Loca, Spider Monkey

143. Stefan - Similar Gifts

https://like-rain-or-confetti.tumblr.com/

You respected personal space now that every time someone touched you, you got their whole life story. It was annoying a lot of the time. Too long of contact just meant a rerun of memories and a constant noise. It took a lot of work to push it to the back of your head so that you didn't notice it anymore. Your mind finally becoming silent.

You were a nomad and had met Carlisle in 1850. When he was building his coven, he asked you to join him. You declined although the offer stayed open to this day. Carlisle didn't think you were a loner, like Alistair. He had met many and you didn't fit. You were unhappy, looking for your place in the world where that happiness resided. The place you felt content.
He caught a glimpse of that when the Romanians unexpectedly turned up. A piece of him was glad they did because they seemed to get you talking and out of your bubble of solitude in the corner. More specifically, Stefan coerced you into talking to him. Vladimir seemed to encourage it. You smiled at them. Carlisle hadn't seen you smile in such a way in decades. Like many, Carlisle enjoyed your smile, not the small, contained smile but the genuine one, a grin that showed your perfectly white teeth. Not many could drive such a smile out of you, Carlisle noted that Stefan did so in two hours.
As the days passed, the two of you got closer and closer. Stefan had only reached out to put a hand on your leather jacket. Luckily you wouldn't get anything from the contact, your clothes being a block. Other times he played with your long, low hanging necklace, twirling it around his fingers as he spoke to you.

One night, a bonfire was made and the vampires, along with a wolf, surrounded it. You sat on a log beside Stefan. By the time the Romanians were telling their story, you had your arm propped over Stefan's shoulder and leaning against it. "When we ruled, everything came to us, prey, diplomats, favour-seekers...such was our power but we never put on white hats and called ourselves saints." Vladimir said.
"We were honest about what we were." Stefan piped up.
"We sat still, for a very long time. We didn't notice we were beginning to petrify."
"Perhaps, the Volturi did us a favour when they burned our castles."Stefan turned to Vladimir.
"We've been waiting 1500 years to return that favour."

You began asking questions, you knew nothing of the Volturi and the Romanians mentioning of them perked your curiosity. You heard about what one of the leaders, Aro could do and immediately caught the snarky comments the Romanians made about him. It worried you that if they found out you had the same gift then they'd be very different towards you. In turn, just as the thought crossed your mind, you were asked a very untimely question.
"Do you have any stories (Y/N)?" A blonde, Tanya, asked. You shook your head. "No."
"You must have. No one reaches even fifty years of this life and not have a story." Kate leaned forward with a smile.
"Not to that extent I don't." You said uncertainly.
"Tell us anything! It doesn't have to be a war story." Jake leaned over to catch eyes with you.
"Uhh, alright."
You never noticed how Stefan's head rested against yours. "So one day, I was passing through North America and a soldier stopped me...when I say stopped me, I mean scream at me in German and point his gun at me. It turns out, he was quite trigger happy and fired. I'm still not entirely sure what scared him, the fact that he shot me or the fact that the bullet did absolutely nothing to me." There were a few chuckles. "He immediately started properly screaming and ran away. The sight was so bizarre I had to take a moment to process what had just happened. Then, of course, I remembered -thanks to Carlisle- that he saw a bit too much and we all know how that ended."
"(Y/N), are you really not going to talk about the crown jewels thing?" Emmett grinned with a pointed look.
"That isn't really much of a story Emmett." You huffed. "I wasn't the one who broke in."
"Come now, tell us." Vladimir grinned.
"I was in a museum where the crown jewels were being displayed temporarily. A human tried to steal them. I saw an opportunity and took it. Carlisle nearly beat me senseless for it."
"Wait, you stole the crown jewels!?" Jake exclaimed.
"No, no. I took the opportunity to wear the crown. Let me tell you," you smirked eyeing everyone including the Romanians. "you should see me in a crown."
"What a tempting offer." Stefan commented with a smirk of his own.

Things were very different the next time you were alone. Whatever it was that you felt for Stefan before had just been amplified. It seemed Stefan was more than happy to be vocal about this since it wasn't long before he approached you on the matter. You couldn't help but feel guilty. You hadn't told him about your gift. You were scared to. You didn't know what he'd think. Stefan noticed your unease. "Are you alright, my love? If you aren't comfortable-"
"It's not that." You said quickly. "It's just that, I feel guilty because I haven't told you everything about myself."
"Oh? Is there any particular reason?" Stefan didn't seem bothered about this until he saw just how much this bothered you. He took your face into his hands, encouraging you to tell him. "You can tell me anything, my sweet. It saddens me to see you in such pain because you're worried of my reaction."
"I feel that if I tell you... there's a chance you might never look at me the same again." You said quietly but was met with silence.
Stefan took a moment. "Go on, you can say it."
"I... I'm gifted."
"You are?" Stefan gave you a small smile. "Is this why you're worried? I don't mind that you are gifted. That changes nothing."
"No, I'm more specifically worried about what you'll think of my gift when you know what it is... because you've seen it before."
"I have?"
You nodded with a grimace before placing your hands over his that were still on your face. "Everytime you touch me, I can read every thought you've ever had. I can see and hear them. Just...just like-"
"Aro Volturi." Stefan finished. You looked up at Stefan, almost pleading. "I know I should have told you sooner, and I'm so sorry-" you didn't get to finish as Stefan's hands slipped out of your grasp to wrap around you in a tight embrace, pulling you into his chest, his head resting a top of yours.
"(Y/N), you're being very silly." You stayed silent. "You've worked yourself up into such a state when there was no reason to. You are not him or any other Italian scum. You have no reason to fear or apologize."
"Really? You're okay with this?"
You felt Stefan's hand fall from the back of your neck to find your hand. "See for yourself."
Relief washed through you. He didn't think any different of you even after your confession. You were so relieved that you barely caught Stefan's words.
"Look at me."
When you did, he immediately caught your lips in a kiss. When he pulled away, a thought rushed to him and a smirk grew. "I suppose you'll just have to convince me you're not like him."
"Well for one thing, Aro can't love you like I could."
Stefan screwed his eyes shut. "Yes. That is most definitely an advantage!" Stefan shivered.

You weren't certain if Aro was intrigued by you because he'd never met you, a rarity for him or if he was intrigued because he noticed Stefan's hold on your elbow. Once greeting Carlisle, his gaze fell to you. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure. Come forward, I'd very much like to make your acquaintance." You took a step forward but were yanked back by Stefan who hurriedly protested. "Trust me." You looked over your shoulder. "I'll be fine." Stefan slowly and reluctantly let go. All the while, Caius' smirk grew, pleased to be making the Romanians squirm.
"I believe you're Aro? I'm (Y/N), it's nice to meet you." You said simply as you moved closer to the Volturi. Aro wasted no time snatching up for hand to drink in your life. Little did he know, that was a two-way street.

Stefan shifted as he watched your face contort into one of discomfort. Aro's hand latched onto yours. He knew you'd know more than he'd like about his past. He didn't want you knowing too much detail, wanting to protect you from such but now he could do nothing but stand and watch.

"It's uncanny, isn't it?" You spoke up, your eyes still glazed over slightly as you continued to his life, as he did yours. "Almost as if we were twins."
"Well, that's certainly... something." Aro chose his words carefully, your hands in his.
"Whoa, your past is dark." Your eyes were wide and your jaw stiff. You shifted again. "I got a rerun of my own life and yours. That is something el-hey! That's not very nice!"
Aro pulled away sharply, remembering he was just as vulnerable as you were and you had most certainly heard his very low opinion of you. "That's a very big lie you told." You muttered to yourself.
"I don't tell lies." Aro sneered.
"You what!? You don't tell lies!?" You began to hysterically laugh, intentionally in an obnoxious way to really put across how wrong Aro really was.

Aro was like a child who just got the attention snatched away by his sibling, feuled with jealousy. He didn't like that he wasn't the only one with his gift. It made him replaceable by anyone. You could make many comments about killing his own sister but you wouldn't stoop to such a level...just dancing along the borderline would suffice.
Perhaps even, with a light push. You could strike a deal with the devil himself.