Peace

Sleepy afternoons

It was later in the night, the town and the world around them were asleep but Stefan and Elena were in her bed, the TV on in the background as they talked. His arms were wrapped around her and her head rested on his chest, it was quiet and peaceful, a blanket wrapped around them as they talked.

" So what's the deal with you and Tyler?" Stefan asked, playing with a strand of her hair.

Elena couldn't help the small giggle that escaped her lips at his small sign of jealousy, "we're just friends Stefan. He was the only person Klaus allowed around me and we've known each other since diapers. It's nice to have a friend here since you weren't speaking to me either."

Stefan nodded, "just be careful okay? He's sired so it's likely anything you tell him or ask him to do will get back to Klaus," he warned, his voice soft but stern.

"Why would Tyler do that?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hybrids are sired, which means they have to do whatever the person who turned them says, willingly or not. That's why Tyler doesn't fight anything Klaus tells him or he doesn't go around bashing the guy," Stefan explained.

Elena nodded, she guessed it had made sense. She had just assumed Tyler was just trying to cover his ass by not partaking in Elena's bashing of Klaus and how he did whatever Klaus asked the moment he was asked to do it.

Elena closed her eyes, sighing leaning into Stefan's body not wanting to fall asleep but feeling exhausted.

"You can sleep Elena, I'm not going anywhere," Stefan said softly.

"Yeah but what if I wake up and you're back to ignoring me because this was all some dream or something," Elena whispered hating to admit to how she felt.

"I promise that's not going to happen, once Klaus comes back we'll have to be more careful but until then you have my undivided attention." Stefan promised before taking her hand and kissing it gently. "You're safe with me Elena, you matter to me."

Something about that last part made Elena want to cry, because she knew when he said it he meant it. Elena knew as a person she mattered to Stefan, not as a means to an end the way it was with Klaus. It felt so good to be seen again, to matter to someone. She looked up at Stefan, her large doe eyes searching for any sign of lies in his green eyes, instead they just showed how earnest he was being in his words. Elena knew he was being as honest as he could be given everything going on in their world. She knew he would do anything in his power to keep her safe, even if it meant hurting himself in the long run. The last part scared her knowing the truth of their reality.

It was like falling in love all over again over the next few days, hand holding and kisses on cheeks, sweet smiles and gentle teasing. It was so easy between the two of them, like things hadn't totally changed over the past five months, and their days turned into a week. They formed a routine barely ever leaving each other alone, even when Elena was working on school stuff Stefan sat in the room, sometimes adding his input, or just sitting there reading next to her as she worked.

"Klaus texted and said he's sending a nurse on Wednesday to take your blood," Stefan said, putting his phone down on the bedside table. 

Elena frowned at that, she hated how she felt after he took her blood, last time he'd taken just enough to keep her alive and all she wanted to do for the next few days were sleep. Elena wanted to be present during this time with Stefan, she didn't want to feel awful for a few days after and have him worrying about her. Elena also knew she didn't have a say in the matter, maybe having Stefan there would make it better somehow.

"You'll be there right?" Elena asked looking over at Stefan trying to keep the worry out of her voice.

"Where else would I be Elena?" Stefan asked, looking at her. "He also said he might come pick it up by the end of the week or he'll send a hybrid to do it," he added clearly Stefan didn't like the idea of any intruding on their privacy.

"So we'll go back to ignoring each other when he gets here, it's not like he's planning on staying right?" Elena asked, maybe sleeping out be her best way out of things with Klaus.

"Unless Klaus finds some reason to stay," Stefan agreed, watching Elena closely as if trying to read her mind.