( CLOSED ) I DON'T WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS.

[manipulative]

Who: Katherine + Stefan | Wanda + Amos.
What: December things.
When: December.
Where: Around.

Content warnings: Monsters, PTSD, mind control and drowning.

Comments

[prescind]

Another one?

( he drops his book onto his lap and peers at her like there's some kind of punchline here. but she's been attentive the past few nights while he's been telling her stories.

he just doesn't really get why she wants to hear them all the sudden. )

Where's this sudden interest in me telling you stories coming from?

[manipulative]

Because I like your voice.

[ she scrunches up her face at that. yes, it's true that she does, but katherine says it to try and get him to blush and grow exasperated. ]

Or maybe because I hope one day you'll run out of stories and read the ones in your journals.

[ she crosses her legs at the ankles and swings them side to side as she peers up at him. ]

[prescind]

You realize that there are thousand and thousands of stories out there, right?

( the well from which he could pick from was unending so katherine was going to be shit out of luck when it came to his journals. )

You're never going to hear my journals.

[manipulative]

You say that, and yet, you've read me a journal before.

[ she smiles at him as she swings her feet back and forth in triumph. ]

And you forget, Stefan. We have thousands and thousands of years for you to read every single one to me. And once you've read all of those, there'll be plenty more waiting.

[prescind]

One journal.

( and that had been gifted to her. he's not just going to bring out another one for no reason. )

So, I guess you're going to have to employ patience if you want another journal reading night.

[manipulative]

[ her 600th is a good reason, yes????

katherine's face falls and she rolls her eyes. god, he's so stubborn—and annoyingly so! but as soon as she pouts, she shifts on the bed and smiles up at him. ]

I waited for you for a century and a half. Haven't I been patient enough?

[prescind]

And I rewarded that with a journal.

( just one. he laughs quietly. )

You want more than that?

[manipulative]

Yes!

[ she laughs. hasn't that been obvious with her constant demanding? does he think that's just a cute part of her personality?

it is. ]

I think I'm owed at least five journals.

[prescind]

Unfortunately for you, a lot of my journals are back in Mystic Falls.

( he shrugs. )

Only have a few here.

[manipulative]

[ katherine looks at him expectantly, undeterred. ]

And those ones would be all about me.

[ she smiles giddily and swings her legs back and forth behind her. ]

[prescind]

Not entirely but — mostly.

( he had to write about some other things, katherine. )

And no, you're not going to read those either.

[manipulative]

[ she deflates, pursing her lips as she smacks her hands against the bed and drops her feet soundly onto the covers. all of her excitable energy disappears as quickly as it comes. ]

Why not? I thought we didn't keep secrets, Stefan.

[prescind]

Why would there be secrets in those?

( maybe it's just his feelings, katherine. ever think of that? )

No secrets in them, just me talking about what's in my head and all.

[manipulative]

And what is in your head?

[ she lifts her legs back up and rests her chin in her hands as she peers up at him with a smile. give her an inch… ]

You should dictate your next journal entry right now.

[prescind]

Or I could not.

( because no. her persistence makes him laugh though. )

Why are you so curious?

[manipulative]

Because I'm interested in you.

[ katherine smiles up at him and scrunches her nose. sometimes, the answer is just that simple. ]

And I want to know everything there is to know about you.

[prescind]

Thought you would say that you already knew everything about me.

( and that wouldn't even really be a lie. )

Taking that back?

[manipulative]

[ katherine smiles and makes a show of rolling her eyes. ]

I've left some things to the imagination, Stefan. Otherwise, I'd get very bored.

[ duh! she rests her chin on her hands and swings her legs back and forth in the air. ]

Like… what you did yesterday. I don't know that.

[ she was, after all, busy shopping! ]

[prescind]

That's minutiae.

( and therefore not that important. he rolls his eyes. )

You don't need to know that. There's knowing a lot about me and then just knowing too much.

[manipulative]

Why don't I need to know that?

[ she smiles up at him. she doesn't particularly want to let this go now that he insists that it's minor and not important. katherine can be like a dog with a bone when she wants to be. and she wants her story! ]

What did you do? Ooh, something secretive?

[prescind]

Katherine.

( stefan makes a face, rolls his eyes. )

You weren't gone that long. I was here. I took the dog for a walk, wrote some in my journal, cleaned.

( minutiae. )

[manipulative]

[ it's interesting how much he got done in such a short amount of time! ]

What did you clean?

[ there's a lot of dust in the high spaces, stefan! ]

[prescind]

Your shoes.

( he hadn't, he just wants to see her reaction. )

Thought they could use a shine.

[manipulative]

[ katherine narrows her eyes as she stares up at him. it's bait, she knows it's bait. her shoes are kept in pristine condition. when she walks in mud, she cleans them until they're shiny.

she shifts on the bed and continues to swing her legs back and forth as her own stubborn display of not taking the bait. ]

Is that what you wrote about in your journal?

[ the real reason why she even asked the question. ]

[prescind]

About cleaning your shoes?

( stefan pauses, thoughtful, before he shakes his head. )

Not important enough for my journal.