Ruins || The Vampire Diaries [2]

02: Into the Wild

   It wasn't even morning, or close to morning, or even night, but I was wide awake with a smile on my lips. Stefan was sleeping soundlessly next to me, the only movement the rising and falling of his chest. He looked so calm asleep, a peace that was strange yet common. His right arm was draped overhead, slightly bent inches from his head, his other arm was on top of his stomach, over the warm duvet. I was tempted to reach over and brush my fingers down his cheek, feel the softness of skin on my fingertips. There was a part of me that couldn't believe that Stefan was sleeping right next to me, half naked, tired from the few days that were filled with nothing but kisses and innuendos. It was as if we were making up for lost time, finally drinking what had been brewing for over a century.

   "You're staring," Stefan said, his voice slightly hoarse from sleep.

   I was surprised, thinking that he was in a deep sleep. "N-no, I'm not," I defended, stuttering over my words and laying my head back on the pillow.

   "Yes, you are," he said, turning his body in my direction. He had yet to open his eyes, the tiredness eating at him from what I could notice. "You've been staring for a few minutes, Clara."

   "Pfft, you must have been dreaming," I mumbled, accommodating myself deeper into the pillow. When I closed my eyes, I felt an arm drape over my stomach and pull me to its owner. I giggled, which was very rare coming from me, and opened my eyes to see Stefan just inches away from me. I bit my bottom lip and stared into his eyes, trying not to smile. "Did I wake you?"

   "Yes," he breathed, pressing his forehead against mine. "But, it's was at a good timing. We have to leave for the airport soon."

   Jeremy killed Kol Mikaelson, which completed his tattoo and the map to the cure. No one could read it, except Professor Atticus Shane, the sketchy professor who's office Stefan, Rebekah, and I sneaked in the day I arrived. He read the tattoo, and figured out that the cure and Silas were somewhere in Nova Scotia. We all bought tickets for an early dawn flight to Halifax, which was eight hours long and filled with being crammed in small plane. Was I looking forward to it? In a weird way, yes. My seat was next to Stefan and Caroline, which meant I was going to enjoy my ride and hear nothing but teasing from both, if not just Caroline. I was also exited because of the cure; after a century and a half of being a vampire, I would finally be human again.

  I groaned and tilted my head back. "I'm too comfortable to move," I softly said, giving his upper arm a squeeze. When I felt kisses on my throat, I giggled and pushed my head down, accidentally hitting Stefan on the forehead with my chin. I laughed and pressed my fingers where my chin hit him, and then trying not to laugh. "Oh my god, are you okay?"

   "I'm, uh, fine," he said, a single laugh escaping afterwords. 

   "I'm sorry." I laughed between the words, gently rubbing his forehead while trying not to laugh. 

   He grabbed my hand and gently pulled it down, intertwining his fingers between mine. "Honestly, Clara, I'm fine," he smiled. "I've had worse."

   I stared at him, admiring his green eyes. They were the green colour of springtime fern, mossy green flecked with the colour of pecan shells. His eyes were a soft washed-out green, like a favourite sweater that's been washed too many times. As he stared back at me, I couldn't believe he was right in front of me, holding me, his arms around my body, his face just inches from me, his lips red from the kissing we had been doing. I wondered whether he was thinking the same thing, whether he also felt as happy as I did.

   "We should get ready," he softly said, lips just inches from mine. "I can hear Damon coming up the stairs."

   "Would it be so bad if he caught us like this?"