#rlpper

 Kai leans his shoulder against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest as a slow, insufferable grin spreads across his face. He tilts his head, his eyes tracking Stefan's irritated expression with absolute glee. ‘ Oh, do I? Wow, good to know. ‘ He takes a casual step into the room, tapping his fingers against his forearm. ‘ And here I thought my most annoying habit was just, you know, murdering people. ‘ He walks over to the table, leaning hip-first against the edge and picking up a random trinket just to twirl it between his fingers. He locks his bright, mocking gaze right back onto Stefan. ‘ But seriously, Stefan, what did I say? Was I reciting the recipe for a perfect strawberry jam, or was I screaming about my childhood trauma again? Because if it's the second one, you really should've recorded it. It's great material for your diary. ‘ Kai tosses the trinket back onto the table with a light shrug and steps directly into Stefan’s personal space, flashing a wide, vacant smile. ‘ Don't look at me like that. You're the one who decided to stay awake and creepily listen to me breathe all night. So come on, give up the goods. ‘ He leans in just a fraction closer. He doesn't even try to stop the snort from flashing right into Stefan's face. If anything, he dips on the tips of his shoes and leans a fraction closer. ‘ Did I say your name? Because that would be hilarious. ‘ 

That's part of the problem. It almost slips out but years of watching what she says shut her lips before it can escape. She doesn't want to be cruel, Stefan being a bad actor in her life is a rarity, but it's not zero. The older she gets the more sensitive she becomes to how penned she is by men of varying levels of psychopathy. It's true that he has a big bleeding heart though. Stefan basically always means well, just like how he meant well when he almost drove her off the road.

She can't remember a time anymore when someone wasn't staring at her, gauging her. "Elena management" has been a profession for everyone for years. She feels like she's suffocating, spiraling down into this small sad life in this shitty standard issue new build apartment in her shitty job with all her major life choices dictated by a maniac and everyone waiting for the next time she tries to exercise autonomy.

It's cruel to put it all on Stefan, but he's the one who's hear right now so he's the one who gets the brunt of her anger.

          ❛             ah , not big on audiences , i'm assuming.            ❜          aro's tongue prodded absently at his own throbbing gums , at the perpetual ache that always resided deep within his mouth , like blades were constantly threatening to tear through his flesh & sink into someone else. what a show. his first time in mystic falls in a very long time , & he was greeted with the sharp tang of animal blood. he'd always found the stuff musty , bordering on sour , but the freshness of it drew him closer. who actively went out of their way to deny themselves a vampire's basic need ? aro leaned slowly against a nearby tree , hands shucked into the pockets of his jacket , eying the other man with mild amusement.

a mikaelson vampire , judging by the veins pulsating beneath his eyes & etching along his cheekbones like cracks in porcelain. still , any vampire presence was good ; the idea of suffering in this small town with nothing but humans seemed downright exhausting.          ❛             i can't imagine that fox being very satisfying , don't expect much company. how far are we from the town limits ?            ❜          at least there he could actually find something decent to eat. the smile he cast at the other vampire was flashy , his mouth too wide , his teeth too sharp.

when the other figure rose , aro's nose wrinkled again at the smell , pushing himself off to meander toward mystic falls again , away from the animal.          ❛             quella cosa puzza peggio della morte. i don't understand how some of you stomach it.            ❜          

The Younger Salvatore ( @rlpper ) said "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what Mr Salvatore? I didn't realize I was looking in any particular way." He replied mildly.

Aurelius was distinctly looking at him in a particular way, though usually is looks weren't so easily caught. But Stefan was also the younger brother to malignantly dramatic older one. There was admittedly an underlying context he had to the lexicon of coded gazes it created.

It wasn't hard to tell someone was judging you a complete fool when you'd spent years doing the same thing behind someone else's back.

lashes bat against lower lids as she stares pointedly at the perfectly manicured hands in her lap.  the stillness around them is thick, almost suffocating.  the ticking of the seconds as they pass rings so loudly in her ears, pulsing through her like a heartbeat.  why?

no one wants to be confronted with their cruelty.

katherine could evade (as she always does; a master of avoidance and flight).  she could fortify a shield in the shape of a sarcastic quip and forced smile.  in a— what many would call rare— moment of humanity… she chooses neither.  nor does she flip through the mental pages of who-to-blame.  it would be easy to slap klaus’ name down.  she was on the run, mystic falls was just the latest in a long line of towns to endure the tempest that is katherine pierce.  what was she supposed to do— be bored?  god forbid a girl have a little fun.

she could say it was all apart of keeping up appearances.  planting seeds that would never thrive.  never could.  she could reassure him that toying with the hearts of himself and his brother stems from centuries old daddy issues.  it’s not my fault i was never properly taught how to love!  it isn’t fair to judge me for another man’s failings!

slow is the drag of her eyes from the nothingness in front of her to his face.  a tilt of the head, a graceful rise from where she sits.  she nears—— stopping close enough to feel the warmth of him (well… you know).  lifting her chin, she braves the stare that tracks her.  is she going to laugh, cry, say nothing?

ever the performer.  if she feels something, anything, she keeps it under tight wraps.  but anyone with a trained eye— or anyone who cared enough to see beyond the act— may see a glimmer of sorrow in her eyes.

kol doesn't know if he should be proud to have witnessed the ripper of montgomery in actions before his dearest brother did. he knew nik was following stefan. the younger mikaelson could smell his brother trail when he tried his best to avoid a family reunion in which he end up with a dagger in his heart again. so, when he had fleed from mystic falls, he had thought about visiting cities.