InsaneJournal

Who: Stefan and Bubbles
When: November 6
Where: Stefan’s place
What: Morning after Stefan’s birthday
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete when posted



Stefan tightened his arm around the girl sleeping next to him. It was early--much too early to wake up and get out of bed. But the sun was up, and his window faced east. He really had to move his bed or get some thicker curtains. Sunlight poured over the pair of them, tangled in sheets and one another. Stefan gave a great sigh as he stirred into consciousness, remembering the wonderful night last night. Dinner, drinks, walking along the beach. He’d brought Bubbles back to his place and they’d spent the night together, enjoying one another’s company. Several times, in fact. And then showered off, climbed into pajamas, and collapsed into bed.


He didn’t want his birthday to be over, but there it was. The morning sun rose, claiming a new day.


“Morning,” Stefan mumbled, leaning his face in to steal some kisses.


Bubbles had never been the sole celebrator of anyone’s birthday, but she tried her best to be the most excited person ever. She’d made a cupcake and had a candle in it. He didn’t eat much food, but it was nice enough. She’d also made a point to get him something nice for his birthday. She was sure he had almost everything...maybe just not an original Bubbles Design. Which was why she’d spent all of her free time working on a painting of her and Stefan’s first meeting in mostly unusual colors. You could tell they were people. Stefan was made up of the paint colors he’d chosen for their water balloon art and Bubbles was made up of her colors. The park around them was made of greens and browns, which wasn’t all that unusual. There was also some pink thrown in to show that it was Valentine’s Day and some blue and white, because of the sky. She added some yellows and oranges for good show. It was the way she’d wanted it to look for the most part when she was done.


But now it was morning the day after and Bubbles stirred when she heard Stefan’s voice. It wasn’t so bad to wake up to kisses...even if she was vaguely concerned about her morning breath. She hoped that the listerine from the night before made it bearable. She stretched slightly, snuggling up to Stefan again. He wasn’t exactly warm, but she had a feeling that the covers more than made up for that.


“Morning,” she said quietly before pressing a quick kiss against his jaw. “Did you sleep well?” She had definitely slept well. She’d been fairly exhausted by the time that sleep happened anyway. Tired and warm. She found she had just a little more trouble sleeping in her own bed these days. Octi did not make up for the lack of Stefan’s presence. Neither did Owlbert.


Stefan hadn’t even opened his eyes yet. He wasn’t planning to, either, because the longer they stayed closed, the longer he could pretend it was still last night, still his birthday. With his beautiful painting (already hung in his room, thankyouverymuch) and his delicious cupcake. But he knew that time was passing, and they’d have to get up and be people again soon.


“I did,” he mumbled, moving his mouth from hers along her cheek, toward her ear. Finally his eyes opened and he took in the sight of her skin, her hair. “Did you?” His fingertips trailed along her body, gently, between her pajama top and bottoms, enjoying the warmth of the small of her back.

Bubbles’ hair was messy, but it was nothing that a brush couldn’t fix. It definitely hadn’t helped that she’d fallen asleep with her hair still wet. She nodded just slightly at his question. “I did. I always sleep extra well when I’m here.” She shivered just a little at the feeling of Stefan’s finger on her skin, but she made no effort to move away from him. She liked right where she was and she couldn’t really complain about his fingers on the small of her back...or anywhere.


“Did you enjoy your birthday celebrations? I hope it was nice. Our birthday is coming up later. Well, my real birthday’s already come, but I never celebrate it. We celebrate the day that we were adopted. So if it’s not a legal document, that’s the day we say our birthday is.”


“Which one do you want me to celebrate with you?” Stefan asked. He imagined that her birthday with her sisters--her adoption day--was probably really personal to them. He’d hate to stick his nose in where it didn’t belong. But a birthday was also a chance for other people--especially people who loved her--to show her how much they cared. Stefan was happy to celebrate the day she was born, because if she hadn’t been born, he wouldn’t have her in his arms. “Because I am absolutely going to return the favor.”


Bubbles considered it. She hadn’t really celebrated her actual birthday in so long that she almost never actually told anyone when it was. She liked that her and her sisters had their own birthday that they counted. She liked spending time with them and remembering the day that they’d all been brought together. “Well, we already missed my actual birthday this year. Maybe we could celebrate the day before the 18th.” She pressed a quick kiss against Stefan’s lips. “I don’t think we can have a sleepover at my house, though. So you might have to let me borrow your room again.”


“Please believe me when I say that you are always welcome in my room.” Stefan said, and then tapped a gentle kiss against her lips. “The eighteenth, huh? That doesn’t give me much time to plan something horribly romantic for you.”


Bubbles smiled a little at that. “I see how it is. You just want me in your bed.” She tried to look disapproving, but it was ruined by her inability to stop smiling. “Well, it gives you more time than if I’d told you a few days later.” She reached up to tweak his nose slightly. “But you don’t have to make it horribly romantic. You can just make it semi-romantic. I’ll like it no matter what you do with it. I promise.”


Stefan couldn’t help but grin as she pinched his nose. He took hold of her hand with his own and kissed her palm. “Oh, it’ll be dreadfully romantic. Maybe I’ll even get us a hotel room.” He suggested, smirking a little. Because how nice would that be? To have a place all to themselves for the evening. Especially if it had a nice, big tub.


Bubbles smiled at the kiss to her palm. “What would the neighbors say?” The question was asked with an expression she hoped revealed mock shock. She wouldn’t mind a hotel room. She’d never done anything like that and she was kind of curious about what it would be like. “I’ve never stayed in a hotel room,” she said, snuggling up to him again. “Especially not for a very very romantic birthday celebration. Is it nice?”


Stefan blinked over at her. “You’ve never stayed in a hotel room? Really? Well, I know what we’re doing, then. A dreadfully romantic hotel room after a dreadfully romantic evening out.” He leaned in to kiss her again, cuddling her close in against his chest.


Bubbles shook her head. “Nope. Not ever.” But there were a lot of things that she’d never done before, so that wasn’t all that surprising to her. “Dreadfully Romantic: The 20th Birthday Celebration.” There was a laugh at that. She smiled into the kiss, moving to make sure that they were as close as they could get. One hand moved along his jaw and up so her fingers could run through his hair. She was happy and she couldn’t wait for her birthday even more now.


“You’re so young.” He teased, trailing his fingers along her hip. He was being good, though. Nowhere naughty. Above the cloth. Though, he did enjoy the warmth of her, even through her pajamas. It was okay, re: Bubbles’ youth. Stefan liked them young. It was sort of his thing. Though, to be fair, most girls were younger than a vampire who was turned around the time of the Civil War. “I can’t wait.”