Chapter Text
"You need to stop fidgeting."
Katherine only takes that as her invitation to fidget even more on the edge of the sink. Resting her hands flat behind her, she ignores how one almost dips into the round mouth of the sink. Stefan’s hands are gentle on her face as he tries to nudge her to turn her head to the side.
"Katherine," he says, exasperated.
Sighing heavily, she presses her lips together and turns to face him. "I’m stopping." Kicking her legs out, they swing past his thighs before her heels hit the cabinet door loudly. "See?"
His lips curve upward at the corners despite the scowl he tries to wear. "Stay still. I’m trying to clean your face."
Exhaling heavily through her nose, she tilts her head to the side the very moment he reaches the cotton tip towards the corner of her eye. Rather than scold her, he shakes his head incredulously.
Resting his hands on her thighs, he regards her with a pleading look. "I really can’t have Nadia seeing you like this, okay?"
Steeling her shoulders automatically at the mention of her daughter, she sits up straighter. Katherine remains still. "You can’t tell her what happened." For the first time since stepping into their ensuite, he dodges her gaze. "Stefan."
He smiles, pressing the tip of the cotton against the corner of her eye. When he pulls it away, it’s bloodied.
"You saved my life. Again." He smiles at her. "Nadia deserves to know that you did that."
She shakes her head. "She’ll toss you out on your ass, Stefan. You know what she’s like."
"Puts the 'over’ in 'overprotective’. Yeah, I’m aware."
She shakes her head. "No. She’ll throw you out the second story window. I won’t get to see your ass from that angle."