I had been walking around, bored and looking for my brother. I didn't know where he was or what he was doing. He's been acting dodgy lately and that's never good. Because he never acts dodgy. He always tells me everything. When I asked him, he didn't answer me.

"Come on. I know I can do it." I heard Stefan's voice complain. I was intrigued. Do what? I silently made my way toward him and found him and his two friends, I don't know their names, I don't bother to keep up with his friends, I have too many of my own and they keep getting sent off to join the army.

I found Stefan holding a gun and he spun the barrel of Father's favourite gun. He put it to his temple, as his friends egged him on, calling him brave and saying that it was his turn. I glared at them. Their bullying my little brother! I heard Stefan take a deep breath and I quickly ran to stop him.

I tackled him, wrenched the gun from his hands, and threw it aside as it banged out a noise, no bullet coming out. I glared at Stefan, punching him in the chest. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I demanded. "You know better than that!"

"It's just a game Damon! How did you even find us?"

"Shut up!"

"Get off him." His friends demanded.

"I should tell your parents that you stole my Father's favourite revolver to play some life or death game." I threatened. "Get home or I will." They turned and ran from us. Stefan glared at me.

"You ruined everything!" He complained. I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him to his feet. I walked over and retrieved the gun and grabbed my brother's wrist.

"Shut up Stefan. If I don't get you and this gun back to their rightful places, Father will get suspicious and you'll get in trouble." I yanked him after me as he tried to dig his feet into the ground to keep me from dragging him.

I led him back to our land and when I saw Father headed our way, I switched our hands around, stomping on Stefan's heel to get him to take the lead. He yelped in pain and led me toward our house. "Damon! Stefan! What are you doing with my gun?" He was clearly displeased. Stefan looked up like a convict caught in the light of a cop. I quickly answered for him.

"Well I was thinking it wasn't fair only you get to shoot the gun, I mean it's fancy as far as revolvers go and you don't even ever use the damn thing Father. I'd shot off three bullets before Stefan found me and dragged me here to put things back the way their supposed to be. Why? Jealous?" I taunted. Sure I'm lying but I could tell by Father's eyes, he believed me. Because of me being a 'brat', he believes anything that makes me look bad. I'm the bad brother, Stefan's the good brother. That's how it's always been. Besides, the attitude and the foul language would lock that into being the truth and I'd went too far for him to doubt the truthfulness of my words.

"Damon, I want to see you in my office. Stefan, thank you for keeping your brother from danger."

"I… he…"

"Yes Stefan?" Giuseppe asked. Before he could make the truth come out, I went farther, I would have to or Stefan would be in trouble as well as I for lying. I shoved Stefan.

"Tattletale." I sneered. Father's face turned into rage and he grabbed me by my ear and removed my wrist from Stefan's hand.

"Thank you Stefan." Father said before leading my by my ear to the house and into his office. He let me go before reaching for the gun. To put the final nail in the coffin, to make Father forget about Stefan, I gave a mischievious smirk before dropping the gun to the floor.

"Oops. My bad Father." Father was outraged. He picked up the gun and locked it back in the safe before he took a deep breath. He turned back to me and pointed at his desk.

"Trousers and shorts down, Damon Salvatore." He ordered. I slowly obeyed as Father removed his own belt. I bent over his desk and I quickly felt the belt land on my backside. I cringed but staid put. "Damon, I'm disappointed in you. I should have expected something like this, you are a jealous and greedy child. I should send you to war to make you become a man! You're an adult now. You're twenty four years old! You're not a child anymore, yet you still act like one!" I ignored him, instead I scolded myself for not finding Stefan sooner. Had I, I wouldn't be in this mess! If I had paid more attention to Stefan being dodgy, I wouldn't be here!

The only reason I defend my brother from my father is because I love my brother. There's a very big difference between me and my brother. He feels guilty when he makes others hurt in any way, no matter if he's responsible for it or not. Stefan wears his heart on his sleeve, almost by a thread. Father greatly disapproves of that. He's always said 'Men don't cry'. Which only makes Stefan feel worse. Hilarious how Father expects us to cry after punishment before he stops. Crying. When Stefan cries, it takes a while for him to stop and, worse yet, it takes even longer for him to get over it and stop beating himself up about it and why he should feel bad about it.

That was Stefan's core. If Father ever knew that, he'd probably be disgraced and I don't want to know what Father would do if he learned who Stefan really was. The only reason I know is because I'm more observant than Father, way more observant, and Stefan comes to me for everything and anything.

So we've come full circle on why I'm so obstinate when it comes to things Stefan does that he's not supposed to, or when we do something we're not supposed to do. Why I act out so much when we do. It's to protect Stefan from Father because Stefan's more emotional than Father would like.

"Well Damon?" He demanded. I'd talked myself into crying as Father punished me and now he wanted to know what I've done wrong.

"I'm sorry Father." I whispered, trying to keep the tears from my voice.

"Go to your room. You're grounded for the rest of the day." I righted my clothing before responding.

"Yes Father." I turned from him and headed for my room where I found Stefan crying. I groaned. "What's wrong with you Stefan?" I asked.

"I'm sorry Damon. I didn't mean to get you into trouble." I huffed.

"You didn't. I did. I was the one who was disrespectful." I sat down on my bed and Stefan threw himself at me, cuddling into my chest.

"I'm so sorry." He sobbed. I sighed before setting Stefan on my lap and giving comfort to him. If anything was true, no matter what, I loved my brother.