Vampire Diaries Imagines

Closing the Distance - Jeremy Gilbert

Y/N wasn't herself lately. The lively, sharp-witted girl who could light up a room with a single quip or sarcastic remark was now quiet, her gaze often fixed on some unseen point in the distance. Even when she was surrounded by people, she seemed utterly alone-lost in thought, trapped in her own head.

Jeremy had noticed it from the moment she walked through the door of the Gilbert house. Her hugs had been a little weaker, her laugh quieter, and the spark that usually danced in her eyes was dim. She smiled at him and Elena, sure, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Jeremy tried to ignore it at first, hoping it was just an off day. But when days turned into weeks and Y/N's light seemed to dim further, he couldn't keep his worry bottled up any longer.

It was late afternoon when he found her in the living room. Elena had gone out, leaving the two of them alone in the house. Y/N sat curled up on the couch, staring blankly at a book she wasn't even reading. Her fingers absently played with the corner of the page, her mind clearly elsewhere.

"Y/N," Jeremy called softly, leaning against the doorway.

She didn't respond, her head still in the clouds.

"Y/N/N," he said again, a little louder this time as he walked over to her.

Her head snapped up, startled, as if she'd forgotten he was even there. "Oh, hey," she said, forcing a smile that didn't fool him for a second. "Sorry, I was just... thinking."

"From what I can tell you've been doing a lot of that lately," he said, sitting down beside her. His dark eyes searched hers, concern etched into his face. "What's going on? You've been... different. Distant."

"I'm fine," she said quickly, looking away. But her tone was unconvincing, and Jeremy wasn't about to let her brush him off.

"Don't do that," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "Don't shut me out. Talk to me, Y/N/N. Please."

Her lower lip quivered for a moment before she pressed it tightly together, clearly fighting the emotions threatening to spill over. Jeremy waited patiently, giving her the space to gather her thoughts. Finally, she sighed and leaned back against the couch.

"I just... feel like I'm losing myself," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Like I'm stuck in this constant cycle of pretending everything's okay when it's not. And I don't even know how to fix it. I don't even know where to start."

Jeremy's heart ached at her confession. He reached out, his hand gently brushing hers before lacing their fingers together.

"You don't have to go through this alone," he said softly. "Whatever's going on, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she looked at him. "You don't understand, Jeremy. It's like... I'm surrounded by people, but I feel completely alone. And I hate feeling like this because I know it's not fair to you or Elena or anyone else who actually cares about me."

Jeremy shook his head. "Hey, stop. You don't have to apologize for how you're feeling. You're allowed to have bad days-or weeks, or even months. But I need you to know that you're not alone, no matter what your head tries to tell you. I see you, Y/N/N. And I care about you so much. More than you probably realize."

His words broke something inside her, and a single tear slipped down her cheek. Jeremy reached up, his thumb gently wiping it away. She let out a shaky breath and leaned her forehead against his, her walls finally crumbling.

"I'm scared, Jer," she whispered. "What if I never feel like myself again?"

"You will," he promised, his voice steady. "And until you do, I'll be here to remind you of who you are. Every step of the way."