deercountry | ( wow this sand is so quick!! )

[ she huffs in annoyance. reluctantly letting him go, she stumbles back and is quick to right herself. looking around, all she sees is branches, but all of them seem as skinny as him.

she turns, and that's when she sees it. he'll hear the cracking of a tree branch as she tugs one straight off the body of a tree. pulling as many of the unnecessary leaves off, she comes back to him and nudges him in the shoulder. ]

Come on.

[ she does her best to try and get the branch around him. ]

I can't believe you just broke that tree to get the branch.

( but it's probably the best bet since all the fallen branches are thin and would probably break. he leans forward as best as he can with his leg stuck and grabs onto it, gripping it hard. )

You have a good grip?

No.

[ she adjusts her hands, gripping and letting go and moving them. she's a little nervous given that it's him. stefan has this uncanny ability to make her hands sweat.

then she focuses, grips the branch tightly, and lets out a breath. ]

I am. Come on.

( nodding, stefan grabs onto the branch and starts pulling himself, confident that he's not going to pull her in. )

Come on, pull hard.

( he really doesn't want to end up covered in quicksand and reliving the quarry all over in a different way. )

Edited 2022-03-24 12:15 (UTC)

Leave that language for the bedroom, Stefan.

[ yes, katherine does snicker.

the problem with her having the level of strength that she has is that she can almost tear the branch in two. katherine sets her feet on the ground, tugs back her shoulders, and does her best to try and manage her strength.

she does pull hard, but not so hard the branch will crumble. ]

Stop.

( when she starts pulling and he starts trying to use the branch to climb out, he can feel his leg starting to come free a bit. he grunts and groans, pulling hard on it. )

If I break my leg doing this, we're going to need to take a break for a few minutes.

If you break your leg, I will carry you home, just like you did me when I lost my shoes in the maze.

[ so, so long ago. katherine had liked it when he had carried hre and she can only hope another opportunity arises for that to happen again. but if he needs her to scoop him up into her arms, well... she's happy to turn traditional roles on their heels.

she gently tugs this time, mindful of his legs. ]

Be slow and lean over. Quicksand doesn't like it when you pull yourself out on an angle.

You study quicksand when I wasn't looking or is this just common knowledge that I've missed?

( he tries to do what she's said though, leaning so he can start to ease his leg out at an angle. )

Come on, pull a little harder.

Would you believe I have a variety of very niche interests?

[ she does as he says, gently increasing her strength. she tries to support the angle he takes, not wanting to make him sink any further by accidentally pushing him back in. ]

You're going to have to have less muscle.

What, do you think the quicksand's going to eat my leg?

( he can feel his leg starting to come loose, thankfully, and he grunts hard as he pulls on the branch and starts to pull free. )

Eat the muscle of my leg? I don't think that's how it works.

Do you want to jinx it?

[ she cocks her brow at him. given that they're in a strange place with quicksand that has a deerington-level twist to it, she thinks that every possible card is on the table. ]

Get skinnier so it's easier to pull you out. [ she shakes her head. ] It was a compliment, my sinking idiot.

You don't think I'm already skinny enough? Really?

( he's not going to do that, katherine. )

I can't believe you're giving me weight loss tips while I'm in quicksand.

I'm multitasking.

[ she shrugs, smiling in pleasure. ]

Besides, you're not thinking about the quicksand, are you? You're thinking about your tiny arms instead.

[ the tiny arms she's going to tug on to get him out of said quicksand. her hand can barely curl around them. ]

I don't have tiny arms.

( his biceps are one of his vanities and he knows she likes them. he grunts and feels his leg free up to his ankle. )

If I'd known I look so terrible in your eyes, I would have started changing my eyes awhile ago.

Incredibly terrible.

[ katherine grunts and ensures not to tug him too harshly. she doesn't want him to sink when she thinks the quicksand is giving way. ]

If everyone thinks I think you're terrible to look at, well... [ she shrugs innocently. ] Perhaps they'll keep their eyes off you.

[ it's all part of her master plan. ]

How many people are actually looking at me on a daily basis? I think you vastly overestimate how much people want me.

( they said hello to him and that was about it. he's not that attractive and wanted, katherine. )

I think you're just looking for an excuse.

[ she furrows her brows and regards him like he's grown three very attractive heads. she tugs on his arm a little more. katherine shakes her head. ]

An excuse for what?

[ yes, she wants an excuse to go gouge out people's eyeballs in the name of love. ]

To release some pent up aggression on someone who just happens to look in my direction.

( to gouge someone's eyes out, yes. )

To be possessive.

Hm.

[ she shrugs a shoulder and grunts as she tries to pull him free of this very stubborn quicksand. ]

You're not turned off by that, are you?

[ she doesn't ask out of genuine curiosity. she knows he likes it. if he doesn't, well... she can always leave him in the quicksand. ]

Do you think I'd still be here if I wasn't?

( of course they're having this conversation right now. he pulls at his foot and finally yanks free, tumbling out of the quicksand and onto the ground. )

Well. That was fun.

[ katherine stumbles and almost snaps her ankle, but she saves it quickly and with a hard press of her heel into the soft earth. she doesn't release his hand. stefan has proven he cannot be trusted to look where he's stepping. ]

Only one of your pant legs is ruined.

[ she's looking down at his legs. ]

Hop back in with your other one.

You first.

( honestly, he could care less about his pants leg right now. he's just very glad to be out of the quicksand. he puts his hands on his knees and breathes out. )

I just wanna get out of here at this point. I'm done with this jungle stuff.

You mean you don't want to be Stefan of the Jungle?

[ she blows out a disappointed breath. katherine smiles and glances around, ensuring nothing is thinking this is going to be the prime time to attack two vampires. ]

You'd be hot in just the loincloth.

Shut up.

( stefan rolls his eyes and starts to walk away from the quicksand because they are not going that way. )

I don't own a loincloth and I will not be wearing one anytime soon no matter how you bat your eyes at me.

Why not?

[ katherine pouts and trudges along behind him. that's such a mean thing to say! ]

Not even for my six hundredth?

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