( 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]

It's in your journal.

( uh huh. )

And when you do you write in this journal because I've never seen it.

[manipulative]

When you're not around.

[ she wrinkles her nose and narrows her eyes as if that's such a silly question to ask. and it is! ]

I deserve private time with my thoughts, too, Stefan.

[prescind]

And when is it that I'm not around?

( because he seems to be around her more often than not. )

We're rarely apart.

[manipulative]

When you're in the bathroom.

[ she wrinkles her nose as she considers. have they really become that very dependent couple that's always around one another? katherine never thought she'd ever be someone who isn't seen without her lesser half. ]

And when you're busy gelling your hair. And brooding.

[prescind]

You're so full of it.

( stefan rolls his eyes and shakes his head because he doubts. he very much doubts. )

I don't think that's true.

[manipulative]

[ she cocks her brow, implying that stefan's about to officially wade into very, very dangerous territory. ]

Are you calling me a liar?

[prescind]

Liar?

( he thinks about it and then he shakes his head. )

No, I just think you're...stretching the truth.

[manipulative]

I'm stretching the truth?

[ she leans up onto her elbow so she can peer down at him. the snow's a distant afterthought now as she tries to crowd his space. ]

Hm. That's funny coming from you. I'm starting to believe you don't have journals hidden away. I've never seen you write for long periods of time.

[ and every time he does get his journal out, she's there, looking over his shoulder. ]

[prescind]

Do you know what I do when you go shopping for shoes?

( he smiles. )

Yeah, that's what I do.

[manipulative]

[ she rolls her eyes.

smiling, she deepens her voice in an imitation of him. ] "Dear diary, I'm so sad Katherine didn't invite me out to go shoe shopping with her. Maybe it's because I'm overbearing and obnoxious about this one time a building fell around her. I'm not too sure. Oh, my feelings. Brood, brood, brood. Love, Stefan."

[ she wrinkles her nose. ] Something like that, right?

[prescind]

You really think I want to go shoe shopping with you that badly, huh?

( maybe. if only to keep an eye on her. )

I'd ruin your shoe shopping experience.

[manipulative]

I know.

[ she looks at him pointedly. while he most certainly does let her go shoe shopping all on her lonesome most times, she knows that when he accompanies her, it's out of some anxiety born from a building collapsing around her. his company doesn't ruin her shoe-shopping experience, although his constant comments about the shoes she wants makes her want to stab him on occasion. ]

That's why I like to shop alone and not with inexperienced shoe shoppers.

[ das u ]

[prescind]

Just as long as no buildings find their way on top of your head.

( because remember when that happened? stefan does. )

Besides, you have enough shoes.

[manipulative]

[ katherine sighs and feigns annoyance even though his constant reminder of one of the scariest times of her most recent life is, well… charming. ]

When will you let that go? [ she looks at him expectantly. ] In the new year?

[prescind]

Oh, never.

( he was never, ever going to let that go. sorry to you, katherine. he smiles down at her. )

Because, in my place, you know you wouldn't let it go either.