And you're not glad to see me? [She pouts at him for a moment, her lips hovering over his, hands on his face. Her thumbs brush over his cheeks, her eyes gazing at him, taking in his appearance, trying to see if there's anything different about him, about his face, his eyes.]
Sure I am. [He nuzzles her nose with his lightly, playfully, patting her bum and moving to set her down, knowing it'll be a bit conspicuous to carry her all the way to his apartment (or hers?) like this. He gives her a peck on the lips, a little nip to her lower, a devious smile.] Why wouldn't I be?
Just checking. [She laughs at the ass-pat and gives him a cheeky smile as he sets her back down on feet. Her hand moves to find his, starting them down the street because she's anxious to get him alone.]
Yep. [She says with a perky sort of smile, one that she's maintained after all these years. However, the feeling of his thumb over her knuckles feels so good, she might just burst. She leads them around a corner, dying to ask him so many questions but she stays quiet. That's something new.
Suddenly, they're in the historic district, walking down the street lined with stately houses. Her voice is quiet as she explains--] My mom died. [She doesn't look at him because... well, it'd been a really rough time for her. Tyler had come to support her through it, a few others had called. She presses on talking faster so he doesn't have time to try to soothe her.] Turns out we had a lot of family money she was saving for me to use later. [She exhales, shaking her head.] Anyway, I made friends with a guy does investments or something, he made me a lot more money and then I bought this. [She stops them in front of a house ] It's got a historical marker and everything. Which actually is not as cool as I thought. It kind of limits what I can do
( ... )
[He watches her with a hunter's eyes as he follows her, taking stock of her, what's the same, what's different, needs to learn how to behave so he can fit with her, mould himself around the spaces in her life so that she doesn't notice the change in him, so that he doesn't have to be alone. He listens carefully to every details she offers, drinking in the layout of the grounds, the exterior of the house, certainly impressed.] You've done well for yourself, Caroline. [He feels a little bit of selfish pride, knowing he'd be right, so many years ago, when Damon had insisted Caroline would never last as a vampire and Stefan had argued otherwise. Even after so much time and distance, she still feels at least a little bit like his. He smiles, sadly, releasing her hand to touch her shoulder, pull her closer, press his lips lightly, briefly, unthinkingly to her temple.] I'm sorry. About your mother.
[Time passes, people grow older and she doesn't. The hardest part about her mother's passing was that she couldn't be at the funeral. It was too suspicious. There was still family members who'd know her, recognize her. But she'd been by her mother's side when she slipped away. It'd been hard, a struggle but it happened a few years ago and now, acceptance. But he is right in being proud of her, she did this for him, she did this because of him, the person he'd molded her to] Me too. [She turns to look at him, pulling him to her lips.] You know she believed in you, always. So do I.
Come on. [His kiss is chaste, reserved, he nods at the house, her house, giving her a wry smile. He brushes a few strands of her hair aside, casting his eyes over her face for the millionth time, still feeling like he's seeing something, someone new. He ghosts a kiss to her forehead, dropping his hands to her shoulders.] You can show me if you've learned how to decorate in all these years.
I could always decorate, Stefan. [She smirks a little at that, her hands sliding down his arms, pulling his hands from her shoulders so she can hold them.] You can come see how well I spend money. [She keeps one of her hands in his as she turns to lead him towards the house, up the porch before she moves to unlock the door.]
Different tastes from different times. [He waits, leaning against on eof the pillars on the terrace, arms crossed over his chest, peering beyond her into the house, finding a way to mask that ever present anticipation, whether he'll make it across the threshold, with casual indifference. He knows that Caroline might not be able to keep him out, but if she's been smart enough to put the deed in someone else's name, he'll be left here on the porch. So, he waits.] I've never doubted your ability to spend money, Caroline. Yours, or anyone else's.
What a lovely home you have, Caroline... [He steps inside after her, admiring the grand foyer, closing the door softly behind him. Had she been human, this might have been the point where he'd feed from her gently, seduce her, vanish in the morning...but she isn't human, and his insticts shift. He steps behind her, close, brushes her hair from one shoulder, sweeping it across the back of her neck, letting his fingers trail down the slender curve, dipping into the hollow well just off her clavicle. He's no longer looking at the house, only her.] Simply exquisite.
[There's something off about him, she can just... sense it. He's different, she doesn't know how but he is. The way he steps up close almost gives her chills instead of... well, the thrills. She feels a little like she did with Damon, all those years ago, like he's almost seducing her for an express purpose. Maybe she's wrong, maybe she's paranoid but she doesn't know what he's been doing all these years, she can only guess.
She rolls her shoulder to get him to stop touching her, turning around to look at him, hoping to see that same warmth in his eyes that she loves. He seemed genuine before, he seemed happy, but she needs to know if he's really here because of the reason she hopes he is.] Stefan? [She steps close, looking him in the eyes.] How is this possible? Why now? I'm not complaining, at all. I just... I'm scared this is another one of those stay for a night and leave things. [And she's not sure her heart can take that no matter how strong she is now.]
I found you. [He traces the out line of her cheek with a knuckle, his palm slipping back across the surface to linger, cradling her face. The way she looks at him, he feels again the ghost of something he used to be able to feel. It puzzles him, excites him, that she might have been the secret all along, that all those promises of finding her, of loving her forever, held fast and true, rooted deeper and stronger than any compulsion from a vanished master. He smiles, softly, finding it still so difficult to speak truths, instead of just manipulating lies for his own benefit.] Maybe you found me, I don't know but... [He licks his lips and even he doesn't know if what he's feeling and saying is true, tilts his head thoughtfully and speaks, softly.] I've been alone for a long time, Caroline. I'd forgotten what it was like to even want company. And now... [His thumb brushes the underside of her lower lip.] Now, it's the only thing I can think about.
[Her eyes fall shut at the feeling of his hand on her face but only for a moment. She needs to be able to see his face as he speaks, to see if he means what he says. A part of her can't believe that after all this time he still wants her, that he can want her. Though if it's possible for her to still want him, shouldn't be possible the other way around? Caroline was blind the ring he wore around his finger and well, logic isn't something her heart will let her have in this situation. She watches him carefully even as he touches her face, the caress distracting at the very least.] Company. [She says it flatly, though she's confused.] Do you still... What you said before, all those years ago, do you still meant them? Do you still... love me? [She can barely say the last two words for fear of what the answer might be. Because maybe he's just lonely for a familiar face, like Damon had so obviously been a few years back. He'd tracked Caroline down, they'd spent a week together before the playful bickering almost turned into something too
( ... )
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Suddenly, they're in the historic district, walking down the street lined with stately houses. Her voice is quiet as she explains--] My mom died. [She doesn't look at him because... well, it'd been a really rough time for her. Tyler had come to support her through it, a few others had called. She presses on talking faster so he doesn't have time to try to soothe her.] Turns out we had a lot of family money she was saving for me to use later. [She exhales, shaking her head.] Anyway, I made friends with a guy does investments or something, he made me a lot more money and then I bought this. [She stops them in front of a house ] It's got a historical marker and everything. Which actually is not as cool as I thought. It kind of limits what I can do ( ... )
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She rolls her shoulder to get him to stop touching her, turning around to look at him, hoping to see that same warmth in his eyes that she loves. He seemed genuine before, he seemed happy, but she needs to know if he's really here because of the reason she hopes he is.] Stefan? [She steps close, looking him in the eyes.] How is this possible? Why now? I'm not complaining, at all. I just... I'm scared this is another one of those stay for a night and leave things. [And she's not sure her heart can take that no matter how strong she is now.]
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