TVD imagines/preferences

You self harm

*TRIGGER WARNING: talk of self harm*

Also- important A/N at the end.x

Stefan: Usually, you would love the summer time; feeling the sun on your skin and the breeze through your hair, but this year was a little different. This year you were covered up in a long-sleeve shirt instead of donning your tank top or your flowy blouse. This year you had suffered through more stress, grief, loss and heartache than ever before. And this year, your arms were left littered with small cuts that were unbeknownst to anyone but yourself.

You had felt deep pain and suffering those past few months- so much so, that you found your mind to be riddled with nothing but the constant thoughts of those you had lost- those you had all lost. Having these emotions cooped up inside of you, you deemed venting it all out to your friends as unfair, when in reality, that's exactly what they were there for. So you hid your pain, and opted on trying to deal with it on your own, for fear of passing it down to those you loved. But instead, the grief ate away at you, bit by bit.

>>

The hallways of Mystic Falls high were buzzing with students as you shimmied your way through the sea of people, and to your locker. Stefan had returned to school again- all the drama having passed and him wanting to take any chance of feeling normal, and any chance of being close to you.

>>

He stood at his locker, directly across from your own as the cluster of students filled the walkway in between. In the midst of listening to Tyler's rambling, his eyes darted up to see you filing through your books, and a smile crossed his lips. To Stefan, you were the most important person in the world- you were the one source of light amidst all of of the darkness that had plagued Mystic Falls, and he felt nothing less than joy whenever he was around you.

You pushed yourself up onto your tippy toes to reach the top shelf of your locker- your sleeve riding down your forearm in the process. Stefan's eyes having still been on you- he caught sight of the small markings your sleeve had been concealing, and his heart just about dropped into his stomach as he connected the dots.

You quickly grabbed what you needed and pulled your arm back to your side, pulling your sleeve all the way down to your hand and grasping the cuff in your grip anxiously as you noticed Caroline making her way over.

"Hey!" She beamed brightly, her blonde curls bouncing as she pulled you into a hug- your smile being just as enthusiastic as her own, but Stefan could see right through it now, and he mentally kicked himself for not having seen it before. You were hurting. You were hurting and you hid it from everyone.

His brows etched together in sadness and his features hardened as he watched the scene play out before him; you, putting on a happy facade as to not reveal the pain you were really suffering through.

>>

He didn't confront you about it right away- knowing that the initial conversation would be difficult for you, and not wanting for you to have to talk about it while at school- surrounded by people. So he pulled himself together, and tried to get through the rest of the day- although not without each and every thought in his mind being consumed by his concern for you.

>>

The last bell had rung, signally the end of the day. Stefan collect his things- having watched the clock tick down the entire time before leaving the classroom in a rush. Speeding to your locker, he waited anxiously for you to arrive.