THEO DAMASCA
Banshee
Posts: 179
Status:
Married
Partner:
Freyja Damasca
Played by:
ANGE
Last seen Nov 11, 2024 20:33:58 GMT
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Post by THEO DAMASCA on Jun 2, 2023 21:31:43 GMT
Glancing at Freyja as they settled in the hard plastic seats outside the guidance counsellor’s office, Theo flashed her an already watery smile. He took her hand, linked his fingers with hers and settled them on his thigh as though that measure of contact would keep the tears (probably Hazel’s absolute nightmare when there were other kids around) at bay. It was ridiculous, he knew, but he was going to miss this. Their girl was graduating in just a few short weeks.
Would the place change over the next fourteen years? Ignoring the burn in his eyes, he let his gaze drift down the hall, over the displays of student work, the notice boards that were screaming about the graduation ceremony. Nope, he absolutely wasn’t ready for that.
Dragging his gaze back to the door of the guidance counsellor’s office, he puffed out a breath. Since they’d realised ‘time flies’ wasn’t just a metaphor in their house, it had felt like the world was spinning around the, faster and faster. Maybe it wouldn’t even be fourteen years before they’d be back here, maybe this time next year Bo would be following his big sister to college.
For weeks after Kit had chuckled out the truth he’d watched Bo constantly. He was still terrified that one day he’d blink and the baby would be gone, replaced by a sulky teen whose voice was breaking. There was nothing scientific about what had happened to Hazel, no methodology or formula to it that he could figure out. God, they’d talked about it all, analysing every moment since Hazel had been conceived, trying to pinpoint the moment their baby had become a teenager. The – no, he wasn’t calling them false memories – time they’d had together as a family was so clear. Setting up the kiddie pool in the yard during Hazel’s first summer, fighting to squeeze into it with her to make sure she couldn’t get in trouble as she’d splashed in the four inches of water. Carrying her back in, wetter than Hazel was. Sitting a couple of hundred yards away from here with Freyja, Frank and Kit to cheer Hazel on during her first baseball game.
Craning forward slightly, he looked down the hall again, wondering if Hazel’s name was going to be listed on the plaque in the trophy cabinet for winning the championship last year. Theo swallowed hard, that sad bit of nostalgia giving way to frustration. He hated the not knowing. Hadn’t they been through enough already? The siren, the hunter who had heaped the punishment for her crimes on him despite his protests, the punch of a knife, almost losing Freyja and their baby too. No matter how hard they’d tried after all of that, they hadn’t been able to protect Hazel from taking after him, or the car crash that had killed a man. Their family had gathered around Hazel afterwards, but there were wounds – mental and emotional – from the tragedy that might not have healed yet. He hadn’t asked Hazel if she’d spoken to her guidance counsellor about it, but he hoped she knew she could if she needed it.
Nerves buzzed in the pit of his stomach like he was the one whose future was about to be picked over by three well meaning adults. There was a whole world – scary and incredible – waiting out there for Hazel find her way through. Just the same way they had when she’d been a wobbly baby, he and Freyja would hold her hand through it as much as they could, but for so much of it Hazel would have to balance on her own feet, take those pressures on her own shoulders. It had to be far more terrifying for her, but whatever she chose, she was going to smash it all, because she was her mother’s daughter – and both he and Frank would be there on campus to catch her if she happened to fall right there.
That was probably gonna be another point of embarrassment – especially if either one of them ended up teaching her – but Hazelnut was gonna have to put up with it. The burning in his sinuses quit as he huffed out a faint laugh. ”Does he always take this long?” Theo asked Hazel. He looked at her and grinned, his head snapping back around as the door opened and a boy emerged from the office with his parents. The father left the door open, nodding to them as he gestured them in. They were the last appointment of the afternoon, so at least there wouldn’t be another set of parents staring at their watches in half an hour, cursing pushy folks who didn’t know when to cut things off.
Theo stood, his fingers still laced with his wife’s, his other hand settling on Hazel’s back to nudge her in through the door ahead of the two of them. He was smiling at Freyja as he shuffled in, his eyes drier now, the nostalgia and mourning for something that was probably more ridiculous than it seemed, when he stepped through the door. ”Hi, Mr. Callaway … we’re Hazel’s …” He could’ve been swinging an axe this time and it would’ve hit with less force than just the man’s appearance alone. Realisation and terror hit hard, slamming his heart from beneath his ribs, up to his throat where it choked off his voice with its trapped butterfly like tremors. Sixteen years – no, no! two years – since the man had stumbled out of the clearing in the woods to continue haunting him from every shadow, and now, just as Hazel was about to take that next giant leap in her life, he was back to snatch it all away. Theo tried to draw Freyja behind him, shielding him with his body, his other hand whipping out to grip Hazel’s arm blindly as he stared at the face of the man who had killed him.
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CHRISTIAN CALLAWAY
Hunter
Posts: 94
Played by:
Julia
“There's nothing to fear but fear itself.”
Last seen Nov 10, 2024 19:24:38 GMT
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Post by CHRISTIAN CALLAWAY on Jun 19, 2023 16:44:48 GMT
 ━ let death fear you ━
But they did stray. He couldn’t help but imagine his own son, or daughter, and a future that wasn’t so impossible anymore. Gosh, it was one night that became far more intimate than he thought. However, if Christian was being honest with himself, there were many days when something had been in the air between them━this was merely a culmination of their journey thus far. He hadn’t expected this, hadn’t wanted it when he moved in, but it was where they’d led, and he couldn’t see a reason to stop it. Sure, Alix was a creature, but she was a hunter, too. And she was dedicated to her craft; she’d proved that to him time and time again. He didn’t have to worry about her━not like he would’ve with Sofia.
Every day he checked the housing market, debated selling and how guilty it might look, and every day his parents called to check on him. They hadn’t even liked Sofia. Perhaps they thought her death would mean he’d move back to Ohio and change careers━something more appropriate for a man of his lineage━and that “being there” for him with their stiff and forced well-wishes would make him more keen on the idea. It wasn’t as if Sofia had changed who he was; he’d already defied their “wishes” before he’d even met her. In fact, it was how he met her━did they think the job would bring him heartache now?
It wasn’t as if he was working in the same office he’d been in at the high school in Ohio. He’d helped so many kids in Mystic Falls, and he cared about each of them and their futures. He looked forward to these interviews, too, and made sure to schedule them with each of the kids assigned to his roster. He was A to M, sorted by last name, and Todd Kelly was the second-last interview today. The final was Hazel Damasca, a bright girl whom he’d watched grow from a stringy fourteen-year-old into a young woman ready to take on the world (whose last name he’d learned to ignore). Unfortunately, she’d been involved in a car accident outside of school, claiming the life of a man. Hazel hadn’t been at the wheel, but he’d seen how it’d rocked her, and he’d gently tried to push her to open up to him about it, desperate to not allow something like this to ruin her future. He knew first-hand how easy it was to fall into a depression following a traumatic incident, and Hazel’d had a normal, quiet, suburban life up until then━parents still together, both living at home, a new baby brother━nothing that would make it harder to fall into herself again.
As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Kelly left (it was always awkward getting divorced couples in the same room, and their interview was no different), Christian tucked Todd’s file away and brought out Hazel’s student record. He clicked on her name on his computer system, and stood as the family wafted into the room.
Perhaps he shouldn’t have dismissed her last name as a coincidence. Maybe there could have been some relation, but… how could they be her parents? Her mother hadn’t looked much older than her the last time he’d seen her, though he supposed that wasn’t fair. Christian’s breath seized in his throat, trembling as the man he’d killed two years ago entered like nothing had happened. How was he here? And the baby… his eyes ticked to the chubby little guy in Freyja’s arms━that baby was nowhere near two years old. How was any of this possible?
Apart from questioning the endless peculiarity of Mystic Falls, Christian’s heart ached for the man━for this family. He’d taken away a father and nearly killed a pregnant mother, and that was when he’d realized he was becoming a monster like the ones he hunted. It was a turning point in his life, though he’d have to live with the regret of what he’d done, never able to make it right… or so he thought.
He saw the way the man━Theodore Damasca, the name was etched into his mind forever━clutched his wife and children in fear. All Christian had wanted to do was make this town safe, and that damn list had led him astray. “No, no… please,” Christian strained, reaching out with one hand as if he could calm all of this with a (likely unwanted) touch. “I’m sorry.” He puffed, recoiling when he realized it wasn’t the smart thing to do. He took a small step back, trying to give them space, though his large desk was between them.
Christian’s eyes burned as he stared at the growing family he’d tried to destroy. He wasn’t sure how Theo had managed to return to them, but Christian knew it was a blessing. Somebody had righted his (perhaps biggest) wrong. “I won’t hurt you. I’m… so sorry for what I did. I was led to believe a lie about you, and told to act on it in order to keep… keep families like yours safe.” His voice was strained, a lump caught in his throat as tears continued to well up in his eyes. He blinked them away, looking at each person slowly, “All I want is to discuss your daughter’s future… all I’ve done with her these past four years is try to support her so she’s able to leave high school ready for what’s to come. I would never hurt her or treat her differently.” Finally, his eyes landed on Hazel, and while it felt wrong to rely on the child to fight for his innocence, he wasn’t sure what else he could do. “Have I ever made you feel uncomfortable or upset in all the years we’ve worked together?” He asked, his gut trembling as unsteady breaths drew in and out.
HAZEL DAMASCA | no notes. |
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HAZEL DAMASCA
Banshee
Posts: 98
Age:
18
Occupation:
Student
Status:
Single
Played by:
Jodi
Girls just want to have funds
Last seen Nov 4, 2024 21:23:17 GMT
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Post by HAZEL DAMASCA on Jul 3, 2023 20:35:42 GMT
She was indecisive, there was no denying that. One minute she wanted to be a zookeeper and the next she wanted to florist. Her mind was constantly bouncing between ideas and now she had a meeting with her guidance counsellor to discuss her future. Her next step was college, that was for certain, but then what would she major in? The idea of being a zookeeper was pretty much gone after she watched a documentary about SeaWorld. She didn’t fancy being dragged underwater by an Orca, plus she spent the whole documentary fighting back the tears, so maybe being a zookeeper wasn’t her true calling. Hazel wasn’t looking forward to the meeting either, with all spotlights on her whilst everyone fired questions at her about her future. It was bad enough having Mr Callaway asking her if she was okay after the car accident and no matter how many times she said she was fine it was like he didn’t believe her. His door was always open for her, is what he would tell her, but she had her family there for her. They understood her better than Mr Callaway could, given the whole screaming at dead bodies situation. She politely told him that she would be sure to swing by if she needed someone to speak to, knowing full well she wouldn’t. It was Abi she was concerned about anyway. Her best friend hadn’t really spoken about the accident since it happened, in fact it was like it never happened. The clock on the wall ticked by slowly as the family waited to be called into the office. Why was she even nervous? It wasn’t like she was in any sort of trouble, like crawling home from a party just before curfew feeling slightly buzzed. A drop of alcohol hadn’t passed her lips since that evening because she didn’t want to experience that awful headache she had the following day. It was like someone had pushed her head into a vice and they were tightening it every few seconds. Yes she had fun with her friends, but it wasn’t worth the headache the next day. “Probably just running late.” She responded with a shrug. Some of the students probably needed more time than Hazel, given their terrible grades and sheer lack of direction in life. But atlas the door opened and Todd Kelly came out first followed by his parents. Perfect example of a jock who focused on sports rather than his homework. “Hey Todd.” She flashed him a warm smile. She felt her cheeks grow hot as he flashed her a smile back, even though his parents looked furious. Those bad grades had caught up with him. Hazel couldn’t wait to get home and tell Abi that Todd Kelly smiled at her today. She couldn’t stare at him for too long, given her parents were ready to head into Mr Callaway’s office. Hazel stepped into the office first, ready to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of the desk but her dad’s arm shot up, stopping her from going any further. Her dad looked scared and Mr Callaway, well, he didn’t look okay either. Her gaze bounced between her dad and Mr Callaway, until Mr Callaway spoke. Her mouth hung open slightly as he directed his questions at her before she broke into a nervous laugh, looking at her parents for reassurance. “Um… what’s going on? Is this like some kind of test?” Hazel could feel the tension building in the room, almost crushing her. “I don’t know what to say… I guess not? No?” Something was telling her this was no joke though, they were being serious. “Dad. Mom. What’s going on?” She edged closer toward her dad, nearing his side. FREYJA DAMASCA  |
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FREYJA DAMASCA
Psychic
Posts: 184
Age:
28
Occupation:
Analyst at The Mystic Falls Courier
Status:
Married
Partner:
Theo Damasca
Played by:
Julia
“But it’s hard, when you’re hurt, to let somebody wreck you again.”
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:29:01 GMT
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Post by FREYJA DAMASCA on Jul 23, 2023 16:06:15 GMT
 ━ they set me on fire, and i did a lot of burning ━
His eyes kept falling closed, then he’d snap them back open and pout, desperate to not fall asleep. He went back over her shoulder, where all he’d have to look at was the white wall. She thought he’d fall asleep in the car on the way here, but he’d persevered then, too.
Freyja freed one hand to take Theo’s, grinning at him as he looked back at her with watery eyes. She mouthed, “Softie,” with a smile, and leaned over to peck his cheek. The thought of Hazel graduating high school got her feeling all thick in the throat, too, but it was strange to think that she wasn’t… actually graduating. Well, she was, but she wasn’t supposed to be. Maybe. Usually, her brain got a little stuck on that fact, and then she couldn’t conjure up any tears for it. But she was sad and happy and excited for Hazel; it was just difficult to sort everything out.
Eventually, the family that was in there came wandering out, and Freyja raised a brow as Hazel said hi to the kid who exited, then blushed. He wasn’t even cute. He looked like he’d never seen the sun in his life, and his hair was way too long. Freyja scoffed and smiled to herself, though, and stood to follow her family in anyway, gently rocking Bo as she did. She prayed this guidance counsellor didn’t have any colourful posters up for Bo to look at, but who was she kidding? Of course he would. Something about responsibility and inclusivity and…
All the things he was not.
She hadn’t noticed at first, trailing in last and trying to wrangle Bo as he attempted to turn around in her arms. She propped him up on her hip, letting him swivel around to stare at the inside of the office. Freyja felt the air shift before she looked up, seeing what━who━had made Theo stop mid-sentence, feeling the air seize in her throat.
Her first instinct was to protect Bo, both arms sliding around him and squeezing him against her chest. He started to work himself up, likely sensing how upset both his parents were, whimpering until he dissolved into tears. Freyja tucked herself behind Theo, her eyes darting to Hazel on the other side of him. If Bo was feeling insecure in this situation, she could only imagine how Hazel felt. This man was her guidance counsellor? Was this on purpose? Some drawn-out plan to finally get rid of the rest of them? He’d spared Freyja’s life because of Hazel, but he hadn’t hesitated to kill her father, and now… maybe he’d finish them off.
One thing she hadn’t expected, however, was apologies. Freyja’s brows creased together, one hand reaching out to curl her fingers around Theo’s bicep. “Theo… Hazel.” She whispered to him, trying to silently indicate that their daughter knew nothing, and revealing what’d happened before she was born during her pre-graduation meeting wasn’t the smartest idea. She thought about producing a border made of fire to keep him away (again) but that, too, wouldn’t do anything to calm their children.
“Shh, baby, shh. It’s okay. You’re okay.” Freyja whispered to Bo, trying to rock him through his tears. She kissed his forehead and hugged him into her chest again, trying to fight this internal battle on what to do.
The hunter turned his attention on Hazel next, getting her to fight his battles for him, and Freyja gritted her teeth, holding back the desire to snap at him. Unfortunately, the same energy went to Hazel instead, “You guess? It’s yes or no, Hazel.” She said, a little too harshly, and glared at the hunter from around Theo’s shoulder. “Did you know she was our daughter?” Freyja hissed, “Did you do this on purpose?” She wasn’t sure what that would change, but it would surely disintegrate any chance of them staying here. He wouldn’t risk doing this again, in front of their daughter, would he? Or was he waiting for this?
Hazel’s question made her stop, though, her eyes travelling up to Theo’s face, wishing she could take away this heartache for him━for all of them. The hunter terrified her enough already, but he hadn’t taken her life. She couldn’t imagine what it must’ve been like for Theo. “We… know him. From before.” She tried to explain, swallowing thickly, “Before you were born. We… we’ll explain later. At home.” It was the best she could do for now, trying to hold her family (including both babies) together in the literal face of danger.
THEO DAMASCA | |
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THEO DAMASCA
Banshee
Posts: 179
Status:
Married
Partner:
Freyja Damasca
Played by:
ANGE
Last seen Nov 11, 2024 20:33:58 GMT
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Post by THEO DAMASCA on Jul 26, 2023 18:53:40 GMT
He couldn’t breathe. His lungs were trying to inflate, to suck in the oxygen he needed to make the black spots stop dancing across his vision, to clear his view of him, but there was no relief. They deflated again, struggling for another inhalation. In a moment they’d stop trying altogether, the frantic spasming of his heart stopping dead in his chest and then he’d be standing above himself again, watching the man scramble away through the woods, his blood still dark on the knife that was clutched in his hand.
Theo’s gaze darted down to the hand that the hunter extended, expecting to see the blade there again – ready to readdress the wrong that had been done in bringing him back, to finish the job on his wife and take his children simply for the crime of them having been born to parents who hadn’t asked to be what they were either. Nothing but that pleading spread of fingers, although those could do plenty of damage all on their own.
He swallowed hard, ready to let a scream fly. He was alive this time, it would be so much more than it had been when he’d been trapped on the other side of the veil, trying desperately to tear through it to protect Freyja and Hazel. One shriek and this son of a bitch would be pasted against the wall behind him, Freyja would get Hazel and Bo out. She was already gathering Bo close behind him, he could see her out of the corner of his eye. She knew.
Bo’s whimpers and the cries that followed tugged at something in Theo’s chest but did nothing to cover the hunter’s apology. Theo let out a strained huff of laughter, trying to back up another half step as the man did. ”You’re sorry …” For killing a man and nearly depriving his family of him. If it hadn’t been for Cory, there’d have been no apology, no future where Hazel had grown up knowing the love of a father who was trying to put himself between the thing he feared the most and his daughter.
The laughter wanted to continue to pour out, like the tears that weren’t burning his eyes for sweet reason anymore. Theo’s chest heaved again as he tried to blink them away. ”You act on everything you hear without finding out if its true first? Do you know what that did to my family…” The wound felt like it was tearing itself through his chest afresh.
His son’s cries were still simmering in the office, beneath the strands of a conversation that had never been broached with their daughter before. The son of a bitch was still talking, Freyja whispering to him, cutting off his words before he was the one to reveal the nightmare to Hazel. Theo gritted his teeth, that burn continuing to feel his sinuses. He sucked in another breath, this one starting to loosen the bands around his chest, although his grip remained tight on Hazel’s arm. ”It’s not a test honey. It’s…” A nightmare without end.
’You don’t get to say a word to my daughter!’ The words were held back with a choking sound as Freyja’s reminder slammed his mouth shut again. He was trying though, getting his daughter to diffuse a situation she knew nothing about. ”You wouldn’t do that to her, but you would to her parents?” Theo hissed quietly. The hypocrisy of the whole situation left him feeling sick. Help poor impressionable kids by day, work with them, as though he was honestly doing something good for them, kill their parents by night.
There was no denying that he was scaring Hazel on top of Bo. His daughter was moving closer to him, seeking protection from her dad, who’d come close to falling apart. ”It’s OK, baby,” he said hoarsely, peeling his hand from Hazel’s arm to wrap around her and draw him in. ”We … weren’t expecting to see him here …” Or again. ”You never put two and two together? If you knew the name, why did you not…” Finish the job? The questions were stacking up in front of the man, a shield between the two of them that Theo knew he didn’t want to knock aside. He’d spent years waking up in the middle of the night, imagining this man standing over him, his wife, his daughter’s, his baby’s blood on his hands. On the day he’d come for Freyja he’d run away, but, God, he’d always known he’d be back again one day, just not like this when he had almost everything that mattered to him trapped here behind closed doors.
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CHRISTIAN CALLAWAY
Hunter
Posts: 94
Played by:
Julia
“There's nothing to fear but fear itself.”
Last seen Nov 10, 2024 19:24:38 GMT
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Post by CHRISTIAN CALLAWAY on Aug 16, 2023 16:23:03 GMT
━ let death fear you ━
He especially didn’t expect to have the man he’d killed here in the flesh, as if Christian’s actions hadn’t really taken place, and for his daughter to be… far older than she should’ve been. The baby’s cries erupted in the background, and Christian’s gaze flicked over Theo’s shoulder, to where the woman he’d almost sent to the grave with her partner was glaring at him, shielding her baby as if he’d ever…
But that was just it. He was a monster to these people. The same kind of monster that’d taken Sofia, one who went after people who did nothing wrong, only interested in what… species they were. He wasn’t like that anymore, but that wouldn’t ease their suffering.
Theo mocked Christian’s apology, and he knew then and there that there would be no laying this quarrel to rest. Not today, anyway, but he could hope for it one day. “Yes.” Christian croaked, yes, he did know; he knew exactly what it felt like. “Yes, I know, and… there is nothing I could say or do to take back the suffering I caused.” He sighed, trying to swallow through the tightness in his throat. “Initially, I had no reason to believe I was given any false information. It was a trusted source… until I realized, through someone else’s own experience, that it was compromised. I have regretted my actions every day since.” Christian was guilty, stripped raw, after he’d taken Theo’s life, but nothing had affected him as much as his run-in with Freyja. That was when he knew something was truly wrong━with him, at least━and then soon realized Alix had come to a similar conclusion.
He sought Hazel’s opinion, hoping for confirmation from her that would prove his innocence━at least in this matter━he hadn’t treated her any differently than the rest of his students, and he still didn’t intend to.
Unfortunately, Hazel seemed to surprised by this exchange to truly give Christian a stamp of approval. His stomach coiled, and Freyja snapped at her, then at him, and he felt his chest tighten and threaten to send him toppling over. He almost wished it would. “No, no…” He shook his head weakly, shooting Theo a pained expression as he followed his wife’s one-two with a proverbial punch to his gut. He felt the wind leave his lungs. Hazel was a child, first and foremost, and he’d always known that children couldn’t… they were innocent by nature and, supernatural or not, had to make mistakes in order to mature.
Christian puffed out a quiet breath when her parents (mercifully) decided not to get into it here. However, Hazel was just as scared as her baby brother, and Christian felt his gut swim with guilt. He’d done this━he’d hurt everyone in this room, and there was no way to reverse or repair it.
He felt another wave of nausea as Theo asked him why he hadn’t gone after Hazel. That was the kind of monster they thought he was━perhaps the kind of monster he’d become. “I had an inkling that she might’ve been, but she was too old…” Or so he’d thought. His brows furrowed as his eyes flicked to Hazel, then back to her father. “Nevertheless, as I said, I thoroughly regretted my actions. I stopped when…” He motioned to Freyja, knowing he couldn’t say it without revealing the whole thing to Hazel. And, despite everything, the least he could do was respect her parents’ wishes. “I would never have even considered it.” He frowned, and slowly lowered himself back to his chair. If nothing else, he could display some form of submission this way━an admittance that he truly did not want to hurt them, but Theo was free to do what he wished. It was more than deserved by now.
“Hazel’s post-secondary interview is mandatory, though there are ways around it if it would make you and your family more comfortable. I could simply email you with any applicable information, her transcripts, and my recommendations, if that’s preferable. I am happy to adjust to whatever suits your family best.” In other words, he was lying down and refusing to fight. Their options were limited, but all Christian could do was present them to the family in hopes that he could do something for them.
HAZEL DAMASCA | no notes. |
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HAZEL DAMASCA
Banshee
Posts: 98
Age:
18
Occupation:
Student
Status:
Single
Played by:
Jodi
Girls just want to have funds
Last seen Nov 4, 2024 21:23:17 GMT
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Post by HAZEL DAMASCA on Aug 19, 2023 21:41:26 GMT
The atmosphere changed so dramatically when they stepped inside the room. One minute she was smiling at Todd. Oh she loved his long hair. It was so shiny and soft (she imagined it was soft, she'd never actually touched it). The next minute she was observing a weird interaction between her parents and her guidance counsellor, being asked questions about whether he’d ever made her feel uncomfortable. Well, she was feeling pretty darn uncomfortable at that moment. Heat was rising in her cheeks, as she shuffled a little. Her gaze shot to her mom as she snapped at her for not giving a straight answer. “No! I said no!” She snapped back, matching her mom’s tone. Hazel didn’t like the energy in the room and unfortunately her brother’s cries were making her feel worse. She hated listening to him cry. po If there was an award for the most confused person in the room it would be given to Hazel in a heartbeat. Her dad batted away her question, telling her they’d explain later, but that wasn’t good enough. It was like they were all talking in code about something. A big secret that Hazel had been shut away from. “If it’s that important you can tell me now!” Her voice was sharp again, but shaky. She was scared. Adrenaline was pumping through her body so quickly, causing her palms to sweat and her hands to shake. She moved back a fraction, so she was fully behind her dad as her hand slipped into her mom’s in an attempt to calm herself down. Whatever had happened though it was obvious her parents were scared of Mr Callaway. Yeah, he came across a little scary sometimes but overall he’d been a good guidance counsellor. Now she was seeing him in a different light. Her parents' fear was projecting onto her as she glued herself to them. It was easy enough for her to read between the lines, with the coded comments thrown between the group. He'd done something wrong, something very bad. Something that caused suffering. Something which Mr Callaway had regretted since. It was impossible to put the jigsaw together in her mind though with Bo crying. Her attention was mainly locked on Mr Callaway as he sunk into his chair like a defeated animal. Like, what is the worst thing someone could do? Well, kill someone of course, but her family was alive. Maybe he tried to kill them? All these thoughts running through her head were making her feel unwell. Her stomach was tightening with those chocolate biscuits she inhaled in the car swirling around in there viciously. “Mom, Dad… I wanna go home… I feel sick.” Her other hand rested on her stomach as tears started to well in her eyes as she spoke. She wanted to get her family far far away from this man who had acted like her guidance counsellor. Hazel didn’t care about the interview. She almost told Mr Callaway to screw his stupid little interview and his stupid transcripts. FREYJA DAMASCA |
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FREYJA DAMASCA
Psychic
Posts: 184
Age:
28
Occupation:
Analyst at The Mystic Falls Courier
Status:
Married
Partner:
Theo Damasca
Played by:
Julia
“But it’s hard, when you’re hurt, to let somebody wreck you again.”
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:29:01 GMT
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Post by FREYJA DAMASCA on Sept 11, 2023 20:21:19 GMT
━ they set me on fire, and i did a lot of burning ━
He backed down, though, apologizing, cowering whenever they questioned him, and Freyja wondered whether it was true regret or simply knowing he was outnumbered. Either way, she wasn’t about to feel bad for him. He should’ve lived with that guilt after he killed Theo; he should’ve had it eating him alive every fucking day. She’d settle for nothing less.
Freyja slipped her hand into Hazel’s and squeezed it softly, trying to comfort her daughter━as well as calmly respond when Hazel demanded to know what was going on. “No, Hazel,” She said firmly, though her volume was nearly a whisper, “We’ll talk about this later.” Freyja leaned over and kissed Hazel’s temple, then Bo’s, whose teeth began to chatter as he sobbed. God, she didn’t think she could hate Mr. Callaway any more than she already did, but then he upset both of her babies, and Freyja knew that, without a doubt, she could destroy him without the help of her abilities.
He tried to explain himself, and Freyja shook her head, then remembered to bounce her knees, rocking Bo gently. She, too, wondered why he wouldn’t have gone after Hazel if he knew, but then he said it: he wasn’t sure if they were related. He claimed he never would’ve hurt her anyway, but if that wasn’t true, then was Hazel’s sudden increase in age the thing that saved her life? It seemed terrifying and awful before, but now it was their saving grace.
Green eyes pierced him as he sat, and Freyja’s brows drew together. He really was just… giving up. They didn’t even have to see him again if they didn’t want to, but it wouldn’t eliminate the sticky feeling she’d have when she thought about how he’d interacted with their daughter for four years.
And while it would be preferable if he didn’t contact them at all, Freyja knew he’d have to email them through the school, which meant it was monitored. “Fine.” She hissed, though she expected Theo might have more to say. Freyja pressed into his back lightly, a gentle nudge with her body, and whispered, “Let’s go.”
She squeezed Hazel’s hand again and nodded, wishing she could take away all of Hazel’s pain. Unfortunately, though, she was worried about leaving, and how quickly they could get out of there. And she wasn’t about to leave Theo in the room alone with that monster. “Just give your dad a minute, okay, lovey? We’re gonna leave soon.” She said to Hazel, then rested her lips on Bo’s head, shushing him quietly, trying to relax him.
THEO DAMASCA | wrap w anges? |
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THEO DAMASCA
Banshee
Posts: 179
Status:
Married
Partner:
Freyja Damasca
Played by:
ANGE
Last seen Nov 11, 2024 20:33:58 GMT
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Post by THEO DAMASCA on Sept 17, 2023 17:08:28 GMT
Every move the hunter made left Theo twitching. A glance over his shoulder – at Freyja and Bo? At Hazel? – drawing that ache up into his throat like he would have to release it with a scream. No matter how blood thirsty this bastard was, he wouldn’t be stupid, wouldn’t go slaughtering people where he worked. Maybe that meant when they walked out of here he’d … No. It wasn’t happening again, he wasn’t gonna be swayed by bullshit excuses and an admission of guilt that didn’t entirely make sense. His hand was damp, wanting to squeeze Hazel’s, to reassure her, but it would only add to that shrieking feeling of wrong that filled the room.
Theo was already shaking his head at him. He didn’t know, no matter how much he tried to pretend that he did. ”You’re right, there is nothing you can do,” he bit out stiffly. Someone else – someone too young and innocent to have to do it – had cleaned up the mess the hunter had left, righting that wrong. ”No reason other than what I told you. Why believe the guy in front of you, right? You thought you knew what you were doing and that was good enough.” Regret obviously hadn’t left its scars on Callaway the same way it had him. Did he wake up in the night, clutching at his chest, trying to tell if it was blood pasting his shirt there or just the fear sweat? Did he jump at shadows or feel the flutter of panic in his throat if someone looked at his family a little too closely?
He could’ve won a fucking Oscar for the act he was putting on. Sure, his voice broke, but he was pulling off his congenial act with their daughter for years, fooling Hazel and everybody else. Theo’s lips peeled back from his teeth, half sneer, half a battle to hold back that wave of sickness that was tugging at his cut. ”You’ll understand if I don’t believe a word out of your mouth,” he muttered at the man’s insistence that he’d never hurt Hazel. He’d tried to kill an obviously pregnant woman – no, he didn’t have any lines to draw when it came to who he’d kill.
Understandably Hazel wanted to know what the issue was – why her parents were freaking out and this asshole was sitting here babbling about his guilt, his grief. Freyja was already assuring her that they’d tell her later. It was a conversation that was going to tear him apart. They’d fought so hard to protect her from what the world could do, and had done, and the whole time the instigator of all that pain was sitting right in her school, all smiles and charm and reassurance. The hypocrisy almost choked him, spilling out in a strained laugh that was closer to a sob.
One of those full body twitches rolled through him, like the counsellor had hit him with a defibrillator instead of a knife to the heart. Hazel was too old, another secret they were keeping from her. Their private fears over what had happened to turn their daughter into a teenager overnight. ”You stopped when it was already too late to take back what you’d done.” When he’d noticed that Freyja was pregnant. Maybe he had drawn the line at an unborn baby, but that didn’t excuse anything else. He didn’t want to believe a word that slipped from those thin lips.
Now he was concerned about their comfort? Theo bit down on a laugh that was definitely too close to hysteria. He could feel it all bubbling inside of him, wanting to spill out on the sobs that he knew would only crank up Hazel and Bo’s fears. Freyja had seen him fall apart, the kids hadn’t, and he wasn’t going to do it to them now. Swallowing hard, he forced back the assurance that the thing that would suit them best was karma turning his actions back around on him. He’d never wished that sort of thing on anybody else and he wasn’t about to let Callaway get away with twisting the knife in him, turning him into the sort of monster he was.
Forcing himself to move, Theo squeezed Hazel’s arm lightly. This was too much for all of them, the worst sort of surprise they could’ve gotten and, God, it was gonna take more than just shifting this to email to ease any of it. ”It’s gonna be OK, baby,” Theo told her hoarsely. Sniffing, surprised that the tears that were burning in his eyes hadn’t started searing their way down his cheeks. ”That’s preferable. Whatever has to happen for Hazel, we do by email. You’re not screwing up my kid’s life…” Because he couldn’t accept that there were things out there who could tell the truth, who couldn’t have hurt anyone the same way he had had – as the siren had. ”You have no contact with my daughter again. I even catch you looking in her direction and this goes to the school board.” There would be so much he wouldn’t have able to explain to them, but he’d find some way to tear the man out of here.
There was no way he was turning his back on the guy, not leaving an opportunity for him to jab a blade there. Theo backed up slowly, gathering in his wife, daughter and their screaming son. He fumbled for the door knob, eyes locked with Mr Callaway’s until he’d stepped through and pulled it shut. It would’ve slammed but a wail from Bo had him gentling it. The door was a flimsy shield between them, but it was enough for now. ”We’ll discuss this, Hazelnut, I promise. Let’s just get home now, OK? Get home and get us all settled.” As it had the last time, it might take decades for the fallout to stop, for them to pick up the pieces of their lives that the hunter had torn to pieces. One fragment at a time they would put it together, giving their daughter some idea of the bigger picture, the one that she was never going to escape from the brutality of. That dawning realisation left Theo feeling just as sick as Hazel had said she did as he reached the car and ushered them all inside for that flight from this fresh nightmare.
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