deercountry | ( january catch all )

( there's probably a party out there somewhere but they've chosen to say in tonight and just — celebrate. there's wine, there's food (that stefan's cooked) and there's animals on the couch, refusing to move.

good thing they have a back porch. it's still cold and snow still blankets the ground but stefan can't help but go stand outside there a few minutes till midnight.

this place is dangerous and sometimes horrible but he doesn't even know if he could consider mystic falls home anymore. he feels like he's been here for so long that going back there would just feel like a visit.

and he knows that he couldn't go back to being the old stefan, not anymore. he's changed too much.

he shivers. probably should have brought a coat. )

( they'd gone to the party the night before, had a good time and now, they were home, changing out of their clothes and preparing to go to bed.

stefan doesn't really notice anything amiss, standing in the shower and letting the hot water sluice over him. he rubs his hands through his hair and sighs, listening to katherine move about outside the room.

he stops the water, reaches for his towel and then steps out. )

Katherine? You weren't going to join me?

( amos has been around long enough to know what new year's eve is for. time moved somewhat differently in space and while there were some things they stopped to mark, holidays were just kind of there.

but he's been in this place for awhile now, been here long enough to even like new year's eve.

mostly because there was a lot of alcohol and sometimes he got to kiss someone that he didn't really hate.

he's had a few drinks but he's not drunk and he's moving through the crowd as the time ticks closer. he turns around, ready to grin and smirk at the person he feels standing there.

except he recognizes her. )

Hey.

( he doesn't really know how long they've been walking but he knows that it's been a fucking long time. amos can't really remember how she'd convinced him to go along with this.

maybe he wanted something different, a change but they've been traveling for a long damn time and he's about to just sit down and stop when he finally hears something.

there's a low hum, almost uncomfortable sounding, and he stops in his tracks. )

You hear that?

[ as horny and oftentimes annoying as katherine pierce is, she doesn't feel inclined to join stefan in the shower. nevermind it's stefan... in the shower. those two things go together to paint a rather lovely image—and one that katherine very much likes, if not prefers. she just doesn't feel... up for it.

she's still in her dress and sits on the edge of the bed, slowly working off her strappy heel. from the time stefan hopped into the shower to the time the water stopped, she'd managed to get one shoe off of her foot. ]

No. [ she wrinkles her nose. ] I thought I'd let you miss me a little.

[ it's all part of her flirting scheme. ]

( stepping out of the shower with a towel around his waist, he frowns when he notices that she's just managed to take one shoe off.

that's — unless she's being deliberately slow, she should be out of her dress by now. )

You enjoying the ambiance of the bedroom?

[ katherine sniffs and nods. ] I am.

[ she looks up at him as she continues to fumble with her strap. even in the dark, she'd be able to unbuckle it and have her shoe off her foot within seconds. ]

Although, that reminds me that you need to buy a new light bulb. I may have used the last one.

[ and didn't put it on the shopping list. oops. ]

Uh, okay.

( he frowns at her, noticing the fumble. maybe she's just tired? )

You need me to get you some water?

[ she scoffs. ] No, I'm fine. Perfectly hydrated.

[ or, well, in a fantasy world she is perfectly hydrated. katherine keeps her gaze down on her foot and slowly works at her buckle. ]

This shoe is defunct.

What's wrong with you?

( he knows he's not going to get an honest answer to that question.

but, he comes over, still in his towel, to try and help her with her shoes. )

Nothing.

[ katherine doesn't bat his hands away despite wanting to. righting herself, she holds her foot out and looks down at him as he helps her undo a very tedious little buckle. ]

I'm going to have to take this shoe back. The buckle is faulty.

( frowning, stefan moves to take the shoe off and tosses it aside before he stands up. )

The buckle is fine. I got it off without any trouble. What's going on with you?

[ katherine rests her hands behind her as she peers up at him. ] Nothing.

[ she purses her lips and shrugs. she feels, well... not that great, actually. when she'd been bent low, she'd felt a little dizzy. now that she's upright and looking at him, well... he's a nice sight to look at. ]

I just felt a little dizzy, I guess. That's what tends to happen when you walk around indecently. [ she smiles at that. ]

You felt dizzy?

( there's something about the way she says it that tells him that she's not being sarcastic or putting him on.

she'd really felt dizzy.

he reaches up and presses a hand to her forehead. )

You feel warm.

[ katherine rolls her eyes goodnaturedly. ] That would be because I was out all night with you.

[ there's nothing suspicious about having a warm forehead! katherine believes as much, considering she's not batting his hand away or moving away from his touch. ]

I'm fine. Maybe it was something I ate. Not everything can be rainbows and butterflies in the Trench.

Uh, you do realize that you are a very old vampire. So, you wouldn't be affected by something you ate.

( it's always him getting affected. he frowns again and stands up. )

Lay down. I'm going to go change.

But why?

[ she pouts as she playfully reaches for him, wanting to hook her fingers into the waist of his towel. ]

You're dressed perfectly as you are. In fact, [ she smirks. ] I think this is getting me a little hot and bothered.

[ wanda fakes a gasp and completes it with her hand pressed against her chest. ]

Amos Burton, out in the wild world of parties? I never thought I'd live to see the day.

[ to wanda, he exists in the shadows, being grouchy and antisocial. it was a nice surprise to see him here, even though she had a sense that some of the people she knew were here. it helps to be a telepath.

she's dressed up in a simple scarlet dress (what other colour would she be wearing?) with a drink in hand. she's ten times soberer than he is. ]

[ wanda stops a moment after amos does. she'd been busy admiring the buildings and trying to determine what was different and what wasn't. new york was a city she knew well, even if she was often kept in her room and had only the luxury of studying it by googling it.

she looks at amos with a furrowed brow as she remains quiet and listens. after a moment, she shakes her head. ]

I only hear humming. I've been hearing it since we got here.

[ she's not worried, although, he's making her wonder if she should be. ]

Uh uh.

( no no, they weren't doing that. she wasn't going to distract him. he grabs her wrists lightly. )

Not right now. You were just dizzy and that's unusual.

Edited 2023-01-09 22:14 (UTC)

I like to drink.

( he makes a face at her exclamation though because he's not that bad. he just doesn't like many people. )

It's not that out of the ordinary.

Yeah, that humming wasn't there a few miles back.

( there had been noises, sure, but this is a consistent thing. it sets him on edge. )

That's not typical.

[ she sighs long and loud. ] It's not that unusual.

[ granted, the last time she felt dizzy, she'd been human, and that hadn't been too long ago. katherine purses her lips as though she's tasted a lemon and looks up at stefan. she taps her fingers against her lips thoughtfully. ]

Maybe there was something in the water.

[ granted, she didn't drink water. ]

Katherine, you're dizzy and you're running a fever. Tell me, when's the last time that happened?

( he thinks he knows the answer to that question but he's going to wait to see if she responds. )

It's just hot in here.

[ she waves her hand dismissively, but when she sits up straight and looks up at him, katherine lets her shoulders sag in defeat. he won't let this go. sometimes, even she can see where she's defeated.

she mutters, ] Last time I was human.

( january catch all )

( new year's eve )

( worst. patient. ever. )

( new year's eve )

( road trip )

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