Well, hello again, people of the internet. Soo..It's a second Steroline. I usually only do one shots, but..I think this might be a few chapters. Probably 5. If I have the attention span, I mean. I'll do my very best to keep it going, I promise. c:
Stefan's POV
"Stefan, you...You know how I feel about you. Do I really have to say it?"
"Yes, Care, you really do." Stefan muttered to himself, remembering the blonde's words before she had stormed away from him. He poured himself a little more of Damon's bourbon. He wasn't drunk, per se, but the alcohol made his mind slightly more numb than usual. It was a few weeks after the 1920's dance, Damon was off on his own again, like he had been since Alaric turned into the next Mikael and was killed soon after, and Elena..Well, Elena had confirmed she remembered their time together, that she still cared about him. But he knew that she also cared for Damon. It's like Katherine all over again, only this time without the mind games.
Caroline had also let him know that, while she still fully supported Stefan and Elena, she also liked him. She liked him a lot, since he rejected her for Elena. Especially then, she had said, because she loved a challenge. He knew that now, and remembered teaching her how to hunt bunnies and her frantic, rather silly comments and questions. He smiled almost involuntarily, remembering how she made him smile like his other best friend used to. Up until Lexi had slammed his head into the window of a car, she made him feel like that. She was really his only best friend, Caroline was just a backup, almost. But after...Well, Caroline was much more caring. She made him feel alive again, not mortal like Elena, but not like a monster, like Katherine and Rebekah had. She made him feel like he had a purpose, almost.
She was really something, his Caroline. My Caroline, he noted mentally, frowning at himself. She wasn't his, she was Tyler's and, well, and Klaus'. She wasn't a belonging, either, not a trophy to have. But she was beautiful and charming and sweet and loving and strong and—No. Stefan stopped himself, taking deep breaths and forcing himself to think about beautiful, courageous Elena. Stubborn, sexy Katherine. Anything to distract him from his blonde best friend. Realizing it wasn't working too well, he poured himself more alcohol from the glass bottle. He had to stop, damn it.
She may have been having trouble with Tyler and Klaus and Matt and whoever else she was trying to juggle in her relationship area—For all Stefan knew, Dean Winchester could be in that list, too—but she wasn't telling him. With that thought came a small wave of depression. She didn't tell him anything anymore, it seemed. He missed when she would just drag him to the Grill and force him to listen to her Tyler problems, even if it was mostly to keep him busy while Elena went on dangerous finding-herself missions.
The bottom line was, he missed her. He missed his best friends a lot. Caroline and Lexi. The two of them would have teamed up against him in the end, had Damon not killed the first blonde. He couldn't exactly call Lexi, with her on the other side and all, but Caroline he could.
He picked up his iPhone with a frown and quickly typed "Care" in the contacts, tapping the little envelope by her name to text her.
Caroline, I know you probably don't care, but I miss you.
He tapped the green send button before he had the chance to think too much about it, and waited for her response.
Caroline's POV
Caroline was sitting on her bed, writing in her green diary absentmindedly, explaining her day without really thinking about it. She could only think about the look on Stefan's face when she had yelled that she liked him. Or, at least, she implied it. That should have been enough, right? Her mind was racing while her pen moved robotically across the page.
"...and Klaus sent another drawing of me and that beautiful horse. Does he never give up? I mean, he's a murderer. Why does he think I'll just..fall into his arms, like some helpless princess?" Caroline paused. She was trying to remember what, exactly, Tyler had said to her early. She couldn't quite get a hold on the conversation from her memory, though. She put her pen down, hearing her ringtone, Here Comes The Sun, start playing. She unlocked it quickly, since it was late and her mother was asleep. She read the text from Stefan, her lips moving silently.
so now you miss me? She responded, frowning at her phone. It took him a week to talk to her after she told him. A week! That was just not all right with her. He couldn't expect her, of all people, to fall all over herself to talk to him. No, she'd talk to him when she wanted to. She went back to righting, this time about Stefan, and about how infuriating he was.
The Beatles started playing again and she turned her phone to vibrate quickly, then opening the text.
Care. One word, and it set her off again.
dont you "Care" me, Stefan Salvatore. you had a WEEK to respond in any way, but you didnt. sorry, you dont get to suddenly swoop in like some knight in shining, white armor. She sent back, frowning. She slammed the cover on her diary shut and stood up, pacing. She didn't know what to think now. Stefan missed her. He missed her! She should have been ecstatic, but instead she was pissed. She frowned and slipped a pair of black flats on and zoomed down her stairs and out her door silently. She ran quickly over to the Salvatore boarding house, knocking on the door quietly. Of course, Stefan answered it in less than a minute, being the polite thing to do. She stared at his almost stunned face before burying her face in his chest, hugging him to her tightly.
