Questions and Answers

Stefan Salvatore woke up with a slight headache and almost forgot where he was. He felt much better after resting for a while. Stefan sat up dozily until he suddenly jolted with realisation.

Where was his diary?

Stefan remembered meaning to write in it until... oh yes. Until he had ejected vomit into the toilet. But Stefan also remembered hearing the shuffle of feet behind him while he retched.

"Of course," Stefan muttered to himself. "Damon."

Stefan took a deep breath and opened his mouth, preparing to scream Damon's name. But then, Stefan blanched, realising that Damon had his diary. Damon had read his diary. Which meant that Damon knew.

"Shit." Stefan cursed, just before the door of his room began to slowly creak open.

Instinctively, the younger brother slid down, closed his eyes, and pretended to sleep again.

It was Damon who slowly shuffled into the room, obviously hoping that Stefan would be asleep. Stefan, unbeknownst to Damon, squinted his eyes open. Stefan almost gasped as he saw his diary in his older brother's smooth, pale hands. Damon placed the diary beside Stefan and quietly scurried away. Once Stefan was sure that the coast was clear, he grabbed the diary, stroking the front cover. As Stefan quickly flicked through the pages, the diary blew Damon's scent towards him.

****** MEANWHILE, DOWNSTAIRS******

Damon paced back and forth, pulling on his gorgeous hair. The pain helped him think. He had a lot to think about. Reading Stefan's diary had been very enlightening. He now knew what he had to do.

He couldn't believe Stefan had feelings for him. But he had evidence. He had read it in Stefan's own beautiful handwriting.

What should he do? What could he do?

Stefan was his brother; of course he loved him. It was only now that he considered the possibility that his love for Stefan was anything more than brotherly love. But now that he thought about it; the more he thought about it; the more likely it seemed to him that all along he had been in love with his brother....

******A BIT LATER, BACK UPSTAIRS*********

Stefan was trying not to fall asleep, because he knew that the second he did, Damon would enter his dreams, and then he would yearn for his touch.

He was so tired... He dozed off against his will. As he drifted in and out of consciousness he felt a broad hand stroke his cheek.

********

He woke up with a start. Damon was against the wall that was furthest from the bed, his back pressed up against it.

"Damon? Were you- er... Were you touching my face while I was asleep?"

Damon stared back at him, his face expressionless, giving nothing away. They stared at each other, both not budging.

The door bell rang. They both jumped. Stefan got up, but was immediately pushed down by Damon. He sniffed the air.

"It's Elena." said Stefan. Damon stiffened and ran his hand through his hair. He sighed.

"Stefan, go back to bed, I'll handle this." Damon muttered, giving him a small, gentle push towards the stairs. Elena allowed Damon the prize of a small smile before she sidled into the house. Damon struggled to keep his lip from curling in disgust at her self-absorption.

"Hey Damon..." Elena said as she nibbled her lip in a vain attempt to look sexy. She leant up to Damon and kissed him. He responded unenthusiastically and pushed her away when she began to rape his mouth with her tongue.

"Elena, enough." he muttered.

"What the hell, Damon?!" Elena whined. "What's wrong with you today, GOD?!"

"What's wrong with me is that I'm moving on, Elena. I can't do this anymore. I don't love you and I never have!"

Elena opened her mouth to reply hotly but Damon interrupted her.

"Don't even think about running your sorry ass back to Stefan. He doesn't want you either."

Elena stumbled backwards.

"What the fuck do you mean, Damon? That's bullshit!"

Damon smirked.

"He's with someone else. Sorry kid."

"Ugh! I'm gonna kill that bitch!"

"It's uh, not a female, Elena."

"Seriously, Damon? You expect me to believe you? How self-absorbed are you?!"

With that last ironic insult, Elena turned and stomped out of the Salvatore household, slamming the door behind her.

Stefan was trying hard not to give away his hiding place on the stairs, breathing shallowly. Damon flitted up the stairs and brushed past Stefan's body.

"We need to talk, Stefan." Damon murmured, his lips touching his ear as he spoke.

Stefan's body tingled all over as Damon moved away, giving him an intense look.