BEN LOWELL
Nephilim
Posts: 279
Age:
5000+
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Jed Saltzman
Played by:
Emma
If we're not careful you might wind up making me a better person
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:19:17 GMT
|
Post by BEN LOWELL on Dec 11, 2022 17:44:53 GMT
Ben knew that it was so easy for things to go wrong in life, in fact he knew that better than most. He had lost so many people along the way and the fact that he was immortal had always meant that he was sure to lose many more as well. Ben knew that there were very few people around today who had lived as long as he had and that was something that he had grown used to. He hadn’t thought that he would find so many people who would accept him for who he was and who were immortal too and Ben knew better than to take that for granted. It was incredible the way that Toni and Ethan had found each other again after such a long time apart and it was incredible the way that Jed had turned his life upside down too. Mystic Falls had proved to be full of surprises for plenty of people it seemed and Ben knew that he wouldn’t have it any other way. Ben felt a smile touch his lips as Jed tightened his hold on him and said that he would never let go of him either. “I’m going to hold you to that,” Ben assured him, turning and pressing a kiss to his fiancé’s cheek. They had their whole immortal lives ahead of them and the truth was that Ben was looking forward to it more than he had ever thought he would. Ben could tell the moment that Jed slipped away and his heart broke in two even though he knew that in just a few hours Jed would be back with them. It was clear that Hope was trying to be strong for everyone right now and Ben couldn’t help but feel bad about that when it wasn’t just Jed’s life that was changing but hers as well but right now it was difficult to focus on much other than Jed. Ben still found it in him to thank Hope as well, though, and he felt a smile touch his lips as she said that she had big shoes to fill but that she would try. “I know you can do it and so does Jed. You don’t have to do things the way he did, it’s all about finding your own way of doing things,” he said gently. Hope needed to find her own way to lead the pack and he honestly hoped that in time she would. It wasn’t going to be easy but he really did believe that she could do it and they would all be there to support her every step of the way. As Ben was left alone with Jed, he turned his attention back to his fiancé. “Come back to us soon, my love,” Ben breathed, hoping that it really would be sooner rather than later. “We are,” Josie agreed as Hope said about making pretty good progress. They were both trying their best and that really was all that they could do. Neither of them was very good at talking about their feelings but they had been friends for such a long time now and they had always been able to count on each other so they really were trying. It was easy to talk to Hope and Josie hoped that her girlfriend felt the same way. “How are you doing now that you’re an Alpha? Do you feel any different?” she asked, unable to deny that she was worried about Hope. She knew that her girlfriend had felt nervous about taking Jed’s Alpha status but she had done it and Josie hoped that she wasn’t going to end up regretting it. Things were changing for all of them right now but Josie couldn’t deny that she was glad that Jed would be staying with them now too. As Hope said there was nowhere else that she would rather be, Josie felt a smile touch her lips. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be either,” she said, a smile touching her lips as she looked over at Hope. Hope was her best friend before they got together and still was to this day so she knew that she wouldn’t want to go through this without her. As Hope said about going to check on her mom and dad, Josie nodded. “Let’s do it,” she agreed, her cheeks flushing red slightly as Hope kissed her cheek. Together they headed downstairs and Josie kept Hope’s hand in hers as she reached out and hugged each of her parents before sitting down with Hope. Her mom wasn’t crying as much anymore and she could see that her dad was trying to stay strong for her mom but it was clear that he had been crying as well. She knew how close he and Jed were so it was sure to be taking a toll on him too. “It’s okay mom, I think he’ll understand,” Josie assured her gently. “Josie’s right. Today has been harder than we thought but I don’t think Jed will hold it against us,” Ric said as he kissed the top of Jenna’s head gently. “Was Ben doing okay when you left him?”JED SALTZMAN
|
|
JED SALTZMAN
Hybrid
Posts: 273
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Ben Lowell
Played by:
Noe
I've become a bit of a mythology buff. Since I'm into a mythological guy that's, you know, buff.
Last seen May 6, 2024 21:29:42 GMT
|
Post by JED SALTZMAN on Dec 11, 2022 19:10:47 GMT
– I freed myself from words never said –
Jed felt a gentle smile form on his lips when Ben left a kiss on his cheek. Their exchange made today feel like any other day, it made him forget about Hope and the fact that he had her blood in his system now which meant he was very close to the remaining step of him dying to go into transition. Soon, he will wake up in transition and he will only be moments away from fully becoming a hybrid. He'd just have to drink blood to complete his transition and that's it. Jed understood that some people might find the whole experience to be scary, but Jed was actually excited. He didn't feel any fear and any anxiety he'd experienced earlier was long gone, too. He was feeling pretty safe in Ben's arms and he also felt ready. Ready to face whatever came next. It explained why he didn't panic when he felt his heart slow down and instead went quietly, accepting the fact that it was finally time.
Hope nodded her head with a soft sigh falling from her lips. "I'll try my best." She promised with a small smile forming on her lips not long after. She'd have to find her own way to lead the pack and it was most definitely not going to be easy but she was willing to try, for the pack's sake and for Jed's, too. He trusted her to lead the pack and she didn't want to break that trust or ruin it in any way. It was only just a matter of time before she finds out whether the pack would accept her or not. Soon enough, Hope was out of the bedroom with Josie so that they could check on Josie's parents. "Yeah... I felt a bit different when I did the spell. I don't know how to explain it, but it was like a surge of power." Hope explained, focusing on Josie's last question. "But, um, I feel okay. It's not too bad." Hope assured her with a small smile resting on her lips. She felt okay now, but she knew she'd wind up feeling nervous when she meets the pack. Hope's lips lifted into a soft smile when Josie told her that there was no either place she'd rather be, either.
Hope leaned forward to press a soft kiss against Josie's cheek before drawing back so she could go and check on Josie's parents. Hope nodded her head in agreement with Josie on that. "What you're feeling is completely understandable and I know Jed would never hold it against you." Hope reassured Jenna with a gentle smile on her lips.
"Yeah... I thought I'd be able to push through without crying too hard but I was very wrong. I just didn't expect it to hurt this much." And Jenna knew that Jed will be coming back but it still hurt her quite a bit.
"As well as he could be in that moment, I think. He still looked really sad, though. Understandably so." Hope said with a nod of her head following, her eyes moving to relax on Alaric who seemed to be holding back for Jenna's sake. "Oh, poor boy..." Jenna said with a sad sigh falling from her lips not long after. Hope could tell that Jenna was trying her best to get her tears under control and she did take some time to fully prepare herself before she turned to look at Ric after a couple of long minutes. "Let's go back and stay with him until Jed's back. I don't think he should be alone right now." Jenna said with a nod of her head following as she sniffed and dried her cheeks. For Ben's sake, Jenna was willing to fight through her tears and stay strong for her boys.
"Are you sure? You can stay here for a little bit more if you don't feel ready." Hope spoke up from where she was sitting next to Josie, looking between the family. "Truth is, sweetheart, I don't think I'll ever feel ready if I sat here. My heart aches just from looking at Jed in this state, but I believe that one of the many reasons that Jed wanted us to be here today was to make sure that Ben wasn't on his own while he was... gone. So, I just have to push through this pain and stay with Ben. I also believe that all of us staying together will make this hurt... less." Jenna said with a small sad smile on her lips. "Come on, my girls." Jenna grasped onto Ric's arm with one hand and held her hand out for Josie to take and with Hope holding onto Josie's hand, they will all have the chance to head upstairs together.
TAG: BEN LOWELL
|
|
BEN LOWELL
Nephilim
Posts: 279
Age:
5000+
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Jed Saltzman
Played by:
Emma
If we're not careful you might wind up making me a better person
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:19:17 GMT
|
Post by BEN LOWELL on Dec 11, 2022 19:42:31 GMT
While it was true that Ben had been in love before, he had never felt like this before. He knew that he could have had a future with Ashur and been happy but he had never wanted a future with anyone as much as he wanted one with Jed. Ben knew that it went beyond the fact that he had been on his own for so long, while he had loved Ashur it was Jed who was his soulmate and once this part was over they would have their whole lives ahead of them. That was what Ben kept telling himself to get through this, Jed was completely relaxed while they talked and Ben knew that he had succeeded in distracting his fiancé from what was going to happen. It was almost like it was just the two of them having a normal conversation and Ben knew that that was as it should be. He hadn’t wanted Jed to worry or feel any fear and thankfully he didn’t seem to so Ben was grateful for that at least. The pain he felt with Jed gone was immense but he knew that he wasn’t going to leave Jed’s side and he kept reminding himself that it would all be worth it in the end. Josie knew that Hope had had her doubts about taking over as Alpha of the school’s pack but she really did believe that her girlfriend was the right person for the job and she hoped that in time Hope would see it too. Josie had been doing her best to support Hope ever since the suggestion had been put forward and she knew that she would have respected Hope’s decision if she had decided that it wasn’t what she wanted just like Jed and Ben would have done. In the end she had decided to go through with it, though, and now Josie wanted to make sure that she was doing alright with it. She already had her own pack in Raf and now Jed but before she was an Alpha unofficially whereas now she had the power that came with it. “That makes sense, I could feel a shift in the air too,” Josie admitted. It was hard to explain but it was almost like she could feel the power being passed from her brother to Hope. “I’m glad,” she said gently, bringing her hand up and letting it rest against Hope’s cheek as she said that it wasn’t too bad. “Will you show me your eyes?” she asked, knowing that she would rather see Hope’s eyes red for the first time to signify her new Alpha status while it was just the two of them. She had seen Jed’s before but she knew that this would be different. Together they headed downstairs to check in on Josie’s parents and she couldn’t deny that she was glad that Hope was there with her. It was a little strange not having the rest of the family around but she knew that Lizzie wouldn’t have been able to cope with this just like she wouldn’t have been able to cope being there when Josie woke up in transition. Her sister had her own struggles and adding to them wasn’t a good idea. It was comforting to know that her parents were there as well though and her expression softened at her mom’s words. “Jed will come back but he’s still your son, I can’t blame you for crying,” she said gently. “It must be just as hard for the two of you as it is for Ben.” It was hard for Josie as well but she knew that the love of a sibling was very different to that of a lover or parent. She could tell that her dad was doing his best to keep it together but every now and then she caught sight of a couple of tears running down his cheeks as well although he was quick to wipe them away, probably for her mom’s sake. “That’s understandable, he really does love Jed,” Ric nodded, so glad that his son had found someone to love him like that. “We shouldn’t leave him alone for too long,” he added, knowing that that wouldn’t be what Jed wanted or what Ben deserved. He was family too. A few minutes later Jenna turned to look at him and said they should go back and stay with Ben until Jed was back. “Are you sure?” he asked, echoing Hope’s question. The last thing he wanted was for Jenna to do something that she didn’t feel like she was ready to do. Her reasons for it were enough to have Ric’s expression softening, though, and he nodded. “I know how you feel, seeing your kid like that is any parent’s worst nightmare even if it is only temporary,” he said gently. “You’re right though, Jed would want us to be there for Ben so let’s do it,” he said, bringing his free hand up and brushing Jenna’s hair away from her face as she reached her free hand out to Josie. Josie didn’t hesitate in taking her mom’s hand in the hand that wasn’t holding Hope’s and together the four of them made their way back upstairs. JED SALTZMAN
|
|
HOPE MIKAELSON
Tribrid
Posts: 164
Status:
In a Relationship
Partner:
Josie Saltzman
Played by:
noelle
Every family has a legacy, and this is mine. I intend to fight for always and forever.
Last seen Apr 21, 2024 23:11:42 GMT
|
Post by HOPE MIKAELSON on Dec 11, 2022 20:21:20 GMT
━ your sweetness is more cruel than your hurt ━
The shift in power had been unmistakable. Hope had felt it course through her veins, forever changing her the same way that becoming a fully activated Tribrid had. With her now being an Alpha too, Hope's role had expanded beyond just the squad. She didn't like to think of herself as the leader of the squad because everyone had amazing qualifications already and they were all pretty strong and didn't need anyone to lead them. But now, she was the actual leader of a pack, their Alpha. Someone who was supposed to lead the pack right, to take good care of them and to make sure that their complaints are heard. Not to mention that it was her job to keep the pack safe. To say that Hope was anxious about becoming an Alpha would honestly be an understatement because if recent events had been of any indication, it's that it was far too difficult to keep everyone safe. One fight against Ben's father made her realize that. "Oh... Yeah. Sure." Hope was a little surprised by Josie's request but she complied nonetheless. Hope closed her eyes for a beat or two before she opened them. They were different from the way they looked before when she fully activated her Tribrid status. They were a mixture of red and gold, though the red was the unmistakable color of an Alpha. The gold was the color that her eyes used to be when she became a fully activated Tribrid. "How do they look? I haven't really looked since... y'know." Hope questioned, her eyes still on Josie. Truth be told, she couldn't bring herself to look at them after taking Jed's life. Hope blinked and her eyes went back to normal.
Hope nodded her head in agreement with Josie. She never thought of the woman as dramatic for crying hard over Jed's death because she knew just how much Jed meant to his family. If anything, it made her heart ache for them. She wished she could take all their sadness and carry it so they wouldn't have to. Hope agreed with Josie once again because she couldn't even begin to fathom how difficult it must have been for them to see Jed die. In a way, she had felt Ben's pain before when Josie died in her arms and it was beyond painful, so much so that Hope couldn't even find the words to describe the pain. She knew that Jed's death was only momentary but their reactions had her hoping that they would never have to go through that pain again. "Thank you, sweethearts." Jenna replied, a small smile forming on her lips as both Josie and Hope reassured her that it was understandable for her to cry so much over losing Jed, even if it was just for a couple of hours.
Hope nodded her head in agreement with Alaric because they definitely shouldn't leave Ben alone for long. "I'm sure. He needs us, too." Jenna said with a small smile resting on her lips as she wiped her tears away. Jenna's expression softened at Alaric's words before she nodded her head. "It really is." Becoming a parent had changed so much in Jenna but it also gave her that unshakable fear of losing her kids or seeing them in pain. She never wanted to see Jed like that ever again. She was pretty sure that her heart wouldn't be able to take it. "Okay. Let's do this." Jenna took a deep breath and released it, smiling when Ric pushed her hair away from her face. Soon enough, the entire family was heading upstairs to Ben.
"Hey, sweetheart." Jenna greeted when she entered the bedroom, her eyes relaxing on Ben first before she looked at Jed, her heart clenching. She refused to let the sadness consume her as she instead began approaching Ben and Jed, choosing to sit with her family. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, for leaving you alone. I just needed a moment to gather my bearings. We're here to stay now." Jenna promised with a gentle smile resting on her lips, refusing to let the tears rise to her eyes. She was not going to cry again. "Now, we wait." Hope spoke up with a nod of her head following, Josie's hand clasped in her own. The smell of death was prominent in the room but she shook it off and stayed with the Saltzmans and Ben. There was no other place she would rather be right now.
|
|
BEN LOWELL
Nephilim
Posts: 279
Age:
5000+
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Jed Saltzman
Played by:
Emma
If we're not careful you might wind up making me a better person
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:19:17 GMT
|
Post by BEN LOWELL on Dec 11, 2022 23:58:07 GMT
Josie had known the moment Jed died from the way Ben broke down but even if he hadn't Josie would have known from the way the power shifted from Jed to Hope. So much was changing right now but Josie knew that wasn't such a bad thing. This might not be what she and Hope had planned but it was the way things would have ended up going eventually so Josie didn't feel so bad about it as she had done at first. There was always going to be a part of Josie that would envy Jed for doing this on his terms but she was happy for him at the same time. He was making the decision to do this so he could be with Ben and that was a decision that Josie would have made as well. It wasn't just Jed and Ben's lives that were changing, Hope's had as well and Josie couldn't deny that she was worried about her. It was such a big deal for Hope and Josie knew just how nervous Hope was about taking the Alpha status on in the first place so she wanted to make sure that her girlfriend was doing okay. She seemed to be holding up okay and Josie could see that Hope was surprised when she asked to see her eyes and Josie felt her breath catch in her throat as Hope complied with her request. "They're beautiful," Josie said gently, her eyes locked on Hope's as she spoke. "They're still the same golden colour they became when you activated your vampire side but with red mixed in. They're stunning, just like you," she said as she ran her thumb lightly over Hope's cheek. "Thank you for showing them to me."They all knew how much Jed wanted this and it had been clear that his mind was made up but that didn't make his loss any easier to process. Josie was finding it difficult to get her head around the fact that her brother was gone and she knew that it had to be that much worse for her parents and Ben. Seeing how much pain Ben was in had made her think of Hope and the day the two of them had died and Josie knew that she would do everything she could in order to spare her loved ones from going through pain like this again. She knew that one day most of her family would be gone but she hoped that wouldn't be for a very long time to come. "Of course, mom. You should never feel bad for feeling the way you do," Josie assured her gently. There were times when she had to remind herself that her parents hadn't grown up in the supernatural world the way she and Lizzie had but she never wanted either of them to feel bad when something happened even if they had known it was coming like this and she knew that Jed wouldn't want that either. "You're right, he does," Ric agreed as Jenna said that Ben needed them too. Ric could only imagine the pain that he was feeling right now and that was why he hadn't wanted him to be alone for too long no matter how difficult it would be for all of them to see Jed like that again. Ric wasn't at all surprised when Jenna agreed with him and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "We just have to remember that this is what he wants and he'll be back with us making awful jokes again before we know it," Ric said, knowing that he was trying to remind himself of that as much as he was Jenna and the girls. "Let's do this together," he added, offering them all a half smile before heading upstairs. Ben had been on his own with Jed for a little while and the truth was that he hadn't minded too much as it had given him the chance to grieve without feeling like he was being watched. Ben knew that it was crazy because Jed would be coming back to them but in the beginning he was taken back to the day Jed had died when the dragon attacked. The pain he had felt that day had been intense but this time around they had been together for much longer so it was a whole lot worse. Ben was still lying next to Jed with Jed's hand clasped in his own but his tears had all just about been shed by the time Jed's family and Hope returned and he offered them all a half smile, albeit one that didn't meet his eyes. "Hey, you're back," he said, unable to deny that he was a little surprised since he wouldn't have blamed them for wanting to stay downstairs until Jed woke up. "We promised we would be here for him and we didn't want you to have to go through this alone either," Ric said gently. "Thank you all, I appreciate that," Ben said sincerely, knowing that he really was glad of the company now. As Jenna apologised, Ben shook his head. "You have nothing to apologise for, I knowhow hard that must have been for you." They had seemed just as upset after Josie died so Ben knew that it was all to do with being a parent. "I'm glad you came back, Jed will be so happy to see you all when he wakes up." They all meant the world to Jed so there wasn't a doubt in Ben's mind about that. As Hope spoke up, Josie offered her girlfriend a half smile and squeezed her hand while Ben nodded. "Now we wait."HOPE MIKAELSON/ JED SALTZMAN
|
|
HOPE MIKAELSON
Tribrid
Posts: 164
Status:
In a Relationship
Partner:
Josie Saltzman
Played by:
noelle
Every family has a legacy, and this is mine. I intend to fight for always and forever.
Last seen Apr 21, 2024 23:11:42 GMT
|
Post by HOPE MIKAELSON on Dec 12, 2022 17:41:30 GMT
━ your sweetness is more cruel than your hurt ━
Hope listened as Josie explained the way her eyes looked to her, a gentle smile beginning to form on her lips as she complimented both her eyes and her. It made her duck her head shyly, but the smile was still present on her lips. It wasn't long before she was leaning into Josie's touch, closing her eyes for a moment to just allow herself to appreciate the kind gesture. "Of course." Hope replied back when Josie thanked her for showing her the color of her eyes.
She couldn't help but hope that with their reassurance that it was completely okay for her to feel that way, Jenna would stop feeling bad for crying over Jed's death. In moments like these, it didn't matter if their death was momentary or not. It still felt wrong and painful to see them that way, so of course she understood what Jenna was going through and she knew that nobody was going to hold it against her for reacting like that. Hope's lips stretched into a smile at Alaric's words because she had a feeling that it won't take long at all for Jed to start cracking jokes about becoming a hybrid. He'd made countless jokes about dying the first time, there was no way they'd be able to stop him from cracking the same jokes again later on. Jenna's smile mimicked Hope's as well before she let out a soft chuckle, knowing that it was exactly like Jed to act that way. They will just have to push through and survive the next couple of hours and then Jed would be back.
"Yeah. We are." Jenna replied with a gentle smile on her lips. It was Ric who spoke next and both Jenna and Hope nodded their heads to showcase their agreement with what Ric had just said. "Thank you, sweetheart. You're right, though, and I know that we'd all be very happy to see him as well. We just have to survive the next couple of hours with each other. It'll pass quickly." Jenna said with a nod of her head following and when Hope spoke up, Jenna nodded again and leaned against her husband. In the meantime, Hope returned the squeeze of Josie's hand and moved closer to her girlfriend. From there, it was a waiting game as they waited for Jed to wake up. Jenna kept her promise and didn't break down and stayed seated with her family, her eyes on her boy as she waited for him to wake up.
|
|
JED SALTZMAN
Hybrid
Posts: 273
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Ben Lowell
Played by:
Noe
I've become a bit of a mythology buff. Since I'm into a mythological guy that's, you know, buff.
Last seen May 6, 2024 21:29:42 GMT
|
Post by JED SALTZMAN on Dec 12, 2022 20:21:25 GMT
━ I freed myself from words never said ━
Jed's eyes fluttered upon and his eyes settled on an all-too-familiar night sky and when he sat up, albeit slowly, he quickly recognized his surroundings and his shoulders sagged in relief because it meant that everything was going according to plan. It took him a moment to think back on his last memory and it wasn't long before he was able to recall that he'd been in Ben's embrace with his fiancé telling him another story to keep him fully engaged and to stop him from picking up on the sound of Hope's approaching footsteps. He had definitely succeeded because Jed hadn't been able to even sense Hope close by and when he died, he'd felt nothing but peace wash over him. It was completely different from the last time he had died. The pain he'd experienced back then had been a lot more intense and he'd been terrified out of his own skin when he woke up to find himself in a place devoid of any people. But now, he didn't feel the same amount of fear.
He pushed himself up from the ground and began walking aimlessly before he managed to exit the endless woods that seemed to stretch ahead for miles and despite the faint hope that he held that he'd be able to find anyone upon exiting the woods, he quickly came to the realization that there was truly nobody around. With a soft sigh falling from his lips, Jed approached one of the benches and sat down. He leaned forward to lean his elbows against his thighs, his fingers playing with the ring that embraced his finger, finding comfort in the gesture that made him feel almost connected to Ben still despite the fact that Ben was in the land of the living and he was on the Other Side. Jed felt like time wasn't even moving and truth be told, he was aching to get back because he missed everyone and he had no doubt in his mind that they were feeling an immense amount of sadness because of the fact that he was dead. It didn't matter that his death would only be momentary, it was still pretty hard to see him that way, he was sure of it. It made his heart ache just from imagining them cry over his death. If he could control time, he would've made it move a lot faster to avoid putting them through any more sadness but he was helpless and could only wait for time to have some resemblance of mercy on him and let him come back.
Jed snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps and the realization that he wasn't alone made him immediately stand up as he turned around, eyes narrowing a little because he was trying to see if he could spot anything moving in the woods. "Hello, Jedidiah." Jed turned around with a surprised sound, his eyes relaxing on the other person. "What the hell━?!" Jed had become so accustomed to the loud sound of silence that hearing another person's voice felt ━ odd.
"Who are you? How do you know who I am?" Truth be told, Jed was beyond creeped out but there was something about the other person that made him think that they weren't going to hurt him. They were here for something, though. "It's time for you to move on. I can help you with that. If you will accept my help." The person spoke again, their voice was eerily calm and expectant. Their hand was held out with their palm facing up, expecting him to take their hand. Though Jed's head was still reeling a little bit from their statement. Move on?
"Oh. Wait. No, no. I can't do that. I'm not dead." The other person merely lifted a brow. "Okay, let me rephrase that. I am very much dead, but not permanently. So I can't... move on. Not like this." Jed shook his head gently, though he watched as they lowered their hand slowly as if expecting him to change his mind at any given moment but he stood his ground. "Do you truly wish to go back? I can guide you to a better place. Where you can finally rest, Jedidiah." Jed frowned slightly as they held out their hand again, persistent as always, but never grabbing his hand forcibly, so that was at least nice.
"A better place? Like Heaven?" Silence was the only answer that he received back. Though there was something in their eyes that made him think that he was right. "I can go to Heaven? But I'm not━" A good guy. Ben's face flashed in his mind and the words died in his mouth. He was reminded of the promise that he made to Ben to not speak ill of himself. "I appreciate the offer, I really do, and I'm sorry to you if my answer is going to disappoint you, but I'm not ready to leave yet. I have so much to live for still and I have people to live for. I can't leave them behind, not when they mean so much to me. I may be dead right now, but oddly enough, I have chosen to die so that I can live. I want to live and I do want to go back because even though life can be extremely difficult, it's worth living if you're surrounded by people you love very dearly. I can't give up on that. Not now. Not willingly." In his mind, images of Ben, his parents, sisters, brothers, and the rest of his family flashed one after the other and Jed's lips stretched into a small smile as he took a gentle step back and the person's hand fell, accepting his answer. He watched as they nodded and turned to walk away. He couldn't help but watch in awe as they disappeared back into the woods as if they had never been there to begin with.
Jed noticed the gentle rumble of the ground beneath him and it made him realize that it was time. Maybe the key was for him to simply choose to live and he really, really wanted to live. He didn't want to go, not now. Not ever. Jed was surrounded by darkness for the third time that night before his eyes finally blinked open and he took in a breath. That very same breath got his lungs working again and when his eyes opened, they relaxed on a familiar ceiling and the completely replaced the darkness he'd seen when he first opened his eyes. The realization that he was back nearly brought tears to his eyes. Jed turned his head to find Ben lying next to him and his lips spread into a weak smile. "Hey." Jed rasped, his throat feeling incredibly dry. The hand that had been laying still for a few hours now reached out for Ben's hand "I missed you." Unlike last time, there were no funny comments lying on the tip of his tongue because he felt so happy and relieved that he couldn't think of anything else to say other than the fact that he had missed Ben very much. He felt quite a lot of odd symptoms all at once, like the dryness of his throat, the haziness of his vision, the ache in his gums, it all made him feel as though he'd been asleep for many, many days, if not weeks. There was a faint buzzing sound that made him feel like there was a fly trapped in his head. Though despite all that, he still found the strength to turn his head to look at the rest of his family, his smile still present on his lips. "You have no idea how good it feels to see you all again." Spending time in that lonely, dark place had made him realize once again just how much he truly loved his family. Jenna's eyes immediately filled with tears at the sight of Jed being awake as she released a relieved smile and Hope brightened up at the sight of him being awake, too. They had spent a few very, very long hours waiting for Jed to wake up and it truly felt great to see him alive again. "Oh, my sweet boy, I've missed you so much." Jenna bravely held back her tears for her boy's sake. "Welcome back, Jed. We really did miss you." Hope added a moment later, her words were genuine and so was her smile. It was the same smile that his mom wore, too. One that he mimicked too. "I missed you guys━" A brief pause as Jed's expression shifted into one of discomfort when he tried to swallow but it instead felt like his throat was made of sandpaper. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't comfortable, either. "Too. Very much." Jed was really thankful to see all of them in the bedroom with them, but mainly with Ben because he didn't want Ben to be alone while he was gone. Though when he looked at Ben and the rest of his family, he'd seen how puffy their eyes looked and it made him feel sad but he hoped that at least with him being back, they won't have to experience such an intense pain any longer.
TAG: BEN LOWELL
|
|
BEN LOWELL
Nephilim
Posts: 279
Age:
5000+
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Jed Saltzman
Played by:
Emma
If we're not careful you might wind up making me a better person
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:19:17 GMT
|
Post by BEN LOWELL on Dec 12, 2022 22:51:02 GMT
Josie had known that Hope’s eyes would change when she became the Alpha just like Jed’s would change when he woke up a hybrid without his Alpha status but she had never realised that they could look so beautiful. She knew how nervous Hope was about accepting the Alpha Status from Jed but Josie honestly did believe in her and she hoped that in time Hope would begin to find her feet. She had the makings of a great Alpha and it would take time but Josie honestly believed that Hope was going to do a great job. She was a natural leader and that was something that was never going to change. Josie wasn’t sure how things were going to go with the pack but she wanted them to give Hope the chance that she deserved and to respect Jed’s wishes so she knew that she just had to believe that things would work out in the end and she would be there for Hope as much as her girlfriend would let her. Josie could see how shy Hope was at the compliment but she really meant it and she felt a smile touch her lips as Hope spoke. Ben had known that going through this was going to be difficult but it was what Jed wanted and Ben knew that it would all be worth it when Jed woke up so it really was just a case of getting through this right now. Knowing that Jed’s family were in the house even if they weren’t ready to be in the same room as Jed really did help and Ben was glad that they were there. He couldn’t blame them for needing to take some time and there was a part of him that longed to join them but he knew that he couldn’t leave Jed. He had made a promise that he wouldn’t let Jed feel alone again and even though he wasn’t here right now, Ben knew that he couldn’t leave his fiancé’s side. Seeing Jed so lifeless like that hurt and he wanted nothing more than for Jed to wake up but he knew that he just had to be patient and trust that in time he would return to them. “Thank you for coming back,” Ben said, offering them all a smile. It really did mean a lot that they had decided to join him and Jed and he knew that Jed would feel the same when he woke up. Having them all there had meant so much to Jed but Ben understood how difficult it was for them. They were Jed’s parents and they always wanted what was best for him which was no doubt why they had given their blessing when Jed told them that he wanted to become a hybrid without hesitation and he was truly grateful to them for that. Today the next chapter of Jed’s life was beginning and Ben couldn’t wait to see what the future was going to hold for them. “I hope so, at least we have each other,” Ben said, reaching out for Jenna with the hand that wasn’t holding Jed’s and giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Jenna and Ric had each other and so did Josie and Hope so it really was just a case of waiting for Jed to come back to them so they would all be complete once more. Even though Ben was comfortable lying next to Jed like this the truth was that his heart still ached whenever he looked at his fiancé. He kept Jed’s hand firmly clasped in his own and had done since he had laid Jed down on the bed. He knew that Jed would probably think he was being silly but he just couldn’t help it. He knew that Jed was going to come back but that didn’t make the pain he felt any less and he knew that it never would. Jed had grieved him when he had died while they were trying to get the bracelet to work even though he had known that he would come back and now Ben was doing the same for Jed. It was easy to lose track of time while he waited but eventually he heard Jed catch his breath and Ben’s eyes snapped to Jed’s face, relief flooding through him as he realised that Jed’s eyes were open a last. “Hey, my love,” he breathed, his eyes stinging with tears which he quickly blinked away knowing that Jed wouldn’t want him to cry again. Jed’s free hand reached for his and Ben felt a smile touch his lips. “I missed you too, so much,” he said, he said, a watery chuckle leaving him as he moved forward slightly and pressed a gentle kiss to Jed’s lips. “Please don’t leave us like that again,” he pleaded, knowing that the last thing he wanted was to end up having Jed die for a third time. Soon enough he would have completed the transition and would be a hybrid but even then he could still die and Ben knew that he didn’t want Jed to go through that again, even if it only ended up being another temporary death. “How do you feel, are you doing okay?” he asked, hoping that it wasn’t too bad for Jed right now. “Believe me, it’s good to see you again too, son. Welcome back,” Ric said, a genuine smile forming on his face as he looked over at Jed. “We’ve missed you.” He longed to hug Jed and tell him that everything was going to be alright but he stayed where he was, instead choosing to give Jed and Ben some space. He had known that it would be difficult to watch Jed die but he hadn’t realised just how bad it would end up being. Now he was back with them where he belonged, though, and Ric really was glad about that. “Don’t you dare do that again, we all missed you far too much,” Josie said, knowing that the others all felt the same. It was so much more difficult than they had thought that it would be and Josie knew that she didn’t want any of them to go through that again. Ben had been smiling as he watched the interaction between Jed and his family but his expression turned to one of concern as Jed’s expression shifted to one of discomfort. “Are you okay?” he asked, bringing his hand up and resting it lightly against Jed’s cheek. Ben wasn’t used to the whole transition thing yet but he caught sight of the blood bag on the bedside table and realised why Jed was perhaps feeling uncomfortable right now. “You don’t have to make yourself uncomfortable for us,” he said as he held the blood bag out to Jed. He had thought about offering up his own blood so Jed could complete the transition but he only had one human parent so he wasn’t sure if it would work. “Whenever you’re ready, we’re all right here with you.”HOPE MIKAELSON/ JED SALTZMAN
|
|
JED SALTZMAN
Hybrid
Posts: 273
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Ben Lowell
Played by:
Noe
I've become a bit of a mythology buff. Since I'm into a mythological guy that's, you know, buff.
Last seen May 6, 2024 21:29:42 GMT
|
Post by JED SALTZMAN on Dec 13, 2022 20:49:41 GMT
━ I freed myself from words never said ━
Jed's expression softened when he saw the way that Ben's eyes looked glossy for a moment before he blinked the tears away. He'd missed the sound of Ben's voice and the gentleness of his touch. Thanks to the ring around his finger, he felt closer to Ben despite the fact that they were far away from one another. It gave him the comfort that he desperately needed. Jed was more than happy to return the kiss, one hand moving away from Ben's hand to lift so he could rest it on Ben's cheek before they drew back from the kiss. "Wouldn't dream of it." Came his reassurance followed by a smile. "I'm okay, don't worry. I'm honestly just really happy to be back." Jed admitted with a quick nod of his head following as he carefully pushed himself into a sitting position, his body feeling heavier than usual but once again, it wasn't painful.
"Thank you, dad. Honestly, I really wanna hug you all right now but I'm worried I might, y'know, do something vampire-y, I guess." Jed didn't want to accidentally hurt any of his family, and of course, said family included Ben in it. A weak but soft chuckle fell from his lips at Josie's words before he nodded his head a few times. "I think two times is more than enough to last me a century and a half." Jed said with a smile resting on his lips as his laughter faded. His attention soon moved from Josie to rest on Ben when he picked on his discomfort. Of course, he did.
"I'm okay, just uh ━ a bit uncomfortable." Jed massaged his throat as he explained, leaning into the gentle touch. "That's completely normal. I felt the same way when I woke up in transition, too. You'll feel a lot better after feeding." Hope spoke up from where she was, her tone reassuring as always. Jed nodded his head, relieved to hear that what he was feeling was common and that his body wasn't having some sort of reaction.
Jed's eyes drifted down to the offered blood bag and the ache in his gums intensified. He gulped past the lump in his throat and carefully reached out for the blood bag, his eyes zeroed in on the red liquid inside of it, his mouth nearly salivating despite how dry his throat and mouth were. "Thank you," Jed whispered, finally finding his voice again. He lifted his eyes with great difficulty to look at Ben before he took a deep breath. He looked at his family next before moving his attention back to the blood bag that seemed to be calling his name. He'd never felt so tempted by something before and soon enough, he was uncapping the blood bag and lifting it to his mouth, the smell of blood made him cringe at first but he figured it was just an instinctual reaction and when he squeezed the bag so that the blood could rise to the top and flow into his mouth, he released a small noise because at first, it tasted like, well, blood. It didn't taste good and he thought that he was just gonna have to spend the rest of his life putting up with the awful taste but then something kicked in, a new type of hunger he'd never felt before and the metallic taste was replaced with something that had him squeezing the bag a bit harder to get the blood flow to increase into his mouth. In a matter of seconds, the blood bag was empty and that new but intense hunger was finally satiated. Jed moved the blood bag away from his mouth, lifting his arm to wipe away any blood from the edge of his mouth as well as his lips. Jed felt something strange under his eyes and when he lifted his hands, he felt veins underneath his fingertips. He'd seen many vampires feed at the school and he'd seen those very same veins under their eyes before. "Woah." Jed whispered. He had no doubt that right now, his eyes looked different too. "This is really cool." Jed added a moment later, not at all freaked out. "Do I look cool?" Jed asked his fiancé, wanting nothing more than to get up and see his own reflection to see how he actually looked, but he stayed where he was.
"Congratulations, Jed. You're now officially a hybrid." Hope spoke up with a small smile resting on her lips, one that Jed mimicked as the veins under his eyes finally disappeared, same with the protruding fangs and soon the glow of his eyes disappeared and his eyes went back to normal. "Thank you. None of this would've been possible without you, Hope." Jed offered back to Hope, his tone showcasing his gratitude. "This feels so weird, by the way." The weakness he'd experienced upon waking up was long gone, same with the consistent buzzing. He'd never felt anything like this before. He was already strong with him being a werewolf, but now he felt even stronger. He liked the feeling quite a lot, actually. "It kinda feels like I got a software update, just like a phone." Jed said with a soft chuckle falling from his lips as he flexed his free hand as if he could feel his own new strength rushing through him.
TAG: BEN LOWELL
|
|
BEN LOWELL
Nephilim
Posts: 279
Age:
5000+
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Jed Saltzman
Played by:
Emma
If we're not careful you might wind up making me a better person
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:19:17 GMT
|
Post by BEN LOWELL on Dec 13, 2022 21:51:04 GMT
It really was such a relief to see Jed awake once more. Ben had known that his death was only temporary but he had still missed Jed more than he had ever thought that he would. It hadn’t felt right without Jed there making jokes and making them all smile and Ben knew that he was never going to take a moment of their time together for granted. Soon enough Jed would be completing the transition so this really was the start of something new for the two of them and Ben was glad that Jed had decided that he wanted to do this. They could have had a long and happy life together even if Jed had remained mortal but now they had an immortal life together ahead of them and that was definitely something worth looking forward to. It felt so good to be able to kiss Jed again and Ben leaned into the touch as Jed’s hand rested against his cheek. “You’d better not,” Ben said, his thumb running lightly over Jed’s cheek as he said that he wouldn’t dream of leaving them again. He had already lost Jed twice now and that was more than enough so he knew that he didn’t want to go through that again. “I’m really glad you’re back. I know it was only a few hours but it wasn’t the same without you,” he admitted, knowing that his words were true. Pushing himself up into a sitting position next to Jed, Ben kept his fiancé’s hand clasped in his and ran his thumb lightly over Jed’s knuckles. “I think it’s safe to say we all want to hug you right now too but we can wait a minute,” Ric assured him although the truth was that it really was difficult not to go over there and pull Jed into a hug right now. They had all known that Jed was going to die and they had also known how much he wanted it but it hadn’t made it any easier. “I think it’s enough to last you longer than that,” Josie grinned, not sure that any of them wanted to go through the pain of losing Jed again anytime soon. Things had been a little rocky when he joined their family at first but now he truly was one of them and she knew that she wouldn’t have it any other way. It was easy for Ben to see that Jed was uncomfortable right now, they knew each other so well and they were always able to pick up on things like that but Ben knew why Jed was uncomfortable and this time there was something that he could do to fix it. “I thought so,” Ben said, lifting their joined hands and pressing a light kiss to Jed’s knuckles. It made sense when Hope said that she felt the same way when she woke up in transition and Ben could see Josie nodding as well. It seemed to be something that they had all been through and Ben reached for the blood bag with ease. Jed was careful as he reached for it and Ben offered him a reassuring smile. He knew that this had to be strange for Jed right now but in time he hoped that it would get easier. “It’s okay, you’ve got this,” Ben assured him as he let go of Jed’s hand so that Jed could uncap the blood bag. Ben’s heart ached as Jed cringed at first but soon enough he was drinking eagerly from the blood bag and Ben felt relief flood through him. He knew that Jed and Hope had both been worried that Jed would struggle like Raf had done for a while but right now he seemed to be taking everything in his stride and Ben really was glad about that. Once he was done Ben took the empty blood bag from him and set it down on the side once more. As he turned back to look at Jed, he caught sight of the veins under Jed’s eyes and Ben felt a smile touch his lips as he said it was really cool and asked if he looked cool. “You do look cool,” he chuckled before reaching for his phone. “See for yourself,” he grinned, turning the camera on and flipping it to the front camera so that Jed could see for himself. Ben felt his heart leap as Hope said that Jed was officially a hybrid, he had known that it was true but hearing those words was enough to make it real for him. Jed had changed his whole life and Ben knew that he would spend every day making sure that Jed knew that it was the right decision to make. They had their whole lives ahead of them now, they had a wedding to plan and a life to build and that was something that he was looking forward to more than he could ever put into words. As Jed said it felt weird, Ben studied him carefully for a moment. “A good weird though, right?” he asked, studying Jed’s face carefully for his reaction. “No regrets?”JED SALTZMAN
|
|
JED SALTZMAN
Hybrid
Posts: 273
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Ben Lowell
Played by:
Noe
I've become a bit of a mythology buff. Since I'm into a mythological guy that's, you know, buff.
Last seen May 6, 2024 21:29:42 GMT
|
Post by JED SALTZMAN on Dec 13, 2022 22:23:03 GMT
━ I freed myself from words never said ━
Jed felt a gentle smile form on his lips at Ben's words. He'd already died twice on Ben and it was something he definitely needed to put an end to. But he hoped that after today, he won't die again unless life had other plans but when you have a fiancé that can bring you back from the dead if anything does happen, you start to feel less anxious about that kind of stuff but more sad that you are putting your family through that kind of trauma. "I can tell that much from how puffy your eyes are. Not just you, by the way." Jed said with a light-hearted smile. He knew it was too much to ask of them not to cry over his death, but seeing how puffy their eyes looked painted an image of them crying hard and it made his heart ache.
Jed nodded his head at his dad's words before he let out a soft chuckle. "Soon." He promised with a nod of his head following. He felt like death at the moment, but he knew that once his transition was all done with, he'd feel ten times better. Plus, he didn't blame his body for feeling that way because he had after all just come back from the dead. Something that should be impossible, but thanks to Hope's blood, it was made possible and now he wasn't just a werewolf, but a hybrid, too. Oh, speaking of his prior status, his eyes relaxed on Hope. He could sense that something was different about her, but he left the question for now and focused on Josie, pale lips stretching into a grin. "You've got that right." He'd died twice now and each time sucked. He was just really, really happy to be back.
Jed's expression softened when Ben pressed a kiss on his knuckles. It wasn't long before Ben was holding out the blood bag for him, always happy to help him with whatever he needed and he knew that right now, what he needed was blood so that he could complete his transition and not have to worry about dying a third time if he didn't complete his transition in time. He'd put his family through enough trauma to last them a lifetime, honestly. "Okay." Jed took a deep breath at Ben's encouragement and soon enough, he was tasting blood for the second time that night but this time, it was different. Sure, it tasted exactly like blood at first but then the taste completely changed and he found himself eagerly drinking the contents of the blood bag but thankfully, he didn't make any mess on the bed. Soon enough, the bag was empty and he gradually started feeling much, much better.
Jed watched as Ben fetched his phone and when his eyes relaxed on his reflection, he let out a soft gasp. "Holy shit. I look like a terminator!" Jed moved his head left and right to look at his face from all angles. "So badass." Soon enough, his eyes were switching back to normal and the veins underneath his eyes disappeared, same with his fangs. Hope's words made it feel a lot more official and he felt a small smile form on his lips, feeling pretty happy about it, actually.
"Oh, definitely a good type of weird. I feel stronger." Jed wanted to try out so many things now that he was a hybrid, but he figured he should take it easy since he'd just come back from the dead. "No regrets. I'm still one hundred percent okay with this." Jed assured him gently.
"Okay. I feel like I should warn you now. You're going to experience emotions a lot more intensely now that you're a vampire too. So, if you ever feel like you're behaving differently, or sometimes blowing things out of proportion with your reactions, that's completely normal." Hope spoke up from where she was next to Josie, capturing Jed's attention effectively. His expression turned into one of brief confusion before he nodded his head a few times. "Okay. Got it." Jed figured that he shouldn't get surprised by his own reactions over the next couple of days - or maybe years, he's got no idea how long it actually takes to control heightened emotions - and just allow those emotions to pass without him restricting them. "So, um, does this mean that I have the green light to hug you guys?" Jed questioned with a hopeful smile on his lips.
TAG: BEN LOWELL
|
|
BEN LOWELL
Nephilim
Posts: 279
Age:
5000+
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Jed Saltzman
Played by:
Emma
If we're not careful you might wind up making me a better person
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:19:17 GMT
|
Post by BEN LOWELL on Dec 13, 2022 23:31:16 GMT
Ben had lived for thousands of years before he’d met Jed and he’d discovered a few of his powers during that time but he hadn’t discovered his ability to heal or bring people back from the dead until he lost Jed. That was how strong his love for Jed was and Ben knew that if anything did happen to Jed then he would bring him back without thinking twice about it, consequences be damned. They had both been through far too much over the course of their lives and they had finally found each other now so he knew that he wasn’t going to let something like that tear them apart. Now Jed was a hybrid it felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders but Ben knew that he could still die, it would just be much more difficult for that to happen. As Jed spoke, Ben couldn’t help but laugh. “What can I say, I promised I would try not to cry too much but I failed miserably,” he chuckled. “We all did.” It just went to show how much Jed meant to all of them, though, so Ben had a feeling that his fiancé wouldn’t mind too much. Ric hadn’t been there when Jed had died the first time but he had seen it happen this time and he wanted nothing more than to hug his son but he knew that it was important to wait until Jed had completed the transition and felt comfortable being close to them. He seemed fine with Ben there but that was different, love for a partner was a very powerful thing and he knew that the boys would be just fine so close to each other. Ric trusted Jed not to hurt any of them but he also wanted Jed to feel at ease being around them and to feel better than he did right now so for now they were just going to have to be patient and he nodded as Jed said that he would hug them soon. “Soon,” Ric repeated, a smile forming on his face as he looked over at his son. As Jed said that she was right about him having died enough, Josie couldn’t help but smile back at her brother. “Time to start looking after yourself. I know you’ve got a fiancé who can bring you back from the dead but I don’t think any of our hearts could take it,” she said, knowing that the pain of losing Jed twice was more than enough. It felt so good to have Jed back with them where he belonged and Ben could see that Jed was feeling uncomfortable right now no matter how much he was trying to disguise it. That was the last thing he wanted so he was soon reaching for the blood bag, knowing that there really wasn’t any reason to delay things this time around. When Josie had woken up in transition she’d needed to make sure that she stored away her magic so she wouldn’t lose it when she completed the transition and Hope had wanted to hold off on completing her transition until she and Josie could do it together but for Jed there wasn’t anything like that to hold him back. Ben couldn’t deny that it was strange seeing Jed drinking blood but he had seen others do it at the Salvatore School so he knew that it was something that he could get used to and it was definitely a small price to pay to have Jed stay with him for eternity. “Come to think of it you do a little but they’ve got nothing on you,” Ben chuckled, an amused smile forming on his face as he watched Jed check his reflection from different angles. He still looked perfect to Ben and he knew that nothing was going to change that. Jed had made sure that he had known what he was letting himself in for before he decided to go through with this and Ben had done as well so he knew that nothing was going to change the way that he felt about Jed. “I’m so glad to hear that,” Ben admitted as Jed said that it was definitely a good type of weird and that he didn’t have any regrets. Now that Jed had become a hybrid it couldn’t be taken back so it really was good to know that Jed was still okay with it. It had been his decision in the first place and the last thing Ben had wanted was for him to end up regretting it. As Hope explained about what it was going to be like for Jed with his emotions now, Ben found himself nodding. “That’s good to know, thanks,” he said gently, knowing that he would keep that in mind and not worry too much if Jed did end up struggling with his emotions or have a shorter fuse than he normally would. It was going to be interesting to say the least but Ben knew that they would deal with it together the same way they always did. As Jed asked if he now had the green light to hug them, Ric couldn’t help but laugh. “You could have done the moment you woke up but we wanted to give you some time,” he chuckled. “Get over here, son,” he grinned as he beckoned Jed over, giving Jenna’s hand a gentle squeeze before getting to his feet. JED SALTZMAN
|
|
JED SALTZMAN
Hybrid
Posts: 273
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Ben Lowell
Played by:
Noe
I've become a bit of a mythology buff. Since I'm into a mythological guy that's, you know, buff.
Last seen May 6, 2024 21:29:42 GMT
|
Post by JED SALTZMAN on Dec 14, 2022 18:56:05 GMT
━ I freed myself from words never said ━
Jed chuckled and nodded his head. "Trust me, I can see that." He said as his laughter faded. He couldn't hold it against his family for crying over his death because he had no doubt in his mind that it was pretty traumatic to see him that way, so of course, he understood. Honestly, as much as he wanted to start hugging his family, he figured that it was unsafe for him to do so right now and he honestly didn't want to risk hurting any of them, so he kept his distance for now and decided to wait. Jed nodded his head when his dad repeated his words before he turned his attention to Josie, lips stretching into a gentle smile before he nodded his head in an understanding manner. Honestly, unless life had any other plans, he wasn't planning on dying a third time. Plus, he was a hybrid now, so he was a bit harder to kill and way more capable of protecting himself as well.
Jed chuckled once again at Ben's words before he rolled his eyes in a fond manner. "Biased." He replied teasingly before he moved his eyes away from his reflection. Truth be told, Jed wasn't having any second thoughts about being a hybrid. It wasn't child's play, he can't exactly go back and ask Hope to un-hybrid him, so he made sure to only go through today if he was one hundred percent sure that being a hybrid was what he wanted and it was. So, now that he had fully completed his transition, he was feeling nothing other than relief because he was just so happy that nothing had gone wrong.
His attention drifted back to Hope, lips stretching into a small smile. He figured that he won't know for sure if he was going to struggle with being a hybrid until he has spent some time as a hybrid. If there are any issues, they won't just show themselves now. It wasn't that easy. So, he will just have to keep his eyes peeled and see how he was doing, both physically and emotionally. So far, he was feeling pretty good. He was feeling very strong and the feeling was addicting, to say the least.
"I also didn't want to get too close to you guys, in case I lost control or something. I have no idea how the whole thing works just yet." Jed said with a gentle smile resting on his lips. He looked over Ben for a moment, giving him a gentle nod of his head before he released his fiancé hand so that he could get up from the bed. He began approaching his dad first, wrapping his arms around him. There was a faint sound that he couldn't quite shake off at first but then he came to the realization that it was just the sound of the blood pumping in his dad's veins. The realization made him feel a bit weird but he figured that it was just something that he was going to have to live with. Jed wrapped his arms tightly around his dad, choosing to hug each member of his family individually. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax in his dad's embrace for a few moments before he pulled back. He patted his dad's shoulder with the same smile still on his lips. His mom instantly wrapped her arms around him as soon as he was close to where she was. He could hear the sound of her sniffles but she didn't cry. She just hugged him tightly and he returned the same embrace, his expression shifting from surprise to something tender. "It's okay, I'm back. I'm sorry you had to see me like that." Jed whispered as he rubbed his mom's back. She leaned back from the hug eventually, wiping her eyes away before she shook her head. "It's okay, sweetheart. I'm just really happy that you're back." She said with a gentle smile on her lips. Jed returned the smile and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before he turned his attention to Josie.
He moved closer to her before he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. He felt healed just from hugging each member of his family. "Thank you for being here." Jed whispered while hugging his sister. He hugged her for quite some time until he finally released her from his hold and turned his attention to Hope who approached and wrapped her arms around his middle with a smile on her lips. A smile that seemed to be only reserved for those closest to her. "Thank you. Again. Did it, uh, did it work?" He questioned and it wasn't long before Hope was nodding her head. "Yeah. It worked. I'm an Alpha now." Jed let out a soft sigh of relief and tightened his hold on Hope before he released her from the hug and she stepped back as well.
Jed turned his attention to Ben before turning to face him completely. He approached his fiancé, pulling him into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry, for putting you through that pain all over again. It must have been really difficult for you. I'm here now."
TAG: BEN LOWELL
|
|
BEN LOWELL
Nephilim
Posts: 279
Age:
5000+
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Jed Saltzman
Played by:
Emma
If we're not careful you might wind up making me a better person
Last seen May 7, 2024 0:19:17 GMT
|
Post by BEN LOWELL on Dec 14, 2022 21:05:43 GMT
“It just goes to show how much we all love you,” Ben grinned. If they didn’t then they wouldn’t have been so upset and the truth was that Jed deserved to have people who would mourn him when he was gone. Jed had been through so much and while he was growing up he hadn’t had people around who cared about him so it was so good to know that he had people who loved him now. Ben couldn’t imagine how anyone could ever treat Jed the way that Jed’s father had done but the man was gone now and Jed was with the Saltzmans where he belonged so something good had come of it at least. Ben knew that Josie was right, if something did happen to Jed then Ben wouldn’t hesitate in bringing him back but he didn’t want any of them to have to go through the pain of losing Jed again so he honestly hoped that nothing bad would happen to Jed again. They still had the threat of his father looming over their heads but they were all getting stronger now and they would be better prepared this time so Ben knew that the outcome would be different, it had to be. As Jed rolled his eyes and called him biased, Ben couldn’t help but laugh. “I think I’m allowed to be, don’t you?” he chuckled. They were getting married after all but Ben still couldn’t resist joking about it nonetheless. It was going to take some time to get used to seeing Jed with veins under his eyes like that but the truth was that it didn’t change the way that Ben felt about him one bit. Jed was still just as handsome as ever, perhaps even more so after what he had just gone through to become a hybrid and ensure their future together. Ben knew that he would have stayed with Jed regardless but he couldn’t deny that it was a relief to know that he wasn’t going to have to watch Jed grow old and die one day so he was glad that Jed didn’t have any regrets. “I can understand that but we all trust you not to hurt us,” Ric assured him. He knew that Jed wouldn’t hurt them, it was clear that they all meant the world to Jed and that feeling was reciprocated. He might not be their son by blood but that didn’t matter, he was family and he always would be. As Jed looked over at him, Ben knew that he wanted to go and hug his family and Ben nodded that it was okay for him to go. He wanted Jed to be happy more than anything and the Saltzmans were a big part of that. It had been difficult for them to see Jed like that as well and Ben knew that they probably needed the reassurance that Jed was alive and well just like he had done. He’d had the benefit of having Jed’s hand in his and being able to feel Jed’s lips against his own but they had kept a distance and given Jed some space while he completed the transition and now it was their turn to get that comfort from Jed. A smile touched Ben’s lips at the way Ric looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders when Jed hugged him, Ric wrapped his arms tightly around Jed in return and held him there. He hadn’t seen Jed die the first time but it had been difficult seeing it this time around even though it was what Jed had wanted and Ric hoped that now Jed would be able to live his life the way he wanted to. It was so good to see that Jed was back with them where he belonged and Ric patted Jed’s back before letting him go so that he could hug Jenna. Soon enough it was Josie’s turn and she hugged her brother back tightly. “Of course, there’s nowhere else I would rather be,” Josie assured him. Jed was there for her when she woke up in transition so she had known that she wasn’t going to miss the chance to return the favour and be there for him when he did the same. She knew just how much he wanted this so that he could become stronger and so that he and Ben could have a real life together and now Jed had that chance so she really was happy for him. Josie kept her arms wrapped around Jed until it was time for him to speak to Hope and she felt a smile touch her lips as she watched the exchange between the two of them. Ben’s gaze came to rest on Jed when he turned back to look at him. He had been watching the exchange between Jed and his family quietly, glad that they all had each other. Ben knew that they considered him to be a part of the family too but in that moment he had known that he’d needed to keep his distance and let them have some time together. Now Jed was approaching him and Ben got to his feet, not offering any resistance as Jed pulled him into a tight hug and instead hugged him back just as tightly. “It’s okay, really,” Ben assured him, turning his head and pressing a gentle kiss against Jed’s cheek. “It was difficult but it was worth it to have this new immortal life with you,” he added gently. “I just hope you never have to go through anything like that again.” Ben had died more times than he cared to remember and it was something that he wouldn’t wish on anyone so he honestly hoped that now Jed’s life would be better and he wouldn’t have to worry about that. “You didn’t have any trouble getting back to us, did you?”JED SALTZMAN
|
|
JED SALTZMAN
Hybrid
Posts: 273
Occupation:
Salvatore College Sophomore
Status:
Engaged
Partner:
Ben Lowell
Played by:
Noe
I've become a bit of a mythology buff. Since I'm into a mythological guy that's, you know, buff.
Last seen May 6, 2024 21:29:42 GMT
|
Post by JED SALTZMAN on Dec 15, 2022 21:08:00 GMT
━ I freed myself from words never said ━
Jed nodded his head with a gentle smile on his lips. He never blamed his family for reacting that way or for crying over his death because he knew it must have been really difficult for them to see him like that. "I love you all too, very much." Jed said with a gentleness to his voice. He was really happy to be back to life. He had missed them a lot and now that he was surrounded by his family once more, he appreciated their presence way more.
Jed's lips stretched into a grin at Ben's words before he nodded his head. "Yeah, you've got the fiancé card, so you're allowed to be biased." Jed said with a soft chuckle falling from his lips as he pulled his attention away from his reflection to look at Ben once more. Jed couldn't help but find it both cool and weird that he had veins that matched those of vampires and the glow of his eyes was also pretty different. He'd gotten so used to seeing them in red that seeing a different color felt really weird. But then again, it was definitely a good weird. Honestly, he was beyond glad that he didn't have to worry about being forced to shift into a wolf every full moon. Now, he could shift whenever his heart desired. It made up for the whole blood thing by miles. Just having that type of choice was considered a really big privilege for Jed.
"It's best not to take any chances." Jed said with a half-smile on his lips. As much as he didn't want to hurt his family, he didn't want to take any risks by pushing himself too far. So, he took it upon himself to only hug his family after completing his transition and he took the time to hug each one of them tightly, happy to finally have them so close once more. His lips stretched into a soft smile at his sister's words before he nodded his head, feeling pretty grateful for having everyone around. It made him feel happy to know that they hadn't left Ben on his own either because he had no doubt in his mind that despite all encouragements to leave his side, Ben would've chosen to stay with him until the moment that he opened his eyes, so seeing them all gathered in the same room reassured him that Ben hadn't been on his own the entire time.
Soon enough, it was Ben's turn and he waited until Ben was up from the bed before wrapping his arms tightly around his fiancé. His lips stretched into a gentle smile at the kiss left on his cheek before he nodded his head in agreement with Ben. "You and me both, honestly." Jed said with the same gentleness still visible on his lips. "Don't die on me either, okay?' Jed squeezed his fiancé tighter. He allowed himself to just enjoy Ben's embrace but then his next question came through and Jed slowly released a small hum, unable to think of anything in particular at first but then the memory came rushing back. "Actually, there was one thing, but it didn't give me much trouble." Jed leaned back a little bit from the hug to meet Ben's eyes. "I met someone on the Other Side. I have no idea what they are, but I think they were going to take me to a "better place", which I believe is Heaven, but they never confirmed it outright." Jed revealed, his voice was still gentle as he spoke, his hands resting on Ben's waist even after pulling away from the hug.
"Oddly enough, I never felt the urge to say yes, to pick peace over coming back. I understand that most people, if not all of them, would instantly choose peace over coming back or staying on the Other Side, but I..." Jed trailed off, tilting his head slightly as his eyes remained fixed on his fiancé. "I said no. I chose to stay because what I have here, on Earth, is a lot more special. You, our family and friends, you guys mean the world to me and you are worth giving up Heaven for."
TAG: BEN LOWELL
|
|