manipulative | deerington contact.

Okay. [ she says it gently, feeling very pleased she doesn't have to get up and relocate to one of his other rooms. ] I'll stay.

[ katherine readjusts herself where she lies on her side, bringing her hands up to rest beneath her head. ]

If you can't sleep, then you can't sleep. [ she shrugs a shoulder. ] It's fine. You'll probably have a grandpa nap later in the day.

Probably.

( something flickers across his face but he closes his eyes and tries to let his brain relax and his breathing even out. )

Thanks.

( for...everything. )

I told you, you don't have to do this alone.

[ and if she did help him before, then she figures it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that she wants to now. katherine's now experienced it, and she thinks she gets where his ptsd comes from.

she watches him for a moment, glad that he's at least calmed down now. ]

I'm here for whenever you need me.

I know.

( and what a strange thing to know. if you'd asked him a few years ago when this happened, it wouldn't have been katherine that he'd said would be helping him.

his eyes fall closed and he reaches over letting the tips of his fingers touch her side. he doesn't know if he can do much more than that but he wants to feel somewhat connected. )

[ while he may reach out to touch her side, katherine takes that as an invitation to shuffle closer. she's tired enough to want to go back to sleep, but she keeps herself awake so she can watch him. she wants him to be truly settled down before she thinks to relax. ]

Why don't you go to sleep? [ she smiles, ] I can pull a you and watch you.

I'm going to try.

( he's tired but he still doesn't know if he's going to be able to sleep. he feels like if he closes his eyes, he's going to dream about this again.

but, he's tired so he closes his eyes and tries to relax. )

I don't watch you. ( much. )

[ sure. ]

You don't? [ she sounds disappointed. ] I'm hot. Why wouldn't you watch me?

[ she brushes her fingers through his hair in an attempt to fix it from being too mussy. ] I bet I'm hotter when I'm sleeping.

[ if she can get his mind temporarily out of the safe, then she will do her utmost best. ]

You're soft when you're sleeping.

( that's not a bad thing. he sighs, trying to let her touch soothe him. )

You lose all the hard angles and sharpness.

( one of the few times that happened. )

You make me sound like I'm a dulled knife when I'm sleeping.

[ it's all she can really think to say. katherine's never wondered what she looks like when she's asleep—she'd hope it's still intimidating.

walking her fingers into his hair, she keeps her gaze on her ministrations than him. ]

Are you saying I'm all hard angles and sharpness when I'm awake?

[ if this gets him to stop thinking about the safe, then she's good with it. ]

I'm saying your guard is down when you sleep. You let yourself relax.

( when she was awake, her defenses her high and she carried around a lot of tension. nothing wrong with it, it was just how she was. )

That's all.

( his eyes are still closed and his words have slowed a bit. )

[ oh, well. that doesn't sound like a completely bad thing with the way he says it. ]

Do you want to know what you look like?

[ she doesn't wait for him to answer; she's invited herself to answer her own question. she keeps her tone gentle and low. ]

Still very, very handsome. Still broody. [ removing her hand from his hair for a moment, she brushes her fingertips between his brows. ] Peaceful.

I thought you didn't watch me.

( sounds like she'd just exposed her own little lie there. but he doesn't mind. it's nice to know she's noticed him that much.

he sighs, feeling his body slacken some. )

I'm tired.

Then let yourself rest.

[ she lets her fingers continue to play with his hair. all she wants is for that tension to disperse and for him to allow himself to relax. he didn't seem overly keen on doing that before, but she's hopeful he will now. ]

So I can pretend I don't watch you.

Don't be creepy.

( but there's a slight lightness to his voice. he feels like maybe he could doze off and rest a little bit. he doesn't think it'll last long but it might help. )

Don't leave.

Don't be creepy, don't leave. So many rules, Stef.

[ she says it teasingly. she doesn't mind if those are his only rules, although she makes absolutely no promises on not being creepy. she continues to brush her fingers through his hair, hoping it's lulling him into some sense of relaxation. ]

I'll be creepy if I choose to be.

Hmm.

( stefan makes a face but he mostly just succeeds in turning on his side and settling down. )

Just don't leave.

[ while she pauses the movement of her fingers as he settles onto his side, she doesn't pull them from his hair. she shuffles closer to him and lets her gaze roam over his face. all she wants is for him to know that he's deserving of a gentle touch, even if he doesn't believe so after tonight's events.

quietly, ] I promise I won't, моето бебе вампир. I will be right here, watching you sleep.

( he wants to say thank you but his brain starts to slow down with the touch. he wants to ask her what she called him but he'll...save it for later.

he sighs, letting her touch lull him. it doesn't take too long before he makes himself a liar and falls asleep. )

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