Magical Steroline

Chapter 4 – Persuasion Tactics

Day One

Stefan rolled onto his front as he awakened, his arm reaching across the bed for the other warm body that was normally snuggled up to his side. His eyes sprang open immediately confirming what he'd already felt. Caroline was not in bed next to him.

He frowned, about to call out for her when the door to their shared room opened, Caroline walking in dressed for the day and carrying a tray of delicious smelling food. He pushed himself up so that he was resting against the headboard. He smiled at her as she sat beside him laying the tray on the bed between them.

"Good morning." Caroline beamed at Stefan, leaning over to greet him with a sweet kiss on his cheek.

Stefan's breath caught at the feel of her soft lips on his cheek, her lovely blue eyes making his stomach flip. He swallowed down the new and confusing feelings within him, not ready to analyse them yet. He smiled at his best friend and asked, "What's the occasion?"

"No reason." Caroline grinned, shrugging her shoulders as she idly played with the bedspread, hoping that she wasn't obvious that she was trying to butter Stefan up so that he would agree to be a part of the strip. Step one; kill him with kindness.

"Mm hm." Stefan voiced his disbelief at that as he chewed on a piece of bacon that she'd cooked. It was crispy yet still juicy, and not overcooked in the slightest. He was pleasantly surprised, having not seen Caroline cook since he'd moved in as he'd insisted on doing it for his indisposition to her and Liz. He ran his none greasy hand down the length of her arm to place his hand over hers, "This is really good."

"Don't sound so surprised, Stefan!" Caroline laughed, tilting her head towards him as she flirted at him, "You don't know everything about me."

"No, I don't." Stefan's voice was soft, his eyes even more so as he gazed at her. He was interested to learn what other secrets laid behind her beautiful exterior, things that no one else knew. He wanted to be the one that knew her better than anyone, as he could share all of himself with her and knew that she would listen with an open ear and never judge him. His heart skipped in realisation that he had forever to find out everything there was to know about Caroline Forbes.

He smiled at her, a promise in his eyes as he kept his gaze on hers, not looking away for a moment, "I am very much looking forward to finding out though."

Caroline blinked her eyes rapidly, warmth exploding in her chest, a tender and shy smile curling her lips. The emotion in his eyes was overwhelming to her so she lowered her head, her gaze falling to their joined hands, his much larger one engulfing her smaller one completely in his. It made her feel protected.

Stefan reached over to tuck her hair behind her ear so that he could see her beautiful face clearly. He didn't like that she tried to hide from him, even if it was just behind the curtain of her blonde hair. He let his fingers softly caress her neck before taking his hand back.

Caroline had to bite her lip at the touch of his fingers against her, her skin feeling electrified from where he'd touched her. She lifted her eyes up to meet his sparkling green eyes, so alive with emotions that it took her breath away. She needed to get back to what they'd talked about last night before she did something completely stupid and reckless, like kiss him.

She cleared her throat before sending him her most winning smile, her Miss Mystic Falls smile, the one that was bright and open but not completely genuine. She forgot for a moment that he was her best friend and she couldn't fool him with her fake smiles.

"What was the real reason for the impromptu breakfast in bed?" Stefan asked, knowing that if it was a normal thing for Caroline then he would have been getting it every day since he moved in with her, but he hadn't so he presumed she wanted something.

"What makes you think I needed a reason to pamper my best friend?" Caroline fluttered her eyelashes at Stefan, smiling widely at him.

"Now I'm really suspicious." Stefan chuckled, taking another piece of bacon off the plate as he regarded Caroline with a knowing raise of his eyebrow.

"Is it so hard to believe that I can be nice?" Caroline pouted, releasing her hand that was still encased by his so that she could fold her arms across her chest.

"No. You are one of the most kind and caring people that I have ever met." Stefan complimented her, smiling at the blush casting a rosy hue on her cheeks. He patted her knee, before sliding his hand up her thigh to rest his hand on her waist, "I just know you. You normally wouldn't do this."

Caroline chewed on her lip before she leant up on her knees, unfolding her arms so that she could place them around his neck, and gave him the best puppy dog eyes she had, "Will you please, please, make me happy by agreeing to do the strip." She fluttered her eyes at him as her lip jutted out in a pout, "For me."

Stefan resisted the urge to smile, she was too adorable for words. He leaned closer so that his nose was just a breath away from touching hers, his eyes locked on her beautiful blue eyes, his breaths ghosting against her lips as he whispered, "No."

He pulled back only to laugh at the tongue she stuck out at him.

Caroline moved off the bed and left the room with a stomp.

It would take more than one breakfast in bed to get Stefan to agree.


Day Two

The next day Caroline did the same as the previous by bringing Stefan breakfast in bed. Though he enjoyed the gesture he was now slightly disappointed in starting the second day in a row without Caroline in his arms. However, seeing her beaming smile as she walked through the door holding a tray of food she'd made herself didn't fail in making him smile.

He knew the reason. She wanted him to be in the strip show she was planning, but he couldn't see himself ever agreeing no matter how wonderful it felt to be waited on hand and foot. He was enjoying immensely Caroline making him breakfast, and making sure he was comfortable, and acting completely comfortable to be sitting in silence as he wrote in his journal.

He still wasn't going to say yes, but he was having fun seeing how long she would continue the perfect hostess routine before she broke and found somebody else.


"No peaking." Caroline warned as she covered Stefan's eyes with her hands as she led him out of her house to the backyard where she had a surprise for him. She warned him about the steps, taking slow and steady movements with him until they reached where she wanted him. She slipped her hands from his face, smiling as she watched him for his reaction, "Surprise!"

Stefan opened his eyes and gasped. There was a table set for two, a lace tablecloth covering it, a candle in the middle bringing light, their glasses were already filled with wine, and their food was already on the plates. The backyard was littered with candles, casting a soft golden glow over the table. It was wonderful, and made his heart flutter at the sweet gesture.

Caroline chewed her lip at his silence, wringing her hands together in anxiety. Was it too much? Heart racing in fear, she asked shakily, "Do-do you like it?"

Stefan spun around and pulled her into his arms. He pressed a delicate kiss to her temple, smiling as her arms wound around his waist to hold him just as tight. His voice was tight with emotions, "I love it."

Caroline savoured the tightness of his hold, butterflies swirling in her stomach at how it felt to be surrounded by Stefan's wonderful scent. She couldn't help but ask, "Really?"

"It's a wonderful way to spend our evening." Stefan pulled back to look into her sparkling blue eyes, unable to resist placing another kiss on her, this time against her warm cheek, "A dinner under the stars with my best friend." He smiled dreamily at her.

Caroline grinned so wide it hurt. She placed a tender kiss on his cheek, stepping away from him only to intertwine their fingers together. She led him over to the table, not surprised when he helped her into her own seat before taking his own. She picked up the remote she'd left on the table and pressed play. The smooth tones of jazz floated from the speakers she'd placed around, enhancing the atmosphere.

Throughout their dinner they couldn't stop smiling at each other. They always enjoyed each other's company, but now that they spend almost every waking moment together it was taken to another level. They talked so easily, and laughed so freely together that the reason Stefan was here in the first place seemed null and void.

He was supposed to be a heartbroken mess, but if anyone was to see him right now that wouldn't seem possible.

He was smiling, and laughing, and joking.

He looked… lit up with happiness.

And it was all because of his beautiful best friend.

Once they'd finished eating Stefan stood up and held his hand out to Caroline, "May I have this dance?"

Caroline slid her hand into his, smiling as he pulled her up, wrapping his arm around her waist and gliding his fingers through hers. They swayed gently across the grass, their eyes never wavering from one another, the light from the candles making their eyes glow.

"This has been a wonderful evening, Caroline." Stefan smiled at her, the hand splayed across her back pushed her a little closer to him. The smile she gave him in return made him lose his train of thought. It was breath taking.

"Thank you." Caroline played with the hair at the base of his neck, tilting her head so that their cheeks were brushing together every time they moved, her eyes cast upwards to stare at the twinkling stars above their heads, "It's so peaceful out here."

"It is." Stefan nodded his head in agreement, closing his eyes to soak in the magical atmosphere between them. He could stay like this all night, swaying with his best friend in her backyard. It was the most serene he'd felt in a long time. Everything with Caroline was just easier, natural, blissful.

"Oh my god!" Caroline gasped in awe.

Stefan pulled back to see what had made her gasp. He followed her gaze toward the sky, "What are you-" He cut himself off as he saw a streak of white light shoot across the sky, "Oh."

Caroline looked away from the stars to gaze into his green eyes, she smiled sweetly, her voice hushed with wonder, "Make a wish."

Stefan closed his eyes and made a wish, I wish for Caroline to be happy.

Caroline shut her lids, meaning her wish with everything inside of her, I wish for Stefan to always be happy.

They opened their eyes at the same time, both laughing as their eyes met. It was a tradition that had been around for thousands of years, to wish upon a shooting star, something that despite the age difference between Stefan and Caroline they would have both done the same thing when they were human.

Caroline couldn't resist asking, "What did you wish for?"

"If I told you then it wouldn't come true." Stefan chuckled, gazing at her with warmth.

Caroline wrinkled her nose at him, she really wanted to know what he wished for. She smirked as she thought of another way to ask him, "What I wished for was…" She watched him frown even as his eyes lit with curiosity, "That you would do me the huge favour of being in my charity strip."

Stefan's eyes widened before he laughed fully. He shook his head before smiling gently at her, "I guess the legends right."

Caroline tilted her head as her brow furrowed in confusion, "Legend?"

Stefan let a smirk cross his face, his eyes teasing, "That if you tell your wish it won't come true."

Caroline pulled her hand away from his shoulder to slap his chest as she laughed, "Shut up!"

Stefan joined in her laughter, holding her close as they glided across the backyard.

Caroline closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment with Stefan.

Tomorrow, it was time for her to change her plan.


Day Three

Caroline woke up before Stefan as she'd been doing for the past couple of days. She stayed where she was, thoroughly content to be wrapped in Stefan's arms as he slept beside her. She was debating on whether to get up and make him breakfast like she had been doing.

She planned on trying to convince him in a different way today and treating him to breakfast in bed might not be the right way to start, or perhaps it was a good way to start before she started in on her plan. She couldn't decide.

The decision was made for her when she felt the arm around her waist tighten into a steel band and a leg was thrown heavily over hers trapping her in his embrace. Not that she was complaining about that.

Stefan snuggled closer, burying his face in her neck, moaning in displeasure as she started to wriggle, as if she wanted out of his embrace. He shook his head against her, only tightening his hold on her even more, "You are not going anywhere. You are staying right here, beside me, until we both get up." His eyes started to drift closed as sleep overcame him, one last sleepy confession coming from him, "I miss waking up to you."

Caroline's heart just about melted into a puddle right there. A tender smile covered her lips as she snuggled closer to him, nuzzling her nose into the top of his head, closing her eyes as she let the feel of Stefan surrounding her drift her back to a blissful sleep.


Later on, they were both sat on the couch, on opposite sides instead of cuddled up against each other like they normally were. Caroline could see the frown on his face, he was obviously wondering why she wasn't next to him like she normally was.

This was supposed to be part two of her plan. Try and guilt Stefan into agreeing to do what she wanted. She was all set to go through with it when he had been the sweetest this morning. Curling himself around her, forcing her to stay right in his embrace, before telling her he missed waking up beside her.

Her resolve left her completely after that. How could she guilt him after that? It was the most amazing and cutest thing she'd ever heard.

Stefan finally couldn't take the space between them. He turned his head toward her, his mouth pulled down into a frown for the first time in weeks, and he asked point blank, "Are you upset about this morning?"

Caroline bit her lip, shaking her head.

"Then why won't you come any closer?" Stefan widened his eyes, needing to know why after weeks of perfect closeness between them she suddenly felt the need to put distance between them.

Caroline's mind completely went blank and she blurted out without thinking, "You live in my house and sleep in my bed and cook my food and watch stupid shows you hate with me so I think you should do what I want and strip with me."

Stefan had to blink to try and distinguish everything she'd said. She's said it all so quickly and in a run on sentence that it took him a moment to follow her train of thought. It didn't take him long before his face lit up with amusement, laughter in his voice as he responded, "Are you really trying to guilt me into doing what you want?"

"Yes…?" Caroline framed it as a question, sounding unsure even to her own ears.

Stefan just shook his head in affection, "Caroline…"

Caroline huffed in annoyance, "I'm going out." She pushed herself off the couch to stomp away in dramatic fashion.

"Wait!" Stefan's voice called out.

Caroline stopped before she entered the hall. She took a breath before turning around to face him, "What is it, Stefan?"

"What did you mean when you said…" Stefan licked his lips before saying, "…strip with me?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, "I'm doing the lap dance, Stefan." She shrugged her shoulders, "I thought it's only fair that you do the strip as well." Not waiting for his reply she spun around and left like she planned to. Maybe it was a good thing to let Stefan have some space.

Stefan's mouth was dry as his eyes stayed glued to the place that Caroline had been.

She would be giving some very lucky guy a lap dance. Her perfect curves and gorgeous ass would be grinding against a random guy. Her blonde hair swirling around her sexily as she swung her head and body, spreading around her delicious vanilla scent. Tantalising the random guy.

Stefan suddenly wanted to punch something.


That night when they got into bed there was tenseness to Stefan that wasn't normally there when they went to sleep together. He was stiff next to her, his thoughts a wild jumble, unable to grasp on to one to make sense of the mess in his head.

Caroline broke the silence between them, "Are you okay?"

Stefan swallowed, "Yeah."

"You sure?" Caroline asked as she turned onto her side to face his frozen profile. She reached out to slide her hand over his, connected them physically even if emotionally he was a little distant.

"Yeah." Stefan cleared his throat, trying to relax his body.

Caroline wasn't convinced but she wasn't sure what was upsetting Stefan so she let it go for now. She moved close to lay her head on his shoulder, snuggling up to him as she normally did.

Stefan took his hand from her so that he could wrap it around her back to hold her close. He closed his eyes pretending to sleep, listening to the sound of her breathing change to indicate that she'd fallen asleep.

He popped his eyes open to stare at the ceiling.

He couldn't sleep a wink that night.


Day Four

Stefan was out of bed before Caroline, his mind in too much of a mess to be able to talk to her without blurting something out that he didn't want to. He wasn't ready to analyse just why his feelings were in such a turmoil after her revelation yesterday.

It was her idea to do a strip and lap dance so why was it so hard to wrap his head around that she would be doing it too. He didn't know, but he couldn't stop imagining it in his head.

He also couldn't stop his thoughts from leading toward him pulling Caroline off the random guy and tearing his throat out from looking at her gorgeous body. He sank another bourbon at the bar to try and wash away the bad taste in his mouth.

Caroline was free and single. She could dance with whomever she wanted. She could flash that blinding smile at any man and have them fall at her feet. She could make any man speechless who caught sight of those perfect curves of hers.

He groaned.

This line of thinking wasn't helping him in the slightest.

He knocked back another shot as soon as it was placed before him, and tried to get the picture of a half-naked Caroline dancing for another man out of his head.

He couldn't.

The picture was stuck. Only after a few more bourbons the random guy was replaced with himself and he shocked himself with how much that didn't bother him.

In fact, it made him breathless with how much he needed it to be him.


Caroline had been surprised to wake up and find no sign of Stefan in the bed or anywhere in the house. After his dampened mood last night, she thought that maybe he just needed a little space and she was happy to give it to him.

She didn't want him to be suffocated by her presence.

So as she was the only one home she decided to practice some of the moves she was thinking about trying for her lap dance. She got changed into a tank top and a tiny pair of shorts so that they didn't hinder her movements at all. She put on a CD and had it quite loud. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the beat of the music and the fluidness of her movements.


Stefan didn't want to get too drunk so he left while only slightly intoxicated. He made his way back home, the thought still made something clench inside of him, seriously when did he think of Caroline's place as home?

He took a leisurely stroll back to Caroline's. Once he was near he heard the music blaring out and couldn't help but shake his head and smile. She was still so much a normal human girl despite being a vampire. She didn't let the monster control her and he was so in awe of her that she was able to do that.

She was much stronger than him.

He pushed the door open, about to call out her name but when he entered the living room he promptly lost the ability to breathe let alone form actual words.

Caroline was dancing against one of the chairs, obviously practising her moves for when she danced against the man he was going to rip to shreds if he so much as caught a glance at what she was doing right now.

His thoughts had taken a violent turn as he stared engrossed by the way Caroline twisted her body.

Caroline had her eyes closed, her body moving like she was water. She had her arms above her head, slowly sliding them down to caress her body as she sensually moved her hips from side to side in time with the music. Once she reached her hips she dipped two fingers of each hand into the waist of the smallest shorts he had ever seen, tantalisingly moving them down an inch, before pulling her hands back and teasing only the tips of her fingers over her body to sink into her hair. She crossed her legs over one another, and turned so slowly that he could admire every single part of her body before her back was turned fully to him. Those blonde curls fell like silk down her back. She wiggled her ass and started to bend over and that was the end of him.

"Caroline!" Stefan called out frantically to get her attention. If he saw anymore of her in such sexual movements, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself and he would speed across the room to take her mouth in a desperate clash of lips.

Caroline grinned as she saw Stefan, walking over to turn off the music. She turned back around to face him and couldn't help but ask, "Where have you been?"

"The grill." Stefan couldn't take his eyes off her, the way that tank hugged her curves and cradled her breasts made his pants feel almost impossibly tight.

Caroline frowned at his short answer. The almost pained look on his face had her worried, she took a step closer reaching her hand out to him, "Are you okay?"

Stefan's eyes widened as she came nearer to him with the intent to touch him. If he felt her skin on his he didn't know if he could stop himself from kissing her senseless like he wanted to, so he almost jumped away from her and stated in a panic, "I'm gonna have a shower." He practically vamped up the stairs.

Caroline could only stare after him in complete shock.

What had gotten into him?


They got into bed, Caroline laying her head against Stefan's chest, throwing her leg over his, her hand resting by her face at his chest.

Stefan buried one of his hands in her hair, the other he ran up and down her arm. He had thought hard since he'd seen her dancing in a world of her own in the living room. He couldn't let her do that for anyone else but him so he finally gave into her wants but he had a condition, "Caroline?"

"Yes?" Caroline whispered sleepily, the soothing feeling of Stefan's fingers running along her skin sending her into sleep fast.

"I'll do it." Stefan halted his fingers, holding his breath for her answer.

"Do what?" Caroline yawned cutely.

Stefan smiled affectionately at how utterly cute Caroline was when she was on the edge of sleep, "I'll do your charity strip show."

That woke her up. She pushed herself up by the hand on his chest, her eyes wide with disbelief, "Really?"

"On one condition." Stefan warned.

"What?" Caroline raised her eyebrows, preparing to hear almost anything that came out of Stefan's mouth except for what actually did.

"You perform your lap dance on me." Stefan refused to take his eyes away from her at his suggestion, no matter how much he actually wanted to. He needed her to know that he was serious.

Caroline was surprised at his condition, but she wasn't going to turn it down now that he had actually agreed to join her. She nodded her head smiling wide at him, "Okay." She moved up to plant a kiss against his jaw, "Thank you."

Stefan just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He let her settle back against his chest, his fingers returning to that same rhythm as they both tried to sleep. Only his mind hadn't settled down at his agreement to be the one she danced with, if anything it got even more wild.

How the hell was he going to control himself if she performed the moves she had been practising when he walked in on her?

TBC

AN – I hope you all liked the way she convinced him lol Next chapter will be the rehearsal, finding out the other people doing the strip and lap dance, and of course the actual main event.