Title: skin deep into reality
Fandom: the vampire diaries
Rating: teen
Length: ~1700 words
Author notes: +rush for the bingo here, title from cilmi’s save the lies, canon divergent for s1e5: kiki’s grandfather doesn’t talk to elena & stefan stabbed damon so he’d bleed out faster/he’s locked away in the family crypt

“Caroline freed you?” Stefan jokingly asks when she returns.

“Yeah, the janitor’s closet got locked. So no more towels.”

“Hear that everyone?” Caroline yells over her shoulder, and Elena jumps. “Shirt towels!”

The football team obliges, whistles all around, and Elena can’t stop staring across the car at Stefan. There’s something so tantalizing about not being able to touch him right now, about his muscles bunching as he scrubs away.

“Easy girl,” Bonnie says, appearing at her shoulder.

Elena blushes at being so transparent, glad that at least Caroline is on the opposite side of the parking lot, talking with Logan about the event.

“That obvious?” she murmurs.

“Oh yeah, don’t worry, I got you.”

“Hmm?” Elena barely gets out, and Bonnie’s pulling her top off.

“Now you’ll both be distracted, and you won’t be the only girl wearing a shirt.”

“Bonnie!” she squeaks, Stefan’s right there but her eyes catch his and a whole new wave of heat crashes through her.

“Uh huh, that’s what I thought. You’re welcome,” she says, walking away.

Elena swallows, grabbing a sponge and getting back to work.

“The reason it took me four days to settle things with Damon is because I had him committed to a long term facility,” Stefan confesses to the windshield.

Elena nearly drops her sponge, mind whirling as everything sets into place. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

Stefan wears a small bitter smile, “I should apologize. He’s had this problem for a long time, and I foolishly believed him when he said he wanted to get better. That it’d be different.”

Elena reaches out to console him, somehow spacing on the fact that he’s half-naked as her hand cups his bare bicep. “You wanted to believe the best in him, he’s your brother. At least now he’ll get better at the facility, right?”

“I hope so,” Stefan says, and Elena moves her hand up to his face. Screw pdas, this is-

A sudden blast of cold water hits them both in the stomach, and Elena yelps.

“Sexy not lovebird-ing!” Caroline yells, redirecting the hose to rinse a nearby car.

They both laugh, the moment broken and they get back to actually cleaning. Bonnie joins them a car later with an embarrassed half-smile.

“Caro’s worried you two will ditch like Tyler and Kiki.”

“Ohmygod,” Elena groans lowly, flushing. They aren’t even having sex yet, much less ditching responsibilities for it.

“I’ll do the roof then, and you can finish the trunk,” Stefan says.

Bonnie’s eyes narrow playfully, “Are you calling me short?”

“No,” he says quickly, both girls giggling at the obvious lie. “I’m just uh, really tall?”

“Smooth,” Elena teases.

“Ey! You three quit fucking flirting and finish my damn car! I don’t have all day here dufuses. Stupid charity.”

“Sorry sir, we’re almost done,” Stefan says. A lucky thing that he answered first, she wouldn’t have been half as polite, and judging by Bonnie’s clenched jaw, her neither.

“And I paid for the wax! Don’t forget the wax!”

Elena drops the sponge and swallows, “I’ll get that now.”

He mutters something that sounds suspiciously rude, and Elena forces herself to ignore it, grabbing the waxing brush from the main table. Turning back around, the man’s out of his car yelling at Bonnie- and then suddenly his car is on fire.

Elena rushes forwards as Stefan backs up, practically carrying Bonnie.

“Bon? Hey, talk to me,” Elena says, doesn’t like how hazy her eyes are.

They snap back into focus instantly, the fire going out. “Did… did I do that?”

Elena bites her lip, it’s a totally ridiculous worry, but Stefan answers first, “I think you did.”

“Oh god. Oh no,” Bonnie murmurs, and Caroline comes over.

Elena recognizes the look on her face too well, the one that has cheerleaders power through sprains if they’re at a competition, and she heads her off. “Hey Bonnie’s not feeling well, I think some smoke got in her lungs-”

The sound that comes out of Caroline can only be described as a growl, but she softens up as she looks at Bonnie, “Is she gonna be okay?”

“Yeah, just a little extra tlc and rest.”

She gives an extended sigh, “Fine. You’re lucky we’re nearly done.”

“Thanks Caro.”

“Yeah, you feel better Bonnie okay?”

Bonnie nods, looking a little too out of it for it to be fake, and Elena doesn’t like that one bit. Stefan drives them both back to his house, Bonnie with her in the backseat, head in her lap. Elena gently holds her, tries not to let her worries slip through her fingers.

Stefan carries her inside, setting her on the couch by the fireplace. He builds a fire up while Elena arranges pillows and blankets.

“I’m not dying,” Bonnie finally says, breaking the silence.

“Good. You could still use a little pampering.” Elena pauses, looking over her, “Or a lot.”

Bonnie snorts, “Gee, thanks.”

“I’m gonna make you some tea okay?”

“Thanks,” Bonnie repeats, softer and sincere.

That she doesn’t tease her about knowing where the Salvatores keep their tea is worrisome in itself, and Elena glares at the pot of water, urging it to boil faster. She used to think their lack of microwave was nice and rustic- now it feels more ridiculous and time-wasting.

She drops the tea bag in the mug of steaming water, high tailing it out of there. Bonnie’s sitting up on the couch now, and she sits beside her, handing her the mug.

Bonnie smiles wryly, “So apparently my family has some history with the Salvatores.”

Elena raises an eyebrow, looking over at Stefan, “Oh really?”

The fire is already crackling, throwing off enough heat that the damp bathing suits aren’t a problem temperature-wise. (That her eyes keep straying to Stefan’s chest and Bonnie’s cleavage, is.)

“That’s how I know some witch history. I looked it up after dinner last night, I wanted to be sure you were in the same family line before saying more.”

Elena swallows, “So you’re really a witch then?”

Bonnie bites her lip, “I uh, definitely set the car on fire today.”

“What!” Elena exclaims, laughter bubbling up. “I mean, he deserved it, but oh my god. Bonnie.”

“Yeah, tomorrow I’ll talk to Grams about it. I want to have my thoughts in order first, y’know?”

Elena pulls her in for a one-armed hug, careful not to disturb her drink. “She loves you. And she knows about this already.”

“Yeah, I um, said some not so nice things about magic to her last time.”

“You’re young,” Stefan says, “she’ll forgive you.”

Elena rolls her eyes, waiting a beat before asking, “Is your Uncle here? Should we switch rooms or…?”

“After Damon- he’s taking a vacation. He hasn’t had one in years.”

“Oh good.” “Is he going anywhere nice?” Bonnie asks, and Elena adds, “Italy perhaps?”

Stefan smiles, “No he wanted to go to the warmest, sunniest place possible. He’s visiting the Giza Pyramids.”

“So you have the house to yourself,” Bonnie comments, and Elena’s heartbeat spikes. Bonnie’s warm under her arm, so very close and the romantic gothic vibe of the room isn’t helping.

“I should go-” Bonnie starts, and Elena interrupts, “No need. Tonight is about you.”

Bonnie raises a skeptical eyebrow, and Stefan says, “My Uncle is taking a rather extensive vacation. You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like.”

“See?” Elena says, “Wanna show us a little magic?”

Bonnie’s lips quirk, “…I should practice, I need to get it under control.”

“Shall we send Stefan out to get you a newt?” Elena jokes, meeting both their gazes.

Bonnie laughs, setting the empty mug down on the side table. “No, fire first. That’s what escaped me.”

Bonnie nearly closes her eyes, breathing slow. The fire suddenly goes out and Elena gasps. It’s one thing to know it, but to see it… And then it’s back, throwing off even more heat, flames turned blue, and then it’s gone again. Bonnie keeps putting the fire out and recreating it, and Elena wants to watch too much in the room.

It’s positively charged- with magic no less. Bonnie’s eyes are bright and focused as she casts, the fire seeming to take on a life and death in blinks, Stefan shooting both of them heated gazes that makes Elena think maybe that dream last week isn’t so impossible. The flickering fire is pouring off enough heat that they’re all sweating, glistening perfect bodies, and her mind won’t stop, her nipples tight and obvious.

Trading a look with Stefan, she’s pretty sure they’re on the same page. And even if not, Bonnie is her oldest, best friend- she comes first.

She wets her lips, “That’s really incredible Bon.”

Her face is alight with bliss, and she leaves the fire burning at a regular temperature. “Sorry I just got lost in it a bit there.”

“Don’t apologize, that was beautiful,” Stefan says, and Elena agrees. “The most amazing thing, I’m so excited for you.”

Bonnie smiles, looking between them, and picking up on the mood. “I uh, I should probably head out now.”

“If you want,” Stefan says, and it isn’t even directed at Elena but she feels the insinuation deep in her gut.

“Whatever you want Bonnie, really. We’d love you to stay.”

Bonnie turns to her, assessing. “Wait- like? Stay, stay?”

“Yeah. You’re right. What you said the other day- we should all go after what we want. And if you don’t want anything with us, that’s fine. I’ll never mention it again and I hope you’re willing to stay friends.”

“I- um, I was not prepared for this,” Bonnie mutters, before adding loudly, “Not that it’s a bad thing! Just surprising.”

Stefan gets up, slowly approaching them. “Is it? You must know we both find you gorgeous and brilliant. Caring and kind, and a witch too- how could we not be enchanted?”

Bonnie giggles, and Elena squeezes her shoulders gently.

“You know I love you,” she starts.

“And I love you,” Bonnie says easily, tracing absent patterns on the back of her hand.

A shiver runs through her, and such a simple touch she’s felt hundreds of times shouldn’t be so evocative. Elena smiles, “So what do you think?”

“Yeah, let’s give it a shot.”

“Yeah?” Elena echoes, thrilled and disbelieving. It’s all too much, she’s been far too lucky this week.

Bonnie grins, pulls her in for a kiss. Stefan joins them on the couch a moment later, hands and lips everywhere, and Elena can truly say she is happy.