( january catch all )

[prescind]

Who: stefan salvatore (prescind) + katherine pierce (manipulative) + amos burton (rocinantes) + wanda maximoff (explosion)
What: new year's things, event things
When: january
Where: all around

Content Warnings: probably some language to start.

Comments

[manipulative]

[ she smacks his arm. ] I need new year shoes, Stefan. Don't mock.

[ this is a serious thing, too! and there's no way in hell she's making that resolution when she knows she'll break it tomorrow. ]

[prescind]

Oh, I'm going to mock. You have shoes from last year. You don't need a bunch of new shoes.

( god, they're going to run out of space. )

You don't have enough days to wear the shoes you have.

[manipulative]

There are only three hundred and sixty-five days in the year, Stefan.

[ gosh!!!! she rolls her eyes for good measure. how can he not see how it all works out? ]

I have morning shoes, lunch shoes, early afternoon shoes, and night shoes. I don't have enough for the entirety of next year.

[prescind]

Yes, you do!

( he's actually lost count of how many shoes she has but he knows it is just too many. )

I dare you not to buy shoes for the month of January. Dry January.

[manipulative]

[ she pulls a disgruntled face at that, almost like she's sucked on a whole lemon and then some. ]

'Dry January', Stefan? Really?

[ despite her being very judgemental of his naming choice: this is cruelty! ]

[prescind]

Don't think you can do it?

( that's what it sounds like to him. )

I could give something up if you do.

[manipulative]

[ katherine's grateful she doesn't have to go on the defence because while she fully believes she could do it if the stakes were high, she doesn't particularly want to.

but the stakes will be potentially high. ]

You're definitely giving something up. [ she pinches his side gently. ] The question is what?

[prescind]

( stefan shrugs. there's a few things that he can think of that she could choose but he's not going to give her any suggestions. )

Pick something. I'm sure you can figure out something that you might want me to give up.

[manipulative]

[ brooding is way too easy, isn't it? that's part of stefan's entire routine, and katherine isn't cruel enough to deny him what's become a staple of his.

she hums. ] Hm. [ she pinches the fabric of his shirt before she widens her smile slowly. ] I can think of something.

[ it's definitely not going to fly, but this is what you get when you give her free reign. ]

[prescind]

I'm not giving up clothes.

( nice try but no. )

Something logical. I have to wear clothes.

[manipulative]

[ katherine scrunches up her face as she peers up at him in uncertainty. ] Do you?

[ she doesn't think so at all. she gently tugs on his shirt again. ]

[prescind]

I know you don't think it's necessary but —

( he shakes his head at her. )

It's cold and I'm not going out into town without a shirt. I'd rather not freeze or even give off the illusion of freezing.

[manipulative]

[ it's a good thing he comes to her with all of his problems. there's a simple solution for that—and it's so fortunate she can see it.

she shrugs innocently. ] You don't need to go into town. [ katherine smiles smugly at that. ] Problem solved.

[prescind]

You can try all you want but you're not going to win this one.

( he's not going to stop wearing shirts. )

I'd say stop focusing on something that isn't going to happen and pick something that might.

[manipulative]

[ she smacks her lips together. ] Fine.

[ she'll find her victory another way. mark her words! ]

You top using so much hair gel. [ she cards her hand roughly through his hair. ] And you stop hiding your journals from me.

[prescind]

I don't use hair gel at all.

( well, that's a little lie. )

And no, I'm not going to stop hiding my journals. They're not for you to find and read.

[manipulative]

So... basically, what you're saying is that you can't do it. You can't give anything up.

[ that sounds a little weak, stefan.

she purses her lips. ] So, by that logic, that means I don't have to give up my shoes, then.

[prescind]

You're reaching.

( stefan rolls his eyes. )

Fine, I'll give up hair gel and you don't buy shoes this year.

[manipulative]

[ she shakes her head and plants her hand firmly against his chest. ]

No. [ she's slow to smile, and as she does, it's very clear stefan's in a dangerous zone. ] My shoes are a lot more important than your hair gel. I want the journals.

[prescind]

No journals.

( it's not like he has huge secrets in them anymore but still. he likes having something for him. )

Hair gel or I'm going to think you can't give up shoe shopping.

[manipulative]

The hair gel hardly holds a candle to my shoes.

[ no beuno, babe. ]

I get to buy a pair a month.

[prescind]

One pair.

( he holds up a finger. )

And I know how many shoes you have. I'll count them again to make sure. And I can recognize shoes that you wear so don't try and trick me.

[manipulative]

[ she lifts her brows and smiles in amusement. ]

You've counted them?

[ aww, stefan! that's the nicest thing anyone's ever done. ]

[prescind]

( no. )

Yes. Because I was amazed at how many pairs of shoes you have and had to see exactly how many you had.

( because jesus, that was a lot of shoes. )

[manipulative]

[ katherine narrows her eyes as she stares at him for a long moment. she can hear your heartbeat, stefan! and she's a little curious…

she crosses her arms against her chest and doesn't bother to hide her amusement. ]

How many?