1857
Careful steps. So careful. The squeaking door exposed Stefan and woke Damon up at the same time. He was sleepy indeed, but he lifted his head from the pillow and turned his head just enough for him to see the small silhouette in the doorway.
"Stefan?" He whispered loud enough for Stefan to hear him. It was also enough to make Stefan's lips shake along with his chin and eventually break down in silent tears.
"Hey..." Damon whispered softly, his voice filled with sympathy. He threw the blanket to the side of the bed and swung his legs over the edge. He stood up and walked to his 11-year-old younger brother and wrapped his arms around the shaking figure. He pulled him close, warming the little boy's body with the heat from his own abs. Stefan let out a cold, shaky breath.
"What's wrong?" Damon asked and stroked Stefan's blonde hair out of his face.
"Not feeling well."
Damon burned with sympathy for the little guy in his arms. He gently led him to the king-sized bed with a hand resting between Stefan's shoulder blades. Stefan laid on the bed and looked miserably at Damon, who knelt by the edge and rested his hand on his brother's forehead.
"You're burning," Damon concluded.
Stefan shook his head a tiny bit and mumbled that he was feeling cold. Damon pulled the blanket over his shoulders.
"Does anything hurt? How do you feel?"
"Icky, Damon... Stomach hurts.. and head.."
Damon nodded and went to the bathroom to fetch a glass of water for Stefan. He returned and saw Stefan's eyes following him around the room. He handed the boy the glass and helped him drink so he wouldn't spill. He put the empty glass on the nightstand and laid next to Stefan on the bed, wrapping his arms around him and covering himself with the blanket as well.
"Try to get some sleep. If you aren't better in the morning, I'll get Cordelia to get you some herbs." Damon kissed Stefan's head Stefan didn't respond to the message, but simply closed his eyes and tried to relax in spite of his roaring stomach.
Damon woke up once again an hour later to the sound of his little brother crying. Stefan was pressing the blanket to his mouth, trying to quiet the helpless cries, but it wasn't helping much. Damon shushed him and kissed his head.
"You've got to sleep, brother." He mumbled.
"Hurts." Stefan wailed.
"I know, I know."
Damon stroked his hair back and rubbed his shoulders in an attempt to soothe him, but Stefan only kept crying out for help.
"You're going to make yourself sick, Stefan." Damon sighed. Just as the words left his mouth, Stefan gagged. Damon jumped up from the bed and fetched a bucket downstairs. He rushed back and held it under Stefan's chin. His soft eyes followed Stefan's shaking movement.
"It's okay... You can let go..."
Stefan shook his head with fear. Damon knew already that Stefan had a phobia of puking, yet it was going to happen sometime anyway. Stefan retched and bile shot out of his mouth into the bucket. Damon had expected it but was surprised by the amount. A loud wail escaped Stefan's lips. Damon put the bucket down and immediately embraced his brother. Stefan kept wailing in misery. Damon didn't know what else to do than to hug his brother and best friend.
"Damon!" Stefan cried out loudly.
"I know, Stefan. I know." Damon stressed. "You need to lay down. Lay down. I'll get help."