Chapter Text
Sookie burst out of Bill’s house, chest heaving as she tried to hold back both tears and anger. Reading minds and being a waitress had taught Sookie that no one liked being broken up with. But if Bill was truly the gentleman Sookie had thought of him as, he would not have been so rude.
Godric was standing at the edge of the property, patiently waiting for her, and Sookie felt relief and comfort flood her chest at the sight of him.
“Child, are you alright?”
Sookie appreciated him asking, even though they both knew he could her emotions. Unable to resist the urge, Sookie ran straight into Godric, burying her face in his neck and her hands clenched tightly in the fabric of his loose shirt.
Godric’s hand moved to her neck, gently petting her skin there. “I don’t know why I’m crying,” Sookie mumbled into the crook of his body.
“A chapter of your life has ended, there is nothing wrong with feeling sad over this fact,” Godric murmured softly. “Even if you were the one to end it.”
Sookie steps backwards and wipes hastily at her eyes. “How are you so good with emotions when Eric is so crap with them?”
“I do not think it is an area Eric has ever had much interest in exploring. And despite his big heart, I’m afraid I taught him to shut away his emotions many centuries ago. As for my perceived proficiency, that is a recent development,” Godric explained, looking slightly rueful. “A few decades ago I stumbled on what you humans call ‘self-help’ books. They have been truly instrumental in bettering my understanding of humans. And learning how to talk to you.”
Sookie giggled at the thought of her ancient friend reading self-help books. And how confused his subordinates must have been if they had seen him reading them. Also… did Godric go around chatting with random humans offering them tidbits from the self-help books? That thought was even more adorable.
“You feel cheered. I am glad.” Godric’s lips quirked in that cute half smile he had. He was wearing blue today. It looked nice on him. Sookie was pleased he had listened to her when she suggested he buy some clothes in colors other than white, grey, and black.
She reached out and took Godric’s hand in hers. “Your presence is enough to make me feel better. Your words are just extra,” Sookie said quietly, knowing she didn’t have to be loud for a vampire to hear. “Thank you for coming along.”
Godric patted her on the head. “It was my pleasure to support you while you completed this task. Now, what would you like to do next? I can walk you home and go. Or stay if you prefer. I placed some ice cream in your refrigerator. I understand that is traditional.”
“You bought me ice cream?” Sookie asked as she tugged Godric in the direction of her house, feeling warmth spread though her. “Thank you, Godric.” The little tidbits of modern life Godric had picked up were truly varied. Had he gleaned this from one of the books or had he asked a human? She could just imagine him asking some confused patron of Fangtasia how to console a human after a break up. The thought made her want to laugh.
“You should know Eric has also offered his bar for the ‘celebration’. And I believe Pam wished to see you again, should you choose to go. Though I understand if you do not wish to attend.” That Eric was already unbearably smug about her break-up did not need to be said.
Sookie snorted. “Pam only wants to convince me to drink her blood as well. She keeps saying that if the rest of your bloodline is linked to me, she should be too.”
Godric shook his head lightly. “She is silly, the childe of my childe. Eric spoils her too much.”
They walked in companionable silence together for the next few minutes, Sookie thinking everything though. Biting her lip slightly before speaking, Sookie bringing up the topic that had been plaguing her.
“Pam also thinks you intend to turn me. You or Eric. She keeps alternating between calling me ‘sister’ and ‘aunt’.” Godric turns to her, his slightly widened eyes betraying his surprise. Worried he might be offended—or worse, hurt—Sookie quickly continues, “I don’t think you would. Not with what you’ve said about vampires’ nature…And definitely not without asking first. But I wanted to talk about it. With Bill, so many things went unsaid. And I thought I knew what his thoughts were on those subjects, but now I don’t think I ever did. So…” Sookie trailed off.
“Being a vampire is no longer a life I wish on a friend,” Godric said softly, facing ahead instead of her. “I am still coming to terms with having a future. But I did not give you my blood lightly. If you would wish it, I would turn you.” He smiled. It was a soft gentle thing and contrasted greatly with the bloodshed of his past that Sookie now knew intimately. “I’d be honored to have you in my line. And extra years with you would be a gift. But I would not condemn you to this life for my own selfishness. Not anymore.” Now he looks back at her, an inquisitive look on his face. “Is this something you would wish?”
Sookie shook her head softly. “No, I don’t think so.” She looked up at the moon and imagined never seeing the sun again. “Eric seems to enjoy every bit of the un-life—the blood, the sex, the fighting—but that’s not me. And in the end… I want a family. Children.” Nibbling on her lip, she opened her mouth to admit to Godric what she’d never admitted to anyone else. “I’ve considered it though. Back then it was the thought of staying with Bill. And because of the hope I would lose my disability then. But that’s not even a sure thing, so…” She had thought that since she couldn’t hear vampire’s thoughts that maybe being one would erase her telepathy. But since she’s been in a vampire’s mind now…
Godric frowned lightly. “Your disability?”
“My telepathy,” Sookie explained, using Eric’s term for it upon realizing that of course he wouldn’t know her and Gran’s way of referring to the power that messed with her life.
Godric nodded. “We’re here.” Sookie looked up and realized he was right. Her house practically glowed, white paint against the shadows of the woods at night. Sookie still couldn’t help the jolt that went though her ever time she remembered Gran would not be there to welcome her home. The whole house felt too big for just Sookie alone. They walked up the house in silence, but when they reached the steps, Godric motioned to them. Sookie carefully sat down, smoothing her dress under her bottom so it didn’t wrinkle as she sat—exactly how her Gran had taught her.
“While I have no right to say how you should feel about anything,” Godric started, squeezing her hand in his. “I must admit it makes me sad to hear you talk about your gift—a piece of yourself—in such a way.”
“It’s not a gift,” Sookie insisted. “It’s ruined my life. I could barely handle high school, with everyone’s nasty hormone-driven thoughts. And our school was barely a hundred people.” She grimaced at the memories. “And no matter what I wanted, college was never really an option—Though I did try. Nor was moving to the city, or even out of our small town. Too many people and I just can’t handle it. People smile and laugh and inside they’re insulting everyone or covering up the horrible things they suffer at home and even when they’re benign it’s just too much! Not to mention the endless amounts of psychological testing my parents put me through. They never believed in me at all.” She met Godric’s eyes, pleading with him to understand. “It’s not a gift when it ruined my life.”
“You have such little control?” Godric asked, a small confused frown on his face. “Did the relative who passed on the gift—sorry, the power—not guide you though it?”
“Relative? What relative?” Sookie was baffled. “The first time I ever met anyone else with a similar gift was—” Sookie cut herself off before she could betray Barry’s secret. Barry may have warned Bill—and inadvertently Eric—to save her but she wasn’t sure if he had made it out of the whole situation without his powers being outed. Guiltily, Sookie realized this was the first time she had thought of him since. She wished she could check in with him, but she didn’t have any way to contact him.
“Billy Horowitz at the Hotel Camilla?” Godric asked with a small smirk. At her askance expression, he explained further. “Did you think I was so poor a sheriff not to know about the telepath in my territory?” Sookie buried a laugh at the unintended dig towards Eric. “It was I who made sure he got the job when he applied. It was easier to keep an eye on him there and make sure he wasn’t looked at too closely. The others know about him now, of course, but I ensured Isabel would look after him.”
“How…?” Sookie was still confused. “How could you tell?”
“There’s not a specific scent or anything, if that’s what you’re wondering. But there are tells, in body language, and of course telepaths will often accidentally talk about things they should know nothing about. But in Barry’s case, I know his great-grandfather, Desmond Cataliades. That relates to what I was referring to earlier.” Godric paused, looking at her carefully. “Telepathy does not occur in pure humans and even in those with predisposed bloodlines, the power must be given, so to speak.”
Sookie stared at Godric, her heart beating double-time in her chest. “W-What are you saying? I don’t understand what you mean…” Sookie reached out and gripped the front of Godric’s shirt, her hands trembling. All her life Sookie had wanted to know why. Why she was cursed with this power? Was she being punished? Why did no one believe her? What had she done to deserve it? Why her?
Now, she might finally know and the thought terrified Sookie as much as it exhilarated her.
“Telepathy is one of the powers of the fae,” Godric said simply as if he wasn’t reordering the way she looked at the world. Fae, as in fairies? Since when are there fairies? There had been so much else going on that Sookie hadn’t processed what Sam’s abilities and the maenad’s existence meant. That vampires were not the only supernaturals in the world. But fairies. It sounded so ridiculous.
Wait…
“Pure humans? Are you saying I’m not human?” Sookie asked Godric urgently. Was she going to develop wings?!
Godric reached up and took her hands in his once more. “Sookie, you are still human.” He paused. “Mostly.” Mostly?! “You cannot have the gift—power—without the bloodline. “But if no one knew when you were a child then it is most likely diluted. Perhaps an ancestor several generations back that was the child of a human and a fae.” He tilted his head slightly to the side. “I am sorry for springing this on you, Sookie. I thought you knew.”
Sookie’s head felt like it was spinning. Fae. She was part fae. Oh heck, this meant Jason was part fae as well. She knew he would freak if he found out. When. She shouldn’t keep it from him.
“If you would like, and it does not have to be now by any means,” Godric said and Sookie braced herself for whatever he was going to say next. “I can reach out to Cataliades and see if he knows who your fae ancestor is.” Oh, no new earth-shattering revelations then. Thank goodness. “Or if he knows if it was someone besides your fae ancestor who blessed your line.” He grimaced. “Sorry, I should not say blessed when it has troubled you so. It is the common vernacular used to describe such a thing, but I do wish to be considerate of your feelings.”
Sookie hugged him. “Thank you, Godric. You’ve been so kind to me. And I may be freaking out a little, but I am glad to know where my disability—my powers—” she corrected herself, her understanding of everything changing, “—come from. It’s a question I’ve had all my life—as short as that may seem to you—and you’ve finally given me answers.”
Godric ran his fingers lightly though her hair. “They are part of you, so you should refer to them however you wish, but sometimes reclaiming can be a powerful thing.” Sookie let herself relax against the vampire, soothed by his gentle motions and calm voice. “Magic is strongly tied to your will and your thoughts. Claiming your powers as your own in a positive manner may help you gain control. Right now you see your powers as uncontrollable, and so they are. Instead, try focusing on them as a part of you, just like your fingers or your toes, pieces that you can use at whenever and however you please. Telepaths can live among great numbers without problem, I’ve seen it before.”
Sookie found herself crying again, this time in relief. Godric sounded so sure. No one had ever spoken of her telepathy in such a way. “Do you really think I can make my telepathy a good thing?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” a voice spoke from above her.
Sookie jumped, bumping her head against Godric’s chin as she moved. Ow. Holding the top of her head, she glared up at the smirking blonde Viking. “Eric!”
“Really, Sookie,” Eric said as he descended to the ground in front of her porch. “Your talent gives you power. I don’t see why you don’t like it. If someone insults you in their thoughts, just insult them right back.” He strode over and lounged on Sookie’s other side. “Really, you’d enjoy your powers so much more if you could read my mind. A riot of pleasure, just waiting for the taking,” he purred. Sookie punched him on the arm.
“Eric.” Godric sent him a serious look and Eric pouted. Sookie giggled. She was never going to get tired of seeing Eric interact with his maker. “Why are you here? This was a personal affair to which Sookie did not invite you.”
“I felt her distress, and since it was after I knew you had left Compton’s…” Aw, Sookie thought. Was Eric worried about me? “Plus, I figured Sookie on the rebound might be my best chance.”
Sookie hit him again. “Eric!”
He just grinned at her. “Come now, Sookie. You could have me and Godric teach you what pleasure really is. In many positions, even.”
Sookie slapped him against the back of his big blond head but it didn’t stop Eric’s self-satisfied grin. She cursed him once again for forcing her to ingest some of his blood. She was a healthy young lady and she should be able to experience her arousal in peace, gosh dang it!
The dream she had the other night was at the forefront of her mind once more—Eric, his tall body displaying beautifully sculpted muscles and miles of skin—Godric, grinning and full of life in a way she’s never seen him in the waking world—both learned forward, sweet kisses turning more and more intense—Sookie flushed.
Eric was downright leering now, while Godric looked like he was trying not to laugh. Sookie huffed and crossed her arms. But her irritation didn’t take long to dissipate. For all Eric’s inappropriate jokes, it didn’t change the fact that both men were here because they cared about her and wanted her to be happy.
Reaching out with both arms, Sookie pulled both vampires against her sides. “Thank you for caring,” she said simply and only rolled her eyes when Eric made a pitiful attempt to say he didn’t care.
Sookie leaned her head against Godric’s shoulder and watched the moonlight reflect across the grass and trees. With Godric’s steady presence and Eric’s endless jokes and nonsense, her house didn’t seem as lonely before.