undergrounds | water's sweet but blood is thicker

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water's sweet but blood is thicker

I. COMING HOME - [OPEN TO FIRST RESPONSE OF EXISTING CR]
Kyle had told nearly everyone he knew of his returning home to America indefinitely. He didn't tell anyone about his return. The trip home to deal with estate issues, property problems, renter concerns, and so on was basically nothing but work. It broke his heart to be in his childhood home again, even though he still couldn't bring himself to sell it. He both loved and hated the reminder of home and all that he had lost, missing his family more than he could bear for a time. He resolved things surprisingly quickly, and also found himself missing the new life he'd created in London more than he expected.

He took the underground from Heathrow to his area, getting off a couple stops early to walk the rest of the way. He appreciated the crisp air, needed it to clear his head. It was half the reason he'd stayed sane in South Africa, those walks. With his duffel on his back, everything felt more familiar. He missed his unit, his family, his girlfriend. But missing people had never slowed him down before and it sure as hell wouldn't now. Which is why he sensed that the person nearby was more than a stranger.

II. DRINK N DRINK N DRINK N FIGHT - [OPEN]
Maybe it was the comments about vampire rights, or maybe it was the way the guy hit on the girl down the bar. Whatever the case, Kyle couldn't help but dislike the asshole and it was only a matter of time before he intervened to shut the guy down. The argument was basically guaranteed and the escalation to physical violence inevitable. The other guy got the first hit, Kyle was quick to return, though his focus was more on defensive moves than offensive. Getting off the X. A few more hits, the asshole's friends cheering him on and Kyle hoping the kindness of strangers would be enough to see him through if need be.

It was the interference of a third party that finally put an end to the pub brawl and Kyle couldn't help but be embarrassed at so easily succumbing to such actions. He was supposed to know how to exercise restraint. He did know. He just didn't like to sometimes.

[Feel free to be the asshole, the intervening party, or to assume the bartender intervened and approach Kyle after.]

III. DID YOU MISS ME - [CLOSED TO NANCY]
Kyle's fight had backfired a little, or a lot, when he was jumped on his way home later. It was a few human civilians against a trained soldier used to fighting vampires. It didn't last long, with the assholes scattering once he put up a decent defense. Still, three against one left him with a few good bruises, a very sore rib cage, and one hell of a bloody and possibly broken nose. There was only one person he trusted that he could turn to, not wanting the hassle of the hospital and potential police involvement.

He sent Nancy a text: Miss me? I'm shirtless and bloody. Come over when you can?. It wasn't the ideal way to tell his friend that he was back in town, but it would have to do.

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"She's a good person." It's the best thing he can think to say about a person. "I ran into her boyfriend earlier today, but I haven't seen her yet. I'm sure it won't be long."

He's not thrilled about having seen Cooper and learning they're still together, not that he expected otherwise, but at least he's gotten confirmation from multiple sources that Nancy's doing alright. And, in spite of his hatred of the stupid vampire, Cooper might actually be good for her as a support system. If you ignore the abusive dynamic.

Apparently Kyle was going to mention Cooper. Okay then. "I've met Cooper a few times too. They seem really happy."

So, now she'd admitted to knowing a vampire. That was something, right? Baby steps towards what she was really trying to say here.

Kyle doesn't say anything. It's his form of a compromise, not bringing up that happiness isn't always healthy or that Cooper feeds on his alleged girlfriend. So much for love meaning not wanting to hurt the other person. But he doesn't say that, because he has no idea how close Nancy and Caroline are or what Caroline's views on Cooper or vampires in general might be.

"Why were you talking about me?" He asks instead, more teasing than accusative.

"Oh, you now," she says, smiling for a moment, "just girl stuff. I was pretty surprised when it turned out we both knew the same American named Kyle. Though I guess you do stand out a little bit."

"I do," Kyle agrees with a light chuckle. Between the accent, soldier swagger, and American confidence-bordering-on-arrogance, he can't help but stand out like a sore thumb sometimes. Although, thankfully, London's diverse enough that he's never the only one and can disappear into the crowd when he tries a little.

Caroline has to laugh. Damn it, why did he have to be so likeable? It's just going to make things harder, if he ends up hating her for what she is.

"The modesty really helps bring out your charm."

"My modesty is my second best quality, after my humility." It's easy for him to be personable and what he knows is charming at times. It always has been, even when the rest of his life fell apart, and probably always will be. Confidence has never been too much of an issue. Though he has a feeling that Caroline has that kind of ease too, if their brief interactions have been any indication. The only thing he worries about is how high maintenance and big city she might be, and whether that will pose a problem later on.

Kyle stops as they arrive at a WAIT sign at a red light, turning to face Caroline as they wait, all nonchalance in spite of the gnawing in the back of his mind as to whether or not Caroline's an ordinary civilian.

It's true, confidence is not typically something Caroline has trouble with. And even if she isn't really feeling it, she'd good at pretending.

She's still laughing as they wait, until she notices Kyle watching her. She wishes she knew what he was thinking right now. Then she would know if what she's about to say is a good idea or not. "Nancy told me you're a hunter."

Kyle's completely taken aback by the comment, as much because of its candor as because it's not technically true. It makes him angry that that's how Nancy views him, not that it's Caroline's fault. But damn, it upsets him.

"I'm not a hunter." His reply is immediate, his voice flat. His smile slips away completely to give way to a light scowl, though it's not directed at the blonde so much as the remark.

"You're not?"

That wasn't the response Caroline had been expecting at all. She thinks back to the coffee shop but she's positive that's what Nancy said. But Kyle definitely looks annoyed at the idea. It's all very confusing.

"So ... what are you?"

"I'm human." He doesn't really know how else to define himself. Kyle used to be a soldier and, yeah, he still kills vampires. But he doesn't hunt them like game and, besides, it's only vampires that he hates. The term bothers him, even if it kinda fits, and he'll fight it to the death.

It brings about a larger question though. Namely, why the hell does Caroline care what he is or isn't. And how does she know Nancy. And is this going to end badly.

"What are you?"

'Human' didn't exactly clarify things for Caroline. Or make her feel safer, since she'd suffered plenty at human hands, before and after she turned. The worst, of course, being when her own father tried to torture the vampire out of her.

But she doesn't have much time to think about that, because of Kyle's question. The question she really, really doesn't want to answer but knows she has to. She takes a small step back, both to show that she's not a threat and to put distance between them in case he is.

"I'm a vampire."

Irrationally, Kyle feels like he should have known already, that it should have been obvious to him and he should have been able to sense it. He wonders if it's his misery over Alex or the trip home that distracted him from that obvious truth. Silently, he curses himself for not paying better attention.

He watches her step away from him, understands now why his being a hunter is so important. He knows why she and Nancy are friends, if not the exact details. The fact that he's not trying to kill her right now should be evidence of his not being a hunter.

He sighs. It was always too good to be true. "Do you feed on humans?"

Caroline appreciates that he's not trying to kill her right now but her heart is still racing, mostly due to fear that this will go terribly wrong.

She shakes her head. "No, at least not directly. I steal blood bags from hospitals and places like that." It's not exactly a great thing to be doing but she can't afford to be on an animal-only diet, not in a city with so many threats.

Kyle's muscles begin to tense of their own accord, the result of years of training and combat. He intentionally keeps his hands in his pockets, to appear less of a threat as the rest of his body readies for a potential fight.

It's a gray area he hasn't encountered yet. Human blood, not from humans. Natasha manages not to feed on humans at all, but he doesn't know if all of them are capable of that. And it's a hell of a lot better than feeding on actual people. But it still puts humans at risk, in an indirect way. Not having enough blood in a bloodbank is a separate risk.

He's silent for a long time, long after the walk sign clicks over to walk and a couple people wander by. Hands in his pockets, body still, not taking his eyes off of her.

Edited (icon) 2016-10-31 17:31 (UTC)

The fact that Kyle doesn't say anything only makes Caroline more nervous. For the most part, she holds his gaze, though she does glance over across the street, making sure she knows where the open path is in case she needs to run.

"I know you hate vampires," she says, unable to take the silence any longer, "and I'm sure you have good reasons for that. I just hope that somehow, maybe, you won't hate me too."

"Yeah," he confirms, still in somewhat of a daze. He has no reason to lie about that. He does hate predatory vampires with every fiber of his being. It's the ones that aren't predatory that confuse him, that challenge everything he's ever known and force him to rethink years of prejudice.

Kyle snaps from his seeming reverie, his eyes focusing on hers again and his voice gaining more weight. "Why-"

He cuts off as another couple passes by, waiting until they're out of reasonable earshot again, because he has no intention of lowering his voice. His hands curl into fists in his pockets as he frowns at her.

"Why don't you feed on people?"

Caroline took a long, deep breath as she thought about how to answer that. "Because most of me doesn't like to hurt people, while another small part likes it too much."

She doesn't plan to tell him everything - certainly not about what led her to leave Mystic Falls, but at this point, she might as well lay it all out. "I have fed on people before. Some of them, I've killed. But that's not the person I want to be."

Kyle pulls a hand from his pocket to glide through his hair, then drops it back into his pocket again. After a beat, he laughs. It's a dark, humorless, empty laugh. The kind that comes when the mind can't quite handle the atrocity of the world and it doesn't know how else to cope.

He barely knows Caroline. He should walk away and let the fact that he doesn't attack her by the kindness he gives to her. Yet here he is, drawn in by the idea that maybe vampires don't have to be the predators they believe. Like terrorists in the desert, maybe there's a way to change some minds. And like Private Monroe told him: as soon as one life stops mattering, the enemy has won.

"Is that why you came to London?" He asks finally, his tone lighter again though the sincerity behind it is gone. "To be someone new?"

Another pause. "Are you part of the Nest?"

"Yes. And yes." She checks around, since she really wants to make sure what she says next doesn't get overheard. "But I don't like what's happening with it. I thought joining would help me stay safe but these days, it doesn't feel like that's true at all."

The fact that he's asking questions seems to Caroline to be a good sign. At least, she hopes it is.

"They committed genocide." As if it's the most obvious thing in the world. A lot of German soldiers didn't like the third reich, but that didn't excuse turning a blind eye to the gas chambers. Kyle views it as nearly the same thing. Supporting the Nest is supporting the murder of humans, of his species, of him.

"Leave the Nest," he says simply. "Or you're an accomplice to every person they attack, feed on, abuse, and murder."

"It's not ..." Caroline's voice trails off. She knows he's right, at least partly, but she also knows that things are beginning to change. She can't talk about that though, even if they weren't standing out on the street.

"There are good people in the Nest too. I know it's hard to see that right now, but it's true."

"Goodbye, Caroline."

It's too much too soon. Kyle can barely handle her being a vampire, let alone the idea of good people in the Nest, standing by while humans are slaughtered by the dozens if not hundreds.

He pivots and begins walking in the direction that they came from to get back to the nearest Tube station that he knows of, having no interest in continuing this conversation.

She watches him go for longer than she's proud of. Then finally, she turns and heads in the opposite direction.

She'd really hoped it would go a different way but she's not surprised. How could she be, when the same thing happened with Bonnie and with both of her parents? Why should the guy she met twice and fooled around with once be any different?

Plus, he did make a good point. She needed to do more to make things better or else she's part of the problem. She started to do that with the business in Southwark the other night but she had to keep at it, do more. Maybe she'd never convince Kyle that it was enough, but at least she could try and convince herself.

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water's sweet but blood is thicker

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