deercountry | ( CLOSED ) WE NEVER LEARN, WE BEEN HERE BEFORE.

That's good.

( he doesn't really have more to say than that. he does but his throat doesn't want to work. he swallows and rubs at his face. )

He looks healthy.

[ katherine squeezes his hand. while the sudden appearance of luca has struck her off-kilter, she's experienced this before: meeting a child for the first time. she thinks she's a little seasoned now after meeting nadia at three different times in her life. ]

And he looks like you. Square head. Thick brows. [ she narrows her eyes playfully. ] Probably will get your height.

He'll have to if he finds someone who wears heels like yours so he can still be taller.

( he glances down at her feet and gives her ankle a light kick. )

He looks good. He looks...he looks good.

[ while katherine may ignore his kick, it seems to spur her into action. she scrunches up her face and looks at luca tucked underneath nadia's arm. ]

He's cute. [ she says it loud enough for him to hear. if he's part her, then he has to be someone who loves attention and compliments. the word barely describes him, but as there's no word in the dictionary from her recollection that can truly describe luca, she has to make do with alternatives. ]

My perfect boy.

[ katherine does her best to ignore how she feels self-conscious at showing such a vulnerable hand. ]

He is.

( he's perfect. he's the most perfect boy that stefan's ever seen. he wants more than anything to step forward and touch but he doesn't know if that would work.

so, he just smiles at luca who seems shy and a little uncertain. )

A good boy.

[ as if reading his mind, nadia smiles forlornly and shakes her head ever so subtly. as much as she wishes to step through the portal, nadia knows not to. she's been brought here enough to know when deerington has extended her an invitation. ]

I'm sure the Trench will give us an opportunity to meet more in person.

[ she briefly gazes down at luca and smiles. ]

And he can throw a ball in your house. [ she smiles at stefan, very much like her usual, sharp self. ] See how you truly like it.

I would love it.

( because luca would be right there, close enough for him to touch. he closes his eyes and tries not to cry. he doesn't want to do that right now. )

He could break every breakable things we had in there and I'd still be fine with it.

[ katherine pinches him. ]

He can break all of your breakable things.

[ which will magically include her things, of course. but katherine doesn't particularly want him encouraging luca with disruptive behaviour... and she doesn't want him to see his father cry. if this is the only chance they get, she wants him to be remembered as happy. ]

He can be daddy's little boy.

[ luca glances up at nadia and whispers papa likes me best. he wants me to break things. ]

( stefan grimaces slightly when he gets pinched but that's immediately replaced by a smile when katherine both makes her suggestion and he hears what luca whispers.

he nods. )

I do like you best. ( he likes nadia best too and he likes katherine best and he loves that he has a family even if it's somewhat scattered. )

He can break everything I own.

What about your journals?

[ katherine peers up at stefan and smiles. there are tears in her eyes, but she doesn't gaze up at him with sadness. this is merely a prime opportunity to tease him—and one she hopes luca gets to see every day.

if luca wants stefan's journals, he doesn't so much as twitch. he peers up at nadia before looking at stefan and hiding his face in his sister's pant leg. ]

If he wants to tear my journals up, he can do that.

( he smiles over at luca and then glances at katherine. )

But before I let him do that, we'd make a pact that he couldn't show anything to you. Guys only.

[ she rolls her eyes.

underneath her breath, she mutters, ] He'll show me.

[ she's nothing if not a persuasive woman. stefan may be the favoured father, but she's the mother. he's going down and his journals will be hers.

katherine smiles sweetly (not that requires much effort, given she's speaking to her son). ]

You'll show me Papa's journals, won't you, Luca?

[ he smiles against nadia's pantleg and nods. ]

Luca!

( stefan pretends to be offended and then laughs because of course. of course katherine would get her way.)

Come on, you can't do that. Me and you, that would be our secret.

[ when luca glances at katherine, she smiles softly at him and shakes her head. his gaze lingers on her before he turns to stefan and copies her, shaking his head even if it's with some uncertainty. nadia snorts; katherine snickers.

katherine's smile widens as she gentle nudges stefan with her elbow. ]

I see you lost that one.

[ nadia smiles fondly. looking at her mother, ] That would be because you read to him. [ she looks at stefan. ] She makes the better voices.

Fine, then no one gets to see my journals.

( he'll take his toys and go home. )

All of my secret writings will remain secret.

( so there. )

[ katherine rolls her eyes and gently shoves stefan's arm. ]

You really are no fun.

[ nadia presses her lips together and shakes her head. luca follows suit, seemingly mostly out of a desire not to miss out on shaking his head at his father.

she sighs dramatically, her shoulders sagging. she turns to the portal and tsks. ] We'll just have to make our own fun, won't we?

[ luca seems very pleased by that if his yeah! is anything to go by. ]

Wow, so it's just everyone against me, huh?

( he doesn't approve, he doesn't approve at all. he shakes his head and puts his hands on his hips. )

Fine, I'll take all of you on.

[ katherine almost snorts her laughter. ] Not with those bony hips.

[ nadia doesn't even try to stifle hers as she lets out a great bark of laughter. she does ball her hand into a fist and presses it against her mouth. ]

Is that supposed to be intimidating?

Shut up.

( he rolls his eyes. )

You're never getting another look at my journals, Katherine. And Nadia, I will tell everyone what kind of adorable things you did as a child to damage this tough exterior you've got going on.

[ nadia doesn't appear afraid. in fact, she cocks her brow and smiles slowly in amusement. while she doesn't want anyone to know that she was once an adorable child to stefan, she doesn't particularly want to let him win.

she may definitely be her mother's daughter. ]

No one would believe you.

[ she shakes her head. meanwhile, luca peers up at her with furrowed brows as if trying to find the so-called adorableness stefan speaks of. ]

( stefan ignores her and looks at luca, grinning. )

Your older sister there, she played hairdresser with my hair. She loved it. Absolutely adored it.

( come on, surely luca would believe him, right? )

[ katherine considers coming to nadia's defence, but given that she has had five hundred years of not even knowing she was alive… she wishes to partake in what she knows is a very normal family matter.

so, when she opens her mouth, she regards nadia with a knowing look. ]

She absolutely adored your father.

[ she smiles sweetly at nadia as her daughter regards her with a betrayed expression. ]

Couldn't get enough of him. I'm surprised she isn't being possessive her him right now given how much she adored him.

( what was that? was katherine agreeing with him and, not only that, egging him on a bit? he suppresses his smile and glances over at nadia to see her reaction. )

See, I told you.

( he shrugs and spreads his arms wide. )

Maybe Nadia will let you play with her hair, Luca, if you ask nicely.

[ nadia's expression grows stern. the betrayal she feels at katherine siding with stefan is something she will feel for centuries from now…

or that's what she'd say if she was as dramatic as her mother.

instead, she smiles sweetly at stefan. ]

He already does. I am a good older sister, Stefan.

[ and that? she says with pride. ]

That I'd believe.

( that she was a good older sister. he wishes he could be there to see it. more than anything, he wishes he and katherine could be that family unit with them.

he sighs and looks down. )

I know you protect him too.

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