Ronnie_R prompted " I was thinking of the boys maybe playing football with Stefan or doing something they know they shouldn't do with him and accidentally causing him to regress. Maybe they try and age him up so that Damon doesn't find out or try to lie to him all together."
From the couch, Stefan tosses a football to Tyler. His friend yawns as he catches it. Matt sits on the floor, mindlessly flipping through the channels. They've sat like this for the past half hour after finishing their group project for Biology.
"This is boring," Tyler complains.
Stefan nods in agreement. "Maybe we should see what Bonnie and Elena are up to."
Matt shakes his head. "Bonnie has a date. Elena went to the mall with her mom."
"We could go to the mall."
"And do what?" Tyler scoffs. "That's for chicks."
Stefan rolls his eyes and effortlessly catches the ball. Matt flips the channel once more and it lands on motor cross. Tyler sits up straight, grinning.
"I just got an idea. Let's drag out the ATVs."
Matt sighs, annoyed. "Stefan can't do that, remember?"
Tyler lets out his own sigh. Stefan frowns. If he weren't there, the guys wouldn't be bored. They could play football at full force, work on their cars, and overall be normal teenage boys. But he's here, limiting their options.
Sometimes he doesn't understand why they hang out with him. He holds them back in so many ways. All he seems good for is partnering up on the project and knowing most of the answers.
He takes in Tyler's bored face before speaking up.
"Let's do it."
Tyler's face lights up while Matt frowns. "You're not supposed to drive a car."
"An ATV is different."
"I doubt Damon would even let you drive one of those Cozy Coupes."
Stefan rolls his eyes. "Damon isn't here."
"Last time…"
Stefan interrupts. "Last time I was avoiding the drop. I just did so a few nights ago. I'm fine."
"Don't be such a wet blanket, Matt," Tyler says. "If Stefan says he's up to it, then he is."
Matt looks between the two. Stefan holds his breath. If anyone would snitch to Damon, it'd definitely be him.
Eventually, Matt smiles. "Alright. Let's rock."
Tyler whoops and jumps off the couch. Stefan laughs and stands, wrapping an arm around Matt. His friend grins as they head out to the garage.
Matt forgets all about his reservations once they're out on an abandoned road. He spends so much time either working or doing schoolwork, it's not often he gets to do stuff like this. Tyler is the only one ensuring he has teen years at this point. It doesn't hurt that Stefan has dragged Bonnie into their life and kept Elena in it too.
The three guys zoom down the road. Stefan is for sure a pro. Matt remembers him mentioning that he had a motorcycle before the truth about his classification came out. Seems he had a whole other life, filled with intrigue and adventure.
Now, he gets to be coddled and loved by his big brother.
Vicki loves him, but she'd never do what Damon did. Not that it's even a concern.
Matt pushes his fears away and revs the engine once more. He zooms down the road, passing Tyler but not coming even close to Stefan. Tyler frowns, narrowing his eyes. Matt holds back a sigh. Even with Stefan and Tyler being friends now, there's still a bit of a rivalry.
Tyler's foot hits the pedal and picks up speed. He channels his inner wolf and manages to pull up right beside Stefan. The two friends smirk at one another. Stefan floors it, his ATV becoming a blur. Matt brakes own to avoid getting hurt. Stefan turns around, a smug smirk coming across his face. Matt spots the tree coming.
"Stefan!"
Stefan whips back around, but even his vampiric reflexes aren't enough. He collides right into the tree, being thrown from it. Stefan lands several feet away into the woods. Tyler and Matt jump off their own and race to him. Stefan rolls over, groaning in pain. The blood on his forehead slowly dries up and the initial bruising fades.
"He'll be okay," Tyler mutters. "The same can't be said about my bike."
Matt reaches down to help Stefan up, but his friend skids back on his bottom, fear filling his eyes.
"I…I want DayDay."
Matt and Tyler exchange a look.
"Shit," Tyler mumbles.
Matt takes a deep breath. He's briefly had to deal with Elena and Stefan's little spaces in the past. This time, he doesn't have Bonnie's bag of tricks. He crouches in front of Stefan.
"Stef, it's me. Matty." Matt tries to force a smile. "You know me. I'm your friend."
Stefan trembles a little. "Matty?"
"That's right. Ty is here too."
Tyler awkwardly waves, rocking back and forth on his heels. He's not as good with their friends when they're like this.
Matt looks back down at his younger friend. "I know this is scary, but you have to let us help you out of here."
Stefan pouts. "I want DayDay."
"I know you do, but he's not here."
"Call him."
"No," Tyler speaks up. Tears well up in Stefan's eyes. "He's going to kill us!"
Stefan begins to sob, covering his face with his hands. Matt manages to pull him up and wraps his arms around Stefan, hugging him tight. The little one buried his head in Matt's shoulder, clinging to his shirt.
"Shhh, it's okay. It's okay."
He glares up at Tyler. His friend rolls his eyes but lets out a gentle sigh.
"Let's get him out of here. I'll have the driver come fetch these later."
Stefan barely pulls away to look up at Tyler. His face is red and stained with tears. "I'm sorry, Ty."
"It's alright. Just let me help you."
"Then I can see my brudder?"
Tyler hesitates then nods. He bends down and lifts Stefan into his arms, tossing his over his shoulder with ease. Matt starts to point out that isn't the best way to carry a Little but stops himself. Instead, he pushes himself up off the ground and follows Tyler back to the manor.
Out of nowhere, a crow dives down, trying to get to Stefan. Tyler swats at it.
"Be gone!"
The crow doesn't let up, pecking Tyler in the forehead. Tyler glowers at it, trying to take hold of the feathers. The crow attacks his hair, pulling at it. Tyler screams, keeping a grip on Stefan with one hand, while swatting the bird with the other. Matt jumps forward, pushing it off his best friend's head. The crow caws loudly before flying out of sight.
"What the hell was that?" Matt asks, double checking that it's really gone.
Tyler shakes his head. "I don't fucking know but let's get out of here."
Tyler watches as Matt flips on an episode of SpongeBob for Stefan. He gives him the bunny they found in the hidden compartment of the little vampire's leather jacket as well as a juice box that Tyler dug out from when his diabetic cousin was staying with them. A fuzzy blanket is draped around him.
Matt makes sure Stefan is distracted before walking over to Tyler. "At least he's not crying anymore," he mumbles.
Tyler nods, letting out a deep breath. "How do we snap him out of this?"
Matt blinks. " Snap him out of it? "
"Yeah, like how do you turn this off?"
Matt clicks his tongue, annoyance taking over his blue eyes. "He can't just turn it off, Tyler. That's the whole point. He needs to be tended to until he naturally shifts back!"
"Don't snap at me! It's not like I've ever been around one of them for this long. Klaus or Damon usually pick them up."
"Well, I guess we call Damon then."
Tyler quickly shakes his head, grabbing Matt's hand before he can fetch his phone. His friend arches a brow.
"Damon will kill us."
"That's a little dramatic, don't ya think?"
"The last time we played football, he all but threatened us."
"Damon's all bark and no bite."
"Tell that to Mr. Turner. Did you see his mugshot? Damon beat the shit out of him."
Matt runs his fingers through his hair.
"What do we do?"
"Where's Stefan's jacket?"
Matt exits the room and returns a moment later with the brown leather. Tyler searches the pockets until he finds the phone. No passcode, thankfully. He finds Stefan's text chain with his older brother and adds a new one.
Can I stay at Tyler's until curfew?
The phone dings a moment later.
Why?
Tyler groans. He isn't going to make this easy.
We're having so much fun. I don't want to go home yet.
"Just what fun are you having?"
Tyler and Matt jump, spinning around. Damon stands there, that damn crow perched on his shoulder. Tyler tries to keep his composure.
"You can't just barge in here! Don't vampires have to be invited?"
"Yes, and your mother already did that decades ago."
He looks at the crow and the bird flies out an empty window. Damon pushes past the stammering teenagers and into the living room. He looks at the TV and scoffs, shutting it off. Stefan glances up, his pout melting into a grin.
"DayDay! You came!"
Damon nods, his face lightening a bit. "I did, buddy." He picks Stefan up, the blanket dropping to the floor. "What's going on?"
"I got boo boos."
Tyler resumes his nervous rocking. Matt bites his nails.
Damon's frown doesn't decrease, even after finding no injuries.
"They went away super fast," Stefan rambles on. "Vampy magic."
Damon nods "And just what were you doing to get the boo boos?"
Stefan twists a little. Damon keeps his eyes drilled into him.
"Down," Stefan whines.
"Not until you tell me what you were doing."
"Nothin'! Just playing with Ty and Matty."
"Playing what?"
"I want down!"
"Stefan Antonio Salvatore."
Matt jumps forward. "We were racing ATVs, sir," he blabs.
Damon pinches the bridge of his nose. The crow lead him to the crash sight. The minute he smelled Stefan's blood on the tree, he knew. He just hoped his brother would be honest.
The elder brother looks at his younger. "We are going to have a bit of a talk young man." He looks back at Tyler and Matt. "And don't think you two are off the hook either."
Tyler frowns, his bravado melting. "You can't punish us."
"Your mother always said if you disrespected me, I could handle you how I saw fit." He glances at Matt. "And I know Vicky won't kick up a fuss over me having you stand in time out."
"Time out?!" Matt repeats incredulously. "We're 16. And caregivers!"
"Status has no bearing on punishment. You two each pick a corner and stand there."
"Day," Stefan whines. Damon shoots him a Look and he quiets.
Tyler scoffs. "I'm not going in time out!"
"You are. I told you specifically to not put him in danger. You're lucky you're not my ward or we'd be having a much different conversation. So, corner. Now."
Damon growls. Matt instantly complies, racing to the corner of the living room. Tyler folds his arms over his chest. Damon walks closer, eyes narrowing. Tyler fidgets, clearly trying to stay strong.
"I'll get you kicked off the team."
Tyler and Stefan gasp. Damon remains firm.
"You…you wouldn't," Tyler stutters.
"YoI wanna test me?"
Tyler grumbles but reluctantly picks a corner opposite Matt's. Damon hoists Stefan up further and carries him into the kitchen. He shuts the door and settles his brother into a chair. Stefan clings his bunny to his chest.
"We've talked about this," Damon says, his voice firm. "You do not do big boy things with your friends."
"Just wanted to have fun," Stefan whines.
"There are alternatives, little boy, ones you are aware of."
"Wanted to be like Matt and Ty."
Damon kneels in front of his brother.
"You are not. I know it's unfair. You don't have to like it. But they are older than you. Maybe not age wise but they're aren't little boys like you are."
Stefan pouts. "I was big when I rode it."
"Even when you're big, you're still a little boy. This was incredibly dangerous, Stefan. What if your injuries didn't heal? What if Matt and Tyler couldn't help you." Stefan sniffles, shrugging. "Right. You don't know because you're a little boy, even when you're big. That's why DayDay has rules."
"I broked them," Stefan mumbles.
"You did, and you're getting a spanking for that." Stefan whines, kicking his legs. "I know your older side decided to do this, but I also know he's still in there and you both need to learn this."
"Man."
"No electronics or going out for the rest of the week."
"But that's not fair!"
"No, this ," Damon gestures around the kitchen. "Wasn't fair."
Damon sits in the chair beside Stefan and pulls him over his lap. He pulls down his jeans, followed by his boxers.
"You're getting 20."
If Stefan was still in his older space, he'd get more. Damon knows what his brother can handle. He also knows there's no way that Matt or Tyler will hear this, which is what matters. He doesn't want to embarrass his brother.
His palm smacks Stefan's plump bottom. Stefan whines, his legs dangling off Damon's lap.
SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!
"Why are you over my knee, Stefan?"
"Owww! 'Cause I brokeded the rules!"
"Which rules?"
Damon's hand move up and down the bottom, making sure it's getting nice and warm. He's not going full force. Just enough for th message to sink in.
SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!
"Ouchie! No more, DayDay!" Damon smacks his bottom. Stefan's face grows red as he pounds his fist against the chair beside them. "I did big boy things!"
"And?"
Another smack. Tears fall down Stefan's cheeks. "I…I lied," he stammers.
"That's right." Damon swats his sit spot twice.
"Ahhh! Ouchie! I'm sorry, DayDay."
Damon nods, knowing his brother can't see him. He wishes he didn't have to do this. Truth is, he should've the first time his brother was caught playing football with the guys.
"The other times…"
This is a reoccurring theme. Damon gets it. They're teenage boys. They want to have fun.
But Stefan can't be one of the guys. It sucks but it's their reality.
Stefan is still thrashing about after Damon finishes the spanking. He kicks his legs and pouts, fat tears falling down his red cheeks. All the while, he keeps a grip on Bunny. Damon rubs his bottom remove some of the pain. He sits Stefan up on his lap and finds some napkins, cleaning his face. Stefan squirms, glaring at his big brother through watery eyes.
"Meanie."
Damon holds back a laugh. He rubs Stefan's back. "You can think that if you want. But you won't do this again, will you?"
Stefan sighs, nodding. Damon kisses the top of his head.
"Good boy."
Stefan rubs his eyes. "I wan' blood."
"Let me tend to your friends, then we can go home."
Damon pulls up Stefan's briefs and jeans, patting us sore bottom. Stefan bounces from one too to another, rubbing at it with one hand, clinging his bunny with the other. Damon scoops him back up and carries him into the living room. Much to his surprise, the two are still in their corners. He clears his throat and tells them to come forward. They comply, both pale as a ghost.
"Stefan isn't hanging out with either of you for the next month. In that time, I want you to think about how you act around him. Because next time, I'm not going to be this friendly. Are we clear?"
Matt slowly nods. Tyler stares at him wide eyed until his friend elbows him in the ribs. He quickly mutters an okay .
Damon carries his brother out of the manor. Stefan is still sniffling and rubbing at his eyes. Damon sighs. Just what is he gonna do with this boy?