#non-humanity stefan

[misschanadlerbong]

Hi so I was wondering if I could request a stelena one shot where no humanity/ripper Stefan x Elena? Perhaps Stefan being protective towards Elena or something like that? Please and Thank You!

Always and Forever

A/N: This is upon the request of a very special friend who has an undying love for Stelena. Thank you so much for requesting this, I have never written a character x character fiction before and this was so exciting. Hope you like it <3 p.s. sorry for the delay!

Summary: So this fiction is based on the timeline of when the travelers did their spell and made Mystic Falls vampire free and Bonnie and Damon were stuck on the other side. Elena is still a human in this one because it's AU and she was together with Stefan until he turned his humanity off because he could not handle the pain. He leaves Elena which makes the situation worse. One night, Elena is attacked by a newbie vampire, would Stefan be there to save her or would he lose control?

Word Count: 2k

Genre: Elena x Stefan, ripper!stefan, nh!stefan, TVD!AU, angst and ending with fluff.

Warnings: Mentions of blood.

“Elena? …. Elena?” called out Caroline.

Elena soon zoned in, “Yeah, Caroline I was just thinking about…”

“Stefan?” said Caroline raising an eyebrow at her.

“No, actually I was thinking about what to gift you for your birthday.”

It has been nearly a month since the travelers sacrificed themselves and made mystic falls vampire-free. It was not easy for anyone. Bonnie and Damon could not make it through the other side. Elena and Caroline were missing their best friend and Stefan was missing the only family he had his brother Damon.

Caroline could not spend time with her mother. As Caroline couldn’t cross the Mystic Falls border, they had to meet just outside of Mystic Falls. Elena had it worse of all. She lost her best friend and her boyfriend Stefan. Stefan finally had the hope to get his best friend Lexi back but unfortunately Luke abruptly stopped Liv from doing the spell leaving Bonnie, Damon, and Lexi on the other side.

When Stefan got the news that Lexi and Damon are not coming back, he was devastated. He could not handle that pain and in turn, he flipped his humanity switch. No one could get him to turn his humanity back on. That was the thing with Stefan, he was an escapist he wanted to escape from all the overwhelming emotions and the thought of never seeing his brother ever again. He knew the consequences of turning into a ripper, but the pain of losing his brother overcame the love he had for his girl. He could not bear the loss and somehow felt that it was all his fault.

His ripper side worried everyone. He got admission into Whitmore college and started recklessly feeding off the students with no remorse.

Elena with help of her friends tried it all, the sweet talk of love, trying to show him hope, trying to tell him that their love is worth holding on to. When the talks failed, they adopted ‘The Lexi Method’. In some way, Enzo deceived Stefan and injected him with vervain. They locked him up, tortured him, and starved him. Nothing seemed to work, he was acting extremely stubborn this time. One day when Enzo went in to check on Stefan, he was surprised to see him gone. He had escaped and was nowhere to be found.

Elena lost all hope to get the love of her life back. She was not a vampire who could just turn her emotions off, she was a human and had no way to escape the feelings. She felt hollow and did want to have that spark of hope anymore. She soon realized that she had to keep herself together, she had to go through her life, and she had to keep moving. Maybe the love she was holding onto was not worth it and if their love was real Stefan would find a way back to her.

To distract herself she decided to throw Caroline a birthday party. To Elena it does not matter if her world was falling apart, she always wanted the best for her friends and she wanted everyone to make a fresh start, therefore she planned a surprise party for Caroline at the McKinley diner near their college since they could not go to the Grill. Back to the present, there she was sitting lifeless at the table “pretending” to enjoy the party.

“Oh, come on Elena, snap out of!” said Caroline as she knew Elena was lying to her about forgetting about Stefan. She knew her best friend more than anyone in the world.

“You need to get over that selfish man who could not even hold onto the love you had for him. Look around so many cute and hot guys are here at the party, and Liam hasn’t taken his eyes off of you the whole night, you should go talk to him aren’t you guys in the same class?”

“Yes, Caroline we are. But I am not in the mood for talking to guys and stuff,” said Elena.

Caroline pouted at the response “No I am not listening to you, it’s my birthday and you have to do as the birthday girl says,” she demanded.

Caroline was not wrong. Elena was a beautiful girl, and she wore a black laced V-neck dress exposing her cleavage but in a cute way. Elena could date any guy she wanted to, but she still missed Stefan, he was her soulmate after all.

But as Caroline insisted further, she walked up to Liam and talked to him. He was sweet, respectful, and hot. For a while Elena felt good, she had a smile on her face that was missing for the past month, and after a long time, she was happy.

She decided to leave for the dormitory early as she wanted to spend some time alone with herself and reflect on her thoughts.

“Hey, could I walk you to your room?” asked Liam politely.

“Um, thank you so much for asking Liam, but you should enjoy the party, it's still early. I'll be fine.”

“Yeah, yeah sure! So, see you in class?”

“Yeah, see you!” Elena smiled and proceeded towards the college.

The night was cold as it was October. Elena forgot to bring her coat and wanted to reach her room as fast as possible. Elena looked up and the sight of the night sky was alluring. The stars were shining brightly, and the pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw. She sighed and grinned at the sight in front of her eyes.

As she was walking towards the college, Stefan appeared in front of her out of nowhere and started walking with her. But she did not care, she was hurt enough and did not want to let her guard down again. She ignored him and started walking on her path.

“So, you are ignoring me now?” asked Stefan.

“What do you want Stefan?”

“Nothing, I just thought you could use some company as you are alone. Is it safe for you to be all alone at this hour of the night?” questioned Stefan.

“Why do you even care? Huh? You left me remember?”

“Oh no, I do not care at all. I don’t care if you are bitten by a vampire or get attacked by some drunk asshole. I just wanted to have some company because I was getting bored and look you are in a need of company too.”

Elena scoffed, “Well the vampire who was rashly feeding ran away so I guess I am safe," said Elena savagely.

Before Stefan could say anything, Elena continued, “you don’t get to do this Stefan. There was a man who loved me, who would do anything to protect me, but he left me and with him, all my feelings for him left too. He could not care less about the connection we had, about the memories we had. He left me. You don’t get to show up anytime you want to and pretend like you did not do anything like you didn’t hurt anyone. Just leave me alone, okay? I do not want you here no one does.”

Elena was on the verge of crying, but she did not want to show Stefan that she cared. She was strong enough to tell him that he made a mistake. Stefan stood there speechless as Elena walked away from him. Doesn't matter how hard she tried, the memories flooded back to her, she started thinking about the time when they were together and how he would do anything to save her. But unfortunately, that Stefan was far gone, and this thought made her sob and tears started streaming down her face as she continued walking.

She stopped abruptly as she saw a tall man standing in front of her, she was terrified and for a moment lost all her senses. Her heart was racing inside her chest as the man started walking closer to her, she reached for the pepper spray in her bag and sprayed it all over his face. This gave her a little head start and she ran as fast as she could, but that man was faster and as she turned she saw him standing right in front of her with the speed of light. She realized that he was a vampire. She gasped and decided to run again but before she could take any action, the vampire sunk his fangs into Elena’s neck.

Elena drowned in a terrifying blankness, the pain was hot and sharp. She could not scream, and tears started flowing down her eyes as she started losing consciousness. Before the vampire could suck more blood, he was thrown away from her and Elena fell to the ground. She was not strong enough to stand but she could see everything that was happening. Stefan came to her rescue. Stefan was infuriated by the incident and had no control over his anger, he walked up to the vampire in rage and ripped his heart out.

Stefan soon realized that Elena was hurt and needed help. He saw Elena and froze at the sight. Elena’s blood was rushing out of her body frantically and Stefan started losing control. He could smell her blood, he could hear the veins pumping inside her body, his face turned blue-black and his eyes red. He felt helpless and uneasy.

“Stefan, please don’t,” Elena whined. “Stefan, please don’t hurt me. You can control it, Stefan, just breathe.”

Stefan shut his eyes and took a deep breath. The veins started disappearing from his face and his eyes came back to normal. He rushed towards Elena and knelt on her body. He took her into his arms and bit one of his wrists to feed her some of his blood to save her life as she was losing consciousness. Elena started feeling better and glared into Stefan’s beautiful green eyes, the eyes she missed staring into.

“You flipped your switch?” Elena whimpered.

“Yes, I did. I am so sorry Elena. I should not have done that. I should not have left you alone, I should have understood that you were going through the same thing. You lost your best friend too. I am so sorry to abandon you like that and to turn my back on you. I promise that I am here with you. We will go through this together. I love you so much and I never want to leave you ever again. I committed a terrible mistake, Elena, please forgive me.”

Tears were streaming down Stefan’s eyes as he could see that just because of him Elena was hurt and that she could have died tonight. He was hurt because of the pain that Elena had to go through because of him and he was apologetic about it. He wanted to make everything okay. He was trapped under a pile of guilt and felt terrible.

“It’s okay Stefan. I forgive you. There is nothing more than okay to know that you are here with me and that you turned your humanity back on. I love you too Stefan, more than anything. I am so glad that you were here to save me, I could have died,” said Elena wiping tears off Stefan’s face while sobbing.

Stefan cut her off and said, “Hey, don’t say that. And I feel terrible that you had to nearly die to get my humanity back.  I am here for you always and remember you are Elena Gilbert, you always survive.” Elena lightly chucked and said, “I love you, Stefan, we are in this together.”

Stefan held her tight like he was never going to let her go ever again. He loved her and she loved him. The connection between them was impenetrable. They were soulmates and no matter what the circumstances were, they always found a way back to each other.

 Stefan kissed her forehead, and whispered in her ears while he engulfed her in a hug, “I love you more, always and forever.”

A/N: This is the kinda love I crave, aren't they adorable? and tysm for requesting this Mae, I enjoyed writing this a lot. It's nice to go unconventional and do something you have never done before, anyways...

Shower your love by liking and commenting on the post. Refrain from copying, plagiarism, or posting on any other platform.

THANK YOU!!!

P.S.: I also upload on Wattpad @immafreakingmoonstone, feel free to check out my account :)

[self-titled-lives]

thinking about matilda by PUP again and crying

[homunculus-argument]

"Uh, human? Can we discuss the state of your living quarters?"

"Did we not agree that nobody will enter my room without my presence or touch anything there without my consent?"

"Yes, of course. I just wanted to inquire whether you're aware of the hostile life form in your residence. I can see that your confusion seems genuine, but I find it dubious that such a large and aggressive creature could sneak into the facility entirely unaided and unobserved. It attacked me on sight."

"Hostile life f- oh you mean my dog. No, that's Stefan. He is a part of my contract. He is my symbiotic life form and his presence here is non-negotiable."

"Symbiotic life form?! With all due respect, how is that creature symbiotic to you? What kind of a benefit does he offer to your health and wellbeing?"

"Keeping you from entering my room without permission, apparently."

[writingquestionsanswered]

Hey! I was wondering. Does it still counts as plagiarism if one of your ideas gets tweaked, but the premise and even the character's motivation and personality remains the same in the story, although is with another name? (Not even the name if honest.)

How could I protect my work from this? More important, is there any way or it is possible to protect ideas? Or the protection only applies for the work itself?

Thanks in advance!

Tweaked Ideas and Plagiarism

Premises and ideas can't be protected. It's how the premise and ideas are executed that matters. One of my favorite examples of this is The Vampire Diaries vs Twilight. Premise-wise, they're almost identical...

🗸 17-year old "non-magical" girl protagonist 🗸 (she's actually secretly magical... sort of...) 🗸 Protagonist has parental issues 🗸 Mystical small town setting 🗸 Protagonist unaware of town's supernatural undercurrent 🗸 Protagonist meets hot "born-in-a-prior-century" vampire at school 🗸 His senses allow him to identify her among all other students 🗸 They fall in love 🗸 She gets sucked into supernatural shenanigans 🗸 She finds out she has friends who are secretly supernatural 🗸 Dangerous ancient council creates more shenanigans 🗸 Eventually she becomes a vampire

It looks bad on paper, but it's the myriad differences that make these stories completely unique. First, Bella is the polar opposite of Elena in terms of personality and situation. Bella's parents are alive but immature, Elena's parents died in a tragic accident. Bella moved to Forks to live with her father, Elena grew up in Mystic Falls. Edward was born in 1901, Stefan was born in 1846 (TV, 1490 books.) Edward has a big adoptive family. Stefan has his brother. Edward can't read Bella's mind, Stefan can read Elena's mind. Bella's supernatural friends are wolf shifters who are part of the local Indigenous tribe; Elena's supernatural friends include a werewolf, witch, and a vampire hunter. Bella can shield her mind from mind readers, Elena is a doppelgänger. Bella and friends fight an ancient council of vampires who micromanage the vampire world, Elena and friends fight a town council made up of anti-vampire humans.

The point is, the actual stories are very, very different despite the similarities in premise.

Now, I will say that if the premise is genuinely the same, and the character has the same appearance, personality, and even a similar name, that's a bit concerning. If you take a brutally honest look at the two works and find more similarities than differences, it's possible this person did over borrow. The problem is there may not be much you can do about it, but it depends on the situation. If you're both published but you published first, it's something you can take up with your agent or publisher, or if you don't have one, you can contact a copyright lawyer to explore your options. It's costly, however. If you can't afford this option, you can contact them and ask them to take it down, but they're not obligated to. Outside of that, there isn't much you can do.

There honestly isn't much you can do to protect yourself from plagiarism. It's part of the risk we take in putting our work out there. Again, if you're agented, have a publisher, or can hire a copyright attorney, you may find you have some legal recourse, especially if the plagiarism is glaring and they're making money off what they stole. Otherwise, you just have to grin and bear it. But the truth is, given the wealth of stories being published every day, plagiarism isn't that common of an occurrence. (Although, it's increasing now somewhat with the advent of AI...)

And I'll tell you, the harsh reality is you may feel like a work is so similar to yours it must be an intentional rip-off, but our brains have a way of making mountains out of molehills when it comes to spotting similarities. Nine out of ten times it's just not as similar as you think it is.

Other relevant posts:

Similarities vs Plagiarism Plagiarism vs Reference vs Inspiration Beta Reader Sees Similarity with Existing Character Does My Book/Story Already Exist Taking Inspiration from Another Story’s Premise Afraid of Ideas Being Stolen or Copied Once Shared Afraid of Plagiarism Accusation

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I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

[panlight]

Today's musings are about the visiting vampires in Breaking Dawn and modern technology:

The group slowly dispersed, some off to hunt, some to while away the time with Carlisle's books or televisions or computers.

Mealtimes were dicey, though. Our company cooperated as best they could. They gave Forks and La Push a wide berth, only hunting out of state; Edward was a gracious host, lending out his cars as needed without so much as a wince.

Maybe it's just me, but my impression from the books and the guide was that the non-vegetarian vampires weren't like, super involved in the human world. I mean it was 2006 and the Cullens had to physically go and find these people (other than the Denali), which supports the idea that they were off the grid. No phones, no computers. Couldn't just email amun@karnaktemple.org and ask him to come visit. Couldn't ring up Siobhan and explain.

So how familiar would they realistically be with the tech of 2006? I thought most of the vampires were just like, chilling in the wilderness or their hidden lairs and only interacted with the human world to hunt and steal the clothes from their victims, so the idea of like these ancient vampires all knowing how to drive and how to use a computer threw me off a bit. Like sure they would have had all the time in the world to learn this stuff, but where? Under what circumstances? They're nomads; they don't live in a house and pay for cable and internet and car insurance like the Cullens. Are Siobhan, Liam and Maggie popping into public libraries to use the internet? Vladimir and Stefan going to sports bars to watch soccer/football or something? Did younger-looking ones like Benjamin, Tia and Maggie take a driving course and then teach the others?

And why would they even want to borrow a car when they can just run? For the novelty of it, maybe?

Were all these vampires huddled around the Cullens' TV watching Hallmark Christmas movies? What are they googling on the computers? Or are they just playing solitaire? Or using Carlisle's eBay account?

[so-long-soldier28]

Favorite Sociopath

kai parker x reader

summary: damon and bonnie leave you in charge of babysitting kai. you accept willingly as time to get to know him.

tags: characters watching american horror story / ahs references, talking about trauma, past child abuse, childhood trauma, accidental cuddling / cuddling, bonding

word count: ~3.5k

“I’m almost finished, shut up,” Bonnie snaps at the brooding man beside her.

Damon puts his hands up, “jeez.”

“He’s in Georgia. At this location,” she points to the site on the map.

“What’s he doing there?”

“It’s your brother, you tell me.”

“It’s not like I control him!”

“Ah,” a voice interrupts their arguing, “the two of you, still bickering. Just like in the old days of 1994.”

“Shut up, Kai,” Damon orders the younger man. 

“Harsh words! I’m hurt.” He grabs his chest as if he were stabbed.

“You’re fine.”

The siphon clicks his tongue, “so when are we leaving?”

“We? You’re not going anywhere.”

“Oh come on! I helped,” he gestures vaguely, “with the spell.”

“Suggesting a locator spell is not helping. But regardless, your help or lack thereof is not why you’re not coming. You’re dangerous; you can’t be trusted. You’re staying here. Y/N, you’re watching him.”

“What?” Bonnie whips to face Damon before you can even comment. “He cannot be alone with her, he’ll kill her! How do you think Elena will feel when she finds out you let the psychopath murder her cousin?”

“Please, she’ll be fine! She can handle her own.”

“Kai is a psychopath! Whether or not she can handle her own means nothing when you have a psychotic witch against a mere human!”

“Only slightly offended,” you mutter. Then louder, “I’ll be fine, trust me. Kai’s a sociopath, not a psychopath.”

“And that means what exactly? That he’s not capable of killing you?”

“No, I’m just saying… I don’t know… I trust him. Sociopaths at least have the capability to feel emotions, they’re just buried, or reserved for certain people. Psychopaths are the ones that scare me.”

Both are obviously baffled from your statement. Though as soon as Bonnie gets over it, she yells, “you trust him?! Are you crazy?”

Kai borrows your words, “only slightly offended.” It makes you chuckle. “Just a reminder - I’m right here.”

“And?”

“And, Bonnie, no. She’s not crazy. She can think for herself, y’know? And she’s right - I’m not going to hurt her.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Then don’t. You’re not the one being told to babysit me.”

“Damon, we cannot leave her with him!” She turns back to the man. 

“Well we’re running out of options. We could go with my original plan and leave these two here, go retrieve Stefan, and return. Or, we could bring them with us. Listen to Kai talk non-stop all the way to Georgia, grab Stefan, squeeze all three in the back of my camaro, and drive all the way back, with Kai still yammering. Does that sound fun to you?”

“Better than letting Y/N die at the jam-covered hands of him.”

You roll your eyes, “Bonnie, I’ll be fine. I promise. You two need to go get Stefan before he attacks someone else, and Georgia’s a long drive. Kai and I will be fine, and if not, there’s plenty of people I can call for help. Not only that, plenty of places I can hide in this massive house.”

“Just not under the bed,” Kai smirks, “I’ll find you there.”

You stifle a laugh as you meet Bonnie’s eyes. 

Kai notices her expression, too, and coughs, “just a joke. Very bad joke.”

“No more jokes.”

Seeing the fire in his friend’s eyes, Damon chooses the next moment to interrupt. “You’re right, Georgia’s a long drive. Kai, no leaving the house. Y/N, watch him carefully. No killing, no threatening, no nothing. Call Rick if you need anything-”

“Ew,” you cut him off.

“Alright. Call, I don’t know, Jeremy then. What’s wrong with Rick?”

“Weird, just weird. Might be the beard. Might be the…”

“Spit it out, Y/N.”

“Nah.”

Bonnie gives you a glare.

“Fine, I’ll call him. But I’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. Right, Kai?”

“Mhm.”

“See?”

“Whatever. Just be careful.”

◇◇◇◇

Twenty minutes later, they’re finally out the door. 

“Finally!” You collapse on the couch, “peace and quiet!”

Kai takes the chair across from you, then watches as you get comfortable.

“Want to watch something?”

“I am.”

“No, you goof. I mean on the TV,” you roll your eyes playfully at his comment.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know? Let’s see if there’s Netflix on here.”

“What’s a Netflix?”

“You’ll see.”

After a bit of scrolling - the brothers did, in fact, have Netflix downloaded - your eyes light up at one show in particular. 

“Oh this is a fun one.” 

“American Horror Story?”

“Mhm! Murder. Mayhem. It’s a masterpiece.”

“You’re into that sorta thing?”

You look at him, “why? Do I not look like it to you?”

“I don’t know, you just seem so sweet and innocent.”

“Oh, Kai Parker,” you coo at him, “that’s the thing about girls. Even the sweetest ones have a dark streak in there somewhere.” 

His eyes stay focused on you, nearly black and unblinking, but it’s hard to miss the lump in his throat.

“So you want to watch it?”

“You’ve got me intrigued. Now I’ve got to see it.”

You can’t help but giggle in excitement as you press start on the first episode. “They don’t have to be watched in order, but season one is a classic. Wait til you meet the love of my life, Tate Langdon.”

“Who’s Tate?”

“Oh, just my favorite sociopath,” you wink at him. “Aside from you, of course.”

His cheeks flush, but he tries to hide it with a cough. 

“It’s starting. Meet,” you spread your hands out as an introduction, “the twins, that I honestly forgot opened the show. And I don’t know their names.”

Kai chuckles, smiling at you before turning his eyes to the TV.

Only half of your attention is on the show, as the other half watches for the witch’s reactions. You notice a small grin when the twin - Brad? - gets sucked into the basement’s abyss. The expression should scare you, but you find yourself more entertained than anything else. His face changes, however, when Ben’s caught cheating on his wife. Kai’s eyes darken and jaw tenses. The smile returns when Vivian cuts the man’s arm in a fury, making you giggle. 

“He deserved that,” Kai justifies.

“Oh definitely.”

“I don’t know that much about… like, love, and all that, but you should never cheat on someone you love.”

Ignoring the butterflies in your stomach, you smile, “okay, Tate.” 

He cocks his head at you.

“You just nearly quoted him verbatim. Couldn’t help it. You’re right, though.”

You guys continue to watch. 

Eventually, the scene fades into the introduction. You can’t help but stick your tongue out at it, and don’t miss Kai muttering, “ew. That’s a little creepy, all those dolls and jars.” He grimaces.

“Sometimes the intros are scarier than the actual show.”

“How many seasons are there?”

“Four, but I bet there’ll be more.”

“Good. Ten minutes in and I’m hooked.”

“Season 3 is called Coven. But I really want you to meet Tate.”

“Coven? Is it anything like mine?”

“Well, let’s see from what you told me about yours... Shitty leaders - check. Awful parents - check. Stupid traditions - check. Yeah, similar.”

“Wait… you believe me? About my parents?”

“Of course,” you say without hesitation, “I mean, they locked you away for god’s sake. Of course I believe how they treated you. Why it made you snap.” Your tone quiets at the end, afraid to hit a nerve. Kai, however, doesn’t seem bothered by the mention of his crimes. He’s too focused on someone actually believing him; someone listening. 

The two of you stare at each other for a moment before he remembers to respond. “Thank you. For believing me.”

“All the evidence is stacked against your father. And if we’re being honest, dads are usually the cause of trauma, in my personal opinion. I mean, just look at my childhood. Hey, look at Ben Harmon,” you gesture to the TV, “every shitty thing is his fault. Or, maybe I’m projecting. Either way, he sucks.”

Kai laughs.

“Regardless, yes, I believe you, Kai. You’re not alone in your feelings. And like I told Bonnie, I do trust you.”

He’s quiet for a second, “it means a lot.”

You nod.

“Back to the show now?”

“Sure.”

You push the back button a few times to where you guys were before your mini conversation. For a second as it starts to play, you keep your eyes on him. His lips form a small smile. Fingers are still, resting on the armchair. His posture, though…

“Hey, Kai?”

“Hm?”

“Are you comfy?”

“Enough, yeah, why?”

“Come here, sit with me.” You sit up to pat the pillow where your head had just been. “Don’t hurt your neck looking up like that.”

“Are you sure?”

“‘Course. I don’t bite.”

The witch chuckles as you move the pillow for him to sit beside you. He sinks into the couch and gives you a smile that reawakens the butterflies in your stomach. 

“Better?”

“Mhm, thank you.”

“Is it okay if I touch you?”

“What, why?” The question catches him off guard.

“It’s okay to say no, I just wanted to ask in case I lean into you by accident. Don’t want to startle you, or cross a line.”

“No, um, wait. It’s okay.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, you’re okay.”

Sensing his hesitation, you take slow movements to get back into your comfortable position. Soon, your shoulders touch gently, causing him to flinch a little.

“I’m okay still. I wasn’t… expecting it. I mean, I know you told me, but I wasn’t allowed to… I, uh, I’ve been isolated a lot of my life.” He debated his words carefully before settling on the explanation. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, sweet. It’s not your fault. I’m guessing your father’s responsible for that, too?”

Kai nods slowly. “As a siphon, who didn’t know how to control their power, any form of contact would harm the other person. If I was allowed out of my room, I had to wear gloves, but even then, wasn’t allowed to touch anyone. Then I was in the prison world for eighteen years, alone.”

Hearing another bit of his past makes your heart break. Neither Damon nor Bonnie have told you much about him, except for a few antics from the prison world. They call him dangerous, but haven’t even told you his side of the story. As you learn more about him, everything in you wants to reach out and give him a tight hug, but you refrain from doing that to not startle him. 

He acknowledges your silence, “is this the part where you run?”

You snap out of your thoughts, “no, Kai. No, I’m not going to run. I’m sorry, I was just thinking. How awful of a man to treat his son that way.” Suddenly, you turn your body so you can look him in the eye. “You’re safe with me, Kai. Okay? Ever need to talk, ever need a hug. I’m here.”

“Okay. Um, thank you.”

“So… you okay if I…” you slowly get closer to him until your shoulders are touching again. “This too much?”

“No, you’re okay. Feels nice, actually.”

“Tell me if you need me to move.”

He nods, then pushes play on the remote. 

A deep focus takes over to the both of you as the show continues. At some point, Kai’s hand begins to absentmindedly trail along your arm - a gesture you don’t notice until you feel a chill throughout your body. He feels it too, and immediately retracts his hand.

“It’s okay. I like it.”

Kai doesn’t say anything, but to your delight, puts his hand back on your arm. You stay like that throughout the episode, too relaxed to recognize the heaviness in your eyes as sleep soon consumes your body. 

◇◇◇◇

Sometime later, your eyes flutter open, making you confused. There’s no sound, not even the TV, but it’s a comfortable silence, not one that feels threatening. Slowly, you wake up more fully and are able to better take in your senses. You’re still on the couch, but laying on your back. Your head is on something soft, but not pillow-soft. A hand runs along your arm - just as it was before you fell asleep… Kai. Where’s Kai?

You try to ask for his name, but in your state, all that comes out is a whine.

Nonetheless, he answers. “Hey, are you awake?”

“Kai?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, but when did I fall asleep? Where are you?”

Eventually you’re able to pull your body up so that you’re sitting, not laying, on the couch. 

“I’m right here,” he waves to you as you reposition.

“Did I fall asleep on your lap?” The realization hits you, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to-”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. No worries, I, uh, kinda liked the contact. Like I said, I kinda lacked that for a while.”

“I know, but I would’ve asked first.”

“Technically, you did. And you can’t control being tired, it’s fine. Trust me, I don’t mind being your pillow.”

A blush creeps onto your cheeks.

“In fact, I wouldn’t argue if you wanted to lay back down, because now I’m missing it.”

That’s all the convincing you need to reassume your position in his lap. Though this time, you move your head so you’re looking up at him. “Hey, Kai?”

“Mhm?”

“I’m happy you trust me enough to be this close. I like it, too. And I like being someone you are comfortable around.”

“Me too, Y/N. Oh, and hey, I paused the tv about an hour ago because I wanted to watch it with you but you were asleep. But we’re some way through episode two.”

“I slept that long?”

“Yeah, but it’s okay. I’ve been on Twitter, so I haven’t been completely bored.”

“Not Tweeting pictures of me sleeping, right?” You joke with a snort.

He snaps his fingers, “aw, I should’ve! Quick, go back to sleep!”

“Hell no! The whole Twitter-World doesn’t need to see my sleeping face! Bad enough you already did!”

“Awh, what are you talking about? You have a cute sleeping face. Twitter would thank you for being able to see it.”

The blush and the butterflies return with that comment. “I-uh-thanks.”

“I’m serious!”

“I, um, uh… do you want to keep watching, or are you bored?”

“I’m down to keep watching if you are.”

“Okay, press the play button.”

“Oh, wait, wait, wait, before we do - I met Tate!”

“Oh, yes! How’d you like him?”

“He’s fun! Highly relatable all the way down to the music taste. I see why you like him.”

“See?! My friends think I’m crazy for it, but he’s such a good character. And the way he absolutely loves Violet - he’d do anything for her! I mean, yeah, he killed a bunch of kids, but I don’t know, maybe if his mother didn’t fucking abuse him, he wouldn’t have snapped the way he did.”

You see Kai’s jaw set out of the corner of your eye. “Sorry, uh, spoiler alert.”

“It’s okay. Do you really blame his mom for that?”

“I mean, yeah. Yes, he was the one to carry out the crimes, but you can only take so much hurt and abuse before you snap. Emotions fizzle out until there’s just a numb feeling, and then… well, I imagine it’s hard to make rational decisions when you feel that way for so long.” A second later, you realize you’ve been ranting. “I’m sorry, I’ve just really studied his character. Done a lot of research, including research on sociopathy, and the long-term effects of childhood abuse. Helps me understand him, and what he felt, and what caused him to snap. Sorry, I’m ranting again, oh jeez!”

“It’s okay,” Kai swallows hard, “I, uh, feels nice to be understood. For Tate, I mean.”

You stiffen. “Kai?”

“Mhm?”

“Did your parents hurt you?”

“I mean, I was isolated for a long time.”

“I know that, but…” you don’t want to say it. Don’t want to open a wound; don’t want to push him past his limits of comfort. But, you need to know. “Did they hurt you?”

A visible lump forms in his throat. “What counts as that? Cause I mean, some parents just toss their hands in the air. Some others hit with shoes, I’ve heard. Jo’s friend actually mentioned one time that they had a wooden spoon reserved for punishments.” He’s deflecting. You can’t blame him; he’s obviously been through a lot.

He rambles on like this until he meets your eyes. Tears welling, threatening to spill. A trembling lip. You know. He knows you know. 

“Yeah, sometimes, Dad would. Most of the time he’d use magic, probably just to make a point about me being the abomination that can’t do magic.”

“For what reasons? Like, what did he see as a reason to hurt you?”

“Hmm, like if I talked back, or left my room without permission, or spoke to someone outside of the coven, like a sibling’s friend or neighbor. If he were really angry, like if I siphoned a sibling, he’d get more physical. Let’s just say, there’s probably a reason everyone wore long-sleeves with band tees in the nineties. Cover up those bruises with some devil band your parents hate,” cocking his head, he adds, “which then leads to more bruises but for different reasons.” He then pauses to clear his throat. “Eventually, I learned how to siphon the magic he’d throw at me. For three days, I felt so powerful. He’d hit me with a spell, and I could absorb some of it to fire back at him. But while I got a few good licks in, it mostly just made him angrier. He started getting even more physical, and later, would only include magic once I was down and unable to think up a spell.”

“Kai-”

“And then Mom died, and he only got worse. I mean, Mom and I never had a relationship so I wasn’t particularly affected by her passing. He was, though, and he got more violent towards me. I mean, he was now single-handedly raising eight kids - he had to take his anger out on one of them. Who better than the one you already hate? Anyway, life continued. Dad got more secretive, more dangerous.” Kai actually laughs, “I even feared him a little. I didn’t know if I’d ever escape that stupid bedroom, and even if I did, he’d make my life hell. Not only that, but it felt like he was planning something. And what do you know?! He was. Right before Jo and I’s birthday, the stupid fucking coven planned their monthly meeting in our house. Directly under my bedroom. I heard them through the vent, how they weren’t going to let us merge, and how they were going to wait until Liv and Luke were twenty-two instead. I had my suspicions about this - I knew something was off about the way he was acting - but for him to break coven tradition just to prevent me from merging? Fuck him. Coven always came before family with him, but he’d break the rules because he hated me so much.” Fire dances in his eyes, but he calms down a second later. “And that night is when I snapped. Something took over and I did to my family what my Dad probably wishes he did to me the night I was born. When he came back after whatever the hell the coven had left to do, he found Jo. And from that point on, I think you know how it went.”

Some time through his story, you had sat up to face him, leaving you now right in front of him as tears roll off your cheeks. “Kai…” There’s no words for what he’s just told you. Instead, you reach forward and hug him. Your arms wrap around his waist and you bury your face into his chest. Tears continue to fall, soaking his shirt, making you cry harder. A few moments later, you feel his arms on your back and he pulls you close. 

You two stay like that for a couple minutes. It’s nice. 

“I don’t want to pull away, but I want to tell you…” he lets you lift your head to face him again. “It feels good to have told someone. Thank you for listening to me, Y/N.”

“I’m glad you told me. I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

He responds by pulling you back into the hug, “so, yeah… pretty relatable, your favorite sociopath.”

“Mmmm, actually, that title belongs to you,” you lean back so he can catch your wink. 

“Honored, Miss Y/N. Should we get back to watching your, ahem, second favorite sociopath?”

“Let’s do it.”

“Pressing playyyy, now,” he drags out the ‘y’. “Oh, and don’t you dare think of letting go.” 

You look at your position. Sitting on his lap, your arms around him, his around you. Your head on his chest, and his fingers tracing your back. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

[lambtotheslaughterr]

Night of the Damned

A Stefan Salvatore Oneshot

[THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN THEMES OF NON-CON/DUB-CON, MENTAL-EMOTIONAL-PHYSICAL ABUSE, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 18+. MINORS DO NOT INTERACT]

WC: 4.4k

Dividers provided by @firefly-graphics

THE NIGHT SHIFT (prequel oneshot)

OONA'S MASTERLIST

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Summary: Two years after reader's fateful night facing off against Stefan Salvatore, she is forced to embrace her true nature of being a vampyre by killing what is left of her humanity...

            TWO YEARS LATER

            Who was she? The woman staring back at you. She looked like you, or someone you once knew, but everything was wrong about it. Her hair had a divine glow to it, her skin flawless of any scars from her past battles. Her eyes much darker than before. And her teeth. Her tongue danced across the fine tip point of her canines. They were always out. She never learned to hide them. But as you watched her look you up & down in the full length mirror, you knew she was you. Just the dead version. The vampyre version.

            You brought your hand to your chest just above the hem of your gown, pressing your palm against your chest, willing yourself to feel a heartbeat. But it never came. You would never get used to it. There were many facets of becoming a vampyre that you regretfully enjoyed, but feeling for yourself that you were indeed not alive was not one of them.

            A shadow in the dark behind you moved. You watched it in the mirror. You could feel his eyes on you, always on you. He was waiting for you to snap, to launch yourself at him with your vampyre abilities & finish the job. The job that ultimately brought you two together & forever changed your life. But you never did. And you never understood why.

            This was the power you needed to do just that: to kill him. You had the speed, the strength, & more importantly, the rage, but in spite of all of that, he still terrified you. You longed for the days when nothing & no one, not even the dead, scared you. But you could always feel his hand on your throat, his teeth on your neck. They were always there, choking & sucking what little life you had in you left. The you from a couple years ago, the human, would be so disappointed in you.

            Stefan finally emerged from the shadows of the corner. His eyes held yours in the mirror as he slowly approached you. He looked elegant & refined. Like a good man. His suit fit him well, hugging the contours of his muscular arms & framing his lean body perfectly. But you knew how dangerous he was, how deadly. After all, he killed you.

            “You look…” He stood directly behind you, his hands ghosting over the skin of your upper arms as he appraised you from the top of your head to the toe of your heels, “…ravishing.”

            And ravish he did. Often. Killing you wasn’t enough. Neither was turning you into a vampyre. Stefan made you his, in every way. Your blood was his, your body, your heart, mind, & soul—if you even had one anymore. For two years he kept you right beside him. He never let you stray far, & if you did, he found you.

            You couldn’t fathom to yourself his obsession with you, his unwavering interest. You had tried to kill him that fateful night. And you both knew that if the opportunity ever presented itself you would try again. But he kept you in your place, reminding you that despite your abilities, he would only hurt you more, more than he already had, if you ever tried again.

            Killing yourself wasn’t an option, either. And even if it was, you were still to prideful to do it. You were a vampyre, after all. Even though you once hunted & killed them, you knew how foolish it would be to rid yourself of that power, that immortality. All you wanted, truly wanted, was to be free of Stefan. Of his death grip on you.

            “Everyone is going to want a taste of you.” He mused as he brushed your hair behind yourself, exposing your neck.

            “They can only dream.” You responded softly, “I’m yours.”

            Stefan smiled against your skin as he kissed along your shoulder. You could feel the ends of his canines grazing you, itching for a bite.

            “Forever.” He said hushed.

            And forever he meant. Because there was only forever for the two of you.

            Your lips parted slightly as Stefan sunk his teeth into the juncture where your neck & shoulder met. Your blood, thick, red, & cool to touch, trickled down your chest, nearing the top of your dress. Stefan wrapped an arm around your middle, tugging you closer against him as he drank from you. You relaxed against him, allowing your head to hang to the side so he could have more access. He growled. You moaned.

            Then, with his other hand, he brought it upwards before you, wiping the trail of blood seeping towards your dress onto his finger.

            He met your eyes in the mirror as he continued drinking. His eyes blackened as the familiar veins of sinful indulgence appeared around his sockets. Then he brought his finger, coated in your blood, to your lips. He rubbed his finger along your lower lip before you closed your lips around his digit.

            Not even you could deny how you tasted. You surmised that was the only reason he kept you around. You had tasted many in your vampyre life, yet none of them tasted as succulent as you. When Stefan wanted you, or rather, needed you, & he came to your room at night, he would often have your blood spilling. All over himself. All over you. Your blood would coat your skin as he fucked you into your mattress or wall or floorboard, his teeth always sinking in where he could. But you ever had the marks to show for it. You healed as well as the rest of them.

            In your two years with Stefan, you saw for yourself what he meant that night at the club when he told you he was a Ripper. He was the most dangerous of them all. Having shut off his humanity, his feelings, he only craved violence, power, domination. You had seen many times with your own eyes how he tore through vampyres & humans alike, always walking towards you covered in their blood. But what others didn’t realize about a Ripper like him was his insatiable appetite.

            Stefan was always hungry, & not just for blood. He was hungry for your resistance, your fear of him, your submissiveness. The only times you ever saw him smile was when he was either inside you or drinking from you. But you were never allowed to drink from him. You had never even seen him bleed except for the night he turned you.

            There was one time, which felt like a long time ago, that you attempted to sink your teeth into him as he sunk into you. But as soon as your canines touched his skin he ripped away from you, slamming you against a wall by your neck & lifting you off the ground. He growled inhumanly, his eyes dark & veiny as he snarled at you. No words were needed. You knew you would never be able to taste him the way he tasted you. You would never be his equal, but his inferior.

            Your tongue sucked on Stefan’s finger, emulating a deep groan from the darkest depths of him. You felt his arousal as he ground his hips into your backside.

            “We still have time.” He shared breathlessly.

            But you didn’t want that. You never had. You faked your desire for him to survive, too scared of what he’d do if he ever knew that you were repulsed by him. He wanted your resistance, yes, but only to an extent. Stefan knew you didn’t want to be with him, but he had convinced himself of one thing: that your carnal desires were as strong as his. He couldn’t be more wrong, but he would never know. Not if you could help it.

            “Damon will seek us out. Do you really want a repeat of last year?”

            Last year, Stefan had been starving, impatient to have you before the annual Night of the Damned—a ball where vampyres all over the world came together to indulge in their deadly lifestyle. The first time you ever came, you witnessed many horrors that left you shaken to your core. It was a night to celebrate insanity, prestige, & a thirst for chaos.

            But before the ball, Stefan insisted on having you. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. Damon had interrupted, that coy yet dangerous smirk of his draped across his timeless features as he watched in the shadows as Stefan tore into you. Stefan was so blinded by his bloodlust that he hadn’t felt his presence. Not until it was over. You had, you saw him watching from the other end of the room, as Stefan devoured you, body & blood. But you said nothing. Fearful that Stefan would share. One violent brother was enough.

            “I will sense him this time.” Stefan whispered against your skin as he reached for the back of your dress.

            “Stefan.” You willed yourself to face him, cupping his face on either side, “Tonight is my first time participating in The Shadow. I’ll need my strength.”

            The Shadow, the most anticipated event of the evening. Every year at the annual Night of the Damned the night closed with the gruesome event. Vampyres, particularly baby ones, would compete against one another in a hunt to chase down & drain the life of one unlucky human. What made it more dangerous was the threat of the sun burning them all alive before they got the chance. At dawn, the vampyres would be released into the woods, their daylight amulets left behind as they raced against each other & the rising, burning star. And every year, at least half of the participants burned, their blood-curdling screams echoing in the distance.

            This year you would be competing. Stefan knew as such.

            He took a step back, peering at you dangerously, considering your words. If he didn’t take them seriously then you would be as good as dead. You would not have the strength to outrun the sun.

            “I suppose you are right.” He finally said, sighing dejectedly.

            It was a small win, but a win, nonetheless.

            “But afterwards,” You ran your fingers through his hair, “I’m all yours.”

            “Forever.” He breathed.

            You brought yourself closer to him, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek, “And ever.”

            The ball itself was as extravagant as the year before. Dark & moody waltz music filled the ballroom & vampyres danced, a lot of them having been alive when that kind of music was the only genre the world knew. Candelabras lined the walls & chandeliers casting a blood red glow over the guests hung from the ceilings. Everyone in attendance wore gowns or finely tailored suits reminiscent of the Victorian era. And the Salvatore brothers were the finest among them.

            Damon had two women on his arm as he lounged on a deep red couch in the corner of the room. The women kissed & nipped at his neck as he reveled in the sensations. But every now & then, his eyes would find you among the dead sea & give you a wink. It unsettled you that Damon, too, in the two years you had been with them, would not hide his evolving curiosity. But Stefan would never allow it. It was the only thing you were grateful for towards him.

            As for you, Stefan twirled you around the center of the ballroom, the skirt of your dress billowing with every turn, dip, & sway. His eyes never left yours as you allowed your body be guided along in time with the music. It felt as if you were transported in time, surrounded by humans who had yet to be turned into the most vicious creatures to walk the earth. But whenever you cast your eyes about, you were reminded of their existence. Blood in their glasses, fangs appearing as they laughed jovially among one another. This was their world, & you were a part of it.

            “It’s nearly time.” Stefan spoke, breaking you from your observations.

            “I know.” You nodded. The Shadow would begin shortly.

            “You will win.” He assured you. But it brought you little comfort. To not burn alone in the woods would be your best case scenario, however, Stefan implored you to drain the life of whatever human you were to hunt. The winner of race would win a prize of their choosing. But the only prize you wished for was your freedom, & Stefan would never allow it, rules be damned. Taking a life that would not guarantee you your freedom was, in your eyes, not worth it.

            “Brother.” Damon’s voice sounded behind you. Stefan released you but only momentarily before he placed his hand on your hip to press you closer against him. A sign of his possession over you. Damon’s eyes flashed to the movement, earning him his signature smirk.

            He held out his hand, “The host wants to see you. I will dance with her.”

            Stefan’s face hardened at that, “For what reason?”

            Damon shrugged, “He didn’t say. But from the whispers I’ve been hearing, the human in question for tonight’s event is someone…special.”

            Stefan stiffened beside you at that, eyeing Damon’s still outstretched hand.

            “Brother, you mustn’t keep him waiting. We both know how impatient he gets.”

            Your eyes shifted between the two brothers before Stefan ultimately cleared his throat, nodding, “Do not let her stray.”

            “Never.” Damon grinned wolfishly before Stefan placed one of your hands in Damon’s.

            Had you a heartbeat, it would be thrumming wildly. Being alone with Damon, even in a room full of people, only heightened your nerves.

            “May I have this dance?” His sharp blue gaze pierced your own.

            “Not like I have a choice.” You replied gently with an undertone of bitterness.

            Damon smirked in agreement.

            The piano waltz continued & Damon spun you into his arms.

            “I missed the girl you were before. She was…something. A fighter always aching for a battle. Now, look at you.” Damon commented as he twirled you beneath his arm.

            “You killed her.” You returned, recalling the night two years ago. “If you liked her so much, you should’ve let her go.”

            “Hmm.” Damon brought you to his chest, one hand on your waist while the other held your opposite hand in the air to the right of you. “Had it been up to me, I would’ve. But my brother, he gets these thoughts in his head, & once they’re there…”

            You knew every well what he meant.

            Though Damon terrified you, being the more impulsive & wilder of the two, Stefan still reigned over the fear in your heart. But Damon was a close second. And as you felt his grip on you tighten, you were reminded of that.

            “Though I am curious about who you are now.” Damon revealed.

            “You know who I am.” You replied, wanting to avoid what he was referring to.

            Damon chuckled darkly, admiring the features of your face as you avoided his eyes, “No. She’s still in there. She’s just…waiting. Isn’t she?”

            You gulped. It was better to say nothing. Anything you said would likely be repeated back to your handler. You couldn’t risk a fierce punishment.

            “Don’t worry.” Damon’s hand strayed to your lower back as he dipped you to the floor, his lips against your ear, “It’ll be our secret.”

            When he returned you upright, you were unable to recover from his words. But the feeling was short-lived as Stefan reappeared. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously towards his brother, “Thank you, Damon.”

            Damon released you but not before bringing the knuckles of your hand to his lips, kissing them softly, “My pleasure.”

            You tucked your hand behind you, rubbing your knuckles against the fabric of your dress as Stefan stood where Damon once did.

            “It’s time.” Stefan eyes caught your own, “The Shadow begins.”

            On the many acreage lawn on the backside of the Victorian estate, vampyres gathered in anticipation of the most looked-forward-to event. Stefan guided you through the masses until you were at the front.

            “Your amulet.” He held out his hand, palm up.

            Your fingers reached for the amulet around your neck before fingers along the fine chain until you reached the clasp. After undoing the piece of jewelry, your only protection from the sun, you dangled it into Stefan’s hand.

            He then closed the distance between the two of you, his head leaning downwards to speak softly into your ear, “Remember, no using your abilities until you catch it.”

            ‘It’. That’s what the poor human you would be chasing down was reduced to.

            But Stefan was right. You had to remind yourself that your vampyre abilities were forbidden. No speed to race through the woods & back in less than twenty seconds, no strength to sabotage your competition. Though you were still monster, the event was to kill what little humanity there was left in you before you ended the life of another. And the only way to do that was to reduce your skills to match that of your prey. A true predator in the midst.

            “I know.” You breathed out, your voice shaky.

            “And don’t hesitate. Don’t listen to it’s pleas. Because it will beg.”

            “Yes, Stefan.” You murmured.

            He peered into your eyes once before placing a kiss on your cheek. You allowed yourself the one instance of affection. It perhaps may be the last affection you ever felt if you weren’t successful, even if it was from the man who murdered you.

            Kicking off your heels, you turned away from Stefan & the other vampyres, moving further out onto the lawn where the competitors were to line up. This year it was only you versus three others. At least two of you would die. You hoped it wouldn’t be you.

            The sound of a gun pierced the air & you shot forward. Your legs pumped under you as you raced forward. You could feel your natural instinct to speed forward at an inhuman rate take over but you forced the instinct down. If you cheated you were as good as dead.

            The other vampyre babes were behind you as you dived into the tree line. The only upper hand you had over them was your past life experience. Having been a vampyre once before you were agile, quick, & your endurance unmatched in most instances. Once in the tree line you refrained from using your heightened senses of smell & sound. It almost couldn’t be helped but you willed yourself not to.

            The other vampyres disappeared in different directions in search of the grand feast. You continued forward, your feet carrying you like a Victorian vampyre goddess through the early morning fog that wisped between trees. The sky above you was a light shade of blue. You had no idea as to how long you had before the sun rose & began to peek through the trees, but you were determined not to be out there long enough to find out. Your goal was not to drain the human, but to simply survive. As soon as you came across whoever caught the poor being, you would turn back & return to Stefan, your amulet waiting.

            But as you continued running among the trees, you heard the undeniable snap of a branch. No vampyre, even a baby, would be foolish enough to make the mistake of revealing their position. That only meant one thing.

            You slowed down, hesitantly going in the direction in which you heard the sound of life. As you grew closer, you could hear the heavy breathing, & with your heightened senses, the racing of a prey’s heart.

            It wasn’t cheating to hear it as you grew closer to it. It only meant that you were practically on top of them. Leaning over a fallen tree trunk, you peered over the other side. There was a slight decline just below the tree trunk & it was there, just below the trunk, that you spotted bare feet.

            You had found them. And with the sky growing brighter by the second, you couldn’t walk away leaving them to be found by another. You had to survive.

            Leaping yourself over the trunk, you stared at the shadowy space beneath the trunk. Whoever it was, their feet were sticking out. You felt yourself frown internally. It was cruel. They knew what was coming for them. But as you stepped forward, preparing to bend at the waist & yank on their ankle to drag them out. Your heard the sound of your name.

            “_____?” The voice said again, & it was then that you realized it was coming from the human hiding in the shadows beneath the trunk, “It really is you!”

            Without needed to pull them out yourself, the human crawled forward. You felt your muscles stiffen at the human on their knees before you as they peered up at you. They looked relieved to see you, but also fearful. You backed away.

            “Urien…” You whispered, though your voice was barely audible.

            He looked deathly, nothing like the man you last saw two years ago when he sent you into the club that you would ultimately die in.

            “You’re alive!” He smiled, but you noted how he was missing teeth, having been torn out forcefully likely under some form of torture.

            You looked away from him. It had been so long since you last saw him. He was far from the man you remembered. He was shirtless, like he had always been before, but he didn’t carry the muscle mass anymore. He was thin, sickly so, & his already scarred body had new ones, fresher, ones that still bled when cracked open. How long had he been captured for?

            Then you immediately recalled how Damon pulled Stefan away from you on the dance floor, reciting that the host wanted to speak with him about their special hunt for the evening.

            It dawned on you then. Stefan knew. Stefan knew that it would be your former boss, former friend, that you would be chasing down. It’s why he reminded you to not let ‘it’ talk, to beg. Because Stefan knew as well as you did, the human part of you had yet to be completely snuffed out. This was it. This was more than a race or competition. It was your test alone.

            “We thought you died. That they killed you.” Urien sputtered, still evidently shocked at seeing you, as you were him.

            “I did.” You replied almost flatly, “They did.”

            Urien grinned but it was a sad one. He peered up at you, “You’re not a monster, _____. Not like them.”

            But you were. It was all you saw in the mirror. Urien could see it too, he just clung to the human inside you.

            “Let me go. Let me go & I’ll find the others. We’ll come back for you.”

            “You’ll kill me.” You heard your voice harden. It’s what they did after all, The Night Shift. They killed vampyres. Regardless of your history with them, they would only do the same to you.

            “No! No, no!” Urien shook his head vigorously, “You are one of us.”

            But you knew he was lying. You could hear past the rapid beating of his heart. How it pulsed faster every time he opened his mouth. He was lying. It would either be him, or you.

            “Not anymore.” You whispered.

            Urien’s expression fell as he watched the skin around your eyes darken & grow with the familiar veins of a vampyre about to strike.

            “_____! Please! No!”

            “I’m sorry, Urien.” You stared past him, through him, “But _____ died a long time ago.”

            Then you flew forward & sunk your teeth into your former friend’s neck, your mouth filling with his blood, his livelihood, his humanity. As you drained the life from him, you felt the last of your humanity die.

            You were vampyre. Forever. And ever.

            Stefan stood before you. Naked. You lounged on the foot of your bed, your eyes dancing across the contours of his pale skin & lean muscles.

            He was proud of you. You could see it in his eyes. It was a look you had never seen before. Stefan looked at you in many ways, but never like this. And now that your humanity was wiped from you, you took minor pleasure in it. Stefan Salvatore, one of the most dangerous vampyres to exist, was proud of you.

            “I don’t tell you enough how beautiful you are.” Stefan breathed out as he approached you until his knees knocked into yours.

            “Tell me.” You breathed out, eyeing him.

            He leaned forward, his lips brushing teasingly against your own, “You are beautiful. My vicious little thing.”

            You smiled, your canines poking at your lower lip as you did.

            “Now,” he kissed the shell of your as he spoke, “it’s time for my protégé to claim her prize.”

            Your prize. You once longed for your freedom, but this was freedom as you knew it. That prideful glee in Stefan’s eyes. He no longer saw you as his lesser but his counterpart. You were a part of him. There would be no leaving him. And for the first time ever, you were seduced by the thought.

            And so, you only wanted one thing.

            Stefan straightened, his hand gently cupping the back of your head as he pushed your head forward towards him. Then he raised his other arm, the underside of his wrist exposed. Your felt your eyes darken & pop with veins as you gazed at the fine blue lines beneath his marble skin.

            You glanced up at him through your lashes. He nodded, urging you on.

            Slowly, hesitantly, you brought your lips to his wrist. You brushed your lips against the skin there, marveling at the smoothness of it. Then you darted your tongue out, licking the area. Stefan gasped softly above you.

            Smiling softly to yourself, you finally sunk your teeth into his wrist. His blood poured into your mouth & you saw the sun. She burned bright & endlessly. You clung to Stefan’s arm, pressing his wrist further against your face as you drank from him, savoring the taste of his rich & earthy sustenance.

            This is what this life was all about. That taste, that feeling it brought you. It was addictive, like a drug you desperately craved, that you would kill for. And you had. And you would do it again. You finally understood why Stefan would never let you go.

After getting a bite of him, you felt positive that he would never outrun you. He was yours as much as you were his.

Forever. And ever.

this is 4/10 requests from my 500 followers celebration request opening!

in my personal opinion, this sequel one shot is 1000x better than it's prequel. The Night Shift has always been one of my least favorite works on here but this addition has made up for it. thank you for anon who requested it! anon, please let me know what you think.

for everyone else, your feedback would mean everything. please comment your thoughts, reblog w reviews, or drop an ask.

thank you for reading!

oona<3

Read this post on why doing more than liking a tumblr writers work is essential to our content creation.

[my love language is words of affirmation, it would make my day if you could comment your thoughts, reblog with tags, or drop an ask that shows your support. thank you for reading tumblr writers, we appreciate you]

taglist:

to be added to a taglist read rule 11 here. requests will be dismissed otherwise.

[zalrb]

Would it be fair to say that Stefan had some kind of a Madonna whore complex with Katherine/Elena. (Not a Stelena anti, just wanted to hear your thoughts on this)

The stark differences in Stefan's relationships with Katherine and Elena suggest that he does exhibit signs of the Madonna-Whore complex. hear me out for a second..

As you're probably aware, Madonna whore complex describes the idea of feeling less sexual arousal and more lovey duvey feelings for a woman perceived as pure, and intense sexual arousal for a woman perceived as fallen or debased.

Katherine embodies the archetypal 'Whore' in Stefan's eyes. She is portrayed as sexually liberated, manipulative, and morally ambiguous. Stefan's intense sexual attraction to Katherine is evident, but it is coupled with disdain and mistrust. He acknowledges her prowess in bed and is undeniably drawn to her sexually, but this is paired with a persistent inner voice that views her as untrustworthy and immoral.

A pivotal moment that showcases this dynamic is in Season 2, when Stefan and Katherine are trapped in the caves. The tension between them is palpable, and Stefan’s struggle is evident—while he is drawn to Katherine's seductive nature and provocative demeanor, he simultaneously resents her manipulative and deceitful behavior. Every time I watched their dynamic unfold I used to get this vibe of Stefan thinking "I'm attracted to her but she sure is poison for me." Almost like he felt he was is just too moral to love someone that duplicitous and manipulative.He initially "loved" her because he thought she was an "angel", he loved the sweet/innocent/perfect image she portrayed. once she showed anything else, he couldn’t accept it. She became a monster to him.

And the reason he fell in love with Elena was because she was "the opposite of everything Katherine ever was." He fell for the sweet/innocent/perfect image once again (the ‘exact opposite’ of katherine). That’s definitely enforced by the fact that elena was human, which automatically made her pure and perfect in stefan’s eyes. since elena was ‘the opposite’ of katherine, and human (which is automatically ‘good’ according to stefan logic), she could do no wrong.For better or for worse, Stefan places a lot of value on character.

Beyond their sexual encounters, Stefan’s treatment of Katherine on a non-sexual level is filled with scorn and a lack of genuine respect. He sees her as a fallen woman, whose value is diminished by her moral failings, reinforcing the idea that he views her through the 'Whore' lens of the complex.

Elena Gilbert - The 'Madonna'

In contrast, Elena is the epitome of the 'Madonna' in Stefan's life. She is perceived as pure, virtuous, and deserving of his love and respect. Stefan's relationship with Elena is characterized by deep emotional intimacy and a protective, almost reverential attitude.Stefan is about what will bring Elena peace of mind, what is important to Elena, what would Elena want, what would Elena need, what would Elena’s life be like, what is the aftermath of a decision.

Sexual Dynamic: While Stefan does feel sexual attraction towards Elena, the nature of their sexual relationship is different. It almost felt like his respect and admiration for her purity and goodness temper his sexual desire, often resulting in a less primal and more tender expression of their intimacy. Stefan views Elena as pure, virtuous, and inherently good. His love for her is deep, respectful. This is further supported by their gentle, coming together, transcendental, connective, we-are-one, let me discover every inch of you, be with you, be inside you, soulful lovemaking sex.

The difference in Stefan’s sexual dynamics with Elena and Katherine can be illustrated by comparing intimate scenes with both women. With Elena, the moments are tender and filled with love, whereas with Katherine, the encounters are charged with raw sexual energy but underscored by a lack of deeper emotional connection.

Internal Struggle: Stefan's interactions with Katherine reveal a struggle between his lustful desires and his moral repulsion. This internal conflict is a hallmark of the Madonna-Whore complex.

I ask this because I've heard irl personal experiences. (I would love to hear your thoughts)

*Deep sigh* OK. So, if you spent a little time on my blog, like ten minutes even, you had to know I would disagree with this reading. The primary problem with the Katherine aspect of this ask is the complete disregard for the fact that she ruined his human life

once she showed anything else, he couldn’t accept it. She became a monster to him.

Is that what happened? Or did she bite him

compel his obedience

compel him to drink her blood

compel him to keep it a secret from Damon

and start a war in his town in which he died?

You make it seem as if Stefan simply looks at her as the "whore" because he finds her desirable but immoral for "reasons":

he acknowledges her prowess in bed and is undeniably drawn to her sexually, but this is paired with a persistent inner voice that views her as untrustworthy and immoral [...] Every time I watched their dynamic unfold I used to get this vibe of Stefan thinking "I'm attracted to her but she sure is poison for me." Almost like he felt he was is just too moral to love someone that duplicitous and manipulative.

when he doesn't see her as a "whore" but his anger and disdain is because he experienced severe trauma because of her -- trauma that she continues to inflict in the present

[...] she hijacks Elena’s body in season 5 and attempts to seduce him even though that is unbelievably fucked up, she doesn’t think about the consequences that would cause for Stefan and how that would mess with his head.

It’s why in season 2 she threatens to kill Elena while he watches if he doesn’t break up with her.

which keeps him from fully trusting her because of course it would. She has manipulated or attempted to manipulate key aspects of his life and when that doesn't work, she physically harms him

A pivotal moment that showcases this dynamic is in Season 2, when Stefan and Katherine are trapped in the caves. The tension between them is palpable, and Stefan’s struggle is evident—while he is drawn to Katherine's seductive nature and provocative demeanor, he simultaneously resents her manipulative and deceitful behavior.

Is this actually true, though? Or are you referring to the part of 2x11 that Katherine puts in his head in an attempt to seduce him? Because this

is all a part of the sex scene, which is a part of Katherine's mind games

Because outside of that sequence, whatever tension there is -- and I actually don't think there is any narratively, Dobsley chemistry is a different story -- comes about because he is playing her for information.

He initially "loved" her because he thought she was an "angel", he loved the sweet/innocent/perfect image she portrayed.

Again, is that true? Before they get together physically, before she bites him, before she compels him, she makes a mockery of rules

she's heavy with the innuendo

He was was always attracted to how free-spirited and impulsive and fun she was, that's clear. Understandably, his feelings changed after she did what she did to him. It's not a loss of innocence, rather a betrayal of trust.

Yet, as season 5 indicates, Stefan still views her as someone worthy of compassion and sympathy and grace

So, no. I don't take the argument. I don’t think he has a “whore” complex with her, I think he sees her as a person who has caused him serious harm.

I definitely don't take the "Madonna" argument for Elena.

He fell for the sweet/innocent/perfect image once again (the ‘exact opposite’ of katherine).

Again, is this true? Or did he fall in love with a person who wouldn't do something like compel the person she supposedly loved to be with her, to die for her (that's what her compelling Stefan to drink her blood implies, that she was going to turn him into a vampire without his actual consent) because while Elena is flawed, she isn't meant to be an inherently selfish character? Did he fall in love with someone who, like him, places value in friends and family and who will do what she can to protect them instead of abandoning them?

Unlike Katherine

Could it be that that's what he meant when he said "you are the opposite of everything she was" and not oh my god she's so pure and innocent and sweet?

For better or for worse, Stefan places a lot of value on character.

Character. Not idealizations.

Sexual Dynamic: While Stefan does feel sexual attraction towards Elena, the nature of their sexual relationship is different. It almost felt like his respect and admiration for her purity and goodness temper his sexual desire, often resulting in a less primal and more tender expression of their intimacy.

Honestly, speak for yourself? We could talk about the fact that when she is a vampire and can physically handle the extent of Stefan's primal nature, they go for it

and he gets off on her primal nature

but the show deliberately made them not have sex as vampires so she could have that experience with Damon.

But really, my thing is wanting to fuck in her parents bedroom

Being so loud that Jenna can hear even though they're supposed to be broken up

Having sex and not caring that Damon can hear -- which was her idea and which turns him on, which is why he laughs before they go under the covers --

speaks to something primal to me. Buuuuuuut that's just me, I guess.

And I already did a post on the evolution of "assertive Stefan"

Idk, I find too many holes in this argument personally.

Perhaps an argument could be made that the show frames them as the Madonna/Whore dichotomy from how they dress, to how they use or don’t use their sexuality, to their dialogue, to their morals, but that’s the show and how the showrunners/writers/creators develop the characters and not Stefan and how he views them. And I don't necessarily agree with that argument either but that's less of a stretch for me.

[klonnieshippersclub]

Hi Rikki. If Bonnie doesn't like vampires and Klaus doesn't like witches in canon, how do they make sense as a couple?

Long post warning: I think it's important to note that Bonnie doesn't hate vampires and never has. She hates the bloodshed and violation of humanity that comes with vampires. If anything, Bonnie does hate killers. When she meets Kai and finds out he murdered his family, she immediately has a problem with him.

Bonnie’s entire arc was not about hating vampires. Now why is this change ignored by the fandom? Well, who knows. Bonnie has never outright attacked any vampire simply for being one. Just those who were causing harm to her friends or have hurt her directly. Fans don’t try to acknowledge Bonnie and write her off as a vampire hater for 8 seasons. When Bonnie accepted vampirism from ALL her friends. She places their own emotional-needs and wellbeing before her own but that isn’t enough for fans. Bonnie’s emotions are defined as irritating and judgmental when the entire show is about humanizing vampires.

Bonnie doesn't have the luxury like Caroline and Elena to flirt with murderous vampires. Until the very end of the show in season 7 with Enzo at that time Bonnie she claims Damon is her bestfriend. That’s before Elena and Caroline. There’s issues there as well but I won’t get into that. Yet even with the hypothetical thought of Bamon there’s still this continuous negativity directed on Bonnie’s end. Julie insulted Elena just to prove a point. The Bamon Ban existed and it was real. It may have applied to Bamon but with the writer being so vocal about their dislike for Bonnie it meshed with all Bonnie ships.

Klaus hated what his mother did to him and his siblings. He hated his mother for binding his wolf side. The blame for those actions has been to his parents only. There was a never a moment in canon where Klaus blamed anyone else but his parents for what happened to him and his siblings. Bonnie is a witch just like Esther, but why would Klaus hold her accountable for something she did not do. Bonnie wasn’t even alive when Esther did that! It’s ridiculous take to think Klaus would blame Bonnie for his trauma and would not like her because she’s a witch like his mother. Bonnie is NOT Klaus mother and has never been in a maternal position to Klaus. Notice this claim and outright refusal doesn’t exist when people discuss Stefan and Klaus friendship. Stefan wanted revenge for what Klaus had done and they’re still well liked. Caroline can celebrate Klaus death in season 3 and fuck him in season 5 they’re one of the most popular ships. No questions on either of these but it’s Bonnie that people have such a huge issue getting over when it comes to Klonnie shipping. For a ship that is so small and limited in canon there’s always a fan commenting on how “disgusting” and “illogical” the ship is.

Klaus had allies in witches like Gloria, Greta, Genevieve and Maddox. He’s had sex with both Greta and Genevieve who are witches like his mother. Freya is a witch, Hope is a witch. Klaus did not wake up everyday blaming and hating these other women for the actions of his parents. So I must ask again, why would he turn to Bonnie and hate her simply for being a witch? Doesn’t make sense to me. In 2x17 Isobel and Katherine discuss Klaus and witches. Klaus was abandoned by Ansel he still slept with werewolves like Hayley or Lana.

The fandom places rules and regulations on Bonnie because the writers did. I’ve given enough evidence to prove that Klaus would be willing to date anyone despite his parental trauma, as would Bonnie if she is given the affection and chance too. The problem will forever rely in the writers and the fans who continue to push these narratives. A ship so little like Klonnie shouldn’t have many fans arguing about how disgusting and gross it is. Why is shipping Bonnie with Klaus (or any non-canon character) disgusting but none of the canon white centered relationships get this type of reaction. Finally, if the series kept up with Klaus taste in witches the only woman who matches the woman Klaus was intimate with at that time would be Bonnie.

[saintsir4n]

I think my issue with vampire diaries after many rewatches, fics and online opinion is there are so many useless characters or characters that end up with repetitive arcs or just end up with nothing to do.

I’ll give examples…

1) Bonnie isn’t a character, not a proper one. It was clear she was the magical negro, only there to save and sacrifice her life for her white counterparts. However the reason why I believe most of us love her, other than Kat Graham’s amazing portrayal is because she is essential to every plot.

2) the originals being in season 4. They had nothing to do and were clearly there until their spin off. Kol gave us some exposition on Silas. Klaus was there to involve himself with high school drama, and they wasted Rebekah’s character. They had no clue what to do with them and as stand alone characters they had so much more to give in my opinion.

3) Caroline was a self under and you can’t tell me otherwise. I feel for the girl especially in season 1&2 but after that I clocked out of her character. She’s in scenes where she doesn’t need to be, placed with characters that she doesn’t need to be with… she in my opinion if she wasn’t played by Candace would’ve had a smaller role and pushed to the back like Tyler, Matt and Jeremy.

4) most of the plots were centred around shops instead of any substance. It worked for the first three seasons but after that it just got boring. Most people say season 4 was where the show peaked by it’s clearly season 3 and even then there were many plot holes and inconsistencies, especially with my girl Bonnie.

5) the confederacy

6) the show should’ve been finished in season 4 and had a big final showdown between the mystic falls gang vs Katherine (the original big bad) and maybe an non humanity Elena.

7) Bonnie should’ve had a coven or a witch friend or her grams.

8) “bigger is not always better” this is in reference to villains like Silas. He was pointless and everyone needs to bffr. He was ultimately just so boring. Sure everyone loved Paul acting like himself but omg, he was just playing an exaggerated non humanity Stefan/ ripper Stefan and that’s it. Also his existence diminishes stelena.

9) they should’ve killed off Caroline, Tyler or Damon in season two instead of Jenna. I know Damon is a main character but I like when a show shows off how high the stakes are.

10) the show runners, producers and writers needed more BIPOCS around because majority of the storylines especially regarding race (lemme not start on marcel’s origins because wtf) were poorly written

P.s

They should’ve expanded more on Katherine’s origins, she was one of most compelling characters and although I do not like her actions, she was a perpetrator of sexual assault (Stefan/ Damon were her victims), I would say she was a victim of Klaus and his terror. She both makes me feel some sort of sympathy for Katerina but for Katherine, I don’t like her, I just found her presence entertaining. She not an anti hero more of an Antagonist. I like that she didn’t get redemption, we just saw why she is the way she is yk?

[luminiamore]

𝖒𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖋𝖑𝖚𝖔𝖚𝖘

a stefan salvatore love story.

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖜𝖔

freesia

"Freesia, would you kindly refrain from playing in that man's dreams," Came a soft, southern, silky voice amid an enchanted forest.

A beautiful forest it was. Majestic oak and towering pine trees stretch towards the heavens, their branches glittered with clusters of shimmering dewdrops and flowers that glint like precious gems in the soft light. A chorus of bird song fills the air, accompanied by the gentle rustle of leaves and the occasional flutter of wings.

"Ah! S'il vous plaît, Bella. I am not playing. I am merely teasing," The goddess giggled, a delicate smile adorning her features. She opened one chestnut-colored eye to take a peek at her sister.

Belladonna stood stoically, her captivating face betraying no emotion, clad in a cream-colored strapless gown that gathered slightly at the forest's edge. Meanwhile, Freesia was adorned solely in vines and a kaleidoscope of blossoms, her usual attire in the confines of her woodland abode.

"You're well aware we're seeing him tomorrow, hun. Why such teasing antics-" A melodic voice cuts the ancient witch off.

"Is Freesia inserting herself in Stefan's dreams once again? You're making him doubt your existence, sweets. That is if he hasn't already. You know-" The fairy addressed her best friend, a soft fluttering accompanied her statement.

"Yes, thank you, Fi. That's what I was just telling our lovely best friend here." Belladonna quickly cut off the fairy before she could start rambling. A habit of hers. She only gives a sheepish grin before she settles down on a log a few feet away from the pair.

Freesia gives a pout to the two women. Did he really doubt she existed?

Her voice trembles, "I just want to give him some hope. He's been burdened for so long, and it pains me to see him like that."

There's a soft whistling the trees emit at the end of her statement as if comforting her. She gives a sad smile.

"I know, sweets. And he won't feel that way anymore because we're headed to Mystic Falls tomorrow, yes?

The ancient fairy quickly utters. And almost as if the goddess was never down in the first place, she gives a bright smile, birds tweeting around her at the sheer aura it gave off. "Yes! Oh, I'm so excited. Is Nea coming with us?"

This time, Belladonna answers, the green leaves moving in a tornado-like motion under her whim, "Of course, she wouldn't leave us alone in that supernatural-infested town. She's feeding right now, so she'll likely meet us tomorrow at the house."

The house, a beautiful one it was. It was abandoned when they first stumbled upon it, vines and leaves taking over its walls. Freesia saw the perfection in it, and so she insisted on renovating it. It wasn't too far from the Salvatore boarding house; besides, it couldn't be viewed by any non-human creature. Thanks to a lovely spell by her sister.

It was simply a way for them to blend in, they didn't really need it. Selenea lived in the ocean, and the other three girls were found solitary in the forest. It was the source of their power, and they never felt more safe. They figured that since they were newcomers to the small town, a ball seemed suitable to introduce themselves. And that's precisely what they were going to do.

"Allons-y, d'accord? After all, we have a ball to prepare for; we haven't even gotten our dresses yet." Freesia abruptly stands, her vine dress still holding tightly onto her skin.

"I know a wonderful dress store in Italy." Is all the ancient witch says before she opens a portal with a wave of her hand.

The tiny fairy squeaks at the prospect of shopping, and Freesia enthusiastically claps. They both follow her into the shimmering light, giggles and laughs following after them.

chapter one. chapter three.

[k8lynjoy]

Pro-Damon arguments have always been pretty stupid imo, but an argument I've been seeing a lot more of recently is people saying that they prefer Damon to Stefan- both as a character and as a love interest for Elena- because "Damon was aware that he was a monster whereas Stefan pretended that he wasn't", and I have got to say, this is such a brain dead take.

Let's start by addressing the first part of the claim, that Damon's self-awareness inherently makes him better. No. Believe it or not, being self-aware does not make you a good person, it's what you do with that awareness that does. What does Damon do with his self-awareness? Absolutely nothing. He whines and cries about how much of a monster he is and how he can't change whenever anyone tries to hold him accountable for anything, or he just puts the blame on Katherine or his mother because "they didn't wuv him 🥺👉🏻👈🏻". So, he recognizes that he's a bad person, but then he proceeds to continue to be a bad person anyway...I'm not seeing how this is a good- or even a respectable- thing. Damon also doesn't care! He enjoys murdering and r*ping people. How does someone knowing they're a bad person, and then doing nothing to be better, make them a better person? It doesn't. The logic of that argument is non-existent. And to then go on and say that this is why Elena should choose him?? Why? How does Elena begging Damon to just stop being horrible, and then him responding with "I'm a monster, I'll never change" scream "I'm someone you should be with"?? There's a reason she told him he was the worst choice she would ever make.

Now, for the second part of the claim, which states that Stefan pretends that he is a good person when really, he's a monster. Once again: no. Tell me you don't have general comprehension skills without telling me because Stefan's desperation to hold onto his humanity and morality are very central parts of his character. He recognizes that he's done horrible things and takes full accountability for them. Whenever Elena asks him a question about his past, he's honest with her. He doesn't hide things from her, downplay them, or push the blame onto someone else (and if someone tries to bring up him not initially telling her he was a vampire, I will scream. Because duh! Why would he just be like, "Hey, I'm Stefan, I'm a vampire, nice to meet you!"? Please be serious) He's said the words "I am/was a monster" multiple times on screen - same as Damon - the difference between the two of them is that Stefan does something about it. Stefan trying to be a better person is not him pretending he's never done bad things. It's him trying to atone for all of the bad things that he has done. So, when he says that he's not Damon, It's true! Because he does everything Damon doesn't do when it comes to facing the consequences of his actions. Which also winds up forcing him to face the consequences of Damon's actions as well!

Only in the TVD fandom will you see people say that the guy who actively does the wrong thing in every scenario and who revels in being the bad guy is better than the guy who hates the part of himself that does horrible things and puts all of his effort into being a better person simply because guy #1 is "self-aware".

I hate it here.

[captainsophiestark]

Fresh Start

Stefan Salvatore x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for Fictober 2022!

Fandom: The Vampire Diaries

Prompt: “We all have our reasons”

Summary: Y/N is a non-practicing witch, living her own peaceful life in a small town after running away from home a few years ago. Stefan shows up looking to do the same thing and pretending to be human, although Y/N realizes he's a vampire on-sight. They don't press him, though, even as they start dating. When things start to get more serious, however, they can't continue ignoring the secrets and truths of each others' pasts.

Word Count: 2,228

Category: Fluff, little bit of Angst

Warnings: Mentions of an abusive family, no details or descriptions

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

"We're closed- oh, hey Stef."

"Hey, Y/N." My friend and boyfriend of about the last month gave me a small smile as he walked through the door of my bar. We were closed for the night, so I'd briefly been bracing myself to throw out somebody who didn't realize or want to accept that fact, but Stefan came to spend time with me as I closed things down pretty regularly.

We'd met in this same bar just over a month ago. Stefan had just arrived in town, and after moving into his house on the edge of town, he'd wandered into the bar to start introducing himself to everyone. I'd served him a drink while we chatted, and we'd actually hit it off the bat fairly quickly, which I hadn't been expecting to do with a vampire.

He hadn't officially told me he was a vampire yet, of course. But I was an out-of-practice witch. And just because I'd left my coven and come here for a different life, didn't mean I couldn't still clock a vampire from a hundred yards out.

Stefan and I had been on a few dates since we'd first met, and I kept hoping he'd trust me enough to confess his secret to me himself. Every time I thought he might be working up to it, however, he talked about something else instead. For whatever reason, he seemed hell-bent on pretending to be human while he lived in this place.

I couldn't exactly blame him, since I'd been doing the same thing since I'd left my coven at 18. Still, I at least wanted him to trust me enough to let me in the loop.

"How was work today?" asked Stefan, pulling up a barstool and watching me as I wiped down the counter. I shot him a smile.

"It was fine. Nothing too crazy, no rowdy patrons or strange and mysterious newcomers." He huffed a laugh at that, and I grinned before continuing. "Overall, I'd say it was an average day. How about you? How's the garage?"

"It's good," he said. Within a few days of arriving, he'd gotten a job at our local mechanic shop fixing up cars. I knew for a fact he was being underpaid, but he didn't really seem to care. "I got to work on an old Thunderbird today, which almost made the oil stains on every piece of clothing I wore today, somehow including my underwear, worth it."

I laughed at that, and Stefan gave me a pleased smile. I finished wiping down the counter and tossed the rag, then walked around the counter to take the barstool beside Stefan. The only thing left for me to do was put up the chairs, turn off the lights, and lock the doors, but Stefan and I had made a routine of hanging out here a bit longer than we necessarily needed to as a mini, casual date.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good day," I said. "And that you changed your clothes before coming to see me."

Stefan smirked and hummed, then reached forward to pull my barstool even closer to him. He leaned forward, resting one arm against the bar counter and around me as he got in my space.

"What's the matter? You don't want the smell of motor oil on all of your clothes?"

"I know it may sound strange, but no. No, I absolutely do not."

Stefan smiled, his eyes intent on my lips as he moved forward and trailed the hand not resting on the bar counter up my thigh. I leaned in a bit too, feeling the pull towards the man I'd fallen for so quickly. We'd kissed before, but this moment felt much more heated and like it might be leading somewhere new.

Just before our lips met, I forced myself to pause. Stefan paused too, respecting my hesitation, even as he raised an eyebrow in silent question. I wanted to take the next step with him, but... I couldn't bring myself to do it when such a massive secret still sat between us. One I was partially aware of, but that he thought I was completely ignorant to, and one that he hadn't even begun to suspect.

"Stef... I really, really like you," I started.

"I feel the same way, Y/N."

"That's good. And I've enjoyed the past month with you so, so much. I want to keep growing with you and spending time with you and experiencing life with you."

"I'm waiting for the 'but'."

I sighed. There wasn't a hint of judgment in Stefan's voice, but I needed to just spit it out.

"Bu... before we go any further, I think you should tell me why a vampire is hiding out in a small town, pretending to be a car mechanic."

Whatever Stefan had expected me to say, it wasn't that. He leaned back a bit, his eyes wide in shock, and I jumped in with an answer to what I knew would be his first question.

"I'm a witch, Stef," I said. "I don't practice much anymore, but I clocked you for what you are the minute you set foot in my bar."

Stefan huffed a breath of disbelief, blinking a few times before leaning all the way back to sit up straight on the stool. I think he was surprised, more than upset, but the charged, heated air of a moment before had definitely dissipated. He ran a hand through his hair, then cleared his throat.

"Well...As I'm sure you know then, we all have our reasons," he said, completely ducking the question. He stared around the room, doing anything but making eye contact with me.

"Yeah, we do," I said. I was not having the vague answering around questions nonsense. "I was more asking about your specific reasons though, not just the general reasons supernaturals run off to small towns."

Stefan huffed a humorless laugh, then finally looked at me. "You wanna start by telling me your reasons for coming here?"

"Sure." It clearly wasn't the answer he was expecting, but I wanted to be something special with Stefan. If I expected him to be vulnerable, I was perfectly prepared to be vulnerable with him, too. "I grew up in a terrible, abusive family, and so as soon as I could I got the hell out of the house and disappeared to somewhere they'd never care enough to come look for me. I stopped practicing magic altogether because for me, magic is still tied to all those bad memories. So many other witches talk about the freeing, powerful, and peaceful feeling of using their magic, but it hasn't been that way for me since I was a kid. I still grow vervain and some other magic herbs in my garden at home, but that's about it."

Stefan stared at me, clearly surprised by my complete honesty. I'd had a good few years now to process things and get to a place of being more comfortable with where I'd come from and where I was now, although it was never the easiest thing to talk about. But I cared about Stefan, and I trusted him. Whether or not he ended up deciding to share the details of his backstory with me, I wanted him to know mine.

"So..." I started, breaking the silence after a few beats of Stefan not talking. "You wanna share your stuff now? It's okay if you don't, but... I'd really like to be someone you can trust, you know? No big secrets if we're going down the path of a more serious relationship, and all that."

Stefan took a deep breath in and out, looking away from me as he thought. He seemed to make up his mind as he nodded, still staring a hole in the back wall of the bar, and spoke.

"My brother died," he finally said. My heart broke in my chest for him, but I stayed quiet, giving him space to finish. "My brother and a good friend both. We tried to save them, but... as I'm sure you know, sometimes the supernatural bullshit is a little too much to overcome. After that, I just... I needed to get the hell out of our hometown. It was too small, with way too many bad memories. So I did what I've had to do plenty of times in my long, long life. I left, and found a new place to start over fresh. And for the record, I'm not pretending to be a car mechanic. I am a car mechanic."

I huffed a small laugh, giving Stefan a warm smile and the most comforting look I could when he finally turned back to me. I reached across the bar to take his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, which he returned.

"I'm sure this goes without saying, but... I am so, so sorry you had to go through that," I said. "And thank you for sharing your story with me. I know it's not easy to talk about shit you want to leave behind, so... I'm glad we can talk about it, together."

"I'm glad we can talk about it too," he said, giving me a tight smile and squeezing my hand again. I smiled, a little less tinged with sadness this time, and Stefan did too. We held each other's gaze for a moment, letting the loving looks say what words really couldn't, and then I cleared my throat and straightened.

"So... I know I literally just closed this place, and I usually say no when you suggest this, but after getting into our mutual tragic backstories, it feels like a good time for an exception." I stood from the stool and headed around to the back of the bar again, snagging two glasses as I went. "What do you say we drink our favorite drinks, toast to our new-ish lives together in this town where we can comfortably pretend to be humans, and play pool until we're exhausted or the owner of the bar notices the lights and tells us to go home?"

Stefan grinned and stood from his barstool. "Pour me a double of the best bourbon here. I'll rack, and then you'd better prepare to lose."

I scoffed. "Bring it on, Salvatore. I've been in this bar working and practicing my pool game for the past two and a half years. You've got nothing on me."

"Before tonight, I wouldn't have had a very good comeback for that," he said, grabbing the rack and setting it on the felt of the table. "But, you apparently know I'm a vampire, so I can tell you I've been playing pool just about since it was invented. You don't stand a chance."

I grinned as I grabbed our drinks and set them on a table close to the pool table, then pulled down my favorite cue stick from the wall.

"I guess we'll just have to see then, won't we?" I asked. "Age vs. skill, the battle for all time."

Stefan groaned and rolled his eyes, straightening from where he'd almost finished racking the balls to give me a tired, exasperated look.

"That's the first of about a thousand old jokes I'm going to hear from you now, isn't it?" he asked. I grinned, the expression taking on a bit of a maniacal glint.

"Oh, at least."

"Then I guess I'd really better win this game so I have something to use as a comeback, huh?"

"I mean yeah, unless you want to get jokes about your age and about how bad you are at pool."

Stefan sighed dramatically and threw his head back, which made me laugh. He finished racking the table, grabbed a pool cue, and shook out his shoulders like he was preparing for a fight.

"I'll break," he said. I nodded as he stepped up to the table, lined up the cue ball, and hit it with a move so fast I literally almost didn't see it. The cue ball went flying, breaking apart the triangle cluster of balls and knocking two striped balls into pockets around the table.

I gasped, but Stefan acted like he hadn't done anything particularly impressive.

"I guess I'm stripes then, huh?" I stared, mouth open, as Stefan walked around the table to stand next to me. "Your move."

I closed my eyes and swore, and I heard Stefan chuckle next to me. I'd definitely have my work cut out for me if I wanted to beat him, much more than I'd originally expected. One way or another though, I wasn't too concerned. As I stepped up to the table to take my shot, Stefan hovering over me to try to mess up my concentration, I knew we'd have plenty more games just like this ahead of us. Despite the horrible circumstances that had brought us together, we'd found each other, and now we were going to live happy, peaceful lives, together.

Nothing but countless games of pool, terrible age jokes, oily clothing, and everything in between waited on our horizon.

[evie-mgks-version]

My TVDU OC

Her FC is:

Clarie Danes

Name: Juliet Rose Starleen

Nickname(s): Julie (everyone) Jules (Klaus and Elijah) Princess(Damon) Little Devil (Damon, only when he is teasing her) Love (Klaus) JuJu (A name that isn't used often, so when this is said this. Everyone knows there's something that made her way beyond ticked) Witch Rose/Rose Witch (Klaus. He couldn't remember her name for the first couple of weeks, all he remembered was 'Rose' and that she was a witch) Lil One (Elijah calls her this because of her height) Flicka (Klaus. According to sources in Swedish it mean’s ‘beautiful girl’ or something like that) Little Angel (Klaus) Hybrid Queen (Klaus and herself call me this)

Age: Vampire: 177  Human: 24

Birthday: June 14th 1840

Height: 5' 0”

Friends: Bonnie

Caroline

Stefan (He's more like a brother to her)

Jeremy

Enemies: The Lockwoods Katherine Viki Matt Elena (it's...a long story) People who hurt the ones I love

Crush:

Klaus

Hobbies: Photography Painting (Klaus actually got her into this, all though she's not as good as him)

Likes: Stargazing Painting Being around Klaus

Dislikes: Thunderstorms

Bad habits: Picking or biting my fingernails when she's nervous

Personality: Caring Loving Creative Shy at first

Human or Vampire, witch, or hybrid: Vampire-Witch hybrid 

If Vamp, who turned you?: Klaus on October 5th 1865 Powers: She's not really sure, since she doesn't use her magic very often, but if she had to guess, it's most of the powers all the other witches have. Quotes: "Romeo, Romeo. Wherefor are thou Romeo?" (She usually say this to find Klaus) "I love you. Like the stars above, I'll love you till I die." (She says this to Klaus a lot) "I want us to be like Romeo and Juliet, but way more dirty and naughty" (She says this to Klaus) "Give me my Romeo; and when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven, so fine, that all the world will be in love with night" (This is from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Though she does say this often, especially when Klaus has to do something that is dangerous) "It is not the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves." (Another quote from Romeo and Juliet, but she says this whenever someone is down) "Everything looks cute when it's small!" (She says this to Klaus when he teases her about her height)  "Stars can't shine, without darkness." (She usually say this when someone's upset) "Friends come and go like the waves of the ocean, but those who are true, stay, like an octopus on your face. So thank you, for being an octopus." (Herself. She usually say this to her best friends)

Klaus gave her a necklace on their two year anniversary. It's a daylight necklace with the name Jules engraved on the back of it. It 'stores' her magic.

https://www.kay.com/labcreated-sapphire-necklace-diamonds-sterling-silver/p/V-133773705?cid=PLA-goo-E-Commerce+-+PLA+-+P1+-+Bestsellers+-+Non+Bridal&&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_cW3iMPVggMVzUpHAR3mTwttEAkYAiABEgLjrfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[strawbrryrush]

Finally I make a starter & plot call! Anyways you can find all my muses down below ; and whether they chose to come or not.. and if they're open to some not aliving. Also limit is 3 per mun, and 5 starters per muse ! 🖤🧡 I'll probably drop all pre event replies when it comes to the event starting BTW!!

elena gilbert- went willing, probably curious. - open to death that doesnt alter her memory. -4/5 hope, stefan, katherine, elijah

Eric Northman- went, finally something interesting - not open to death; open to get hurt if u can - it helps he's 1000+ and immortal. 1/5 faye

homura akemi - can't see her willing to go, unless she knew madoka went and ofc she has to protect her gf. - open to non memory altering death- 0/5

jinx, - went 100 percent , she loves chaos. - open to not memory altering death; she just remembered. -3/5 freddie, silco, judith

Nami- 100 percent is too much of a scaredy cat to go- is horrified she appeared there anyways. - willing for some death- no altering her memory -3/5. zhuyin, molly, zoro

richard gecko - didn't care to go- pissed he wound up anyways - - open to death, 1/5 seth

tifa lockhart- she's too smart to willing want to go- is now being super protective of people she cares for. - not open for death, 1/5 aerith

lip gallagher- didn't wanna go, gimme death. 1/5 fiona, rikki

veronica sawyer,- heard cornmaze and figured it'd be stupid - boy was she wrong.. open to death, 0/5

finn the human,- 100 percent wanted to go, loves an adventure.. open to not memory altering death, 0/5

princess peach - didn't wanna go. Now is worried about shego, keeping herself on guard. -1/5 jasmine

Tamora mitchell, she went, was curious.. anything over homework right ?? - open to memory altering death, 2/5 peyton, kat

teucer- curiosity might kill this dude, wanted to go and check it out- big mistake.. open to death, give childe some character development aksl jk jk, 2/5 childe, yoon chi woo,

isabelle - was too busy working to go!! Grind is 24/7-- is scared but will glue themselves to mika. 1/5 mika

nezuko kamado- she willing went - she wanted to see something new - now she's scared >:[ will protect people if needed . - open to non memory altering death, 0/5

harriet hufflepuff- went with lily for a date- kind of a big mistake but she's happy to be with their cute coworker. - no death, 5/5 salazar, godric, gregoria, hadley, harvey

amber freeman - willing went , why not have an opportunity to potentially attack someone- I mean why who she went for fun-- open for death. 2/5 jill, billy

Tina belcher- lbr just found herself there.. is confused but it's exciting. - no death, 2/5 bob, louise

misa amane - went to get some good pics for insta- now regrets it. - open to non memory altering death. 0/5

gwen stacy - didn't want to go, open for death, 1/5 peter

erica reyes,- went for some fun, open to death, 1/5 peter

dinah laurel lance,- didn't go willing, open to death, 0/5

bond - was trying to get out of his comfort zone, big mistake. , no death, 1/5 pei ming

Mary- went for the heck of it, no memory altering death, 2/5. Heidi, noela

[viktere]

⸤ 🩸 ⸣ ⸻ 𝒗𝒊𝒌𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔, an independent and private multimuse. ft canon and original characters from different medias, with a focus on original characters. dark themes will appear, proceed with caution. by kiki, she + her, twenty8+. activity is permanently sporadic to low.

carrd, atlas, prompts, board. blogroll, @klaeus, @elenaes, @raqeful. sideblogs, @sunaed. muse spotlight, river, eris, nimue, cassie, varina.

before interacting.

i am mutuals only, please respect that. do not interact if you're under 18, 21+ preferred.

basic etiquette and human decency please: no weird or gross behaviors, and be respectful.

while triggering topics will appear and be tagged, keep taboo subjects away from me. (r.ape/non-con, p.edophilia, i.ncest, etc.)

banned: i.an somerhalder and a recast klaus. exceptions can be made for multis that have a tag for them i can block.

mutuals are welcome to tag me in anything ever, send in countless memes whenever, message me at any time and request my d.iscord. basically if we're mutuals, "bug" me whenever and however you want 🤍

my formatting is simple, and i'm fine with icons, iconless, gif icons or gifs. answered asks can always be treated as a starter, feel free to rb them or start a new post to create a thread!

accessibility: lmk at any time if you need me to adjust anything for your comfort, it won't bother me at all. on my end, it would be super helpful if you don't use tiny icons or courier new font with me.

shipping and dynamics of all kinds are my lifeblood, so lmk at any time if you're interested in shipping with me.

there will be a heavy focus on my original characters, with canons taking a backseat by default. please do not try to interact with only my male muses.

originals.

amarande floresca, pureblood vampire, gemma arterton, primary.

aspasia, the dark urge / seldarine drow druid, tbd, primary.

aspyn verona, hunter, denise richards, secondary.

aurora provenza, black market doctor, danielle rose russell, moved to @shemad.

booker darcy, hunter / half demon, chris evans, primary.

briar kesta, reincarnation of aphrodite, danielle campbell, primary.

callan wisteria, private investigator, dylan o'brien, primary.

cassiopeia claremont, reincarnation of the goddess of the stars, claire holt, primary.

christian byrne, hunter, ethan peck, primary.

eris floresca, pureblood vampire, crystal reed, primary.

fern roque, serial killer of abusive men, bruna marquezine, secondary.

julieta cardenas, ghost hunter / streamer, lizeth selene, secondary.

luminita, gifted vampire, demet özdemir, secondary.

magdalena primrose, mortician / exorcist, alexandra daddario, primary.

mi-cha yeong, storm chaser, kim ji-won, test / wip.

mikhail floresca, pureblood vampire, douglas booth, primary.

naizak, archangel oc, kim jae-wook, tertiary.

nimue, ancient forest witch / shapeshifter, megan fox, primary.

opal undergrove, witch, yaya dacosta, secondary.

rhysand eoin ó cuilinn, vampire, chace crawford, primary.

river mihal, werewolf, alina kovalenko, secondary.

severina, white eyed demon oc, adria arjona, secondary.

sila prakenskii, mobster, tor thanapob, moved to @raqeful.

varina leucothea, siren princess, dakota johnson, primary.

canons.

caius, twilight, regé-jean page, secondary.

connor, dbh, bryan dechart, test.

damon salvatore, tvdu, giancarlo commare, secondary.

edward cullen, twilight, robert pattinson, secondary.

emmett cullen, twilight, michael evans behling, primary.

esme cullen, twilight, carla gugino, secondary.

isabella swan, twilight, antonia gentry, primary.

jack ryan, bioshock, jensen ackles, test.

lara croft, tomb raider, yaya sperbund, primary.

sam winchester, supernatural, jared padalecki, primary.

stefan salvatore, tvdu, paul wesley, secondary.

subject delta, bioshock 2, mads mikkelsen, test.