─────•~❉~•─────
TO BE HONEST, Arwen hunched over on the floor, cross-legged, trying to make a pen float, was the last thing she expected to do this morning. More less than being woken up at the brink of dawn by Sheila Bennett, a supposed fictional character in another goddamn universe, in the freezing cold morning and being told she needed to practice "the force" – no, just kidding, she wanted Arwen to practice some magical witchy-voodoo stuff, just without the witchy part. Arwen was a wonderling not a witch.
Sheila told Arwen that she should be feeling at least something like a wash of cold or hot air, or even goosebumps crawling over Arwen's skin. The feelings that Arwen was experiencing, however, were the all-too familiar sensation of hunger and boredom.
When Arwen had come home last night from the Grill, Sheila had not been awake and both girls had quietly snuck back into their rooms not wanting to wake her. For the past few days of Arwen being here, Sheila had been talking about her practicing her wonderling magic, and now it was finally doing instead of speaking of it that attracted Sheila Bennett.
"Fuckin' hell," Arwen growled, giving up finally when the pen still didn't budge. Her Australian accent was thick when she said this, and Sheila rolled her eyes from where she sat on her armchair.
"Language, Arwen," Sheila scolded, taking a sip of her rose tea.
Arwen mocked her when she wasn't looking and stretched her arms. "It's not working!" she whined, tipping her head back and staring at the ceiling.
Her back was starting to hurt from sitting in this same position for the past four hours. Bonnie Bennett and her car were long gone to the high school, Sheila telling her granddaughter that she was going to show Arwen around Mystic Falls a bit more. It seemed to convince Bonnie, and Arwen had no idea how that half-ass excuse could convince anyone, but it worked, nonetheless.
"As you have said," Sheila replied bluntly. "You are just not ready."
"You could have said that to me at least three hours ago when I had begun sweating," Arwen said with a cringe. "Now I stink and feel icky."
Arwen wore her trademark red jumper today along with some random blue track-pants she had thrown on. Arwen surprisingly had always been good with style, but she always dressed comfortably. She didn't care what other people thought about her clothes. If she wanted to wear goddamn trackies outside on a sunny day she fucking will. Though, Arwen needed to brush her birds nest hair after she showers, she smelled like sweat and defeat. Opposite of Sheila's herbal essence.
Looking back down to the pen, Arwen closed her eyes and sighed. She had been on her arse for four hours straight trying to lift this pen in the air like she was Magneto. But every time she tried, nothing happened. It seemed that Sheila had finally, finally seemed to accept that it wasn't Arwen's time or whatever.
"You can pick up that pen with your hand now and put it away," Sheila said. "No more of this today, we can try again next week. For now..." The older woman opened the side-table drawer and took out an enclosed box, chucking it over to Arwen.
The blonde, confused, opened the box to reveal a new phone. It was from the Apple iPhone brand. Arwen thought they only had flip phones in the early 2000s but now she was convinced otherwise. This was obviously a new phone for 2009, but to her, Arwen would consider this a very crappy phone in 2022.
"You got me a new phone?" Arwen asked, raising her eyebrows.
Sheila nodded. "I told you I'd get you a new one since your phone is incapable of working," she replied. "The design might be new but it most likely can't do anything you are used to with those future devices. But at least you can contact people easier now. Bonnie's number is already saved inside, so is mine - oh, and the home phone."
Arwen was surprised. "Woah. Thanks."
Sheila said nothing and just wrinkled her nose. "Just... go take a shower. You are stinking out the house."
Immediately, Arwen got up and rushed up the stairs with her new phone in hand. Sheila Bennett's lips curled up subtly as the blonde went.
Twenty minutes later, Arwen was out of the shower, smelling like strawberries and fresh roses, wrapped up in a cyan, fluffy towel and staring blankly at herself in the mirror of her dresser. The longer she stood there, the more she was getting cold. Arwen shivered and quickly got redressed in, this time, blue jeans and a white singlet with a dark hoodie over it.
Checking the time, Arwen knew that school would be over in only an hour or so, so Arwen decided to just explore her new phone and figure out how it worked. It was pretty simple. Touch screen like her usual kind of phones. But Arwen was frustrated at the lack of space on it. She's gonna have to wait years for those better phones from Samsung to come out. Arwen liked iPhone but she was more of a Samsung girl.
After an hour or so of scrolling around and exploring her new device, Arwen eventually got bored and retreated downstairs to the kitchen where she hoped to find at least some kind of edible thing in there. Alas, all there stood in the cupboard were muesli bars and some other unrecognisable foods. Arwen would make toast, but Sheila didn't have any good toppings like vegemite or even butter. Sheila must be out shopping for groceries then.
Suddenly, Arwen's new phone dinged in her pocket, and the wonderling jumped in surprise. Immediately, Arwen turned off notification sounds to vibrate only and then checked who she got a message from:
Unknown Number - 4:27PM
'Hey. Didn't see you at school today. You okay?'
Who the fuck was this? Arwen, confused, immediately texted back.
Arwen - 4:28PM
'New phone, who dis?'
Unknown Number - 4:30PM
'It's me, Stefan. Sorry if this was out of nowhere.'
Arwen - 4:30PM
'How in the f- did you get my number?'
What even is her number? Arwen thought to herself with disgruntlement. It took her so long to remember her old number, now she had to learn a whole new one. Just then, Stefan texted back.
Stefan - 4:31PM
'I got it from Bonnie 😅. I was asking her where you were, and she offered to share your number. I hope that's not weird.'
Oh, cool. Emojis are a thing by 2009.
Arwen - 4:32PM
'Nah. You're good.✌️ I'm fine, Sheila just wanted to show me some stuff in town.'
Wonder why Bonnie want to give him Arwen's number in the first place? Arwen suddenly felt thirsty and put her phone down for a moment to grab a drink of water. When she got back to the conversation, she saw another message:
Stefan - 4:35PM
'Do you want to come over to mine? I'm doing nothing atm.'
Gaping, Arwen pictured the huge, amazing Salvatore house that she had once commented to Melanie about. Arwen loved that house and the things they had inside it. Arwen liked vintage and antiques. Arwen typed back vigorously to Stefan as her stomach rumbled achingly.
Arwen - 4:40PM
'Uh, one question.'
Stefan - 4:42PM
'Hit me.'
Arwen - 4:42PM
'Will there be food?'
There was a pause for a moment on his end before Arwen saw the notification that told her Stefan was typing back. Then he sent the message:
Stefan - 4:43PM
'Yeah, I think we got some chips in the cupboard or something.'
Arwen - 4:43PM
'Better than Shiela's disgusting goddamn muesli bars and fizzy water. I'm on my way.'
Arwen had never left a house so fast. It was only when she reached the end of the street that she had realised that she had no idea where Stefan and Damon's goddamn house was.
─────•~❉~•─────
ONCE ARWEN HAD finally arrived at the Salvatore Boarding House after thirty minutes of figuring out the directions Stefan gave her, the blonde couldn't help but stare in awe at the giant house that was infamous in the fandom back in her universe. Arwen had never had a house this big. Australian housing never really got this big unless it was in the fancy countryside. Suburban homes were so different in America. Not to mention, Arwen loved this house from watching the show. One of the only things she paid attention to.
When Arwen went to knock on the door, she realised, puzzled, that it had been left slightly ajar.
Entering the house, Arwen felt a little awkward, like she was intruding.
"Yo, Stefan?" Arwen called from the parlour. Nothing.
"Hellooo?" she called louder.
Stupid-ass vampire hearing is good for nothing. What's the point in inviting someone over if you're not even here?
As Arwen went to turn around to leave so she could scavenge for food somewhere else, she felt a small gush of air behind her.
"Hello there," a familiar voice purred from behind the wonderling.
Biting the inside of her cheek, Arwen closed her eyes, trying not to even blush at the sound of Damon's voice. This is so wrong on so many levels. Liking a guy who is, one, a vampire, two, way older than her, and three, supposed to end up with Elena Gilbert.
Of course, Arwen wasn't in-love, it was a silly crush, same ones she would have on Henry Cavil or Anakin Skywalker from a franchise she hasn't even watched. Simply temporary. Arwen remembered the days when she said to her friends she'd be a virgin forever until the day Henry Cavill kidnapped her.
Arwen still was a virgin.
Spinning around, Arwen was startled by how fucking close she actually was to Damon. He was only less than an arm's length away from her. Arwen was definitely not ready, because she could already feel her face heating up and in her mind she was begging herself to find her inner self control not to make an embarrassment of herself.
Damon Salvatore was undeniably a hot dude, even a blind man would admit that. The first thing Arwen always notices when she looks at him are his icy eyes, then his unruly dark hair, and then his strong jaw structure. However, knowing what he has done lately with the killings and what he can do made Arwen slightly uneasy. Something she didn't really recall when she first met him last night. She must have been that bored, waiting to leave, that she didn't fully comprehend the danger she was actually in. Damon could decide to kill her at any moment.
"H-Hi, Damon," Arwen said, swallowing nervously. "Stefan invited me over to hang out so..."
"He's somewhere upstairs," Damon replied, his lips twitching upwards in laid-back amusement. "You can just wait in the lounge if you want."
Arwen didn't know what to say, so she just nodded and followed the vampire out of the parlour, down a hallway, and through an archway on the left into the huge, square, and familiar lounging area from the show. The one with the fireplace.
Arwen took it upon herself to flop down on one of the couches and look around from there. Damon watched her make herself at home, amused, as he took out a glass and filled it with bourbon from the tray table nearby.
"So, you probably realise I am Stefan's brother," Damon said. Oh, that's right, he never really confirmed anything about him and Stefan being brothers. Stefan didn't either considering he never talks about Damon.
Arwen just nodded. "Kind of guessed when I met you yesterday. You told me your last name. Not many Salvatore's in town... from what I hear, I mean." Jeez, way to nearly look like an idiot.
"And here I thought Stefan might have told you about little ol' me." God, I need therapy after this.
Arwen just shook her head and fiddled with her phone. It was turned off, but she was flipping it around playfully on her lap to distract her from his... HIM!
"Well," Damon continued, edging closer so that he stood, leaning against the couch opposite Arwen's. "Can't say I am surprised you know my brother. He's been such a social butterfly lately."
He had a smug look on his face, and Arwen finally understood why everyone hated him in the beginning. He's such a cunt.
But a hot cunt, fucking hell...
"Stefan?" another familiar voice called out from the parlour. As soon as the infamous, Elena Gilbert, walked into the room and saw them, her kind-of friend with a man whom she has never seen before, in Stefan's house, a look of pure confusion washed over Elena's entire expression.
"Uh... Arwen?" Elena inquired, glancing at Damon.
"Sup," Arwen said, holding her hand up in greeting for a moment.
This was getting real awkward. She knows Elena likes Stefan, like, really likes Stefan. So, seeing another girl here would be kind of weird. Besides, even if Arwen didn't pay attention much to the show, Elena's crush on Stefan was kind of hard to miss. One of the reasons Arwen thought the show to be a bit corny, it was the goddamn plot!
Arwen really hoped this didn't give off the wrong impression. Oh, who is she kidding, of course it did. Welp, no turning back now.
"I'm looking for Stefan?" Elena said, her words sounding more like a rhetorical question, like a person who was completely weirded out by what they saw.
"He should be here any second," Damon piped up, seeming to enjoy the awkwardness in the room. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Damon. Stefan's older brother."
Arwen snorted and sent a smile Elena's way, but the brunette simply just narrowed her eyes slightly at her before facing Damon again.
Arwen frowned and looked away from her. Bitch. I fucking hate women.
"He didn't tell me he had a brother," Elena said, sounding accusatory and a little disappointed that she didn't even know this in the first place.
Arwen wanted to say she didn't know about them being brothers until yesterday, but then she just remembered she did know because Arwen was technically from another universe set a decade and a bit in the future where all this shit was some teen-genre TV show for people with depressing love lives. Well... no love life at all. It's kind of a wide category.
"Well, Stefan's not one to brag," Damon said, sipping his glass. He had noticed the look Elena had given Arwen and he couldn't help but clench one of his hands into a fist behind his back as irritation sparked in him. Damon was puzzled as to why he was so bothered by Elena giving Arwen attitude, but he kept his composure well and smiled tautly.
Elena stepped further into the lounge, looking around at her surroundings like Arwen had done. "Wow, this is your living room?"
"Living room. Parlour. Sotheby's auction. It's a little kitschy for my taste."
Arwen raised an eyebrow at it all, even gawking at the vintage piano, which would be worth thousands now, in the corner of the room. Not that'd she would sell the magnificent piece if she owned it. It was too good. "I like it. Definitely me."
The corner of Damon's lip curled up, he looked at Arwen for a moment. He then turned back to Elena who had been watching the subtle exchange with an odd expression. One thing good about the brunette doppelgänger was that she was extremely observant. Something Arwen wasn't good at but often thinks she is.
"I see why my brothers so smitten. It's about time. For a while there, I never thought he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him." Damon's words made Elena furrow her eyebrows.
Arwen wanted to die then and there. She didn't want to be in the middle of this manipulation Damon was trying to concoct just to get a rise out of Stefan. Well... she kind of was already in the middle of everything the moment she woke up in the woods, but the talk of Katherine and the obvious red flags Damon was giving off was killing her. How was Elena not seeing this? Why did Damon have to be so hot?
"The last one?" Elena echoed.
"Yeah. Katherine. His girlfriend?" Damon said, then feigned a shocked expression. "Oh. You two haven't done the awkward ex's conversation yet."
Arwen saw right through him. Again, if she didn't know about the show, she'd tell from a mile away. She decided to speak her mind. "To be fair, Stefan's only been in town for only a week. I don't think he'd be too comfortable speaking about stuff like that, yet. Especially if it is as fucked up as you insinuate it is."
"I'm sure it'd come up now that I've opened my big mouth," Damon said, waving her point off as if it wasn't valid, his ice-blue eyes piercing Arwen's greyish-blue ones. "Maybe he didn't want to tell either of you because he didn't want you thinking too much of it. We all know how rebound relationships turn out."
Either of us? Did Damon think Stefan liked both of us?. Arwen pursed her lips. She hasn't had a boyfriend since she was five and he was six. His name was Luke. She remembered only that and the fact he had dark hair and big lips and dark eyes. It wasn't even a real relationship. They were kids that played together with a group of more kids in the wooded area of the school oval. Hardly lovers of any kind, especially at that age. Just something their parents called them. A childhood sweetheart.
But there was no way Stefan liked Arwen. He came to Mystic Falls specifically for Elena. He wanted, in his own words, to get to know her. Besides, Arwen wasn't as attractive as the other girls like Bonnie and Elena. No way. Her hair was always messy and unkept, she always wore weird clothes, and Arwen was super lazy. Always sleeping in late and never doing any physical activities. It's a wonder she's not fat!
"You say that like all relationships are doomed to end," Elena spoke up, sounding wary, bringing Arwen out of her thoughts.
Damon kept his eyes pinned on Arwen, like they had been the entire time she was thinking, assessing every pore and every crevice before slowly averting his eyes until they trained on Elena. "I'm a fatalist," he said and looked past Elena, smirking. "Hello, Stefan."
Arwen didn't even realise that the younger brother had come down from the hallway behind Elena with a deep frown on his face. Stefan obviously wasn't happy that Damon was there. Arwen probably guessed that the last thing Stefan wanted right now was for Damon to meet her and Elena, and then become involved with them somehow.
Arwen was kind of nervous and unsure of what to do because Stefan had gone completely stiff, glaring threateningly at his brother. Damon merely just smirked, amused, as he stared back. There was a thick, crazy tension between them. They both looked like predators, challenging each other like it was a competition.
Stefan then looked over at Elena, raising one eyebrow. "I didn't know you were coming over, Elena?"
Elena glanced at Arwen oddly, before looking back at Stefan. "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I should have called..."
"Oh, don't be silly," Damon said, his smirking growing wider and showing his pearly whites. "You're welcome any time. Isn't she, Stefan? Arwen, too. You know, I should break out the family photo albums or some home movies. But... I have to warn you. He wasn't always such a looker." The tease in his tone almost convinced Arwen to speak up and say yes just for the fun of it, but Stefan had intercepted before anyone could say anything.
"Thanks for stopping by Elena. It was nice to see you." Stefan turned his gaze back onto Damon, his eyes darkening dangerously. Arwen felt like she was watching the show in present from where she sat on the couch, witnessing all of this take place.
Elena shuffled awkwardly. "Yeah, I should probably go. It was nice meeting you, Damon." Though, she didn't sound confident about that.
"Great meeting you, too, Elena," Damon said, lifting Elena's hand and pressing a light kiss to it. Arwen couldn't help but feel a hot flash go through her, and the blonde felt weirded out by her sudden feeling of jealousy. Elena's cheeks tinged a little at the gesture and quickly ripped her hand away.
Elena turned to Stefan, who still was extremely tense, glaring at Damon. "Stefan?"
Arwen clapped her hands together loudly. "Yo, Stefan! Wake up!"
Whatever hate-filled trance he was in, Stefan immediately snapped out of it from the loud noise that shattered the thickening silence, and he closed his eyes for a moment. "Uh... yeah, sorry. Bye Elena."
Elena blinked, confused, before leaving the room. Arwen soon distantly heard the front door click shut. Damn, that was fucking weird.
Arwen knew that the two brothers would probably want to be alone, but she was way too comfortable on her place on the couch. So wasn't gonna move. No way. The blonde looked between the two brothers, who both clearly had urges to tear each other apart. Arwen didn't want to be a part of it but... damn, they both looked hot when they were being all negative and shit.
"So, what now?" she asked, and then felt her stomach rumble. "Got any snacks, Stefan?"
Stefan was about to answer but Damon spun around and smugly smiled at Arwen. "It was great to... finally meet you, Arwen. I hope to see you again." There was an odd twinkle in his icy-blue gaze before he had walked out of the room, whistling at he went.
When the whistling faded and he had obviously left the property, Stefan turned to her. "Sorry about him."
"Don't be," Arwen replied, distantly wondering why Damon didn't just admit he had met her at the Bonfire. "He's alright." And hot as heck. Fuck me... no don't take that literally.
"So," Stefan began, beginning to smile. "I checked the kitchen earlier, I am gonna throw in some frozen fries and some spring rolls. Want a drink?"
"Yeah, sure. Water'll be fine. Do you have any sauce?"
Stefan nodded and left the room. When he came back with the drinks and some tomato sauce. Not the best but it'll do. Arwen could smell the oven goods already cooking, making her mouth salivate.
The vampire sat down beside Arwen and smiled. "I figured we could watch a movie and then we could go to the comet event in the town square later tonight," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "You don't have to go with me, but... uh..." He sounded nervous. Arwen didn't mind, she was actually finding it kind of endearing.
The comet sounded really familiar, but it must have not been super important because Arwen couldn't recall much about it. She remembers some fuzzy memories of a scene at the Grill with Tyler and Jeremy – nothing new. So, Arwen shrugged. "I don't mind." I just hope it ain't cold and that I'm not stuck in some other weird situation like just then.
Stefan looked pleased, as if Arwen had just told him she had gotten him an awesome present for his birthday. "Cool. What movie should we put on?"
Arwen thought for a moment. What kinds of good movies are out by 2009?
Suddenly, she recalled something and turned to look at him with a mischevious grin. "Is that one movie, 'Coraline', out yet?"
─────•~❉~•─────
HOURS HAD PASSED and Arwen and Stefan had just finished watching their movie, leaving Arwen snickering evilly at Stefan's extremely disturbed expression when the credits rolled. Mischievous excitement fluttered through her when Arwen comprehended that Coraline really didn't sit well with the vampire. Arwen knew that if she ever suggested watching it again with him, he'd come up with a half-assed excuse as to why he couldn't.
After the movie had come to an end, the sun had long since set below the horizon and stars were beginning to fade into view through the blackening sky outside. The comet would be here soon. They'd need to leave now if they wanted to witness it.
So, Stefan grabbed his keys from wherever in his house he went to get them from and then together they hopped into his car. It was cool. Old fashioned. Arwen didn't know much about cars, but she knew this one was definitely vintage and well taken care of.
As they drove along the dark streets of the town, Arwen comfortably sat in the passenger seat of his car, still a little iffy about the fact that the fucking driver seats in America are on the wrong side of the vehicles. It felt super weird to her, someone who spent her entire life with passenger seats on the left. It was also super weird knowing that Arwen was next to an extremely dangerous, yet, fictional man named Stefan Salvatore. But he's hot so that makes it less scary... at least that's what Arwen hoped.
"Sorry about earlier, by the way," Stefan said, randomly apologising out of the blue. It made Arwen's breath hitch in surprise, and she looked over at him, confused. "I should have been there to let you in instead of Damon. And I'm also sorry if my brother and I... made you and Elena uncomfortable in the living room."
Arwen shrugged, pursing her lips. "Nah, its fine. Family issues, I get it." There was an awful jabbing feeling at her heart, but she quickly pushed it away. "It was a little bit intense in the room, but it wasn't too bad."
Stefan frowned, and Arwen noticed his hands tightening around the wheel. "Yeah, I'm sorry. The situation between me and my brother is just..."
"Fucked?" The words came before Arwen could think, but Stefan let out a huff of amusement. So, Arwen just continued, "You don't need to apologise. Things happen, siblings have their bad moments. Even in front of others. I understand." Yep. She understood very well. Not something she'd like to think about often.
Stefan let a small smile form on his lips, and Arwen couldn't help but let the corners of her own lift up a little bit as she looked away from him, her cheeks dusting a light shade of pink. She stared out the window, leaning her head down against her fist whilst her other hand fiddled with the shape of her new phone on her lap.
They didn't exchange any other words for a bit, so Arwen decided to break the silence. "Well, this is a nice... drive." Really? A nice drive? Fucking hell, you're not making this any less awkward Arwen!
"Yeah, it's nice," Stefan replied, turning around a street corner. "I wonder how many people are going to be at the town square."
"Probably most of the town," Arwen said, remembering that quite a few people actually go to town events in the show. Despite how boring people staring at a passing comet sounded to Arwen; it seemed like a crazy deal to the people of Mystic Falls. Probably because to them this was a town where nothing ever happens.
"It's been great hanging with you tonight, Arwen," Stefan said with a smile as he pulled up at the Grill. The town square was only up ahead, and Arwen guessed he wanted to park where there was less traffic. "It's fun being with you."
"Night's not over, yet," Arwen reminded him, ignoring another fluttering feeling when he spoke, unbuckling her seatbelt and getting out of the car. He left through his side, too, and she smiled at him when they walked side-by-side along the path that led down to the gathering.
When they both began heading their way down the street, Stefan looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I never took you as the outgoing type," he commented, continuing on the topic they were discussing in the car when they got here.
"Well, it seems you have a lot to learn about me then," Arwen said, smirking. "Though, I don't blame you if you give up. Like I said, people either find me disheartening or annoying."
"You're right, I do have a lot more to find out about you," Stefan replied, thoughtfully. "But lucky for us, I want to – I don't think you're either annoying or disheartening. Like I said, it's fun hanging out with you, Arwen."
Arwen could feel her heart pounding in her chest at his words and her face ignited in a shroud of scarlet at the determination in the soft undertones of his voice. Quickly, she hid her face from view by turning her head slightly away from him, and together they walked across the road and into the crowded town square. Jeez, why did he have to be so... so... so goddamn nice?!
When they got the square, Stefan grabbed two candles from one of the girls that were helping pass them out to people. The vampire gave one to Arwen and the blonde smiled sheepishly back at him, not really sure what to do with it. Arwen didn't get the point of having a candle with a plastic cup around it at a comet event. Weren't these kind of candles for celebrating dead loved ones or to support and have faith for someone terminally ill or dying? Then again, the comet could have some sort of underlined meaning to Mystic Falls, Arwen just didn't know the story behind it.
Looking around the crowd, Arwen spotted Elena a few paces away from them, looking their way with a dejected expression. When Elena's eyes met Arwen's, she quickly turned away and continued speaking to... Mack? No... Matt. Right. Matt Donavan. The guy in the show nobody really stanned back at home. If only the guy would see the tiktok's of him.
Arwen turned her attention back to Stefan, who was peering up at the sky. She frowned and looked up at the bright comet which was slowly zooming past like a smear of white paint on a dark canvas. Arwen didn't really understand what was so special about it. Sure, if she ever saw something like this she'd like to look at it for a little bit, but then she'd just get bored and go back to doing whatever she was doing beforehand.
"What's the story behind the comet?" Arwen asked. "I don't really get what the fuss is about."
"People around here say it's a harbinger of evil," Stefan replied, not looking away from the sky. "Though, I wonder how something so beautiful could be evil."
Arwen bit the inside of her cheek. "You'd be surprised," she said. "Anakin Skywalker was a beautiful man."
Stefan gave her an odd glance, but his eyes shone with mirth. Arwen smiled back up at him. When they fell into a comfortable silence again, Arwen felt Stefan's arm brush against hers as he shifted closer, and Arwen could feel the warmth radiating from him. It wasn't a bad feeling. Not at all.
"The comet has been travelling across space for thousands of years," Stefan said, looking up again at the bright contrast of the comet against the inky, black sky. The brightness of the comet blocked out the view of the stars, leaving only the crescent moon to trail after it. "All alone. A ball of snow and ice trapped on a path that it can't escape. Once every 145 years it gets to come home."
Arwen looked back up at him again, a little impressed. "You know, you'd really ace Visual Arts." Her eyes trailed off to the far right where she saw Elena expectantly looking their way again.
Before Elena could notice she got Arwen's attention again, the blonde looked up at Stefan. "Elena looks like she wants to talk to you. I think what happened earlier had gotten her a little rattled."
Arwen didn't really feel bad for Elena. The girl needed to toughen up a bit. She did kind of show up unannounced and unfortunately during a time when Damon was present. Arwen knew Elena liked Stefan. Anyone who has even heard about TVD without having watched it knew that they had an interest in each other. But when Damon had told both Elena and Arwen about Katherine and started talking about rebounds and shit, it may have messed with the brunette's head a bit.
Reminding herself that Elena didn't know Damon was just a shit talker at the beginning of the show, Arwen sort of felt guilty for judging her. But its Elena Gilbert, so... Arwen didn't feel the guilt for long.
Stefan sighed before nodding. "You're right. I'll be back." He sent her one last smile before walking in Elena's direction.
Arwen felt a stab of jealousy for a moment as she watched him go to her with a friendly smile, making Elena's face light up, but then Arwen quickly reminded herself that Stefan was meant to be with Elena. Arwen shouldn't be feeling jealous over someone from fiction, anyways.
Arwen then decided that she desperately needed coffee. The smell of it was enough to convince her to spend the ten dollars in her pocket on a nice, hot cappuccino from the food stall nearby.
Lucky for her, the coffee only took around two minutes for the lady to make, and it tasted so good as she sipped it carefully underneath a small oak tree near the crowd.
While she was there, alone with her thoughts, Arwen realised that it was sort of peaceful to be here. Being at this event wasn't as bad as she thought, other than the fact she was kind of getting lonely just standing in the shadow of a random tree.
"Hello, Arwen."
Arwen jumped at the sudden voice behind her, almost spilling her coffee. She turned around and swallowed when she saw Damon leaning against the tree, looking completely amused.
"Fucking hell," Arwen swore, using her fingers to pinch the bridge of her nose. "You scared the shit out of me, Damon."
Her heart was beating so fast. She hated it when people snuck up on her like that. Especially a vampire like Damon. Or vampires in general. Or maybe it was just people. Who knows. All Arwen knew was that it almost spilled her coffee and killed her soul.
Damon gave her his trademark smirk, cocking his head to the side. "Why're you over here by yourself? Would of thought you'd have one of your gal pals or Stefan with you. Weren't you hanging out together tonight?"
"We are still," Arwen said, looking at the coffee in her hands, avoiding his gaze. "He's somewhere over there talking to Elena."
Damon drilled deeper into Arwen with a knowing look, seeming to enjoy this. "Jealous?"
Arwen was taken aback. "No," she said, maybe a bit too fast. "They like each other. Stefan and I are just friends. Besides, what would I know about being jealous because of stuff like that? I was never one to attract a boyfriend or be any sort of girlfriend material..." Now she was rambling on.
Damon frowned at her, standing up straight now. Her words looked like they had offended him for a moment. Though it may have just been a trick of the light through the darkness of the town square. Arwen blinked and Damon was still sort of frowning but then his eyes flashed, and he grinned. "Don't be ridiculous."
Rolling his eyes, he became playful again, and he inched closer. It made Arwen sort of nervous. "You're wrong," Damon said, narrowing his eyes at her briefly. "You're very pretty. My little brother for sure has a thing for you, he just hasn't admitted it yet."
Arwen's cheeks turned red for the third time that night and her mouth opened to say something, but she couldn't think of anything to say. What could she say to that? Damon just complimented her, saying something completely... completely impossible. Arwen wasn't pretty... well, she had her moments on some rare occasions, but trackie pants, unkempt hair and hoodies? They weren't listed as attractive. Especially in 2009.
Not to mention Arwen wasn't sure exactly how to feel herself. Did she actually like Stefan? She had a small crush on him, sure, she could admit that, but enough to date? She's never dated anyone before. How does one know when they were ready? When it was right?
"Wh-" Arwen stammered, looking at the ground, blushing harder now the more she struggled internally to process Damon's words. To untangle all of her anxious thoughts. For fucks sake, all of this thinking was going to give her a headache.
Finally, Arwen figured out what to say. "How could you be so sure about that? It's very clear that Elena and he have something happening," she pointed out, beckoning to the direction where Stefan and Elena were both side-by-side, looking up at the comet and laughing.
Damon shrugged. "Sure, he has some sort of interest in Elena," he said, barely giving the pair a moment of his time to even bother looking. "But he does like you. More so, in my opinion, than Elena."
He reached forward then, his fingers brushing along Arwen's soft, warm cheek, pushing back a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear, not for a single moment tearing away from her stormy grey eyes with his icy-blue ones.
Arwen swallowed nervously. She felt like a deer in headlights. Unable to move. The warmth of his hand feeling good near her skin. She had no idea why she wasn't pulling away. Arwen would have with everyone else back home. Arwen was never the touchy type.
Then, just like that, he had tore himself away from her abruptly, as if she burned him. Damon looked at her for a few moments more before he had pushed past her and stalked away. Arwen hadn't processed what had just happened until he had completely disappeared into the crowd.
Biting her lip, Arwen discovered movement possible again, and threw her now cold coffee in a nearby bin. Hesitantly, Arwen glanced over at Stefan and Elena, both of them still laughing. Elena had a hand on Stefan's arm.
Arwen frowned and turned to the opposite direction, walking towards the Grill with an odd feeling in her chest and Damon's words echoing through her mind.
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THE NIGHT WAS going on way longer than Arwen had expected and she couldn't find anyone she knew anywhere.
After Damon left her so suddenly in the town square, Arwen went to the Grill to use their bathroom, pushing what Damon had said about her and Stefan away in the back of her mind for the time being, and came back out to at least find Bonnie or someone who was willing to spend time with her. It was beginning to feel awkward being alone, wandering helplessly around the main part of town doing nothing. Arwen didn't exactly have enough money after that cappuccino either, so she couldn't buy food to pass the time.
The gathering to see the comet was long over now since the comet was probably gone or behind a cloud where nobody could see it. Arwen didn't know, she wasn't really paying attention to it anymore.
Lots of candles were discarded to the side in random places or thrown in the bin, and Arwen's brain was getting more of a migraine as time went by. She just wanted to go back to Sheila's and pass out on the floor or something but the walk was too far and she had no idea which way to go, so she needed a ride if she wanted to go home. Arwen knew she couldn't call Shiela - woman was probably going to chew her head off about going places she didn't need to go to if she couldn't find a safe way home.
Arwen sat down on the curb outside of the grill where some people were around, having a smoko, laughing, and genuinely having a good night. Arwen had a few texts, actually. Sheila had texted saying she needed to speak with Arwen when she got home, Bonnie was asking where she was and that Vicki was missing, and Stefan, who was her only other contact, had also texted Arwen asking where she was. Wait... Vicki was missing? Wait a minute, who is Vicki again? Oh, right.
All the messages were sent around fifteen minutes ago, and Arwen had not noticed any of them. Arwen must have gotten used to the mobile games notifications that she now just had learned to subconsciously ignore vibrations from her phone.
Suddenly, a new number texted Arwen.
After asking who it was, Arwen discovered it was Caroline. Bonnie must have given the blonde her number, too. Great.
Caroline asked her if Arwen knew where Vicki was and if she was okay. Arwen huffed. Why were they asking her? She could barely remember the girl's face! Then after some long moments of thinking, it dawned on her. She could be wrong but Vicki was going through some shit with Damon at the moment. Arwen recalled her being hospitalized because of him and how Damon was tormenting her around this time in the show, showing up in her dreams and shit. But where did they go during the comet? They went somewhere!
Arwen gritted her teeth and stood up, looking around the layout of town, stepping out from under the Grill and crossing the empty road to the square. If only Arwen just paid attention properly to the series she wouldn't have to worry so much about missing teens.
It was when Arwen's eyes landed on the Grill behind her that she remembered that Stefan and Damon were chatting on a rooftop at one point in the show and that Vicki was with them crying, bleeding from old wounds on her neck. Arwen remembered because after Vicki was compelled, Arwen found it funny why she didn't even question being on the roof with two random guys. The wonderling could be wrong, but Arwen guessed it had to be the Grill's roof.
Arwen ran over to the Grill and slowed down to walk inside. The bar was packed with people, all of them eating, laughing and drinking to their hearts content.
Avoiding everyone, Arwen snuck into the room behind the bar in search of any stairs, which she did in the storage room. Arwen had to sneak past that bartender that flirted with her, though. Which was easy because he seemed busy making inappropriate gestures to another girl. Creep.
Oh dear.
Arwen definitely didn't think this through. She was very late to the little spat Stefan and Damon were having because when she had opened the door that led onto the roof, Vicki was on the floor, her bandages had been torn away, and she had tear streaks going down her face, ruining her makeup.
Stefan had knelt down beside the poor thing, grasping her shoulders with a worried frown. Vicki was an absolute, terrified mess. Nearby them, Damon stood with his hands in his pockets, clearly pleased with himself and what he had done.
Arwen cringed, ignoring the anxiety building up inside her. Vicki did not look like she was having a good night. Nope. Niether was she.
Yep. Once Arwen had walked a little closer they noticed her immediately. In fact, all three of them had turned their heads to her in unison. It was fucking creepy.
"I'm..." Arwen began, her breath shaky. "I'm definitely gonna need therapy after this."
"Arwen," Stefan spoke, sounding breathy and panicked, as if he didn't expect her to show up here. Well, she didn't either. Arwen was questioning her life decisions right in this moment. Why the fuck did she think it was a good idea to face two reckless vampires alone?
Arwen noticed how Stefan's shoulders tensed nervously, then looked at the terrified, sobbing girl next to him, and then his to his awfully smug brother, who had stared at Arwen with unblinking, curious eyes. It was clear he didn't mind Arwen witnessing this cruel dispute, but Arwen missed the blue windows of interest behind his self-satisfied demeanor.
"So..." Arwen began awkwardly, biting the inside of her cheek. "Uh, everyone's looking for Vicki. They're worried." Just play it smooth. Play it smooth.
Damon smirked and began to make his way to her. Stefan tensed and Arwen was surprised by how heated his glare was when he turned to Damon, practically spitting. "Don't touch her!" Dark veins began to creep up around Stefan's darkening eyes and Arwen immediately knew that it was too late to pretend she saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Swallowing nervously, Arwen peered up at Damon when he stopped only a step away from her. God, he's so fucking tall...
The dark-haired brother ignored him and looked down at the blonde, his lips twitching amusedly. "It's good to see you, Arwen," he said, his voice so soft that Arwen almost shivered. "How'd you know we were up here, I wonder?" he asked, cocking his head to the side slightly.
"Uh..." Arwen struggled to find an answer. "Because I saw silhouette's on the roof?"
Damon looked completely unconvinced, but the corners of his lips slowly moved up. "Oh, really?" He's right, it was way to dark to tell from down there.
Arwen, seeing the expression on the vampire's face, turned white as a sheet and stepped back, pointing a finger at him in panic. "Don't you dare try and throw me off the edge! I don't care if you're making it your mission to torture Stefan and all that shit with your vampire voodoo grudges but don't you dare involve me in your quest for revenge or-" Arwen slapped a hand over her mouth in shock, her eyes widening when she realised that she had confirmed their suspicions of them thinking she knew the truth of what they were.
Both brothers seemed completely surprised. Stefan's mouth opened in, his green eyes round and wide with horror. Damon narrowed his eyes and Arwen was sure. "How do you know what we are?" he growled, but he didn't move an inch. In fact, his entire body froze as if he was about to flash over to her and snap her neck.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! Arwen didn't think before talking, again. She was so fucked this time! They were going to kill her for this. Sheila was going to kill her for this!
Quickly, she replied, stammering, "I-It's obvious, you know - You ain't very subtle about the attacks. The wound on Vicki is very suspicious and the attacks only started happening when you guys got to town." Dang it, stop trying to die! Damon was for sure going to get angry. Alas, she continued, "The situation with what I found here only just confirms everything."
Arwen hoped to any God or Gods out there that they believed her lies. Arwen thought her acting seemed believable, but she was sure her excuses sounded very half-assed.
But to her surprise, Damon began to laugh, and Stefan continued to look extremely nervous, as if Arwen discovering what he was could be the most devastating thing to ever happen to him.
Damn, this was getting very awkward, and Arwen wasn't sure if her situation was exceeding in her favour, or if it was escalating as fast as Andrew Tate's expectations in 2022.
"Damn!" Damon said, wiping a mocking tear from his eye. "She's good, Stef. Can't believe she found out so quickly."
Stefan looked up at Arwen, now standing. He looked like a kicked puppy. "Arwen..." he said, looking like he wanted to say something, but the blonde waved her had at him dismissively.
"Look," Arwen said. "I know I should act way more surprised but... I don't know. I'm just not."
Arwen eyed both brothers warily for a moment before looking down at brunette victim on the floor who hissed in pain when she touched her own neck. The girl didn't seem to be very present in this conversation at all. Not that it was a problem, it worked in their favour of keeping all the vampy secrets.
"Uh," Arwen started, blinking down at her. "You good there... Nikki?"
"It's Vicki," the brunette corrected, peering up at her with a dazed, red-eyed smile. "And I'm good, just had some pills and tore my stitches. No big deal." Yeah... sure.
Arwen didn't have time to respond because Vicki had gotten up and left back downstairs without another word. Just like that, Arwen was left alone with two vampires – vampires who had just found out a human – no wait, a wonderling who they thought was human – knew about their true identities as vampire brothers.
"So," Damon said, not tearing his eyes away from Arwen, even for a second. "What to do with you now."
"Nothing," Stefan growled, sending his older brother another dark look. "I will deal with this."
Arwen frowned. "Hello? I still exist in the present, you know?" They weren't planning on compelling her to forget, right? She sure hopes not! "I'm not gonna tell anyone, guys. Don't stress. I don't really care, anyways."
But both brothers just stared at each other, so still that they wouldn't even disturb the air. It was as if they didn't hear her at all. Goosebumps rose on the back of Arwen's neck as she stood there helplessly.
Stefan, finally, was the first to pull away and locked eyes with the blonde wonderling, his green gaze hopeful, but she could still see the anxious fear within them. "Could... Can I drive you home, Arwen?"
He's not compelling me?
"No thanks," Arwen said, perhaps a little too fast. There was a sharp twinge in her chest when she saw the hurt flash in Stefan's eyes. Arwen stumbled over her words to give him the reason why she rejected his offer. "Sorry, but I need to meet with Bonnie. She's been looking for me. I don't even know why I came up here."
"Looking for poor, old Vicki?" Damon reminded her, sending Stefan a jibing look that only told Arwen he was trying to get a rise out of him. Unbelievable. Arwen almost forgot he was a complete dickhead at the beginning of this stupid show she never even got fucking invested in.
Arwen sent him a venomous look of her own. "Yeah..." she said, pursing her lips and tapping her foot. "I dunno at all what stuff you have between the two of you, but its obvious from what I saw tonight that you, Damon, would clearly endanger others to get back at Stefan for whatever he's done. I'd rather keep clear from that, thanks." The blonde then paused, biting her lip. " Well, of course I'm still gonna stick around you Stefan because... I like hanging out with you, too, so..."
Stefan nodded, understandingly. "Right. Of course, sorry." Though, there was a hint of a smile after he said this.
Damon frowned, narrowing his eyes, but the look was quick as it came, and he gave a forced smile instead. "Sleep well, Arwen. You sure do look exhausted." There was something behind his words that made Arwen tense, but without another word she turned around and walked back over to the door that led downstairs back to the Grill.
If Arwen had looked back, she would have seen the two looks the Salvatore brothers sent her way – both bearing feelings, no matter how subtle, that would grow from fascination and curiosity, to transform completely into emotions of true devotion and undying, protective affections.
It was a good thing then that Arwen didn't stay longer than she needed to because she would have been terrified of the feelings she would have undoubtedly experienced on that rooftop.
─────•~❉~•─────
(8613 words)
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Not going to lie, I'm just glad I'm past the whole Bonfire episode. But yay, now the brothers know that Arwen is aware of vampire kind. Also, yeah, that's all they know. They don't know anything about her 'wonderling-ness', if that's what you guys want to call it.
And yeah, let's just say, with the emoji thing in the early 2000s? I had to research if emoji's existed since I was way too young to remember. I was like, in diapers then. Anyway, turns out some emoji's were around, which is cool. How did you guys like the texting layout? I tried to make it neat and easy to read. I considered making an image of a texting format, but then people who read offline can't see it so they'd be missing context, so I ditched that idea. But also because I don't know what the texting layout looked like in the early 2000s.
Anyway, so yeah, Anakin Skywalker was a beautiful man. And don't you dare forget that.
- DUCKY