#❛ verse 005 || … i’ll still be bloody mary / post-hotel.

[butscrewmefirst]

❝ what would you do? ❞ not that it matters at this point, but she's curious as to what @ofwealthandtaste will say.

[butscrewmefirst]

❝ are you happy? with me, i mean. ❞ no, that isn't the right way to start this. ❝ are you glad we met? ❞ there is no doubt in the vampire's mind that leaving the hotel cortez with michael, taking her son with her, had been the right choice. however, given her prior history with her own lovers, she's worried he'll grow to resent her in some way. not that he's given any inkling of such a thing -- the countess simply can't help but to self-sabotage a bit. / @langdhon

[butscrewmefirst]

❝ you're not here to see your family, are you? ❞

@littlegirllcst gets a starter!

[butscrewmefirst]

whatever is happening now between the estranged couple feels right. james is one of the few that has known her the longest, had known who she was, and such a thing is important to her. she's tried to become someone she's not, has tried to find something that no longer exists -- all while ignoring the man now toasting them.

as their toast is made, her smile will grow ever so slightly before glass is brought to blood red lips, liquid swallowed all in one go before she's setting it down. ❝ i'm going to need... help, you know. ❞ she'll begin, averting her gaze to the decorations at the middle of their table. ❝ i never thought that i -- that i'd be here. like this. ❞ dead. green eyes seek out brown, her smile no longer held in place and instead replaced with sadness.

He reaches for one of the various glass decanters, refilling his cup for the toast. When his gaze flicks back to Elizabeth's face, he's pleased to find the tiniest of smiles breaking through. It felt like an ETERNITY since he's pulled a genuine smile from her, such a sight could light up the entire room.

For us. What a lovely phrase that was! James only HOPED that this time it would last, that they could finally make this work without so many distractions along the way to prevent it from reaching its full potential. " A toast to the heart persevering, darling. And, of course, to a new start. " James lifts his glass to meet hers, gently tapping them together and creating a soft CLINKING sound.

[butscrewmefirst]

the countess' smile will falter slightly. she doesn't hear sadness in the young woman's voice, but a sense of longing. it's interesting, truly, but it brings about a sadness for herself. when the question is returned, elizabeth will answer truthfully. ❝ what if i told you i am dead? ❞ nothing is fully as it seems in the hotel cortez, and she herself isn't quite as real as she'd once been.

the  query  sent  wednesday  spiraling  into  the  past  –  a  past  filled  with  dread  and  valuable  examples.  she  couldn’t  choose  just  one  narrative  from  the  abundant  list  that  flashed  before  her  eyes.  the  hyde  monster  whom  she  foolishly  trusted?  the  woman  who  almost  became  part  of  her  family?  the  creatures  she  hunted  down  only  to  bring  home?  there  were  too  many  approaches,  yet  none  managed  to  be  fleshed  out  and  offered  as  a  response.  “dangerously  close.  but  never  close  enough.”  she  uttered,  at  last,  renouncing  the  idea  of  offering  examples  on  a  silver  platter.  glance  darts  upward  to  meet  the  other’s  gaze,  “and  you?”  manners  had  to  be  shown,  no  matter  who  it  was.  the  addamses  could  be  merciless  murderers,  a  menace  to  society,  but  they  had  strong  morals.

[butscrewmefirst]

❝ and yet... here you are. ❞ she isn't quite sure if he's mocking her yet, so she'll tread lightly. for now. with her lips thinned, her chin lifts and she responds carefully. ❝ a few years now... but it feels just like yesterday. ❞ the countess has no reason to lie, emerald eyes almost sad as she watches gabriel before her. ❝ you're lucky you got out. don't stay here longer than you need to. ❞ while iris and liz have made many changes in the hotel cortez for the better, not all of the new souls listen right away to staying in line -- deaths do happen without warning. given that he's made it out before, elizabeth doesn't want his sudden reappearance to cost him. has she grown soft over the years? a bit.

" Get the fuck out of here --- and I did . " Anxiety is creeping up on Gabriel , who is only back at the Cortez because of some fucking Lana Winters piece on him . Even now he won't step foot past the lobby . " But I guess that's not an option for you . How long have you been dead ? " he wasn't aware vampires could haunt a joint after they'd been disposed of .

[butscrewmefirst]

scarlett is justified in her anger, though the young woman does not need to be told that; after all, it might further her rage in this moment. and the longer elizabeth listens to her words, reads her body language and takes in every bit of information that's provided before her, she can tell scarlett isn't quite the same child she used to be. no, there is a new strength there... but the countess will not push. she will, however, tread lightly.

❝ he was neglected by the very people that were meant to protect and care for him. i did what i had to do. ❞ her words are firm. final. and in her own sick way, elizabeth does believe what she's saying. while to others it may not make sense -- to most it wouldn't -- her only intention in bringing children to the hotel cortez was to keep them safe... though holden had been a bit of a setup, given that james had tipped her off. that part need not be mentioned, though. ❝ believe what you wish, scarlett. i don't think there is much, if anything, i can say or do to change your mind. ❞ that's putting it lightly.

sitting a little straighter in her seat, the countess does her best to remain composed, crimson lips pulled together in a tight line as breathing is slowed. does she even need to breathe anymore? not really -- but even in death such a habit is hard to kick. even words sting as they did in life, but still, the platinum blonde will hide her true feelings given scarlett's anger. ❝ and you think i can give you that? ❞ the countess herself doesn't even think that that's something she can provide. with brows furrowed, she'll stand and approach the teen, though a few feet of space is maintained for safety. ❝ you do not know me, scarlett. but if blaming me for everything will help you, then so be it. ❞ rage can be a terrifying thing, but it can also be beautiful -- again, in her own way, elizabeth knows such an emotion well.

she listened in silence for a moment as elizabeth spoke, feeling her anger and pain twist and cut like the blades of many daggers in her chest and stomach. "trust me, i'll be speaking to your husband soon enough." she spat the sentence out like it was something vile sitting heavily on her tongue. of course alex had chosen her fate. with her precious baby boy on the line, she'd do anything. would she have done the same had it been scarlett instead? probably not. alex wouldn't have wanted to leave her son in the position that scarlett currently found herself in. "a better life," she sneered at the phrasing, anger shifting into rage. god, it was so strong that she was nearly choking on it. "you STOLE his life! you took from him the ability to grow up, to mature, to make his own choices and forge his own path."

her voice lifted into a shout, echoing through the room as the rage that scarlett had worked so hard to keep back began to escape. she could feel her abilities rise, ready to strike out at a mere thought. the teen sucked in a sharp breath, struggling to keep it all under control. "don't you DARE sit there and try to look me in the eye and put a nice spin on what you did to holden and all of those other children! you stole their lives because you're a selfish and entitled BITCH."

scarlett turned away for a moment, tears in her eyes and breathing ragged. she was so, so close to losing control. so close to just letting it all go. but she couldn't do that. couldn't allow that to happen. she ran both hands through her hair, trying to center herself again. after a few moments, she straightened up and turned to face elizabeth once more. she was still trembling, but the rage was locked away behind her walls. "to answer your question, because i'm done with this prison masquerading as a hotel. i want closure so that i can move on and be done."

[butscrewmefirst]

elizabeth can hardly hide the chuckle that leaves her lips at such a response, though she understands why such a thing would be asked of her. after all, the countess has a history of growing bored of her lovers -- but michael is different. he's saved her in ways no one else ever has, in ways no one else would; she owes him more than getting bored of him. ❝ no, that's hardly what i'm saying. ❞ she'll respond, tone a bit more relaxed as she approaches him and takes her place upon his lap with one leg on either side of him. hands find their way into long locks, lithe fingers with decorated tips carefully tanging in them. emerald gaze takes michael's expression in, her own softening. ❝ i just want to make sure you aren't regretting anything. and i --... ❞ the woman pauses, lips coming together in a thinned line for only a few seconds before going on; being honest with herself, let alone someone else, is still rather difficult for her. ❝ i want you to stay. and i want to stay with you. ❞ commitment is also difficult for the countess.

They just finished unpacking the new babygrows for Bartholomew. Designer pieces he'll never grow out of; either way a good investment. Elizabeth's unexpected expression of doubt peels Michael's attention from the example he personally likes best, to shoot her a perplexed look. Although his fingertips keep stroking the velvety texture of that folded piece. " Am I still here? " An answer wrapped into a counterquestion, Michael simpers. Before he reclines to slump against the sofa's backrest and sobriety wipes any and all glee off his mien just then. " Or is this a fancy way of telling me you're tired of me? "

[butscrewmefirst]

she knows how to work this man over, has done so time and time again, but for once that desire is not present. they'd been a surprising pair, elizabeth and james, but they'd had a wild ride -- he'd opened her up to so much, had shown her her own dark side... she'd have never known it existed if not for james. not to mention, he's the father of her son; that isn't something she takes lightly.

james' excitement is almost enough to fully bring her own smile to the forefront, but still something holds her back. they're starting anew, together again as one, but acclimating to her new reality is something that is difficult for her to grasp. perhaps, over time, he will be able to help her with it. ❝ i'll have a drink -- for you. for us. ❞ now a smile peaks through, and she'll reach for her own goblet of wine, grabbing it firmly in one hand before lifting it to meet his in the middle. ❝ a toast to what? ❞ the countess inquires, though she knows full well it's to them.

Dark brows raise in pleasant shock as he hears the words flow from her lips like honey. Words he's CRAVED to hear for years, or at the very least, a fraction of them. James settles the glass of brandy back onto the table, keeping his hand wrapped around it. He's still admittedly in awe of the conversation unfolding and ironically rendered temporarily SPEECHLESS because of it. To start over and have another chance to show her just how perfect they were together, how much he was willing to do to show his love. Even if it was fairly obvious by how he's acted through the years.

" Splendid. " The black-haired man practically whispers, his smile slowly widening into a DAZZLING grin. " Well! All the more reason to celebrate tonight. To forgiveness and new beginnings and all that. Are you sure you won't have anything to drink, my dear? A toast just isn't a toast without one. "

[butscrewmefirst]

she'll smirk as the other speaks, head tilting ever so slightly. scarlett's question is once that doesn't surprise her, one she's almost expected, though that doesn't make it any easier to answer. does elizabeth put the blame on her dead husband or does she take responsibility? being dead herself, she's had time to think about things, about life and how she's lived it. the anger in scarlett is palpable to the point the countess can taste it, and thus, she replies. ❝ you'll have to ask james why he chose your father, but i chose holden because he was not being watched as a young child should be -- your parents looked away, ignored him; i desired to give him a better life. ❞ plus, james had encouraged her to seek out the boy in the first place. ❝ alex chose her fate. ❞ in a way, that is true. however, it's also true that alex was somewhat cornered into making said choice. she adored holden, and to be with holden was what she desired; elizabeth simply made it happen. ❝ why do you care to know now? ❞

"is it that obvious?" her voice was quiet, the tone steady and unreadable. scarlett kept a distance between herself and the countess, less for safety and more for comfort. she didn't want that thing anywhere near her. her arms folded against her chest as she glared at the blonde, chin tilting upwards in that defiant way that only teenagers seemed to be capable of. "i want to know why. why john? why holden? why alex?"

there was something in the way that she referred to her family by their names rather than the fond titles that they should have been given. mom, dad, brother. they had all lost the right to be referred to with fondness a long time ago. alex in particular. a certain pain and rage lay beneath her words despite her attempts at keeping calm and even. her family had been utterly decimated and it was all because of the actions of this woman and her ghostly husband. after all this time, scarlett deserved to know why, goddamn it.