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[ If Chloe knew many of the things Klaus had done, she would have a harder time siding with him. But she doesn't, and she's far too forgiving for her own good most of the time. The dark parts of Caroline's world are ones she knows better than to poke too hard into, lest she uncover something truly unforgivable.

Chloe is good at many things, after all, and one of those is she is great at seeing only what she wants to see. ]

I'll ask her. [ Chloe doesn't want to push Caroline too hard, but Elena has already been pretty open with her and they were friends. Chloe suspects if there is someone here that will put her in danger, Elena will be willing to tell her.

And while she doesn't know if Katherine in a vampire, Caroline has made it more than clear to Chloe that she's not human. ]

Well, Lucifer is... something else, that's for sure. [ Chloe isn't surprised Caroline knows; after all, Lucifer can't shut up about it. But she is still constantly surprised at how many people here believe him. Granted, coming from a world with ancient vampires and witches and werewolves, knowing the Devil is probably par for the course. ] It must be really hard for you, having to keep so many secrets.

[Caroline is pretty sure Elena will tell her, but Caroline didn't think it was the best idea to drop the doppelganger bomb herself.]

I mean, there was always the chance that he was just dramatic, but I've been around enough crazy by this point that it's just better to assume that it's all real and be pleasantly surprised if it isn't.

[She didn't know, not really. It's not like she talked to Lucifer, like, ever. But Elena believed him and that was enough for her.]

The whole vampire thing is about the only secret I'm good at. I'm terrible at keeping my mouth shut.

[ Chloe shakes her head, smiling mostly to herself. ]

His is dramatic, but he's also not a liar. So there's that. [ Chloe doesn't feel like she needs to protect Lucifer by denying to people what he is; after all, he tells everyone anyway. What she won't be mentioning is what her presence done to Lucifer. Klaus, Elena and Damon might know, but it's not Chloe's secret to spill.

One of many secrets Chloe has been keeping. There's a lot of reasons why Caroline has been a little bit of fresh air. ]

At least you're honest. That's more than can be said for a lot of people. Especially here.

Believe me, I'd rather have brutal honesty than shadiness any day.

[Caroline isn't interested in hurting anyone, anyway. It's other people she worries about. It's the mirrors and the events.

Funny, then, how much things could change in a short time.]

I know all of this is probably overwhelming and pretty scary. I didn't even know vampires were real until I was one, so I know what that feels like.

[More like she didn't remember that they were a thing until she was one, since that's when she remembered all the things Damon compelled her to forget. Details, details.]

[ For as in over her head as Chloe feels in all of this, she definitely feels less threatened by the vampires she's met than anyone else. That's a thought she would have never, ever believed would cross her mind but, well, Lucifer actually being the Devil hadn't been one, either.

Her greatest allies were the things of nightmares. Chloe feels like she should be surprised but... It seems appropriate enough for the kind of life she has lived.
]

Scary is... a word, yeah. [ At least she is an adult. She has some kind of reference, losing her dad. That's the kind of terror that no one is able to grasp truly until it actualizes, and she's not sure if anything will ever be as horrific as that event. Even in this place. ] Talking to people like you and Freya are making it easier, though. And honestly, it's not like I suddenly woke up and was a vampire. I'm pretty sure when it comes down to scary experiences, you win in that department.

[She'll learn these things, when she goes home. She hasn't seen anything yet.

It's a shame that she has to so soon.]

I don't know how I managed to get out of that hospital without killing someone. I found a blood bag first, that's how I finished my transition. So when I ran into the nurse...

...I wasn't as hungry as I could have been. I don't know if you've met him, but Stefan was really there for me then. He taught me how to stay in control, how to keep it from taking over.

I haven't met Stefan. Freya wouldn't tell me who the other vampires were here, other than the ones I had met already. I don't blame her, though, I mean it is kind of personal and if they aren't out to get anyone...

[ That is Chloe's only real concern. Who she needs to protect her and Lucifer from. At least she has some of the tools now, to make sure they are both as safe as they can be. The vampires she had met seemed to keep to themselves, and weren't very trusting of anyone, though how could she blame them?

Chloe cringes at the thought of the nurse, at the idea that Caroline would have attacked anyone. At least it sounded like she had some guidance. ]

So, what do you do here? To eat, I mean. Are there people who just...? [ Chloe gestures her hand, as if that makes what she is saying clearer. ]

[Her eyes pinch at the corners.]

See, now that you know even the tiniest bit, I can't keep a secret at all. [She sighs.] Considering you're basically in our inner circle now, I don't think Stefan would care. It's not like Lucifer doesn't already know about the ones from my world, and you guys are tight, right?

[Caroline didn't like to think about that short stage of her life. The number of times she'd lost control were easily on one hand, but they'd all happened pretty quickly.]

Oh! Blood bags. Just pull them out of the closet, rip open the tube, and it's dinner to-go. That's how I do it at home, too. We always have a stash in case Wonderland tries to be a jerk about the closets, too.

[ Caroline's admission makes Chloe laugh. She can't help but like this girl. Good thing, too; she had her own idea of what vampires were, and Caroline is doing very well at destroying those stereotypes.

Good thing Freya had filled her in about unhelpful things like garlic and holy water. Chloe would have made a complete idiot out of herself. ]

Yeah, Lucifer is my partner back home. [ That's it. Just partner. Nothing to read into there, Caroline. Nothing at all. ] I trust him. And I trust the people he's chosen as his friends here.

[ She won't lie and say she doesn't kind of love the idea of being in their circle, being a part of something. Even after she proved herself to the force back home, her reputation hadn't entirely recovered. Part of her would never feel like she belonged there again. ]

... That's it? Like, blood donation bags? And that works for you?

[Caroline lifts her brows.]

Like, business partner? Or partner partner?

[Her Mom may be sheriff, but she doesn't have a 'partner.']

Works like a charm. They even have like a built-in straw. I know some don't like it cold, but it doesn't bother me.

Edited 2017-08-14 04:04 (UTC)

Uh. Business. Definitely business. Less of a partner and more of a consultant. And pain in the ass. A constant pain in the ass, huh.

[ She tilts her head, blowing a puff of air out of her mouth. The lady doth protest too much. ]

I mean... I think it's great that you've come up with some kind of alternative that isn't... Eating people. I personally really appreciate that. [ It's said with humor, but she also means it. If the vampires didn't keep themselves under control here, it would not bode well for the rest of the mansion. ] And what the wardrobes make taste the same?

[If you think she doesn't see that a million miles away, you wrong.]

Uh huh.

[Sounds fake but okay.]

Well, the other alternative is to like...sample the wildlife? I tried, but I couldn't do it. [It was gross and it left her feeling weak.] Yeah, I can even ask for whatever type I want. I have to go down to the dining areas to get it, so that's always a little awkward, but at least they're pretty portable.

[ Chloe is juuuuust going to ignore that because well. Caroline is right but whatever. ]

No one has busted you yet? I mean eating animals isn't exactly subtle and neither is lugging blood bags back up to your room. Are you worried someone will catch you?

[She grins.]

I have very quick hands, I guess. Besides, no one really pays attention. I can pull an entire cooler out, not just one bag at a time, so it's not that obvious.

[She shrugs.]

Besides, if someone catches me, most of the people here aren't on vervain, so I could just compel them not to remember. I know it's not the best thing ever, but it keeps us safe to not have everyone know what we are.

I guess that makes sense. It's weird, you know, Freya gave me vervain but now I wonder if someone compelled me before. It's not like I would know, right?

[ It's not any different than Wonderland stealing away memories, and she imagines it's a small risk. She trusts the few vampires she's met so far, if nothing else because Elena was. Not to mention, they could have easily compelled her to forget everything she saw when Lucifer was attacked.

They hadn't, though. They all trusted her with the truth, and that meant something to Chloe. ]

So do you... Um, have a preference? Like, AB or O or whatever. Or does it all taste the same?

You might be able to figure it out, now that you know about it. There could be holes in your memory, something wrong that you can't quite put your finger on, unless you got a really good cover story or something.

[Her expression falls slightly.]

That said, there was a lot of stuff I didn't realize I'd forgotten. Damon wasn't always such a 'nice' guy, to say the least, but all his compulsion went away after I was turned.

[She still wasn't really over it, and she didn't think she ever had to be if she didn't want to. That said, Damon was pretty different these days, and Klaus had been just as bad, if not worse.

People could change. It was just hard to get past things that had been done to her. She didn't expect Elena to forgive Klaus, just like Elena didn't expect her to forgive Damon.

They made it work.]

Oh! B positive, definitely.

Edited 2017-08-28 21:29 (UTC)

[ Chloe thought her relationship experiences were a disaster, but between what she understands about Klaus' background and what Caroline is implying about Damon, well...

They aren't men she would want her daughter dating, that's for sure. ]

I can't think of anything. At least, nothing stands out. Hopefully that's a good sign. [ She resists the urge to ask what Damon did. She isn't sure Caroline would want to talk about it and even if she does? This is the man Elena is in love with. He had helped Lucifer. Chloe doesn't need to see him as the bad guy. ]

Oh, so, there is actually a difference, that's, uh. [ Chloe scratches the back of her head thoughtfully. ] Weird. How does it, I mean... How can you tell?

[No. Definitely not. The life of the supernatural is a strange one, to say the least.]

I think you're probably fine, then.

[What Damon did is something she doesn't usually talk about at all, not in detail. But she's not afraid to let people know that he isn't all he seems, or at least she was more willing back before, well...

...things had changed.]

Um, the closest example I can think of is, like, cheddar cheese. You've got your mild and your sharp, and your extra sharp. They're all similar, but different, you know? [She pauses, before adding.] Oo! Or like vodka. Different brands have a different bite?

[ Wonderland did that. Life changed that. Changed things, changed people, sometimes in ways that were irreconcilable with your personal experiences with them. Chloe found herself still dealing with it, too... especially when it came to Lucifer.

Granted, she thought about Lucifer far too much. ]

Cheese and vodka. Okay. That... actually makes some sense. [ Putting it that way definitely helps Chloe work it out in her own mind, at least a little bit. ] I'm better with cheese. But I know what you mean.

[She grins, looking pleased with herself for coming up with a decent metaphor.]

I had to get used to eating normal food, too. At first it just tasted awful, but you just sort of adjust. Kind of like how diet coke tastes off if you're used to drinking the regular kind.

Okay, that's where I draw the line. I can't deal with not eating food. [ Chloe smiles, although it's a little melancholy, thinking about all of the little things that Caroline must miss about being human. At least she seems well adjusted. Chloe doubts she would handle it so well herself. ]

Why do you still even bother? Eating, I mean. Is it just for show?

It helps me keep feeling full. Maybe it's a placebo thing, I don't know, but it works so that's good enough for me.

[Caroline...likes being a vampire. If anything, she's better like this.]

[ That would no doubt blow Chloe's mind but in her defense, a couple months ago she would have never believed in vampires. She's still getting over the hurdle of "anything not human must be miserable" because clearly being human is the best except when it's not >_> ]

That makes sense, I mean... You spend you're whole life eating. But like you said, if it works for you, that's what matters.

Do you ever have problems controlling it? Like, wanting to drink blood from... a person.

Exactly.

[Her smile is bright. It's clear that she is definitely not miserable like this, which would be concerning if she weren't so responsible about the whole thing.]

Only at the very beginning, when I didn't really know what was happening. As long as I don't starve myself, it's pretty easy. I mean, I'm going to notice if someone cuts themselves, but I'm not going to jump them or anything.

That's a comfort.

[ She nods her head. Part of her knows that anything that has to do with vampires should probably scare her... But Caroline isn't exactly giving her reason to. Chloe knows people don't have to be slaves to their pasts, or their natures. Caroline is a perfect example of that. ]

I guess it's good you keep a blood stash on hand. The last thing we need during an event is a bunch of hungry vampires to make it more complicated.

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