Chapter 5: He's A Cold Hearted Snake

When Stefan first walked in the house with groceries, he went into the kitchen and began unpacking them. Elena left Bonnie's side on the couch to go help and shortly after he started cooking. They're a team, you just have to accept that. Bonnie thought to herself, trying not to bring up old feelings of jealousy. Elena sat at the counter and watched as she'd never seen anyone boil water before. He said something stupid to make her laugh and that's when she saw Bonnie still alone on the couch,

Elena didn't want her best friend to feel like that, so she motioned for her to come over. The two had the best view in Miami watching Stefan Salvatore make pasta. He was humble but that didn't cancel the feeling of having full attention from two beautiful women. Elena had her hair in a high ponytail, with loose strands pooling down the sides of her face. Her attire was very casual as she was probably spending the night. Bonnie had no time to straighten her hair neither did she have her specific hair products that'd give her hair a definite curly look so it was in a frizzy bun.

Almost done with the sauce, Stefan stirred it for a final time before asking the two lovely ladies in his home for an opinion.

"Here, taste this."

"I wanna be surprised."

"Elena."

The nurse rolled her eyes while leaning forward to try the pasta sauce. Her eyes widened in reaction to the flavor in her mouth. She snatched the spoon from Stefan greedily and faced Bonnie.

"You have to try this," Elena practically ordered with the spoon dangerously close to her mouth. Stefan had no use for the spoon as the pasta was done and now both Elena and Bonnie's tongues had lapped up whatever the small amount of sauce was respectively. Bonnie made a noise of pleasure as the sauce hit her tastebuds. She saw Stefan and Elena looking at her fascinated in different ways. Elena was trying to relive when she first tasted the heavenly sauce and Stefan was studying the way she at it, how long she let the seasonings sit on her tongue before swallowing it. He even licked his lip there was no doubt Elena saw it. She didn't look too mad about it. So to distract them she coughed loudly covering her mouth.

"Sorry, the food was just so good I think I'm getting...a cold."

"Cold?" Elena raised her eyebrows.

"No, not that cold, it's the AC. It's so high powered in here." She touched Elena's shoulders, " You feel that Elena?"

"Bonnie your palms are sweating," The brunette gritted, annoyed at Bonnie's spike in attitude.

"I can just cut the air conditioning off," Stefan offered.

Bonnie and Elena yelled their responses. One screamed yes, the other yelled a hard no - simultaneously. Stefan eyed both of them; neither of them was going to let up for the other. The oven timer beeped and he went to go tend to the breadsticks that were coming out the oven with a golden-brown hue.

"You're being weird, again," Elena says in a hushed tone.

"I made a peculiar noise you two couldn't keep your eyes off of me."

"We-"

Stefan announced that dinner was ready.

Even with the buffers, the dinner ended up going great. Bonnie isn't sure why she isn't overthinking and casting doubt as the three of them talk amongst themselves at the table. Bonnie gets up to pour herself some wine but Stefan stops her, she's his guest and she shouldn't have to lift a finger, at least that's what he believes. She smiles as her glass as refilled graciously. The two share a look before she drinks from her glass.

Elena was going through her phone her face deep in her screen scrolling past her gallery.

"Here!" She exclaims, all giddy-like. "These are from Coachella; Bonnie, Caroline and I went last year. It was so hot, wasn't it?"

Bonnie squints to view at the revolving photos. "Yeah, it was. Hey - I'm still looking for that blue crop top you're wearing in that picture."

"Oops, I mean we all know I looked better in it."

"Looked? What the hell did you do with my shirt woman?"

Elena shrugged, "It shrunk. Not even you could wear it."

Yes, Bonnie was really that small. While looking at the pictures, Stefan was able to notice that most of their backgrounds were dirt and grass.

"You all flew to California and camped? I don't think I have that strength."

Bonnie groaned, "Yes, and we all agreed to have a tent outside but Caroline backed out last minutes claiming she had a hotel room. I and Elena had to end up sharing a tent alone."

The brunette smiled warmly, "Well, regardless, we had fun."

Bonnie really tried to make the last sentence sound apathetic as if sleeping next to Elena was a chore. She couldn't fool Stefan really, not since she laid all her feelings bare in one sentence about his girlfriend at their first dinner. They knew it was a bald-faced lie. Bonnie loved every minute of it, waking up to Elena even if they were laying on dirt, grass and being suffocated by the West Coast heat. At the time, the two almost forgot Caroline even accompanied them. She assumed Elena ended up forgetting too because of her indifference to the blonde when she came back to the festival to enjoy the performers. They look at a few more pictures and Elena puts her phone away in her purse afterward.

It's not long before dinner is officially over and Stefan is loading the dishwasher with dirty dishes. It then occurs to Bonnie that she still has no clothes to change into. It wasn't that late so she could probably try to sneak out to Gram's house. Then again, Grams would ask questions and she didn't need that.

"Do you think you can go to my grandmother's house and grab like, a suitcase worth of clothes."

"Um, sure. What do you want me to tell her?"

"Tell her it's something Abby said."

"Do you really want to do that? I mean-okay, sure."

Bonnie mouths a thank you. She then plops down on the couch, tired. Not dealing with her problems was exactly what Abby would do and she was doing just that. She just wished she was healed enough to go back home. Grams must have been worried sick about her. She picks up a remote turning it on some night cartoon to keep her mind off of it.

"Mind if I sit here?"

She nodded, it was his house after all.

"You seem like you're in deep thought."

Bonnie shakes her head and sighs, "Sorry, I don't want to bring the mood down. It's just that I feel...kind of weak, physically and mentally."

Stefan looks at her with concern in his gaze. The topic was still sensitive and it wasn't something she could just talk about and he knew that. "You're going to pull out of this, I know. Take all the time here, I'm here for you."

"Do you think I'm being selfish with my Grams? She should know what happened to me but," Bonnie paused. "I don't even know really what happened to me."

There's a silence and then he answers her question. "I think it's ultimately up to you. When she does finally hear the truth, she'll let go being upset with you. Family always understands."

Bonnie nods in agreement. A hug would be nice but it probably isn't appropriate. They watch the cartoon until Elena comes back, trudging in with a full suitcase. She looked exhausted but she needed rolling the suitcase to the guest bedroom. Bonnie followed shortly after, and Elena plopped down on the guest bed.

Stefan comes in the room, not entirely because he was only leaning on the doorframe.

"You look half-dead."

Elena opens her eyes, hearing his voice. "Oh, my God, Bonnie did I just- Sorry." Bonnie just assures her it's okay as she's standing up and stocking the empty drawers with her clothes. Elena sits up lazily.

"I'm so exhausted, carry me out, Stefan?"

"Okay, Princess Diana." He was already making his way over to pick her up despite the playful nickname. Elena giggles in his broad arms, whispering in his ear nothing at all. She almost forgets to tell her friend goodnight.

"Goodnight, Bonnie!" She yelps in a high pitched voice. Stefan's voice follows smoothly wishing her a good night too. Bonnie just smiles and waved them off still in front of the dresser. She hated late night showers so she changed into her pajamas and opted to shower early morning right before attending dance. When lying in her bed, she hears the couple next to her. The walls are thin, it's not as though she's trying to listen.

Elena begged for him, pleaded even until he finally gave in. She'd even promised that she would quiet but that didn't happen obviously if Bonnie can hear. However the promise, in Elena's mind doesn't fall on her, she rationalizes her breaking it because of her lover and how good he made her feel. She had to show her gratitude somehow and an 'I love you' wasn't always enough. Moaning and screaming out his name while he's inside of you was way more expressive.

Bonnie assumes they both climax because of the synchronizing noise they make together and she hears complete silence after that. Stefan and Elena were officially sleeping. She can't say she's too mad about it because she chose to stay awake during their monogamous tryst and she wasn't exactly displeased with what he heard. The boy was doing a damn good job apparently.

"Goodnight," Bonnie said to no one at all and too fell into a deep slumber.

A week passes at Stefan's house. They fall into routine shortly and learn a few things about one another. Bonnie is a heavy sleeper, he figured with her dancing and caring for everyone so fiercely she deserved it. Anything could wake Stefan and he'd be on full alert ready to defend his home. Bonnie wasn't exactly horrendous in the kitchen but she preferred if Stefan cooked their meals - whenever he had time.

Within that week, they all visited her. First Caroline who came with a goody bag of treats and offering hugs. They later sat on the bed where Bonnie emptied her candy bag, sharing her gift with her friend. In mid candy binge, Caroline groaned about they were gorging on way too many calories. The sweets are way too good for Bonnie to care.

Klaus's visit is short as she doesn't know him that well but he still was very kind. They didn't talk about the event as Stefan told him that he should keep whatever conversation with Bonnie 'light'. The Brit simply walked in the kitchen and began demonstrating what her gift was - tea. It was honey too, Bonnie liked the way it tasted. She thanks him and all he told her was converting an American from coffee to tea was his second career, she laughed in response.

When Caroline and Klaus visited, respectively, Bonnie was alone. She believed that they did it purposefully because Caroline knows the girl's schedule like the back of her hand. Katherine's visit felt interrupting and as if she was trying to intimidate Bonnie. The curly brunette stood at the door with a bouquet of grey flowers.

"Let me in?" She wore a smile, staring Bonnie right in the face.

"Of course," Bonnie gritted while opening the door fully and stepping aside for Katherine's heels to click against the threshold. She closed her eyes, regretting it immensely as the visit from her best friend's twin got more insincere. Katherine handed Bonnie the flowers to vase and then checked herself out in the living room mirror.

"So, have you heard from Elena?"

"I talked to her this morning, why is she ignoring your calls again?"

"No. I was just wondering if she was alright with this."

"Well, she is."

Stefan emerged from his bedroom wearing a wifebeater and black jogging pants. He was holding a navy blue button down in one hand and a dark red one in the other. Stefan didn't even notice Katherine as he asked for Bonnie's preference. He and Elena had a date planned for tonight and out of the kindness of her heart, she was helping him through it. Bonnie walked over to him and touched the shirt, her thumb running across the blue fabric.

"This is your color...I don't know why though." Her green eyes leave the clothing to look at his. Katherine cleared her throat breaking up the two's eye lock. Caught up in their moment, the two didn't even notice her large presence.

The twin commented coolly, "It's because it really captures his eyes."

Stefan threw the red shirt on the couch and said, "Katherine, what are you doing here?"

"A friend can't visit another friend?"

Bonnie spoke up, "She brought me flowers, you know just uncharacteristic nice things Katherine does for people other than herself."

Katherine let out a dry laugh. "Very funny, Bonnie Well since I'm not wanted here from either of you I'll be on my way."

Stefan and Bonnie nodded; her visit was shady, to say the least. Before she left, Stefan yells that the two of them will talk later. Katherine ended up walking out with a smirk, knowing that she got under their skin by simply bringing flowers to Bonnie. She knew that Bonnie wouldn't be alone today all along.

While Stefan was gone, Bonnie did a number of tasks. Which was cleaning up, then talking to Grams in the midst of that, finishing her cleaning and even made a small meal for herself? Talking to her grandmother was the hardest because she had to lie. Telling her that she was staying at her best friend's boyfriend's place for some unnamed reason was not pleasant optics. Of course, she had to lie, there was no other option.

On the bright side, her hair products had finally come, the delivery man ringing the doorbell might have been the best visitor of all. That mess of a bun had to go - pronto. Bonnie had never been so happy to wash her hair and give it the treatment it deserved. Bonnie slipped into some shorts and a bare tanktop. She decided to wear more comfortable and weather accommodating night clothes, assuming that Stefan wouldn't be coming back tonight.

So, when she was watching a flick in the living room she was surprised when she heard the door unlock unveiling Stefan himself. He didn't look the happiest. Ignoring Bonnie's face of concern he walked directly in the kitchen grabbing some Vodka from the cabinet. That followed with a glass, but there was no chaser to go along with it. Stefan threw the shot to the back of his head.

"I'm sorry, Bonnie," he held up the bottle and asked, "Drink?"

She nodded negatively. Vodka was for hard times. Her Grams hoped that Bonnie would never have to actually drink it and then enjoy it in some sense. Stefan had his elbows on the counter looking at the counter. Bonnie couldn't be left in the dark anymore. She patted the empty seat next to her on the couch.

"Come on, grumpy. Tell me what happened tonight."

Stefan plopped down on the couch and recalled the events from the night. The date had been going kind of okay for the most part until he got a call from work. He had to take those calls and Elena was complaining once again saying if she had to hear that ringtone one more time she would chuck it through the front door. Bonnie smiled and lightly laughed knowing how Elena got when she was at the highest level of frustration.

"So, I come back from outside the restaurant and she's talking to her ex apparently, he's ignoring his date so his baby blue eyes can ogle Elena's outfit."

"Matt," Bonnie gritted. "He's such a Type A asshole."

"I got that impression from him when Elena introduced us. I just wanted to enjoy our date alone until she decides to invite them to our table."

"I bet you didn't say a word."

"I didn't unless I was spoken to. Anyways, it ended with Matt and I wrestling to pay the bill, at the last minute I just let him take out his credit card, pretending like I couldn't find my own. Those kinds of things feed guys like his's ego."

Bonnie sat up with her legs crossed and replied, "I don't why men do that, the whole macho-asserting-my-dominance thing. I'm glad you decided to be the bigger person though."

"Personally, I think the ideology of 'boys will be boys' is trash, if that man wanted to pay a 200 dollar bill for food he didn't eat over his masculinity, then be my guess."

She nodded, agreeing with every word he said. Her curls bounced as she did so, fully defined. If Stefan was back at the house with her, the date must have done poorly. Which was ironic because just when she was finally getting over her internal jealousy they were quite actually sinking. Bonnie moved a loose hanging strand of hair behind her ear not quite sure what to do as Stefan's eyes loomed over her entirely. He reached out to touch her and instead of responding reluctantly to his hands, Bonnie's position never faltered. She was nervous as hell though.

"Your hair, it looks..." He spoke softly, trailing off getting lost in her appearance.

"Different," she finished for him. She was used to people like him being fascinated with her hair.

"I was going to say it looks free."

"Oh," she replied, looking down as she blushed.

Stefan lifted up her chin, softly. "I want to see you."

Beads of sweat formed on Bonnie's forehead, she could blame it on the poor AC or the fact that Stefan was looking at her with much want. She gulped silently at the moment, not knowing what to do. All the cues were physical and she was always taught to do the thing that felt the most right and natural in class. So, she kissed him, her tongue tasting the shot of vodka he'd downed before their conversation. She didn't want him to feel like turning to the bottle was something you did when you were unhappy.

This was completely from their first kiss where they knew next to nothing about each other if it didn't involve Elena. Kissing Bonnie this time around didn't feel so orchestrated on his end. They parted for air resting on each other's foreheads for support. Before he lies her down on her back he asks for her permission to do so. That question almost takes her out of her body, she can't remember the last time a man asked to please her.

"Bonnie?"

She jumped up quickly, "Yes- uh continue."

They resume their heated kissing on the sofa their sounds of teeth clashing and grunts and moans drowning out the television. Bonnie's legs are stiff at first buts she grows into the kiss, one leg she wraps around his waist while the other itches the inside of his leg, needily. Since her legs are out because of her shorts, he feels her bare legs around him and it drove him insane. Stefan went into a frenzy, leaving her lips to go attack her neck with multiple kisses.

Bonnie bit her lip in anticipation, watching him work on top of her. He slid a hand up her shirt squeezing one of her breast resulting in a moan. She giggled when Stefan kissed her collarbone but the laughter stopped shortly because reality hit. This was the ultimate betrayal - this was her not her man to claim. He was in a monogamous relationship, he shouldn't even be thinking about desiring Bonnie this badly.

She placed a hand over his chest, pushing him away. Stefan looked confused for the most part.

"This didn't happen," Bonnie declared, pulling the strap of her tank top over her shoulder. It was dysfunction at its finest but the best way for her to work around it was to lie. Sure, Elena was fine with one kiss in her kitchen she knew about but not a tension-packed one after a fight with her boyfriend. It was all in bad taste and morals had been thrown completely out the window for anyone to come clean.

"You came here drunk a couple of shots after your horrendous date with your girlfriend and her awful jerk of an ex, vented to me about it and fell asleep on the couch while we watched," Bonnie looked back at the flatscreen, "Fucking Adult Swim for I care and I dragged you to your bed because this couch is not that comfortable for sleeping. Tomorrow, after work go straight to the store to pick up some flowers or chocolate hell, both considering how bad your date went tonight and apologize because she is very stubborn and will not admit her wrong first. And if that doesn't work, seduce her, fuck the forgiveness out of her, I don't care."

Stefan didn't know if he needed a paper and pencil as she gave an Elena 101 lecture or to slowly clap. Bonnie breathed in and out, feeling her nerves come to a plateau. She began to leave the living room to retreat to her bedroom, but she was stopped by Stefan's hand interlocking with hers. She was only giving him a mere minute to talk about what just occurred.

"Bonnie, I'm sorry but Elena needs to see how great you really are."

"I've tried for years, but it's too late all she sees is you," She releases his hand and wished him goodnight.

"Have a good night, Bonnie," Stefan said as she closed her bedroom door. He heard her quiet sulking throughout the night knowing he could do nothing to stop her tears as he was the cause over them.