deercountry | ( the dog days are over )

[ she shrugs and brushes her nail very gently against the inside of his palm. she keeps her gaze down. ]

Maybe it passed over me.

[ as it most likely did, considering she still feels very much like herself. ]

Not much make sense here, Stef. This is just another one of those things.

I don't want to be a human!

( that time has long since passed for him. he doesn't think he can go back to being a human again and he doesn't think he wants to. )

I don't want to be in this hospital either.

Well, you got bitten by a snake, so you're staying until I'm satisfied you're okay.

[ she regards him with a pointed look. that, at least, she can control.

brushing her fingers against his wrist, she sighs about the other part. that, she can't do anything about. ]

And we wait to see if this humanisation is temporary.

I didn't get bitten.

( he remembers that. he'd stayed away from that snake so he wouldn't get bitten. )

It...shot venom at me or something. But it never bit me.

[ she sighs quietly. ]

Either way, Stefan, you were infected with venom. And you're never going out to the bakery by yourself ever again.

[ and she will be terrifying to all snakes that think to shoot venom at him. it's a win-win, really. he gets to spend more time with her and he remains safe. ]

I'm going to buy you a bubble and put you in it.

You do remember a store fell on you, right?

( so, they're kind of...even? kind of. he thinks hers was worse. he coughs a few times and curls up, trying to get comfortable. )

What did they do to me?

[ she barks her laughter at that. bowing her head, she rests her forehead against his fingertips and shakes her head. of course, he brings that up. the human hottie who just survived snake venom brings that up.

peering up at him, she sighs quietly. ]

Poke and prodded you. They did some blood thing that got the venom out of you. They were much better than me.

Your blood didn't heal me.

( it should have, if he was a human. so, why hadn't it? he swallows and still tastes bile so he wipes the back of his mouth with his hand to try and dispel it. )

It should have. If I'm human, why didn't I get healed?

Trench.

[ she shrugs. that's all she has to offer. katherine had focused on trying to use her blood capabilities over the hard and fast known way of feeding him blood. she hadn't wanted to risk anything. feeding him blood wasn't going to get the venom out of his system, especially if it wasn't disappearing from being intermingled with his. ]

I think we treat it like a twenty-four-hour cold and hope that by tomorrow you're back to your indestructible self.

So, let me go home and I can wait it out there.

( he feels...horrible, really, but he doesn't want to be in this weird hospital. he shifts, wincing, and then sits up through great effort. )

See, I'm good. I can walk out of here.

[ she cocks her brow in amusement. ] Did you let me go home when I insisted I was better when I clearly wasn't?

[ he does remember the building, right? considering he brought it up only a few moments ago… she smiles and shakes her head. ]

We're waiting. [ she rests her hand against his back. ] You will lose against me if you try anything else, Stefan.

No.

( but that's different, katherine! because it was her and not him and he thinks he's fine even when he's not.

he sighs and makes a face. )

How long's it been? Did you tell me that already? My head is kind of foggy.

How about you lie down first, hm? Then, you can ask questions.

[ and she'll happily oblige to answer each and every one of them as long as he lies down. while she rests her hand against his bicep, she doesn't push him down just yet. he has his chance to lie down on his own. ]

( lying down seems to be admitting defeat and he doesn't really want to do that. plus, he's always been a stubborn dumbass. so, he doesn't immediately listen to her, still shifting around and even nudging at some of the wires on his chest and arms. )

Why do I need to lay down? I'm still in bed.

( wasn't that a good compromise? )

Lie down.

[ her tone leaves no room for debate. while katherine may sit forward in her chair with her hands clasped by the side of his bed, she is by no means shy in manhandling him if she has to. so far, stefan doesn't seem to have reached his peak as a dumbass. ]

Please.

( he doesn't want to lay down just because she wants him to but after she says please, he relents and eases himself down, making a face at the pillow.

he's never been one to really care about fluffy pillows or anything but when the pillow is this thin, he really misses what he has. )

All right, all right. I'm laying down. Can you tell me how long it's been?

A few hours.

[ she leans forward and brushes her fingers gently through his hair. he's such a child, but she doesn't expect any less from him. he likes to take care of people, not to be taken care of.

she smiles and teases, ] Why? Are you in a hurry to get somewhere?

I'd love to go home. You could help me get there.

( he rolls onto his side, still laying down, but facing her and getting off his back because it's still sore from the venom. )

So yeah, I'm in a hurry to get there. We could go together.

[ she smiles, shaking her head incredulously. ]

Charmer. Nice try.

[ but it's not going to work. he can wait until the blood ministers declare he's all good to go home. katherine's not going to take any chances when it comes to him, especially as a human.

standing, she cocks her head. ] Shuffle over.

You wanna lay on this uncomfortable bed with one pillow?

( maybe he can be charming enough that she'll let him lay on her for a little bit because this bed is truly horrible.

so, he moves over. )

Can you go get our bed from home?

No.

[ she chuckles.

doing her best not to jostle him in bed, she easily slides into place beside him. the pillow is shit, but it's better than resting on asphalt. holding the arm closest to him up, she gestures with her other hand for him to shuffle over. ]

Come on.

( after a second, he eases closer to her, tucking his head against her shoulder and settling down. he has to shift around to get comfortable and once the pain is muted enough, he sighs and closes his eyes. )

Our bed would be better.

( he doesn't really want her to go get the bed but god, these hospital beds sucks. )

And you being okay would be best.

[ she lifts her hand and brushes her fingers through the poor baby's hair. he's such a sook. katherine can't help but be very amused by his antics. ]

You know, my boob is a lot better than my shoulder.

[ just sayin'. she may not be taking him home, but she can bring home to him. ]

I'm okay.

( he's going to say that no matter what she thinks and no matter how he looks. he sighs and move down to rest his head against her breast now. )

But okay, this is better. This is nice.

( he still wants to go home, katherine! )

Just nice?

[ she feigns offence. while brushing her fingers gently through his hair, she watches the top of his head. stefan seems okay now, but no matter how many times he tries to pout and twist his way out the front door of the hospital, she's not taking him home. ]

You're on my boob and you think it's nice.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject