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[versusnurture]

[Abigail knows, now, that it's only a matter of time. He's been allowed into the kitchen. He won't show his true face, but one way or another, he'll start working on people. Ripping them apart, one way or another. Making them see too much of themselves until they eat themselves up from the inside, or worse. And she doesn't know, even now, if she wants to help him or if she wants to run.]

[She's tired of being prey, tired of being helpless, tired of being alone and crazy, and most of all she doesn't want people to know - so why has she been telling them? Why did she tell Arkin, why did she let Zane find out? Why is Ben, who has power, letting this happen?]

[She is afraid, so she ties a bright blue scarf around her neck and makes deliberate appearances in several common rooms, the cafeteria, the greenhouse, and the library, a copy of Jane Eyre tucked under her arm. She's quiet when it's appropriate, polite or even chatty when someone approaches her. But there's something not quite right about the set of her smile, to those who know her very well or look very closely, and her heart beats like a rabbit's every time she sees someone new.]

for ben } thursday

[After Riddick finds her, Abigail thinks about the situation for a while. No, she doesn't trust Ben. She doesn't really trust anyone. But Riddick had at least one point: he seems to have decent motives. He seems to care. And maybe that means she's going about this all wrong. Maybe he's more Will than Hannibal. Or like Alana, even: smart and capable but with a part of him that can't see through what Abigail holds on the outside.]

[He has trouble, she knows, with touch. But he's sweet anyway. He cares.]

[She waits for him outside the kitchen, when his shift is over, hands twisting in the hem of her shirt, eyes on the floor.]

Comments

[versusnurture]

It's difficult.

Why so shy?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena frowns a little.]

Shy? I was aiming more for coy.

[kanyest of shrugs udek]

[Elena gets up and moves around the table to sit next to Abigail. She leaves her blood behind.]

See, the thing is, I have to be careful. I'm unfortunately not the only vampire around here. Unfortunately that one has a stick up her ass. And then there's the hunter. [She reaches over and brushes back some of Abigail's hair.] I mean, I could just make you, but that's no way to make friends.

[versusnurture]

What's the payoff?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

I would think the protection of a vampire would be a pretty good trade-off, but I assume you want something else.

Name it.

[versusnurture]

Do you enjoy violence?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Sometimes. It depends on the situation and who it's against.

[versusnurture]

If I felt someone was going to be a threat, and I needed them dealt with.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Shrug and very matter-of-fact:]

Well, it'd depend on how much they annoyed me personally if I would really enjoy it or only just enjoyed it.

[versusnurture]

But would you do it?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

If that's the trade-off here, then yes.

Hell, I'd even give you my blood if you managed to get hurt...

[If she still ends up dying and comes back a vampire then o well~~~~~]

[versusnurture]

Then it's fine.

[Hell, she's been more dinner than this. Why not? It's not like it bothers her.]

[It absolutely doesn't bother her.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena smiles. Or smirks is more accurate. But she likes to think of it as a smile. Either way, she's pleased.]

You'll have to keep it covered. So either scarves or somewhere else.

[She reaches across the table for her blood.]

Ooh and be sure to eat your spinach. Don't want you getting anemic.

[versusnurture]

Thanks.

[Ever so.]

I wear the scarves anyway. They're fine.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Come up to my room in an hour.

[Elena stands and gives a little wave before walking off. She doesn't bother with threatening Abigail with what will happen if she blabs or screws up and gets Elena caught.]

[She's a smart girl.]

[She can figure it out.]

[versusnurture]

[She is a smart girl. She also, unlike some people, doesn't have a death wish. So she comes to Elena's cabin obediently in an hour, knocking smartly at the door and folding her hands together in front of her.]

[It's all bullshit, of course, some satirical show of Puritanism, but most wouldn't know it to look at her.]

[(Hannibal would. But she's doing this, in part, so he knows he doesn't own her.)]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena opens the door a few seconds after she's knocked and motions for her to step inside.]

Make yourself at home.

[No praise for being punctual. It's expected and minimal to ask of her. Elena doesn't believe in rewarding that.]

[versusnurture]

[It rankles a little. She doesn't like being treated like an obedient dog. If anything, that's Elena. Elena's the dog. Abigail's the juicebox.]

[She sits. Primly, sweetly. Looking up and attentive.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena rolls her eyes and closes the door.]

You can drop the schoolgirl act unless you really feel like making me throw up.

[She crosses the room over to stand in front of Abigail.]

Good little girls might be stupid enough to let a vampire feed from them, but they're not smart enough to negotiate with them about it because they don't need to.

[Elena yanks on the scarf to undo it.]

You don't fool me.

[versusnurture]

[For a moment she doesn't. For a moment she wants to stay how she is, because the mask feels nice. But she knows it's true - she doesn't fool Elena.]

[So the mask falls, and her eyes go narrow and fox-sharp as she leans into Elena's touch, not moving to pull the scarf off herself.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Better.

[Elena pulls the scarf off and tilts her head at the sight of the scar on Abigail's neck. She runs a finger along the line before hooking her hair and pushing it back. Elena just straddles Abigail's lap and grabs her chin to tip her head up towards her.]

I could make it not hurt.

[More of a statement than an offer, but sue her. She's curious as to whether Abigail will accept it or not. She knows the answer, but she still wants to see.]

[versusnurture]

No.

[She leans back, lets Elena maneuver her in whatever way she likes. It doesn't much matter to her, she tells herself; however this goes, it's fine.]

It's fine. This is your game.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena has a light smirk as the veins around her eyes change. She tilts Abigail's head at the best angle to expose her neck. Elena isn't gentle when she leans down and bites, but she does try to keep any kneejerk reactions from Abigail minimized to avoid making the bite worse. One of her hands holds Abigail's shoulder, pinning it against the back of the chair while the other holds the back of her head.]

[She keeps a close ear to Abigail's heartbeat, listening for the little spikes in rhythm when she bites harder to increase the bloodflow and for any signs of it slowing beyond saving.]

[Elena won't get greedy. She takes what she needs and pulls away when she's done.]

[versusnurture]

[She stays very still, though her heart does jackrabbit at every harder bite. By the end, her hands have tightened on Elena's knees; when the other girl pulls away, she glances up, a little woozy but otherwise just curious.]

Is that all?

[She reaches up and wipes the blood off her neck, then looks at her fingers critically.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena licks her lips clean of blood as her face returns to normal.]

Mmhm. Wasn't so bad, was it?

[versusnurture]

No. It wasn't bad at all.

[Tilting her head, she watches the change.]

Does that hurt? When you shift like that?