Summary: Elena's too late. unrequited! Stefan/Elena. Implied Stefan/Katherine
Takes place during 5x09 - 5x11. Katherine is not dying
Song: Breathe by Taylor Swift
And I can't breathe Without you, but I have to
Elena knew she'd miss him but he's...Stefan and her feelings for her epic love never truly faded. But somehow, with all of the drama that happened between the two of them, he became one of her closest friends. He accepted her for who she was, craziness and loved her unconditionally. He was one of the only people that could make her laugh when she felt like her world was crashing down around her.
Even with how important he was to her, she still didn't expect to feel as if she had a gaping hole in her chest. She expected to feel that way about Damon, not Stefan.
More than once, she thought about sitting down and talking with him, but she was afraid that he'd turn her away. She feared that he didn't miss her as much as she missed him.
They barely talked after he got his memories back, both too caught up in their own drama. She wanted a hug from him, but she didn't want to bother him when it was obvious that he was suffering.
When she went back to the boarding house after her break-up with Damon, she wasn't ready for Stefan to practically ignore her. He went from being one of her close friends to acting as if she didn't even exist.
She also wasn't ready for Stefan to go after Katherine for a relationship. Elena understood that they were forever bonded because of 1864, but she thought their relationship was left in the past. She hadn't realized that there were still feelings there for either of them.
She wasn't ready for the sharp pain in her chest when they kissed after one of his panic attacks either.
She felt her breathing hitch as she watched Katherine try to calm him down and succeed. As if all the worlds problems on his shoulders had been lifted. The way her forehead leaned against his and her hand cupped his cheek had suddenly made everything better for him
She felt as if she was suffocating as their lips moved pressed together, lazily moving as if they had all of the time in the world.
She didn't know how she'd continue to breathe, knowing Stefan was forever lost, but she realized she was going to have to learn.
She was too late.
fin.