(1) Emotional Shifting (D.Salvatore)

Chapter 16

August walks down some steps and enters the Lockwood cellar. Tyler is walking around hooking chains into the walls of the cellar. Caroline idly stands in the corner observing him. She turns to the entrance hearing footsteps. She signs in relief, upon realizing it's simply August. Tyler hooks up the last chain.

"Tell me you brought the instruction manual." Caroline stresses at Tyler, folding her arms over her chest.

"Tell me your friend brought the wolfsbane." Tyler fires back.

"Yes" August replies, holding up the wolfsbane plant. "You should know it's not the easiest herb to find." Caroline sends August a look.

"You literally have a bag full of it in your attic." Caroline states with a chuckle.

"I merely came prepared." August defends himself, as Tyler stares at the wolfsbane. He touches the herb, but hisses and pulls away from it. "It's literally your weakness why would you touch it?" August questions, with an annoyed look.

"I've got water bottles in my bag. We can mix it in there." Tyler states, moving away from August kneeling down and hooking a chain into the ground, obviously offended by the way August spoke to him.

"Wow, the first emotion I've seen on your face, and it's annoyance." Caroline notes with a giggle. August manages a smile. Caroline gasps before squealing.

"The gut at the hardware store said this setup was rated up to five-thousand pounds." Thing crawls out of August's backpack and jumps down to the ground. Thing pulls a watter bottle out of Tyler's bag and unscrews the top. August kneels down and hands the wolfsbane to Thing, who crushes the herb and drops it into the water bottle.

"Is that more than a werewolf can pull?" Caroline asks.

"I have no idea?"

"Well, according to the werewolves I've met, your safe." August inputs. Tyler stands up and pulls a chain hooked into the ceiling, making sure it's secure.

"Hey, Tyler... how you doing?" Caroline asks. Tyler sighs as he lets go of the chain.

"Still human." He walks behind August and Caroline and takes off his shirt. Caroline turns around curious as to what he's doing, but instantly regrets it and turns back around.

"Oh my god! You're not getting naked are you?" She asks. August turns around and admires the man before him. However, August's phone chimes in his pocket.

"It's elastic." Tyler replies, referring to his pants. "I mean what should I wear?" He asks. "I don't think it's like the Hulk, where I get to keep my pants." August turns away from Tyler and reads the message from Elijah.

"What are you doing right now?"

"Assisting a werewolf that's about to go through his first transformation."

"So, I did some digging. Turns out you're a witch, but your bloodline doesn't practice. I wanted to know if you wanted to start practicing?"

"Sure." August replies. He doesn't see the harm in getting stronger.

Tyler yelps looking at the ground, as Thing hands him the mix of water and wolfsbane. August smirks at the reaction as Caroline quietly chuckles.

"How is this Thing alive?"

"Magic, obviously." August sasses. Caroline gasps.

"You're getting better at expressing yourself." Caroline praises him.

"Well, the only emotions I approve of is anger, annoyance especially when it comes to Elena and confidence." August replies with his dead eyes staring into Caroline's soul, making the girl shiver.

"I have to leave, I'm meeting someone." August tells Caroline who raises an eyebrow.

"Is August Addams in love?" She teases him.

"Don't push it." He states his nonchalant expression present. "Thing! It's time to go." August announces as his disembodied hand quickly crawls up his body and dives into his backpack.
.............................

August arrives home and sighs. Today was interesting, first babysitting Elena and then helping a werewolf. Atleast, in Mystic Falls it's never boring. August walks onto his front porch and secretly glances behind him.

"This is a horrible attempt at murder." He announces.

"But that's not what this is." Elijah replies. "It's more like a 'meet and greet' as this generation says." He smiles at August.

"Nobody says that." August fires back. Elijah shrugs and shows the grimoire to August.

"I figured you should start small. The basics you know making things float or starting fires."

"Why are you so interested in my witchiness?" August questions the original vampire.

"My brother, is like you; a hybrid. He's coming here to Mystic Falls soon and I want you to be able to defend yourself. I also fear your already developed powers won't be enough." Elijah replies, actually sounding genuinely worried.

"Thanks for the concern." August states with a soft smile forming on his face. August house door opens behind him, as Thing jumps off the door handle and rushes into the house. "I should probably go inside." Elijah nods.

"Until next time." Elijah speeds away in the blink of an eye.