Silent Prayers

Chapter 9

Stefan's bedroom door was open and his lamp was on when Elena walked by, so she decided to drop off his laundry for him. They made it back home from Florida around late afternoon, so she had made dinner and then caught up on laundry. Elena was exhausted, and apparently, so was Stefan.

Elena smiled when she came into his room and saw him spread out on his bed with his arm over his face. Stefan lifted his arm slightly to look at Elena. "I'm just dropping off your laundry" she told him, taking the basket holding his clothes and setting it on a chair near his dresser. She came back around towards his bed and let herself fall on top of it, lying next to him. Elena let out a long sigh. "I am so tired" she announced.

Stefan nodded in agreement. He forgot how long of a drive it was to Florida and back in just a few days' time. "You didn't have to do my laundry" he said, using some of his energy to turn his head and look at her. Even though the chores around the house were supposed to be Elena's responsibility per their agreement, he helped out. He just didn't cook.

She smiled softly. "I had to do mine anyways" she told him. She yawned and closed her eyes. "I should head to bed." Elena made no move to get up, but she knew she needed too. She shouldn't have laid down, because now she didn't want to get back up.

Stefan turned his head towards her, watching her fighting sleep. "You could sleep here tonight" he said quietly. Stefan didn't know what her reaction would be, so he waited patiently.

Elena's eyes opened slowly. She turned her head to look at him, showing her surprise in her eyes. "You want me to sleep in here?" she asked.

"Just sleeping" Stefan clarified. "And only if you want to." He wouldn't hold it against her if she didn't want to. He just thought it would be nice to be able to hold her for a night. He thought about it often, and wondered if having her in his arms might remedy his difficulty falling asleep.

Elena sat up and he assumed that meant she was leaving. Though, she sat there and looked down at him. "Okay" she said after a few moments. "Give me a couple of minutes" she added, allowing a small smile to form.

Stefan watched Elena get up off of his bed and disappear out of his room. While he would have normally shed his t-shirt for sleeping, he decided to leave it on to make Elena feel more comfortable.

He heard her footsteps coming back down the hall. So quiet, yet he could always hear her when she got up during the middle of the night. Sometimes he thought she stopped at his door to see if he was awake too. Maybe it was just wishful thinking.

Elena walked back into his room, hugging her pillow to her chest. She stopped when she saw him staring at her. "I umm, I can't sleep without my own pillow" she told him. She would toss and turn all night without it.

It was the cutest thing he had ever seen, watching her hold her pillow, dressed in purple and gray flannel pajamas with her messy ponytail high on her head. "Your pillow is welcome too" he said, smiling at her. Stefan pulled the covers back on her side of the bed and Elena got in. She fluffed her pillow while Stefan shut the lamp off. "Comfortable?" he asked her quietly.

With her back to him, she smiled. "Not quite" she told him, reaching behind her to find his hands. Then she brought them around to the front of her.

Stefan caught on quickly to what she wanted and he wasted no time wrapping his arms around her securely and pulling her close. "Better?" he whispered in her ear.

Elena sighed contently. His bed was ridiculously soft, and his body against hers kept her feeling warm and secure. "Much" Elena said, right before she yawned.

Stefan placed a gentle kiss against her ear. "Goodnight" he said softly.

"Night" Elena said, yawning again.