what do you go home to?

[interpersonally]

Who: Stefan and Damon Salvatore
What: Comparing notes, catching up
When: Today, this afternoon.
Where: Death Match
Rating: PG but it is Damon?

Stefan knew he'd never go back to Katherine. There'd been too much time. There'd been decades of lies, initial compulsions... That was never the issue. But, after that conversation, he felt he'd come to understand her, to understand where she'd been coming from. From what he'd heard of Klaus, people ran from him, including Katherine. He didn't know what the conversation had meant, however. All he knew was that as a human, he'd felt things deeply and he hadn't been able to mute those feelings. He hadn't been able to hold back what he had been thinking, how hid trust had been completely and utterly broken back before the turn of the century.

But, he also had no idea if he believed her when she said she had no agenda. She hadn't gone after Elena that he knew of. And they were together. So, what was bothering him?

One thing was for sure, he was going to continue to keep this to himself. But, he needed to touch base with Damon, see if he had any Valentines Day experiences to write home about. Maybe he'd made headway with Lana. Lana, who he'd kissed around Christmas time.

Another secret kept.

That was what this castle was to him. Secrets piling up. Blood addiction. Kisses. Katherine. Good thing he could handle it all.

It had been a while since they'd had time together as brothers. Stefan ordered them each a glass of bourbon. He had a lot on his mind, lately whether it was Valentines Day with Buffy, his time in Paris and the very revealing conversation he'd had with Katherine - or, the fact that he hadn't told Elena about it. Valentines Day, he had. Elena had been in a similar situation and that hadn't been a big deal. But, he couldn't help but think the castle was saying something, that it saw something.

"How are things with Faith? Or, is it Lana. I lose track," he said, trying to start conversation.

Comments

[compels]

"Mmm, sudden interest in my non-Elena Gilbert romantic affairs. Why, Brother, one might think you're preemptively deflecting." Damon smirked as he turned on his bar stool to face Stefan, leaning his elbow on the bar and taking a long drink from his scotch. He had better up in his room. "You're not interested in Faith, and Lana wants nothing to do with you, which means something is troubling your broody little slice of paradise."