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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)

[He won't flinch - not at her confessions, not at the steady eye gaze, and not even at the shirt tugging, no matter how red his face gets. He takes a breath, sitting up as straight as possible as his gaze falls down to her collerbone, at the scar, and then back to her face.]

Hold up a sec. You got murdered? ["How are you still standing?" He runs a hand through his hair, as if something'll come back to him to explain this--] Is this one of those witchy-magic kind of deals?

[Wait, wait.] Ooor you know what, I don't have to know. Not this time.

Just a little quirk of Paradisa. I was only dead for a couple of weeks.

[She bears his reaction with a straight face, just looking down at her feet on Jason's blanket.]

[The more he hears about this soul-sucking castle, the more he hates it. With a burning, fiery passion.]

That's some "quirk." [He fiddles with his ring, resisting the urge to spew the vitriol that's resting on the edge of his tongue.]

You know, when I turned... I was the victim of a hit-and-run. Didn't realize I'd become a vampire until it was way too late.

[Some quirk, but at least it brought her back. She looks at his hands, watching him fiddle - but when the truth of his death comes out, her face goes white, and she freezes. She had forgotten that part of vampirism. Breathing shallowly, she reaches out a hand to touch Stefan's shoulder.]

... I'm sorry. I didn't realize you'd... I mean, also...

[He stops fiddling with his ring long enough to manage a thin smile.]

Don't worry about it. As far as my legal records are concerned, I'm still alive and kicking. It's only been about a year? [A year for Alesci, versus a century and a half for Salvatore. Two vampires with two vastly different life experiences.] Well, kind of.

I'm more pissed I didn't catch on for a good six hours.

Hey, it's death. It messes with you, but it's just a thing.

[She runs her thumb over the edge of his collarbone, still looking down.]

... You got a car, and I got some heart-stealing demons. Life, man.

[Technically, a car full of bigots, but details. Heart-stealing demons are just as mean and dangerous in his book. He finally allows his guard to fall, finally, as he stifles a laugh.] Funny how that works sometimes, huh?

I can't say I'm thrilled to be undead, since it kinda makes the lab tech thing hard, but... I figure if that Twilight guy can do it, I can too.

[Alex gives a smile in return, but it doesn't really make it to her eyes.]

My brother used to date a vampire. She didn't have a heartbeat.

[He grows silent for a moment. Alex doesn't like physical affection, but this is a bit more serious, so he takes off his shirt (he still has that white tank-top underneath) and motions for her to place her hand over his heart.]

She sounds like the exception to the rule. [Stefan's trying - and failing a little - to keep his voice even.] My heart doesn't beat as often as it should, but it's still there.

[Alex moves her hand slowly across to his heart - when she feels a beat underneath her fingers, she smiles.

And doesn't move her hand.]

Good to feel for myself that you're not a zombie.

I'll let you know if I start craving your brain.

[He returns the smile, suddenly consciously aware of how fast his heart's beating - it's not much faster than a human's, but it's fast for him.] In the meantime? I think we're gonna be fine.

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