InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Jelly baby?"

Ella Claire Gainsborough {Beauty} (bookshelved) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-02-16 02:45:00

Entry tags:

beauty, dracula

Who: Ella and Vlad
What: Ella does not like it when Vlad terriblizes William
Where: P3
When: Immediately after this
Warnings: Maybe Vlad nose punching?

Ella did not doubt, not for one moment, that William had told her the truth. She'd never known him to lie; not even when he cheated on her, not even when he drank. So when he told her that Vlad had attacked him, she had no reason to doubt his words. In her mind, William was weak and ill, and he needed compassion, not violence.

As she knocked on the door of the third penthouse, she shifted from one foot to another angrily. It was one thing for Vlad to boss her around, to control the building as if he was ruler of everything he surveyed. But William was helpless, and it just wasn't right.

She knocked again, her anger growing as she waited. If she was honest with herself, she would admit that it stemmed from more than just the situation with William, that William had only been the straw that broke the camel's back.

But she wasn't feeling terribly honest right now.

(Post a new comment)

nobleblood
2010-02-16 08:03 am UTC (link)

Vlad hadn't felt all that comfortable with leaving Daniel alone in his apartment, but at least he knew he was in a better place than he had been when he'd asked that Will idiot to bring him alcohol. Besides, Boyd had expressed interest in going up to see him, and as unreliable as she was he knew she cared about him. Not only that, but she wouldn't hesitate to kill Vaughn if the woman returned.

He had meant what he told Daniel. He would have the freedom he once had, and if that meant Vlad had to kill Vaughn despite what he'd said, well... so be it.

It was strange, caring for others instead of just himself. For years he had been untouchable because there was nothing to threaten him with, no weaknesses through which they could attack. But things were different now, but he refused to let go of the power he held. Daniel and Helena could and would be protected. He would adapt, as he always did.

The knock at the door was unexpected, and frankly he had no idea who it could be. A look through the eyehole revealed that it was Ella, and she didn't look as though she'd come for a friendly chat.

Sighing to himself, Vlad opened the door. "Ella. This is... unexpected. To what do I owe this visit?"

(Reply to this) (Thread)

bookshelved
2010-02-16 08:08 am UTC (link)

The greeting, so cordial and proper, made her even angrier than she had been a moment earlier, and she smacked him full across the cheek without warning, her own hand smarting from the sting of his cheek against her palm. "That's for attacking William," she said angrily. "Don't you know he's not well? He's weak, and he has an addiction, and he needs help. He doesn't need to be bullied about by the likes of you for no reason whatsoever."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-02-16 08:15 am UTC (link)

The last thing Vlad had expected was to be struck - and by a woman younger than himself, no less. It did what few things could and actually caught him off guard, his surprise causing him to take a step backwards. He had endured far worse and it barely even stung, but that wasn't the point.

It didn't take long for his surprise to melt into anger. That self-righteous, annoying, patronizing little bitch. He had killed people for less than that, and she was very lucky that he had the self-restraint to keep from teaching her what a real blow felt like.

"How dare you," he snapped, fixing her with a heated glare. "First of all, I did not attack him. Second of all, did he happen to tell you where he was and what he was doing when I encountered him? Or have you decided that, as always, you know everything?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bookshelved
2010-02-16 08:20 am UTC (link)

She tipped her chin stubbornly, and she straightened her shoulders defensively. She knew what anger looked like on a person's face, and she knew what they looked like before they struck, and she did not intend to back away from him or show fear, no matter what he did.

"He informed me that he did not provoke you in any way, that he did nothing to cause your anger or your attack. Do you think I would not ask that question before any other?" she asked defiantly. "Do you not understand that he needs help? How can you not see that about him? He is hardly like you or I."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-02-16 08:29 am UTC (link)

Her show of defiance made him want to laugh. If he wanted to he could wipe that look of her face in an instant, just by telling her what he'd done in the past. It was briefly tempting, yet rationally impossible.

Vlad laughed. "And you believed him, of course. Well then, Ella, allow me to enlighten you as to what actually happened. I was on my way to see Daniel when I encountered your William in front of his apartment. I asked him why he was there and he refused to tell me. He was hiding something under his jacket, and also refused to tell me what it was. Did I strike him? Yes, but I most certainly did not attack him and it was hardly a serious injury."

He regarded her coldly, his lips twisted into a disdainful frown. "He was bringing Daniel a bottle of cheap booze."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bookshelved
2010-02-16 08:39 am UTC (link)

Her hand move to her forehead, and she closed her eyes. "Dammit, William," she muttered under her breath, all the false refinement slipping away from her in that moment. She looked back at him. "You're certain?" she asked, but of course he was certain.

It wasn't that it surprised her. She'd grown up with an alcoholic, and she knew the chances of staying sober were slim. She knew that the stress in Daniel's life would make his chances of getting free of it even slimmer. She knew all of that, and she wasn't surprised Daniel had tried to get a bottle. In fact, she wasn't even surprised William had agreed to bring it to him.

She was surprised that William had lied to her about it.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-02-16 08:45 am UTC (link)

"I saw the bottle with my own eyes." Vlad didn't care for her sudden realization, nor did he want any sort of apology from her. "Whatever problems William has are no concern of mine. I was not about to let him ruin all the progress Daniel has made."

He suspected the man was an alcoholic himself - he'd smelled like one - and the fact that Ella had actually trusted him didn't do much for his opinion of her. "Perhaps you should stop to think before striking people next time." Especially murderers.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bookshelved
2010-02-16 08:52 am UTC (link)

The look she gave him was open. "You'll forgive me if my opinion of you is poor, but I've seen very little good from you since we've met. I understand that Daniel considers you a friend, and I understand that you have helped him when no one else has, but you treated him terribly the night of the blackout, and first impressions are not easy to undo."

"You insist on acting like your opinion is the only correct one, despite the contempt you feel for me when I do the same thing," she said frankly, adding, "and you intentionally speak languages I don't understand, specifically in an effort to exclude me from conversations."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-02-16 09:07 am UTC (link)

Well, well. Here is was - the incident with William was merely a cover for her true grievance. Part of him simply wanted to slam the door in her face, but Ella knew Helena, and would likely relay what he said and did to her. Which meant, God help him, that he had to at least attempt to be polite.

"Not everyone demonstrates their concern in the same way. I am not saying that my treatment of Daniel that night was the right way to go about things, but he should not have been out of his apartment. He was in a weakened state, and it was the perfect opportunity for Vaughn to make her move. I encountered her, you know, after I left. He could have as well." Vlad didn't need judgment from this woman, and if it weren't for Helena he would have said something entirely different.

"Then it seems we both have something in common. We are both terribly stubborn and are not accustomed to backing down. I will be frank with you: I am used to being in control, and it is not an easy habit to break." The effort of keeping his anger quelled was becoming increasingly difficult, and he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of winning the argument. "Perhaps you find it easy to trust, Ella, but unfortunately I do not. If that offends you, then I do apologize, but I am a careful sort of man. I realize Daniel trusts you, but I do not know you as he does."

Now, however, it was his turn. "I also understand that you have your opinions, but you present them in a manner that makes it seem as though you are attacking us and our way of doing things. Perhaps you do not mean to insinuate that we are doing more harm than good to Daniel, but regardless, there are times when you do. We all want what is best for Daniel, do we not?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bookshelved
2010-02-16 09:14 am UTC (link)

"Yes, but you must concede that if you were more open to hearing my thoughts, then I wouldn't have to fight so hard to have them acknowledged, which is what causes them to sound accusatory. I do understand that you have made yourself the leader of this situation, and I do not wish to challenge that. I'm only suggesting that I might have something valuable to offer that is different. Perhaps what Daniel shares with me is different than what he shares with you, and just because I do not say the same things you do, it doesn't necessarily make it wrong. Rosalie is content to follow, but I am not, as you are not," she agreed.

"With regards to William, I apologize," she said honestly. "I believed him without question. I have known him well in the past, and he had never lied to me before. I had no reason to think he would now. I should have asked first," she admitted.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-02-16 09:24 am UTC (link)

Vlad regarded her for a long moment, unwilling to concede to anything she said. She was the one who wanted Daniel to be left alone, when in his current state he might end up killing himself if given the chance. "Very well. I will make an effort to incorporate your opinions in the future, rather than simply ignoring them as I fear I have been doing." He could barely believe what he was saying, but Helena couldn't be told that he'd lost his temper. "In return, perhaps we could reach some sort of... compromise." He hated that word.

"I accept your apology." Not that it was worth a damn to him either way. There was certainly no possible way he would apologize for how he'd treated William, either. "We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot entirely."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	bookshelved 2010-02-16 09:27 am UTC (link)
	"We will make an effort to incorporate both of our opinions in the future as we make decisions," she corrected, doing so as gently as she could manage, while not backing down. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-02-16 09:41 am UTC (link)

"We will... of course." Somehow he even managed a smile, although it wasn't quite as friendly as a genuine one should have been. There was no need to tell her that there would only ever be a 'we' if he agreed with her suggestions.

Vlad had to admit that she certainly wasn't spineless, but just because he could muster a sort of grudging appreciation for her determination didn't mean he liked her, by any means. "I am sure Rosalie will be more than happy to hear we have come to an understanding. And Daniel, of course." Rosalie might buy it, but Daniel... Daniel might not. He knew him too well.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	bookshelved 2010-02-16 09:48 am UTC (link)
	She knew he didn't mean it, but she was willing to take the uneasy peace, especially given the slap she'd administered him. "I can promise you I'll have a talk with William immediately and ensure he never acquiesces to Daniel's demands again." That, at least, she could do. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

nobleblood
2010-02-16 09:53 am UTC (link)

Vlad almost wished Daniel could see this, just so he could prove he was capable of keeping his temper in certain situations. If it had been someone else, in a different location, he might not have reacted so calmly.

"I would appreciate that, thank you. The last thing Daniel needs is someone who is willing to give him what he wants without considering whether or not it is what he needs."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	bookshelved 2010-02-16 09:58 am UTC (link)
	She nodded to him, considered apologizing again for hitting him, but deciding it wouldn't do any good to say it again. In the end, she just backed out of the apartment and started a very angry walk down to William. (Reply to this) (Parent)