[ He's thinking about the disastrous encounter in the forest, he's thinking of the conversations he's had with Felix. The fight that's still recent enough to feel like it happened yesterday. All the ways he declared that no one actually cares about him, which actually did happen the day before. Cringe. ]
[It probably helps that they're talking about this - helps Julian dance around words he didn't know how to say without prompting. Heading out of the manor, he has his hands in his pockets again, feeling the familiar weight of his ring in his palm. Their fight still rings in his ears, too.]
... 'Cause I care about you?
[Ugh, he cringes a little.]
I don't know how to do that kinda thing. Care about people? Whenever I try to do shit for people, I fuck it up. You already know that much. I don't do that on purpose, though. I'm...
[ He's got a small frown, as uncomfortable as anyone could expect. Neither of them are good at this, let alone with each other; Julian was sort of at the center of the coven but Dom felt like the one hanging by a thread sometimes. The (boy)friend of a friend, the last piece needed to complete the circle rather than someone who was meant to be there all along, because... Dom was just the new kid who happened to be a witch, right? And barely even one at that. ]
Yeah. I-I get that.
[ Obviously. Blowing up at people, saying the wrong thing even when his intentions aren't bad. Saying the worst things when they are, only to regret it later. ]
Listen, uhm. I'm sorry I said all that stuff to you. It was messed up.
[That's his answer for most things - it's fine, he'll get over it, he's already over it, there's nothing to dwell on, what happened just happened, that's life, etc. He looks up at the sky from the path toward the lake, stride slow and lazy.]
I shouldn't have blown up at you either. That was my bad, too.
[ Poor Felix, being in the middle of all that. But they're working on things, so. Progress. Hopefully. (Can he delete all those messages he sent to Iggy now?)
Dom shrugs in response, gives Julian a smile that should also amount to an it's fine, wondering if it's normal to be more awkward about this than the hypotheticals of getting this necklace off of him. ]
How'd you end up handling it, by the way? With the sigil. People got weird around you too?
Yeah, finally. I locked myself in my room for a while. Had to sneak into the kitchen because I was starving. And then my teeth got all fang-y and I had claws—
[ Looking down at his hands, he stops and remembers 1. who he's talking to 2. what's in his pocket, still, and readjusts his posture. ]
I wasn't transforming or anything, though. Not in a way where I lose control or whatever.
[Also aware of that tension, just for a beat. He resumes looking forward, as they get near the lake. He stops by the edge, watching the breeze cast across the water - and whatever's hiding underneath it.]
[ Dom's a couple of steps behind, arms crossed to disguise his apprehension, looking over at what the lake reflects, past the surface to what it hides. Some days it's clearer than others, but he doesn't think he senses any non-animals lurking underneath today. Not like this house publishes obituaries, he doesn't think. ]
It's, uhm. It's what I wished for. To be able to do that, sort of. I think the sigil went crazy so it finally started to happen. Couldn't make it go away on my own, though. And I have no idea how to do it again.
[Not as - bitter as he could be at underlining that, but - it's a good thing, he thinks. Makes him think maybe his own wish might've also happened too. But he still thinks it didn't, on account of the fact he feels like a fucking failure. He tosses the ring back and forth between his hands. Then gestures to the water.]
[ He parts his lips, ready for an 'I don't know', with some guilt and the truth that he never actually figured it out. He needed a stranger's help to turn his fangs and claws back to normal, and he hasn't been able to repeat the process. Does he want to, or is the knowledge that the possibility is there enough?
Alright, watch.
Dom's words never leave his thoughts. He stands back instead, watches Jules ready his arm and follows the motion with his eyes to see where the ring ends up. ]
[The ring skips the surface a bit after he throws it, before disappearing down to sit among the rocks - new and forgotten. Jules stares after it for a long beat, before looking sidelong at Dom again. Again, Jules isn't the smoothest at this - at apologies:]
[ Something's happening in the silence, Dom staring off and shifting like he's overcompensating, trying to hide something. An emotion, perhaps, or a whole cocktail of them. It's been a fucked up time. This has been such a fucked up place. It's going right back to that when this necklace comes alive, but for now — Dom feels the relief that things might be okay for a while and isn't sure what to do with that. Let alone when it's thanks to Julian. ]
… Yeah, [ He clears his throat. ] We're good. Thanks, Jules. It... it means a lot.
[Julian lets that sit between them, moving a little closer to Dom. He claps his hand against his back, and at first that's all that is. But then it becomes a sling around his shoulder, pulling him in. Closest thing to an upfront hug you'll get out of Julian when he's sober.]
[ The clap on his back is one thing, and then the next one has him staring, dark eyes caught with a blank uncertainty that eventually becomes a question: do I deserve to mean anything?
Jules could be saying that just to win him over. This whole thing might as well have been a play to rope Dom back into the group so they have their third witch to try again, or try something new. Just like Theo could be an impostor trying to steal Dom away from his loved ones, wearing his boyfriend's face as the lure. Everything and everyone could be awful — and Dom does give into that mentality too often — but now he walks the path where something good gets to feel real. In no small part because he hears it in Jules' heart.
Dom shifts, uses both arms to close the link that Jules wouldn't. A hug that lasts a few wordless seconds before he pulls away with a deep breath, hand on his shoulder. ]
[In those few seconds, Jules gets to feel something there too - it'd be evident that he liked it even though he doesn't make an effort to keep Dom close. But it was appreciated, even if he doesn't quite know what to do next. He wants to be a good leader, a good friend. All of his choices lately have been messing that up - he can't protect people by isolating them, he can't protect them with his actions alone. He has to trust them too. And now he's trusting Dom.
[ Something breaks, but it's good — Dom's smile reaches his eyes, looking off at the lake and where he remembers the ring hitting the water. His hand slips away to adjust the stupid necklace again, once more grateful that it wasn't one of the silver ones, though he'll be even more grateful once he gets rid of the fucking thing. ]
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[He says after blinking, staring at Dom's neck before silently saying no more on the subject of... why.]
You need to get that off, though. You know how it works?
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[ This is what happens when you self-exile and then sulk as an Olympic sport, apparently. Dom stops, sighs and rolls his eyes. ]
It's got something to do with sex, doesn't it.
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[He shrugs.]
Sexual firsts make it easier, I'll tell you that.
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Sure. Why not. I don't know what else I expected.
[ A deep inhale, then he points his thumb at the door. At least it got them talking, rather than avoiding the real topic with awkward silence. ]
You wanna go?
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[Fist around the ring, he gestures with it before heading back out into the hall - and toward the lake. Buuuut, of course:]
... You know I can help you. With the necklace thing. Right?
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You?
[ He's thinking about the disastrous encounter in the forest, he's thinking of the conversations he's had with Felix. The fight that's still recent enough to feel like it happened yesterday. All the ways he declared that no one actually cares about him, which actually did happen the day before. Cringe. ]
But. Why?
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... 'Cause I care about you?
[Ugh, he cringes a little.]
I don't know how to do that kinda thing. Care about people? Whenever I try to do shit for people, I fuck it up. You already know that much. I don't do that on purpose, though. I'm...
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Yeah. I-I get that.
[ Obviously. Blowing up at people, saying the wrong thing even when his intentions aren't bad. Saying the worst things when they are, only to regret it later. ]
Listen, uhm. I'm sorry I said all that stuff to you. It was messed up.
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[That's his answer for most things - it's fine, he'll get over it, he's already over it, there's nothing to dwell on, what happened just happened, that's life, etc. He looks up at the sky from the path toward the lake, stride slow and lazy.]
I shouldn't have blown up at you either. That was my bad, too.
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Dom shrugs in response, gives Julian a smile that should also amount to an it's fine, wondering if it's normal to be more awkward about this than the hypotheticals of getting this necklace off of him. ]
How'd you end up handling it, by the way? With the sigil. People got weird around you too?
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[But it was weird, to him. For reasons he'll talk to the coven about later.]
I just tried to stay away as much as I could. Not so easy in this fucking place. But it's worn off, I guess?
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[ Looking down at his hands, he stops and remembers 1. who he's talking to 2. what's in his pocket, still, and readjusts his posture. ]
I wasn't transforming or anything, though. Not in a way where I lose control or whatever.
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[Also aware of that tension, just for a beat. He resumes looking forward, as they get near the lake. He stops by the edge, watching the breeze cast across the water - and whatever's hiding underneath it.]
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It's, uhm. It's what I wished for. To be able to do that, sort of. I think the sigil went crazy so it finally started to happen. Couldn't make it go away on my own, though. And I have no idea how to do it again.
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[Not as - bitter as he could be at underlining that, but - it's a good thing, he thinks. Makes him think maybe his own wish might've also happened too. But he still thinks it didn't, on account of the fact he feels like a fucking failure. He tosses the ring back and forth between his hands. Then gestures to the water.]
Alright, watch.
[As he winds up to throw.]
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Alright, watch.
Dom's words never leave his thoughts. He stands back instead, watches Jules ready his arm and follows the motion with his eyes to see where the ring ends up. ]
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... We good?
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… Yeah, [ He clears his throat. ] We're good. Thanks, Jules. It... it means a lot.
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[Julian lets that sit between them, moving a little closer to Dom. He claps his hand against his back, and at first that's all that is. But then it becomes a sling around his shoulder, pulling him in. Closest thing to an upfront hug you'll get out of Julian when he's sober.]
I'm glad. You - you mean a lot to me, bro.
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Jules could be saying that just to win him over. This whole thing might as well have been a play to rope Dom back into the group so they have their third witch to try again, or try something new. Just like Theo could be an impostor trying to steal Dom away from his loved ones, wearing his boyfriend's face as the lure. Everything and everyone could be awful — and Dom does give into that mentality too often — but now he walks the path where something good gets to feel real. In no small part because he hears it in Jules' heart.
Dom shifts, uses both arms to close the link that Jules wouldn't. A hug that lasts a few wordless seconds before he pulls away with a deep breath, hand on his shoulder. ]
You too.
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But it's scary and hard, so:]
Wanna go have a couple beers?
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Yeah, man. Sounds good to me.