Chapter 13

Katherine took in a shaky breath as she gazed into his eyes. He had her. He leant towards her mouth and she stabbed him through his stomach. He folded at her feet and Stefan bore his teeth and moved towards her but she held the stake to her heart and he paused.

"Bonnie!" Stefan roared, unwilling to play anymore as he helped Damon over to the sofa as he grunted from pain.

"Katherine." A new voice spoke and both Damon and Stefan looked up to see a tall woman standing on the threshold. Stefan squinted. He had no idea who he was.

"Finally. You almost caught an x-rated show there." Katherine giggled and approached her.

"The spells been lifted, you can leave now."

"Do you have it?"

"Once I hand this over my debt to you is paid in full."

"Yes…"

"I owe you nothing."

"Fine, now give it to me." Katherine sighed and took the moonstone from her, immediately clutching her throat in fear as she crumpled before their eyes.

"You should have told me another witch was involved Katherine. She's a Bennett witch, but then I'm sure you knew that." The stranger said and looked up as Damon and Stefan stood, supporting each other. "The spell is lifted, your friend is alright. I'm sorry for my part."

She walked away as they separated and rounded on Katherine's body in disbelief. Damon held his stomach tenderly as he healed and Stefan exhaled loudly.

"Go, make sure Elena is ok. I'll deal with her." Damon said and Stefan faced him in concern.

"You're hurt."

"I'm fine. Big bad vampire here, remember?" Damon gave him a smirk and Stefan chewed his lip.

"I'll help you."

"Stefan." Damon sighed and closed his eyes. "Your girl is outside. Go and save the day." He said calmly and Stefan felt his chest tighten. He could see from Damon's expression that he shouldn't argue. Damon was tired and sore. Arguing with him would only make him mad. He nodded stiffly and left the room, using all of his energy not to look back as he descended the stairs.

Damon let out a deep breath and knelt down to lift Katherine into his arms. With any luck he could convince people she was drunk. He didn't want to think on anything that had just happened, he didn't have time to have any feelings about it. He just had to get her in the tomb where she belonged, then he could think straight. He carried her out of the party amidst some disapproving looks from the 'adults' and lay her in the back of his car. He looked down at her face for a few seconds. How could two people look so alike and yet be worlds apart? Elena was her polar opposite – beautiful and caring, soft and fragile and Katherine was…like him. Yes, a lot like him actually. He was dangerous and selfish and self serving. He was beautiful on the outside but rotten inside. They belonged together – he'd believed that for a long long time. She'd always known him better than himself, physically and mentally. It was a shame he hated her because she was a good match, much better than Elena, much better than…

He shook his head and climbed into the car trying not to think. He drove like a racetrack driver to the tomb and carried her in. He wanted her as far into the tomb as he could get her to ensure she would be behind the seal. He threw her in and she crumpled to the ground. Then he sat down and waited. He needed payback for everything. He'd wanted that in the form of ripping her heart from her chest and showing it to her but this would be better. She'd finally get what she deserved if she lived forever stuck in the place she was supposed to have been this whole time – where he had thought she had been kept from him for so long. Where he had hoped he'd rescue her and fall in love with her all over again as she embraced him and opened her arms to him like before. He'd been such a fool, such an adolescent. It was time he saw things for what they were and stopped hiding from what was right in front of him. Time he started to live. He'd never really lived. He'd spent his whole immortal life waiting for her and now he realised how much he had wasted, all that time…All that hate directed at Stefan when he had been just as fooled as he had been.

Stefan.

He leaned his head back and sighed. What was he going to do? Katherine stirred and he stood up, thankful for some respite from where his thoughts were headed. Katherine began to panic when she realised where she was and she begged him to let her out and not to leave her. She even tried to convince him that Elena was in danger and they needed her help.

"Enjoy the rest of eternity Katherine." He said and closed the door to the tomb as she cried and screamed and begged. The door sealed and he lay his forehead on it as he breathed. He could still hear her screams of fear and he moved away to sit. His legs turned to jelly and he stumbled and sat on the step as he felt his heart shudder. It was over, finally. He opened his mouth to sigh in satisfaction when a sob came out instead and he caught his mouth with his hand as his eyes filled with tears he hadn't even known he needed to shed. He placed his head in his hands and let himself weep, weep for the life she had stolen from him, for the broken promises she had made, for all of his wasted life and love and for how lost he felt right now.

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Stefan took off his jacket and hung it on the hanger as he walked into the lounge numb. Damon still wasn't home. He sat down in front of the fire that he had started kindling earlier and sighed, rubbing his eyes. He'd told Elena it was over. When he'd seen her, the blood, the pain and confusion…it had finally been the straw that broke the donkeys' back. Being in his world would only get her killed. Katherine had done this to hurt him. He was the cause. She'd been a lot calmer and more rational than he'd thought she would be. The truth was that she understood that loving him put her and those she loved in danger too and so they had reached an impasse.

On his way home he'd looked out for Damon, hoping he'd be home when he got back. He needed to talk to him. Everything Katherine had said had clearly affected him and he was so afraid that it would make Damon pull away from him. He needed him. He wanted him. He decided to stay at the fireplace all night if he had to to avoid missing him. To think, they should all be celebrating, but it didn't feel like a time to celebrate. Katherine was so smart she always managed to bring pain and tragedy to any victory on their part, even when they had technically won.

Damon came home hours later looking weary and tired too and Stefan stood up and looked to him.

"Is she…?"

"In the tomb. All sealed up tight." He gave a half smile and fidgeted with his coat as Stefan watched.

"Damon…"

"I know."

"She was trying to…"

"I know."

"No but Damon, I…"

"Stefan." Damon sighed and stopped him in his tracks. "I'm tired." Damon looked down at the ground the whole time and Stefan clenched his jaw. Damon didn't want to talk. He walked around him and headed for the kitchen as Stefan stood rooted to the spot. Damon was grabbing some blood bags from the fridge and looking for his favourite glass. He'd brought the human blood down earlier, out of the safe now that he trusted Stefan's ability to control himself. He tinkered around looking for his glass sighing in frustration when Stefan walked in and handed it to him, warm from the microwave just 5 minutes before, waiting for him. He looked at him in surprise and gratitude as he took it from him and felt its warmth. He bit his lip and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He said, his voice straining a little.

"For what?" Stefan asked. Damon was apologising for something? Hang out the banners!

"We should never have done it. I should have locked you up like you wanted. It was a mistake." Damon said and Stefan felt like he'd been shot in the chest.

"Why?" Stefan croaked and Damon looked him in the eye briefly.

"I wanted to make you dependant. Thought I could take her from you if you were too weak." Damon confessed.

"No." Stefan said in disbelief. He was lying, he cared that's why he'd done it. "You're my brother, you were trying to look after me."

"Wake up Stefan, I look after myself. That's all I care about. You're kidding yourself if you think anything different." Damon grumbled and pushed past him heading towards his room. Stefan followed him. He wasn't going to let him run anymore.

"You coward." He growled and Damon looked back in surprise. "You get on at me about my denial about what we are, what we need and there you are pretending. You're the great pretender! It's all you do!"

"I am what I am Stefan. I don't try to be something I'm not like you do!" Damon hit back.

"I'm so fucking tired of fighting with you." Stefan sighed.

"Are we fighting? I thought you were writing me a sonnet brother." Damon said sarcastically.

"I left Elena, for good."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Why?"

"Because I don't belong in her world. I'm not human."

"And the tidal wave finally comes crashing down!" Damon snorted and Stefan clenched his jaw.

"I don't know exactly what's happening between us…"

"Sex. That's what's been happening Stefan." Damon said bluntly. "I love to fuck and you've been a great sport about it too, but I'm bored now. I got what I needed from you today." Damon drank his blood down in a few gulps and wiped his mouth on his arm as Stefan held his breath.

"Damon don't do this." Stefan croaked.

"What?"

"I need you."

"Talk about a broken record. Why is it always my responsibility? I wasted half of our human life raising you, can't I get some damn time to myself?!" He shouted and Stefan inhaled at the enormity of Damon's backlash. He was speechless. Damon sat his glass down on a nearby bookshelf and headed up to his room, slamming the door. Stefan walked slowly back into the kitchen and sat down. He felt numb, numb was good. Numb meant he wouldn't panic and do something stupid. Damon would come around, he had needs just like Stefan did. They'd become almost co-dependant on each other lately – one couldn't deal without the other. Everything would be ok. Everything would be ok.

Stefan stayed in the kitchen for a while trying to calm his racing heart before he went up the stairs to bed. He could hear Damon moving around as he passed his door. He made it to the safety of his room and curled in on himself under his blankets. Not so long ago he'd lain here with Damon and had one of the most freeing experiences of his life. Damon had shown him that he could be himself without fear and it had changed everything. Damon had changed him. Now it was probably over because Damon was retreating into his head. Katherine's words had speared him, Stefan had watched it happen, helpless to stop it. She'd stripped him down bare.

Stefan hugged himself and tried to sleep, tried to picture tomorrow being better. Katherine was in the tomb now where she belonged. Elena was no longer in danger and the moonstone was locked away out of sight and retrieval. They could all breathe again and heal from the rupture Katherine had been in their lives. As he lay there unmoving he heard Damon leave his room and approach. He sat up listening in anticipation as Damon paused at his door. Slowly Damon turned the handle and stepped in. He was bare chested and glorious and Stefan let his eyes roam unrestrained for a change.

"You said if I needed you…" Damon mumbled and Stefan sighed.

"I thought you were bored."

"Take as much blood as you want." Damon offered and Stefan felt hurt and annoyed. What did Damon think he was, some prostitute? It hadn't felt like that lately and yet here it was, just like after their first night together.

"I don't want any." He said calmly and Damon clenched his jaw.

"Fine." He said tightly and turned to leave. Stefan's heart jumped into his mouth in panic.

"I just want you." He said and Damon turned around quizzically. "Please, I need this." Stefan sighed and Damon chewed his lip nervously.

"Fine." He said and began to remove his trousers. Stefan did the same and lifted the blankets for Damon to climb in too. Damon climbed in and lay on top of him as they both looked at each other.

"I don't love you Stefan. This is just…"

"I know." Stefan cooed and Damon leaned in and began to kiss him slowly. Stefan slid his arms around his back and opened his legs to slide Damon in between his thighs. He stroked Damon's back tenderly and Damon breathed peacefully as he used his tongue to make Stefan feel aroused. God could he kiss. Stefan was tilting up into his erection before he knew it and brought his legs up around Damon's back as Damon continued to kiss him and stroke his sides. He seemed in no rush for a change and Stefan melted in his arms and moaned softly. This was exactly what he needed, gentleness, love…

"Uh…" He moaned into Damon's mouth and Damon ran his hands down to his bottom and caressed him.

"Did you bring it?" Stefan whispered huskily and Damon shook his head as he kissed around his neck. Damon hadn't brought the lube. It would probably hurt again. Stefan tensed a little at the thought and Damon lifted his head from his neck.

"I won't hurt you." He assured and Stefan nodded. Damon kissed his way down his chest, taking his time like he never had before, worshipping Stefan's skin and sucking on his nipples while Stefan moaned and squirmed. It felt different from the other times. There was no rush of adrenaline or feeding. It felt like they were making love almost, but Stefan couldn't think like that – Damon didn't feel that way about him.

"Uhhh, uhh…" Stefan moaned and Damon hummed as he kissed over his stomach and stroked his member slowly. Damon was going to suck again? Stefan made a small whimper of need and Damon chuckled against his skin and obliged, taking him into his mouth slowly. Stefan gasped and tried not to grab his head, instead stretching his arms behind him and grabbing his headboard for support.

"Damon, Damon…" He moaned and Damon stroked his bottom as he massaged him with his mouth and tongue. He let out a high pitched moan and climaxed down Damon's throat blissfully. He panted and relaxed into the mattress as Damon kissed around his hip bones and stroked his fingertips down his legs and up his inner thighs gently. Every cell on Stefan's body reacted and sent him shivers. He closed his eyes and breathed, enjoying Damon's calmness and gentleness.

"I want to suck you." He whispered, expecting Damon to refuse as he normally did but this time Damon stayed quiet. He opened his eyes and Damon slid back up to his face to kiss him. They held each other and kissed for a while, stroking skin and shivering from the pleasure of that simple touch. Damon was hard against his thigh and he reached between them and stroked it gently as Damon inhaled and moaned breathlessly into his mouth. Stefan bit Damon's lower lip and rolled them over gently. Damon didn't fight. Stefan kissed him again and stroked his hands down Damon's chest towards his groin. Damon closed his eyes and tilted his head back in invitation, but Stefan didn't want blood, he wanted Damon. He lowered his lips to Damon's chest as he lay small kisses over it, covering every spot of skin as Damon sighed in relaxation. Damon's nipples were erect as he passed them and he blew his breath over them and bit them gently, pulling as Damon moaned.

He lowered himself gradually to Damon's pelvis and placed a kiss on his manhood. It flexed upwards in response and he took it into his mouth and sucked. Damon moaned a sound that was almost pain but Stefan continued, sucking and worshipping him in reverence. He got so excited by Damon's moaning he began to pump himself. He was hard again and ready and he knew what he wanted. Damon climaxed into his mouth in a flood again and Stefan relaxed as it happened. This could get easier with practise. He kissed Damon's soft member and licked around his groin, making Damon moan in little cries as his sensitivity endured. Stefan decided to take the plunge and licked down to Damon's entrance. Normally something like this would have grossed him out but he so badly wanted him, it felt completely natural. Damon gasped as he traced around the entrance and tensed a little.

"Stefan.." Damon said sounding nervous and Stefan pulled his head up to look at his face. "Don't."

"Why?" Stefan whispered and Damon looked torn. "I won't hurt you, please Damon I want you so much." Stefan beseeched and Damon bit his lip. Why was Damon so resistant?

"Hmmmm." Damon struggled and Stefan moved up to his face and kissed his neck, cupping his face tenderly.

"I want you." He whispered and Damon inhaled sharply. "Has someone hurt you?" Stefan asked in concern and Damon shook his head. "Then why?"

Damon sighed and Stefan leaned back into his neck and bit down, sucking a little to make Damon relax more and lean into him breathing. He kissed back up to his jaw and around his mouth as Damon sighed and closed his eyes.

"Why?" He whispered again gently and huskily and Damon's mouth fell open in pleasure as he bit into his chest and drank a mouthful.

"I don't want…" Damon mumbled, his eyes rolling and Stefan stroked his sides and licked his wound. "I'll want…"

"What?" He whispered in his ear and Damon tilted his head right back and Stefan kissed his throat and stroked his fingers around to his entrance.

"I'll want you too much.." Damon drooled and breathed and Stefan looked at his face in wonder.

"Then let me have you."

"I can't." Damon opened his eyes hazily. "I'll need you."

"You can have me whenever you want."

Damon grimaced so Stefan bit into his neck again to pacify him. Stefan drank a little more and then kissed down his chest again. Damon obviously wanted this, he was just scared and holding back. Damon writhed under him as he kissed over his manhood and descended to his entrance again, inserting his tongue. Damon gasped and clenched his muscles and Stefan inserted his fingers slowly with care. He leaned up to his face again.

"Please let me inside. I want you."

"Uhhh…"

"You can do whatever you want to me afterwards, you can take me as roughly as you want. You can drain me, fuck me, ruin me…just please let me have you." Stefan whispered and Damon moaned and pulled him down for a kiss. Stefan slid his fingers in as far as they would go and stilled as Damon took over his mouth.

"Hmmmn!" Damon moaned and Stefan caressed him gently. Stefan went to move his fingers and stroke his sensitive spot when Damon tensed and grunted around him. He didn't want this. Stefan pulled away from his mouth and looked down at his face.

"Don't you want this?"

"No." Damon said with a pained expression and Stefan hid his disappointment with all of his might. He straightened his expression and removed his fingers completely. Damon seemed to visibly relax. He lay his head in at Damon's shoulder and neck and hugged him to him. Damon's heartbeat slowed and he relaxed completely. Stefan felt fit to burst but he didn't want to push this. He closed his eyes and tried to will his erection away, but he couldn't steer his thoughts away from what Katherine had said. She had said she had stimulated Damon's prostate when he'd been human, so he must have let her insert things inside of him back then. Human Damon had been so trusting of her, so innocent but Damon found trust almost impossible these days – he trusted only himself, even now. Stefan lay gentle kisses around his throat and neck lovingly and Damon rolled them onto their sides.

Stefan was still hard and brushed against Damon's now relieved manhood as they held each other. Stefan squeezed his eyes closed at the contact with his flesh and when he opened them again Damon was watching him with a strange expression.

"What?"

"You don't want any more blood?" Damon asked and Stefan shook his head.

"You've given me all I need today." Damon seemed to deflate a little, as though his purpose here was fulfilled and he should leave. Stefan held him tightly against him. "Stay with me tonight."

"I need to sleep."

"Sleep here, please." Stefan implored and leaned in kissing him gently, trying to motivate him to stay. "I want to wake up next to you."

"Stefan this isn't…"

"I know. I know. It's just sex for you." Stefan confirmed and stroked the side of his face. Damon gulped. By Stefan's unconscious admission, this was just sex for Damon but not for him. "Please trust me." Stefan added in a whisper and Damon closed his eyes. Stefan kissed him again and could feel his resistance fade. They settled around each other comfortably and fell into a deep sleep.

As he began to awake the next day Stefan felt warm arms hold him and stroke his back and he hummed and leaned in to kiss his bed fellow.

"Damon…" He mumbled and the stroking paused for a second and then continued. Stefan opened his eyes to see Damon's glowing blue ones watching him. He smiled and pulled him into him closer, kissing his lips. "You stayed."

He breathed happily and Damon gave him a small smile in return. Damon seemed different, quiet. Stefan hummed and stroked his hand down his side and cupped his bottom gently. Damon surrender his mouth to Stefan for a change and Stefan rolled them over so Damon was beneath him. They kissed warmly, rubbing their noses together and Stefan felt his arousal begin. Damon was aroused too and they moved against each other, rubbing their erections together. Then Stefan noticed some dampness and he pulled away from Damon's mouth and looked down, thinking one of them was bleeding, when Damon held him tight. He looked at him quizzically and Damon's expression tightened. He looked nervous. He opened his legs wide and brought them up around Stefan's back, urging Stefan forward. Stefan stared in disbelief and then he realised what the feeling of moisture was. He slipped his hand down between their bodies and traced Damon's entrance, pulling his fingers back and rubbing them together.

He looked to Damon's face again. Damon had left while he'd been asleep, retrieved the lube from his room and had prepared himself in wait for Stefan rousing. He couldn't believe it. He gave a small smile of disbelief and Damon rocked his hips invitingly. Stefan captured his mouth passionately and held him. Damon tilted up into him.

"Are you sure?" Stefan panted in excitement and Damon nodded. He was so quiet, Stefan couldn't recall ever seeing him this way. He reached down and inserted his fingers inside. He was ready for him. He gave another short laugh of excitement and reached down to insert himself.