prompts { 2022 } fictober

[iluvroadrunner6]

Going to do one fic a day in an attempt to buff my word count for this year. Is this dumb when I already have prompts that I'm working through? Maybe but I'm in for the challenge.



PROMPTS:
1. “I chose you.”
2. “Nobody warned you about me?”
3. “That was not my intention.”
4. “How would that even work?”
5. “No, anything but that.”
6. “Adaptable, I like that.”
7. “Check that again, are you sure?”
8. “Do you remember?”
9. “Sounds like a you problem.”
10. “It’s my name on the line.”
11. “Think! For once!”
12. “You’re making my head hurt.”
13. “I don’t want you to do that.”
14. “Yes. No. I don’t know.”
15. “What are you doing?”
16. “You’re looking, but you don’t see.”
17. “Are you serious?”
18. “I don’t think this is your problem.”
19. “Do we have a deal?”
20. “There’s only us.”
21. “I never said that.”
22. “Who said this is a good idea?”
23. “Not on my watch!”
24. “Is this safe?”
25. “You know I’d do anything.”
26. “I’m doing it, shut up.”
27. “That’s not why we’re doing this.”
28. “We all have our reasons.”
29. “You love this, don’t you?”
30. “I know what this looks like.”
31. “I’m not alone and neither are you.”

Request plurk
Completed: 31/31
Word Count: 63,823

Comments

10/13 ~ i don't want you to do that ~ everyone lives ~ 1,483

[somanyadjectives]

Speed dating is really not Stefan Salvatore’s scene.

At all. Ever.

If one were to ask him how he found himself in the middle of a speed dating event, he honestly wouldn’t have a suitable answer for you. He was bamboozled. Hoodwinked. And while he does, occasionally, like to spend time with people he doesn’t know, there’s something about this situation that makes him feel like he was compelled somehow, despite the fact that unless an Original is coming out to play, vampires can’t be compelled.

Still, it’s not a bad way to spend an evening. Make some new friends in Scotland. Settle in a little more to the new life he’s made for himself for the next decade.

The first few dates that pass his table are easy enough, charming in a way that isn’t awkward, though some take things a bit too far. It isn’t until about halfway through the evening that things look up.

Sitting across from him is a bubbly blond. Not usually his type, Rebekah was more of an ice queen in that respect, but there’s something about her that catches his interest right away. “Hi. I’m Stefan.”

“Buffy,” she says, extending a hand. “You’re new.”

He raises an eyebrow as he shakes hers. “Do you come to speed dating often?”

“I wouldn’t classify it as ‘often,’ exactly. Or ‘frequent.’ Or any of the words that may imply that I do this on a semi-regular basis, well enough to recognize the other regulars.” The babble is endearing, and he smiles as she continues. “Okay, I might be a repeat offender. But I have a really demanding job that requires a lot of travel and deals with many people not my age, so sometimes it’s nice to just … go out and have some adult conversation. At least for a little while.”

“Fair enough. What do you do?”

“I run a multinational program for women. Training, job placement, all that good stuff. We have branches all over the world, hence the travel.”

“Ah. That sounds demanding.”

“It is. But I love it. It really gives me a feeling of purpose, you know?”

“I do.” Stefan’s been lacking that for a while. It’s part of the reason he’s in Scotland, if he’s honest. Looking for the next phase of his life. “Have you been living in Scotland long?”

“A while, yeah, but I’m originally from California. You?”

“Virginia.”

“Do you miss it?”

He shakes his head. “I’m home often enough. And aside from visiting my brother and some friends, there’s not really much left for me there as far as what you were saying. Purpose.”

“Seems like you’re going a long way for a purpose.”

“Well, I’ve looked a lot of other places and haven’t really found it. Felt it was best to start expanding my horizons.”

The bell rings, and Buffy frowns. “Guess that’s time. Nice meeting you, Stefan.”

“Yeah, you too, Buffy.” His eyes follow her as she moves to the next table, and he makes a note to himself. He’ll have to remember to get her number later.

* * * * *

Stefan gets her number, and they have dinner, only occasionally interrupted by the occasional work trip for Buffy. A few dinners in, they swap last names—Salvatore and Summers—and Stefan invites her to dinner at his apartment. He volunteers to cook.

Yes, it might be his go-to move, but it’s a good move. He won’t apologize for it.

He’s just putting the finishing touches on the chicken parmesan and opening the wine to breathe when there’s a knock on the door. Glancing down at his watch and surprised that Buffy seems on time tonight, he makes his way to the door to open it. He does not find Buffy on the other side. Instead, he finds a tall man with bleach blond hair, almost a Billy Idol sort of vibe, and a far too pleased expression on his face.

“Sorry—who are you?”

“You’re about to have a real bad day, mate.”

Then he charges forward, and it almost appears he runs headfirst into an invisible barrier. Stefan’s head tips to the side, and he crosses his arms in front of his chest.

“What the hell?” The man protests. “You’re a vampire.”

Stefan’s eyebrows go up further, because that’s a bold assumption for someone he doesn’t know to make. But given that this man seems to be a vampire too, it seems like it’s safe to play with the gloves off. “Yes, and like any vampire worth his salt, my name isn’t on the lease.”

“Oh.” A beat. “You can do that?”

Stefan shrugs in return, before he looks past the man on his floor to the woman behind it. Buffy stands, dressed a little more comfortably than she has been for their previous dates, and he frowns. “Hi.”

“Hi.” She straightens a bit. “We should talk.”

“We should.” Stefan steps back, giving her some room to move past him. “Dinner’s ready, if you still want to eat?”

“Buffy,” the vampire from the floor warns, and he bounces back up to his feet. “She’s only going in there if I’m coming in with her.”

“The person on the lease isn’t in town, so I can’t invite you in.” Stefan replies. “We can take this somewhere else, if you find that easier.”

“No. We’ll be fine here.” Buffy looks back at the vampire with a nod. “I’ll be fine, Spike.”

He doesn’t look pleased by this decision, but he nods. “Fine. Call me when you’re done.”

“I will.”

Stefan waits for her to come into the apartment fully before closing the door behind her. “Can I take your coat?”

She nods, sliding off the sensible leather jacket, and he can feel the weight of the stakes inside as he hangs it on the hook near the door. She makes her way into the kitchen and looks over the romantic setting he spent the evening arranging. “It smells delicious.”

“It is one of my favorite moves.”

“Romantically, or is this your preferred way to hunt?” Buffy crosses her arms in front of her chest. “Because I have to admit, it was a bit of a shock to find out I was preparing to cozy up to the Ripper of Monterrey.”

Stefan winces at the title before shaking his head. “That was me a long time ago. That isn’t me now.”

Buffy nods. “A lot of them say that. It’s hard to really confirm for sure. Especially with your kind of vampire.” She moves, resting her hands on the back of the chair. “It’s not a simple call of soul or no soul. You go out during the day, you eat, you drink. It’s almost like you’re—”

“People? Because we are. Occasionally very fucked up people but … that’s what happens when you’re cursed with the need to feed on blood and heightened emotions.” Stefan stands across from her, mirroring her stance at the table. “I’m not going to say that I haven’t made mistakes, because I have. But my blood issues are much more under control than they used to be.” That one sentence, soul or no soul, strikes a cord with him, though he doesn’t know why. “How do you know all this about vampires? Are you a hunter?”

“I’m a Slayer,” she replies simply. “In all honesty, I’m the Slayer.”

Buffy Summers. It all makes sense now. Running a hand over his face, he turns away from the table to regroup. It’s not as though this matters to him, really. But he also doesn’t want to get staked in his sleep by the woman he is hoping would be his girlfriend.

“Were you ever going to tell me?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Stefan points out. “But yes, eventually. It’s not something you can really keep a secret, but on the initial dates, it doesn’t always make sense.”

Buffy nods. “Same. Eventually. When I was sure whether you could handle it.”

“Guess we both know now.” Whether they could handle it is still up in the air.

“Maybe it’s best if we part ways here. Before things get more…complicated.”

He watches her face before shaking his head. “I don’t want to do that.” He won’t deny that this is awkward. “But if that’s what you want, I understand.”

“I don’t want to do that either. Maybe.”

Stefan nods, before reaching forward for the empty wine glasses. “Then why don’t we just … eat? Start over. And if by the end of the night we decide it's best if we part ways, we do. But if it works…”

“If it works, it works.” Buffy smiles. “I can work with that.”

“Good.”

“Also, we should eat right now because this smells too good and I need to shove it in my face.”

Stefan laughs, before nodding. “The lady’s wish is my command.”