To The Fictionist: I hope this lives up to your expectations :P

Chapter Twelve:

A lot of bruises on the other hand...

For what seemed like the 100th time, Stefan detangled himself from the juniper bushes lining their garden. So that was why Damon had chosen their back garden: Softer places to land.

"Come on Stefan! You have to actually block your opponent, not just stand there dithering about chipping your nail."

"I am not dithering and..." It was no use, Damon had disappeared again.

They had been at it for an hour, but Stefan just couldn't get the hang of it. He needed to concentrate but there were so many distractions to think about.

Oops, he was doing it again.

Standing motionless, Stefan pushed his senses as far as they would go. Damon wouldn't necessarily come from the back. He could be anywhere.

Something shifted in his peripheral vision and he automatically turned his back the opposite way.

Glancing around, all his attention on the object in front of him, he saw it was a rabbit. But where...?

Instantly realising his mistake, Stefan twisted round and noticed the hands reaching for him.

Ducking, he tried to slip away, but he lost his sense of direction and barrelled into Damon. He yelped and tried to push away, but his brother wasn't being lenient.

Forcing him to the ground in a chokehold, Stefan gave up trying to fight his way out, and waited for Damon to realise him.

Which wasn't happening.

"Dammit Stefan! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Stefan hoped Damon knew he couldn't answer, what with being in a chokehold...

"How many times have I told you to never focus on one object solely, but to cast your senses around?"

Stefan tried to reply "I didn't know it was a rabbit!" but what came out was indecipherable.

Seeming to just realise that he was slowly turning purple, Damon let him go. Stefan took in huge gulps of air and lay back on the grass.

Damon's lips twitched "You thought the rabbit was me, didn't you?"

Stefan sighed "Yes. Don't know why I thought you were cute, small and fluffy."

Damon smirked "Right. Come one, once more."

Stefan groaned. Damon chuckled and, reaching down to his wrists, hauled him up.

Stefan liked having this quality time with his brother, but he didn't think he could take another impact with the ground/bushes. He already felt like mush. Wondering why Damon hadn't taken off yet, he looked towards him.

Damon was staring off into the distance. He noticed Stefan looking at him and said "Actually, I need to go to Mitsao's place."

Stefan stiffened. He couldn't help it. It was a knee jerk reaction. Hoping Damon hadn't seen, he tried to relax.

Too late he realised Damon had seen. And was regarding him with a closed expression. "What is it?"

Stefan cleared his throat. He may as well get it over with.

"It's...Mitsao, Damon. There's...something not quite right about her." Words started flowing out of his mouth "Bonnie had a disturbing dream about her, and when you aren't here, she's...evil." Damon's eyes narrowed. "Okay, not evil, just - I have a feeling, a bad feeling about her, and I think you shouldn't...see her." Stefan finished.

Damon's face betrayed no emotion. Stefan took a step forward but found himself flung into the brick wall bordering the bushes and garden. He was held there by a hand around his throat, and Damon's face inches from his own.

"Who would have thought this of you, Stefan?"

Stefan struggled to reply but the hand was clenched too tightly. And he was sure Damon knew this time.

"Jealous are you? Want me all to yourself? Don't want to see me happy?"

Stefan shook his head slightly, trying to form words.

Damon's eyes glinted. Black...or red? "Or maybe you want her for yourself? Forget about Elena - you want a vampire. One of your own." He looked him up and down, distaste clear in his expression. "Not that anyone would think you were one of us. You know what Mitsao told me the first time she laid eyes on you? She thought you were a petty human. I'm disgusted."

He let go of Stefan and watched him, with a fathomless expression, drop to the ground, shaking his head.

Stefan tried to rise quickly, but by the time he had gotten to his knees, Damon had gone.

Looked like their training had finished.

For some reason, Stefan missed it.