Caroline laughed, the noise bubbling out of her throat and escaping her lips. Tyler smiled, and pressed his mouth to hers, trying to catch that laugh. Caroline fell back onto the dozen of fluffy pillows that were propped up behind her head, smiling as Tyler pressed soft kisses to her throat. She sighed softly, and then reached for Tyler, holding his face in her hands as she pulled him up for a deep, lingering kiss.
Tyler sat up, shrugging off his T-shirt and tossing it to the floor. Caroline was grinning as Tyler began to tug at her blouse, and she lifted her arms up to allow him to pull it off her. She began to yank down her skirt, leaving her in just her matching white bra and underwear.
"Pants off," she told him, and Tyler needed no further encouragement. He was now stripped down to his briefs, their clothes strewn across his bedroom floor. He leaned over Caroline, his elbows propped up on either side of her head, and smashed his lips against hers. They from slow to rapid to desperate, and Tyler felt Caroline's tongue trying to breach the barriers of his teeth. He opened his mouth, and he felt her explore the inside of his mouth and her hands grip the tense muscles of his back. Tyler slid his hands down her sides and gripped her hips as her tongue met with his.
Tyler felt a sudden rush as he was flipped onto his back, with Caroline now sitting on top of him, smiling down at him. She moved her hips deftly, her thighs tightening on either side of him. He loved it when she got aggressive, when she took control like this.
Tyler grinned, and rose to a half-sitting position to kiss desperately at her stomach, easing a few more moans out of her in the process.
Caroline ran her hands through his hair, her fingernails scraping gently against his scalp. She pressed a kiss on the top of his head before pushing him down against the pillows.
The Lockwood home was vacant except for them. His mother was out at Town Hall, dealing with the management of Mystic Falls. Or at least holding up the front of the Council's secret dealings with the vampires in town. But today, Tyler wasn't going to think about that. It was Sunday and Caroline was in his bed after the two decided to hang out the night before.
The sex was—is, always is—fantastic.
And watching Caroline sleep after the blinding afterglow was comforting. She didn't breathe as deeply as she did when she was human, but her humanity was still there, tucked somewhere within her and yet bursting at the seams at the same time. Tendrils of her soft, sunny hair would drape across her face and shoulders from where she would curl up next to Tyler.
Just running his fingers through her hair had a calming effect on him.
They had slept in, but Tyler was the first one to wake up. He reluctantly pulled away from the sleeping Caroline, and went downstairs to the kitchen. He didn't keep blood bags in the house, but food helped her stave off her bloodlust. He walked into the pantry, and moved things around, trying to find something suitable.
Tyler found a box of Pop Tarts hiding in the back of the pantry. He knew that his mom would never buy these—they were nothing but fattening sugar to her, and he didn't blame her for believing that—and that drove him to one conclusion.
"Hey, you found them!" said Caroline, coming up behind him. She smiled, and took the box of s'more-flavoured treats from his hands.
Tyler raised an eyebrow. "You planted Pop Tarts in my house?"
Caroline pulled out one of the silvery packages out of the box, handing it back to Tyler. "Yeah, but they're such a guilty pleasure of mine," she said. "I won't buy these like ever, but I've had such a craving for them lately."
"And you decided that putting them in my house was the best idea," Tyler said, but he couldn't help smiling. "Geez, why don't you pick out one of my drawers and put your toothbrush in my bathroom?"
"I already chose the top right one for myself," Caroline grinned, tearing open the package. The artificial smells of the Pop Tarts overwhelmed Tyler's senses for a brief moment, and he watched as Caroline made her way over to the toaster and popped both of the Pop Tarts in. She opened up one of the cupboards, pulling a chocolate-brown plate down and placing it on the countertop.
"Maybe you're pregnant," Tyler suggested, as he pressed himself against Caroline's back. He wrapped his arms around her stomach, and rested his chin on the top of her head. "You know, that's what usually happens when you start eating weird things."
"If I was pregnant I would make you go out to the store to get pickles and ice cream," said Caroline. She twisted around to face Tyler, giving him a slight pout. "And are you saying that I'm getting fat?"
"What, no!" said Tyler, laughing in spite of himself. He leaned down and gave Caroline a quick kiss.
She was perfect.
Caroline cocked an eyebrow at him disbelievingly. "Really?" she said, and slid her hands down to her stomach. "Because I think I look kind of bloated—"
"OK, now you're just fishing for compliments."
The toaster dinged, and the Pop Tarts popped up. Caroline spun around, and placed them on the plate. She had just barely finished doing that when Tyler swept her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style into the living room.
"Tyler!" Caroline scolded, but she was laughing as Tyler spun in a circle before dropping her onto one of the long couches. He dropped down to his knees next to it, watching her as she propped herself up to one side. Her one hand was supporting her head as her elbow dug into the soft leather, while her other hand trailed against her stomach.
Tyler reached for that hand, and pressed Caroline's knuckles to his lips, kissing them tenderly. Caroline smiled back, and Tyler leaned over, pressing their foreheads together.
He wanted to do something special for her, to keep that smile on her face. His chest suddenly tightened, and the urge to shield Caroline from every bad thing became an instant command, running through his veins. It must've shown on his face, because Caroline suddenly sat up, and pulled Tyler's head into her lap. She stroked his hair, running her fingers softly through it. He gripped her legs, holding them for support.
This continued for a few more minutes, a comfortable silence falling between them. Tyler finally raised his head, looking up at Caroline.
"Do you want anything to drink?" he asked her. He placed her hand in his, and covered it with his other hand, making soothing, circular motions with them. "I don't have any blood, but I have orange juice, tea—"
"Orange juice would be great," she said, giving him a small smile. Tyler stood up, slowly releasing her hand before walking back to the kitchen.
The Pop Tarts were cold on the plate, so Tyler stuck them back into the toaster to warm them up. He rooted though the fridge, finding the orange juice in the back. It was pulp-free, because both he and Caroline preferred it that way.
While he poured up two, tall glasses Tyler's mind meandered back to Caroline, and how he loved the way she knew how to make him feel better. He wanted to reciprocate that; he wanted to make sure that he gave to her as much as she gave to him. He wanted her for forever, and they had that. If only there was some way to halt all of the chaos that constantly plagued their town, to keep Caroline safe from all of it. He wanted her to be happy and not worry about their lives being on the line, their mothers being in danger because of their positions on the Council.
Tyler returned to the living room with their juice and Caroline's now-slightly-burnt Pop Tarts. He sat down next to her, and elicited a kiss from her.
She was perfect.