deerington contact.

[manipulative]

@KATHERINE

TEXT | VIDEO | CALL | ACTION

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[prescind]

Other people needed them more than I did.

( and he'd spent three months drowning a little while ago. he could stomach it it again. )

[manipulative]

God, your self-loathing honestly knows no bounds. Can you think beneath all of that hair? No one needs that more than you, Stefan.

[ it's lucky they're not face to face or even in the same plane of existence, because she'd stab him for being such an idiot. ]

[prescind]

I'm sorry that you don't agree with my choices, Katherine. But there were kids on that ship that needed boats. I've drowned before and I've come back. It wasn't that hard to do it again.

( a stabbing a day keeps the doctor away. )

[manipulative]

[ ugh. he's such a disney hero. ]

You're not the only one who wanted to save children on that ship.

[ and that's all she's saying on the matter! 🤐 if asked, her recovering from being impaled is going to make her lose the ability ability to text. ]

I don't remember you drowning.

[prescind]

You weren't there.

Or, you were, but you don't remember because it hasn't happened to you yet.

[manipulative]

Did I finally grow tired of your hero hair and drown you?

[prescind]

No, someone locked me in a safe and I spent three months in the quarry, drowning and reviving and drowning again.

( it leaves a mark. )

I wasn't really myself when I came out. You helped me.

( he's just going to keep it...somewhat vague. )

[manipulative]

[ that's... new. who would want to lock stefan in a safe other than damon? maybe rebekah and klaus... and even elena, just to figuratively put him out of the way... katherine can't imagine who would want to do that. it's difficult to imagine this is an actual, true event. stefan is one of the good ones. ]

I helped you.

[ which means... was pennsylvania really just a pit stop? maybe stefan came to the little town to seek her help... she can't imagine it. none of this could've happened outside of mystic falls. ]

Are you okay now?

[prescind]

You saw me on the ship.

( so, he was as good as could be expected. )

I'm better.

[manipulative]

[ he looked like a partially drowned rat in all honesty. still not a bad look. ]

So you're fine with water?
Did I try drowning you in a pool? That sounds a little like fun.

[prescind]

You helped me, Katherine, when nothing else was getting through to me. I owe you for that.

( and yes, it had led to some things and...he's not going to share that. not after the titanic. )

[manipulative]

[ nothing else? or no one else? ]

What do you think you're going to do to pay me back? Buy me an expensive pair of shoes?

You owe me nothing, Stefan. I would like to think I helped you because I wanted to, not because I wanted to get something out of it.

[ does everyone always think she does things for something in return? surely, she did consider what she could gain in return for assisting him... but why would she dedicate herself to helping stefan with his ptsd if that was the case? it was too hard. it'd be easier to win him over by doing something far more simpler.

maybe she had helped him because she had wished someone would have done the same for her. or maybe she didn't think that at all. she's fine, you know. ]

[prescind]

God, that's not what I meant, Katherine. I'm not trying to buy my way out of your debt. I'm expressing gratitude because no one else was able to get through to me until you and it was what I needed.

( take a damn compliment, katherine pierce. )

I'm not going to buy you anything. I'm just thankful.

[manipulative]

[ man, it's a pity she can't google "how to take someone's gratitude" because she is completely stuck on this one. stefan wants nothing in return. he simply wants her to take what he's giving her. when was the last time someone was genuinely grateful to her for something she selflessly did? ]

I could use a new pair of shoes.

[ that means "you're welcome" or something like that. ]

Mine have kind of been ruined by the ship, ocean, and this Rapture hellhole.

[prescind]

You want me to buy you shoes?

( hmph. )

What kind?

[manipulative]

Ones that remind you of me. So no sneakers, Converse, or Doc Martins. I ruined my shoes saving your life on that ship.

[ she didn't really. she just wants to see if stefan will actually buy her shoes!

besides, this is far easier than talking about his drowning ptsd or the fact she's saved him twice. ]

[prescind]

I'll see what I can do.

( he was no good at shoe shopping so this should be fun for katherine. )

Are you and Damon getting along?

[manipulative]

[ hnng, yes. that's the problem. ]

He's annoying me. Does he make you clean your shoes before you step into a disgusting and unsanitary "apartment"?

[ damon is an anal clean freak and she's going to straight up murder him. ]

[prescind]

I usually don't listen to him.

( because he was damon. )

You two are staying in an apartment together?

[manipulative]

[ now katherine thinks she's shouldn't have said anything at all, probably alluding to damon being near but not that near. people tend to make a big deal about her being physically close to someone, like she's some black widow spider waiting to pounce. ]

Safety in familiarity, Stefan. I'd be stupid to let him go elsewhere. He keeps things clean.

[ and he's... okay. ]

[prescind]

Is he okay?

( yes, he'd talked to damon but damon would say he was fine no matter what. he wouldn't tell stefan what was really happening. )

[manipulative]

He's fine.

[ it's not her responsibility to report to stefan if damon had lost his fingers and toes or had died... but that doesn't mean she doesn't enjoy actually being asked. trust goes a long way for the ego. ]

If he wasn't, I would've told you the first chance I had.

[prescind]

( he sighs and rubs a hand across his brow. )

I'm sorry I can't do more to help you both.

[manipulative]

[ oh, stefan. 😔 ]

You can do something for me.
Stay away from storage rooms and pools. I can't ride in on my Disney horse and rescue you.

[prescind]

I don't plan on shutting myself in any overflowing closets.

( he smiles though because he appreciates her caring in her own way. )

There are still lighthouses here. I could always go in one and see if it takes me there.