dealing with becoming a vampire had been easier than she might have thought, in the first few days it was earth shattering. but the most unlikely of people helped her get through it, something that still surprised her. hearing him speak she swallowed a little, it did cause a small twinge of pain in her stomach that it felt this way between them. ❝ i ran out of bloodbags, i guess i never really put much thought into how you and damon obtained them before. ❞ after a few moments her dark hues lifted to meet his, searching for any andication of well, anything. ❝ hi stefan. ❞ she finally replies.

Caroline  crossed  her  arms  the  second  she  saw  him,  her  expression  already  halfway  between  worry  and  annoyance.  “Oh,  I’m  definitely  yelling  at  you,”  she  said,  though  there  was  no  real  bite  behind  it.  “You  disappear  for  days,  Stefan.  No  calls,  no  texts,  nothing.  You  don’t  get  to  just  show  up  and  pretend  that’s  normal.” She  exhaled  through  her  nose,  studying  his  face  a  little  more  carefully  now.  “But  sure,”  she  added  after  a  moment,  softening  slightly.  “Get  the  drinks.  Because  if  I  start  yelling  right  now,  the  entire  bar  is  going  to  hear  about  how  terrible  you  are  at  communicating.” Caroline  leaned  against  the  counter,  watching  him  closely. “And  for  the  record,”  she  continued,  quieter  now,  “you  avoiding  everyone  isn’t  exactly  a  great  sign.  So  after  the  drinks,  you’re  actually  going  to  tell  me  what’s  going  on.”

stefan smiles just slightly. maybe in some weird way, he's exactly where he wants to be. maybe he WANTS her to yell at him. he motions down the bar for two drinks. ❛❛if it helps, i've been keeping an eye on the wicked witch, with a capital b, while she's in town.❜❜ oh, did caroline even know katherine came back? he'd forgotten to update that hadn't he? ❛❛i just... needed a distraction from everything going on.❜❜

The  sound  doesn’t  stop  when  he  spoke  to  her.  ❝ They’re  not  whispers, ❞  she  says  softly,  almost  absently.  ❝ They’re echoes .... ❞  Her  gaze  flickers  to  him  and  then everything  stops.  The  noise  cuts  out  so  suddenly  it  feels  like  something  has  been  ripped  away.  The  street  falls  into  a  hollow,  unnatural  silence,  pressing  in  around  her  ears  until  all  she  can  hear  is  her  own  heartbeat and his steps towards her.

But  it’s  not  quiet.  Not  really.

Lydia’s  breath  stutters  as  something  else  replaces  it . something   older and heavier.  It  clings  to  him,  not  seen,  not  heard,  but  felt.  Her  eyes  landing  on  the handsome vampire now,  truly  seeing  him  for  the  first  time.  Not  just  a  man  standing  in  the  fading  light,  but  something  wrapped  in  centuries  of  loss,  of  violence,  of  lives  ended  and  carried  like  a  shadow  that  never  quite  lets  go.

❝ ⸻ you ... ❞  she  breathes, edged  with  something  uncertain.  It’s  not  accusation,  not  fear,  but recognition.

‘ how about i take you home? ’

‘ who do you fight for? ’

‘ you can relax. we’re safe here.’ 

‘ are you threatening me? ’

‘ i told you to leave me out of this. ’

‘ i guess it runs in the family, huh? ’

‘ you’re leaving already? ’

‘ that sounds dangerous. i’m in!’ 

‘ what do you wish for? ’

‘ you look like you just saw a ghost.’ 

‘ don’t look at me like that. ’

‘ we can just sit here. we don’t have to talk.’ 

‘ you can’t get rid of me that easy. ’

‘ do you want something for the pain? ’

‘ can i have some cash? ’

‘ i know you’re dangerous, but i also know you won’t hurt me.’ 

‘ that’s quite a scratch you’ve got there.’ 

‘ when was the last time you slept? ’

‘ i know who you are. i know what you’ve done. ’

‘ you’re being followed. pretend you know me.’ 

‘ you never should’ve left. ’

‘ i think i’m getting sick. ’

‘ snap out of it! ’

‘ yes i killed them, but i did it for you.’ 

‘ don’t treat me like a child. ’

‘ how does it feel to be in love? ’

‘ surprised to run into you here. ’

‘ how many people have you killed? ’

‘ i didn’t want to come, but i need your help. ’

             The  streets  felt  too  quiet.  Too  still  as  the  sun  began  to  set.  pausing  mid-step,  Lydia  tilts  her  head  as  if  listening  for  something  that  shouldn’t  be  there.  she knew she wasn't alone , but she just had to ask . was it just only her who heard it ? ❝ ⸻ Do  you  hear  that? ❞ she  whispers,  her  voice  barely  carrying  over  the  soft  evening  breeze. 

A  faint  rustle  drifts  from  somewhere  nearby.  not  wind,  not  animals,  but  something  else.  broken  whispers,  a  hiss  of  panic,  footsteps  that  doesn't  match  any  living  thing  she  can  see.  Lydia’s  eyes  scan  the  streets,  searching  for  movement,  but  all  she  sees  are  the  darkening  silhouettes  of  the  town  she  knows  all  to  well. SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO   

but as he listens, he doesn't hear his thoughts or past creeping in on him. it's something else. something he might not hear... ❛❛go on. what do you hear?❜❜ he asks, noting the other's pale expression in the half moon light. she hears something he can't. that's never a good thing.