So, IDK if you've heard the spoiler about Bonnie/Jeremy MAYBE getting together in season two. I'm not sure how I like the idea but I do believe Jeremy's gotten hotter lately and I wanna explore this for myself in the safe confines of fanfiction before seeing it on screen. Hope you likey! =)

ONE

Luxuria: n. Latin; lust, self-indulgent sexual desire (personified as one of the deadly sins)

She was perfection captured in the form of a petite, bronzed cheerleader. Even a blind man could attest to that, from the curve of her full lipped smile to the sparkle in her hazel eyes. So what was wrong with this picture?

Tyler Lockwood, that assface currently parading as the boyfriend of Bonnie Bennett with an insecure vice grip around her petite waist, that's what. Jeremy Gilbert seethed quietly, tearing into his ham sandwich with renewed vigour.

"If you stare any harder at Bonnie, you'll bore holes into her back."

"Elena." Jeremy did not turn as Elena seated herself aside him on the mouldy brown bench. "I wasn't staring."

"'Course you weren't," Elena said sarcastically, emphasized by an exaggerated roll of her eyes. He sighed, puzzled as to his sister's sudden appearance.

"What do you want, Elena?"

He'd given up the substance abuse a long time ago so why wouldn't his older sister get off his back?"

"You need to tell Bonnie how you feel. I'm sick of Tyler hanging around her like her personal lap dog."

Jeremy's face split into a spontaneous grin despite himself. Finally, someone that recognized Tyler Lockwood as the dickhead he really was without immediately writing Jeremy off as jealous.

"Does that mean you're going to do it?" Elena asked, quirking a brow at him. Jeremy fought the smile tugging his lips up at one corner.

"Maybe." He demolished the rest of his sandwich. "I mean, it's not like we hang out or anything."

It was true. His sister and her friends, Caroline and Bonnie, were juniors and thus older than him. However, this gave him some 'cool factor' when it came to the other guys in his grade seeing as Caroline and Bonnie had always viewed him as a little boy, blowing him kisses in the hallways and pinching his cheeks. Demeaning? Yes, very much so. Hard-on inducing? Sadly...yes.

"How did you grow up so fast?" Elena asked, eyebrows now furrowed as though she were dissecting him. His face tinged a deep pink, Jeremy busied himself with his water bottle.

He was taller now, that was for sure. He towered over his sister at six feet and his figure seemed to be expanding by the day. Shoulders grew broader and muscles more prominent. His brown hair was longer now, not forced into any particular style but often combed with a neat part. His closet staple of thin, dark hoodies had gradually grown less frequent and edgy leather jackets and carefully worn jeans took their place. Jeremy Gilbert was no longer the fifteen year old boy Caroline and Bonnie cooed over.

"Somewhere between you spooning your bloodsucker boyfriend and spending all your time at the Salvatore boarding house, I think." He hadn't meant to sound so cold, so hurtful, but the tears misting Elena's eyes told him that he'd succeeded.

"El-" But she was gone and Jeremy lacked the energy to follow her.

"Where are you headed after school?"

Bonnie bit her lip, sure she was going to pass out from the overpowering heady scent of Tyler's aftershave. He had just come out of the locker room and his dark hair was damp and plastered to his forehead. A loose red tee shirt draped over well-formed muscles and baggy blue jeans hung low on his hips.

"Elena's place." Tyler made a face and Bonnie swatted his arm. "Be nice!"

"I like Elena fine," Tyler explained, unloading her heavy Biology books from her hands. "It's just her snotty little brother I can't stand."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Jeremy? But he's just a little kid."

Tyler shrugged defensively as they exited the school building. "I've seen the way he looks at you. Not as innocent as he pretends to be."

"Looks at me like what?" Bonnie asked, a playful mischief lighting her eyes.

"Like he wants to do things to you only seen in hardcore porno."

Now, it was Bonnie's time to make a face. "You would know. And so you're different how?"

Tyler grinned with that boyish ease she loved. "Only I'm allowed to act upon those fantasies."

Bonnie rolled her eyes, stopping in front of his car and dropping her back into the trunk.

"You're full of yourself."

"You love it."

And she did.

Jeremy opened the door when she rapped against the rich chestnut-coloured wood. Bonnie's heart skipped an involuntary beat as he face her having just come out of the shower. A white towel hung dangerously low on his hips and his black boxer band was visible from underneath. His hair was wet and mussed, framing sweet brown eyes. He smelt fresh, like lemons and ocean breezes. It was intoxicating.

"Hey, Jeremy." She resisted all bodily contact as she manoeuvred past him and into the spacious foyer of the Gilbert household. "Elena home yet?"

"Yeah, but then she went to the local store to grab some snacks. You girls and your junk food."

Bonnie turned, raising an eyebrow in mock offence. "Are you calling us fat?"

Jeremy looked shocked as though he couldn't envision the possibility try as he might. "N-no. Of course not. Anyway, I'd keep you company but..."

He gestured down to his waist and a weak smile turned Bonnie's lips. "Of course. Don't let me keep you. I'll just...channel surf for a bit, or something."

No sooner had she watched three minutes of a Spongebob episode than Jeremy came crashing into the living room.

"Done," he grinned at her, flashing a set of pearly white teeth identical to his sister's. He was clad in a plain back tee shirt and the same jeans she'd seen him wearing at school. His hair was still damp and that fresh invigorating fragrance still clung to him, making her eyes want to roll into the back of her head and her body convulse in a pleasurable way.

"That was quick," she commented instead, scooting over to make room on the couch for him.

"I'm fast," Jeremy agreed, nodding solemnly. "So, Spongebob huh?"

"Good stuff," Bonnie teased, the lilting tone of her voice daring him to disagree.

"Nah, I agree. Can't really go past it."

He was inches away now, leaning casually into the sofa and resting a muscular forearm around the back. He allowed his fingers to lightly graze her cinnamon shoulder.

Bonnie found herself unable to concentrate on the cartoon, finding it incredibly trivial all of a sudden.

"So..." Jeremy cleared his throat. "Um, how was school?"

"Good," she replied eagerly. A little too eager as she nearly jumped out the of the sofa and onto the coffee table. She was just glad to have a conversation topic.

Discouraged, Jeremy drew back his arm. "Look, I was thinking-"

"Haven't interrupted have I?"

Jeremy turned, trying to burn a hole through Elena with his glare. Stupid cockblock with her bad timing and-

"No, Elena, you're just in time!" Bonnie's voice took on a more high-pitched frequency. "Homework! We should get started, no?"

She stumbled out of the room, holding onto Elena for balance. Elena turned, giving her brother a look which read: What the hell happened?

Jeremy shrugged, his eyes conveying his own confusion.

The two girls began chatting amicably about inconsequential things: schoolwork, cheerleading, who Aimee Bradley had hooked up with at the last party...

Meanwhile, Jeremy turned and buried his face in his hands. This was supposed to be the year. The year he shook off his 'sweet little Jeremy Gilbert' persona and became the kind of strong, confident and charming man Bonnie Bennett could love. Yet again, it seemed like the fates had dealt him a cruel hand. Because he was sitting there, damp through his clothing and watching a children's' cartoon in an unlit room while Tyler Lockwood was sitting at home probably thinking about all the ass he was going to get that night.

Life could be so unfair.