Finn Mikaelson (finninabox) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-07-17 22:50:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, elijah mikaelson, finn mikaelson |
Who: Finn Mikaelson and Elijah Mikaelson
What: Siblings catching up
When: Backdated: Thursday, June 27th. Early Evening
Where: Natale Coffee in Costa Mesa
Rating: Low to start. Brief mention of past overdose.
Status: Complete
Finn had reached the cafe, Natale Coffee, before Elijah and ordered a coffee then found a seat at the table not too far from the door so that his older brother would spot him easily. Sure, he’d changed a bit over the last six years, his hair was shorter and he looked much healthier than the last time Elijah would have seen him, but he didn’t think that his brother wouldn’t recognize him. He’d skipped out on the invitation to come to Elijah’s club, mostly because he had made it a habit of staying away from places where he could possibly be tempted and when it came to clubs, they were a breeding ground for drug use. He still drank on occasion, that had never been his problem, but he didn’t do it in places like clubs or bars. So, he’d reached out to Elijah again, suggesting they catch up over coffee. He’d left the decision of where they would meet up to Elijah and wasn’t the least bit surprised when his brother had chosen an expensive, gourmet coffee shop in Costa Mesa, between their respective homes in Huntington Beach and Santa Ana.
Taking a sip of his coffee, he glanced towards the door to see if his brother had arrived yet.
Elijah was thrilled that their family was all put back together and that everyone seemed to have found a place in the world. While most of the siblings were living in Huntington Beach, Finn was in Santa Ana with his job, just close enough to everyone else in the Mikaelson family and it was nice that he was reaching out and willing to travel to see the others.
It was simple enough for Elijah to take time off work to drive over to Costa Mesa and he picked a coffee shop he often visited when he was in town. He was slightly late arriving only because he’d had to take a phone call before he left, but he still turned up only about fifteen minutes behind his brother.
Getting out of his Audi and adjusting his suit jacket and tie, Elijah stepped into the coffee shop, casually stepping up to the counter to place his order while he eyes flickered around the cafe. He spotted Finn sitting at a table nearby, giving his brother a smile. When he had his coffee, he moved towards his sibling, setting the warm cup down. “I hope you weren’t waiting too long, brother.”
Finn spotted Elijah the moment he walked in; sure his brother hadn’t dressed quite so sharp the last time he’d seen him, but there was no mistaking his older brother. He waited until Elijah ordered his drink and when he approached, Finn stood. He waited until Elijah set his cup down and shook his head, “Only a few minutes. It’s good to see you, Elijah.” He really had missed each of his siblings more than he could say and was glad to be back, even if it meant that he was back around his father again. Without another word, he gave his brother a hug.
“It’s good to see you again as well, Finn.” Elijah returned the hug without hesitation, even if he wasn’t one to always show affection. This was a special occasion: the return of the second eldest Mikaelson sibling. But when he felt like the perfect amount of time for an embrace had passed, Elijah pulled back and gave a surprisingly soft smile before he sat down at the table on the opposite side of Finn.
“So, you’re living in Santa Ana doing counseling, I hear,” Elijah said in conversation, taking a sip of his strong coffee. While Elijah, as the oldest, had been quite eager to please their parents and always seemed to stay on the right path, Finn, the second sibling, had strayed quite a long way. Elijah was thankful he managed to make it back and have a real life now. He deserved it.
Finn returned his brother’s smile once the hug had ended and took the seat across from him, nodding in the affirmative to confirm what he was saying, “That’s right. Rehab counseling. For the last few years I’ve been wanting to help people who were in the same position I was. I started by joining an anti-drug campaign, which went around to high schools and talked to the students and then I decided to go back to school and become a counselor.” It had been Finn’s want for attention after his younger siblings had been born that had ultimately led to his getting involved with drugs and he now knew how much he had put them all through, especially when he’d almost died after his overdose. At the time he hadn’t realized just how it must have affected Henrik, Rebekah and Kol since they had been so young at the time. “I want to apologize for everything I put you all through then. My overdose couldn’t have been easy on any of you.”
Elijah was proud of his brother, especially after all the pain he had put their family through these past few years. Elijah had always worried about him, but at the same time, he’d had to focus on his own life and the rest of his siblings that were still in California. Inside, he’d been waiting for the day his other brother would return and try to mend all the broken bridges.
“It’s the past, Finn. We’re all just happy you’re back. I’m...proud that you’ve set yourself on a different path and made good of your life,” he said, staring into his brother’s eyes with a soft smile over his lips. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. I want all my siblings to succeed and live well. Klaus has his art and teaching, Rebekah has her family, Henry has gotten past his disability and is in college, Kol has his love of sports. And now you have found your place.”
It was true, they all seemed to be doing very well for themselves now. They were all on the right track, but Finn was sure that their father still wasn’t happy, but when was he ever actually happy? Finn couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his father smile, “I just want you to know that what happened, my addiction, had nothing to do with anything any of you did.” On more than one occasion Finn had wanted to talk to his older brother, but the people he hung out with at the time had managed to convince him that his brother wouldn’t want anything to do with a junkie and things had just gotten worse after that.
Elijah inhaled deeply and let out a sigh, holding his cup of coffee in one hand while he ran the other through his short hair. He knew things hadn’t been easy for Finn--all of the siblings had had their difficulties in life and it wasn’t as though their parents were as loving as they could be. Elijah couldn’t blame Finn for anything.
“I know. I do, brother,” he said, giving one of his small, reserved smiles and placing his hand flat on the tabletop. “I just wish you could have...been in the position to come to any of us. We would not have turned away from you,” the man assured him. “But now, you’re back in California where you belong, with people who love you.”
Finn nodded, he knew that Elijah was right and he’d known it at the time too, but things had just gotten out of hand so quickly and then Finn just hadn’t cared about anything but getting high or where his next fix was coming from, “And had I not been in a constant drug haze, I would have.” He hated that he’d missed so much over the last six years, but Elijah was right, now he was back where he belonged and wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon, “I honestly feel the worst about how this must have affected Kol, Rebekah and Henrik.” He should have been their role model as their older brother and he hadn’t been.
Elijah couldn’t help but frown. Yes, he’d wished constantly that Finn could have been there for the younger siblings, but Elijah and Klaus had picked up the slack there after the second oldest son had left for the east. The youngest of the Mikaelson family had turned out quite well. They each had their place in the world and were happy, even if things hadn’t always gone as planned. “You’ll just have to make up for it, but don’t beat yourself up over it, promise me that. There’s no need. We all just need to...start over.”
Finn knew there was no point in blaming himself for not having been there, because it wouldn’t change anything. All he could do now was be there and make up for the time he had lost, which was one reason he was going around to speak to each of his siblings alone before seeing them all together, “I know. And now that I’m back, I’ll be here whenever anyone wants or needs me.” He gave Elijah a small smile, happy to be sitting there with his older brother who he had missed despite the occasional phone call.
Elijah smiled back and took a sip of his coffee, feeling completely content with his visit with his missing brother, quite happy his family was all put back together with the addition of Natalia. Life was...well, it seemed it couldn’t get any better. His siblings were happy iin their places, and of course Elijah had the beautiful Katherine Gilbert to occupy his time outside of his job and his family. He wouldn’t make the mistake of letting anyone he loved slip through his fingers again.