𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐘 [𝟏]

𝐯𝐢.

"𝐇𝐎𝐖 was the dinner with Matt?", Caroline asked on the next day when her and Nathalie stolled through the mall.

"Great. He liked the dinner and Damon compelled him", the brunette replied, giving the girl walking past her a disgusting look. "What is so great about crop tops? I don't get it." Caroline almost swallowed her coffee. "He did WHAT?" Oh boy. "Matt wanted to incite your mother on us, Care. Damon did the right thing", Nathalie tried to calm her friend down.

"And now you're defending him too? What's wrong with you guys? Stefan already gave me a moral sermon this morning, but he forgot to mention the manipulation. Matt is my boyfriend, Damon has no right to take his memories away from him. I just don't understand why you all always take his side!"

"We don't do that at all", Nathalie tried to cool down the heated mood a little. "But you also have to try to understand our side. You haven't been a vampire that long, you don't have the slightest idea what it's like when someone judges you for who you are. But we know this feeling, Stefan, Damon and I, and I'd do anything to not feel it again. And you may not understand, but I'm grateful Damon did it. As soon as anyone finds out that there are vampires in Mystic Falls, it could become a problem not only for us but for many others as well."

"You're right, I do understand. I'm still not used to this, sorry Nat", the blonde girl apologized, giving her friend a quick hug. "Can we still go to a few stores?" Nathalie struggled to suppress a smile. "Yeah, we can."

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"Are you okay?", Stefan asked, after Nathalie plopped down at the sofa. "Feeling dizzy, but I'm fine, I guess. Why do you ask?", she replied, taking the glass of bourbon he offered her and watched him taking the spot next to her. "You just seem exhausted, that's all."

It was sweet that he looked after her. It was one of the things she has always loved about him. That he cared. "What about you?", she wanted to know, leaning back. "How are you feeling?" "As good as you can feel after arguing with Damon." Nathalie smiled. "So, horrible", she concluded, putting her glass aside. "Stefan, you know that I appreciate your soft-hearted personality, probably more than anyone else, but sometimes, you also have to be consequent. Damon needs limits and you need to start giving him some. Otherwise, he will never lean and it will never get better. Not for you, not for him, not for anyone."

He nodded. "I know. He's just one of the few things I still have. I would rather have hell on earth with him than a life without him, as much as I hate him sometimes." The brunette vampire put her hand on his cheek. "You're just too kind." His olivgreen eyes linked with her hazel one's. "What makes you say that? You know what I've done. You saw what I am capable of." Nathalie sighed. "Stefan", she whispered, sliding closer to him. "You're so much more than that. When will you finally stop making yourself bad?" "When you will stop looking past all the bad in me."

The brunette sighed, leaning against him. "If only you could see what I see." He chuckled softly. "Why? What would I see?" She lifted her head up. "A young-", she stopped for a brief moment when he playfully raised an eyebrow at her, "well, you know. An intelligent, dedicated man who always helps people in need and has a life fullfilled with good deeds, he's just too stubborn to see that there's more good than bad in him. Plus he needs to remember, that with most of his "bad" deeds he had no choice."

He exhaled loudly. "Alright, you won." "Yay", she smiled, clapping her hands. "You know what we're going to do now?" Stefan shook his head in disbelief. "Watch a movie, I assume. But not Titanic again. I can't see Leonardo DiCaprio anymore."

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It was in the middle of the night when a silhouette crept around the house. "Ouch, shit!", Nathalie exclaimed, holding her knee. While you'd think her eyes were good, she always managed to run into something. This time it was a lamppost, whose light no longer worked. The two should really take care of that. This house lacked a lot of sensible furnishings, even though it definitely didn't seem like it.

"I'm aware that Stefan sometimes sneaks around outside at night to drive away his depressive thoughts, but that he infected you with it as well is new to me", Damon, who came up behind her, said. She jumped a little, punching his shoulder slightly. "Shouldn't you be inside arguing with your brother?" He made a face. "Nah, I'd rather be here keeping you company and thinking about why the earth orbits the sun." "If you scare me one more time, you won't have a head to think about this stupid stuff anymore", she grumbled, leaning against the lamppost. "You should fix that. The ones down the road don't work as well." Damon chuckled, ignoring her remark at the end. "Is that a death threat?", he asked and Nathalie shrugged. "It's whatever you see it as."

"What are you doing out here so late?" She raised her eyebrows, surprised at the sudden change in his tone from slightly mocking to gentle and caring. "Me?" He smiled. "Do you see anyone else here?" Dumb question, honestly. "I'm just trying to clear my mind a little." "You shouldn't be out here, especially not at this time." She scoffed. "And you care why?" "Well, because it's cold, stupid", he said as if it was a matter of course and put the blanket he'd been holding in his arms the whole time around her shoulders.

"Where does the sudden change of heart come from?", Nathalie wanted to know as she walked back to the house next to him. "Otherwise that's not really your style." "I would class it less as a change of heart on my part and more as an illusion on your part", he replied and opened the door to the house.

She stepped at the edge of the threshold and turned around. "Aren't you going to come in?" He shook his head. "I have to do something else. You should go and sleep now." She wanted to protest something, but he stepped forward and reached out for her hands. "Even your fingertips will freeze if you don't go inside now." "But, where are you going now? Let me come with you", she tried again, but he kept refusing. "No, don't worry about it. Just go to sleep. I'll be back in a couple of hours." With that he moved a little bit closer, pressing his cold lips against her cheek. 

"Good night, Nathalie."