feel the noise } { of doppelgangers and kissing rockstars

[withnoheart]

Katherine: [doo doo doo pretending to be Elena. Most of the security doesn't give her a second glance, and she manages to get all the way backstage to Ben's dressing room. She's even dressed like Elena, because when she does her job she does it well and not even the doppelganger-turned-hunter can deny that she always did well when it came to Elena. So she perches on one of the chairs and she waits for her "boyfriend" to show.]

Ben: [since all his costume changes were done in a little screened off section on backstage, he actually doesn't get back to the dressing room until the show is over. He is drenched in sweat, hair products, and yup, in the kilt. And he's texting someone but stops as he walks in and sees Elena there] Elena? [ his face brightens up] What are you doing here?

Katherine: [perfectly Elena smile. She's seen the girl in love before. It's nauseating, but she knows how to pull it off] I was in town and I thought I would surprise you.

Ben: Well, that's great. Sorry, I just got off stage and feel like a truck hit me, but you know that feeling, I'm sure.

Katherine: [gives a bit of a shrug as she pushes up from the chair, making her way over to kiss him] Don't worry about it. I'm just happy to see you.

Ben: [gives her back a kiss, but something is off in the back of his head. Last time, Elena all but demanded he take a shower before getting close] Me too. Did you get to watch the show at all?

Katherine: A little. I sort of came in late, so I didn't want to interrupt anything.

Ben: I don't see how you'd have interrupted anything.

Katherine: Oh no? [a bit of a teasing smirk] You don't think I would have been too much of a distraction?

Ben: [ Elena has been backstage before. She knows how crazy it is. But he keeps his smile on and shrugs easily as he pulls out his phone that is vibrating anyway] If you were in the audience, I wouldn't have seen you because of the lights. And my costume changes are too quick I barely know who'd back here once it starts. [text to Elena: Hey, where are you right now?]

Katherine: [she shrugs] Oh well. I guess I'll have to see it another time.

Elena: [picks up her phone and frowns at the text message] Home. Paper grading Hell.

Ben: Well, how long are you staying? I mean, you can always join me for the next stop. [Text: so when you say doppelganger, that means you have an exact duplicate evil twin, right?]

Katherine: [she shrugs] I could stick around for a while, if you want.

Elena: [DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSON she forgoes texting to just call Ben ASAP]

Ben: [and the phone rings] Sorry, it's my agent. I've been waiting for this call all night. Give me a sec?

Katherine: Of course. [takes a step back because she can hear everything anyway]

Ben: Sammy. Man, tell me you've got news on the duet. [and he steps into the bathroom and closes the door. He'd do it if it was Elena too because it's business]

Elena: Is she still there?

Ben: Yeah. So what's she expecting from me?

Elena: I have no idea. I haven't heard from Katherine in years.

Ben: Well, the tabloids basically have the fact I'm taken all over the front covers. So that's off the table. I'm not faking a relationship for record sales. [because he has to at least keep up his end of the convo, not knowing Katherine may be able to hear through the door]

Katherine: [can hear quite a bit, actually. Vampire. And she's guessing her cover is blown. Alas, it was fun while it lasted.]

Elena: Klaus is gone. Maybe she has nothing better to do now that she's not running from him anymore. [she doesn't sound thrilled about that prospect] I don't think she'll hurt you.

Ben: So what do I need to do to seal the deal?

Elena: I don't ... I don't know. Where are you?

Ben: Well, I'm leaving Houston tomorrow for Austin.

Elena: [sucks in a breath as she tries to figure out what to do]

Katherine: [eventually gets bored enough of the subterfuge and knocks on the door] It's rude to leave your girlfriend's doppelganger waiting. Especially when she is older and scarier.

Ben: [opens the door, his face is very no nonsense, the phone still to his ear] You know, now I can see the older part too.

Katherine: [what was a friendly-ish smirk draws into a pout. She takes great pride in the fact that she looks younger than Elena does. She then holds out her hand for the phone] Let me talk to Elena.

Ben: [does what she asks. He knows better at least not to piss off these creatures too much when he's on his own.] Feel free to chat. I'm going to wash the makeup off my face.

Katherine: [takes the phone with a smirk before placing it to her ear] Hello Elena. ... Mmmm-hmmm. ... Mmmm-hmmm. ... Can't a girl have a little fun? ... I wasn't going do anything TOO regrettable. [there's a pause as she spins in the chair to face him again, tipping her head to the side] At least not on my end. [the smirk turns devilish as Elena overreacts on the other end] Oh, relax. You know I only have eyes for my favorite blue eyed bartender. I was just having a little fun. ... Mmm-hmmm. Mmmm-hmmm. Fine. Goodbye, Elena. Tell Matt I said hey. [she turns and waves the phone at Ben from where she's sitting.] It's for you, hotass.

Ben: [drying his face and hair, draping the towel over his neck] Thanks. [takes it back]

Katherine: One more for the road. [she smirks a bit, before her fingers find the edges of the towel and tug on them gently to pull him closer, giving him a kiss that's a bit quicker and dirtier than the one she had given him when she was pretending to be Elena. She then leans back, dusting him off before turning on her way] Not every day a girl gets to kiss a rockstar. [and with that, she's gone.]

Ben: [just blinks because... damn that's a kiss. He watches her leave, then puts the phone to his ear] Um, so what the hell was that all about?

Elena: She likes to attempt to ruin my life?

Ben: Well, she does know that she's nothing like you, right?

Elena: She does. She thinks she's better.

Ben: Well, she's wrong. Plus she sucks at pretending to be you. [and he's locking his dressing room door]

Elena: [she smiles at that] Yeah, well, she's out of practice. She hasn't pretended to be me full on since I was eighteen. I've grown up a lot since then.

Ben: Plus her kisses are completely different.

Elena: [and that makes her smile even more] Nice of you to tell the difference.

Ben: What gave it away was that she wanted to get close to me right after I got off stage. I seem to remember being pushed towards a shower last time I tried.

Elena: She also doesn't realize I prefer my boyfriends less smelly.

Ben: Though I was kinda excited to think you were going to be here tonight with me.

Elena: [her face falls a bit] I'm sorry. I would be there if I could.

Ben: I know. But it's only a few more weeks before Olivia's birthday concert.

Elena: It is. Do I get to have you all to myself for a little while?

Ben: You may need to ask Olivia that one.

Elena: [exhales slowly] I won't steal you too much. It is her birthday.

Ben: I am staying for a long weekend though. So she has to sleep eventually.

Elena: [grins a bit] So I'll get you in the downtime.

Ben: Pretty much.

Elena: I can work with that.

Ben: Well, I should let you get back to grading your papers. Hopefully she's not lurking around outside planning on doing anything more to me. Right?

Elena: No, she's gone. [a beat] All your security is on vervain, right?

Ben: Yeah, slip it into the coffee maker and they have their lanyards.

Elena: Then you should be fine.

Ben: I'll take your word for it then. I love you.

Elena: I love you too. I'll see you soon.

Ben: See you soon. [and he hangs up and goes to change and grabs his overnight bag and heads out to his security guard] Change of plans. Hotel tonight. I need a shower and a real bed.

Elena: [hangs up and sighs heavily at the papers she's grading.]