Chapter 5: Brotherly Love
In Thomas's room he was getting ready for the party. It's been a while since he partied with such a young crowd. He was looking for an outfit that would suit the mood. So he went with a grey t-shirt, black jeans and a brown bomberjacket. He looked at himself in the mirror and was happy with his fit.
From the corner of his eyes he saw Stefan standing in the doorway, he looked at him through the mirror and asked, "How's it? Too casual?"
He nodded and said, "It's good… let's go."
Tom turned around and walked out of his room. "Whose car are we taking?"
"We aren't."
"What? Why?"
"We aren't… going together."
Tom sulked and slumped his shoulders by the disappointment in his brother, "No… it's been ages since we partied together… and besides. I promised to be on my best behavior…" He looked at him pleading and then scoffed and said, "Alright fine… go alone. No one would think it's weird that we came separately."
Stefan stopped and looked at him and asked, "What do you want from me?"
Tom sighed and grabbed him by his shoulders and said, "I want you to enjoy this… us together. Cause you know it better than everyone. It doesn't always last long."
Stefan sighed and Tom scoffed and said, "And stop being so broody… we're going to a party not a funeral."
Stefan looked at Tom as they got in Tom's ride and were off on to the party. All the way to the party Stefan seemed very tense and who could blame him. One of his big brother was going to his school party. He wasn't worried for the same reasons as any other teen. Where his brother would embarrass him in front of his peers. He was worried that he might eat them.
They both reached the party, Stefan and Tom looked at the party with different outlooks. Stefan was looking for Elena while Tom was soaking in the moment, the whole party was something similar to what he expected. Free flowing booze and people all over the place. He didn't expect to have so much light around though.
Tom looked at his brother by his side and saw him smile. A slight curve on the lips also showed on his face. Stefan was about to walk when Caroline slide into their sight out of nowhere. Stefan was a little started while Tom questioned as to how did she manage to do that.
"Hey, you guys made it." Filled with bright light and sunshine she smiled as she looked at the two brothers.
"Yeah." Stefan said as he looked at Tom
"Can I get you something to drink?" Caroline said as she bit her lip a little.
"Yeah sure." Tom said as he grabbed her by the hand and started walking away. All the while when she kept looking at Stefan.
"Quite the party huh?" Tom said as he let go of her arm.
"Yeah." Caroline nodded and hummed.
They were standing by a keg and Tom started to fill two cups and he asked, "So Caroline what are doing here all by yourself?" he handed her a drink and took one for himself.
"You mean where is Bonnie?" Caroline took a sip and looked at him.
"Odd way to interpret my question but sure… let's go with that?" Tom chuckled as he took a big gulp of the cold beer as it slid down his throat.
"I don't know… must be somewhere around here?" Caroline looked at him and asked, "Why did you do that?"
Tom looked at her with an eyebrow raised and she scoffed as she walked away. Tom shrugged his shoulders and took another gulp. He saw Bonnie coming over, "Hey." She said as she came closer to the keg and him.
"Hey." he smiled.
Both of them sat down near the fire as the embers flew into the wind like fireflies. The chatter of the people and the music all seemed to be dulled around them. As they cozied up by the fire.
"Nice party." Tom said, he turned to her and asked, "I hope I didn't get you in any trouble this morning."
She half scoffed and chuckled, "I would have been in trouble anyhow… Tanner was being an ahole this morning."
Tom gave her a questioning look, "Our history teacher… I mean you won't believe what he said to Elena."
Tom took a sip and asked, "Why what did he say?"
"He said she would be over by her parent's death by now?"
Tom's eyes widened in astonishment and shock and the only words uttered were, "Asshole… is correct."
Bonnie chuckled and then looked at him and asked, "So, how was the unpacking and all?"
"Oh, done with that… Stefan came early than I expected and helped me with it."
She bit her lip and asked, "Can I ask something?"
He hummed and she asked, "Was he always like that? You know?"
"You mean a brooding mess akin to Batman or Edward Cullen?"
"You've seen twilight?"
"Yeah, Im not proud of it either."
She chuckled and said, "it's not that bad."
"Oh, Im sure you're saying that because of Robert Pattinson… the dreamy broody vampire… they completely butchered the vampire mythos."
"Didn't know you were such a fan of occult… grams would love you."
"Oh, want me to meet your family already?"
She blushed and took a sip, Tom continued to look at her and she giggled and said, "Shut up."
Both of them talked more and the more they talked the closer they got.
"So what do you like about the whole Vampire thing?" Tom asked her
"I don't know, it can be cool you know… being able to live forever, then there is the strength, the speed… never experiencing hangover."
Tom chuckled and took her bottle carefully and said, "Well, you're missing a few, Not being able to walk in the sun…" She kept looking at him and he chuckled and said, "Give me a minute."
"Oh, Im here all night."
He laughed and said, "Living forever."
She scoffed and said, "What?! That's a perk… you life forever. You can do anything."
He smiled and said, "And there in lies the problem… eventually, after a long time. You would have done everything that there is to do and you'd be left with a hole in your sole that you would try so desperately to fill with anything you can find… but it can't be filled."
She smiled and said, "Not unless if you are with someone."
"Awe, are you gonna talk about true love and all the mushy gooey stuff…"
She nodded and laughed and Tom said, "Come on, that's in the movies… us humans can't even commit to one person for like 5 years. How do expect someone to commit to someone for an eternity… which is a long time by the way."
She pursed her lips and said, "You just have to find the right person I guess."
He took a sip of the beer and shook his head, "Unbelievable."
"Jeremy" both of them turned their head and saw Elena chasing some guy down into the woods and Tom asked, "That's her boyfriend or brother?"
"Brother." Bonnie answered.
"Why are they going in the woods? It's not safe." Tom said as he saw Stefan there as well.
"It's probably one of his benders." Bonnie answered.
"Guess, everyone has their coping mechanism." She hummed and she looked at him and asked, "When you said, Stefan wasn't always like this. What do you mean?"
He looked at him and sighed, "It's kinda personal."
She whined and he laughed at her behavior seems like she's a little bit drunk. "Come on I told you about Elena's whole thing."
He hummed and nodded, "You're a little busy body aren't you." She chuckled and nodded.
"Ah, what the hell… he's like this because." As he was about to tell her a sudden cry for help was heard by Elena and Jeremy. They walked out of the woods. With Viki being carried by Jeremy.
"What the hell?" Bonnie stood up sobering up very quickly. "Let's go check it out."
Tom was looking over at Stefan and his gaze was intensified at Viki. As Bonnie was about to touch him. Tom walked over to them and quickly at that. With all the chaos surrounding the situation. It didn't seem good. Tom and Stefan heard what happened to Viki and they realized what's the cause of this. Another one of them was here.
Stefan walked out of there and Tom wanted to go after him too but he was with her and if he left now. It wouldn't be the smartest decision. So he waited… Matt, Viki's brother called 911 and an ambulance and an animal control van came and took them away.
Bonnie turned to Tom and said, "Hey, I have to go and talk to Elena and Caroline is drink so I'll have to deal with that."
Tom put his hands into his pockets and said, "Yeah, I have to find Stefan as well. I was hoping for a better end for this evening… guess I'll have to settle with this…" He sighed and looked at her and said, "Get home safe… text me when you do."
She nodded and that should have been the end of that but they stood there facing each other. But finally Tom walked away from her. She expected something else from him, but he can't give it to her. Not without risking his identity. He's not sure of her yet as well. It will take some time.
Tom found that Stefan had booked it on foot. He cursed him out and took his car and made his way to his home.
As he finally reached the place he saw his two brothers out in the open fighting. He cursed out again. "For fuck sakes you two."
He got out of the car and Damon looked at Tom and said, "Didn't know the big Labrador had followed you all the way here."
"What the hell Damon?" Tom asked as he helped Stefan up. "You okay?"
Damon raised his hands and said, "Come on, Im just having a little fun… that's all."
"You attacked that girl with all those people around… at least tell me that you wiped her clean?"
"Maybe I did… Maybe I didn't. It's for him to figure out." he pointed at Stefan. "Im just keeping my end of the promise… an eternity of suffering."
"Can't we just give it a rest already? It's been years." Stefan asked Damon as he gasped for breath.
Tom saw that the ring was missing and he looked at him and Damon said, "Come on… I was going to give it to him." He tossed him the ring and Stefan looked up to catch it. Damon glided through the like knife on butter towards them.
Tom sighed as he took a step to the left and caught Damon from behind and threw him away. Zach opened the door and stood there watching his uncles fight. Tom looked at Stefan as he put his ring back on and Damon said, "I knew you had it in you… you mongrel."
Tom sighed and looked at Stefan and said, "Let's just get inside."
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For Tom how would Austin Butler or Alexander Ludwig be? Let me know or if you have any other actor in mind. That would help as well.