Title: the smell of autumn leaves and gasoline
Fandom: the vampire diaries
Rating: teen
Length: ~1200 words
Author notes: title from faber drive's never coming down, bloodsharing, s1e19 au, cabin fic

“I’m a monster, I-”

“No,” Elena interrupts, taking his hands. Damon’s words are fresh in her mind, and though she doesn’t believe him easily, she does believe him about this. “You just need control.”

“Control?” Stefan echoes with a mirthless laugh. “I robbed a hospital- not even one far away- for blood. We’re long past that.”

“It’s my fault, I’m going to fix this.”

He flinches, turning away, “You don’t understand. I didn’t stop. I was going to-”

He chokes up, and Elena hugs him, fingers curled in his hair. “It’s okay, it’s all gonna be okay.”

And she stabs the vervain dart into his leg.

(‘Sure you wanna do this?’ ‘I’m sure.’ ‘He might eat you, and not in the fun way.’ ‘Shut up, bring him to the car.’)

.

Stefan doesn’t wake up until they reach the chosen Salvatore vacation home. It’s deep in the middle of nowhere, Ohio, and the cabin is small enough not to attract any passerby’s attention. Elena idly wonders how long this will take, how many people Damon will compel to ignore her and his brother’s sudden absence.

Stefan’s jaw cracks as he yawns, and Elena can’t help smiling at the familiar gesture. It doesn’t matter how long, they’re going to beat this. He’s going to stop fighting his nature, and a selfish little part of her is glad he’ll be able to hold his own against his brother when they disagree. (Maybe he’ll even stop blaming himself for- she’s getting far too far ahead of herself.)

Elena closes the garage door, still finds it odd that the cabin has a garage at all, more so that it’s connected to the main building. It kind of takes away from the whole seasonal old cabin in the woods vibe. Then again based on Damon’s colorful commentary, it wasn’t purchased for that type of atmosphere and ew.

“Where are we? Did you-” Stefan sits up suddenly, speeding out of the car. He runs to the garage door, and Elena gets out as his fist hits the wall.

“What did you do?”

His face falls in his hands, and Elena’s pretty sure he already knows where they are- and that she’s missing something vital here.

“Ohio.”

A laugh snaps out of him, and he zooms back over to her, Elena instinctively taking a half step back against the car.

“And did Damon tell you what’s so special about this place? About how you locked yourself in here with me?”

“W-what?” Elena asks, cursing the quiver in her voice. She isn’t afraid, she’s just surprised.

He brushes her hair behind her ear, cool fingers skimming down her jaw and landing on her throat. “A Bennett protection spell from Damon’s old lover. The wards are up now, there’s no crossing them until Damon decides to visit.”

Elena swallows, “Oh.”

His veins darken, and before Elena can say anything, he flashes into the main part of the cabin. With a sigh, she follows. Her phone doesn’t have a signal, and okay, this isn’t off to the best start.

She finds Stefan in the bedroom, tearing through a closet, clothing being tossed all around.

“There’s none,” he says, staggers over to the bed and sinks into it, face in his hands. “There’s no blood.”

Elena sits beside him, her pulse feeling all the heavier. This had been part of the plan- well, she thought Stefan would be eating bunnies on the side, but the essence remains- palm up, she places her wrist on his knee.

“It’s okay. The problem is moderation right?”

His hands drop, veins still black around his eyes. “I’m too hungry, I won’t be able to stop. I can’t- I can’t do that to you.”

“I trust you Stefan.”

“You shouldn’t! I’m a predator Elena! What does a wolf think of a lamb laying down in its jaws?”

She reaches up slowly, fingertips tracing over his face. “You can’t scare me away, I love you.”

He freezes, breathing through his mouth and if there was an alternative, she’d feel guilty about voicing the realization.

“The longer you wait, the harder it will be for you to stop drinking from me.”

His hands reach up quickly and grab her wrists, Elena attempting to slow down her racing heart. “What part of I may drain you dry don’t you understand?”

“I trust you,” she repeats softly. “And it’s only going to get worse. I guess…”

“What?”

Elena bites her lip, “You could give me some of your blood. I won’t need it, but then you don’t have to worry.”

Stefan drops her wrists, “You can’t- I don’t trust myself with that.”

Elena’s heart twists, it had been impossible not to imagine turning after she learned what Stefan was. To live forever. Even with the terrible cost, it’s an alluring idea. (But how long would it stay alluring? How long would it take, of watching her friends, her remaining family, grow old and die?)

That given the opportunity he thinks he might not be able to stop himself-

Elena kisses him, scrambling over his lap to straddle him. Stefan’s hands grip her ass to steady her, heat shooting through her core, like she can burn away all the thoughts that won’t be quiet. (He could bring her death. Not so long ago, she would have ripped it from his throat.)

She breaks the kiss to breathe, meeting his eyes. “Okay?”

He reaches up to stroke her cheek, a cool wave of warmth that does absolutely nothing to diminish the lust building in her. If it wasn’t such a serious moment, she’d suck his thumb into her mouth, accelerate everything.

But it is, and instead she leans into his open palm.

“You don’t have to do this Elena,” Stefan says, and that’s the closest she can expect him to get to an admission. Whether that’s for his conscious or something else, Elena doesn’t care- it’s an opening all the same.

She kisses him again, feels his surprise beneath her lips and giggles into it. His mouth opens in response, and Elena’s tongue darts out quick, slicing open on his canines. He gasps, hands clutching her tight, and Elena bleeds easy, mouth flooding with saliva and blood.

Stefan licks her lips clean and into her mouth, groaning at the taste. Strong suction comes next, and Elena nearly laughs, feels as though she’s at the dentist. And then Stefan’s hands are back on her ass, pulling her closer, arousal easily overpowering amusement.

Pleasure covers up any last twinges of pain, trading blood and kisses until they’re both sated. They rest, quiet after everything. In that quiet, there’s one thought that keeps coming back: if she dies in her sleep tonight, she’ll come back. There would be no more angsting over if she should turn, and if not if she can keep dating Stefan knowing that. No more being the human weak link; she’d have her own powers, could truly defend herself. She could actually help her friends when they’re in trouble.

And all it would cost is her hopes, her dreams. Another step closer to becoming Katherine. Elena shakes the thoughts away, cuddling up underneath Stefan’s arm- it doesn’t matter anyhow, she isn’t dying tonight.