Happy Holidays butterfly!
Title: Beginnings, middles, and endings (or three times Stefan Salvatore fell in love)
Recipient: butterfly
Author: swirlsofblue
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Stefan/Rebekah, Stefan/Caroline, Stefan/Klaus
Word Count: 2,703
Warnings: Mild sexual content, mentions of violence.
Summary: Events during relationships Stefan has had, from beginning to end.
Author's Notes: I loved all the prompts so I incorporated them into one fic but started with the prompt; night out on the town, dancing.
1921
Stefan wanders around the block, searching, he’s in the mood for one of those overly confident girls who seem to loiter around nearby--maybe he’ll even find one wearing trousers. Rebekah slinks ahead of him, focused on the hunt with a grace and poise that constantly draws Stefan’s gaze.
“How about her?” Rebekah asks, nodding towards a slight girl with precise waves in her auburn hair.
“How about something else?” Stefan replies, spinning the older vampire around smoothly.
“Mr Salvatore,” Rebekah mock scolds with a lilting purr.
“I know, I know, it’s not going to be that easy,” Stefan says, reiterating what Rebekah has said several times before, palms up in a gesture of surrender.
“I would welcome a demonstration of your supposed talents,” Rebekah states demurely, finally allowing Stefan to wrap her in an embrace.
Stefan smirks, downplaying how long he has waited for this, and leans in for a kiss. Rebekah returns the kiss, hands curled tight upon each other; it’s passionate and all encompassing, and any thoughts of feeding are forgotten.
**
Matching wide smiles adorn their lips that night as they dance at Gloria’s. Stefan leads with all the confidence that his flawless movements merit.
“Don’t show off Stefan,” Rebekah chides, taking advantage of his momentary pause she twirls him around.
Others glare at Rebekah’s forward behaviour, Stefan laughs with amusement. It’s when they go to feed that Stefan becomes nervous, so few go well with his particular brand of peculiar peccadilloes, especially vampires.
She plays hard and fast, ripping apart the humans alongside him, but stops instantly as Stefan begins to despair, and he fears judgement as he wearily places a calf atop a foot. Rebekah only gives him a soft smile, and finds an arm--proceeding to place it against the torso--Stefan smiles; pleased to have her support. A few minutes later, when Stefan begins to feel itchy inside at the thought of continuing with her there, she doesn’t need to be told to leave, and she does so without the petulance he would expect from her.
Rebekah’s instincts are flawless, and she only takes part in his kills when he needs her there. They drink and dance the nights away, the epitome of elegance and style. As time goes by Stefan’s feelings slowly grow.
Rebekah accepts him the way he is, and Stefan loves her for it; loves that she doesn’t judge his excesses because she understands who he is, who they are, and at the same time doesn’t breach the bounds of his measured cruelty. He smiles inwardly as she chastises lightly--telling him not to be mean; contrary to the many accountings of the remorseless ripper in vampire lore, Stefan feels broken enough to try to put them back together afterwards. Rebekah loves all of him, remorseless and remorseful parts alike, and he loves all of her in return.
**
When his memory returns, the emotion that returns with it isn’t the same. The memories seem like they happened yesterday; freshly revealed happenings in his mind, but the emotions are of long ago. Rebekah was someone he loved; there is the appropriate nostalgia and joy that comes with the thought, nothing more. He thinks it’s a shame even as he manipulates her; he hasn’t gotten that sort of genuine understanding since (Elena’s understanding, though heartfelt, was always too mired in ignorance) but he would be fooling himself if he tried to turn gratitude and appreciation into love.
**
2012
“Let’s go out tonight,” Caroline says, her voice a patented mix of determined-organiser induced insistence and stubborn enthusiasm.
“Caroline,” Stefan replies, with friendly reproach that’s strong enough to convey his point; “we’re supposed to be laying low.”
“We’ve been laying low for months; if we don’t want to get caught we should do something unpredictable--like going out,” states Caroline, as though it’s flawless logic.
“Fine,” Stefan says indulgently, mainly because he thinks they both need it, but partly because her endless optimism despite her stark awareness of their reality is just one of the many things he loves about Caroline.
After the whole coffin debacle, they’re still on the run from Klaus, and haven’t been able to take enough breaths in the interim between being lost and being found. Stefan plans on using the opportunity to relax.
“You dressed up!” Caroline squeals excitedly, as she brings out her own outfits for him to help her make a selection.
Stefan looks at the way Caroline looks at each dress before suggesting; “the blue one,” and watches her face light up.
“You have taste,” Caroline says, like they don’t both know she was looking for reassurance; the old insecure parts of her don’t appear often but she loathes them more than any other part of herself.
Caroline drives them to a club that she says she has always wanted to go to.
“Let us in,” Caroline orders the bouncer smoothly.
Stefan has to stop himself from taking a step back--a large step back, maybe all the way to the car--when he enters the place. The pounding baseline is caustically loud enough to annoy most humans, let alone vampires with super-hearing. And they’re both very definitely over-dressed, Stefan doesn’t ask why they dressed up so much to come here; it’s a stupid question.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Stefan asks instead.
“Yes, it’s supposed to look like a dive; that’s the point, what’s the matter, scared you won’t be able to keep up,” Caroline challenges, subtly pointing out a small crowd around two men break-dancing.
“Not at all, I was just thinking I’ve been break-dancing in much nicer places than this,” Stefan says.
“You have not!” Caroline says, voice high in self-mimicking-mockery, Caroline’s surprise at his adventures has become somewhat of a bit.
“Your surprise is delightful Caroline,” Stefan says, playing along.
Stefan gets them some bright orange drinks, and they stand at a high table chatting about various books and television and people--no Mystic Falls or monster talk is the night’s rule.
They’re on the dance floor when a gap opens up and Stefan chooses to take advantage.
“Watch this,” he tells Caroline with a smirk.
Stefan doesn’t think as he moves, everything coming naturally as he moves from spinning on his side to his head, flipping from his back onto his feet. He can hear the crowds’ cheers. For his finale he manoeuvres over to Caroline and lifts her into the air above him, and drops her before catching her again in a spin.
When they move off the dance floor Stefan notices how Caroline’s face has once more lit up with delight, and suddenly something clicks inside him, and he swirls her towards him swiftly, running on some inexplicable electricity. It’s quick and spontaneous, and it’s over almost before Stefan realises what he has done.
“Why did you kiss me!?” Caroline exclaims.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened.”
“You did not just kiss me!” Caroline says in her familiar high self-mocking tone, with arms crossed and a mischievous smile.
“Should I be insulted, unless you think I’m not in your league, why shouldn’t we kiss?” Stefan parries back, deflating with relief.
“You’re right,” Caroline answers his tease seriously, and pulls him into another kiss.
“Wait, what are we doing?” Stefan asks carefully.
“What did I tell you about worrying so much,” Caroline says, it’s the final word, and the proceeding actions pretty much speak for themselves.
**
Stefan and Caroline continue moving from place to place, and everything stays pretty much the same--their friendship transforming into a relationship with relative ease. Sometimes Stefan decides where they’re going; taking her into wonderful nooks and crannies of the world, and sometimes Caroline decides; pulling Stefan along to big glamorous cities, and forcing him to let go.
At one point Klaus catches Stefan, but then after a couple of days gets bored and just lets him go, no longer chasing them and no strings attached. Caroline knows it’s far too easy but is too concerned about Stefan to push it. He never tells her what happened.
Years go by, but as Caroline gets older the need to head out on her own becomes a stronger and stronger urge. Until one day she just has to get it out or she feels she might burst. She bakes Stefan a cake. It’s delicious if she does say so herself.
“Stefan, I have to leave,” she states bluntly, gelatinous icing still sticky on her teeth.
Stefan frowns for a moment before affecting a look of concern;
“what’s wrong?”
“It’s just since I’ve become a vampire I’ve always had you here helping me, and I need to go and ‘find myself’ or whatever, I sound really silly don’t I?”
“You don’t sound silly at all. I actually think it’s a good idea,” Stefan says softly, before adding jokingly, “We’re vampires Caroline--the relationship self-help books don’t exactly cover us--we live forever, and all of us have to go explore the world on our own sometime.”
They come back to each other every few years. The first time they return to each other, they are massively excited to see each other, falling into bed almost instantly. The third and fourth times they are still excited, but it has turned into a different kind of excitement; of friends who haven’t seen each other in a long while.
**
The sixth time they find each other is when everything changes.
“Stefan, I have something to tell you,” Caroline says softly, surreptitiously sipping from a blood bag.
Stefan knows what’s coming, and is somewhat relieved at not having to broach the subject himself. For him it feels as though he fell out of love with Caroline as quickly as he fell in love with her. Their friendship is still precious to him though, and he’s not sure what he can say to preserve it. He nods at her, listening as she speaks.
“Things with us seem to be changing, they’re different, and I don’t know, I don’t want to lose what we have because you’re my best friend, but it would be unfair to just pretend I thought we could still be more, so I think we should break up. But I really want us to still be friends, and I don’t mean that in the ‘things you say to soften a break up’ way, I mean we’re going to stay friends, if you’re okay with it…”
“It’s okay Caroline, I understand, in fact I feel the same way,” Stefan says, cutting off Caroline’s speedy ramble.
“Good. That’s good,” Caroline says, beaming genuinely.
They sit together quietly for a string of moments, until Caroline suddenly says;
“Let’s go out tonight.”
And just like that they slide back into their friendship like an old sweater.
**
2103
Stefan’s working as a bar tender because it’s something to do, and he likes listening to peoples’ problems. It’s not a busy night so he notices immediately when the new customer enters. He continues pouring drinks, feigning indifference.
“Well, who do we have here?” the voice cuts through Stefan like sharpened wood.
“What are you doing here Klaus?” he asks, under no illusion; the older vampire is here looking for him.
“I’m here to drink, I don’t suppose there’s anyone you’d recommend?” Klaus says smirking as he saunters onto a barstool.
Stefan only has to consider him for a moment to realise that there’s no threat. He sends a knowing smile Klaus’s way.
“Klaus, did you miss me?” he jibes, can’t help but poke; Klaus brings out his inner recklessness.
“You should be more concerned about what people are slipping in your drinks; don’t accept the freebies Stefan, it will all end in tears.”
“Fine, if you missing me is so crazy; why did you find me?” Stefan asks, directing a poignant look at Klaus.
“Plenty of time for talk later,” Klaus says with a cheery inflection, “now drinks!”
Stefan places the whiskey on the bar, already knowing it would be ordered, and moves on to other customers. He makes a point of avoiding Klaus for the rest of the night, only going near to deliver drinks, and chats with other customers instead. Surprisingly Klaus doesn’t try to attract his attention with something outlandish; he doesn’t even move from his seat.
There’s a moment when Stefan is free and catches sight of Klaus; the elder vampire is hunched slightly, a defeated expression on his face. Something inside Stefan aches, but he ignores it, only approaching him once the remainder of the bar flies have left.
“I suppose you want me to leave,” Klaus says in a haunted voice that Stefan doesn’t recognise.
“You can stay, come on, talk to the bar tender, tell me what’s wrong?” Stefan says in his ironic bar tender voice; the one that convinces people that it’s a good idea to take worldly advice from someone who looks seventeen.
“I’m tired,” the older vampire replies, before adding “of everything.”
“Then maybe it’s time for something new,” Stefan says, tone laden with implications, as he leans in close to Klaus.
“I don’t give out second chances Stefan,” Klaus says dully.
“What do you mean?”
“You rejected me,” Klaus states plainly.
“I was with Caroline,” Stefan argues.
Klaus just sighs.
“Follow me,” Stefan says, closing up the bar and grabbing his things.
He takes Klaus up to one of the rooftops a few blocks away, with one hell of a view.
“Very pretty,” Klaus says sarcastically with a massive fake grin.
“Give me a break, it’s short notice, and I don’t do blood baths anymore, besides the view isn’t the point.”
“So what is?”
“You followed,” Stefan points out.
In lieu of a response, Klaus merely rolls his eyes and pulls Stefan into a rough kiss, tearing at his clothes, and Stefan goes with it.
**
Stefan and Klaus stay in the town where Stefan is working; he has at least two more years before his face gives him away, and it’s good to have some stability amidst the madness. Klaus is overly possessive but he also gives Stefan all of his attention, it’s an obsessive focus and Stefan actually enjoys it. Klaus hangs out at the bar, turning his charm on the regulars, and snacking on anyone who looks at Stefan in a way he dislikes. But he stops short of killing them and Stefan appreciates the concession; knows Klaus wouldn’t bother unless Stefan’s feelings mattered to him.
It’s passionate and fiery. And every now and then it explodes.
“If you betray me, I will destroy you,” Klaus hisses darkly one day, holding Stefan by his throat.
“Calm down and let me go,” Stefan says softly, but with steel in his voice that brooks no argument.
Klaus puts him down, though Stefan knows it’s with reluctance.
“You need to trust me, and I need to have room to breathe,” Stefan tells him.
Klaus grumbles agreement and putters off, and Stefan knows the fight will be forgotten until next time; it’s not ideal but it works for them.
Their relationship doesn’t seem to hold the understanding he had with Rebekah, or the casual ease it had with Caroline, but somehow that makes it better. Him and Klaus have to fight for their relationship, but Stefan realises it’s something worth fighting for.
**
Stefan wakes to the distant rumble of thunder and the murmur of clouds on the brink of releasing a torrent. He makes a move to rise but is halted by Klaus’s hand.
Stefan allows Klaus’s fingers to stay gripping his wrist, as though they have always lingered there. As though Stefan has lived his entire existence held captive by Klaus, and is amusedly indifferent to it. Ignoring Klaus he picks up his copy of lord of the flies, and begins to read, and for once his lover doesn’t demand his immediate attention, Stefan holds in a smirk. It’s that moment that the rain begins, clattering loudly against the windows.
“Anything to do today?” Stefan asks, with a look conveying that this is as good a chance as any to spend some quality time together.
“Nothing that can’t wait for tomorrow,” Klaus responds, with a fervent expression which suggests that any ‘quality time’ is going to mean sex.
Stefan feigns a sigh that swiftly becomes a grin as Klaus pulls Stefan to him.
Recipient: butterfly
Author: swirlsofblue
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Stefan/Rebekah, Stefan/Caroline, Stefan/Klaus
Word Count: 2,703
Warnings: Mild sexual content, mentions of violence.
Summary: Events during relationships Stefan has had, from beginning to end.
Author's Notes: I loved all the prompts so I incorporated them into one fic but started with the prompt; night out on the town, dancing.
1921
Stefan wanders around the block, searching, he’s in the mood for one of those overly confident girls who seem to loiter around nearby--maybe he’ll even find one wearing trousers. Rebekah slinks ahead of him, focused on the hunt with a grace and poise that constantly draws Stefan’s gaze.
“How about her?” Rebekah asks, nodding towards a slight girl with precise waves in her auburn hair.
“How about something else?” Stefan replies, spinning the older vampire around smoothly.
“Mr Salvatore,” Rebekah mock scolds with a lilting purr.
“I know, I know, it’s not going to be that easy,” Stefan says, reiterating what Rebekah has said several times before, palms up in a gesture of surrender.
“I would welcome a demonstration of your supposed talents,” Rebekah states demurely, finally allowing Stefan to wrap her in an embrace.
Stefan smirks, downplaying how long he has waited for this, and leans in for a kiss. Rebekah returns the kiss, hands curled tight upon each other; it’s passionate and all encompassing, and any thoughts of feeding are forgotten.
**
Matching wide smiles adorn their lips that night as they dance at Gloria’s. Stefan leads with all the confidence that his flawless movements merit.
“Don’t show off Stefan,” Rebekah chides, taking advantage of his momentary pause she twirls him around.
Others glare at Rebekah’s forward behaviour, Stefan laughs with amusement. It’s when they go to feed that Stefan becomes nervous, so few go well with his particular brand of peculiar peccadilloes, especially vampires.
She plays hard and fast, ripping apart the humans alongside him, but stops instantly as Stefan begins to despair, and he fears judgement as he wearily places a calf atop a foot. Rebekah only gives him a soft smile, and finds an arm--proceeding to place it against the torso--Stefan smiles; pleased to have her support. A few minutes later, when Stefan begins to feel itchy inside at the thought of continuing with her there, she doesn’t need to be told to leave, and she does so without the petulance he would expect from her.
Rebekah’s instincts are flawless, and she only takes part in his kills when he needs her there. They drink and dance the nights away, the epitome of elegance and style. As time goes by Stefan’s feelings slowly grow.
Rebekah accepts him the way he is, and Stefan loves her for it; loves that she doesn’t judge his excesses because she understands who he is, who they are, and at the same time doesn’t breach the bounds of his measured cruelty. He smiles inwardly as she chastises lightly--telling him not to be mean; contrary to the many accountings of the remorseless ripper in vampire lore, Stefan feels broken enough to try to put them back together afterwards. Rebekah loves all of him, remorseless and remorseful parts alike, and he loves all of her in return.
**
When his memory returns, the emotion that returns with it isn’t the same. The memories seem like they happened yesterday; freshly revealed happenings in his mind, but the emotions are of long ago. Rebekah was someone he loved; there is the appropriate nostalgia and joy that comes with the thought, nothing more. He thinks it’s a shame even as he manipulates her; he hasn’t gotten that sort of genuine understanding since (Elena’s understanding, though heartfelt, was always too mired in ignorance) but he would be fooling himself if he tried to turn gratitude and appreciation into love.
**
2012
“Let’s go out tonight,” Caroline says, her voice a patented mix of determined-organiser induced insistence and stubborn enthusiasm.
“Caroline,” Stefan replies, with friendly reproach that’s strong enough to convey his point; “we’re supposed to be laying low.”
“We’ve been laying low for months; if we don’t want to get caught we should do something unpredictable--like going out,” states Caroline, as though it’s flawless logic.
“Fine,” Stefan says indulgently, mainly because he thinks they both need it, but partly because her endless optimism despite her stark awareness of their reality is just one of the many things he loves about Caroline.
After the whole coffin debacle, they’re still on the run from Klaus, and haven’t been able to take enough breaths in the interim between being lost and being found. Stefan plans on using the opportunity to relax.
“You dressed up!” Caroline squeals excitedly, as she brings out her own outfits for him to help her make a selection.
Stefan looks at the way Caroline looks at each dress before suggesting; “the blue one,” and watches her face light up.
“You have taste,” Caroline says, like they don’t both know she was looking for reassurance; the old insecure parts of her don’t appear often but she loathes them more than any other part of herself.
Caroline drives them to a club that she says she has always wanted to go to.
“Let us in,” Caroline orders the bouncer smoothly.
Stefan has to stop himself from taking a step back--a large step back, maybe all the way to the car--when he enters the place. The pounding baseline is caustically loud enough to annoy most humans, let alone vampires with super-hearing. And they’re both very definitely over-dressed, Stefan doesn’t ask why they dressed up so much to come here; it’s a stupid question.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Stefan asks instead.
“Yes, it’s supposed to look like a dive; that’s the point, what’s the matter, scared you won’t be able to keep up,” Caroline challenges, subtly pointing out a small crowd around two men break-dancing.
“Not at all, I was just thinking I’ve been break-dancing in much nicer places than this,” Stefan says.
“You have not!” Caroline says, voice high in self-mimicking-mockery, Caroline’s surprise at his adventures has become somewhat of a bit.
“Your surprise is delightful Caroline,” Stefan says, playing along.
Stefan gets them some bright orange drinks, and they stand at a high table chatting about various books and television and people--no Mystic Falls or monster talk is the night’s rule.
They’re on the dance floor when a gap opens up and Stefan chooses to take advantage.
“Watch this,” he tells Caroline with a smirk.
Stefan doesn’t think as he moves, everything coming naturally as he moves from spinning on his side to his head, flipping from his back onto his feet. He can hear the crowds’ cheers. For his finale he manoeuvres over to Caroline and lifts her into the air above him, and drops her before catching her again in a spin.
When they move off the dance floor Stefan notices how Caroline’s face has once more lit up with delight, and suddenly something clicks inside him, and he swirls her towards him swiftly, running on some inexplicable electricity. It’s quick and spontaneous, and it’s over almost before Stefan realises what he has done.
“Why did you kiss me!?” Caroline exclaims.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened.”
“You did not just kiss me!” Caroline says in her familiar high self-mocking tone, with arms crossed and a mischievous smile.
“Should I be insulted, unless you think I’m not in your league, why shouldn’t we kiss?” Stefan parries back, deflating with relief.
“You’re right,” Caroline answers his tease seriously, and pulls him into another kiss.
“Wait, what are we doing?” Stefan asks carefully.
“What did I tell you about worrying so much,” Caroline says, it’s the final word, and the proceeding actions pretty much speak for themselves.
**
Stefan and Caroline continue moving from place to place, and everything stays pretty much the same--their friendship transforming into a relationship with relative ease. Sometimes Stefan decides where they’re going; taking her into wonderful nooks and crannies of the world, and sometimes Caroline decides; pulling Stefan along to big glamorous cities, and forcing him to let go.
At one point Klaus catches Stefan, but then after a couple of days gets bored and just lets him go, no longer chasing them and no strings attached. Caroline knows it’s far too easy but is too concerned about Stefan to push it. He never tells her what happened.
Years go by, but as Caroline gets older the need to head out on her own becomes a stronger and stronger urge. Until one day she just has to get it out or she feels she might burst. She bakes Stefan a cake. It’s delicious if she does say so herself.
“Stefan, I have to leave,” she states bluntly, gelatinous icing still sticky on her teeth.
Stefan frowns for a moment before affecting a look of concern;
“what’s wrong?”
“It’s just since I’ve become a vampire I’ve always had you here helping me, and I need to go and ‘find myself’ or whatever, I sound really silly don’t I?”
“You don’t sound silly at all. I actually think it’s a good idea,” Stefan says softly, before adding jokingly, “We’re vampires Caroline--the relationship self-help books don’t exactly cover us--we live forever, and all of us have to go explore the world on our own sometime.”
They come back to each other every few years. The first time they return to each other, they are massively excited to see each other, falling into bed almost instantly. The third and fourth times they are still excited, but it has turned into a different kind of excitement; of friends who haven’t seen each other in a long while.
**
The sixth time they find each other is when everything changes.
“Stefan, I have something to tell you,” Caroline says softly, surreptitiously sipping from a blood bag.
Stefan knows what’s coming, and is somewhat relieved at not having to broach the subject himself. For him it feels as though he fell out of love with Caroline as quickly as he fell in love with her. Their friendship is still precious to him though, and he’s not sure what he can say to preserve it. He nods at her, listening as she speaks.
“Things with us seem to be changing, they’re different, and I don’t know, I don’t want to lose what we have because you’re my best friend, but it would be unfair to just pretend I thought we could still be more, so I think we should break up. But I really want us to still be friends, and I don’t mean that in the ‘things you say to soften a break up’ way, I mean we’re going to stay friends, if you’re okay with it…”
“It’s okay Caroline, I understand, in fact I feel the same way,” Stefan says, cutting off Caroline’s speedy ramble.
“Good. That’s good,” Caroline says, beaming genuinely.
They sit together quietly for a string of moments, until Caroline suddenly says;
“Let’s go out tonight.”
And just like that they slide back into their friendship like an old sweater.
**
2103
Stefan’s working as a bar tender because it’s something to do, and he likes listening to peoples’ problems. It’s not a busy night so he notices immediately when the new customer enters. He continues pouring drinks, feigning indifference.
“Well, who do we have here?” the voice cuts through Stefan like sharpened wood.
“What are you doing here Klaus?” he asks, under no illusion; the older vampire is here looking for him.
“I’m here to drink, I don’t suppose there’s anyone you’d recommend?” Klaus says smirking as he saunters onto a barstool.
Stefan only has to consider him for a moment to realise that there’s no threat. He sends a knowing smile Klaus’s way.
“Klaus, did you miss me?” he jibes, can’t help but poke; Klaus brings out his inner recklessness.
“You should be more concerned about what people are slipping in your drinks; don’t accept the freebies Stefan, it will all end in tears.”
“Fine, if you missing me is so crazy; why did you find me?” Stefan asks, directing a poignant look at Klaus.
“Plenty of time for talk later,” Klaus says with a cheery inflection, “now drinks!”
Stefan places the whiskey on the bar, already knowing it would be ordered, and moves on to other customers. He makes a point of avoiding Klaus for the rest of the night, only going near to deliver drinks, and chats with other customers instead. Surprisingly Klaus doesn’t try to attract his attention with something outlandish; he doesn’t even move from his seat.
There’s a moment when Stefan is free and catches sight of Klaus; the elder vampire is hunched slightly, a defeated expression on his face. Something inside Stefan aches, but he ignores it, only approaching him once the remainder of the bar flies have left.
“I suppose you want me to leave,” Klaus says in a haunted voice that Stefan doesn’t recognise.
“You can stay, come on, talk to the bar tender, tell me what’s wrong?” Stefan says in his ironic bar tender voice; the one that convinces people that it’s a good idea to take worldly advice from someone who looks seventeen.
“I’m tired,” the older vampire replies, before adding “of everything.”
“Then maybe it’s time for something new,” Stefan says, tone laden with implications, as he leans in close to Klaus.
“I don’t give out second chances Stefan,” Klaus says dully.
“What do you mean?”
“You rejected me,” Klaus states plainly.
“I was with Caroline,” Stefan argues.
Klaus just sighs.
“Follow me,” Stefan says, closing up the bar and grabbing his things.
He takes Klaus up to one of the rooftops a few blocks away, with one hell of a view.
“Very pretty,” Klaus says sarcastically with a massive fake grin.
“Give me a break, it’s short notice, and I don’t do blood baths anymore, besides the view isn’t the point.”
“So what is?”
“You followed,” Stefan points out.
In lieu of a response, Klaus merely rolls his eyes and pulls Stefan into a rough kiss, tearing at his clothes, and Stefan goes with it.
**
Stefan and Klaus stay in the town where Stefan is working; he has at least two more years before his face gives him away, and it’s good to have some stability amidst the madness. Klaus is overly possessive but he also gives Stefan all of his attention, it’s an obsessive focus and Stefan actually enjoys it. Klaus hangs out at the bar, turning his charm on the regulars, and snacking on anyone who looks at Stefan in a way he dislikes. But he stops short of killing them and Stefan appreciates the concession; knows Klaus wouldn’t bother unless Stefan’s feelings mattered to him.
It’s passionate and fiery. And every now and then it explodes.
“If you betray me, I will destroy you,” Klaus hisses darkly one day, holding Stefan by his throat.
“Calm down and let me go,” Stefan says softly, but with steel in his voice that brooks no argument.
Klaus puts him down, though Stefan knows it’s with reluctance.
“You need to trust me, and I need to have room to breathe,” Stefan tells him.
Klaus grumbles agreement and putters off, and Stefan knows the fight will be forgotten until next time; it’s not ideal but it works for them.
Their relationship doesn’t seem to hold the understanding he had with Rebekah, or the casual ease it had with Caroline, but somehow that makes it better. Him and Klaus have to fight for their relationship, but Stefan realises it’s something worth fighting for.
**
Stefan wakes to the distant rumble of thunder and the murmur of clouds on the brink of releasing a torrent. He makes a move to rise but is halted by Klaus’s hand.
Stefan allows Klaus’s fingers to stay gripping his wrist, as though they have always lingered there. As though Stefan has lived his entire existence held captive by Klaus, and is amusedly indifferent to it. Ignoring Klaus he picks up his copy of lord of the flies, and begins to read, and for once his lover doesn’t demand his immediate attention, Stefan holds in a smirk. It’s that moment that the rain begins, clattering loudly against the windows.
“Anything to do today?” Stefan asks, with a look conveying that this is as good a chance as any to spend some quality time together.
“Nothing that can’t wait for tomorrow,” Klaus responds, with a fervent expression which suggests that any ‘quality time’ is going to mean sex.
Stefan feigns a sigh that swiftly becomes a grin as Klaus pulls Stefan to him.