T - Therapy

Therapy
* A process in which a false relationship between a counsellor/psychotherapist and patient is created.
* The process usually ends in a painful abandonment and makes the patient feel way worse than when they started.

Case 1: Niklaus Mikaelson; The Sociopathic Man-Child

Niklaus is quite the normal male specimen. He has a normal life, with normal friends, a normal family, and a normal girl that loves him back.

This is not true, this is just what he would like to hear.

But, as his temporary - not clinically qualified whatsoever - counsellor, Peyton finds it in her best interest to lie in order to soothe his ego (her best interest goes out of the window when his comes in). She had only called around to see if her friend had been there, as the Mikaelson home was always the next place to look after the Grill. Too bad for her that not only was her friend not there, but she was also ushered inside without much choice in the matter.

"Why is it that the one person someone cares about is usually the one to turn their back?" Niklaus asked, striding into the main sitting room, not even checking back to see if his guest was following while he set off into one of the infamous tangents Liliana had warned her about.

Peyton opened her mouth to speak the first thing that came to mind but shut it as soon as she realised her real answer could have had her decapitated in 0.3 seconds. Thinking it over, the redhead hummed for a second. "Maybe she's playing hard to get."

"You think?" He seemed to have bought it. "How rude of me," gesturing for the female to take a seat, Niklaus poured them both a drink and then joined her on the facing sofa. "What should I do?"

Peyton pulled a sour face. "Am I really the right person to be asking?"

"Why not? You are a woman." He stated like that was the most important factor, not the list of offences he had against the woman in question's loved ones.

"I am..." Peyton was soon coming to the conclusion this was a very bad situation to be in. "Maybe you should take a step back and just wait until she needs you."

"Hm, you could be right," he stared off as if in thought.

Peyton downed her drink, hoping he wouldn't ask any more questions like that.

"Do you think it's because of my family?"

Clearing her throat, the guest chose her words carefully. "Rebekah doesn't really strengthen your relationship by messing around with Matt."

"Yes, I can see that is a problem," he nodded.

"Elijah kidnapping Elena must have been a strain too."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Also, your mother trying to kill her..."

Niklaus smiled bitterly. "My mother tried to kill everyone though."

Pouting out her lower lip as she looked down in thought, Peyton tapped the crystal tumbler with her index finger. "And then there's you trying to kill the Salvatore's."

Niklaus sat forward suddenly and uncrossed his legs, letting his foot stomp as he pointed. "In my defence, they started it."

Without thinking too much about it, the redhead stood up and poured herself another drink. "Kol trying to rip off Jeremy's arms isn't really a winning tactic either..."

"I'm starting to understand." He leaned back now the blame was away from him.

"Yes, listing the attempts on lives out loud really lets them sink in." Peyton blinked slowly as she looked at the man watching her. "And that's not even getting started on what you've done to Tyler."

Again, the Mikaelson man went rigid as a defiant expression crossed his face. "He challenged me."

Peyton was temporarily lost for words. She could call him out for being a sociopathic man-child with a God complex, but she didn't see the end result of that one ending in a pat on the back and a thank you for the advice on her part. All she could do was force a small smile.

"Try to rise above it."

Niklaus scowled. "Do you think I'm a bad person?"

"I think you have some bad tendencies." She saved herself with a twist of words.

Just then, it dawned on Klaus. "Why are you here again?"

"I came looking for Lily." Peyton blinked, like she too had just remembered.

"Oh, she left earlier; she was looking for you."

"That's great," Peyton downed her drink in agitation.

"So, you're leaving?"

"'Fraid so." Standing up, the redhead patted Klaus on the shoulder as she passed. "Thanks for the drinks." Without wasting a beat, Peyton speed-walked out of the sitting room. His question was basically like giving her permission to leave. Or at least, that's what her case would be if he called her out for rudely trying to escape potential death. It was Saturday and she hardly fancied sitting around listening to all of Niklaus' childish whining for the remainder of it.

Niklaus watched her back disappear around the lounge door and then heard the front door open and close some seconds later. He felt somewhat empty now. Maybe keeping his problems to himself was for the best.

 

Case 2: Elena Gilbert; The Internally Conflicted Vampire Cheerleader

Liliana was not quite sure how she managed to be in this situation. She was seen as an enemy on numerous occasions and yet, she was now sat in the Gilbert kitchen with biscuits in front of her while the Elena made coffee.

"Do you ever have those days where everything annoys you?" The brunette asked.

Lighting a cigarette, the blonde nodded her head all-knowingly. "It’s becoming more apparent that is my default mood."

"What do you do to feel better?"

Liliana thought about it for a moment. Three things came to mind but she didn't think any of them would help the pure little Elena. "Hunting, fucking and drinking - You can alternate the order."

"You don't..." She lowered her tone, as if she was testing the water, or maybe even trying not to be heard - The guest wasn't quite sure. "Sleep with the person you killed right?"

Liliana blinked at the younger girl in awe. "No," she said slowly as shook her head with an open mouth. She had been called many things over the years, a necrophiliac was a first. “Not while they’re still unmoving, at least.”

Seeming relieved, the brunette placed the coffee's on the table and then sat down facing the woman who had been around longer than she could comprehend. If nothing else, she was a woman who had seen the world and from what had come through the grapevine via Stefan from Damon, from Peyton, she'd had her way with countless men. It was impossible to think that she didn't have any clue how to deal with romantic issues.

"What about guy troubles?"

"Get drunk, fuck them while feeling like you want to kill them?" The blonde told with a contemplative expression and the younger girl actually laughed at the crass language. "You're talking about the Salvatore's, aren't you?"

"How am I supposed to choose?"

"Why choose?"

The younger of the pair appeared shocked. "I can't not choose."

The blonde quirked her eyebrow. "Says who?"

Sighing, Elena picked up her cup as she side-eyed her guest. "That idea isn't helping."

Bringing herself back from the petty teen problem, Liliana scoffed. "How does this even concern me? I came here looking for Danger Mouse  and Alaric because Matt told me they were the last ones seen with Peyton a couple of hours ago."

Putting the coffee down, the brunette turned to the older woman and lowered her line of sight. "I know what you did for Jeremy."

The blonde choked on her cigarette smoke. Eyes widening, Liliana sat up straight against the wooden backrest and sniffed her nose clear. "Excuse me?"

Elena looked up only to frown at the sudden change in demeanour. "Helping him train with Matt."

Thankfully for Liliana, Elena did not mean the whole, 'Climbing in yo' windows, touching yo' little bro up' episode. "It's no trouble; tell him what he did for me wiped his debt clean," she smirked into her cup.

Elena furrowed her brows slightly, not quite understanding. "Has he said anything to you?"

"About what?"

"About anything."

"Only the usual teenage boy stuff," the blonde shrugged and stubbed the end of her cigarette out.

"Like?"

Waving her hand, Liliana played. "It's not really things his sister should hear."

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Elena's face dropped.

"Oh, would you look at that," the blonde looked down at her wristwatch, pretending to be late for something as she pushed her seat out.

"What did you do to him?"

"Again, not something you should know." The guest wagged her finger as she pulled a comical expression.

Mouth opening wider as a kind-of realisation set in, Elena stood up slowly.

Liliana backed away. "I really have to go."

Exasperated, Elena slammed her hand down on the dining table as she contorted her face. "How could you do something like that to him?"

"Listen, El, far be it from me to divert the blame to someone else but, he already knew some tricks of his own." She held her hands up in defence, although the grin showed she wasn't really all that bothered by the horror she had caused.

Outraged, Elena snapped one of the spindles from the chair back and pointed at her guest. "Get out, right now!"

"Don't worry, it's not like I took his vir-"

"Oh my God; no!" The brunette launched her cup at the blonde in panic.

Dodging out of the way of the flying object, Liliana ran for the door giggling. Dashing around the door and slamming it shut while looking to make sure she wasn't being followed, she bumped into something hard and damp. Instantly going on the defensive, her arm struck out only to be stanched by the perpetrator. Realizing she wasn't going to be shivved, she drew her arm back and rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't go in there right now if I was you."

Sweat running down the side of his neck as he huffed, Jeremy gestured to his family home. "What were you doing in there?"

"Trying my hand at therapy."

"You didn't hurt Elena, did you?"

"No, I just helped her relieve a bit of stress. Now I'm off to get rid of my own." She skipped down the path.

Watching the female walk straight past, the boy dared to play. "Need a hand?"

Liliana paused by her car and glanced over her shoulder with a smirk. "How can I refuse when you’re looking like that?" Opening the driver's door, she hopped inside the vehicle.
 

Updated: 3rd April 2020 - 20:49