Once it's spoken, it can't be unsaid Who: Annie and Dante When: Late Friday Morning What: Sibling bonding, and lots of questions Where: Dante’s house Warnings: Sibling meanness, bonding and tears for all
Annie hadn’t wanted to leave Elias, which was sad considering it was still all new. Which was probably the reason she hadn’t wanted last night to end. At all. Even if it needed to, and she had more than enough questions running through her head. They had shown up at the house together, which would have been the first sign .. if anyone had been in the living room. So she dared to actually give Elias a kiss before she told him that she’d text him later to see how things went with his sister. After that it was to searching the house for her brother. But because of the past, she made sure she was noisy this time. “DANTE!” she called, before she peeked in the kitchen. Nope, not there. Figuring he was then in the bedroom -oh god- she made more noise. “If you don’t want me to see it, cover it up!” she yelled before reaching her brother’s door and knocking on it this time. No telling if he was in there, but it was worth a shot.
Dante rolled his eyes as he went about grabbing a shirt from his dresser. He hadn't been naked, just shirtless after his shower. Ophelia went to check on her brothers back at the hotel and he had plenty of things to occupy his time with the mess down at the station and the palace. Between running back and forth between the two and trying to get sleep in between, he was damn near a walking zombie. "I'm decent." he told her as he found a shirt that was clean and slipped it on. "What's the yelling for anyways?" he asked her.
Annie opened the door and walked into the room, first noticing that Ophelia wasn’t there. Oh, thank goodness. Because that would have been a little awkward ‘hey you need to leave cause I need to talk to my brother about your brother, so shoo’ .. but at least she didn’t have to have that little conversation. So instead she just smiled at Dante. “Because the last time I just barged into your room, it didn’t go so well, remember. So I gave tons of warning this time.” she told him, giving a little shrug. She was in such a good mood that she actually went over and gave her brother a hug, “Got some time for your sister? Or are you busy? Because I have a bunch of things to tell you and ask you .. and you get to be all awesome brother, okay?” she rattled out the questions, hoping that he had the time. Because really, she rarely went to him for any sort of advice as it was, and to be shot down would be rather sad.
Again he rolled his eyes and when he turned to look more at her, she was hugging him and his nose sent all the signals to his brain. "Ew, god, you smell like you've been fucking all damn night." he breathed, managing to return the hug though he touched her like she might be sticky or something. "I don't want to know." he told her, shaking his head a little as he pointed to the bathroom to indicate she needed a shower. "You seriously smell like dick. No offense of course." Scrunching his nose, he shook his head to try to get the smell out of his nostrils. Jesus Christmas. "I have time for you, I'm not busy. At the moment at least. I have to go out to the palace later though." he told her so she wouldn't worry if he randomly wasn't home that evening. "What's going on?" he asked.
She actually laughed at her brother’s reaction. She didn’t smell that badly, did she? But then again she thought the smell of her and Elias’ coupling was a nice smell. “Fine.. I’ll take a shower. How about you dig up a late breakfast, early lunch? Please?” she asked him, “No offense taken, but I happen to like the smell.” she told him, but she wanted him to be in a good mood when she berated him with questions, so she’d be more than willing at the moment to take that shower. And get into some new clothes. Plus, Dante would probably notice that for once she wasn’t being overly difficult lately. Always a plus, right? “Nothing too major, just seeking some big brother advice. That’s all. No getting all worried, okay?” she added before turning and heading out of the room to go and take that shower and get fresh clothing. And if Dante was paying any sorts of attention, he’d see the marks on the back of her neck and shoulders from Elias. Not that she was trying to flaunt them off, she’d just forgotten that it might have been a good idea to hide them from her brother. “Meet you downstairs.” she called over her shoulder before disappearing into her room.
He did notice she was acting differently. It wasn't a bad different. In fact she acted a lot like the sister he remembered and while he might not like the fact that whoever this guy was had gotten into his sister's pants, he did like that he was making changes in her like this. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all, whoever the hell he was. "Fine." he told her. "I'll find us something to eat, you shower and meet me in the kitchen, alright?" he said. He was pretty sure they had eggs and bacon and maybe he'd be nice and make french toast to go along with it. Yeah, she better love him. She might not have been flaunting the bite marks, but Dante could definitely see them. He chose, however, to ignore them. His sister + sex = a conversation he did not want to have and mental images no brother should ever have.
When she went into her room, he headed down the stairs to make the pair of them a late breakfast. By the time she returned, he had their plates all made up and sitting on the table and was just reaching for a couple glasses to get them something to drink. "You want some juice or milk?" he asked.
Sadly for Dante, the questions she had, most of them anyhow had to deal with mating. So the whole not thinking of sex, that would be thrown out the window. It didn’t take her too long to shower, though she did try to enjoy it as much as she could. And she threw on something comfortable before towel drying her hair as much as possible. Then leaving it down to air dry. When she headed to the kitchen, she noticed her brother cooked for a small army, as he usually did. But then again, weres typically had an appetite. And she was famished. “Milk.” she answered while she was taking a seat at the table, and making a soft appreciative noise at the smell of the food. “Thanks for this.” she spoke before already taking a bite of the bacon. “Before I start, I want to apologise .. cause I know I’ve been a total bitch.” she told him, and if Annie apologising wasn’t a surprise, she didn’t know what was. She looked at her brother, watching him to make sure that he wasn’t holding the drinks, and he was sitting down before she went on. “And to throw it out there, I’m kinda dating Elias.” Okay, to her, kinda was putting it loosely now. But maybe it was better to slowly bring her brother into this whole mess of questions she’d have.
He was pouring the milk when she thanked him and he opened his mouth to tell her it wasn't a big deal, but then she apologized and he was just left with his mouth hanging open and looking ridiculous. He shook it off and finished pouring their glasses and put the milk away in the fridge once more. Taking the glasses he headed to the table and sat one down in front of each of their plates before settling in himself. By that time he thought he'd regained the ability to speak. "It's fine." he told her. "I know things have been a little..." Then he realized that last little bit of what she'd just said. "Wait, what?" he said, blinking a little. "Okay, wait, so you're 'fucking' my girlfriend's brother?" he said, obviously not particularly happy with this development for a few different reasons. "Antoinette... he's..." But he couldn't be a hypocrite and bring in the hunter card. And the guy had helped keep them from dying when they were wounded. "You've known him for like a couple of days and now you're... ew..."
Okay, the look that Dante had given when she actually said she was sorry? That had been priceless, and completely worth saying the words. Even if at the moment she really did mean them. Once the milk was placed on the table, she picked it up and happily began sipping at it. Looking very much like a smug little kitten that just got a valued prize. Though she peeked up when she heard her brother talking, and it wasn’t the happy words she wanted. But more so the reactions she had been expecting. “No .. well yes. But it started innocent. And I like him Dante. And you’d like him too if you gave him a chance. He might actually be what I need, not just what I want.” she told him, and admitting that part about needing was hard for her. Harder than her brother probably even realised. “Yea, I know he’s your girlfriend’s brother.” she spoke, not realizing he was meaning the whole hunter thing, which she’d get to, cause she was still a bit ticked off he kept that from her. “Not to be mean, because I don’t want this to turn into an argument, but that’s like the pot calling the kettle black, Dante. Ophelia is practically moved in, and you’ve known her .. how long?” she pointed out, not in a mean way either so points to her. She just didn’t want her brother to start getting all judgemental. Especially before she brought up everything she needed to ask. But which first, the hunter thing, the job thing, or the mating thing?
He furrowed his brow as she began to explain. No man would ever be good enough for his baby sister, no matter what he was doing for her or what changes he was spurring forth from her. Still, she was acting a little better and they were actually having a conversation and Dante didn't want to stomp out the embers of possibility if he didn't have to. "I'm also old." he pointed out. "I don't have time for relationship courting bullshit. I like her." he shrugged. "And it's complicated." he sighed. "She's just... the first person since..." He didn't even bother speaking his ex's name, not wanting to drudge up memories he didn't really want to relive. "Fine. I don't like it... but I won't eat him. Half for you and half for Ophelia. I can't guarantee she's going to be all giggles and grins about it though."
“You’re not old.” she was quick to reply. “And you’ve never really had time for the whole courting bull. You’re the one that moved half way round the world. But I don’t want to bring her up, cause I know it still hurts you. And I know that you’re hung up on Ophelia, and while I might not like her much, you got to give me credit, I’ve kept my distance because I want to see you happy.” she spoke, then continued right along. “I know she might not be happy bout it, but she’s probably going to be focusing on other things. Elias has more to talk to her about than just the fact he’s dating me. Which brings up the topic, since I’m pretty sure you already know. Why didn’t you tell me that you’re dating a hunter? I know I would have smacked you senseless, so you’re lucky I’m dating one too. But I thought I was the one that got into trouble, not you. You’re supposed to be the sensible one.” she told him, as she stabbed a bit of the food with a fork.
She might not have wanted to bring up his ex, but she did bring up him moving half way around the world. For that he was sorry. "I never meant to hurt you by moving." he told her. "I thought you'd be living your own life and I didn't think that I was as important to you as I must have been. For that I'm sorry." He felt partially responsible for the roads she'd chosen to go down. Had he stayed in Italy, maybe she wouldn't have been doing the boozing and partying. "You keeping your distance doesn't make me happy." he told her. "I don't want you to be far away from me when we live in the same house, Annie. You're my baby sister, I love you. I want you happy too." Which is why he was trying his best to deal with this whole Elias thing. As for the whole hunter thing, he sighed and brushed his hand through his hair. "I didn't know how to bring it up." he told her honestly. "I didn't want you to worry and you already didn't like Ophelia, I didn't want to give you more reason to hate her." It was the truth and she deserved to hear that much of it. "And it's not like she's really been doing much hunting, if any, since we got together." he added.
She put her fork down, pausing in her eating because of the topic turning a little to heavy to be able to eat. Some of the stuff she told Elias on their date was still a bit of an open wound. Like the stuff she brought up about Dante. And so she didn’t know at the moment on how to take his apology. “You had your life to live, I can’t fault you for that. I guess I’m a bit selfish, and just thought my big brother would always be there, and then you weren’t.” she gave a little shrug, trying hard not to bring up just how much resentment she was feeling. Or the fact that she didn’t fully believe that he wanted her around. “I wanted to give you space, you needed it. Plus, not a fan of hearing you and Ophelia. So, a little bit of distance isn’t a bad thing sometimes. Not planning to just up and leave, not to mention that I don’t have any place to go yet.” she spoke, the yet being the key word in there, which brought a smile to her lips before she drank some more of the milk. “No, she might not have been. And for the record neither has Elias. But there are two other brothers, and by the sounds of it they probably wont be happy either of us are around.”
She paused, for just a moment. “And I guess that brings me to the next topic I wanted to bring up.” she spoke, might as well save what he’d really freak out about for last. That was bound to be a conversation that would make both their heads hurt. “Elias wants out of hunting, he’s tired of it. So he wants to find a normal type job. And I know that sometimes the police outsource things. And he’s good with computers, like hacker crazy good. Think you all might have a need for that? Though I’m guessing with the whole having been a hunter, he’d kinda need something that didn’t do too huge of a background check. And would it help if I mentioned that he’s sorta kinda a seer now? So he’s learning the whole psychic thing, which is the reason I said before that Ophelia would have other things to worry about, he’s throwing that on the table with her.” she finished speaking, and then took a couple bites of the food now. Hopefully if she moved in with Elias, he could cook, because she couldn’t and she really did like food.
He could practically feel the resentment in the air, even if she didn't say anything. "I shouldn't have left." he told her. "But I think I got punished enough for it, don't you?" he questioned. Surely the bad break up had been enough of an atonement for leaving his sister back in Italy. Pushing away from that topic, he went on to the next. "I'm sorry if you 'hear' me and Ophelia." he told her. "I can't really do much about that. I mean... it's gonna happen. Same with you and Elias. But I guess I wouldn't really want to hear you two going at it either." he admitted. They'd have to figure something out, but that could be a topic for another time. He was more interested in all the rest of what came spilling out of her. "I know there are two more of them and that's what I'm worried about. Even more now if it's not just Ophelia shacking up with a were." he admitted. Just because Phee and Elias were cool with them didn't mean that the other two would be. Especially if they were anything like Ophelia had told him they were.
"I guess we could figure out something for him..." he said, though working with the guy boning his sister didn't sound appealing. "Most of the hackers don't get background checks done anyway because we already know they've been arrested or doing illegal shit." he pointed out. "We just overlook that part in agreement for help with whatever it is we need help with." he explained. "I can ask around, but no promises." The fact that Elias was a seer though, that hit him pretty blindsidedly. "Really? How the hell do you 'become' a seer?" he questioned. He had no idea that was even possible, but he supposed in a world with vampires and weres, anything was possible. Picking up his fork, he took a few bites of his own food. He needed nourishment if this conversation was going to continue.
She frowned a little at his words, because damnit she really didn’t want to bring up a bunch of how she felt, especially since it seemed like they were going to actually have a conversation for once that didn’t involve a lot of yelling. Which was practically what each of their conversations had been like since she’d arrived. This, this was like a breath of fresh air. She didn’t answer the question about him being punished enough, because she didn’t trust her words at that moment. Instead she drew in a breath and let the conversation move on. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry much about that. He’s trying to get his own place, so we’ll just figure out on maybe nights I should be there, to give both of us time with ours.” she gave a little shrug, not meaning to slip out and say Elias was hers, or even imply that Ophelia was his. Because that made it sound like they owned them .. or .. well that conversation hadn’t come up yet. “I think I’m most upset with the whole not telling me that you’re dating a hunter, is what I’ve learned about the brothers from talking to Elias. He seems .. scared to even mention that he wants a real bed and not live in a motel. Or hell, a post office box. That has me worried Dante, if they’d get hung up over stupid shit like that..” She paused, and sighed. Really hoping that Elias was alright at the moment, Ophelia was his best chance at getting everything out in the open.
“It’s no problem if you can’t find him anything, he’s pretty sure he could find a job without the help. I told him I’d ask you just to keep the option open. So you don’t have to make any promises, just as long as you look.” she told him, and she was being honest. The fact that she was being so .. complacent was odd to her. Usually by now she’d be yelling and pitching a fit. Her nose scrunched up though when her brother asked his question about how one becomes a seer. Because she didn’t like the answer. “He almost died. When he helped us, guess he was fresh out of the hospital, got into an accident. It’s why he limps, but guess he hit his head pretty hard, and boom, a whole new life to adjust to.” she told her brother, fidgetting slightly in her chair, because she really didn’t like the idea he was hurt even before she knew him. Oh god, she hadn’t even mated to him and already had it bad.
Dante didn't like what he was hearing about the brothers, especially if Elias was afraid of them and he was older than Ophelia. Hell, one of the boys was his twin if he wasn't mistaken. That didn't bode well for anyone involved. His stomach did an uncomfortable little flop at the thoughts rolling through his mind. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you." he told her. "But I guess now it's all out in the open now and no one got hurt." Yet. He shuddered at the thought. "I'll look into things in the office and see what I can do." He wanted to look into Ophelia's background if he could because he wanted to see how much was in her past that he could actually see. And maybe find a way of getting rid of it. Maybe the queen would do him a favor. Maybe.
He frowned at how Elias became a seer. "Guy can't win, can he?" he asked, feeling a little bad for the guy. And he thought his life had turned shitty for a while but this guy, well his life took the cake. "You really like him, don't you?" he asked, arching a brow at the way she was fidgeting. "Enough that you want to spend all your nights with him already? And enough that you're not picking fights. Maybe I'll like this guy after all. Just for the not fighting part. I'm not too keen on the spending nights with him part, but I suppose compromises must be made."
She sighed, and gave her brother a look. Since when was she going to turn into the worrier and him be the one that wasn’t seeing the whole picture. “Not everyone knows, Dante. The four of us, sure. But you don’t think it’s going to come out in the open eventually that we’re in the picture?” she wondered on just how much he’d be looking into at the office. But she didn’t ask, she hoped that if he found anything that she needed to know that he’d tell her. But with how this whole thing had been going, she was doubting in that. She shook her head, “No, but he has me.. so that should count for something.” she gave a small smile, sure Annie had a bit of an ego sometimes.
It was her brother’s next question that had her looking at him a little bit surprised, and then a little whimper sounded from her because it really was the perfect opportunity to bring up what she thought was one of the more pressing matters. Especially if she kept seeing Elias, and she planned to. “Dante .. “ she started, her brows knitting a little as she was trying to think on how to pose the questions. “I know you’re going to hate this question for more than one reason. But it really needs to be asked...” she at least was preparing him. She could have just blurted it out and dealt with the aftermath. “How did you handle being with someone for so long and not mate with them..?”
In that moment every territorial bit of him roared in his head. Not that snow leopards could actually roar, but the growl was close enough, damn it. He was ready to rip off Elias's head, among other parts of his body, and bury him out in the woods. And she hadn't even said she wanted to mate with him, but he was smart enough to know that was where this was headed. The little growly tone that his voice had when he opened his mouth said just how he felt about the situation. "I don't know." he all but hissed. "I didn't want to until it already over." he admitted. "I was just deciding that I thought I might want to and boom, she's fucking someone else." he told her. "Which is why you had better not be thinking about mating with Elias. He might be an okay guy, but that doesn't mean he won't up and leave. You mate, he doesn't." he pointed out. "You have to be careful."
Yup, that went about as well as Annie was expecting. But it didn’t mean that she didn’t flinch back a bit at the sudden shift in the air, damnit she could even smell the change, and the fact that her brother was not happy. What was worse was the fact that her leopard was reacting, and in a not so great way. Because while Annie was doing her best to prevent from accidentally mating herself, the leopard had pretty much already made the choice. Even if it hadn’t been acted out. When she finally spoke, her voice was filled with the challenge, like almost saying ‘I dare you to try and stop me’ .. “I’m trying not to mate with him. Which is why I’m asking the question. I, Annie, want him to want the same thing. But the other part of me, which please calm down, has already made it very clear that Elias is mine. So .. I’m asking for help, which I never do, because I don’t know how to prevent it, the leopard hates the fact I want to. I’ve never .. never had it be this .. well vocal. And honestly it’s scaring the shit out of me..”
Dante clenched his teeth together to keep the growl inside of him and not out in the open. He was trying not to be pissed off, but damn if he wasn't. Still, a bit of him understood what she meant. He was warring with himself a little over Ophelia as well. The human part of him wasn't about to jump under a bus as it passed, but the were part of him wanted her to be his. Completely his. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew that she couldn't fight her instincts for long. "There isn't any secrets to it." he told her, managing to be at least sort of calm as he spoke. "The were is going to want what it wants, you just have to... be stronger than that part of you until you're sure."
With the way that the emotion was still wafting off of her brother, it was getting even harder to ignore the fact that part of her, the very vocal and now very defensive part of her, didn’t like it at all. As if she had to prove something to him. It was probably very clear in her body language that she was trying to prevent from doing something, and that something being about to spring forward and settle this the way that the leopard wanted to, claws out and lots of hissing. “Probably shouldn’t mention that the were wanted to stake a claim the night we were shot.. huh?” she spoke out, before she could stop herself. Oh fuck. Damnit to that side of her that wanted to rub it in Dante’s face as if saying ‘ha, I’m going to get what I want’. That wasn’t what the person wanted to have this conversation going toward. “I don’t know if I can, Dante, I’ve never had it react this way toward anyone. If it was my choice alone, I’d give in, because I don’t know if I can keep resisting. And I was hoping that you’d know something I didn’t... you have more experience in this than I do, or so I thought. I don’t know ..”
His jaw tightened again as he looked at her. Damn her for making him feel like he wanted to kill this guy he barely knew. Damn her for that smug little way she was talking. Or that he felt she was talking. "There isn't really anything you can do." he told her. "The only one the were part of me has ever felt like that towards is Ophelia. And all I'm doing there is telling myself that I can't put her in that position. The leopard doesn't like it, but I don't want to mate with her and then boom she up and has to leave." Even if she said she didn't want to and wasn't going to. "I don't want you to be stuck with a man who might just disappear. I don't want that for you. I can't tell you what to do and I can't really give you any advice that I haven't already given you... just... try to be careful, Annie. That's all I want."
If she was completely herself at that moment, she would have visibly deflated. Because in that moment she felt helpless. “That’s one of the reasons why I don’t want to allow myself. Because he might leave. I’m at a loss, with the were, and with me as a person. He offered for us to share a place together, he mentioned getting a two bedroom, but he makes it seem like he wants to stick around. Like he could actually be ..” she sighed, thankful at least that the were seemed to be backing off, as if whatever threat there was might be over with. “I’ve already opened myself up to him, emotionally that is. I don’t know, maybe I can up the do..” Fuck again. Okay, backtrack? This was not how this was supposed to go. Not at all. What could she say that would completely throw him off track .. what, what .. oh.. “He also brought up the idea of kids one day, and I think he was implying with me.” There. Oh goodness, Elias please don’t be upset that Dante now probably hates you.
She was really trying to make Dante explode. He pushed back his instincts to protect his family and did his best to think of Elias more like someone that might have to be around for a while. If the were side of Annie was so set on making Elias her mate, there wasn't much he could do about it. And that bugged him, but losing Annie wasn't something he was going to do. As stubborn as she was, as they both were, he knew she wouldn't give Elias up just because he asked her to. Not that he thought he could actually ask her to do such a thing to begin with. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "The guy wants to move in with you and have you have his babies and you want to mate with him and he's a psychic hunter with crazy hunter brothers, not to mention that he's my girlfriend's brother so he'd be your brother in law or something like that and husband, you get that right?" he said, shaking his head a little. "God this is weird."
She wasn’t trying to, but she had to cover her tracks, it probably would have been easier to just mention the drugs. Looking in hindsight, that might have been an easier way to go. Especially since it looked like her brother was about to have an aneurysm. Another little whimper sounded from her as she nodded, “It is weird, I’ll give you that. But I just said the idea of. Doesn’t mean its going to happen. I don’t even want babies, so don’t worry about that. I just said it because .. well, I don’t have a good reason. I’m sorry.” Pause. “Wait. Brother in law and husband? Are you that serious about her? I know you said you’re preventing the whole mating thing. But .. so .. you’re in the same boat I am. We’re both up shits creek. Oh god.” Another whimper. “What can I say that would make you accept him. You’re my brother, and your opinion means more that you know it does. I .. I want you to be okay with my seeing him. Forget the possible mate prospect. But as a person Dante.” Sadly, she knew how she could get him to like him in an instant. But was she really willing to throw that on the table too?
Dante sighed and let his hand drop to his side before he looked up at his sister. "I never said I wouldn't accept him." he told the girl. And he hadn't. But that didn't mean he would either. "I don't really know him and I'm your brother, no guy is ever going to be good enough for you in my eyes. I don't hate him because he did come through for the both of us without asking any questions and honestly I'm sort of indebted to him for that. I can't say I'm 'okay' with you seeing him, but I guess there are a hell of a lot of other worse options."
She fidgeted in her seat again. She didn’t know why, but she needed her brother to like him. She wanted that approval, like she needed him to tell her that it was okay to date him, to fall in love, the whole thing. Her brother hadn’t been around when Rufus was in the picture, and that so turned out badly. This time if she was going to throw her heart out there, she needed his support. Okay, now came the part that she thought wouldn’t come. But maybe, just maybe if she blurted it out fast enough and then like the skittish kitten she was feeling like she’d just bolt and wait out the storm. “I need you to be okay with me seeing him. I don’t know why but I do. Well, I know why, but I can’t fully tell you why without hurting you. And I don’t want that. And he’s going to help me with some of the things I’ve told him. I mean, he even knows about the stealing, the drugs, the drinking, and Rufus.” she blurted, which she’d never told her brother her stalker’s name, had she? She didn’t think she did. But she continued on, as if she was speaking on one long and very rushed breath. “And he’s even trying to convince me, without him hardly knowing you, that you love me cause I don’t think you do. I’m a burden to you, and mom, and dad. And it’s only a matter of time before you, or anyone else gets rid of me..” There, it was all out, and now it was time to flee, right? Drawing in a breath, she pushed away from the table, and had every intention of walking out of there, and finding a place to hide.
Dante thought he might faint from the lightheaded feeling that came about him after all of that rushed out of his sister. He knew about the stealing and the drugs and the drinking and even about the ass of an ex or whatever she wanted to call him though he hadn't heard the man's name. Knowing that she'd actually admitted it to someone and that Elias wanted to help her made him like the guy a little more. Not completely, mind, but more than he had initially. But that could be dealt with later. Right now he had damage control to do with his sister. Before she could get away form the table he was up from his seat and in front of her, immediately pulling her body against his own. "Antoinette..." he breathed, shaking his head as he held tight to her. "You are not a burden to me." he told her. He didn't care how much his parents had been upset with her or what they felt for their daughter, she was his baby sister and he loved her. "I love you, you crazy girl. You have to know that." he sighed, still not letting go of her. "And I don't care what messes you've gotten yourself into. I want to help you. I'm not trying to cramp your style or push you in directions you don't want to go, but I want you to be around for a long time and I don't think that can happen if you don't figure out some way to get help. So if he's trying to make that happen and you're actually willing to let him... then I approve, okay?"
When he said her name fully and not the ‘Annie’ he usually called her, immediately she thought she’d be in a massive amount of trouble. Her mind was preparing for yelling, and screaming. Not hugging and telling her things she didn’t know if she could believe. The saddest thing was the fact that it wasn’t his fault, not completely, not even mostly. Most of her time with Rufus had been a complete mind fuck. “No .. I don’t.” she spoke out softly when he said that she had to know he loved her. She did try to wriggle herself away from him, though finding it difficult. “I don’t think you can help, or even Elias .. even though he wants to try. And now I can’t .. not with this whole mess. The .. they keep the were subdued. It helps.” she admitted, even if she didn’t know if that was completely true. All she knew was that she was high as a kite both times she had prolonged time with Elias, and so far she wasn’t mated. So something had to be working right.
He didn't let her go and instead he let his fingers slide through her hair. "Well I do love you." he told her. "And obviously I'm not saying it or showing it enough or you would know that." he murmured. He hated that she didn't and it made his heart ache to know that she'd thought for even a second that he didn't love her or that he thought she was a burden. That just wouldn't do. "You don't know that he can't help or that I can't. You've got to let us try..." he breathed, hoping she'd let him in just that little bit more. He ached to be close to her again like he was before.
Now she was getting it all wrong, because it had just been easier in the rush of things to tell her brother she didn’t think he loved her, than to tell him everything she had told Elias. “I know that you love me, Dante. Just somehow the topic of overdosing came up with Elias, he mentioned it. And I told him that you would get over it. Cause you would. It isn’t like .. we’re close or anything.” she told him, though after the whole mess when she brought up questions about getting mated she wasn’t so sure. About anything. Either she was wrong, or he had just a full on alpha kitty reaction. “How would you help Dante, how would he help? Toss me in some program? No thank you. I’ll tell you the same thing I told him. I’ll look into things.” But with the way she said it, she knew that the lie was so in your face. She had no real plans to get any help, not anytime soon anyway.
Dante pulled back enough to look at her. "That's a lie." he told her. He knew his sister well enough to know when she was fibbing. "Antoinette, you might not think that you need help, or maybe you know you do but you just don't want it, but he's right, what if you overdose? Do you really think that I would get over it? Because I wouldn't. I still haven't gotten over my ex fucking someone else, how would I get over the death of my sister? You've got to be out of your mind if you believe that I could get over it just like that. If you're going to lie to me, fine, whatever." he told her, shaking his head as he released her. "You want me to accept him and then you want to lie to my face about something like this? If you don't look into help, I will and my options aren't going to be what you want them to be."
The only reason that he was able to tell, was because she did a crappy job at covering it up. Damn the fact that after only being honest for the second day in a row that all the practice over the years had gone to shit. “I don’t need help, Dante. I’m completely functional. The only reason you even suspected anything was because I was broke and ended up stealing from you. You’d still be completely oblivious if I hadn’t been so obvious with the pawning of whatever it was.” she told him drawing in a breath. Now she knew she was about to hurt him. “You want the truth, alright. Yes, you’re not over your ex, and yes you’d get over losing me a hell of a lot quicker than losing her. You were closer to her, and she mattered more to you than I ever fucking did.” she spat out, her words nearly sounding like a hiss, as her eyes couldn’t contain the tears that rolled down her cheeks. “If I went back to Italy tomorrow, the next time I’d hear from you, what a phone call on my birthday, Christmas? As I said before, I know you love me, and I know that you’d miss me on some level. But quit lying Dante, because we’re just not that close. I don’t even know why I need you approval, or why it matters so much. I don’t know why I’m still trying to rely on you when it just doesn’t fucking matter.” she brought a hand up and wiped the tears from her eyes, before she shook her head and turned. Again, she had every intention of going off and hiding somewhere, this time just for different reasons.
He listened to her and every single syllable of every word she spoke was like a knife inching it's way into him. Piece by piece she was breaking him apart and he doubted she really even knew what she was doing. He swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat and he blinked, turning his head to keep her from seeing just how much she was really hurting him. He had nothing else to say. Not after that. There was no changing her mind, obviously. Why bother trying when all he got was heartache? "I don't think you'll ever be able to fix what you just broke, Antoinette." he told her as calmly as he could, eyes flicking to her back as he blinked again, a tear betraying him and sliding down his cheek. "I would rather die than watch you suffer or hurt and any time that I've done anything to you to upset you, it's been unintentional. The fact that you have the balls to say all of that to me when all I'm doing is trying to help just proves that you care even less than you think that I do. If I don't matter, fine, leave. That's what you want to do anyway."
She paused in her movement out of the room, but she kept her back to him, listening to what he had to say. She didn’t know why she was, because she felt worse now than she did before. “You wanted the truth, no lies. And I told you how I felt. How I’ve felt for a while, Dante.” she told him, her voice soft but flat, as if she just felt numb. Empty. This was not how she wanted the day to go. Not at all. Plus it didn’t help that she was so on edge right now anyway. The effects from all the time spent with Elias was wearing off, and the fact that she hadn’t had any drugs since before the date was majorly kicking in. She didn’t know what to do in that moment, because he did matter to her. But he was right, she did want to leave, wanted to hide. Wanted to feel safe from all this emotional baggage. Then she continued, just as flatly, “Go ahead and tell Ophelia to tell Elias to stay away. And while you do matter, Dante. I just .. I .. I can’t do this anymore. I’ll keep out of the way until I have the means to leave.” But still .. she couldn’t manage to actually leave the room. It was as if her heart, brain, and feet were all being difficult, not on the same wavelength and pulling in different directions. She didn’t know what to do anymore, and she was scared.
Dante didn't say anything. The damage was already done. He just stood there blankly as he stared at the back of her head. "I'm not telling Ophelia anything." he told her. "If you want Elias to stay away, you're going to have to tell him yourself." He was through being middle man, be it between her and their parents or her and Elias. He couldn't do this anymore. The lying, the stealing and the hurtful words had broken something inside of him that he doubted it could be repaired. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his wallet and took out the few twenties he had inside it. Passing her, he caught her hand and stuffed the bills into her palm. "Maybe you won't steal from me while I'm gone." he told her, tucking his wallet away and wiping his face before heading out the door, snatching his keyring off the table as he left.
When Dante shoved the money into her hand, she just stared at it blankly for a moment, then in the direction that he left in. It felt as if her heart was being ripped out of her chest, and she didn’t know what to do. Sucking in a huge gulp of air, she followed him, having to run to catch up to him. Her hand tentatively grabbed him by the arm. “Dante..” she whimpered out. “Dante .. I’m sorry. I just .. I don’t know. I’m hurting because of everything that happened because of my choices. I know I shouldn’t be so bitchy to you, blame you. Maybe .. maybe I do need help. Just .. please don’t leave like.. like I’m never going to see you .. actually you .. again.” She knew she fucked up, she took the yelling and the trying to place the blame on him entirely way too far. She hiccuped as a sob shook through her, “I can’t lose you Dante, you’re the brother I chase bullets for, who I would rather seek approval for a guy instead of ever going to dad. You’re who I turned to when I needed a place to hide to get away from everything back home. Please.. I know I’ve hurt you, but I need you.”
He stopped, but he didn't turn to look at her. He didn't have anything to say to her and the more she spoke, the more he wondered if it was all just lies. She'd gotten good at lying, after all, why should he think she wasn't just trying to pull one over on him once more. "I never said you were going to lose me, but this... I can't do this." he told her, shaking his head and pulling his arm back from her. "I've done nothing but try and help you since you got here and all I've gotten for it is yelling and lying and stealing and fighting and you bitching about everything." he told her. "You're not the same girl I left in Italy. You're not even the same girl that came to visit." he went on. "And I don't know if it's the drugs, but if it is, you're down a rabbit hole that you might not be able to climb back out of. Hurt doesn't even begin to cover what you've done to me."
When he pulled his arm back, she didn’t know what to do. Or what to even say. It felt like he was completely pulling away from her, and she only had herself to blame for it. His words cut into her, and the heart that was being ripped out, was just that. She didn’t know how to fix this. “I .. I’m sorry.” she stammered out before she was breaking down. She reached out, and put the money back into his hand, closing it around it before pulling back. “I wish I could take back everything that I’ve said. Everything that I’ve done to you. I’ll understand if you don’t want me around now, I’ve ..” she couldn’t finish the sentence, what if he was right, what if she’d never get herself out of this hole? It hurt so badly to feel like he had no hope for her anymore, and that even if he never said she was going to lose him, it sure felt like it. “I’ll .. I’ll call mom and dad, see if I can go back to Italy. I’m sorry Dante.”
His eyes fell to the cash crumpled in his palm. He shook his head a little and reached out to take her hand, stuffing it right back into her grasp. "I never said I don't want you around." he told her. "I said you wanted to leave. And you do. I'm not stupid. I know you don't want to be here. I know I wasn't a choice you made but something that got forced upon you. I don't want to be something that someone doesn't want anymore. I've had enough of that in my life. I think I've had enough for a couple of lifetimes actually. Letting his hands drop back at his sides, he just looked at his sister. "I don't know what you expect me to say. I keep trying to get back in, to find my baby sister again and you just keep pushing me away." he breathed, blinking again to try and keep the tears back though they threatened just at the brim of his eyes. "You can only push me so much before I fall over." he told her. "I can't help you if you can't even admit you need the help. I can't help you if you don't want the help."
She didn’t want the money, and the fact that it was stuffed back in her hand, just hurt even more. Drawing in a breath, she reached and shoved it in his pocket, yes it was kind of childish and a total invasion of his personal space. “I don’t want to leave. As far as I was planning to go was maybe to move in with Elias, after I got a job. I wish you could see how being here, with you, has helped already. I never even had the urge to get a job back home. Didn’t care. And while it wasn’t my choice to be here, I’ll admit that. I’m not sorry that I came here. I want to be closer with you, and feel like I did back when I was a teenager before everything happened. Before I got into the drugs. I know I’ve fucked up. And I know that I keep fucking up. I don’t know how to fix me, after seven years of all of the drugs, and the parties, and the booze. I don’t know how to pick up the pieces. I don’t know how to ask for help. I’ve started to, and then I go and fuck things up again. I know that I need the help, I just don’t know if I’m ready to accept it. And that’s only because I’m scared, Dante. I don’t know who I am anymore without the drugs. What if there isn’t a me anymore when they’re gone?” she was still speaking softly, because she was afraid now if she talked any louder that she’d start crying, harder than the couple of tears that spilled over and down her cheeks. “I was scared to death when I brought Rufus up to you, and I almost told you about the drugs then, but I was scared that you’d hate me. Because I don’t think I could handle it if you did start to hate me or resent me. I love you, and you’re my big brother, you mean the world to me. Even if I don’t show it.”
Dante let her have her say and listened as she spoke. It was hard to hear the way she thought of herself, but more the way that she thought of him, or at least what she thought he was or would think of her. Lifting his hands, he caught her face in his grasp, his fingers splaying out a little against her face. "I'm scared too." he told her. "Scared that you're going to keep covering up all those things that I love about you and there won't be anything left." he whispered, blinking a little though the tears once more betrayed him. "You're beautiful and sweet and smart and you could do so much with yourself and you're just covering up all those good things about you, hiding under something that you've gotten used to and I know you're scared, baby, I know that." he breathed. "But if you don't get yourself some help, you're going to lose yourself completely." That was his worst fear. "I will never hate you. Never, do you hear me? That's impossible. I don't care what you do to me or what you say, I would never do anything but love you more."
She glanced up at him when he said that he was scared, it was probably a childish notion, but she really believed that not a lot scared Dante. Maybe because he didn’t appear to be the type of guy that got scared over a lot. Which just made this hit home for her all the more. Especially since she didn’t have any of the drugs in her system at the moment. She couldn’t help the bit of tears that started to fall a little freely now, his words were cutting into her in a different way than the words he said before. “I haven’t taken anything since before my date with Elias yesterday.” she told him, letting out a breath. “And the rest of my stash is in my room, in the jewelry box on the dresser.” she told him, hoping that he’d understand that this was her way of showing him that she wanted his help. When he said he could never hate her, that got her crying even harder now, because honestly, that was probably one of her worst fears. And she’d all but thought it came true when he was walking away and about to leave. “I’m so sorry, Dante.” she choked out between small sobs.
"I'm sorry too, kiddo." he breathed before pulling her into a hug because hell, he needed it as much as she did. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." he murmured through shaky little breaths. "I'm not going to take your stash away." he told her. "Because going cold turkey isn't going to help you." He knew enough about drugs to know that just stopping wasn't going to do anything but hurt everyone. She'd go into fits without something she was so used to. "But we both need to sit down and figure out where we want to go from here. No fighting, no demands. But I want my sister back, Annie..."
She clung to him when he pulled her into a hug, they both needed it, it was true. And she was a bit surprised that he wasn’t going to take the stash, even if he was right, going cold turkey could end up being more dangerous than being on the drugs themselves sometimes. There were reasons that hospitals tended to have a detox program. Which usually took seventy-two hours. “Maybe not cold turkey .. but maybe you can help taper me off ..? Because I really don’t want to go into a program Dante. Not unless it’s a last resort and nothing else works. Please?” she knew she was asking a lot of him, because it probably wouldn’t be an easy task. And she felt guilty after asking. It wasn’t fair. “And I want my brother back, the one I remember, before you ..” she was about to say before he got his heart ripped out, but stopped herself, because at the moment she didn’t want to hurt him anymore with any of her words. “Ophelia makes you seem like him again. So, I’m willing to give her a chance, between you and Elias talking about her, maybe she isn’t as bad as I made her out to be in my head.”
He could tell she didn't want to go into a program and he couldn't really blame her. Talking to people she loved and cared about hadn't helped and thinking about talking to people she didn't even know probably seemed more than a little daunting. "Only as a last resort." he told her with a nod. He didn't want to start a fight and wasn't about to put her somewhere she didn't want to be. He wasn't going to boot her out like their parents had, especially when she was making such a desperate cry for help. "I told you, I want to help you. If that means I gotta sit up with you for seventy-two hours or a week or a month, just to get you sober, I'll do it. Or force Elias to take shifts with me." he murmured, half teasing and half in truth. "Thank you for giving her a chance. I'll do the same for Elias, yeah?"
She just nodded at first because she was already starting to cry again because of him saying he’d be there for her through this, and the fact that he agreed for the program to be a last resort. The last thing she wanted was to be ripped away from home again, which she was considering this home, and shoved someplace new. And in a program she wouldn’t know anyone. And meet other druggies, sometimes that could cause more harm than good. She gave a little breath of a laugh, even if it was stuffed up cause she was crying. “Is it completely selfish of me if I don’t want him to see me if I’m going through a withdraw mess?” she asked, because she didn’t really want Elias to see her that way, at her worst. And she doubted highly that it would be a fun experience. “Thank you Dante.” she told him before paused, “Did I tell you that I might be getting a job, though I have to wait in order to call back, probably was forgotten about because of everything that happened. It’ll be at a bookstore, which I should fit in at, unless I spend all the money buying books.”
He smiled a little at her comment about how she didn't want to let Elias see her like that. "I'm sure that if he really cares about you, he doesn't care what he has to go through to help you." he pointed out. "But you're welcome." he said, reluctantly pulling back enough to look at her. "Come on, let's get you back inside." he said to her as she explained about the bookstore and her possible job. "That's good." he said. "Means you'll have something else to keep your mind occupied."
“I know, but still. Would you want Ophelia to see you all gross looking and sickly?” she asked, trying to prove a little bit on the point of why she didn’t want Elias to see her that way. “Me back inside, you still gotta take off, huh?” she asked, not really looking forward to being the house alone. But maybe she could convince Dante to let Elias come hang out with her. That was until she remembered that he was with his sister. “Yea, possibly. I was supposed to hear back from the guy on Wednesday, but it didn’t happen. So figure I’ll give it until Monday or so, and then have to look up Page 98 in the phonebook. You do have a phone book, right?”
"Well she's shot as a were leopard and then when I shifted back, shot and naked, so it's a bit difficult to tell her she can't see me at my worst because that was pretty bad." he said, shaking his head a little. "I don't have to go just yet." he went on. He still had a little time left he could spend with his sister. So leading her into the house, he heard the name of the bookstore and groaned. "I can get you the owner's number." he said. "But I'm not sure when he'll get the chance to really say much about it since all that crap happened there." Dante knew well and good Cathair had nothing to do with what went down at his store so he wasn't too worried about Annie working there, but still.
Annie furrowed her brows just a bit, because her brother had a point. Elias had seen her shot as well, but she still didn’t have to like the idea of Elias possibly seeing her in such a state. She actually gave a bit of a smile when he said he didn’t have to go right yet, hoping they’d go back to being able to talk, and spend time with each other without the yelling and screaming. Plus, it didn’t hurt that she was going to make more of an effort. “Yea, I kind of figured since it’s been all over the news. And I want to give enough time, but I really want the job. How long should I wait before giving a call to politely remind of my application?” This was all new territory for her, the finding a job, and then dealing with the waiting process. Throw in the whole mess that happened, and she was completely lost.
"I'd give him the rest of the weekend at least." he told her. "Maybe call him on Monday?" That wouldn't be too soon but not too quick either. A few days at least. "At least that way you're not waiting around forever. Maybe he needs the extra help, especially now. I can't say that I think anyone would be jumping at the chance to work there after everything, so he's probably shorthanded." Anything to get Antoinette's mind off of the drugs was a step in the right direction.
“Yea, I was thinking either Monday or Tuesday.” she agreed. But it was a good thing to know that she was at least headed in the right direction on the time frame. “He mentioned being shorthanded when he talked to me after I turned in my application. And that was Monday, he said that as long as I’m not an international jewel thief I’d have the job, but he had to run a background check first.” she told her brother, actually smiling cause the bookshop owner guy with the odd name was actually fairly nice. And she really wouldn’t mind working there. Then she paused and looked at her brother. “Dante, do you think we could make a day a week or something where we do things together, no Ophelia, no Elias. Nothing but just us so maybe we can get closer again, and not drift apart this time?”