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[very, very quietly, before he cuts off the feed:] I don't know. I wish I knew.

[About 30 seconds later, he walks into their shared quarters, stopping only when he sees her by Jason's bunk. Very, very carefully, he seats himself at the foot of the bed and crosses his legs.] Hey. Tay was... the captain before you and Jason, right?

Yeah. Taylor Barnam. She was pretty cool.

[All these years, and the burn of knowing you'll never see someone again doesn't get better. Not at all. Alex lets out one tiny breath of a sniffle.]

It's not fair. I just wanna go home.

[And she doesn't even know - is that New York, or Paradisa?]

[He wishes he didn't know that feeling. Stefan takes a deep breath, hesitant to scoot closer because boundaries and she's technically not blood-related... but in the end, he finds himself leaning in closer.]

Me too. [Locke City won't let him step inside, but his family's in Jordan - and he misses them like burning.] But until they send us back... or wherever they take us... you're kinda stuck with me.

[Black humor isn't his forte, so his cheeks are totally burning a bright red right now.] If, uh, you don't mind.

[Alex looks up at him from beneath her arm, and lets herself smile a little at how sweet this total dork is. He really does remind her of Sirius sometimes.]

Only if you don't mind getting stuck with me.

[She lightly kicks him in the leg with one socked foot.]

[He rolls his eyes, not bothering to dodge her kick for once.]

Yeah, well... I think I'll manage. After all, I could've gotten shuffled onto a way worse ship.

[Then in that case she's just gonna leave her foot down there, against his leg.]

Yeah, you could've gotten put with, like, a talking horse. Or kid. Or Allen.

Don't lump Allen in with the poor pony. [He so doesn't remember Cheese's name. Mostly because they've never officially met.]

Which, by the way, reminds me: did you know there's a penguin here too? A talking one?

Dude, seriously?

[Another wipe of her eyes, and Alex sits up on her elbows.]

I mean, it's been awhile since I was actually surprised by anything, but still. There's a line.

Yeah, his name's Frobisher. He says he's a shapeshifter? [Stefan shrugs cluelessly.]

I'm sure he is, 'cause that's a weird thing to lie about... but all I've seen is the penguin.

Maybe someone turned him into a penguin, and he's embarrassed about it.

Mm, possible. Can't exactly rule out the power of an angry witch. [He sits up a little straighter, poorly mimicking the "bam!" motion he'd seen Bonnie do a hundred times over.]

Though, from what I understand, it's like, part of his alien DNA. I think he's from a planet of shapeshifting penguins.

Was that supposed to look like a witch?

[She cocks at eyebrow at him, finally pulling herself to sit up fully.]

Kinda? [He laughs sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.]

I was friends with one back home. [Mystic Falls home, he means.] She'd snap her fingers or wave her hand and things would... you know, fall into place.

Like this, you mean?

[Alex gives a wave of her fingers, and the sheets on the bed straighten up.]

[HOLY SHIT, DID THAT JUST---]

[It happened. It actually happened.

For a second, Stefan's eyes turn almost black, before he blinks back his surprise and tries (in vain) to regain his composure.] Y-yeah.... exactly like that.

[Alex actually laughs at his expression, though it's still a bit watery. Her wand is across the room, in one of her boots, or else she'd give it a little twirl.]

Oops. Maaaaybe I have a little secret.

[He can't help laughing in return, but it subsides quickly as he dwells on his own supernatural secret - and how keeping it secret from Elena had been his undoing before.] Just a little one, huh?

If we're sharing secrets, then... I should probably tell you mine. But only if you promise you won't tell anyone.

[Woah. This seems more serious all of the sudden.

Alex makes a locking motion over her mouth.]

Hey, you've got my word. Promise.

[quietly:] Okay. [He takes a deep breath, scooting closer to her. It's been a long, long time since he's voluntarily "vamped out" - maybe six months at most, and it feels weird with each little movement. As the muscles shift on his face, with vein lines protruding and his eyes becoming more bloodshot, he can't help worrying about her.

She won't freak out, right? Or run away? She's a witch, she can knock him out with one swipe. In the end, once his true face takes form, he allows it to stay there as he reaches out for her hand. His entire body's shaking - not for want of blood, but out of sheer nervousness. Stefan's been rejected once lately; he's not sure he can take it all over again.]

[She's seen this before, but never like this - never like it's something so deeply intimate. She can see in his face and his body how nerve-wracking this is, and when he reaches out one hand she grasps it quickly between both of hers, and edges herself closer to him.]

It's alright.

[He's a vampire. Somehow, that's not surprising at all.]

It's fine, Stefan. I'm not scared.

[This feels so familiar, when it shouldn't. As far as he remembers, this is the first time he's allowed himself to truly show his face to someone outside his family. (His family had welcomed him with open arms. They were also his family, who loved him unconditionally.)

Alex had no reason to console him, and as he intertwines his fingers in hers, he (finally) allows himself to let go of the breath he was holding.] You're sure. [It's a statement, not a question, as he dares to look her in the eye.] I've been good about controlling my hunger, but... I can be pretty dangerous, Alex.

[As those words escape his lips, it hits him as to why it's so familiar: Elena had reacted the same way. His own ex-girlfriend had touched him like this and for a moment, he winces as the rest of his memories come flooding back. He regains his composure, but not his human face, as he squeezes her hand tight.] I... I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner.

Dude. I've been keeping a magic wand in my boot. You don't have the monopoly on secrets.

[It's her usual light, joking tone, but it's genuine. Being trusted like this... It's not something Alex is used to, but the instinct is there. She aches to comfort him, to make him feel as safe as he and Jason have always made her feel. Keeping one hand intertwined with his, she moves the other up to slowly touch the side of his face. To show him just how not-scared she is. A Russo is not so easily intimidated by fangs.]

And I don't give a crap about dangerous. That boat sailed awhile ago.

[Maybe not a monopoly, but he has a few more big secrets rattling around in his head - and he's not used to them spilling out all at once. Stefan's gaze drops down to her hands, holding in another breath because this... this doesn't feel bad. Kind of natural, if a little intimate.]

Don't you mean, that fleet sailed a while ago? [He lets out a laugh - and the breath he was holding. Trust Alex to take it all in stride, when he was so sure she'd give him a few thousand aneurysms.

He allows his true face to stay there for a few seconds, before it fades back into the form she'd know too well.] I... yeah, I know you never did. Promise me you'll keep it that way?

Promise.

[Alex squeezes his hand, then lets go in a moment of over-awareness. She doesn't do intimate. She does honest, and real, but not affectionate. And speaking of real - ]

... My middle name is Margarita. Like the drink.

[She looks him right in the eye, her gaze steady.]

I was born in a taxi. I turned my parents into guinea pigs once. I like girls almost as much as boys. And -

[Taking a deep breath, she reaches up to the neck of her tank top and tugs it down slightly, just to reveal the top of the rough, pink scar that disappears in between her breasts.]

I got murdered last year, and I'm still not really okay with it sometimes, because I feel like I'm supposed to be all jokes and sarcasm and stuff.

[The shirt goes back up.]

You can trust me.

Edited 2015-09-08 02:22 (UTC)

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