Force of Gravity • NM

•4•

A week had passed since Damon first called Stefan, telling him about the little girl he'd found in the forest. The trip back to his brother had been a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions for Stefan. The idea of Damon caring for a child, of all things, had stunned him. Damon—the same Damon who had wreaked havoc for years—was now looking after a little girl? Stefan had doubts. Was this another one of Damon's impulsive decisions? Could he even keep Naira safe?

But Damon's voice on the phone had been different, softer. There was a seriousness to it that Stefan hadn't heard in a long time. Still, the thought of his brother raising a child felt foreign. As Stefan drove the final stretch of road toward Damon's secluded house, his chest tightened with unease. He didn't know what to expect.

When Stefan finally arrived and parked, he noticed the house was alive with sounds of laughter—childlike giggles, followed by Damon's deep chuckle. His hand paused on the door, listening. There was a lightness to Damon's voice that he hadn't heard in years. Slowly, Stefan pushed open the door and stepped inside.The scene before him caught him by surprise.

 A tiny girl with dark hair and green eyes, was sprinting through the living room, giggling uncontrollably as Damon chased her—and Damon, for once, wasn't the cold, brooding brother Stefan knew now. He was smiling, genuinely, as if some piece of his humanity had resurfaced.

"Gotcha!" Damon scooped Naira up into his arms, spinning her around as she squealed in delight. The moment was so normal, so warm, that Stefan almost felt like an intruder.But the second Naira spotted him standing in the doorway, her laughter quieted, and her wide green eyes locked onto Stefan with curiosity and hesitation. She squirmed out of Damon's arms and darted behind him, clutching onto his shirt as if she was unsure of the newcomer.Stefan's heart softened instantly. She looked so innocent, peeking out from behind Damon, her tiny frame mostly hidden. For a moment, he couldn't believe how gentle she seemed. Her shyness reminded him of someone who had once been pure and untouched by the darkness of their world.''

"oh! Hello brother," Damon called out, breaking the silence. His smirk was ever-present, but his tone was lighter than usual. "Meet Naira. Naira, this is Stefan—my younger brother."Naira, still clutching the back of Damon's shirt, peeked out cautiously. Her eyes flickered up to Stefan before quickly darting away, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. She didn't say anything, but her grip on Damon tightened.Stefan smiled, taking a step closer but making sure to keep his distance. "Hey, Naira," he said softly, trying to make his voice as welcoming as possible. "It's nice to meet you."Damon nudged Naira gently. "Go on, kid. Stefan's not so bad. I mean, he's definitely more of the responsible one."

Naira shifted nervously, then hesitantly stepped out from behind Damon. She looked up at Stefan with wide, curious eyes, still unsure but trusting Damon's words. "Hi..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.Stefan crouched down so he was at her level, making himself less intimidating. "I hear you've been keeping Damon busy," he said with a kind smile. "That's impressive."Naira's lips curved into a small smile, and she nodded shyly. But then, as if something important crossed her mind, she glanced up at Damon and then back at Stefan. Her small hands clutched tightly onto the worn bunny plush she'd been holding since her first night at the house.

"Bun-Bun," she murmured, looking down at the bunny and then back at Stefan. "Damon said... it was yours. Is it okay if I have him?"Stefan blinked, taken aback. Bun-Bun. He hadn't seen that old toy in decades. The sight of the well-loved plush in Naira's tiny hands stirred something deep inside him. Memories of his childhood flooded back—of better days, when things were simpler."Of course you can keep him," Stefan replied gently. "Bun-Bun's yours now."

Naira's eyes lit up, and she smiled—a little brighter this time. Stefan could feel something softening in his heart. He hadn't expected to feel so protective of her so quickly. She was so innocent, so untouched by the horrors of the world he and Damon knew all too well.Damon clapped his hands together, breaking the tender moment. "Alright, you two," he announced, his voice full of mock authority. "Naira, it's time for you and Stefan to bond."Naira looked up at Damon, puzzled. "Bond?""Yup," Damon smirked. "Stefan's taking you out for a little shopping spree. You need clothes, toys, books—everything a growing kid needs."Naira's eyes widened, clearly not used to the idea of being spoiled. She looked uncertain, almost as if she wasn't sure she deserved all of that. "Really?""Really," Damon confirmed, ruffling her hair playfully. "Besides, it gives Stefan a chance to be the responsible big brother and prove he's not just a broody vampire. Right, Stefan?"Stefan rolled his eyes but smiled. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered good-naturedly, standing up. "Let's get you some new clothes, Naira. You can't wear Damon's shirts forever."Naira giggled softly and nodded, slipping her hand into Stefan's as they prepared to head out.

As Stefan drove them into town, he glanced over at Naira sitting in the backseat, clutching Bun-Bun. She was looking out the window with wide, curious eyes, taking in every detail of the world outside. Stefan found himself smiling. There was something undeniably pure about her.But behind that smile, doubts still lingered. Could Damon really handle raising a child? Could they, as vampires, give her the life she deserved? What if the darkness of their world tainted her innocence?His thoughts were interrupted by Naira's soft voice. "Stefan?""Yeah?""Do you think I can go to school one day? With other kids?"The question caught him off guard. He hadn't thought that far ahead. But looking at her now, so hopeful and full of dreams, Stefan realized that Naira wasn't like them. She still had a chance at a normal life—a chance they'd never had."Yeah," Stefan said, his voice full of conviction. "We'll make sure of it."As they pulled into the shopping center, Stefan felt a renewed sense of purpose. This wasn't just about Damon anymore. Naira needed them both, and for once, Stefan was willing to believe that they could be something more than just the monsters they'd become.

For the rest of the day, Stefan and Naira explored every store, picking out clothes, toys, and enough books to fill a small library. Naira slowly began to open up, her shy exterior peeling away with every new discovery. Stefan found himself laughing—genuinely laughing—for the first time in years as Naira ran from one store to the next, her excitement contagious.By the time they returned to Damon's house, the backseat was filled with bags, and Naira was chattering happily about all the things they'd bought.And for the first time in what felt like forever, Stefan wasn't just running from his past. He was helping build a future.