madman, confided in her. She couldn’t tell her everything, but surely there had to be something she could do? “You’re not crazy,” Sophie reiterated, voice laced with hesitance even as her eyes resolutely met Cami’s. “And I can prove it...I think.” 

[courageouscami]

Chalk one up to Decompulsion || Camille x Sophie

[sophie-deveraux]

courageouscami‌:

“Yeah, oh my god. Horrible.” Cami agreed readily, between spoonfuls of soup. “I’m just taking one for the team here is all, don’t look at me like that.” She hummed, even though the corners of her lips were already twitching up into a smile as Sophie eyed her knowingly. If there was one thing she intended to keep to herself, it was just how much comfort this soup, this kitchen, Sophie, were bringing her right now. The longer they stood there, the more it dawned on her, and Cami was almost - almost glad for the change of topic.

“Nono, I-… Let me say the words, Soph. Because I am sorry and I do want you to know.” She reiterated softly, before releasing a sigh. “I probably should’ve said something but I was afraid it’d be selfish. Or just-… Incredibly out of touch. I mean-… I mean you were going through your sister’s death, and your niece’s and my problems were - hell, still are -  c a k e w a l k s  in comparison to that.” The former employee paused to gather her thoughts but continued quickly when she realized the silence was stifling. “But the truth is it started many months ago. I was in denial for the longest time, I mean, you know me - I have a theory for everything.” Cami let out a mirthless chuckle. “But over time it got more serious and much harder to deny. Just to put it in perspective, one day, I got home after a shift here and I had this dry, scraggly cut on my throat. On my freaking throat! - And yet I couldn’t remember how I got it. And… There were days where I was consumed by thoughts of witches and convinced they were real. I made up this whole-… This whole  f a n t a s y  in my head. It’s ridiculous, I know.” 

Acknowledging it still gave her mixed feelings - especially given that part of the reason she’d come back was to confront Marcel and Klaus on the century-old photograph she’d found. Where did that fit in?… She wasn’t ready to tell that to Sophie though. She wasn’t ready to tell anyone, in case it was just a last-ditch conspiracy theory created by a diseased mind. “And… Y-You know… With Sean going out the way he did, I had to take it seriously. I had-… I have to consider that maybe it’s genetic.” She corrected, with a heavy sigh and a heavier heart. “… So anyway! All this just to say I’m sorry. I like to think you’re my friend. And you deserved better.”

Her eyes roamed Cami’s face, searching for any discernible proof that she was unhappy and though the former bartender sported a smile Sophie liked to think was solely reserved for her, it didn’t quite meet her eyes; Sophie would know, she was an expert in the matter of faking it. “How have you been managing to keep yourself fed anyway? If anything you’ve lost weight so if you’ve been living on take out this whole time you’ve gotta teach me your ways.” She reached over to grab a bottle of water from the counter next to her and nearly chugged the thing in her haste to regain a completely clear mind. 

Hearing her stumble through what was probably one of the most genuine if not awkward apologies she’d ever heard, Sophie decided then and there that there was no way in hell she was going to let Cami run away for a second time. Even if her return was just temporary, Sophie would ensure that the next time Cami went back it was to pack up her stuff and come home. “I had my shit to deal with but I know you’ve been dealing with your own too. Sean-” She hesitated for a second, unsure if she was crossing any lines. “I’m not going to play the ‘my troubles are worse than yours’ game. What happened to both of us sucks and I think we let it get in the way of our lives for too long.” She was talking big; it was clear to anyway with half a brain that neither of the two were coping very well, but Sophie had to believe that at some point it was okay to want to move on. 

She listened intently as Cami continued, surprised the blonde had hidden it for so long. The scratch could have been explained by any number of things, but Cami was one of the most pensive people she knew. If she was ruffled enough by something to voice it out loud to Sophie, then she had no choice but to take her seriously. 

“Witches?” She gawked nervously. Vampires she’d have expected considering Cami’s...relations with them. But witches? Had Sophie let something slip accidentally or had she kept digging into Sean’s death and found something? “...What made you think they were real? And how do you know you just didn’t have a few too many to drink and black out? I know i’ve woken up a time or two with some scrapes I couldn’t remember getting.” I have to consider that maybe it’s genetic. The words were her proof that she was in the clear but she felt no relief at the realization. Cami had been lied to and kept in the dark and now she thought she was losing her mind. “Hey, you have a better head on your shoulders than anyone I know. Don’t torture yourself with thoughts like that, you’re not crazy. Trust me on that.” 

[sophie-deveraux]

If it looks like a wet cat... || Sophie + Quentin

[sophie-deveraux]

wolfwandering:

“I’d break their hands, maybe that’s why.” Quentin retorted, sucking his teeth. “Maybe you should too, teach ‘em a lesson once or twice an’ I’d like to see them try that shit again. Sometimes it’s the only language people understand. Know how to throw a punch? That’s all it takes. An’ if y’don’t know how, I’d be happy to teach ya.” It wasn’t until it was out of his lips that Quentin realized he’d tossed in the offer and talked up a storm. He reached for his drink in order to better-occupy his tongue. He was already two drinks in. 

“Hell no.” He scoffed when she asked whether he himself had any prowess in the kitchen. A smirk tucked up on his lips even as he shook his head and set his glass down. “That’s one place you don’t want me; in the kitchen. ‘Bout as useless as a broken toaster.” 

He liked this girl. Her weird wit, her casual demeanor, her globe-trotting and inspired cooking… Thing.… He liked that despite it all, she wasn’t pretentious enough to look down on him like a piece of shit stuck on her shoe. The alcohol also helped. “You’re on, Sophie.” The werewolf grinned, testing her name on his tongue as he knocked back his third drink and waved his coworker down for a refill. “Wanna tell me what else you’re good at?” He teased, before a more genuine question kicked in. “If you’ve been travellin’ an’ came back to New Orleans… Does that make it the best place you’ve ever lived?” Self-interest motivated Quentin to ask; after-all, nothing tied him to the Crescent City. If he got bored or if the Mob caught up to him, it’d be good to have another back-up plan for the road. 

She’d planned on taking a self defense class or two back when she was still in school; the campus was chalk full of flyers advertising them and who knew what kind of skeevy people she’d run into on her travels? But she’d put it off too many times and it turned out she hadn’t really needed it anyway. It turned out the real danger had always been waiting for her back home. Mulling over his words though, she had to admit she kind of regretted not taking the opportunity when it was there. It’d heal pretty damn fast, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t feel good as hell to break Marcel’s nose anyway. “That’s uh, that’s kind of hot.” Sophie admitted almost sheepishly. Jokes aside, she wasn’t a fan of needless violence, but she found herself really into the idea of watching Quentin throw some fists at a punching bag. “And hey, was that an offer to be my Obi-Wan?” Her smile tightened as she remembered that his padawan had turned Sith and murdered a bunch of children in an effort to gain the power to save his loved ones; the story far too closely mirrored her own for her liking. 

“After trying my coworker’s cookies I think it’s safe to say I can handle anything. Besides, i’m sure you just need a good teacher. Cooking isn’t that hard, it’s all about using your senses. Taste, smell, touch...get that down pat and you’re good.”

She could keep talking all night, she realized with a start. Sure, guys had pretended to be interested in her life before but she quickly weeded them out - she preferred the one’s with a more straightforward approach. But here she was wasting time on meaningless chatter and actually enjoying herself. She blamed the alcohol, even as she followed Quentin’s lead and polished off her half empty glass. “Wanna tell me what else you’re good at?” She resisted answering, deciding he’d find out for himself later. Instead she gave him a wink and ran a finger around the rim of her empty glass as she waited for another to take it’s place. 

She’d never hated New Orleans, just the complacency it had represented. But while she loved the culture, the scenery, and the hustle and bustle of the quarter, she knew she’d never be happy while under the Coven’s thumb. Leaving had been her out but what she returned to was not her city. “New Orleans is home, I guess.” She finally settled on.

“I like getting away sometimes but i’ll always come back. It sort of feels like i’m tethered here by something. Know what I mean?” Sensing the intensity of her response, she let out a laugh and shook her head, indicating she didn’t expect him to answer. “Scratch that, it makes me sound like a crazy person. Enough about me anyway, where’s home for you?” 

[belle-rose-durand-blog]

On his way home one night, he’d been stopped - quite aggressively - by vampires. Everything Hayley @crcscnt had said was right. They were a lesser species to them. If it hadn’t of been for his previous run ins, he might have stayed and tried to fight his way through… But he knew better this time. And that was how he found up living out of his car in the Tulane parking lot.

He’d shower in the locker room, buy food on campus and move his car every other day so no one caught on - because honestly, it was embarrassing. But he couldn’t get home. He didn’t want to ask for help. Tyler would be fine until these stupid rules went away. His biggest worry about not being home was that he couldn’t protect Lydia @mcrtinlydia . One of those monsters could get to her, and he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. She texted him more times a day than she had in the last few years combined and he made sure he responded to every single one, assuring her that he was just busy and that he was only a phone call away if she needed him.

Somehow Hayley had found out that he was living out of his car and had practically dragged him by his ear to her little shack in the Bayou. He’d always loved her little place. It was comfortable, homey. Nothing like the enormous houses he’d spent his whole life in. 

The morning was still early, the sun only just poking it’s head over the horizon and Tyler had taken it upon himself to go for a run through the Bayou to calm his frustrations at the situation they were in. Many of the wolves in Hayley’s pack were wary of him being there and not being in the pack, but Hayley had his back and he knew that.

Running at a human pace was something that seemed to clear his mind. It was a steady focus on something he could control and the only other thing that worked so well was when he sketched in the back of his books. But he couldn’t exactly do that here and running was just as good as anything. After some time, Tyler could feel some kind of gaze on him and he slowed to a stop, preparing to face whatever was out there. He turned and assessed his surroundings, paying special attention to all of his senses.

“I know someone’s there.” He spoke boldly in the still of the woods around him.

[sophie-deveraux]

She wasn’t following him per se. she just happened to be going in the same direction that he was. But at a much slower pace of course, and from behind the shelter of trees that hid her from view where she’d conveniently stopped to catch her breath. At least she gained two bits of knowledge from her pseudo-jog; she was nowhere near as in shape as she appeared, and Tyler obviously had eyes in the back of his head or some kind of sixth sense. “Don’t shoot, it’s just me!” She yelled, stepping out from behind her cover where she was definitely not hiding. 

“Fancy seeing you here, Ty.” She quipped, hoping he believed it really was some big coincidence that they both found themselves in the same neck of the woods at the same time. The alternative was that their interaction was going to turn very awkward very quickly and that she might get branded a stalker for the rest of her life. “I figured a fancy school like Tulane would have a track you could run on, so what brings you all the way here?” 

[sophie-deveraux]

Text || ??

Allison: I need help.

Allison: Can't explain.

Allison: Please come.

Sophie: Where are you? I'm heading out the door now.

[crcscnt-deactivated20181101]

Bayou Borders || Open

“If you’re looking for a conversation, I’m off duty.” Hayley muttered as she stared down into a bottle of liquor before swirling its contents around slowly. The wolf sat on the edge of the Bayou, inches from dipping back into Quarter territory, and a good chunk of her wanted to walk straight in and barge into the Mikaelson compound to find one of the two brothers, but yet, she couldn’t find the energy to push herself into enemy territory, and now, she sure as hell wasn’t going to do so with a witness in front of her.

[sophie-deveraux]

“Sorry, feel free to pretend i’m not here. I was just-” Looking for a vampire free zone, her mind suggested unhelpfully. “...Looking for a little peace and quiet.” Even though Marcel was avoiding Rousseau’s his vampires certainly weren’t and with their leader on the warpath, nowhere felt quite safe these days. She’d hoped to find some solace in the woods, knowing neither the day nor night walkers spent much time there but her plans were interrupted by the presence of a woman seemingly with the same idea in mind. She wasn’t usually the type to get into other people’s business, but she took note of the grim look on the stranger’s face along with the bottle she held in her grasp and knew from experience that the two never went well together, especially when alone. “You alright? Need me to call someone for you?”

[sophie-deveraux]

Where did the party go? || Sophie + Tyler

[sophie-deveraux]

ty-lockwood:

A grin quirked the corners of his lips as she gave in and downed a shot of the liquid, knocking it back with ease. That was something he could respect - Sophie had always been one of the few people who could keep up with him when he drank, unlike most girls he’d hung out with. Though now… He was sure he could drink her under the table before even feeling buzzed. Oh, the joys of being this f r e a k.

Another few shots down and Tyler could only watch Sophie amusedly before she finally left the shot glass for him again, which he tossed back as if it were water. I’m sure with a bit of help we could find it in no time. His eyes again wandered with the implications of her words, drawing his lower lip between his teeth, before he finally answered her, voice lowered. “How long until you knock off?” Tyler’s fingers drummed along the bar for a moment, before he shrugged at the rest of her words. “What can I say? You know I can be very convincing.”

There was something in Tyler’s grin, something normal and familiar; something that made her long for her life from before more than ever. She wasn’t quite sure if it was to prove a point or to stop her thoughts from going down a certain road any further, but she threw Tyler a grateful look anyway. Even if he didn’t realize it, she’d really been needing his company. She almost missed it, the look on his face that she knew from experience meant he too was lost in thoughts best left alone. But before she could even think about whether she should question him on it, the cocky smirk was back in place as if it had never left. 

Out drinking Tyler was always a feat, one she wasn’t sure she ever technically accomplished since anytime she didn’t think she’d win, Sophie would find ways to distract her opponent. It was...odd not attempting to draw the man into one of her drinking games as she once would have. It was a gross thought but god, were they maturing? She contemplated his words, glanced at the two -no, one other customer left since Santa had apparently left sometime ago, ran the image of his lip between his teeth in her head, and then contemplated some more. Pulling her phone out, she sent a quick text to her boss that she was going to be heading out a little early. “Place is practically dead. Scully over there never tips and nurses the same beer for an hour. I’ll tell him to get lost, lock the place up, and then we can take this party elsewhere.” 

[soulofsundae]

Coming Apart at the Seams || Egrid & Sophie

[sophie-deveraux]

soulofsundae:

Egrid was content to watch and wait while the repercussions of his numbing spell sunk him. Had she not done the same with the others? He’d assumed she would out of kindness, common decency considering what those children were risking… or rather, had given for not return. The least though could have done was to try and ease their passing somewhat, take that one fear away.

“I have no doubt about that.” He all but whispered, still looking down at his hands rather than Sophie. He’d assumed the coven would have been able to protect him should the wolf come back to finish the job, it wasn’t as though he’d be hard to find otherwise. “I can barely turning around with any great speed, watching my back may be something of an impossible task right now.” But he was more comfortable on his own, he’d have the police on speed dial and his alarms set; with any luck that should deter this wolf at least until he could come up with a new strategy to ensure his safety. There was no point in hoping for any kind of happy ending if he was just going to end up dead.

Like those poor children.  

Egrid did look up at her disagreement, his black eyes narrowed as much as they could without causing him to wince. “They’re dead. And we have nothing.” he paused a beat, “It was a failure, Sophie. There’s no silver lining to be found amongst this misery.” Quite the opposite, “Instead, we have Mr. Gerard, this wolf, that vampire and possibly others all out for our deaths. We lost the chance for family, and gained nothing but the wrath of those in power.” Why the king himself had yet to pay Egrid a visit he wasn’t sure; though he supposed it would only be a matter of time, once the fog of grief cleared vengeance would not be far behind.

He stilled, the traces of kindness towards her, however small, vanished the longer he gazed at her. He had been used. No… Not quite, but he had been led to believe his family was assured when it had been a slim chance to begin with. He didn’t know what to say. “I suppose I deserved that.” His desperation had been his undoing, “Congratulations Ms Deveraux, you’ve managed to destroy us both with your false hope.”

She couldn’t tell if she was being judged or not, but she definitely could sense the disappointment rolling off Egrid in waves. It was a bitter emotion, one that’d been clinging to her for the last few days and refused to release her. But there was no changing the past and she supposed she’d just have to add it to the list of things she wished she’d done differently. 

“On the bright side,” She said with false cheer, quickly trying to pull any sort of bright side out of her ass. As if there was anything good to be found in any of the messed up situation the duo found themselves in. “...I doubt he’d want to kick you while you’re down so you’re safe for now, at least. Besides if he wanted to kill you I think he proved he very well could have. There’s a reason you’re alive.” The more she thought about it, the more she found truth in those words. Who would let their prey go only to go back for it later? Why not finish the job in one go? “You’ll be fine.” She reiterated, not quite sure if she was trying to comfort Egrid or herself. 

Egrid’s rebuttal was a bitter truth and even though it was the last thing she wanted to hear, she forced herself she mull over every word. “We have angered a lot of people,” She repeated slowly. “But most don’t even know you were involved. Just stay low, don’t interact with any witches if you can help it. Don’t mention the Harvest, don’t even think about the Harvest. Marcel is busy licking his wounds but when he decides to come out of hiding he might want revenge. If you have to, tell him I threatened to reveal you’ve been doing magic. That I threatened your family. He only cares about one thing anyway and that’s who was holding the knife.” 

Congratulations, indeed. She wished he could see her point of view, understand how much had been at stake for her. He was willing to aid in the murder of children for the chance of gaining a family of people he’d never met, while she was fighting for the one she’d already had. What had he really lost other than a pipe dream? “I should go.” She stood up, the squeaking of the chair underneath her deafening against the tense silence that had settled. “Good luck with everything. I know it’s not worth much but I do think you’re going to be alright.” 

[sophie-deveraux]

silverargentvalkyrie:

Allison bit back the harsh thoughts that washed over her mind. Sophie had her own life of problems; problems that stemmed deeper than just grief and alcoholism. She just didn’t understand that Allison had nothing left to give. Every speck of good faith and hope had been wrung out of every lifeless cell of her body; all to be replace with the potent twinge of misery. Allison took to pretending for so long with little to no relief that she’d morphed into this being of pure, uninterrupted chaos. “Showing up at all is a surprise but it’s nice that you thought of me.” I won’t have to carry your sorry ass home.

“It’s fine.” Allison bristled at the woman’s apology. It didn’t whisk away the anger she felt for yet another person who’s up and abandoned her. Monique. Kate. Dad. Scott. Lydia. Isaac. Sophie. “My father’s been missing for a couple weeks now. We all know that in this town no one stays gone but they don’t come back whole. You don’t have to worry about it or me. I’m fine.”  

There was a biting iciness in Allison’s tone, a stark contrast to the girl Sophie remembered, the one full of laughter and support. Being a teenager wasn’t easy for the simplest of people, but she couldn’t chalk this up to simple adolescent mood swings. Guilt, Sophie had felt in spades but when you forced yourself to cling to the hope that the end justified the means, it was hard to regret much. This moment here, looking at one of the few people she had left that she gave a damn about, Sophie felt more regret than she thought was even possible. “I wouldn’t miss today for the world,” She pleaded, hoping she could convince Allison of her sincerity despite the fact that she had almost missed it. “No you know what? I refuse to bullshit you, you deserve better than that. Today is a hard day for me - for both of us. But even though I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it I still came, for you. I didn’t just forget you existed, I was just caught up in my own selfish pursuits and i’m sorry for that too.” 

“We all know that in this town no one stays gone but they don’t come back whole.”  

Sophie didn’t know much about the Argents, deciding willful ignorance was the best route when it came to her niece’s best friend’s family. But she knew enough to know they weren’t simple humans, in truth suspected them to be apart of the Hunter’s guild. Even so, Allison’s words hinted at a knowledge of things, the repercussions of an experience someone her age shouldn’t have gone through. “Your dad...” It was hard to still see Allison as a kid when she so bluntly swept her father’s disappearance under the rug as if it were something she’d been expecting and had come to grips with long ago. “He’s not just on one of his hunting trips? I remember he used to go on them pretty often when you were younger. Maybe he got hurt and is a John Doe in a hospital somewhere.”

[bigmikaelsonsister]

New Beginnings

[sophie-deveraux]

bigmikaelsonsister:

Freya furrowed her eyebrows for a short moment while she stared at the woman in front of her. There was a strange vibe surrounding the woman, but it was a pleasant vibe, the kind of vibe Freya enjoyed being around. She couldn’t exactly put it into words, but somehow she felt a little at ease. “I don’t know what’s the usual way to deal with incidents like this, but if you prefer dinner, I don’t mind offering you that?” She bit her lip and realized that probably she was now going overboard. Maybe in the old days there had been a certain galantness, if you met the right people of course, but it seemed that nowadays a whispered excuse was actually enough to pay your debts. “And I promise that I have no need for you Kidneys or any of your other organs.” Although they were quite useful in certain spells, it were spells Freya did not intend to cast anymore. She had already killed way too many people while still under the influence of Dahlia. “I’m Freya and I’m sorry that we’ve met in those circumstances.” She followed Sophie towards the café and she found herself staring at the woman as if she was the first woman she encountered in years.

“I think we can work our way up to dinner.” Sophie countered, giving Freya a side glance. She knew realistically the woman was just being overly friendly - not many people offered to buy coffee for almost hitting them with a door. But she found it incredibly endearing, it was something she could see Cami doing. And besides, her list of friends had suffered a tragic decline as of late. 

“And I promise that I have no need for you Kidneys or any of your other organs.”

She had to laugh at that, throwing out her own quip in return in true Sophie fashion - “That’s great because i’m pretty sure all of mine are shot to hell. I’m definitely going to die of a blocked artery or from liver failure by forty-five. I wouldn’t wish these organs on anyone.” It didn’t take long before the cafe was in view and she proudly pointed it out to Freya as soon as they were close enough, hoping it at least somewhat impressed by the blonde. “I’m not,” She replied cheekily. “...Not sorry, I mean. Not yet anyway. Though if you end up ordering a chai latte thing I can’t even pronounce, i’m going to be very disappointed.” 

[courageouscami]

Chalk one up to Decompulsion || Camille x Sophie

[sophie-deveraux]

courageouscami:

“Oh God, no one should get that well-acquainted with a toilet plunger. Say no more, you’ve got my full sympathies.” Cami sing-songed as she traipsed around the kitchen, looking for a way to make herself useful. It was hard, this area of the bar was very much not her forté. It wasn’t long before she threw in the metaphorical towel and was back to wringing her hands helplessly. “Tell me to do something, Soph! Seriously!” She insisted, as the real professional got a sliver defensive over the state of things in her kitchen. “Finally, a job I can do,” Cami exhaled, rushing over to the stove at Sophie’s summons and grabbing a bowl in order to taste-test the soup. She brought the steaming thing up to her lips, blew on it, and took a gulp.

And it was… Still good. More than good - delicious. 

“Mm, yeah no. This isn’t-…  N o t  something you want to be serving-… to our customers. For Rousseau’s reputation.“ Cami told her friend between mouthfuls of soup. “So I guess I’ll have to-… Take one for the team and- and-… Finish this.“ - And help herself to seconds, as she was doing now. It was almost infuriating, really. She couldn’t make something edible while sober, and here Sophie was; still churning out the best New Orleanian gumbo while drunk. But more importantly, she was  h u n g r y  and she missed Sophie’s soul-food more than she cared to admit. It was doing more than filling her stomach; it was tugging on her nostalgia, on how much she’d missed not just Sophie’s fare, but Sophie herself. 

“Listen,” She announced finally, abruptly; setting the empty bowl down on the kitchen counter with a clang. “I-… I know this probably doesn’t mean much to you, might not have even crossed your mind, really, but-… But i’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. I wanted to, you know?… But goodbyes are so difficult, and there were too many and-… And I just wanted a clean break. It was a rough time, I was losing my mind - I-… Couldn’t remember things, or remembering them differently than they’d happened, I was so… So lost,  c o n f u s e d . Anyway, this isn’t a sob-story, I promise, but I just wanted you to know.” She finished quickly, relieved it was all out on the table, but guilty, too. She wouldn’t meet Sophie’s eyes.

Sophie watched Cami flounder about the kitchen, trying hopelessly to find her way in the chef’s space. She’d always had what others would call organized chaos - though there didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to how Sophie’s had set up her kitchen, she had everything exactly where she wanted it and could find anything she needed within seconds. “What are you do-” As she watched the blonde, her mind filled with harmless suspicion; Cami seemed far too excited at the prospect of helping out in a field she’d never shown an affinity for. Still, she doubted her former coworker had any nefarious motives and so Sophie let it slide for now.

She braced herself for a look of disgust to cross Cami’s face, for her to spit out the gumbo and force Sophie to promise not to attempt to use the stove while under the influence again, even though they both knew the chances of that happening were slim. Instead Cami’s face lit up and Sophie noticed her face relax ever so slightly and it was the movement that had her realizing the tenseness that was present in Cami’s face and shoulders that she’d overlooked when the blonde had first came into the bar. “Looks like we’ll have to finish the whole thing to ensure nobody else runs the risk of eating something so pathetically below par.” Sophie teased, grabbing her own bowl and eyeing Cami warily between bites.

The atmosphere had grown more serious at some point and the brunette found herself following Cami’s actions and setting her bowl down to give her the undivided attention she deserved. “You don’t have to-” Sophie made to cut Cami off, ensure her that there were no hard feelings. Not now, at least. She’d come back after all, even when nobody else had. But her attempts to stop the blonde fell on deaf ears as she continued speaking and Sophie was glad for it as words like ‘losing my mind and couldn’t remember things’ jumped out at her.

Sophie furrowed her brows in contemplation, she’d spent enough time around Marcel to know how things worked. Tempting young tourists, feeding from them, and then wiping their minds of the entire night leaving them dazed and confused the next morning but under the assumption that they’d had too much to drink. Cami’s words sounded far too familiar to theirs to be a coincidence. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea what was going on.” For someone who was trying to make a career out of examining and understanding people’s minds, it must have been torture for Cami to think she was losing her own. “Shit, when did this all start?”

[courageouscami]

Chalk one up to Decompulsion || Camille x Sophie

[sophie-deveraux]

courageouscami:

“Is it?” She asked lightly, when Sophie informed her that her job was still open. “Why do I get the feeling you’re pitching it to me because you’re sick of unclogging the toilets alone?” She asked, teasing suspicion rich in her voice. “Is the third stall in the women’s washroom still horribly backed up?” Cami wondered aloud as she followed Sophie into the kitchen. Sure enough, it smelt as though the chef’s famous Gumbo was starting to burn. 

“Scratch the last question - how are things going in the kitchen?” The ex-bartender asked, trying to keep her tone light despite the honest inquiry. “And… In general?” The question was natural, inevitable as she followed Sophie with her eyes. The talented chef was flying around the kitchen, slamming cupboards and bumping into the worn counters with colourful expletives; as though they’d popped up out of the blue, just to spite her. “Tell me to do something! I can help.” Cami offered loudly over the din. “Who’s on the next shift? Joyce? Sunwoo? They should be here any minute, right??” She glanced down at her cell before shoving it back into her sling bag. “C’mon! It’s the one time you get to boss me around - don’t tell me you haven’t dreamed of doing that in the two whole years we worked together.”

“Get out of my head.” Sophie teased with a shake of her head. Cami tended to hit the nail on the head more often than not - usually to Sophie’s chagrin. It always amazed her to see the blonde in action with customers, solving problems and doling out advice like it was second nature. She secretly wondered if it really was the effect of years spent in school or if she had some secret super power. “Let’s just say i’ve become somewhat of an expert with plungers.” 

As soon as she was fully scurried into the kitchen evidence of her mishap filled her nose and she cringed. Vaguely she heard Cami shuffle in behind her and question her in the Cami-eqsue way she’d become accustomed to. “The kitchen is great if you can’t tell!” She huffed out quickly as she stirred the soup; some of it had begun sticking to the sides of the pot and was drying out. The blonde’s voice rang out again behind her again and Sophie debated just asking to post pone their little get together. “Boss you around?” Sophie questioned rhetorically, just because she liked the sound of it. “Yeah yeah, just get over here and tell me if this looks edible to you. And hand me that bottle of water will ya? No way I can handle you in the kitchen while i’m not sober..”

[sophie-deveraux]

Where did the party go? || Sophie + Tyler

[sophie-deveraux]

ty-lockwood:

“I still stand by missing the old, fun Sophie. Drinking is the worst thing to just randomly decide to cut out. There are so many worse habits that could go instead..” Tyler trailed off when he caught Sophie’s completely obvious gaze, smirk hinting at the corners of his lips as he set the shot glass back on the bar and in front of her. The tone in her voice when it returned did something to him, feeling himself fall back to the stupid carelessness of the times they’d spent together, if only for a moment.

He let his gaze lower from her eyes, not even remotely subtle as he gave the part of her he could see over the bar a once over - lingering on her chest for maybe a moment too long. “Well I wasn’t lying.” Tyler hummed, letting his fingers drum along the bar for a second as his eyes lifted to her face again. “Do you still have that thing lying around? Or was it one of the bad habits you’re ridding yourself of?”

“I am still fun.” Sophie vehemently defended herself, even though she doubted the truth of the statement. She decided that there was a challenge somewhere in his words and she was never very good at losing. Taking the now empty shot glass in front of him, she poured another only to down it herself. She had no intentions on getting drunk but at the very least it’d help relax her. The next day she’d blame it on nostalgia and a lack of self control. 

His question was hardly funny but she found herself laughing anyway as she filled the shot glass twice more for herself and then again for him. “It’s in my room somewhere. i’m sure with a bit of help we could find it in no time.” She knew he’d catch the real meanings of her words even though subtlety had never been either of their forte. “Even if it were, I think you just proved I don’t need too much persuading to return to my bad habits. Half an hour in and you’ve already got me drinking. Impressive.” 

[sophie-deveraux]

If it looks like a wet cat... || Sophie + Quentin

[sophie-deveraux]

wolfwandering:

Maybe he was trying to play it off, play it cool, but that was because this ‘Sophie’ chick was growing on him, and he didn’t want to invoke her pity. It was hardly what a guy aimed for, when talking to a pretty girl. “Ya well, you work in a bar, I bet it’s the same shit…” He adds, making a mental note of where she works. Because maybe, just maybe he’d like to see her again. He doesn’t put much thought into it, just recognizes that his life has been fairly fucking boring lately. And though he’d take that any day over life on the run, it didn’t mean he enjoyed it. It felt as though he lived to work, sleep, and obsessively check the news in between. 

“You cook?… That’s cool.” Quentin remarked, half because he couldn’t cook worth a damn, and half because it was an ambition that beat working in a bar, in his opinion. “What do ya like t’ cook?” Maybe it’s a dumb question, he doesn’t really know. But he was drinking and it was liquid courage that helped keep the conversation going longer than he otherwise would. 

“Oh, I can keep up…” The bouncer added meaningfully with a faint smirk, reaching for the next glass that came their way. Werewolf metabolism is partly to thank for that; before it, he wasn’t exactly the world’s greatest heavyweight. “Just ‘bout off the clock anyway. Which means you’re the one who might wanna be careful.” He adds, partly serious, partly playful, because as far as he can tell, she ain’t no wolf or vampire. 

She noted the way he brushed the compliment off, practically turning it around completely, even. It was...Surprising, and more than a little interesting. He was turning out to be a far cry from the usual big headed morons she usually had in her company. “Worse.” She opted not to try and convince him that he was downplaying his job, deciding it was some attempt at being impressive or that he was just far too modest of a guy to be convinced otherwise. “I’m sure you don’t have to deal with drunk customers wanting to play grab-ass with you.” The ‘which is a shame’ went unspoken, Sophie not wanting to scare him away with further attempts at stroking his ego. Maybe they’d revisit the subject of his ass after they were a few more drinks in. 

“I was always fond of food, it just took me a little while to realize it can be just as fun making it as scarfing it down.” This wasn’t typical hook up talk and it was throwing her off her game just a bit, but she had to admit it was a nice change of pace. “It’s kinda weird but I think I enjoy making authentic ethnic food. I traveled a lot and collected recipes from the places I visited so I can make a mean feijoada, chicken parmigiana, shepherd's pie....” She trailed off hoping he got the gist and she didn’t have to continue listing things. “You got any skills of your own in the kitchen?” 

Sophie followed his lead reaching for her next glass right after him. Surprisingly, the comment doesn’t come across as smug and she appreciates that he’s a guy that can trade barbs with her easily enough without it sounding like he was protecting his masculinity. “I hear a challenge in those words.” She sets her half drank glass down and turns to look at him properly, daring him to prove he could put his money where his mouth is. “I haven’t had a worthy contender in awhile,” Excluding the Vampires obviously, but she didn’t make a habit out of drinking with them anyway. “Let’s see what you got.”

[sophie-deveraux]

silverargentvalkyrie:

The warm orange embers danced against the charred foreground. Allison often wondered of the varnished iron would ever yield to the intense heat. Was it possible for it to collapse in on itself from the increased heat? Surely, iron had been foraged from materials mined for their might. Just like the Argents. She refused to allow her sorrows condemn her to a life of misery. Death swirled around them in excess and it was bound to hit home.

Sophie’s voice cut through her concentration. Just another fake. The voice in the back of her mind warned her of the intruder. She came for comfort till her heart stood full before she’d abandoned Allison. 

Everyone did. What’s new. 

“I’m great. You look sober.”

Despite her words that said the contrary, Allison looked anything but fine. It was graduation night, the first real step into adulthood...So why did she look so forlorn? “I am - sober, I mean. Didn’t think you’d appreciate me showing up barely able to walk straight.” For a brief second Sophie wondered if Allison appreciated her showing up at all. “I’m sorry I didn’t call I just needed some time.”

She knew she had a whole lot of apologizing and explaining to do to make up for her disappearance and so she took a step forward closer to Allison in an attempt to bridge some of the literal and metaphorical distance between the two. It was then that she noticed the look on her face; the same she saw every time she looked in the mirror. Grief had become easy to recognize. “What happened? Is this about Monique?” No, she realized immediately. It was too fresh. “Is it your parents?”