Mystic Falls: Thunder Struck

Looking for the moonstone

"Come on, get up," Stefan urged, gently shaking Barry awake.

"Why?" Barry mumbled, pulling his blanket over his head, clearly not ready to face the day.

"Because we need to go to the Mystic Falls volunteer day," Stefan replied patiently, trying to reason with his sleepy friend.

Barry groaned, his voice muffled by the sheets. "Do we really have to?"

Stefan nodded knowingly. "Not really. We just need to blend in."

Barry finally sat up, rubbing his eyes. "I guess you have a point."

"Exactly," Stefan said with a grin. "It'll save us from a lot of questions in the future."

Barry sighed, reluctantly throwing off his covers. "Alright, fine. Let's do this."

Stefan nodded approvingly. "That's the spirit. I'll wait for you downstairs."

Barry groaned tiredly, his thoughts drifting to Katherine. It was the first time he had dreamt about her, and as he lay there, her confident attitude and sharp intellect played over in his mind. He admired how she carried herself with such poise, especially when determined to achieve something. Her wit and charm had always intrigued him, but now he found himself grappling with conflicting emotions.

While he enjoyed Katherine's company and admired her unique qualities, Barry couldn't shake his uncertainty about his feelings towards her. He appreciated her resemblance to Elena but was equally unsure about his growing attraction. What confused him even more was the dream—especially the part where Katherine had kissed him. It left him feeling uneasy yet oddly intrigued, unsure of how to interpret his reaction to her bold gesture.

Damon sauntered into the room, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "How was the kiss with Katherine?" he prodded, his voice laced with playful curiosity.

Barry's eyes widened slightly in surprise, caught off guard by Damon's directness. "What? There wasn't a kiss," he insisted, his tone slightly defensive.

Damon's grin faltered for a moment, his expression turning thoughtful. "I saw it, Barry," he admitted quietly.

Barry froze, suddenly feeling a jolt of discomfort. "You saw... what?" he asked cautiously.

Damon hesitated, his gaze momentarily distant. "Last night, I... I went into your mind while you were sleeping," he confessed reluctantly. "I saw Katherine kiss you."

Barry blinked in astonishment, his mind racing with a mix of confusion and disbelief. "You... can do that?" he stammered.

Damon nodded slowly, his features tense. "Yeah, but... it hurt like a bitch, Barry," he admitted bluntly, a hint of pain crossing his face.

Barry swallowed hard, struck by Damon's raw honesty and the intensity of his abilities. He felt a surge of emotions—confusion, curiosity, and a touch of embarrassment, Barry then focused on Damon's probing questions. "She said something before she kissed me," Barry finally admitted, his voice hesitant. "She looked down at me with this knowing smile, and then she said, 'I wouldn't mind meeting you again. You're rather cute.'"

Damon's expression turned serious as he processed Barry's revelation. "That doesn't sound like a random impulse," he remarked thoughtfully. "Katherine's not one to act without a reason."

Barry nodded slowly, his mind swirling with thoughts about Katherine's cryptic behavior. "Exactly," he murmured, a mix of fascination and uncertainty clouding his thoughts. "And there was something in her eyes, Damon. It was like... she was looking at me with some sort of feeling. "Maybe she actually has a heart after all."said Damon.