you went to school." He stated, making sure that they were making eye-contact. "And please, for me, no matter what—don't eat anyone, okay?"

He could only pray to whatever God existed that their sire bond would work—and he let out a breath of relief when Elena nodded obediently.

"Now that that's been sorted," Aurelia broke the silence that fell after with a clap of her hands. "Caroline, do you have the clothes or would you like to borrow some of mine?" And then her eyes lit up. "You could try the leather jacket look today!"

"But we have the varsity—"

"I know, I know—you've got that inter-school sports event—" Aurelia gently began to usher Caroline out of the room, not wanting her to deal with anymore of Elena's crap. "You can change into your cheerleading outfit afterwards."

"But you adore that jacket!"

"I adore you more than that jacket—you can have as many of mine as you'd like." Their sisterly quarrel was audible even as they left Damon's bedroom, all the way until they'd crossed the many pillars and rooms to reach Aurelia's at the other end of the mansion.

"Alright," Stefan, no longer wanting to stand in the same room as all the drama, took his leave as well.

WHEN HE DECIDED HE'D WAITED LONG ENOUGH, Stefan made a beeline to Aurelia's room, assuming he'd given Caroline more than enough time and privacy to finish her shower—much to his surprise, the door was cracked open slightly, giving him the resemblance of an invitation to walk right in to talk to Aurelia.

Yet, he knocked. Because he was a gentleman. Because he didn't want to catch Aurelia at an embarrassing moment.

Not that she'd be embarrassed—from his knowledge of her present-day self, and from Caroline's words, Aurelia was a hard person to embarrass. But he was a courteous man.

Even if he'd seen it all before—

Stefan had to pause and take a moment to scold himself for thinking of her in that sense.

"Stefan," Aurelia's voice from the other side of the door broke through his thoughts. "I said come in a while ago."

So, he hurriedly shook his head of his thoughts, and pushed his way in to look for the blonde, who was standing by what he could only presume was a cabinet of alcohol and fancy glasses. "I didn't know you brought your own exclusive stock over here."

"This?" Aurelia remained focused on the glass of wine she'd been pouring for herself. "Oh, this was a gift from Damon—I found it a couple days after I got to Mystic Falls all those months ago and took up temporary residence in your home, when your humanity was still off." She then looked up at him. "Turns out, your brother was so pleased with the news of my being alive that he was desperate to win me over after I gave him crap for killing Lexi."

"And that has to do with this how?"

"The dumbass thought getting me the alcohol I enjoyed in 1864 would be an apt gift." She chuckled. "When he realized it wasn't, he bugged Rebekah to tell him everything I liked, and I have to say, he hit the hammer on the nail with all his choices." She smiled as she took a sip of the champagne. "I'm not particularly picky, but he managed to extract all my favorites from Rebekah. Would you like some?"

"It's nearly eight in the morning." Stefan chastised lightheartedly, earning the raise of an eyebrow from her. "But of course, time is a construct, and doesn't get to decide when you want to drink."

"Oh, how well you know me." She teased, resting her weight on a palm on the table with the cabinet. "Anyway, I thought Caroline told me she was going to school with you. She just left to run home and grab her back before coming back here. Shouldn't you be getting ready to leave now?"

"I thought I could talk to you for a moment before I left for the day."

"Is it urgent?" She asked, head tilting in curiosity. "Because I'm drawing the bath right now—"

"You seem better." He cut in, getting straight to the point. "I was worried."

"That I got better?"

"No—that it was a front so that no one would worry about you." Aurelia didn't stop the smile painting her lips at the sight of his perceptive habits kicking in again. "I'm being serious, Aurelia."

"I am better, Stefan." She was clearly more physically stable than before, carrying herself with the utmost elegance and grace—just as always. "Thank you for checking in. When I was with Damon earlier today, we figured something out. I don't know how much of a solution it is—but it seems to be enough to hold things off just until this Elena situation blows over. So, there's no need to worry about me over her right now."

"I'll always worry about you." He clarified, earning a slight eye-roll. "That's what it means to have me in your life."

"Fair enough. I'll call it a good compromise for having you around."

"Is my presence worth that much?" When he asked the question, he bowed his head down and pressed his lips together in quick regret—unable to anticipate what her answer would be. "You don't have to answer that."

"It's worth more than you know, Stefan." Her answer made his head shoot back up to look at her. "I know I'm usually quite evasive and sarcastic with my manner of speech, but I mean it when I say I like having you around." She took another sip. "But that's the nicest thing you'll hear me say about you."

"I knew that." He chuckled, walking over to her. "What was... the solution you found?" With this question, Aurelia suddenly avoided eye contact, finding her glass a point of interest for the moment.

"I don't know how you'll react to the answer." She stated.

"You won't know until you tell me."

"And if you're mad?"

"Since when have you cared what other people think about you?" His retort made her pause whatever fidgeting she'd been doing with her glass, lips dropping for a moment.

You're not other people, Stefan. I can't stand you upset with me after our mending, and I haven't the faintest clue why.

"I'm not going to force you to tell me." He reassured, head leaning down slightly to meet her line of sight. "I know better than to overstep."

"You're not...overstepping." She clarified, looking back up at him urgently, as if to soothe over a potential misunderstand. "You've never overstepped—I just haven't been used to the kind and level of care you offer to people." Stefan smiled at her, all while one thought stood straight in his mind.

Not' people'. You. Just you.

"Human blood." She said curtly, a nervous smile dancing on her lips—a look he hadn't seen except for when she was with Caroline.

"You threw that up—"

"—Straight from the vein." She completed, voice softening as her gaze fell back to her glass. And then he fell silent for a moment. "See? I told you. I didn't think you'd enjoy the idea of me harming other people."

"It..." He looked back at her. "Doesn't matter. Not when your life is on the line." And she looked at him with surprise etched on her features. "I know you have less mercy on humans than I do—but I can't tell you what to do. You're more responsible than most vampires with feeding on people—and you're doing it now to stay alive."

Aurelia swore internally as she forgot how to breathe when Stefan's hand gently traced over her own.

"So," He breathed out. "I don't care. As long as I can see you with that sarcastic, energetic personality of yours, and as long as I can see that you no longer look like even breathing is a struggle for you."

"You don't care that I'm preying on people?"

"Not when the alternative is seeing you desiccate and lose your light all too quickly." Aurelia let out a soft breath at the straightforward statement, unaware that he'd be so brazen so suddenly. "Don't ever think I'll be mad if you do what's necessary for your wellbeing."

"But—" Her heart practically stopped beating when he placed a finger on her lips to shush her.

"No arguments, hm?" His voice had softened, soothingly caressing her ears and mind as he reassured her. "Right now, all I am is glad to see you back in spirits." And she found no reason, nor any will to come up with a sarcastic retort—not when his eyes held so much adoration.

So, she smiled sweetly. "Thank you." As she spoke, his finger caressed her cheek gently, urging her smile to grow, despite the unmistakable feeling of—get this, shyness—blooming in her gut. "I should go for that bath before the water overflows."

"I'll let you get to your self-care day, considering you need it." He said, hand dropping slowly, leaving what felt like a patch of cold ice line her cheek from the absence of his warmth. "See you in the evening?"

"I'll be here."

AURELIA WAS SLEEPING. 

Aurelia was sleeping particularly well for the first time in who knew how long. She'd decided, after her long luxurious bath (bless the decorators of the Salvatore Boarding House for their timeless taste), she would read, and take a long nap to pass the day, rather than go out and kill him.

She'd even worn her favorite silk slip and leggings to enhance her comfort and coziness. Slipped underneath her covers, stacked her pillows just the way she'd liked it, braided her hair—nothing was getting in the way of her three-hour late afternoon nap now.

Not even noticed when Stefan Salvatore had gotten home—tired and exhausted from Elena's latest decision to create a mess. He even had to inject the dumbass doppelganger with vervain to sedate her so he could peacefully bring her home—after telling Damon how their apparent sire bond no longer worked, considering she'd dug her teeth into a cheerleader's neck as soon as she got the chance.

Still was asleep when he knocked gently on her door, alerting her of his presence—only hummed softly and turned to lay on her back when he peeped open the door to check in on her, her hand raised and rested on the pillow beside her head.

And when Stefan saw her—oh dear God, she looked so beautiful. Eyebrows relaxed, free of the frequent frown that knitted them together—soft pink lips parted ever so slightly, chest rising and falling evenly underneath the white covers.

He contemplated leaving the room, but when his body gravitated towards her form of its own volition, he'd given up his reason to be swallowed by emotion. Warmth spread from his heart to the rest of his chest, up his neck, to his cheeks, as he quietly, slowly took a seat next to her on the edge of the large bed.

The sun was beginning to set, and when the golden rays of dusk began to peer through the windows, they fell upon her face like liquid gold, decorating her rich features—a Greek Goddess of some sort with her inhumane beauty, he'd thought to himself with an adoring smile.

And he sat there quietly, eyes grazing past every molecule, practically, that made up her face. From the strands of gold hair that'd fallen loose from her braid to frame and taper her face in all the right places—to the shadows cast by each eyelash on her rose-tinted cheeks.

Before he knew it, the gentle pad of his finger lightly grazed her cheekbone, trailing the path of skin his mind had instinctively chosen to take, to appreciate and admire.

His eyes then fell on the braid, where an apparent hair tie had fallen off—likely in her rustling about under the sheets. He found it quickly, discarded unintentionally just by her right arm; his fingers, once again with a mind of their own, moved to pluck it off the pillow, playing with the black band for a second.

With a small smile to himself, he stretched it around the expanse of his fingers and knuckles, sliding it down to sit on his wrist snugly—just below his watch.

She wouldn't miss one hair tie, would she?

So, he'd keep it for himself. A part of her, no matter how little it seemed. It was still her, still Aurelia.

It wasn't until she hummed and turned her head to rest it on its left side—towards him—that he came back to the real world, escaping from the gentle caresses of the spell she'd unintentionally becharmed him with. Checked to see if she was still asleep, and contemplated when he figured she still was, on whether he could disturb her peaceful rest.

Likely the most peaceful she'd had in weeks.

He didn't even know if he could physically will himself to wake her from the heavenly slumber she seemed to be in. But when he heard the distant footsteps of Elena greeting what seemed to be strangers at his front door—he knew he'd need Aurelia's help to stay sane through whatever madness he was about to be thrust in.

"Aurelia..." He hummed, hand reaching to gently rest on her own. "Aurelia."

Aurelia was quick to stir awake at the call of her name, welcomed to awakened reality with the pleasant sight of chartreuse. Relaxed eyebrows, thin lips that sported a ghost of a smile. "Stefan?" She murmured, voice broken and sleep-laced. Her head turned to line up with the angle of his while he faced her—and she noticed how close he was. "When did you get back?" Her fingers curled more around his hand unconsciously, reaching more for the familiar comfort of his contact, and he smiled at the small gesture.

"Not too long ago. I didn't want to wake you, but—"

A loud whistle that broke through the peaceful golden hour interrupted them, and Aurelia felt as though an alarm clock had awoken her fully. "What the hell? How many people are here right now?"

"Elena called everyone in the damn school for a party—something to cope with the house arrest I put her on." He mumbled, fingers reaching to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. Aurelia blinked slowly a couple of times, still the slightest bit drowsy from the long nap she'd taken. "You think you can help me out?"

"As long as I get a couple drinks out of it." She teased, eyes crinkling in a grin that showed her teeth.

"I'll let you get ready." And she sat up slowly as he left the room, shutting the door behind him to block out some amount of whatever music they'd begun blasting in the parlor. As she reached for her braid to throw behind her shoulder, she frowned, mumbling to herself.

"Where'd my hair tie go?"

"THIS..." AURELIA LAUGHED IN DISBELIEF AS SHE MET up with Stefan at the bottom of the staircase, the latter standing with a bottle of vodka in his hand. "Is the last thing I imagined the Boarding House to play host to." Stefan gave her an unamused smile, taking a gulp of the acidic and bitter alcohol. "Oh, I see—you can't handle this sober."

As the pair began to push their way through the crowd, Stefan turned his head to the blonde he wanted to keep by his side, reaching an arm out for her to hold onto. "Let's stick together so that this crowd—" Before he could complete his sentence, slender, soft fingers interlocked with his own, allowing him to pull the smaller figure towards his body.

"I can barely hear my own thoughts, these kids are gonna go deaf before they turn twenty." Aurelia commented, although unable to help the smile on her face from the upbeat mood and music playing.

"Yeah, it won't last—" Stefan leaned towards her, despite their hearing, to speak more clearly. His eyes scanned the drunk and high individuals chatting, drinking, and dancing throughout the hallway. "They'll either drink all the booze and get bored—or Damon'll come home and kill everybody." His nonchalance convinced Aurelia that he truly was sick of all that was going on.

Or perhaps, he'd had more to drink than she'd assumed.

"Hey!" Caroline called out from behind the pair, not missing their joined hands as she pushed between a couple to get to him. "I came as soon as you called!" Aurelia breathed out in relief, seeing that her sister hadn't seemed to be scratched by Elena's unempathetic clutches yet.

"We can't just compel everyone." She stated, looking around at the crowd of underage drinkers. "The locals are on vervain from the town water supply." She shrugged. "Maybe Damon does need to get to his list of people to kill."

"Yep." Stefan popped the 'p' as he took another swig of the bottle. Caroline simply sighed, eyes darting past the hallway to see a table of drinks.

"Well, I'm just going to go ahead and find something to drink." She walked away from the pair after that, and Aurelia turned back to Stefan, who'd begun to nod his head slightly to the beat of the music.

"What now?" She asked, raising her voice to gain his attention, only to earn a shrug in return.

"Pffft, I don't know—"

Yep, Stefan was not sober.

"Enjoy the party," He proposed. "Keep Elena from butchering the cheerleading squad." Aurelia looked around for a moment.

"Speaking of, where is she?"

"Where do you think?" Stefan rhetorically asked, spinning the blonde against his body to look in a different direction. Aurelia's eyes almost immediately caught sight of a laughing Elena, bottle in hand as she swayed her hips atop a table with other students.

"That's a pleasant sight." The heretic commented, body leaning back into Stefan's chest.

"What? Drunk Elena, with who-knows-what going on in that mind of hers?" Stefan asked, accompanied with another sip of the vodka, and Aurelia spun back around to face him, snatching the bottle from his hands.

"No," She grinned. "The idea of fun—yeah? Remember what that is?"

"Barely." He played along with her sarcasm, the second bottle of alcohol now coursing through his veins. "Tell me about it."

"You know," She threw her head back to take a large gulp of the alcoholic drink before she could continue. "That thing that helps you let loose—enjoy yourself—forget about all your worries for a night?" Stefan's heart warmed again at the sight of her enjoyment manifesting into a sweet smile.

How happy he was to see her full of energy again.

"Come on, Stefan, I'm sure you know what that is."

"Well, here's the thing, Aurelia." He emphasized her name like she did his. "When I let loose, heads start rolling." And she rolled her eyes at him, thrusting the bottle of alcohol back into his grip to run her hands through her hair. "Your hair's wavy again."

"Hmm?" She took a moment to process his statement. "Yeah, I didn't do anything to straighten it after the bath—and then the braid—"

"It looks good." He cut in, earning another smile—and oh, he'd never get tired of those.

"Don't distract, Stefan Salvatore." She quipped. "I'm trying to get you to have some fun. As your dearest friend," She dramatically gestured to herself, and Stefan had to appreciate the fact that it was his first time seeing her act so silly, in the cutest, heart-stopping, brain-melting way. "And the one whose principles seem to have rubbed off on your vampirism—I'm going to give you the green light."

"The green light?"

"Well, sweetie," She looked around the crowd, and then eyed him up and down. "I mean you're single, at a party full of ridiculously ready-to-mingle girls—and—" She neared his ear. "According to several whispers and rumors, I hear you're very hot." Stefan prayed that the music would conceal his near-to-bursting heart rate, and Aurelia prayed that he wouldn't noticed her darkening eyes from the idea of him with another woman.

"So," He looked down at her, and she could truly feel the height difference between him, nearly craning her head upwards to