Bloodlust → Stefan Salvatore [1]

Kill Or Be Killed

      I slowly open my eyes to see Stefan lying beside me in my bed. As shocked as I am to see him, I can't help but laugh.

"Hi." I whisper. "Hi." He repeats back to me. I rest my arm on his arm, and us my other one to pull him into a kiss. It tastes sweet, giving me a sudden rush of excitement. I pull back, as a smile wipes across my face.

"Ready for today?" He asks me. "No. I hate fighting with you, even if it it's fake."

"I know. But if Katherine thinks that we're fighting, then she'll think that she's winning. That keeps her from following through on her threats."

"Yeah, well, that doesn't make it easier. Neither does knowing Caroline will be there reporting everything back to her." I roll my eyes.

"Hey, everything is gonna be okay." He says, kissing the side of my head. Yes, we have to keep up this ruse for a little while, it's the best way to keep Katherine from hurting anybody-- from hurting you."

"Just promise me that she won't get her way with us. We can fake a fight. We can pretend that her threats are tearing us apart. But none of it's real, okay?"

"Okay, how about this? If I say, "I just can't do this anymore, Blake," it means I love you." I chuckle.

"Okay, and if I say, "fine, Stefan. Whatever," it means I love you too."

Mystic Falls' Historical Society Volunteer Day is a town "holiday" where people come together to do community work for the town. It's a sad and easy way for the people in this town to get others to take care of the trash. I'm being dead serious. So, here I am, painting a white gazebo brown. A bucket of paint hits the ground beside me, I glance up to see Caroline begin painting the railing beside me.

"Hey, how are you doing?" I shrug. I look over to see Stefan sawing a big piece of wood. "How are things with you and Stefan, anything?"

"No, not since the fight. He's been pushing me away because he thinks that Katherine might get jealous enough to hurt me. I just don't know how to change his mind." I lie without thinking.

"You said that Katherine is dangerous. Maybe he's got a point." She tries to tell me.

"Yeah, I know that she's dangerous, and I know that he's just trying to protect me. But it feels like giving up. And I-- I just..." I trail off. "Just what?" Caroline asks me, kneeling down beside me. "I just thought that we were stronger than that." I sigh.

Caroline sets down her paint brush, I look up to see Stefan glance away, quick. I roll my eyes, Caroline opens her mouth.

"Uh-oh, longing looks are being exchanged." I stand up.

"I'm gonna go talk to him."

"No, Blake. I think it's a bad idea. I--" I cut Caroline off by walking off of the gazebo and towards Stefan. We look at each other right in the eyes, until I become face to face with him. He can't seem to look me straight in the eye.

"Do you still care about Katherine?" I ask him, he sighs.

"Don't do this. Please, don't turn this into something it's not."