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[corporeity]

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[corporeity]

[ his shoulders lift in verbal answer before he speaks. ]

Certainly. And events seem to throw us together at regular intervals. Parties. [ a beat. ] Horrors. We were all made human, rendered without magic or augmentation, during the last great trouble — and we faced it together, for the most part.

[interpersonally]

You had no choice.

( He's not going to be the Stefan he was. Can't even isolate himself if he wanted. Needs to push away the guilt he feels for making the choice for Damon. Damon is alive. Not a monster. Not buried. Not worse. He's alive. )

It won't be long before it happens again, and this time Damon will be just as defenseless.

( But alive. )

[corporeity]

But alive.

[ a thought shared. ]

And not wholly defenceless, when he has you. [ finger tapping the glass. ] I can help as well, at least to an extent. I’ve warded Astarion and I’s rooms against intruders already.

[interpersonally]

But alive.

( living. breathing. )

Really. Intruders not including vampires. How so.

[corporeity]

[ with a look, edging toward teasing: ] Magic, Stefan.

[ another drink. ]

I was once the most accomplished wizard of my generation. Of the past several, in fact.

[ spoken with more truth than ego, though there’s a glimmer of the latter in his crooked smile, to be sure. and a little wistfulness, in his faraway look. ]

[interpersonally]

( he smirks, draining the rest of his glass and setting it down between them back on the desk. )

I mean, how does your magic distinguish between intruders. Does it require everyone to have an invitation? Or, does it work each time someone tries. Just inquiring into the logistics. I'm not against it. Damon probably won't be. But, I need to know how it works. And, maybe I might want one, too.

( But, at least if he has knowledge, he knows how it works. he believes Gale. he comes off as a scholar. and a good person. and real help.

he hopes it doesn't bie them in the ass. )

[corporeity]

It’s — my magic isn’t so rigid, [ relenting, ] though I appreciate your interest in the technicalities. The weave that composes it is all around us, you see, so I need only to thread it thusly. [ an accompanying gesture, free hand threading the needle. ] To use another spell as an example, I could direct a fireball your way and make it so you did not feel the lick of a single flame.

[ as for the aforementioned technicalities, he waves a hand. ]

It can be otherwise tailored, of course. To allow specific individuals, respond to a code-phrase, punish offenders. If you can imagine it, it can be done.

[interpersonally]

And, what if we made it so that everyone would need a proper invitation. That would fall under code word?

( That seems to be the simplest and keep protections from other vampires. According to Buffy, this place is crawling with them. )

[corporeity]

[ gale tips his head to catch stefan’s eye. grins small but sure. ]

Then you can bring me a bottle next time.

[ as thanks. ]

[interpersonally]

I have good taste.

( And that's a promise. )

Thank you, Gale. I promise, I won't be throwing myself off the roof any time soon. Or, Damon. I can't guarantee Damon won't be doing the throwing.

🎀

[corporeity]

A good thing you’re still a vampire, then.

[ he’s not getting involved in all that! ]

You’re very welcome.

[ with a final swig, he stands to leave. there’s only so much comfort that can be given at this hour, in this situation, isn’t there? and he imagines it wiser to be elsewhere, when damon wakes (and his favoured vampire awaits him, besides). ]

And you know where to find me, my friend.