Vampire Diaries Imagines

Chicago Boutique - Stefan Salvatore

The boutique was bustling, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses swirling around me. Eliza and Ashleigh stood nearby, chattering excitedly as they browsed through racks of dresses. My attention had long drifted elsewhere-across the boutique, drawn to a presence I hadn't felt in over a century.

My heart tightened, an old ache flaring back to life. Stefan Salvatore.

It couldn't be.

But it was.

My gaze settled on him, noting every familiar detail, each feature etched into my memory like a bittersweet melody I thought I'd forgotten. The sharp lines of his face, the thoughtful crease in his brow as he observed his companions. I followed his gaze to see Klaus Mikaelson leaning back comfortably in an armchair beside him, sipping champagne, utterly at ease as his sister, Rebekah, twirled elegantly in front of a mirror.

Stefan Salvatore and Klaus Mikaelson-now there was a pairing I'd never imagined.

Questions flooded my mind, curiosity burning inside me. He didn't look comfortable, despite the composed expression he wore so convincingly. He looked like a prisoner-one bound by invisible chains of circumstance rather than actual shackles. My gut twisted at the realization.

Eliza's voice startled me back to the moment. "YNN, are you okay?"

"Hm?" I tore my gaze away quickly, forcing a gentle smile. "Sorry-just feeling a little crowded. I'll be outside if you need me."

Before either Eliza or Ashleigh could question me, I slipped out into the cool, fresh Chicago air, leaning back against the brick storefront and letting my eyes close as I steadied my breathing.

"YN?"

My eyes snapped open at the familiar voice-a voice I'd carried deep in my memories for far too long.

Stefan stood only a few feet away, uncertainty etched across his gentle features. He seemed hesitant, unsure if he should approach. For a heartbeat, neither of us moved, staring at each other, suspended between past and present.

"Stefan," I breathed, the name feeling strange yet comforting on my lips after so long. "It's really you."

His lips curled softly upward, that same sweet, cautious smile I remembered from over a hundred years ago. "It's me."

We both stood there, awkwardness lingering in the quiet between us. The street was calm and nearly deserted, granting us privacy I hadn't expected to find in the busy city. Finally, Stefan stepped closer, his green eyes quietly studying my face.

"You haven't changed," he said softly, wonder and surprise in his tone.

I laughed softly, looking down. "Neither have you."

"I almost didn't believe it when I saw you in there," he admitted quietly, stepping closer. "But I knew your face instantly."

I swallowed, feeling vulnerable in front of him. "Same here. Some things you just never forget."

His gaze softened even more. "I've thought about you, you know-over the years. Wondered what had happened to you."

"I've wondered about you too," I admitted softly. "I heard whispers of Mystic Falls over the decades-but I never expected I'd run into you... especially not here, and certainly not with Klaus. Much less with Rebekah in tow."

His expression hardened briefly at Klaus' name, a shadow crossing his face. "It's... complicated."

"I got that impression," I said gently. I didn't press him further, not yet. He clearly had his reasons.

His face then turned into one of confusion. "Wait, you know them?"

I sighed and looked in every direction that wasn't directed toward him for a moment. "More or less. Know of them is more like it. One could say I owe their brother my life. Elijah saved me back in 1868 after I was turned. He mentioned them in that time and had portraits of his family on his walls. But I never met the rest of the Mikaelson clan. Still don't plan to if I'm being honest with you. I've heard the stories."

"Don't blame you there," He hesitated for a moment, looking away before meeting my eyes again. "You're well, though?"

"I am," I replied honestly, offering him a gentle smile. "It hasn't always been easy, but I've found my way. And you?"

He nodded slowly. "Surviving."

We stood silently for another moment. Then Stefan stepped closer, his presence warm, familiar, comforting. He gently touched my arm, as if to confirm I was truly real, that I wasn't merely some ghost conjured by memory.

"I never thought I'd see you again," he whispered softly, sincerity shining through his words.

My heart clenched, old memories flooding back in an instant. "Me either."

"YNN," he began again, softer still, as though his next words were hard to speak. "Back then-after I turned, after I lost control-I never got the chance to say how sorry I was. That you had to see that side of me. That you had to know that darkness. You deserved better."

I reached out instinctively, placing my hand softly against his cheek, drawing his gaze fully back to me. "We all have shadows, Stefan. You and I both know that better than anyone. But the shadows aren't who you are. They never were."

A fragile relief flickered across his expression, and he exhaled softly, nodding slowly. "You always saw something good in me, didn't you?"

"Because it's always been there," I replied without hesitation. "You didn't know what was going to happen. Neither of us did, quite frankly. Hell, if Lexi didn't take you in when she did, I would have stayed with you, even in the chaos."

For a moment, we simply stood there, locked together by shared history, pain, and comfort, letting the silence hold us gently. Then Stefan glanced toward the boutique windows, where Klaus and Rebekah were undoubtedly still lingering.

"I should probably go back inside," he finally said reluctantly, the regret evident in his voice. "Before Klaus gets suspicious."

"I understand," I whispered, hiding the ache of disappointment that came with the reminder of our present realities.

He stepped closer, gently reaching out and softly brushing his fingertips along my hand. His touch lingered briefly, almost like he was memorizing the sensation.

"I'm glad I found you again," Stefan murmured quietly, his voice filled with quiet sincerity. "Truly."

My voice trembled just slightly, betraying emotions I hadn't intended to reveal. "Me too. But something tells me this won't be the last time. Hopefully by that time, you'll have broken chains and we can actually go stargazing like you promised me that night."

"I'd like that." He stated and offered me one last, reassuring smile, stepping away slowly before turning and slipping back into the store.

I stayed there, watching him disappear through the glass doors, my heart aching quietly at the bittersweet reunion. Fate had a strange way of crossing our paths-of bringing the past back into our present, if only for a fleeting moment.

But as painful as that moment was, I wouldn't trade it. Because, for a few brief minutes, Stefan Salvatore had been back in my life.