Stefan's eyes shot to Kirya with surprise. They lingered at her for a moment, before returning to Damon. He seemed completely oblivious to Damon's anger.
"What did you just call her?"

"What?" Damon sounded furious, and it took him a moment to realize his slip of words.

"You called her Kirya."
There goes the plan about staying Alice, Kirya thought absent-mindedly.

"Whatever."

But Stefan didn't let it go.
"Is Alice Kirya? The Kirya?" How the fuck did he know about her?

Damon stepped closer to him. "Maybe or maybe not... But we need to get something straight here. If you ever try anything like that again, I will not hesitate to rip your fucking heart out. It seems you didn't get the point of our little talk yesterday."

With those words, he jammed his hand through his brothers chest. He leaned in close to Stefan who nearly collapsed in his arms. "Feel it? Huh, little brother, I can end you whenever I want. Remember that."

Kirya shook her head, and made her way past the brothers.

"You guys just take your time with the family chat. I'm working at home today." She waved in their direction before leaving the room, and closing the door behind her.
She shook her head as she walked past Maddy's desk.
"See you tomorrow."

"Are you leaving already?" Maddy looked questionably at her. "What about them?" She nodded in the direction of her office.

"Yeah, I decided to work at home today," Kirya answered vaguely. Sometimes Maddy was a bit too nosy for her own good.
After having successfully evaded more prying questions, Kirya strolled home.

She took her time, enjoying the beautiful weather, and buying a milkshake on the way. She'd always had a weakness for the oversweet beverage.
She was surprised that Stefan had known her name. Had Damon really talked about her? But then why hadn't he told his brother that their lawyer was indeed the same girl, just under heavy compulsion?

She really needed to talk to him soon. A proper talk, getting her up to date with everything. And then there was Yuki. Sweet, charming Yuki, or at least, that was how she used to think about him. But now? Why had he attacked her?

She shuddered involuntary at the memory, and picked up her pace a bit. She was walking down the exact same alley, where it had happened. When she finally reached her door, she let go of the breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding.
She almost laughed at herself, as she locked herself in. She wasn't the type to let herself be spooked.

She had only had time to take of her jacket, when someone knocked on the door. She sighed, if it was another guy trying to sell her something she would scream. There had been an annoying wave of people the past couple of days, who thought she couldn't live without this or that.
Ready to tell off whoever was at the door, she opened it, and took a surprised step back.

Damon strolled in, carelessly throwing himself on the bed, before she'd even gathered herself enough to close the door.

"Come in, I guess?" She eyed him, only slightly annoyed. He waved at her, lying with his eyes closed on her bed. "You know I actually do have to work?"

He opened an eye and shot her a mischievous grin. "And you can't gather your thoughts while you have a hot guy lying in your bed?" He smirked, when she shot him a death glare.

"Of course I can concentrate, I'm a professional. I'm only curious as to why said hot guy is in my bed?"

Damon opened the other eye. "So you think I'm hot?"

Kirya huffed, and rolled her eyes.
"Fine. You can stay. But I am working." She turned on her computer, and went over to the kitchen table to fix some coffee.

"I just had to get away from Stefan's pestering. And this was the first place I could think of where he wasn't invited in."

Kirya tried to hide her surprise, she hadn't expected him to explain, much less sound almost apologetic.
Instead she filled two mugs, pouring milk and sugar in one and leaving the other one black. She turned around smiling.

"Well, you're not that bad company. I guess I can manage the distraction."