i win
"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT ELENA, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?" Athena glared at the two people sitting before her, trying to reason with her. "Stefan is stuck in that tomb with Katherine, and you're sitting here trying to convince me to just let him stay there? Have you gone completely insane?"
"Stefan told me to focus on the moonstone," Bonnie sighed, shying away from Athena's anger. "I'm taking his lead on this."
"I don't care what Stefan said," Athena shakes her head, laughing humorlessly. "He's a self-sacrificing idiot with enough empathy for the both of us, of course he's not going to care about getting out of the tomb. That's why I'm here to do it, and make sure that it happens."
Damon runs his hands through his hair exasperatedly. "I want Stefan out of the tomb as much as you do, Athena, but if we want to have any chance at facing Klaus, we have to render the moonstone useless."
The goddess grits her teeth and clenches her fists at her side, letting out a tense sigh. "Where is the moonstone?"
"You're not getting it," Damon stands, and so does Bonnie, making Athena narrow her eyes at them. "Me, Bonnie, and little Gilbert are going to find a way to de-spell it, and then we'll focus on getting Stefan out of the tomb."
Athena follows them out of the living room towards the front door, her brows furrowing deeply. "What about me? And Elena?"
Bonnie and Damon share a look as they open the front door and step outside where Jeremy's already waiting for them. "Elena is going to stay here with you,"
Athena looks over her shoulder as Elena approaches from behind and she narrows her eyes before turning back to the two before her. She goes to step outside but is stopped by an invisible barrier that makes her eyes widen.
"You trapped me in here with Elena?" She looks between Damon and Bonnie's guilty faces. "Are you kidding me?"
"Neither of you can be trusted right now since the only thing you can actually agree on is killing Elena," Damon points at the two of them. "So for today, you're stuck here. I'll keep you updated on the moonstone, and try not to burn my house down."
Athena chuckles coldly, shaking her head. "You realize how bad of an idea this is, right? I'll kill her before Klaus even has a chance!"
"There's no use in arguing, I already tried," Elena's grumble comes from behind her as she slams the door shut on the trio, and Athena faces her with a glare.
"I didn't really ask you, did I?"
Elena sighs, rolling her eyes skyward as Athena bends slightly to slip her tall heels off. "If we're going to be trapped in this house together, can we at least try to get along?"
"No," Athena scoffs, dropping her shoes carelessly as she walks back to the living room. "I don't like you, and you don't like me. That's the way the world works, and I've got no interest in changing it."
"There's an evil group of vampires trying to kill me for being a supernatural twin, you're a freaking goddess, our friends are witches and vampires, and god knows what else, but you can't even let go of your pride long enough to co-exist?"
Athena looks at Elena in disbelief, stopping to face the girl completely. "My pride? Are you serious? Elena, you've had it out for me since the eighth grade! My pride is my defense system, because you have made it your life's mission to hate me, and I don't even know why!"
"Jesus," Elena scoffs, shaking her head. "Don't you get it, Athena? It's– it's you, it's always been you. You won the trophies, you won the medals, the science fairs, you were the best cheerleader, the best dancer; you had Caroline and Tyler, and you had the whole school bowing at your feet,"
The doppelgänger takes a step towards Athena, anger lighting her eyes a molten chocolate color. "And after the accident, it was you who survived and not my parents. Every single day since then I've wished that they were still alive, I mean– you died but you still came back, but they didn't, and I hated you even more for it, so I took and took and took from you until I was sure you didn't have anything else. No girlfriend, no friends, no altar to be worshiped at. And then Stefan came to town, and I thought I could let go of it all, I thought I could be happy again."
Elena shakes her head, a short laugh of disbelief leaving her lips. "But every time he kissed me, I could tell he wanted to be kissing you. He looked for you at football games, he waited for you after class, he'd watch you during practice. While I was falling in love with him, he was falling for you. It's you, Athena, it'll always be you. And I will always hate you for it."
Athena looks at Elena in slight disbelief and anger. For so long she'd wanted to know why Elena hated her so much, and she had no idea just how much resentment Elena held for her until now, but it felt so useless.
"Elena, I," Athena shakes her head, a small laugh leaving her lips. "I don't care."
Elena's brows furrow in immediate confusion, but Athena continues, unperturbed.
"Do you want to know the difference between you and me, Elena? Why I always beat you? The reason why I had the whole school at my feet? How I had Caroline wrapped around my finger, and now I've got Stefan?"
Elena doesn't give her a confirmation, but Athena has an answer for her anyway.
"It's because I'm me, and you are nothing compared to that," Athena pinches her index finger and her thumb together in a sarcastic display of the comparison. "You will spend your whole life hating me, and sixty years from now, I will not even remember your name. You will be nothing to me but a past life, and a distant memory easily forgotten."
She steps towards Elena, narrowing her eyes at the suddenly wide-eyed girl. "But you? You will never forget who I am, and just how much you hate me. You'll have a life, a husband, a few kids, a career, but on your deathbed, I will still be the girl you could never beat. I'll be the one who survived and still have everything you ever wanted. You won't be able to walk down a goddamned street in this town without thinking about me," She shrugs, a smirk growing on her lips. "I win, Elena. I always win."
There's a moment of silence that sits between them before Elena swings her palm out, aiming for Athena's cheek. Faster than humanly possible, Athena grabs her hand mid-air and grips it painfully tight. She shoves Elena's hand away from her and swings her hand up, her eyes fluttering in satisfaction when her palm makes contact with Elena's skin.
The slap echoes through the room and Elena cries out, stumbling away from the girl. Opening her wide, furious eyes, she looks at Athena incredulously, only to find her unwavering glare already on her.
"I'm going to kill you one day, Elena, I promise you that," Athena glares at the girl, her attention wavering only when a stiff knock echoes from the front door. She and Elena both shoot their gazes over to the hallway and Athena quickly turns and heads for the door, a small dagger already appearing in her hand.
Slowly opening the door with her left hand, Athena hides her knife-wielding hand behind the door, her grip slowly becoming slack on the grip when she sees the man standing on the stoop. Swallowing harshly, she swings the door open and drops her arm at her side. "Elijah?"
"Athena Hunt, correct?" Elijah smirks knowingly at her shock. "I think it's time we talk."
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"So we're fasting now? We're so pious,"
Stefan rolled his eyes behind his closed eyelids, not moving from his position on the stone slab. He didn't bother to give Katherine a response, but it didn't stop her from continuing to speak.
"How long have you actually gone without blood?" Katherine smirks, wrapping her fingers around the wrought-iron fence. "I know you get desiccation in theory, Stefan, but in reality, it's much worse."
"It can't be much worse than this," He opens his eyes, smiling passive aggressively at Katherine as she stands over him.
"Your heart still beats, struggling to pump whatever blood remains," Katherine trails her fingers down his exposed forearm. "And when it's gone, your veins rub together like sandpaper. It's excruciating,"
Stefan grabs her wandering hand and flings it off of his stomach, glaring up at her as he pushes himself upright. "The pleasure I'll get in watching you suffer is greater than any pain I'll ever feel."
Katherine huffs, smiling slightly at his words. "It's stuffy, and I've been in this dress for days," She smirks down at him, turning her back to him. "You want to help me get out of it?"
Stefan rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Not interested,"
"Oh, come on, Stefan," Katherine rolls her eyes. "Don't be such a grump. We're here together, we may as well make the best out of it."
She slips the black dress over her hips, turning around to face him as the fabric falls to the floor, leaving her in her bra and underwear.
Stefan doesn't respond, he simply lays back down and closes his eyes, making Katherine grit her teeth in irritation. "Come on, you really think they're in a rush to get you out? If Athena is at least half as smart as I was, she's taking the time to really get to know Damon."
Stefan smirks in genuine amusement at Katherine's attempts to rile him up.
"It's happened before, Stefan," Katherine lays a hand on his thigh, trailing her finger back and forth on his denim-clad leg. "A girl you love going for your brother, too."
Katherine leans over him, her hair falling over her face as she lowers her face to his. Right as she begins to purse her lips, Stefan sits up and shoves her away from him, slamming her into the tomb wall.
Katherine grunts at the display of strength that had admittedly taken her for surprise, but she quickly recovers and smirks down at Stefan. "You wanna take over?"
He ignores her antagonizing words and shifts, pressing his arm against her throat to cut her breathing off. Glaring into her brown eyes, he grits his teeth, anger coursing through him. "You don't get it, do you, Katherine? I don't love you anymore."
Stefan slams her against the wall again, stealing the breath from her lungs that he doesn't allow to get back in as he presses his arm down on her throat harder. "Nothing you ever do will ever compare to Athena, so just give it up. I'll rot in this tomb before I let you touch me again."
With a stiff sigh, he drops her and lets her get air back into her lungs with a heady gasp as he returns to the uncomfortable, bed-like slab he'd spent his time on. He relaxes onto his back once more and closes his green eyes, missing the hurt that flashes in Katherine's eyes as he dismisses her.
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Elijah's smug eyes drift between Elena where she's seated on the couch, eyeing him warily, to Athena where she stands a few feet away from him with a knife that glimmers when it catches the sunlight.
"Forgive the intrusion," He eyes Athena purposefully. "I mean you no harm."
Elena lets out a shaky sigh, her eyes dragging from Athena to Elijah. "Why did you kill those vampires when they tried to take me?"
"Because I didn't want you to be taken," Elijah states simply, earning a suspicious look from both girls. "Klaus is the most feared and hated of the Originals, but those that fear him are desperate for his approval. Word gets out that there's a doppelgänger out there, there will be a long line of vampires eager to take you to him and I can't have that."
Athena narrows her eyes. "Isn't that what you're trying to do, though?"
Elijah raises a hand, tilting it back and forth nonchalantly. "My goal right now isn't to necessarily break the curse,"
"So what is your goal?" Elena questions.
"Klaus's obsessions have made him paranoid, he's a recluse," Elijah shrugs. "He trusts only those in his immediate circle."
"Like you?"
Elijah shakes his head at Athena. "Not anymore,"
She huffs a laugh, realization dawning on her. "You don't know where he is, do you? You don't want anyone to take Elena because you want Klaus to come to you, which means you obviously want him to trust you again, but why? Why would you care so much?"
Elijah clenches his jaw, redirecting his gaze to Elena to hide his shock and slight irritation with Athena. "In order to draw him out, I need you to stay put and stop trying to get yourself killed."
Athena steps forward, once again garnering his attention. "Why should I trust anything that comes out of your mouth?"
Elijah smirks slightly, regaining the smugness he'd arrived with. "You tell me, Athena. You're the one that undaggered me, after all."
"What?" Elena's gasp comes from behind Athena and she rolls her eyes at Elijah before glaring at the doppelgänger.
"It's not like he would've died if I'd left him anyway, so try not to get too far up on your high horse, Elena. All I did was speed up the process," Athena huffs and turns back to Elijah. "What do you want from me? Or her?"
Elijah clasps his hands together, looking at the two. "I'm here to make a deal with Elena. You," He gestures to Athena, shaking his finger slightly. "I'm just curious about you."
Elena stands, sending a quick glare to Athena's profile that Elijah doesn't miss. "What kind of deal?"
"Do nothing," He shrugs. "Stop fighting and just live your life. And when the time is right, we will draw Klaus out together, and I shall make sure that your friends remain unharmed."
"And then what?" Athena butts in, not trusting a bit of what Elijah said.
"And then I take care of Klaus."
"In what sense?"
"Whatever it may come to," Elijah shrugs, earning a scoff from Athena.
She steps towards the Original, looking him up and down warily. "How do you suppose you'll keep everyone safe from Klaus?"
"Your friend's name is Bonnie, right?" Elijah raises a brow at them. "The witch. I have similar friends as well that are capable of many things."
Athena nods, rolling her eyes slightly. "Right, witches. Handy little creatures, aren't they?"
Elijah humors her with a small nod.
Athena smirks, an idea coming to mind suddenly. "How about this, if you want Elena alive and well until Klaus shows his face around here, you give me something."
"Oh?" He quirks a brow at her, his curiosity spiking despite his reluctance. "And why would I strike a deal with you? I, uh, can't say much on the matter but it's to my knowledge that you don't care what happens to Elena's wellbeing."
"I don't," She confirms, holding up her glimmering dagger. "Which is why I'll kill her right now if you don't make a deal with me."
Elijah's eyes widen slightly and he scoffs, hiding his slight panic. "What exactly is it that you want in return? And how do I know you won't kill Elena once you have what you want?"
"Because I won't give two shits about her once I do," Athena rolls her eyes. "Your witch– is he strong enough to lift a Bennett witch's spell?"
"He's capable of most things if I apply the right pressure, why do you ask?"
"The tomb beneath the church ruins is sealed with a spell that will kill Bonnie if she tries to lift it again so soon. All I need is a few minutes to get in and out of the tomb, and that's it."
Elijah narrows his eyes at her. "Who are you retrieving?"
"Stefan Salvatore,"
The Original hums, his eyes darting to where Elena stands with wide, fearful eyes that confirm Athena's promise to kill her where she stands. "If I do this, you won't touch Elena and you'll help draw Klaus out?"
Athena nods once, and Elijah sighs with a slight roll of his eyes. "It's a deal,"
"Wonderful," Athena smiles, stepping away as she makes the dagger in her hand disappear. "I'm sure I'll see you sooner rather than later, Elijah."
Elijah nods once more and disappears, and Athena rolls her eyes, bundling her hair into a makeshift ponytail. She walks past Elena to go to the kitchen but stops suddenly as the hair on the back of her neck stands up.
Narrowing her eyes, she looks over her shoulder at the doppelgänger who simply looks at her confusedly. "What?"
She quiets Elena quickly, stepping into the hallway on her tiptoes to avoid any of the old floorboards creaking.
She hears the air shift with the sudden, unknown presence and she spins around, not bothering to spare a second glance as she rushes towards the shadowy figure with a stake appearing in her hand. She slams the vampire against the wall, rattling the old pictures hanging there and she chuckles lowly when she sees Rose pinned beneath her arm.
Holding the stake against her chest, she shakes her head. "You keep running away, but you always come back here. Why is that, Rose?"
"I– I wanted," Rose gasps, her eyes shifting to where Elena had run into the hallway to see the commotion. "I wanted to apologize for running,"
"Athena, maybe–"
"Shut up, Elena, or else this stake is going in you," She glares back at Rose unwaveringly. "Just admit you don't have anywhere else to go, especially without a handy little daylight ring."
"I got scared," Rose stuttered out, looking down into Athena's eyes. "I wasn't thinking straight. And– and I don't have anywhere else to go."
"Athena, let her go," Damon's voice nearly startles her, but she simply rolls her eyes and drops the vampire, facing Damon with a seething look. "She's not a threat."
Athena scoffs, twisting the stake in her hand. "I think our definition of threat is different, Damon,"
Before the raven-haired vampire can snark back to the teen, the sound of glass shattering echoes through the house and they all share a shocked look. Athena and Damon take off in the same direction with Rose and Elena trailing after them as they stop in the archway to the living room, the shattered window letting a cold breeze in.
A low growl echoes and Damon reaches for an ax that had been mounted on the wall. Athena's eyes widen when she sees the yellow-eyed wolf and she yells out right as it begins to lunge for Damon.
"Damon!" Athena jumps forward, shoving Damon out of the way. She cries out in pain as the werewolf's piercing teeth rip through the skin of her shoulder, feeling as if it was trying to pull her arm right off of her body.
The werewolf yelps in pain as Damon stabs it, and it runs off through the broken window like it had never been there in the first place. Damon's panicked face appears in her blurry vision and she grunts as she feels his hands press down on either side of her wound.
"Come on, Athena, come on," His breaths come out rushed, fear in his eyes as he looks over his shoulder at the two girls. "There's a first aid kit in my bathroom beneath the sink, go get it. Now!"
Rose disappears in a blur and Damon looks back to Athena, nudging her back to consciousness. "Hey, stay awake. You can't do this now, we still have to get Stefan out of the tomb."
"S–Stefan," She stutters, wincing through another wave of pain that ebbs through her entire body. "M-made a deal w–with,"
"With who?"
"E–Elijah,"
Damon's eyes widen as Athena falls limp beneath him, and he looks over his shoulder at Elena. "Did she say Elijah?"
Elena nods, swallowing harshly. "He– he was here, right before you,"
Damon shakes his head, looking down at the unconscious girl beneath him. "Damn it, Athena,"
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author's note; so much happening, but Athena's a bad bitch and so is Stefan 😌
originally published; 1.15.21.
edited: 12.3.23.
- liz