**Thanks for the reviews. This is taking a little time to work on. I'll update as time allows.
Part 3 - "A Real Fine Place to Start"
"There you guys are," Elena said waltzing into the kitchen. "We were wondering what happened to you two." Elena furrowed her eyebrows looking at Jeremy who quickly moved away from Stefan. Stefan, apparently assuming a nonchalant pose, crossed his arms. Elena shifted her eyes seeking for something before resting on Stefan's face. Jeremy's heart skipped a few beats wondering if she knew something was up. But she said nothing.
"Damon and I were gonna start a movie. Any ideas?" Elena said at last.
Stefan shook his head, as if he could care less. He didn't seem too perturbed by Elena's sudden appearance and he didn't seem afraid of whatever her reaction. Jeremy, however, felt cold sweat down the middle of his back. His heart was still beating rather fast, but cooling now once Elena's gaze dropped. She moved to the refrigerator, grabbed a pint of blood, and stopped. Elena misses nothing.
"Is there something wrong?" Elena asked pleasantly, but the question was ripe with inquisition. Stefan shrugged his shoulders, and seemed like he may speak.
"No," Jeremy blurted out too quickly. Inwardly he flinched. Elena cocked her head slightly at his outburst as her brown eyes darted along the space between Stefan and Jeremy. "I mean, at least, nothing interesting. Stefan's just giving me a history lesson. I wanted to know about some events that happened awhile back." Jeremy stopped, realizing he was overstating everything. He was sure Elena thought something was off. It was possible she did, but due to her long, complicated history with Stefan, she might not have thought anything beyond friendship.
"Oh, cool," Elena said, pouring the blood into a small mug. She placed it in the microwave and the three of them listened to the hum of the machine warming up something that should never be so cold.
"Cool?" Damon was suddenly there. Had he been there the whole time? "What's so cool about history? It's over, done with, kaput. Move on, I say. What's keeping the snacks, Elena?" Damon obviously was only thinking with his insatiable appetite for blood.
"It's almost ready," Elena said, gazing at the microwave. "Did you pick a movie?"
"The Hunger Games," Damon said with a smile.
"Again?" Elena said, rolling her eyes. Jeremy knew it was Damon's favorite movie.
"I love it," Damon continued, unabashedly. "The arena. The bloodshed. The competition. What's not to love? Survival: it ain't pretty, you know? Plus, that Jennifer Lawrence is one hot chick."
Elena shook her head, grabbed the warmed blood, and headed back into the TV room. With Elena's empathetic, inquisitive nature gone Jeremy sighed a little, but realized Damon had yet to leave. He was still standing by the entranceway, one eyebrow curiously arched.
"You guys weren't really talking about history, were you?" Damon asked, a mischievous smirk forming on his face. "You could cut the tension in here with a butter knife. What's going on with the two of you?"
Damon's question sliced through the room. Still, Stefan and Jeremy remained silent. Jeremy's eyes darted over at Stefan, then realizing Damon was watching him, reverted back to the floor before resting again on Damon. Damon cocked his head and was about to say something.
"Nothing's going on, Damon," Stefan said, suddenly speaking up. "We were just talking. Nothing to write home about."
"Sure, Stefan," Damon said. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever makes you sleep at night." At that, Damon stepped back and disappeared into the other room with Elena.
Jeremy let out a loud breath. His heart still thumped loud in his ears. That was close. He knew vampires had extrasensory perception, but he was unsure as to the extent of their abilities. Obviously, Damon's longevity played in his favor when it came to perceptive capabilities. He homed in on the room's tension like it was the only visible entity. Elena, on the other hand, was her usual benevolent self; always the carrier of everyone's problems and dilemmas. Jeremy just couldn't bring one more into her world.
"Jeremy?" Stefan asked breaking Jeremy's train of thought. "It's OK. I don't think they picked up on anything." Stefan was now within inches of Jeremy. Stefan delicately grasped Jeremy's left hand and brought it to his lips in a sweet, gentle kiss. It was meant to calm and it was having the right effect (and then some). Jeremy's heart slowed. Instead of his thoughts fitfully racing through worries and concerns about Elena and Damon, they settled on Stefan and his delicious lips. Jeremy sighed and let Stefan's tongue in. A rush of heat circled his head. He felt Stefan's other arm on his side; cautious, but firm. His right hand let go of Jeremy's, slipped behind Jeremy and found the nape of his neck. It massaged slightly; stroking away the tension.
In turn, Jeremy's hands moved away from gripping the counter's edge and circled around Stefan, resting on his back. Jeremy lost himself in Stefan's embrace. The thoughts of Elena and Damon subsided, as did Jeremy's confusion over his feelings for Stefan. His whole body afire, Jeremy explored Stefan's mouth. His hands rubbed Stefan's strong, barely covered back. Jeremy was enjoying the fact Stefan was wearing a thin t-shirt.
"I knew something was going on with you two," a voice came from somewhere out of the depths of space and time. Jeremy and Stefan split, lips unlocking, hands faltering, and eyes searching. Damon stood, casually leaning against the door frame. An amused smile spread across Damon's face.