Who: Bex and Alyssa What: laying on a beach/chatting Where: Ecuador When: Jan. 24th Warnings: should be low Status: closed/g-doc
Alyssa walked along the beach in one of the bikinis she’d purchased, carrying drinks for both her and Bex. Yes, they could probably have gotten the drinks brought to them, but Alyssa wanted to stretch her legs. They felt a little tight and the Netherling didn’t feel surprised at all.
She’d wanted to see if she still possessed muscle memory for surfing. Not that she’d done it a lot back as a human, but unlike memories, her muscles didn’t seem to forget how to do things. Yes, the Red Queen did pay for lessons on beach vacations in the past.
Unfortunately for her, while she did remember the basics, Alyssa fell off her surfboard. A few times. Suffice it to say, Damien might have questions upon her return about the bruises marring her skin. But it wasn’t like she could get in her kicks surfing back in Madison Valley.
“Here’s your drink, Bex,” Alyssa held the beverage out to her sister as she sat, grimacing. A giant bruise bloomed on her ass. “Free of charge. Apparently the bartender saw my bail from the surfboard earlier today and took pity on me.”
Rebekah looked up from her spot in one of the lounge chairs, peering over the top of her sunglasses at the blond, and offering a smile as she accepted the drink. “Free of charge? Well, I suppose your bruises were worth it to an extent then, darling,” Rebekah replied, taking a sip. The original sister had gone along with Alyssa for her surfing experiment, but unlike her sister, all of Rebekah’s bruises healed instantly. Also, being a vampire, Rebekah had above average balance and didn’t fall nearly as much. Not that she didn’t make her share of splashes though.
“If it helps, you looked sexy as fuck falling off the surf board in that bikini,” Rebekah offered, looking over at the other blond, playful smile on her lips. In Rebekah’s opinion they both looked like dynamite in their bikinis despite the failed surfing lesson. Even if you looked ridiculous doing something, if you were at least fashionable while you did it, the blond didn’t think it could ever look that terrible. Besides, Alyssa and her had a few laughs over their follies and being able to laugh at yourself was the most important thing.
Propping her sunglasses on top of her head, Rebekah looked at her sister with concern visible in the depths of her blue eyes. “Regardless, how are you holding up? I saw that wince when you sat your bottom in that chair.”
Alyssa hadn’t expected Bex to join her in surfing, but she had loved every minute of it with her sister. Sure, they laughed while shopping and in their every day lives, but this had felt like a different type of fun and bonding. For the Netherling, relearning to balance with wings proved the more difficult part. She’d have to take up skateboarding again back home and see how easily she found the sport. God, until she got back up on a surfboard she’d forgotten how much she loved extreme sports.
“All totally worth it. I can’t wait to try again tomorrow,” Alyssa took a sip of her drink and nearly spit it out laughing. “I think we both looked killer in our bikinis regardless of whether or not we fell.
“I’d be holding up better if I hadn’t caught my ass on the corner of my board. But, given I’ll more than likely do this again tomorrow, I’ll be fine.” Alyssa shrugged and pulled her sunglasses over her eyes. “And when we get home I’m sure I’ll hear about it from Damien. But right now I’m enjoying a cocktail with my sister in a beautiful part of the world.” After another sip of her drink, Alyssa added, “You know if you and Marcel feel ready, I’m more than okay if he moves into our house.”
It wasn’t the first time that Rebekah partook in a surf boarding lesson during her thousand years on this planet and if it had been anyone else, there was a good chance Rebekah would have refused to join in this time around. However, when it came to Alyssa, Rebekah was always up for trying new things with her sister. She enjoyed building those unique experiences with the other blond. Besides, who knew how much time they had here and Rebekah wanted to enjoy every minute she could.
“Perhaps we should put padding on you tomorrow,” Rebekah teased, sipping her drink. It was nice to be able to joke like this with a sibling, without the weight of something terrible threatening to crash down upon you at any moment. It meant so much to Rebekah to have these carefree, happy moments, including when Rebekah almost choked on her drink from the sight of Alyssa nearly spitting out hers in laughter.
Regaining her composure, Rebekah nodded. “Absolutely. Of course, falling added a special something to the look.”
“Alright, darling. Well, hopefully we will have fewer accidents tomorrow.” Rebekah dropped her glasses back into place on the bridge of her nose and settled back against the chair. No doubt they would learn from the pitfalls of today. Hopefully. However, Alyssa's words about Damien giving her a hard time about her injuries intrigued, if not worried the blond somewhat.
“Why does it bother him? You simply had an accident. You’ll heal up,” Rebekah replied, looking over at Alyssa from behind her sunglasses. “It’s nothing to worry about.” The blond didn’t know Damien well at all, but she couldn’t understand why he would be so bothered about Alyssa simply having an accident. Unless he was just that overprotective like Klaus or Kol. That thought scared Rebekah. The last thing she wanted was Alyssa dealing with the same situation as herself.
At Alyssa’s offer of Marcel moving in, Rebekah took another sip of her drink. Truthfully, she’d thought about broaching the topic herself, but with everything going on with Damien and the power outage, she’d decided it was best to wait. It looked like Alyssa beat her to it. “Well, I was going to ask about it myself. Are you sure, love? I don’t want you to feel crowded or anything,” Rebekah replied.
Any and all opportunities to bond with Rebekah sounded good to Alyssa. Plus, this added a certain hilarity and Alyssa loved the opportunity to laugh, especially at herself with Bex. The blonde knew that her relationship with Rebekah and Kol differed from the relationships with their blooded siblings. Alyssa didn’t come with the baggage from home and simply loved them as they were. To her it wasn’t greater or lesser, just different. Even if it annoyed a certain hybrid.
Alyssa laughed at the image. “Somehow I don’t think I want to try and swim while wrapped in bubble wrap. Although, if anyone can make bubble wrap look fashionable it would be us,” the Netherling added with a wink. Laughing felt really good to Alyssa. “What can I say? Falling is my specialty. And then getting right the fuck back up again.”
The Netherling readjusted in the lounge chair and gave up, before flipping onto her stomach. “Lounge chairs and wings do not mix. Even without the bruises.” A couple guys walked by and whistled to which Alyssa rolled her eyes under her sunglasses.
“He doesn’t like me hurting myself.” Damien could be overprotective, but he was also fair. “Especially with the whole healing like a regular human aspect.” Truthfully, Damien had a lot in common with Morpheus, but without all the complications of her husband, even while she’d love Morpheus forever.
“He’s over enough as it is. I like him. If Marcel living with us makes you happy then I’m glad to have him move in with us. But maybe we could get Hope to do some soundproofing?” Alyssa pulled down her sunglasses and looked at her big sister. “And, maybe he can keep the apartment for the rare night I want the house to myself?”
As much as Rebekah loved her family-and she did despite all the pain and misery they could put her through-she considered her relationship with Alyssa to be special. Alyssa did define her by her dark history; she simply loved Rebekah for herself. The relationship was refreshing, wonderful, and even innocent and Rebekah savored it for those reasons and so much more. She didn’t care what Klaus thought; Alyssa was family and the hybrid could just suck it up and deal with it.
“We could make anything look good,” Rebekah replied, chuckling. Though, Alyssa’s words caused her expression to sober and she nodded. “I’d say that’s not just your speciality, love.” Of course, in Rebekah’s case, it was more like being daggered, waking up, and trying to figure out your place in a world that was far from the one you remember it being. Or to try to keep believing in love even when you were told it was a true fool’s errand.
The blond didn’t spare a glance for the ‘bros’ who whistled at them. Long ago, she might have gone after them, desperate for attention and love, but not anymore. She had family, friends, and most important, Marcel, for that. She didn’t need to try to win affection from men that were only out for a good time or to use her to get to her brothers. Instead, Rebekah reached out and gently patted Alyssa’s arm. “No, they certainly didn’t make them with you in mind, darling. Plus, it doesn’t help that your bottom is bruised from that fall earlier.”
Rebekah settled back in her lounge chair and took another sip from her drink. It was cute, endearing, that Damien was so protective, but Rebekah knew how quickly that could turn into abuse. After all, how many times did Klaus dagger her in the name of protecting her from herself? She didn’t want Alyssa to end up in that vicious cycle.
“There is a fine line there, darling. Ensure he doesn’t cross it. Klaus used to dagger me and say it was him protecting me from myself,” Rebekah replied. “In reality, it was just him exerting control, it was abuse, and I don’t want that for you, love.”
Despite that, Rebekah was pleased to hear Alyssa say she liked Marcel and that she was okay with him moving in. Feeling Alyssa’s eyes on her, Rebekah looked over, pushing her sunglasses up on her forehead, and offered the blond a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, love. We can certainly have Hope do some soundproofing and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind keeping the apartment.”
Alyssa pulled down her sunglasses and laughed. “Damn right we could.” She loved her sister and everything about their relationship. The Netherling watched as her sister’s expression sobered. “I’m sorry Bex. For everything that happened to you. It fucking sucks that we’ve both had to fall down and get back up.” If asked, Alyssa thought her sister had it worse. Being daggered simply for wanting to live her life? The Red Queen loathed everything about it. And everyone deserved a chance at love.
The Netherling couldn’t with ‘bros’ on a good day single. Oh sure, she might have hit on them for fun, to see what she could get from them. But, Alyssa felt content to continue her …agreement with Damien, even while she knew it slowly morphed into something else.
“I refuse to stop being me for anyone, even a vampire with glowing blue eyes. I don’t want that either. I’m a fucking queen.” She didn’t expect Damien to bow to her, but she wouldn’t bow to him either.
“We’ll adjust, but I look forward to having Marcel in the house. I like him. But more so I love how he treats you. It’s exactly how I want you to be treated.” Alyssa thought of him as a dear friend, a brother of sorts, although not like Kol. “I’ll just be the annoying little sister. As long as I still get some sister time without Marcel, I’m completely happy about it.”
“Bex, would you mind if I invited Damien to the house? When we get home.” She wanted to share that part of her life with Damien, but it wouldn’t only impact her.
“It can’t be helped, love. It’s in the past now and there is nothing I can do about it.” The worst part was that when she did talk to Klaus about it, he didn’t even acknowledge that he was in the wrong for daggering any of them. He stood by his reasoning that he was protecting them. It hurt Rebekah because she thought that in the end, Klaus had changed. He’d given her access to the cure after all. A chance at the life she alway wanted. However, coming here and meeting her brother again made her question all of that.
Rebekah gave Alyssa a half-smile. “I hope so, love. As long as you have that fire about you, you will be fine.” Though she would always be a protective older sister, she knew that Alyssa could handle herself when and if the moment called for.
Reaching out, the blond squeezed her sister’s shoulder. “I do appreciate it, darling and of course you’ll get as much sister time as you can stand, I promise. As long as you stop saying you are the annoying little sister that is.” Because Rebekah certainly didn’t think of Alyssa like that and Rebekah knew what it was like to be considered an annoying little sister after all.
At the mention of Damien being invited into the house, Rebekah released her sister’s shoulder and sat back. No, the blond was not a fan of letting Damien into her home. Giving him full reign to walk around there any time he pleased was hardly comforting. Yet, at the same time, Rebekah felt as if she owed Alyssa something in return for allowing Marcel to live with them. Besides, how much damage could he do? She was an original and Marcel would be living with them. She doubted he had a death wish.
“I suppose this is why you are letting Marcel live with us,” Rebekah replied, looking over at her sister with accusing blue eyes. The blond sighed and turned away, reaching for her drink, downing the contents of the glass with ease. That drink was not nearly strong enough to deal with this conversation.
“Well, I guess I can’t deny you it, can I? If I say ‘no’ you are bound to go behind my back and do it anyway. At this rate, I’d rather know about it so I can prepare in case he decides to try something.” Rebekah glanced over at Alyssa once more, a resigned expression on her face. “You can invite him in, but if he causes any trouble, it will be on you, Alyssa.”
Something about what Rebekah said and the way she voiced it cut Alyssa. It might be in the past, but it didn’t change the pain and hurt it caused her older sister. Whom she loved dearly. And, Alyssa felt fairly confident the same could be said for her older brother. The idea of them being hurt by someone who claimed to love them broke her heart. What really upset her, though, was how many times love got taken from Rebekah. Nobody had a capacity to love like her sister and Alyssa would fight for her sister’s right to have it with Marcel. “You know you deserve to be happy, right?”
“Alright. Deal. I won’t call myself the annoying little sister and we will have many sisterly bonding nights. Marcel can go get drinks with Cami or Josh or something.”
She watched as her sister’s expression and demeanour changed and did kind of realize the way she’d brought it up certainly might lead one to the conclusion.
“No. I want Marcel to move in because I want you to be happy Bex. Because you didn’t get the chance back home and I don’t want to be the sibling who keeps that happiness from you.” Alyssa saw how volatile Klaus could be and it hurt her heart. “I’m not blind. I see how much you two love each other and you deserve to start building your lives together in the house, regardless of Damien’s admittance into our house.”
Alyssa sat up and let out a breath. “If you say no then that’s it. He doesn’t come into the house and he can fucking deal with it or stop seeing me. I’m not going behind your back. I told Kol and I will tell you. I’m your sister and I choose to love you always and forever. Your comfort matters more than what he wants.” Which would undoubtedly piss off the vampire, but Alyssa would deal with it then. “I might not want opinions on my choice in seeing him, but I bought the house with you for a reason.” Which was all to say Rebekah could completely take back her rather resigned yes for a more enthusiastic no. “Our relationship is built on trust and i”m not throwing that away for Damien.” Hell, she wouldn’t even throw it away for Morpheus if he ever showed up in Madison.
“I’m sorry, Bex.”
Rebekah gave Alyssa a half-smile. “I do. Which is why I still chose Marcel despite Klaus being in town. I’ve spent far too long being miserable precisely because of him. For putting him above myself. No more. I love Nik. I love my entire family. But sometimes one has to be selfish and choose themselves.” And that was what Rebekah was about to do before whatever powers that be pulled her to Madison Valley. She’d bid her brothers farewell and was already making for her future. The future they finally allowed her to have. “Wonderful. I’m sure Marcel wouldn’t mind us having our bonding time at all.” As Alyssa pointed out, there were plenty of other people Marcel could spend time with while Alyssa and Rebekah had some quality time together.
Perhaps if Rebekah hadn’t hadn’t been jaded by centuries of her brothers using her heart against her, she would have seen the purity within Alyssa’s offer. However, it was a natural instinct now to assume that if it involved her heart, someone was bound to use it against her. Of course, Rebekah knew deep down Alyssa wasn’t like that. Her tone and statement solidified it as fact. If anyone truly wanted Rebekah to be happy, it was Alyssa.
Rebekah didn’t doubt her devotion to her or to Kol. Hell, Rebekah didn’t even doubt it when it came to Elijah, but the blond was worried about Damien. Giving him access to the house could be dangerous if he ever found a way to enact his revenge on their family. Still, it didn’t seem right of Rebekah to refuse Alyssa what her heart wanted when Alyssa was offering her the chance to be with Marcel. To build a life together.
If she refused Alyssa, she would be no better than Klaus and Rebekah knew that. The blond never wanted to be like her brother. To be so unfeeling, uncaring about someone else’s feelings and happiness. To be controlled by fear.
Rebekah’s expression softened and she sat up, reaching over to place a hand over Alyssa’s. “I know, love. And it’s-it’s not fair of me to deny you what your heart wants when I’m finally getting the chance to be happy with Marcel. If I did that, I would be no better than Nik and I never want to be like that bastard.” Rebekah looked down at their hands and shifted hers so that she was grasping Alyssa’s gently and lifted them up.
“And this? This is sisterhood. Sisters always stand by each other no matter what. You can invite Damien in and whatever happens, we face it together, alright?” Rebekah stated fiercely, blue eyes locked on Alyssa’s own. “We stand by one another always and forever.”
“Good. Because Klaus can yeet himself into the sun if he has a problem with your being happy. And I will be here again and again to remind you that you get to be happy.” Alyssa recalled a conversation similar with Kol, right after she reappeared. Back when they were still figuring out their friendship.
“If he does, then he and I will need to have a chat,” Alyssa commented with a grin.
Alyssa loved Bex and Kol to the moon and back and back again. She even had some sibling feelings towards Elijah, although not like the other two. If Damien ever chose to go after her siblings, Alyssa would not hesitate to defend them or her house. The Netherling did not take kindly to those who hurt the people she loved.
“Hey. No. You aren’t Nik.” Alyssa’s hand squeezed her sister’s. “You know how I know? We’re having a civil discussion.” The Netherling matched her sister’s gaze.
“We definitely face it together, no matter what,” her voice as fierce as Bex’s. “Always and forever your sister, Bex.”