spamalot } { wedding bell blues

[impetere]

[♫ Say Something ~ Pentatonix]

[The wedding had been lovely.

Not that she wouldn't expect it to be, considering how long it had been coming. Allison and Lydia's planning was perfect and she and Scott couldn't be happier, which is really the important thing. Add to the fact that Tyler had been an awesome date stand in, and the evening had gone a lot more smoothly than she expected.

(It still hurt, even though she'd been prepared. It still stung a little more sharply than she thought it would, seeing him with another girl, but for the most part she was keeping it together. She's always been good at that, burying her emotions where no one else could see them.

The funny thing is, he's always the one who managed to see through them.)

But Tyler's spending some time talking to Nadia and her mom, and she needs a little air, so she makes her way out to the patio near the dance floor, hanging out with her drink. Allison and Scott are dancing together like the rest of the world had fallen away and it was just the two of them there, just like always. They always were perfect together, always so sure of what they wanted, and she envied them for that.

Malia and Isaac too.

And now she's standing, alone, on the side of a dance floor at a wedding where she should be happier, but she's not. There's still that nagging feeling of something being missing. She just wishes she wasn't so sure of what it was.]

Comments

[99werewolfproblems]

[he nods. But seeing that Tyler is the one person not sitting on the dividing line between Team Stiles and Team Cora, his vote is always in Cora's favor]

Well, you've got every right to be in there right now. But if you want to go back to the house, I'll drive. But you'll still need to say your goodbyes.

[impetere]

[The offer's tempting. She could run away from it just like she ran away from it before. Even with Tyler here, to selfishly be on her side regardless, she knows that it's just another way of distancing herself from it. She looks down at the handkerchief for a moment, before shaking her head.]

I'll be okay. I just need some air.

[99werewolfproblems]

[he nodded, then tilted his head and gave her a smirk]

Want me to go get Lydia so she can scold you on messing up her work and then help fix it?

[impetere]

[She rolls her eyes a bit before shaking her head.]

I can do it myself, I just need a mirror.

[99werewolfproblems]

[he thinks, then pulls a flask out of his jacket]

This work?

[impetere]

[She laughs a bit at that, before shaking her head and glancing around.]

No, but the one in the car should work. Where did we park?

[99werewolfproblems]

[his eyes scan the lot and he points at the Mercedes that was his]

You can also take a drink of the stuff inside. It's strong enough to give you a kick for a few minutes.

[impetere]

[Well, in that case she takes the flask from him as they start to walk, unscrewing the cap and downing a mouthful before she has to pull back, making a face.]

That tastes like lighter fluid.

[99werewolfproblems]

You get used to it. The buzz is worth it.

[he takes his own sip, leaning against the car when they get there so Cora can take her time]

[impetere]

[She still makes a face as she slides into the passenger's seat, fishing around in her purse for a moment to find the make up that Lydia left her with.]

Whatever you say.

[she starts with the make up remover to clear the smudges before starting to reapply it.]

Do you think I'm stupid? For doing what I did?

[99werewolfproblems]

[licks his lips, taking another sip]

Speaking as someone who currently risks his own mate's safety from my own father until I can find a safe way to break free from the pack?

[he pauses to think about it]

Yeah, pretty much. If he loved you as much as you said, and you pushed it away, you're pretty stupid, Cor. But that doesn't mean your feelings about it were stupid. You did what you felt you had to.

[impetere]

[She sighs softly, leaning back in the seat to stare at the window.]

He was always so sure. It scared the crap out of me, because I never knew what I was doing.

[99werewolfproblems]

You were waiting for the other shoe to drop, weren't you?

[impetere]

[She looks over her face, making sure she looks presentable enough for Lydia not to kill her, before climbing out of the car.]

We were the only people we'd ever been with. I was waiting for him to get sick of me, I guess.

[She shakes her head, before moving back towards the reception.]

Now I've been with a grand total of two, and I still only want him.

[There's a beat.]

No offense.

[99werewolfproblems]

None taken. I mean, you knew I wasn't going to be a long term thing anyway because of the whole "arranged marriage" bullshit. Only reason my dad didn't try anything is because you're a Hale.

[not that Tyler knew what it meant to be a Hale back then. Now, he knew.]

Sometimes you need the change to make you appreciate what you had. That's what happened with me and Care. You just... gotta hope the guy comes back too.

[impetere]

Yeah, I guess.

[They make their way back into the hall, and a blond woman that was talking to Allison intercepts her, catching her arm quickly. She smells like Stiles and a part of her freezes, but she looks up at her and raises her eyebrows.]

Can I help you?

[She flashes her a calm smile, but there's nothing that calm about it.]

You're Cora, aren't you? I don't think we've met. I'm Suzanna - Stiles's girlfriend.

[Yep, her anxiety is just going to spike a little bit higher.]

Oh. Hi.

[She swallows hard.]

Nice to meet you.

[99werewolfproblems]

[Tyler, however, recognizes a predator when he sees one and he's stepping up at Cora's side in an instant. Because he is here to keep her calm and that? Not a calm Cora]

And I'm Tyler Lockwood. [of the Virginia Lockwoods. A very prominent and long lived political family. think Kennedy] Pleasure is all ours.

[impetere]

[Suzanna glances at him for a moment, appraising him because yes she catches that name, and decides that for the moment, she doesn't care. Instead she brings her eyes back to Cora and tips her head to the side.]

You know, from the way Stiles talks about you, you were not what I was expecting.

[Her tone makes it clear enough that she means it as a detriment. Cora's seems distracted, however, because she's noticing her scent and then listening intently, feeling her heart sink in the process. Suzanna purses her lips before she continues.]

I guess I was expecting a little ... more. Then again, the myth is usually more than the man.

[Cora picks up on Allison starting to protest next to her, and her hand finds the other woman's arm. It's okay. She can take care of herself.]

I guess that's why we didn't work. I'm sure you and Stiles are a much better fit.

[Diplomacy, she definitely has some. It's a skill she's picked up when it came to soothing the egos of male professors, even when they didn't deserve it. Still, all the same she swallows hard and turns to Allison, who is looking at her with concern and she shakes her head.]

I just wanted to say goodbye. We have an early flight tomorrow and should get some sleep.

[She leans in to give the other woman a hug.]

I'll see you on your way home from France.

[Allison pulls back and nods with a smile.]

Perfect. Don't forget to say goodbye to Scott.

[Allison nods her head towards the patio and Cora nods, before taking Tyler's hand and pulling him away from the group.]

[99werewolfproblems]

[Tyler stayed silent, proud of Cora's diplomatic skills, and nods his farewell to Suzanna before getting pulled aside again towards the patio.]

That was good of you. Not what I was expecting, but good. Right?

[impetere]

[She shakes her head as they walk, stopping before they get too far away.]

Listen to her heartbeat.

[Because while her diplomacy was awesome, she basically got the worst thing possible confirmed for her.]

[99werewolfproblems]

[he stopped a moment to focus, and then his eyes opened wide]

Crap.

[impetere]

[She nods, before giving a bit of a shrug.]

It's over.

[It's easier to think of it that way, and while everything is shattering in front of her, she needs to at least say goodbye to Scott. It's his wedding.]

Can you go tell my mom we're going? I just need to find Scott.

[She doesn't want her mom to pick up on her sad feelings because she doesn't really want to be mom'd right now. She needs to deal with this on her own.]

[99werewolfproblems]

[he nods, then pulls her into a tight hug to give her a bit of strength]

I'll tell her. Tell Scott it was nice meeting him from me, and hopefully I'll see him again soon.

[and he will go off to find Talia, letting her know. Not that Talia would be surprised at all, but it was the polite thing to do.]

[impetere]

[And she will wander off to collide with Scott, Stiles and her cousin as they're coming back into the main room. She stops short for a second but keeps it together, trying to keep most of her attention on Scott.]

Tyler and I are going to go. We have an early flight tomorrow and it's getting late.

[fadingspark]

[Stiles licks his lips, standing behind Scott who just nods, not knowing why but not going to stop her if she's determined to go. He'll lean in to give her a hug]

Have a safe flight back. I'll see you when you're home for break next time.

[and Scott will look back at Stiles, moving to the side as the other man rubs the back of his neck]

Cora, I just... [he's sorry for getting angry at her. For hurting her like that] it was nice seeing you again. Tyler looks like a good guy.