Post by Sookie Stackhouse on Oct 23, 2010, 2:36am
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s o o k i e s t a c k h o u s e .
It had been a lot for Sookie to take in. Honestly, she wasn't even sure she had processed it all. It had been a few hours since Claude had dropped her back off at her house after visiting Claudia's sweets shop, and Sookie's mind had been reeling the whole time. She'd argued with Claude from the beginning, objecting in every way she could think of, but some of what he said just... it fit. There was no getting around that. They hadn't agreed on anything since he stepped foot through the door, but when one of the points of contention was whether or not Sookie was actually human, the argument got a little more emotional than usual. The idea of Claude actually being family was ridiculous, but it was also apparently true. She didn't know quite how to take that. She was exhausted in every possible way from trying to figure it out, and she still hadn't even told Eric yet.
Eric, who was just down the hall in her bedroom, who Claude had vehemently insisted shouldn't know about any of this. She had to tell him. They'd promised each other that they'd be open and honest in this relationship, and Sookie knew that if it stood any chance of working, that was exactly what needed to happen. She was sure what Claude had told her was a truth, even if she didn't entirely know how it had all happened or how it had been kept a secret for so long. It was crazy to think of Gran having a relationship with a fairy, but it had apparently happened. That made Sookie part fairy, whether she liked it or not. She wasn't really sure how she felt about it yet, but she guessed she had time to figure it out. It wasn't exactly changing anytime soon.
She'd tell Eric, but that was it. Claude had apparently risked a lot in revealing everything to her, and she wasn't going to let him down by going out and telling a bunch of people. She'd tell Eric, and she'd ask his advice on how to handle it. Everyone else had to stay in the dark. Even Jason couldn't know. He'd never get over it, if he'd even believe it in the first place. Jason had behaved himself during the dinner with Eric, but that didn't mean he was the most tolerant of supernatural beings. Finding out he was one himself... Well, he wouldn't deal so well with that. She certainly wasn't going to tell him until she knew how he'd react, and how she felt about it herself for that matter.
Claude said she'd change, the more time she spent around fairies. He'd tried to explain, but she couldn't really understand. People didn't change just from being around other people, as far as she knew, so why should fairies be different? Would she really start to smell different? Develop powers? She didn't really want more powers than she already had. Her 'gift' was more than enough. Most days, she didn't even want that. Watching the last of the sunset slip from view, Sookie sighed, wondering how she was going to tell Eric. She didn't know how he'd react either, but she trusted him, at least. Taking a sip of her hot chocolate, she curled her legs under her on the couch, staring blankly at the equally blank tv as she waited for her vampire to emerge. It was bound to be a long night, and not remotely in the way she usually looked forward to with Eric.
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by ericnorthman on Oct 23, 2010, 3:08am
your instincts telling you to run
![[image]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_trRhYHXmLmh3jO0ktk-rxDrPjpZjFa1NT4yZFRsEjJdiaXUw4U4t-B3n9fOqSvDRWzvtGkS3HCJnyLBGg-zvn_Aob8CC06ivBN9Fl1xd0w3aQsivUz82o4Sjv8XGyWOPcgdaYlXIFw8exNNb6Cay_OoxE=s0-d "[image]")
ericNORTHMAN.
when you suffered it all and your spirit is breaking
remember you're loved and you always will be
The Vikings eyes didn't just blink open as the sun fell below the horizon, they flew open.
Eric sat bolt upright in the bed, his hand moving over to check the empty patch of bed beside him. He was already aware Sookie was absent, but the coolness of the sheets beside him told him she had been missing for some time and hadn't returned to the bed they had shared for the last few nights. That was fine, at least it normally would have been, if the scent of fairy didn't hang so temptingly in the air. His nostrils flared, the sweet, unmistakable aroma of the fae playing deliciously through his senses, overpowering the normal aromas the old farmhouse his telepath called home held in it. His eyes dilated slightly in the pitch blackness of Sookie's bedroom as his feet made contact with the cool wood of the floor and he stood.
His tried to playback their early morning conversations, before Sookie had submitted to her need for slumber as he rubbed his eyes and attempted to focus his mind away from the scent that teased him now. Claude. The vampire nearly shuddered at the very sobering thought, but Eric was positive the annoying fairy was the source of his torment now. Sookie had expressed her desire to learn to prepare vampire edible dishes for him, and Claude had agreed to aid her. Silently, the vampire moved to the bedroom door, his ear turning in the direction of the wooden barrier as he listened for any sounds coming from the other side. If Claude was still present, he was uncharacteristically quiet. Everything was silent.
Sookie was home though, he could feel her nearness, but nothing else she felt made any sense to him. There seemed to be a dizzying array of emotions rushing through her system, and the fangs that had descended beyond his control at the fairy scent retracted as he found himself concerned. Dressing quickly in the darkness, he quietly unlocked the door and stepped out into the hallway, only to be greeted by an even stronger smell of fae. Resolving not to take a single unnecessary breath so he could maintain a clear mind, he walked barefooted to the living room, his eyes immediately falling on Sookie's figure as she sat at the couch, her back to him, as she faced the silent screen of the television as if it required a great deal of attention.
He moved towards her slowly. Perhaps she was ill? Eric was no good at recognizing such a thing in humans, though he suspected that his blood was still in her system to keep her from catching any sickness that plagued the living. Was she angry? Sad? He really couldn't discern exactly what was amiss with his telepath, but he couldn't help but be troubled by her silence. "Lover?" he asked tentatively, his voice breaking the silence that had settled over the room. Moving to stand in front of her, the vampire knelt in front of her on the floor, one of his hands seeking out one of her warm ones. "What is it? Did the flaming fairy say something to upset you? I would be quite willing to run him through with an iron blade for you. Or I could make it much more slow and painful if you would prefer." While the idea appealed to Eric, it didn't seem to be relieving Sookie any. "What happened?"
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by Sookie Stackhouse on Oct 23, 2010, 3:26am
s o o k i e s t a c k h o u s e .
Sookie knew the moment Eric was awake. It was kind of strange to have him there all the time, humming at the back of her mind, but it made her feel safe. She wasn't sure she understood exactly why, but it was almost soothing when she wasn't sure anything else could be. Eric was a constant, a steady strength there when she needed him, and right now, she needed him a lot. She couldn't read his mind, but she was beginning to be able to recognize his emotions, and she could tell that he knew Claude had been there. She'd told him, of course, but that was a lot different from Eric smelling him, she knew. It would be a little hard to have this conversation with Eric all riled up, but he seemed to regain control pretty quickly, and as much as Sookie loved Eric all fairified, she needed him to have a clear head right now. One of them should, for this conversation.
Knowing he'd find her, Sookie stayed where she was, waiting for him to come to her. Her bedroom was a safe place for him and a sanctuary for her, and she didn't want to have this conversation there. Instead, she focused on the television screen. She had a tendency to cry when she got too emotional, and Eric never dealt with crying well. She was going to try to avoid it if possible. It wasn't something that called for crying, after all. It wasn't necessarily bad news, just emotional. She was feeling a lot very strongly, so she wasn't surprised to feel concern from Eric, even if it was barely discernible over her own emotions. She'd try to get a hold of them, but she didn't know if there was really any point when she was pretty sure she wouldn't succeed. If there was ever anything that required a strong reaction, it was probably finding out that she wasn't actually human.
Although, really, that in itself wasn't too surprising. Human was normal, and Sookie knew she was anything but. She'd known that all her life, but she couldn't have expected that. "Hi Eric," she replied quietly wondering how on Earth she was going to start this conversation. She couldn't think of a single way. She didn't think he'd take it badly, but it was still a lot. "No, no," she quickly argued as he knelt in front of her, a gesture she remembered to keep her from running. "No hurting Claude." It was weird, but just from knowing they were family, she felt more protective of him. They'd never had those family dinners, those memories that most families shared, but she guessed she was getting used to thinking of him as family anyway. Weird. "He didn't do anything wrong." Actually, he'd done a lot for her, and risked a lot in doing it.
"Maybe you should sit down," she suggested tentatively, not sure if vampires had to sit down for shocking news or not. It seemed worth offering anyway. "Claude stopped by today," she began, not really sure how to give this whole explanation. "He helped me with all the cooking stuff, just like he promised, but well..." Clearing her throat, she laced her fingers through his. "He had some news. Some... some really kind of shocking news, that's also kind of a secret. Well, it's really a secret. I really want to tell you, because it's really important, especially to me, but you have to promise not to say anything to anyone. You can't tell anyone, okay? Promise me you won't?" She couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen to her and Claude if word of this got out. It would be such a disaster.
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by ericnorthman on Oct 23, 2010, 4:00am
your instincts telling you to run
ericNORTHMAN.
when you suffered it all and your spirit is breaking
remember you're loved and you always will be
Eric's face didn't betray a hint of what he was thinking or feeling, but the ancient vampire couldn't help but be a touch disappointed to be deprived of the opportunity to end the flaming fairy that seemed to regularly be a thorn in his side, especially when he had been mentally running through ways to get away with it since first putting the option on the table. Perhaps another time... and with Claude, there would always be another time. "I have a very difficult time believing that," the Viking thought aloud, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a small smirk as Sookie assured him the fairy hadn't done anything wrong. As quickly as the expression crossed his features, he vanished it, his eyes focusing on her own, which seemed to be filled with emotion he couldn't recall from his own existence if he tried. "If that's not it, then what is it?" Something was obviously wrong, and the vampire was determined to get to the bottom of it.
A blond eyebrow shot up as Sookie invited him to sit down. Wasn't that a human custom used before delivering bad news? It was probably so humans didn't fall and break themselves when they did that sudden sleeping thing they did after a shock. Eric wasn't in any kind of danger of passing out, so he didn't move even infinitesimally from his spot on the floor, and instead simply waited for Sookie to deliver whatever it was that seemed to weigh so heavily on her now. Staring expectantly at her as she slowly began- painfully slowly at that- he didn't so much as blink as she spoke, choosing to study her instead. She was nervous and uncertain, something he didn't see often from the telepath. What could possibly have her so worked up? What exactly had the fairy done to get her so out of sorts?
His brow furled slightly at her request and silently, Eric weighed his options. Whatever had managed to upset her, he obviously wanted to hear, especially if it truly was as important as she claimed it to be. If the "shocking news" she spoke of was something that needed his attention, he didn't know that he could keep such a promise to her. The Viking was willing to do many underhanded things, but he didn't enjoy lying to Sookie, and after all Compton had put her through in recent history because of his own deceit, he couldn't imagine doing such a thing to her now. He could tell it was important to her, so, after a long moment of silence, he lifted their joined hands to his lips, kissing hers once.
"You are aware I would never let anything happen to you," he began, making it much less a question and much more a statement of fact, one he hoped she was as aware of it as he was. He kept his gaze on hers, his thumb tracing over her hand in an attempt to calm her. Why was she so nervous? It concerned him. "I have an Area to look out for, and many vampires I am responsible for. So I cannot make such a promise without knowing what this 'shocking news' entails or what situation it involves." He just couldn't. There were simply too many possibilities for what information Claude had given her that she found so shocking for him to make such a vow. "If it is important to you, it is important to me, dear one. You're going to have to judge whether or not you can trust me and my own judgment."
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by Sookie Stackhouse on Oct 23, 2010, 4:17am
s o o k i e s t a c k h o u s e .
Eric didn't seem to want to sit. He didn't have to, she guessed. He wasn't really in any danger of fainting, though the idea of Eric ever fainting was kind of amusing to Sookie. He wasn't going to get light headed from the information. In fact, Sookie was pretty sure he'd end up pacing or something like that. She'd seen him react like that a few times. If pacing was the worst of his reaction, then that really wasn't so bad. Maybe he wouldn't react badly. She'd reacted pretty badly, she was sure. It had mostly been denial, but then, it was her family's honor she'd been defending. Eric didn't have anything like that in mind. She was Eric's human, though. She didn't really know how he'd feel about her not actually being human. She didn't think she could guess when she wasn't sure how she felt about her own humanity being in question. She couldn't really think about that right now, though. Not if she was going to get through telling Eric without crying and making him all uncomfortable. There was no need to make this worse for everyone than it already was.
Smiling very, very slightly and very, very momentarily, Sookie shook her head at the idea of Claude misbehaving. If that was all it had been, she wouldn't have reacted like this, obviously. She was used to Claude's antics, even if they were far from polite. This wasn't his fault. Not even close. She was grateful to him for being honest with her when apparently few people had been. It was like some sort of epidemic, and not one she really liked. Eric was one of the few people who was always honest with her, though, and she owed him the same. She knew that, it was just a little difficult when he was actually in front of her, waiting for her to continue and clearly realizing this was important. She didn't want to worry him, she really didn't, but she was also fairly clueless on how to proceed. She'd never told anyone news like this before. How was she supposed to tell the vampire she was falling in love with that she wasn't actually human? Not completely, anyway.
"I know that," she agreed as he told her that he'd never let anything happen to her. She trusted Eric above all others to protect her, not that she wasn't capable of protecting herself too. He'd do whatever it took to keep her safe, she just didn't want him rushing off after some fairy relative who might have kept secrets from her. That wouldn't be productive. "It doesn't put your Area or your vampires in danger," she assured him, pretty certain of that. It'd happened decades ago, after all, and was more about fairies than anything else. She could understand why he wouldn't make that promise, though. He was just being more honest with her, something she appreciated rather than blind promises, she guessed, even if it made it that much more difficult. That was always how it was with Eric, though. Amazing but difficult. She wouldn't have traded it for anything, and she wanted to keep it, and to keep it, she had to get through this. She could do it.
And really, she did trust him and his judgement. Nodding slowly, she took a deep breath, letting it out gradually and only tightening her grip on his hand slightly. "Gran had an affair. With someone named Fintan. And Fintan's father was a fairy. A fairy prince, actually, apparently." Looking down at her lap, Sookie didn't wait for Eric to react to continue. She knew she'd lose her nerve if she stopped now, and she hadn't even gotten to the most important part. "Gran and Fintan had two kids, Linda and my dad. Claude told me that makes me part fairy. His cousin, actually, which I guess explains the nickname..." Clearing her throat, she shifted on the couch, hesitantly looking to Eric to see his expression, though she wasn't sure she really wanted to. "It's sort of a secret, I guess. He wasn't supposed to tell me, but given my involvement with vampires, he thought it might be dangerous for me not to know... I'm an eighth fae."
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by ericnorthman on Oct 23, 2010, 5:17am
your instincts telling you to run
ericNORTHMAN.
when you suffered it all and your spirit is breaking
remember you're loved and you always will be
Even as Sookie promised him the news she had been given by Claude that had her so worked up didn't endanger vampires nor his Area, Eric chose not to agree to her promise. It was simply better that way. He was relatively certain his telepath had no idea how much really concerned vampires, she was so Supernaturally naive in many ways. Instead of making the blanket vow he'd possibly have to break, he decided to let her judge him. Truly, he wasn't very worried that Sookie would suddenly choose not to make whatever confession awaited him. She was upset, she obviously wanted to get whatever it was out of her system, and she trusted him. He knew she did. He simply had to hope that she chose to tell him before this news that weighed on her managed to crush her completely.
Squeezing her hand gently as she squeezed his, he kept his eyes on her as she appeared to brace herself for her own words. The Viking couldn't truly stop the look of confusion from passing fleetingly over his features as the first words of Sookie's emotional tale left her warm and familiar lips. His telepath's grandmother- the one she referred to as her "gran"- was gone from this world, Sookie had taken him to visit the woman's grave before. Did an extramarital affair that had happened no doubt over half a century ago really have the power to upset her that much? If so, Eric had to hope she didn't ask him what he was up to around the same time...
His confusion lasted only a moment before being replaced with something else entirely. So this Fintan was a fairy? That had to be how Claude played into this confession. Eric couldn't help but be a little annoyed. Was it really necessary for the fairy to inform Sookie of such a thing when it would obviously upset her? Eric's telepath seemed to place her grandmother on a pedestal, Sookie didn't need anyone tarnishing the memory of her. That was just like fairies to do such a thing though. As delicious as they were, Eric could really, really hate the fucking fae. Their intoxicating blood and their delicious aroma really didn't come close to making up for the fact that they were such ridiculous troublemakers.
The frown he had been wearing vanished as quickly as his confusion had, his thoughts interrupted by the heart of Sookie's confession. Eric's blue eyes blinked as he looked up at her, his brows furling together as he attempted to process this news, but otherwise, his expression remained blank. Every word she had spoke he repeated in his head over and over with perfect recall, his gaze shifting away from her as he worked through it all again. Sookie was an eighth fae? Could such a thing really be possible? The name Fintan didn't strike any chord of familiarity with the Viking, but Eric was aware the Crane triplets were sky fae, descendants of Niall Brigant, a fact Claudia always made a point of reminding Eric of every time the two had interacted in the past. That was the fairy prince who was the father of this Fintan she spoke of?
The pale hand not holding Sookie's slowly ran over his face as he processed that. "Oh fuck me," he murmured quietly, his eyes staying closed as his hand fell away. He supposed this could explain some things, like how charming and enticing Sookie was to seemingly every vampire she came into contact with. Could this explain why he had been so drawn to her? Why he had suddenly found himself obsessing over a human after a thousand years time? He was in no danger of fainting, but suddenly, a seat wasn't sounding like such a bad idea, since he was relatively certain he'd start pacing any moment now. The only thing that stopped him from doing either was Sookie's hand in his own, and his eyes flashed open to meet her gaze once more at the reminder of her. She needed him now.
"I had no idea, Sookie," he began. It seemed to be the safest thing to say when he wasn't certain just what would leave his mouth right now if he wasn't cautious. "If I had had any idea..." His voice trailed off and he shrugged once. He wasn't sure what he would have done. He wasn't sure what he should do now. "I agree with you... and Claude." He couldn't help but speak the fairy's name through clenched teeth and barely resisted the urge to fang. "This should be kept secret. We can't have this getting out." Pausing for a moment, his eyebrow arched once more. "Did he tell you not to trust me?" How like a fairy to drop such news upon her because of her 'involvement with vampires.' Eric wasn't a newborn, he had never been a threat to Sookie before and he wouldn't be now. "Do you want me to leave?" If the way she was clinging to his hand was any indication, she didn't. "How do you feel about this, lover?"
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by Sookie Stackhouse on Oct 23, 2010, 5:42am
s o o k i e s t a c k h o u s e .
Sookie didn't feel much better once it was all out. Eric was silent, mostly. For once, she was pretty sure his words weren't actually a request for sex. His silence wasn't reassuring, though, and she was pretty sure it wasn't happiness she felt from him. At least he wasn't doing the denial thing like she had. He wasn't asking if she was sure or if Claude could be lying. Actually, she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Wasn't that the normal reaction to something like this? Did it happen enough for there to be a normal reaction? It wasn't like she had any proof to assure him that it was true, and she was barely holding onto any concept of truth herself, so she supposed it was best that he was just accepting the news. She couldn't even consider that Eric might not have found the news surprising. She wasn't [i]that[i] strange, was she?
Nodding slowly as he said he had no idea, she could definitely relate. She couldn't imagine that there were many who knew about it, and those people were probably all fairies. Had her father known? Had Linda? Shaking herself of the thoughts and trying to focus on what Eric was saying, she wasn't surprised he was all for keeping it a secret. Eric was practical like that. "Claude doesn't even want his family finding out that he told me. He'd be in a lot of trouble if they knew. He didn't explain why." She hadn't pressed him when there was so much other information to absorb. She'd learned enough for one day. "Something like that," she admitted as Eric asked if Claude had told her not to trust him. "Something about political reasons. I couldn't really focus on it at the time." She trusted Eric, though, and that was what mattered. "No! No, I don't want you to leave," she assured him quickly, holding on even tighter to his hand. She needed him. But was that why he was asking. "Unless... you want to? I don't want you to feel obligated..." Did he want to leave? Was this too much, even for him?
How did she feel about it? "I don't have any idea," she answered honestly. "Really overwhelmed, and confused, and... I don't really understand. I mean, I do, I get it," she corrected with a sigh, not liking what Gran had apparently done, but accepting that it must be true at this point. "But I don't understand how I could've gone my whole life without knowing. How my dad could've gone his whole life without knowing, and my aunt, and my brother..." Shaking her head, it was almost too much. "It's a lot of secrets when I'm trying my hardest to deal with the ones I already have." She hadn't chosen this one, not at all, it'd just kind of been forced on her like a bunch of other ones, but this was hers now. It was her little secret.
"Part of me is kind of... relieved, almost? To find out I have more family, I mean. That part is nice. And I guess gaining any sort of identity is good. I barely understand myself most days, so any answers are a relief, but I'm not completely sure this answers more questions than it raises. Claude said my gift isn't a fairy trait..." Of course it wasn't. This had to make her life more confusing, not less. "I don't really know what it means for me, and that scares me. I don't know what it'll mean in the future, and I don't know how it's impacted my past. Fairies have always seemed so... different. So strange, as awful as that sounds to say. And now that's part of me? I don't really know how to handle it." Shaking her head, she tried to maintain some composure. "It's all really confusing. I don't know what to make of all this."
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by ericnorthman on Oct 23, 2010, 10:16pm
your instincts telling you to run
ericNORTHMAN.
when you suffered it all and your spirit is breaking
remember you're loved and you always will be
In some ways, Eric found he couldn't be entirely surprised by the news Sookie had just dropped into his lap after the obnoxious flaming fairy had done the same to her. Doubting it wasn't really an option. As much as Claude managed to get under Eric's skin and as certain as he was that the stripping fairy enjoyed getting a reaction out of him, the Viking was certain he wouldn't lie about this. Claudia and Claude had both gloated to him about their lineage descending from the legendary fairy prince. It wasn't something they made light of. They wouldn't share such an "honor" for a joke. In addition, it explained why Eric had always found Sookie's blood to be so much more than the humans who offered theirs to him nightly. He had always been enchanted by her scent. She was impossible to glamor, much like other supernatural creatures were. She wasn't afraid of vampires or Weres as humans tended to be. She had a strength within her that had always surprised him, but being descended from warring, royal fairies would certainly explain a great deal of that.
But fairies from the royal line? Really? He couldn't help but internally cringe.
Sookie couldn't possibly understand how complicated the situation was. "Does your family not wish you to know of your heritage?" he asked quickly, as she informed him Claude could be in trouble with his kin for telling her what he had. "Are you unwelcome in their clan?" Eric didn't mean to sound so hopeful with the somewhat insulting question, but really, he was. The last thing he needed were fairies constantly threatening him or his Area because of Eric's bond to and use of his telepath. He could recall with complete clarity how concerned he had been after Claude's near-lemoning at Fangtasia and how much coaxing it had required to keep the fairy from going to his kin demanding an act of war. It would be no easier if Sookie were put in danger... and Sookie seemed to frequently be in danger, whether Eric intended for her to be or not.
"I do not want to leave you," he assured her sincerely, smiling despite her panic. It was still strange to him that she would want him so near. She had spent so long devotedly pushing him away, he had become more accustomed to that than he was to this wonderful alternative. "I merely believed your..." His teeth once more clenched before continuing. "Cousin would have encouraged you to rid yourself of me." Knowing fairies and how twisted they were, it was a relief Claude hadn't convinced her to rescind the Viking's invitation in the middle of the day. "The fae and the undead have a history of not getting along," he explained, though that was an understatement. "We've drained enough of them there are nearly none left in the world," he continued, a faint, proud smile crossing his lips at the thought, but it vanished quickly. "But they have so many tricks up their sleeves, they have probably ended more vampire than any other beings. An intelligent vampire avoids them at all costs." Eric had always done his best to avoid them as they avoided vampires, but it seemed that because of Sookie, that would be changing now.
Rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand again as she explained her struggles, he offered her a weak smile. "Lover, it isn't something you would have reason to know. The amount of fae blood in you is small," he pointed out with a shrug of his shoulders. Eric had never been close to draining her because of an intoxication on her blood, at least, though he wondered if the special trait was what had kept Compton taking more from her than she could stand to lose. "It isn't as if you are just discovering you have a tail or a second head. Fairies are, for the most part, indistinguishable from humans. How long have you even known the fae existed?" he finally asked, certain it could only be a few months at most. "Why would your ancestors have any reason to suspect they were descended from the fae if they did not know such beings existed? Fairies are conniving, manipulative, tricky things, dear one," he concluded with a shrug. "If they did not want someone to know, they would not know."
Eric flinched fractionally as Sookie insisted she was "relieved" to discover she had more family, but he really couldn't help it. He liked to think he knew Sookie well, he was learning more about her with each passing night, but none of his knowledge led him to believe that this was the kind of family she wanted or needed. She really had no idea what the fae were like. "Hmmm," he hummed thoughtfully, his eyes leaving hers to stare unblinkingly at nothing as she confessed her telepathy was something separate from her heritage. "Interesting. That requires some thought," he continued as he pulled himself back to her gaze. "I don't know what it means either." It was difficult for him to admit. Eric hated being in the dark, but fairies and their ways of thinking often left him there. "But hopefully we will figure it out before it makes it's presence further known. It is difficult to stay a step ahead of fairies." But he'd certainly do his best, and his best was always impressive. "Are they interested in you? Watching you? Did Claude mention the name Niall at all?" Eric just had to hope he didn't.
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by Sookie Stackhouse on Oct 23, 2010, 10:58pm
s o o k i e s t a c k h o u s e .
Sookie was nearly exhausted from thinking so much over such an emotional topic. "They don't want me to know," she confirmed as Eric asked if her family wanted her to know of her heritage. "It's supposed to be kept secret from me. Claude was only supposed to protect me, not tell me." Sighing, she shrugged slightly at his question. "I don't really know whether or not I'm welcome. It sounded kind of complicated, and Claude didn't really want to elaborate, especially when I spent most of his explanation arguing with him." Eric sounded a little hopeful, and Sookie wasn't sure why. Being welcome within her family sounded like a good thing, but he wasn't really making it sound that way.
"Good," Sookie replied, honestly a little relieved that Eric was saying he didn't want to leave her. She didn't know what she'd do without him, and she didn't want to find out. She certainly didn't want to try to handle this without him. "I've never let anyone tell me what to do, and I'm not gonna start now," she assured him as he said he thought that Claude would've encouraged her to get rid of Eric. "He told me there's a lot of... tension, between vampires and fairies, but I'm not about to get involved in all that. I'd like to learn more about my family, but not if it means sacrificing you," she assured him, leaning down to place a kiss on his cheek. "Please don't doubt how much you mean to me now." She knew she'd rejected him a lot in the past, but he was now a huge part of her life. She wasn't going to give that up for people she didn't know.
Nodding slowly as he said she wouldn't have any reason to know about being part fae, she knew he was right, but it was still strange to think that this secret had been kept from her her whole life. She was still mostly human, she guessed, even if it was strange to think there was any chance of her being anything else as well. "A few months, maybe," she admitted as he asked how long she'd known about the fae at all. It hadn't been long, and clearly her family hadn't known, except probably Gran. No one knew about vampires or weres or shifters then, let alone fairies. Of course they hadn't suspected being anything other than human.
"It's not interesting, it's frustrating," she argued as he said that it was interesting that she wasn't a telepath because she was part fairy. It was something else entirely, some other mystery she didn't want or need. At least Eric was as in the dark as she was. "I'm not sure if they're interested in me, but Claude said they're watching. Apparently there's some portal or something near my house." Eric should know that, just in case. "Claudine was supposed to be... I guess my fairy godmother, as Disney as that sounds. Now Claude is. Without the mother part. I don't really know what it's called, but he's supposed to protect me." Nodding after a moment, Sookie remembered that name. "Fintan's dad. Claude's grandfather, and my... great grandfather?" She'd never been very good at family trees.
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by ericnorthman on Oct 24, 2010, 12:09am
your instincts telling you to run
ericNORTHMAN.
when you suffered it all and your spirit is breaking
remember you're loved and you always will be
"Claude is supposed to protect you?" Eric echoed back, his eyebrow once more arching as his back straightened. The Viking was confident Sookie needed protecting, he sought to do such a thing himself, but most of what Sookie needed protecting from were things he brought upon her. Fairies wisely kept a distance from vampires and he couldn't imagine Claude had been sent on any kind of suicide mission. "Protect you from what?" Pausing for a moment, he shook his head thoughtfully, slowly rising to his feet before settling onto the couch beside her. "That they would be concerned with you at all, let alone of your safety is... unique." Eric really didn't know what to make of that. He didn't think it spelled anything good, that was certain. He knew Sookie's ideas of how a family should behave were based on what she knew as a human, but that wasn't always the case with supernatural beings, and this was strange.
Pulling Sookie from the spot beside him into his lap as she sounded so relieved that he wasn't leaving, he wanted to keep her close now, even if he wasn't sure he was doing anything else to ease her weary mind now. "We loathe one another," he stated with a small shrug, elaborating on the "tension" Claude spoke of. "Or I suppose you could say vampires have a tendency to love fairies a little too much." Offering her a small smile as she assured him there would be no disposing of him, Eric wondered if he had ever ended any of her fae kin in the past, and if she would be so willing to embrace him if she was aware of it. "You mean a great deal to me as well, lover." More than a human- or, as the case may have been, part fairy- had ever meant to him before. "That will not change."
Nodding as she confirmed his suspicions, he wrapped one of his arms around her back. "Only a few months, and you are probably one of very few who does know fairies even exist. You may be part fae, but you are predominantly human. It does not truly change who you are or what you are if you do not desire for it to. It does not have to mean more than you want it to mean. It is simply there. You have always been special, lover," he pointed out. "You have always felt and been different from those around you. Perhaps, if nothing else, this can help you find some understanding," he offered. "Whether it causes your telepathy or not doesn't really matter. You would be unique even if you were not privy to the thoughts of others. You are not cursed, nor crazy," he continued, casting a bit of a frown in her direction. Eric truly loathed when she reminded him all her redneck neighbors labeled her as such. "You were simply never meant to be like others... and that is not a bad thing."
The Viking frowned as Sookie spoke of a portal near her home, not much liking the idea of that. There was little doubt in his mind, it had to be the work of Niall, but it spelled nothing good. Still, he said nothing as she explained how her cousins came into play in the grand scheme of things. "I do not like that they have so much interest in you," he admitted honestly. Eric couldn't fault them, really. Sookie was worth taking notice of, but he didn't have to like that the fairies clearly had. Sighing once as she recognized the name, Eric pulled her a little closer. "I know him," he offered after a moment. "He is even older than I am, and just as deadly." If not more so. "Did Claude say anything else? Is there anything you want looked into? You should know my resources are at your disposal."
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by Sookie Stackhouse on Oct 24, 2010, 1:13am
s o o k i e s t a c k h o u s e .
Nodding as Eric repeated her words that Claude was supposed to protect her, Sookie didn't really understand it either, but she hadn't had the presence of mind to ask then. "I'm not really sure," she answered honestly as he asked what Claude was supposed to be protecting her from. "It felt like there was a lot he wasn't telling me, but when he told me so much, it was hard to focus on what else could be out there." She didn't know why it was unique, but fairies seemed to be way different than humans. Eric clearly knew them better than she did, even if she was one of them, sort of. "We could ask him, I guess. I told him that I'd be telling you about all this, as much as he didn't like the idea. We can ask him whatever we'd like."
Easily sliding into Eric's lap as he pulled her into it, she curled up to him immediately, just like she always did so naturally. Being so close to Eric felt like the safest place in the world to Sookie, and she needed that more than anything right now. "I don't really want to get involved in all that," she admitted to him with a sigh as he spoke of the relationship between fairies and vampires. It sounded like a lot of stress that she really didn't need in her life, over a battle that wasn't really hers. "Our relationship is about you and me. No other vampires, no other fairies or part fairies or even other humans. I don't want any of that to interfere." She didn't want what she found out today to change what they had.
Placing a kiss on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her, she knew he was right, but it barely helped to soften the blow of what she had learned. Yes, she'd only known about fairies for a short amount of time, and yes, she was one of very few humans who knew about it, but the fact that part of her wasn't even human was something that was really difficult to wrap her mind around. Smiling weakly as he pointed out that she'd always been special, that wasn't really how she had seen it all her life, but she appreciated having it put that way now. He was right, though. She was never meant to be normal. "Maybe a little understanding, especially about my childhood. A lot of what Claude said sounded really familiar," she admitted, thinking of her family and the suggestions Claude had made about them.
"It's kind of creepy, isn't it? The idea that they're watching me?" she asked, having expressed that to Claude, but not sure he really got it when he was part of that whole culture. Eric didn't seem to like it, but he was pretty protective of her. She appreciated it. "What's he like?" she asked as he said he knew Niall, though the description of old and deadly wasn't really reassuring. "Claude said that the more time I spend around fairies, the more I'll become like them. He said I could start to smell more like them, maybe even develop some of their gifts." Pausing, she shook her head. "I'm not really sure I want that. I mean, I like Claude and his sisters, and I wouldn't mind spending more time with them, but I don't really want to be any stranger than I already am." Sighing, she rested her overworked head on his shoulder. "I don't think I want to look into anything right now. Oh, he did say that he thinks I should stay away from Hadley, and I agreed so he wouldn't tell Niall about her. So, I guess I don't have to go with you to see her or anything."
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by ericnorthman on Oct 24, 2010, 2:10am
your instincts telling you to run
ericNORTHMAN.
when you suffered it all and your spirit is breaking
remember you're loved and you always will be
"Then that, you will need to find out," Eric stated simply as Sookie admitted she hadn't found out exactly what Claude was supposed to be protecting her from. If the fae were concerned for Sookie, they had reason to be. Having some kind of clue of who or what might be a danger to her was something Eric needed to know in order to keep her safe himself... and he was relatively certain he could do a better job of it than Claude could. "Fairies are seldom straightforward," he confirmed with a small roll of his eyes. Sure, vampires were masters of half-truths and very careful word choice, but fairies had them bested. They had practically invented the art of being evasive and ambiguous. "If he will not tell you outright, you will hopefully be able to pick up hints. Even if Claude is aware you are telling me, I will need to practice caution with your family." It was really strange to think of them as that. "My presence and knowledge will not be welcomed."
Sighing quietly as she curled her small frame against his large one, Eric's hand lifted to soothingly stroke the back of her head as it rested against his shoulder. "Your first mistake may be believing you or I have any choice in the matter," the Viking stated quietly, his voice not much more than a whisper. Eric didn't like it anymore than Sookie did and he agreed fully, in a perfect world, what was shared between them would be only theirs and concern only them, but the vampire knew far too well the world was far from ideal. They had already had another vampire attempt to come between them by going over Eric's head, they couldn't operate under the assumption that the fairies would simply be accepting of what they shared because the pair of them wished it so. "We have an advantage though. You know of your heritage now, without others knowing you are aware. We have time, and with it, we can prepare as best we can."
No matter how much Eric attempted to reassure Sookie, it didn't truly seem to be helping. In a way, he understood what she was feeling, slightly. "I set out to return home one night following a dinner, and the last thing I remember is blinding pain before an encompassing darkness. Three days later, I was a being I had never heard of or even suspected existed. Everything I had ever known was null, useless." Shrugging his shoulders once, he looked down to meet her gaze, a smile slowly crossing his lips. "But look at how that turned out. I am quite impressive," he concluded with a wink. "This is who you are Sookie. Your world may have changed and what you once thought you knew may no longer apply, but this was always there. This was always part of your destiny. Your understanding will deepen, your acceptance will come. I am in no hurry for you to embrace the other faes this world offers," he clarified quickly. "But you should not be upset over what you are, nor afraid to look deeper into it, whether it's examining the past or looking to the future. You should not let yourself be overwhelmed for what simply is. Sometimes worlds simply change in a single night. It happens to the best of us."
Eric couldn't help but frown as Sookie decided the fae watching her were creepy. It wasn't the word he would have chosen to describe it. "I have you watched," he informed her without remorse. "But you are mine. I do not like that they are watching you as if you are theirs." And knowing the fae, they probably believed she was. "And I do not like finding out they are watching and I did not know it." They were sneakier than he was and that was disconcerting. Stroking her head once more as she inquired about the fairy prince, the Viking chose his words carefully, if only to spare her some of his opinion. "He is beautiful, like all fairies. Very powerful, very magical, and very arrogant. Fairies are warring beings and none is more so than him, but he looks much more fragile than he is. I suppose that is an advantage for him." Meeting her gaze as her thoughts continued, he studied her. "You are not strange, Sookie," he argued with a frown. "I am capable of flight. Do you find me strange? Whether you choose to associate with the Crane triplets is your decision, but do not belittle yourself nor what makes you unique." Frowning at her last comment, he was pleased her head was on his shoulder so she missed his eyes narrowing in annoyance and his fangs descending in anger. He wasn't thrilled with the idea of Sookie facing Hadley and had been determined to change her mind, but he didn't like Claude meddling, and he really didn't like the threat of Niall against any vampire, one on Eric's shit list or not. "Very well, but is that what you want or is that what he wants?"
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by Sookie Stackhouse on Oct 24, 2010, 3:10am
s o o k i e s t a c k h o u s e .
Nodding in agreement as Eric pointed out that she would need to find out what Claude was supposed to be protecting her from, Sookie was almost surprised she hadn't thought of it earlier. "I guess I just assumed that he's supposed to be protecting me from the normal trouble I get myself into. There really is a lot of it." It was a logical enough assumption. She put herself in enough danger without anyone else's help. It was drawn to her, though her heritage might help explain at least part of that. "I'll talk to him about all of that," she decided, though she wasn't so sure Claude was going to be straightforward about answering. Eric was right about that. "They'll just have to deal with it, if they ever even get around to meeting me. So far very few have bothered to, so they don't et a say."
Breathing a little easier as Eric stroked the back of her head, Sookie closed her eyes at the comfort, but opened them immediately upon hearing his words. "They can't force us to do anything. They don't even want me knowing they exist. We won't let them interfere." Now that she and Eric were finally in a relationship, she wasn't going to let anyone stand in the way of it. Dead, undead, magical or not, no one would hurt what they had. She was completely determined to make sure of that. "Do you really think we'll need to prepare? Do you really think they'd try to come between us or anything like that?" Sure, Claude hadn't been happy about it, but he hadn't seemed to have any power to do anything but be a little sarcastic. She'd trust Eric's opinion on this, though. He had way more experience than she did, and that was going to come in handy. Hopefully, though, it wouldn't even be an issue.
Looking up at him as Eric told her the story of his own turning, a day when his humanity was lost, Sookie felt like her own revelation was much less significant. Sure, she was finding out something new, but it was something that had been a part of her her whole life. Placing a hand on his cheek, she kissed him gently, truly appreciating what he was doing. He was opening up to her to help her feel better and accept herself, and it meant so much to her. "Thank you, Eric," she replied quietly, placing a kiss on the cheek she wasn't touching before wrapping her arm around him. "You are quite impressive," she agreed with a smile and a small nod, really accepting what he was saying. "And you're also right. This doesn't change who I am, and I shouldn't be afraid of it." It was easier to say than do, of course, but saying it had to be the first step. Realizing that she could learn about this without changing who she was or being overwhelmed by it all was important.
Smiling as Eric frowned, Sookie shook her head, fingers lightly stroking his cheek. "You have me watched because you care about me and want to keep me safe. These fairies who have me watched now don't even know me. I can't imagine that they care about me, or why they'd want to keep me safe when they don't even want to meet me." They were family, but that only went so far. "Your heart is in the right place." Being watched was creepy, there was no way around that, but at least Eric was doing it for the right reasons. Listening to the description of her great grandfather, Sookie wondered if she would ever get to meet him, and also if she really wanted to. Not all family was good, she knew that well enough. "No, I don't think you're strange," she admitted, though she did think she would be strange with some random fairy gifts. She didn't think Eric would like to hear that though.
Tracing her fingers over his jaw as his fangs descended, she sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know, honestly. I know that I don't want her hurt. She's family, and she's really not at fault for what she's done." Pausing, she pulled back a little to look at Eric clearly. "I got Claude to promise not to tell Niall because I told him why Hadley did what she did." She had told Claude, so Eric deserved the truth too, or at least as much of it as she could bare to tell on a day like this. "I told him that Gran's brother abused her when she was younger. I don't think Hadley ever really dealt with it, and that's why she turned to drugs and all that other stuff, and eventually run away. Her family didn't protect her, so why should she protect them? But if I have the chance to protect her now, I want to take it. Does that make any sense?"
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by ericnorthman on Oct 24, 2010, 8:21pm
your instincts telling you to run
ericNORTHMAN.
when you suffered it all and your spirit is breaking
remember you're loved and you always will be
"Let us hope that is all it is," Eric agreed easily enough as Sookie stated she had thought the fairy's protection was just for her day-to-day disasters. The telepath really was a master at getting herself caught right in the middle of every path of destruction woven through her parish and everyone surrounding it. It was almost a wonder she had survived long enough for Eric to be introduced to her. "But contrary to the way fairies tend to be portrayed in cartoons and movies, it isn't truly in their nature to be altruistic anymore than it is a part of my own nature." The Viking made sacrifices for Sookie and because of Sookie because he desired her. Though outwardly it seemed, perhaps, generous, it was selfish. He didn't think Claude would be 'protecting' her simply because it was a kind thing to do, or just because they were of a distant relation. "We can hope though."
Listening to Sookie insist her newly discovered fairy kin would simply need to "deal" with their relationship only to be caught off guard by his warnings, Eric smiled a somewhat sad smile at her as she looked up at him. "Sometimes I forget how naive you are," he stated quietly, more to himself than to her. "Such a fighter, such spirit, but so unaware." Shaking his head once to clear his thoughts, his eyes met hers again, his hand running over her back slowly as she looked at him. "Just because they have not met you does not mean they have no interest in you." He didn't want to bring this up, but he had to. "Do you think the night you first saw Compton in Merlotte's was the first night he saw you?" he asked, eyebrows lifting as he watched her. "Given what we know now, I doubt it was. I imagine he studied and observed you, I imagine he looked into your history. He chose his opportune moment to step out of the shadows. If Claude has told you they are watching you and do not want you aware, don't you think it is possible they are carefully choosing their ideal time? That they already have a plan or intention for you?"
Shrugging his shoulders once, he offered her a smile. "Of course, I don't know that such a thing is true, but I have existed as long as I have by being prepared. If such a thing is a possibility, it is best we be on our guard. I do not know if they would come between us, but I am confident they would not approve. If it came down to it, I do not know who would triumph in a fight between Brigant and I." That alone would probably tell Sookie a lot. Eric was nothing if not confident, even when he had little reason to be. The fact that he was acknowledging another could be capable of besting him was a humbling fact. "Having the fae as enemies would be incredibly costly. We simply must be prepared. I will do my best to give them no reason to disapprove. I am of no danger to you."
Returning Sookie's kiss as her lips met his briefly, his smile only became more genuine as she agreed he was impressive. It wasn't about him though, it was about her. "A part of you should fail to be surprised," he thought aloud. "A part of you has always been drawn toward the Supernatural. You found the one place of employment in Bon Temps owned by a Shifter. Your first relationship was with a vampire. Your best relationship was with a better vampire," he continued with another wink. "You are comfortable around fairies. You are fond of Weres. You could blame it on your gift, but Hadley too was drawn to the Supernatural. We prefer one another's company, you know. For as much animosity as there is, there is an unspoken understanding. You belong with us. You always have."
The frown on Eric's face slipped away as her fingers ran over his cheek and jaw, his eyes briefly closing as he reveled in the warmth of her touch. Really, it still surprised the Viking just how comforting he found his telepath's touch. It was as if it was home. He had never felt such a thing before. His frown returned, however, as she pulled away to look at him, his hands falling from her back to his own sides. Sookie had managed to tell Claude how she had justified Hadley's betrayal of her, but hadn't been willing to tell him? His fangs wouldn't be retreating anytime soon, even if she was explaining now. "She was struck when she was younger and that justifies her betrayal of you?" Eric wondered if Sookie truly grasped and understood what could have happened to her if Sophie-Anne and Bill had succeeded in their plan. "I understand your reasoning, even if I do not think it justifies her actions." He couldn't help but be a little upset he was only learning this now, since it was obviously something she had thought about recently, and he was still a little annoyed the threat of Niall was more significant to her than his own concerns. "I do not care for this, Sookie."
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by Sookie Stackhouse on Oct 25, 2010, 1:17am
s o o k i e s t a c k h o u s e .
Nodding slowly as Eric agreed that he hoped Claude was just sent to protect her from the danger she got herself into on her own, Sookie really hoped that was all. If she was actually in more trouble than usual, she'd definitely need the extra protection. She barely survived the messes she got into on her own. "The fairy in Peter Pan was actually kind of a bitch. She kept trying to get Wendy killed�" she disagreed, deciding that she'd add that to the list of movies they had to watch together. "I'll ask Claude. We could even ask him together, if that'd make you feel better. That way even if I get overwhelmed by stuff he's telling me, you can keep a clear head and ask the right questions." It made sense to her, at least, and sounded like a pretty accurate assessment of her skills.
Eric seemed almost sad as he commented on how naive she was. She knew she could be naive, but not why Eric sounded so sad about it. It was probably best not to ask, if his expression was any indication. Frowning as he explained his train of thought anyway, Sookie didn't like it very much. She'd tried not to think about Bill's whole diabolical plan, but the comparison sort of made sense. There were too many secrets lately. "I guess you're right," she agreed, though she was really creeped out by the idea of Bill watching her for so long before he'd actually met her. The idea that the fairies might still be doing the same was seriously creepy, but at least now she had warning. "You're right. We'll prepare, and we'll think of something to do about it." Claude had said they were watching, and he probably knew about that stuff.
Frowning at the idea of Eric and Niall fighting, let alone Eric and Niall fighting in a battle that could seriously hurt them. Eric didn't seem confident about winning against Niall either, which spoke volumes upon volumes of just how dangerous her family was. "Did you know that there are things that could hurt fairies? Like iron, and lemon?" If Sookie could keep Eric safe, even from a family member of hers, she would. "But you're right. It'd be a lot better to keep from having them enemies in the first place. Our feelings for each other have to count for something, and you've never done anything to hurt me. They have to like you." That wasn't actually true, and even she was aware of that, but she was determined to be at least a little optimistic.
"I've never actually belonged everywhere," Sookie replied a little uncertainly as Eric assured her that he belonged with him and the other supernatural species. She'd always gotten along far better with them than with actual humans, and she'd assumed that it was part of her ability, like Eric said. "Claude said that fairies always feel better around other fairies. That we find comfort in each other's presence. I guess I feel that way around vampires too, though." She hadn't spent enough time in the presence of weres to know, and she heard too many of Sam's thoughts to feel that way about him. Vampires meant silence to her, though, for good or bad. She felt normal around them, and that was incredibly valuable. She really did feel like she belonged with them.
Sighing, Sookie could feel that Eric was really upset that she had told Claude why she was protecting Hadley, but the truth was, she wasn't telling either of them the whole truth. "She wasn't struck. She was abused... sexually. As a child. Which is why I didn't want to say anything before." Doing that thing where she talked more at his shoulder than to him, she reminded herself that she really was brave, and that she really did trust Eric. "She wasn't the only one. And no, it doesn't justify her actions, but... I get it. More than I'd like to, I get it. Hadley's been a victim all her life. She doesn't know what it's like to have family like I do, even if she had both her parents. They didn't protect her half as well as Gran was able to protect me. If I can protect Hadley now, even a little bit, can you understand why I need to?"
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by ericnorthman on Oct 25, 2010, 2:38am
your instincts telling you to run
ericNORTHMAN.
when you suffered it all and your spirit is breaking
remember you're loved and you always will be
"Then this fairy in Peter Pan is a relatively accurate depiction," Eric admitted with a shrug, not sure what fairy Sookie was talking about, but the description was pretty dead on. "Fairies tend to be bitches. I'm sure there are many more they'd rather see dead than those they'd willingly protect." As she offered to talk to Claude with him because he could keep a clear head, the vampire actually started chuckling quietly. He didn't like the idea of the flaming fairy overwhelming her, nor did he like the idea of Sookie facing any fae on her own, but he still found her thought amusing. "Lover, as much as I would like to be, I wouldn't be much help. I'm physically incapable of keeping a clear head around your cousin," he admitted. "As old as I am, any prolonged contact and my instincts will come out, and my instincts tell me to drain every drop of delicious blood from him." Among other things. "I would be dangerous to you if you tried to stop me." Pausing for a moment, he didn't want to disappoint her. "Perhaps if we were in the open air and if I thoroughly fed before, it could be managed."
Eric watched the expression on Sookie's face carefully and he could tell by the way it changed, she hadn't considered the very things he had mentioned. It would be a lie to say he didn't slightly appreciate the look of disturbance that passed over her features as she considered the possibility of what Compton might have done, but it was impossible to enjoy any of this at present. Still, he let a small smile curl on his lips as she seemed to commit herself to finding some kind of solution for the two of them. Eric desired Sookie, he had for a long time, he was possessive of her and wanted to keep her, but it was somewhat pleasing to hear her determined to keep him as well. Reaching for her hand, his fingers intertwined briefly with hers before he lifted them to his lips, kissing her hand and fingers lightly. "We will," he agreed. It would be a struggle, but if determined, they could find a way. "We must have time now, so we will use it to our advantage."
Eric's eyebrow arched as Sookie began informing him of the ways to end fairies, both surprised that she was aware and that she would then tell him, especially when the fairies she seemed to be preparing him for were her family. "Yes, I am aware," he answered honestly. "They're also quite susceptible to fangs when they can be caught," he added with a small smirk. That was how most fairies he had left in his wake had managed to meet their ends. "Vampires are their greatest enemy for good reason." Looking skeptically at Sookie as she insisted they 'had to' like him, the vampire shook his head. "No, they do not, and they will not, but we can aim for tolerance."
All Eric could do was shrug as Sookie informed him of what Claude had said about fairies being near one another. Truly, he didn't know much about the fae. At least, he didn't know that sort of thing about the fae. They were notoriously secretive and had good reason for keeping much of it from vampires. "I am pleased vampires bring you comfort," he admitted, amending after a moment, "at least I am pleased that one vampire brings you comfort." He didn't care about any others really. The fact that Sookie was comfortable around one at all was nothing short of unique. "You belong now. You belong with those who are more than just... average." Average might as well have been a disease in Eric's opinion.
Sookie was avoiding Eric's eyes. He really hated when she did that. The frown on his face didn't vanish as she began speaking, more to his arm than to him. His blue eyes flashed momentarily towards his shoulder, making certain there wasn't something there to catch her attention before she began speaking. Fury flashed through him, but the vampire quickly bit the anger back as best he could, resolving to look into Sookie's human family tree very soon in order to do a little pruning. Hooking a finger beneath her chin, he lifted it, forcing her eyes to meet his. Saying nothing for a long moment as he settled the urges screaming at him, he studied her eyes before nodding fractionally. "Okay," he stated simply. "I understand. If that is what you really want, then I will do my part in seeing it realized."
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by Sookie Stackhouse on Oct 25, 2010, 3:05am
s o o k i e s t a c k h o u s e .
"Not really," Sookie disagreed with a shake of her head. "The fairy was tiny," she explained, holding up her fingers to demonstrate the size. "Plus she had wings, and could fly, and could use her fairy dust to make others file too. And she couldn't talk." That was all pretty misleading. She'd actually forgotten for a moment that Eric's head wasn't really clear around fairies, something she'd been reminded of way too many times that day to begin with. "We could try that," she agreed, thinking of how it would go if they were very careful. "Or we could put you on speakerphone while I'm talking to him. Then you wouldn't have to worry about smelling him." She didn't want Claude hurt, as much as she did want answers. She really did like Claude, and he was family.
This whole fairy thing couldn't be nearly as bad for her and Eric as it was sounding like it was. It sounded like a disaster right now, but maybe they weren't actually interested in her, or maybe they were just curious about her because she was family. Maybe they'd be completely reasonable and let her be. Eric didn't think so, though, and it couldn't hurt to have a plan to deal with every scenario possible. Eric really was starting to rub off on her. Smiling and dismissing the thought as he kissed her hand, she sighed quietly. "No one ever wants to let us be, do they?" she asked, though she already knew the answer. Frowning slightly at the idea of Eric hurting her family, she set their intertwined hands in her lap. "I don't want you to have to hurt them. I just want to make sure you'll be okay if... Well, if anything bad happens." That was most important to her. "Tolerance would be great, if we can get there." She had to hope it was possible.
Smiling again at his words, she placed a light kiss on his lip. "One vampire brings me lots and lots of comfort," she agreed, meaning every word. Being around vampires in general was nice because of the silence, but being around Eric made her feel truly safe, truly cherished. He brought her peace when nothing else could, and it was amazing to her. With him, she really did feel like she did belong, or at least like she could, which was a start. So much of his world was still foreign to her, but she was truly trying to adjust, as hard as that sort of thing was to her. Eric's world was different from the one she had grown up in, and it was far more dangerous, but it also felt more right than her own had.
Talking about this sort of thing wasn't something Sookie had used to. She'd tried telling people in the beginning, but no one had believed her. Then Gran had, and there was no need to tell anyone else, because Gran protected her. She'd told Bill when Uncle Bartlett was brought back into her life, and he had betrayed her by killing him without even asking. Killing someone because she'd confided in him had seemed so wrong, even if a small, very guilty part of her was relieved that he was gone. Bill had shattered her trust in every other way, though, and it made her hard to open up to anyone, let alone Eric, who she wanted to see her in only a good light. She could feel his frustration as she avoided his eyes, something she knew he hated, but she couldn't help right now. Closing her eyes altogether as she felt his fury at her confession, she did her best to close out the tears as her eyes burned with them, and instead took a few deep breaths to calm herself too. Looking up into his eyes as he tilted her chin up, she sighed in relief as he agreed to help her protect Hadley. "Thank you," she replied quietly, wrapping her arms around him and holding onto him tightly. "That's what I want." Pausing, she could still feel that fury bubbling under the surface, as much as she could tell he was trying to control it for her sake. "He's dead now, you know. Bill killed him." She still didn't completely know how to feel about that, so she couldn't begin to imagine how Eric would feel. Probably conflicted, like she did, if she had to guess. It wasn't an easy thing to handle or understand. That Eric had just accepted what she'd told him instead of asking a billion questions or sounding like a shrink was a relief.
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by ericnorthman on Oct 25, 2010, 4:10am
your instincts telling you to run
ericNORTHMAN.
when you suffered it all and your spirit is breaking
remember you're loved and you always will be
Tilting his head thoughtfully as Sookie explained more about the fairy she knew from some film or another, Eric's eyebrow arched once more. That was almost as ridiculous as the portrayal of vampires by humans prior to them leaving the coffin. "Fairy dust does not make one capable of flight," he frowned, recalling the one his Deputy had left for him in the basement to drain after her blood had poisoned him and his child. "It sticks to everything and never washes away the first time. Was it accurately composed of dead fairy in this movie of yours?" Nodding once after her alternative suggestion to him facing Claude, the Viking couldn't help but prefer it by a lot. Claude made the vampire incredibly uncomfortable. "That would be for the best, I believe," he agreed. "He'd be unable to get his hands on me that way as well. His voice, lineage, and mannerisms may annoy me, but I'd maintain my presence of mind the entire time."
Offering his telepath another sad smile and a quiet sigh, he could only shrug at her question. This was probably why he had avoided making attachments so adamantly for a thousand years. Sure, he could hardly have anticipated that when he'd finally find some human worth his time, energy, interest, and blood that they'd turn out to be from a royal line of warring and powerful fairies when he already had a long list of enemies who would no doubt revel in disrupting his relationship, but this seemed to be their luck. "Nothing worth having is ever easy, dear one," he decided, his own experience telling him that much was true. "I will not attack your family and I will not give them cause to attack me. Tolerance will be our goal. The line of fae you seem to be descended from are strong, but they could not risk open war against all those loyal to me by attacking or ending me anymore than I could risk it against them. Tolerance is not impossible."
The feel of Sookie's lips against his own, no matter how brief the connection lasted, always left Eric with a small smile on his lips, but her words did something else to him entirely. "I still cannot fathom that," he admitted honestly, his hand lifting to brush across her cheek. Once not so long ago, she had been afraid of him, he was sure of that. He had always thought that she would not always be so frightened of him, that she would come to trust him, but he never thought he would earn the trust of the telepath so completely that his mere presence would be comfort to her. If he was honest with himself, he had hoped for such, but he had never known such a thing before. "I will do my best to keep it that way." And his best was pretty damn impressive.
Nothing really could have prepared Eric for what Sookie had told him. The news was infuriating. Sookie had faced so many difficult things, so many more than others had to endure, she had lived more than a complete life long before vampires had ever seemingly entered her picture. He was furious that anyone could ever hurt her in such a way. He was angry anyone would knowingly take any innocence from her. He knew what such a thing was like. He would not wish such a thing on anyone else. He had to look past that now though, as impossible as it was. She had a sense of his feelings, and the confession alone had clearly taken a great deal out of her. It disappointed him that she, perhaps, had thought she couldn't trust him with the truth and heart of the situation, but he couldn't let that leak out either. His arms wrapped around her as she suddenly clung to him, his chin resting on her shoulder as stared unblinkingly at nothing, his hand trailing up and down her back soothingly. "Then that is what you will get. I will see to it myself. If it is what I demand, no further explanation to anyone else will be required." He stiffened slightly, his hand pausing it's movement on her back as she informed him the relative Eric was already plotting the demise of was ended, and he considered that for a moment. "It is the only thing Bill has done that I approve of, I suppose," he admitted finally. He wondered if the man's final moments had been painful enough. He wondered why she had trusted Bill with the information- and she obviously had- but hesitated to tell him. "Did you ask that of him?"
Re: Tell Me What To Do
Post by Sookie Stackhouse on Oct 26, 2010, 1:37am
s o o k i e s t a c k h o u s e .
"We can watch it sometime," Sookie offered as Eric seemed pretty thoughtful about the depiction of Fairies in Peter Pan. Looking absolutely horrified as Eric told her that fairy dust was actually dead fairy, Sookie shook her head slowly. "Ew, no. Definitely not. It was just� sparkly powder that made everyone fly." She didn't really want to know that fairy dust was actually a dead person. She wondered if she had enough fae in her to turn into fairy dust when she died, but decided she really, really didn't want to know. "That's what we'll do, then," she agreed with a thoughtful nod, deciding it'd be best for everyone if she spoke to Claude alone, but with Eric on the phone. Those two didn't get along very well, even if she did care about both of them. "It should work out pretty well that way. You'll be able to hear everything and ask good questions, but he'll probably hit on you less, and you won't be tempted to... you know..." Saying that Eric probably wanted to chomp down on her cousin was a little strange.
Eric's point that nothing worth having was ever easy was a valid one, and despite the fact that it was an admission that things would be difficult, it did make her smile. She still couldn't believe that someone like Eric thought of her as worth having, let alone worth fighting for. Tolerance did seem like a real possibility, if only to avoid a sort of war. Sookie was sure no one would want that, and especially not over her. That was totally unnecessary, and she was sure her fae family would see it that way as well. Even if they didn't like Eric, well, that was their problem. "Tolerance it is," she nodded, confident that Eric was right, and it wasn't impossible. They could do this, and they would. Besides, there was no guarantee the situation would even come up.
Smiling at the smile she left on Eric's lips as she pulled away from the kiss she'd left on them, Sookie shook her head, not sure herself how she had fallen so hard for Eric, but sure that she had, and sure it was right. He had won her over slowly but steadily, and now her feelings for him weren't something she would be willing to give up on. He made her feel so treasured, so at home in his arms, and that was something she truly didn't want to lose. "I don't think you'll have any problems," she assured him, turning her head just slightly to kiss the palm that had moved across her cheek. Sookie knew that her trust was hard to earn, especially lately, but Eric had won her over completely.
Nodding slightly as Eric assured her that he would make sure Hadley would be protected, Sookie tried to relax a little bit, and only partially succeeded. This whole discussion was incredibly difficult to have, not that she'd had it more than once before. Still, she wasn't sure how to feel about Eric's answer, that he approved of what Bill had done. She supposed his anger was natural, but Sookie had to hope Eric wouldn't have goon about it the same way. "No, I didn't ask him. He went behind my back and did it, and tried to make it look like an accident. I'm pretty sure he would have lied to me about it if I'd let him. It might've been the first thing he did that made me not trust him. I felt like I couldn't tell him anything after that. If I had a bad day at work, I didn't want to tell him because I was worried he'd go off and kill the rude customer. I know it's not at all the same, but after that, I felt like I couldn't talk to him about something without him taking it into his own hands without him even thinking of what I might want or how I might feel about it."
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