Vampire Diaries Imagines

Hand-in-Armed - Alaric Saltzman

I had just returned home after a long training session with Jeremy. Having just learned his destiny of the Brotherhood hunters, he needs to gain strength and knowledge. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, casting a soft twilight over the Salvatore boarding house. I was tired but satisfied with the progress that Jer had made in the past few days.

As I entered the house, the delicious aroma of dinner being prepared wafted through the air. It was a rare treat to come home to a home-cooked meal, and I couldn't help but smile. YN Salvatore had always been a culinary virtuoso like her older brothers. If her peaceful demeanor, kind nature, and loving heart wasn't enough to lure you in, her cooking was most definitely the thing that caught you.

I made my way to the kitchen, my boots thudding against the wooden floor. I could hear her moving around in there, and I decided to put on a facade of mild irritation, just to tease her a bit.

"YN," I called out with mock exasperation. "You know, some of us have been out working hard, training young hunters all day."

I heard a soft chuckle from the kitchen, and YN's voice replied, "Oh, Ric, don't be such a drama queen. I'm just trying to keep you from eating takeout every night. You haven't seemed to complain about it since moving in here anyways. I'll take the mental win either way you want to look at it."

I stepped into the kitchen, and there she was with her YHC hair pulled back in a ponytail, standing by the stove. She was wearing a faded old T-shirt and jeans, looking as comfortable as ever. I had seen many pictures of her throughout the different decades she had lived through but yet something about her in an oversized shirt and a nice pair a skinny jeans that made her look more comfortable than anything else she has ever worn.

I raised an eyebrow, deciding to playfully confront her. "Would I be counted as even more of a drama queen in your book if I was to question the fact you've been training Jeremy behind my back?"

YN's YEC eyes met mine, and she grinned sheepishly. "You would. In fact, I'm quite surprised you didn't find out sooner than now considering it was my brother that asked me to do it. Something about you didn't have the time and Damon didn't have the patience. You teach him weaponry and I teach him hand-to-hand. Nothing more than helping out a little."

I leaned against the kitchen counter; my arms crossed over my chest. "You know, I've been his mentor, trying to keep him safe from all the vampire craziness. And here you are, swooping in with your combat skills."

YN laughed, her melodic voice filling the room. "Ric, it's not a competition. We're all in this together, right? Besides you're training, teaching, and who knows what else. You don't need to take on the world too. Whatever little bit I can do, I will."

I couldn't help but smile, my faux annoyance melting away. YN was right, as always. "It amazes me every single time how selfless you truly are. You get that from Stefan, don't you."

She turned her attention back to the stove, stirring a pot of simmering sauce. "I had a great mentor myself growing up, two at one point. That was until we were turned, and he vowed to make Stefan's life a living hell and I had to be dragged along for the ride." She then pulled the garlic bread that she had made to pair with the alfredo she had just finished up out of the oven. "Ric would you be a doll and set the table for the two of us."

"Just us two tonight?" I questioned. "Why?"

The youngest Salvatore sibling raised her eyebrows for a split second before replying, "Stefan's still out on the road with Elena, God knows when they'll be back. As for Damon, he said he would be in late, and I didn't care to question him on it." She said looking at me. "I try to keep myself oblivious to what he does in case I get questioned about it, keep things in my personal life just a little bit simpler and less dramatic."

I chuckled and moved to grab some plates and utensils, grateful for YN's unwavering support and her willingness to do whatever it took to keep our little circle of the world safe. It wasn't just about hunting vampires or being one; it was about the bonds we had formed and taking care of one another. Both things YNN could do without giving it a second thought. That kind of thing was in her nature, just like helping me train Jeremy or taking over Stefan's roll of the shoulder to cry on.