𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐲 | 𝐭𝐯𝐝

-16-

IGNORE ACTUAL HISTORY TIMELINES PLEASE, THIS IS CUTE OKAYYYYY
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"Stay calm, love. You're dying." I compelled a man. I was sitting against a tree, cradling the bleeding camper in my arms. He was covered in his wife's blood after he held her when I was done feeding. I made him sit and watch as I buried her and was now waiting as death swept over him.

The light in his eyes was draining, but he wasn't panicking. "Are you done?" He whispered. "Yes, I'm quite finished. You were a good meal. Are you ready to see your wife again?" I asked. He nodded. I repositioned my hands to both sides of his head and twisted, breaking his neck. "Good." I breathed out, carefully getting up.

"Well, that was nice." I heard a man judge. I turned around and met eyes with Stefan. "I don't particularly like slaughtering unless I'm desperate." I shrugged, pulling the man to another hole in the ground for his body. I began covering him. "How nice," Stefan remarked sarcastically. "Did you get anything out of your little chat with Klaus?" I changed the topic. I didn't see the need to talk about my eating habits. He stiffened. "The map is useless without the tool to decipher it, which is the sword. Klaus wants me to hang out with Rebekah and get it out of her."

"Well then go find her." I groaned, piling on dirt. "I have a car and I'm not leaving you. We need to talk." He crossed his arms. "About? I've tried talking, Stefan and-"

"What's with the nickname? Why do you, River Ambrose, want to hang out with a guy you were terrified of? You shouldn't be hanging out with him, he's-" I cut him off there. "Since when do you have the authority to question who I can and cannot hang out with, Stefan?! And yeah, I was scared of him! Maybe I still am! People change." I breathed out and lowered my volume. "People change, Stefan. T-The nickname--He gave it to me for some stupid reason, alright? It's nothing." I threw the shovel aside and walked away. "Okay well, he's the enemy. He shouldn't have a nickname for you."

"What is such the big deal, Stefan? It's a harmless name. It's not like we're best friends." I groaned. "What, so you can be jealous of Elena and I but-"

"Stefan Salvatore-"

"I don't like that I'm not the only one with a nickname for you, okay?! I hate it. I even get this way when Damon calls you by these cutesy little names and I'm not." He confessed. My heart bubbled. "It wasn't right for me to mention Elena-" Aaaanndddd the bubbles popped.

"You're right. And it isn't right for me to be jealous either." I sighed. We keep going forwards and backward. We can't keep doing this. "No, but it is. It is your right. I get it, unresolved feelings and all. Sit." He motioned towards a tree stump. "Huh?"

"Sit." He repeated, smiling. I walked over and sat down. "How've you been dealing with this? Being back in Mystic Falls?" He asked. Oh god, we are having a catch-up meeting. "Good." I lied. He raised an eyebrow, knowing I was lying. "Bad. It feels so out of place. I mean, I love being here and seeing you a-and Damon. I loved catching up with him and the night we had a pillow fight, but it's not the same anymore. You have your own life here, Stefan, while I've been going everywhere I could. I didn't settle down or make friends and when I finally came back- just for a moment- I found peace. I was going to go home to pack and leave when I was taken and thrown in a barn with you and Rebekah. Then I thought you and her ran off together and-- I was so hurt, Stefan. I've always carried you in my heart, you know? I even...I found the box we buried and it's currently in my trunk I think. I mean...we wanted to get married and be together. Then I was heartbroken and couldn't find another man that even held a candle up to Stefan Salvatore. It was so weird to come back and see you look at Elena, who hates me, the same way you looked at Katherine. The same way you looked at me." I played with my daylight ring, refusing to make eye contact as I spouted out my thoughts.