Title: you.
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries.
Characters: Katherine/Stefan.
Prompt: Crash.
Rating: PG.
Length: 535.
Content warnings: N/A.
Author’s notes: Also written for getyourwordsout’s ferris wheel prompt.
Summary: Katherine’s disappointed she can’t ride on the ferris wheel with Stefan.


Nothing is going according to plan.

With her arms crossed over her chest, she purses her lips unhappily and glares up at the silent and still Ferris wheel. A chain stretches across two pillars, blocking them from advancing any further. If she has to look at that swinging sign one more time, Katherine’s pretty sure she’s going to tear it off its links and shove it down a clown’s throat.

"There’s more to the theme park than the Ferris wheel," Stefan says. His hands slide into the pockets of his jacket, shoulders pulling upward sheepishly. She can already see the cogwheels in his head begin to turn. He’s blaming himself. Idiot. "I mean… We can go on the bumper cars again."

"The same man from yesterday’s there," she says unhappily. "Remember? I’m banned." With a roll of her eyes, she sighs, "Apparently violence isn’t allowed."

The corners of his lips quick upward. "I mean…" Lifting a shoulder, he teases, "You’re not supposed to speed into people as fast as you did, Katherine."

"The name’s misleading then!" With a huff, she looks away from him and the Ferris wheel in irritation.

From the corner of her eye, she can see Stefan looking at her sadly. His shoulders slump and the corners of his mouth droop. She doesn’t like that look on him. Katherine had made a silent vow to herself to never let him look like that again; he’s spent too many years feeling sad.

"I know how much you wanted to go on the Ferris wheel," he says gently, reaching out to brush his hand against her bicep. "I’m sorry I couldn’t make that happen for you."

She shrugs, but not too sharply to knock his hand off. It’s only ever been Stefan who has apologised profusely to her for the things he can’t even control.

"It’s fine," she says, tilting her head upwards. "I didn’t want to go on it that badly, anyway."

Stefan chuckles, squeezing her bicep. He steps closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and tugging her into him. "Maybe we can try later tonight… I might have some pull with the Ferris wheel guy. We locked eyes yesterday; we have an understanding."

Pressing her cheek into his chest, she stubbornly keeps her hands by her sides. It’s always bothered him when she doesn’t return his hugs, and Katherine aims to frustrate Stefan even on the days he’s trying to comfort her.

"An understanding, huh?" She lets out a breath, shoulders slumping.

"Yeah," he says, bowing his head to kiss the top of hers. "A really big understanding."

"You’re going to compel him, aren’t you?"

At Stefan’s silence, she smiles. Wrapping her arms around him, she palms the small of his back and squeezes him gently—gentle enough that she doesn’t break him, but strong enough that he feels it.

"I want cotton candy when we go on our Ferris wheel ride," she says. "And a giant teddy bear—"

He chuckles. "You really don’t ask for much, do you?"

Sliding her hands down to his ass, she gives him a squeeze as she peers up at him. With a beaming smile, she winks at him. "I only ask for you."