(chapter fourteen: founder's day)

You know me, you better show me
That you could say it to my face
'Cause you know we're the same
There's worse things I can take

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SMUT WARNING! AT THE END!!

"I think this thing is actually cutting off my air supply. Like if I faint, it will be because of this stupid corset." Olivia spoke, holding onto her dress so the bottom wouldn't get dirty because of the ground.

Stefan raised an eyebrow, a small, amused smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he observed her struggle. "You want me to help with that?" he asked, his tone light but with a hint of concern.

Olivia shot him a playful glare, though there was a flicker of appreciation in her eyes. "As much as I'd love for you to save me from certain death by corset, I think I'll manage," she replied, her voice strained but trying to hold onto a bit of humor.

Stefan chuckled softly, sitting down beside her. "Alright, but just so you know, if you do faint, I'll be ready to catch you." He teased, leaning back slightly to give her some space.

Olivia rolled her eyes, but her lips curled up slightly in a grin. "I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll pass on the fainting."

"Good idea," Stefan replied, his voice warm and reassuring. "Take it easy, okay?"

Olivia nodded, trying to adjust the corset slightly so it wasn't so tight. "I swear, whoever invented these things should be forced to wear one for an hour." She felt pity for every woman who had to wear it every day in the past.

She gave a dramatic sigh, her shoulders slumping a bit as she straightened up, finally managing to loosen the corset just enough to breathe a little better. "Alright," she said, her voice still a bit breathless. "Now we have to get on that float, huh? Perfect timing."

Stefan smiled at her, standing up and offering his hand to help her up. "You look beautiful no matter how tight your corset is. But let's make sure you're comfortable, yeah?"

Olivia grinned, taking his hand and using it to steady herself as she stood. "Thanks," she said with a playful wink. "Now, let's just hope the float is more comfortable than this corset."

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The floats were parading down the street, and Mrs. Lockwood's voice echoed through the loudspeakers, bringing even more energy to the event.

"Let's give a big hand to the Mystic Falls High School Marching Band!" she announced, and the crowd cheered as the band marched by, followed by the cheerleaders who pumped up the crowd even more. People were clapping and screaming, clearly loving the parade.

"And for a little local history, Mr. Saltzman's students have recreated Virginia's Battle of Willow Creek," Mrs. Lockwood continued. The float arrived in the street, and Jeremy and Tyler, dressed in costumes, waved to the crowd, pretending to shoot at each other. The crowd laughed and cheered as they passed by.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our stunning Miss Mystic Falls Court and their handsome escorts!" Mrs. Lockwood announced. Elena, Benjamin, Olivia Stefan, Caroline, Matt, and the rest of the Mystic Falls Court waved from their float, laughing and smiling at the crowd. It was such a surreal moment, everything feeling so perfect and exciting.

"This is Caroline Forbes, Miss Mystic Falls. Aren't they beautiful?" Mrs. Lockwood said with pride in her voice, and the crowd cheered, everyone's attention on Caroline.

"You do look really pretty." Olivia commented, making the blonde next to her blush, but when she looked down on Stefan's hand around Olivia's waist, the girl couldn't help but feel jealousy bubble up.

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After the parade Stefan and Olivia decided to get back to the Salvatore Boarding house, it was already dark and they barely had half an hour before they had to go back to the town square for further celebrations.

"I'm gonna change real quick." Olivia announced, happy that she could finally get out of that corset. "May I use your bathroom?" The girl looked over her shoulder towards her boyfriend as she picked clothes from out of her bag. She had put them in there this morning, knowing that she wasn't going to return to her family's apartment till later this evening.

"Of course." Stefan nodded, kissing the side of her head before the girl left for the bathroom upstairs.

Olivia let out a frustrated groan as she tugged at the strings of her corset, twisting and turning in front of the mirror in Stefan's bathroom. She'd thought getting into it was bad, but getting out of it? This was a whole new level of torture. After several minutes of struggling, her arms ached, and she realized there was no way she was doing this alone.

"Ugh, you have got to be kidding me," she muttered, glaring at her reflection like it was the corset's fault. Huffing, she crossed her arms and bit her lip, debating her next move. Finally, she gave in, swallowing her pride.

"Stefan?" she called, her voice echoing down the hallway. "Can you come up here for a second?"

It only took a few moments before she heard footsteps on the stairs. "What's wrong?" Stefan asked as he reached the doorway, concern flickering across his face. A small smirk tugged at his lips. "Need some help?"

"Yes," Olivia admitted, her cheeks flushing. "This thing is impossible. I've been fighting it for ten minutes, and I think it's winning."

Stefan chuckled softly and stepped into the bathroom. "Alright, turn around."

She turned her back to him, crossing her arms over her chest as she muttered, "This is so embarrassing."

"Don't be," Stefan reassured her, his tone gentle as his fingers began working on the tangled strings. "These things were literally designed to be impossible to get out of without help."

"You don't have to make me feel better about it," Olivia said, her voice half teasing, half annoyed. "I already feel like I'm trapped in some medieval torture device."

Stefan laughed lightly as he loosened the last of the strings. "Well, I'm just saying you're handling it better than most people probably would."

As soon as the corset loosened, Olivia let out a dramatic sigh of relief. "Oh my god, freedom," she said, spinning around to face him with a grateful smile. "You're a lifesaver."

"I try," Stefan said with a grin, stepping back to give her space. "Do you need anything else? Or are you good now?"

"Nope, I think I've got it from here," Olivia said, clutching the corset in one hand while she grabbed her change of clothes with the other. She leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Stefan."

"Anytime." He said, his smile softening. "I'll be downstairs when you're ready."

As Olivia slipped into her more comfortable clothes, a question lingered in her mind. She couldn't shake it—something about the day, the parade, and everything they'd been through recently made her more curious about the topic than she had been before. She wanted to ask Stefan, but she wasn't sure how to phrase it without making it seem like a big deal.

After smoothing out her shirt and tossing the corset in her bag like it was an enemy, she took a deep breath, picking up her bag, and headed downstairs.

Stefan was sitting on the couch, but he looked up the second she appeared. His smile was instant, warm, and comforting, but Olivia could tell he was a little distracted. Probably thinking about whatever drama could happen next.

"Feel better?" He asked.

"Much," Olivia said with a grin, plopping down next to him. "You seriously saved me from a meltdown up there."

He chuckled softly, leaning back against the couch. "Glad I could help."

Her question was still hanging in the air, and she knew she had to ask it now or she'd chicken out. "Stefan?" She began hesitantly, turning to face him fully.

"Yeah?" He replied, his brow furrowing slightly at her tone.

"Can you tell me more about the whole soulmate deal? I mean I know this is probably not really a good moment with everything else happening, so we can totally wait-"

Stefan shook his head gently, a small smile playing on his lips as he cut her off. "No, it's okay," he said, his voice soft and reassuring. "If it's on your mind, I want to talk about it."

Olivia hesitated, biting her lip. "It's just... I feel like there's so much I don't understand about it. About us. Soulmates sound like something out of a fairy tale, and so do vampires by the way, but here we are, living it. How does it even work?"

Stefan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he considered her question. "It's not something that's easy to explain," he began. "For vampires, it's rare. Most of us don't even believe in it until it happens. But when you find your soulmate, it's like this... connection that you can't ignore. It's not just emotional—it's almost like it's part of who you are. Like you've been tied to that person all along, even if you didn't know it."

Olivia's brows knitted together as she tried to process what he was saying. "So, it's like... fate?"

"Something like that," Stefan agreed, his gaze steady. "But it's not perfect. It doesn't mean everything's easy or that there won't be challenges. It just means that no matter what happens, you're meant to be in each other's lives. You're meant to shape each other in ways no one else could."

She tilted her head, her hazel eyes searching his face for answers that words couldn't fully provide. "That sounds... kind of beautiful," she admitted, her voice soft, almost shy. "But also really intense. Like, what if one of us messes it up?"

Stefan's expression softened, and he reached for her hand, his touch steady and grounding. "Olivia, everyone makes mistakes. Soulmates aren't about being perfect or never hurting each other. It's about growing together, forgiving, and finding your way back to each other, no matter what."

Her lips curved into a small smile, though doubt still lingered in her eyes. "And this connection... Do you feel it all the time? Like, right now?"

Stefan chuckled lightly, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "I do. It's not always this overwhelming, dramatic thing. Sometimes it's quiet—just knowing you're there, that you're safe, that you're you. It's like a part of me is always tuned in to you."

A faint blush crept up her cheeks, and she looked down at their intertwined hands. "You make it sound so simple."

"It's not," he admitted, his voice tinged with a mix of honesty and affection. "But it's worth it. You're worth it."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, and she felt a warmth spread through her chest. "Okay, last question—for now, at least." She met his gaze, her tone turning playful. "Does this soulmate thing mean you're stuck with me forever?"

Stefan grinned, leaning closer until their faces were just inches apart. "I'd say I'm the lucky one," he said, his voice low and sincere.

Olivia laughed softly, the sound filling the room with a sense of ease. "Alright, Mr. Smooth Talker. Let's see if you still feel that way when I eat the last slice of pizza later."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Soulmates or not, that's crossing a line."

"Oh! Sorry! One last question. Do the soulmate thing happen in different stage? Like take stage one as a meeting and then two is, I don't know, um, a kiss or something." Olivia spoke, a frown on face.

"I'm not really sure to be honest. Nobody ever explained it to me. Apparently there are a few vampires in the world who know the exact info, or that's what I heard, I just know the last part of the bond." Stefan's eyes softened once more as he spoke, his voice thoughtful.

"And that is?" Olivia's eyes looked up at him as she placed her arm against the couch and leaned her head on her palm.

Stefan gave her a small smile, his gaze steady and thoughtful as he leaned back slightly, gathering his thoughts. "The last part of the bond is sharing blood during, well, being intimate," Stefan said, his voice dropping to a quieter, more serious tone.

Olivia's heart raced at the mention of the last part of the bond. The weight of Stefan's words lingered in the air, and for a brief moment, everything else seemed to fade away. Her mind raced to understand what he meant, but she couldn't help but feel a flutter in her stomach.

"Intimate?" She echoed, her voice small, as she shifted on the couch, but she knew what he had meant.

Stefan noticed the shift in Olivia's demeanor, her body language suddenly a bit more tense. He tilted his head, his expression softening as he reached for her hand again, gently squeezing it. "I know it's a lot to take in." He said, his voice calm and reassuring. "But it's not something to rush into. It happens only when you are ready and want it."

"That means a lot to me, Stef. It really does, thank you for telling me." Olivia smiled up at him.

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The couple decided to go back to the town square, a little bit later than they had planned for, but they had made it.

As they wandered through the quiet town square, making small talk, Stefan suddenly stumbled and fell to his knees, clutching his head.

"Stefan, what's going on? What's happening?" Olivia asked, panic creeping into her voice as she knelt beside him.

"My head!" He groaned, his voice strained and filled with agony.

"What?" Olivia pressed, her eyes wide with concern.

"My head!!" Stefan cried out again, his hands gripping his temples. But before she could say anything, a deputy spotted them and started running in their direction.

Just as the deputy got close, her uncle appeared out of nowhere, stepping into his path and quickly intercepting him. "Hey, I got this one!" He said urgently, gesturing toward the opposite side of the square, pushing a stake into the deputy's hands. "There's another one over there. Take this and go! Go! Go!"

The deputy hesitated for a moment before nodding and taking off in the other direction. Alexander wasted no time and rushed to Olivia and Stefan, bending down to help Stefan to his feet. Together, niece and uncle guided him toward a nearby set of stairs behind the Mystic Grill, where Stefan slumped against the railing, breathing heavily.

"I don't know what happened." Olivia said, her voice shaking. "He just dropped!"

Alexander glanced around the square, his expression tense. "Yeah, he's not the only one," He said grimly. "The cops are grabbing anyone who goes down and injecting them with vervain."

"What?" Olivia said, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Alex nodded, his jaw tightening. "They're rounding up the vampires."

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Stefan was finally looking better, though he still seemed a little shaken as he spoke with Olivia. "Are you okay?" Olivia asked, her voice soft but full of worry for her mate.

"It was like needles were stabbing into my skull," Stefan said, rubbing his temples. "And then... it just stopped."

Before Olivia could say anything, Alexander showed up again, looking tense.

"I saw at least five vampires go down." Alexander informed them quickly. "They're taking them to the Gilbert family's old building."

"It's the Gilbert device." Stefan said, realization dawning on his face. "It has to be."

"But how did they even get it to work?" Olivia asked, frowning. "Bonnie unspelled it." She hadn't been there to see Bonnie unspell the damn thing, because she had gotten sick that day with her mother, but Elena had let her know.

"Maybe she didn't." Alexander said with a shrug.

"Why wouldn't she?" Olivia argued.

"No, no, no. He's right." Stefan said, shaking his head. "Think about it. We asked Bonnie to deactivate a device that could protect people against vampires."

"So we could protect you and Benjamin." Olivia said quietly.

"And Damon. Vampires." Stefan added quickly, his voice rising with concern. "Where's Damon?"

"I don't know." Alexander admitted. "I haven't seen him since this all started."

"Can you find the others?" Olivia asked, looking up at her uncle. "To make sure they're alright." Alexander quickly nodded before running off again. "Let's go find him." Olivia said to Stefan as her uncle was out of sight. They quickly hurried off towards the old Gilbert's building, but as they neared, Stefan could hear the other vampires and the fire cracking in his ear.

Coming closer, they found Elena and Benjamin talking to a man Olivia hadn't seen before. But it was a good thing to see that at least Benjamin was alright.

"Where is Damon?" Stefan and Olivia heard Elena demand the man in front of her for an answer.

"With the rest of them, where he should be." John replied coldly as he looked at his daughter's boyfriend and at Stefan as soon as the Saltzman girl and the Salvatore joined them "So should he. It's over for Damon."

"You're crazy!" Elena shot back, anger flaring in her eyes.

"Why? Because I'm doing what should have been done a hundred and forty-five years ago?" John's tone was calm but laced with bitterness. "This is the right thing, Elena."

As John spoke, Stefan's eyes darted to the building where the vampires were being held. John noticed and smirked.

"Go ahead." He said mockingly. "You won't make it out. It'll save me the trouble of killing you myself."

Stefan turned to Elena, ignoring John's taunts. "You know the building well. Is there another way in?"

Elena hesitated for only a second before nodding. "Utility door. There's one around the side."

Without wasting another moment, Stefan started toward the building. Olivia and Benjamin immediately followed after him, but when Elena tried to go after them as well, John caught her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

Meanwhile Stefan was sprinting toward the emergency door, Bonnie appeared out of nowhere, stepping into his path. "Hey, you can't go in there!" She shouted, her voice sharp with urgency. Stefan ignored her, throwing the door open anyway. "The fire will take you out!" Bonnie called after him.

"He's my brother, Bonnie!" Stefan yelled back, his voice filled with desperation as he disappeared into the building from which the basement was on fire. Outside, Bonnie was watching the building anxiously when Olivia and Benjamin ran up, panic all over her face.

"Stefan!" Olivia cried, her voice breaking, trying to rush into the building as well, but when she saw the fire at the top of the stairs, blocking the path.

Bonnie pulled her back, grabbing her arm. "Olivia, you can't go in there!"

"What are you doing, Bonnie?" Benjamin asked.

Bonnie hesitated, guilt flashing across her face as she saw Olivia's look and Elena rushing over. "I'm sorry I lied to you." She said softly to Elena before closing her eyes and beginning to recite a spell. "Ex spiritum intacullum, in terrum incendium, fes matos salvis adisdum!" Bonnie chanted, her voice steady and focused.

When Bonnie was finally finished with her spell and opened her eyes, looking at Elena, who was staring at her in disbelief.

"Bonnie... Bonnie, what is it?" She asked.

"Are they going to be okay?" Olivia asked desperately, her voice cracking. However, before Bonnie could respond, Stefan carrying Damon, emerged from the building, coughing from the fire but alive. Relief flooded Olivia as she ran toward them.

"Oh my god!" Olivia cried, throwing her arms around Stefan and looking over at Damon to make sure he was okay. For a moment, all that mattered was that Stefan had made it out alive. And Damon.

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After what had just happened, Olivia decided to spend the night at the Salvatore Boarding House, despite her uncle and father's objections of it, thinking that something would happen if she did.

"Are you sure it's okay if I stay here?" She asked, standing awkwardly in the middle of Stefan's room while her boyfriend got some extra blankets out of a closet, knowing that Olivia's bed was filled with pillows and extra sheet. He wanted her to feel at home here just as she did in her own room.

"Of course," Stefan said, flashing her a reassuring smile. "You're always welcome here."

"Thanks, Stef. I'm just glad that you're alright. I was going out of my mind when I saw you running in that building." The girl shook her head, rather not thinking about all the other possibilities what could've happened.

"I'm alright." He reassured her, walking over to her, placing his hand on either side of her head. "You can't get rid of me that easily." He joked but he honestly wasn't. After waiting for so long to find her, way too long in his opinion, he wasn't planning on leaving her anytime soon.

"Same." Olivia muttered before standing on the tip of her toes to almost reach his level and planting a kiss on his lips. Stefan quickly returned the kiss and his hands slipped around her back, before going under her ass to lift her up from the floor before vamping them over to the wall next to Stefan's bathroom.

His lips slowly went downwards her neck, but as they went back up they came to a stop on a spot when he felt Olivia shiver under his grip, her arms slipping behind his head as he started sucking on that part, making a small moan slip past her lips.

Their lips found a way back to each other and Olivia's grip on his shoulders became tighter as Stefan set her down on the ground, but didn't stop kissing her.

Olivia tugged at the bottom of Stefan's shirt, but before she could try and take it off, Stefan stopped her and pulled away from her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I want this." The Saltzman girl breathed out, reattaching her lips back to her boyfriend's, only pulling back for a second as Stefan slipped his shirt off. It had been a sight Olivia had seen before, when he was kidnapped and tortured by the tomb vampires, but this time it was definitely better. Way better!

The girl looked down on his abs for a matter of seconds, making a small smirk appear on the Salvatore's face as he pulled his mate closer again and Olivia's hand moved to the back of Stefan's neck, while she felt his slowly tracing down from her shoulder to her waist.

Stefan's hand brushed down her waist, sending a shiver of anticipation through Olivia's body as she leaned into him, her fingers tangled in his hair. His touch was gentle, but there was an undeniable urgency between them, a bond they couldn't ignore.

She pulled him closer, her breath quickening as the space between them disappeared. Stefan's lips found her neck once again, this time with a deeper hunger, and Olivia's pulse raced as his touch grew bolder, more possessive.

Olivia's heart beat faster as Stefan's lips traced along her neck, every kiss leaving a trail of heat on her skin. His hands, though gentle at first, now moved with a quiet but unmistakable intensity, tracing patterns down her back as though he couldn't get enough of her.

"Stefan," Olivia breathed, her voice barely a whisper, but it carried all the emotion she couldn't fully express. Her hands found his chest again, her fingers lightly grazing the muscles there, before moving to his shoulders, pulling him closer still.

He kissed her again, slower this time, his lips savoring every moment. "I want you to feel safe with me," he murmured against her lips, his tone filled with meaning.

"I do," Olivia answered softly, her breath shaky but her grip firm. "I feel safe when I'm with you."

Stefan's eyes softened at her words, his gaze locking with hers as he studied her face for any signs of doubt. But all he saw was trust and longing, both equally as intense as his own. Without saying another word, he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her as though nothing else mattered in that moment, which was indeed so.

Olivia hands went down to take off her own shirt,
raising it above her head and dropping to the floor, not really caring where it ended up. Meanwhile Stefan turned them around and sped them over to the bed, coming to a stop right in front of it as Olivia allowed Stefan to tug her skirt down, letting it drop to the ground just like her shirt and his own. The girl quickly kicked off her shoes before Stefan softly maid her down on his bed, taking her in with a look of admiration while leaning in to start kissing her again, this time going lower than he had ever done before.

Stefan pressed a kiss on her stomach and Olivia ran her hands through his hair again. She really did love his hair at the moment, making the Salvatore groan as he felt her finger touching his jaw.

"You are beautiful, Liv." Stefan breathed out, coming back up to steal another kiss off her lips while his hand brushed the line of his mate's panties, making her let out a small gasp. He looked in her eyes, to make sure that she still wanted this. He would
pull back if she said the words.

Olivia nodded and not even seconds passed as he pulled them of her, and slowly let his fingers run over her folds, making Olivia shiver when he started rubbing his thumb against her clit at a slow pace.

"Oh, my." The girl gasped softly as she saw him going down and replaced his finger with his mouth, while keeping her legs open since he felt them getting coming closer to him the more seconds passed.

His tongue continued to do its work when finally Olivia's head tilted back and her toes curled when she came.

Stefan gave her a minute to recover as he started taking off the remains of his own clothes and his shoes before crawling back on the bed. Olivia rested on her elbows, as Stefan's hand slipped behind her back to take off her bra. He wanted to see all of her.

"I need you." The Saltzman whispered in his ear as she felt his length against her. And with a nod, he slowly lowered himself deep inside of her, making Olivia let out a whimper as Stefan groaned against her neck.

He waited a few more seconds before he started moving and the moans that Olivia released was like music to his ear and her touch felt a gently whisper of love.

"Stefan." Olivia moaned as he moved his hips harder and faster and her hands moved up and down by his side.

"Liv." Stefan let out another groan when he heard her moaning his name, softening the sound with her lips.

She wasn't really sure if it was his kiss or him saying her name like that what gave her more pleasure, she just knew that it did and that she wanted more. More of him and more of this. "Stefan. The blood sharing. Can we do it?" Olivia's eyes met Stefan slightly pulled back from her, but continued with his thrusts.

"If you want to." Stefan spoke, pushing some hair off her shoulder to get a clear look of the left side of her neck.

"I do. You?"

"Of course." Stefan replied to his mate question as calm as he could, but inside his heart was screaming in happiness.

"Great." Olivia moaned as Stefan hit her g-spot and leaned down and started kissing the other side of her neck and she was sure she would have some hickey's tomorrow by the way Stefan was attacking it. "Oh." Olivia gasped when she felt Stefan's fangs digging in her neck. She would've thought it would hurt, but it only gave her more pleasure as Stefan was even more harder with his thrusting.

Stefan was careful to not take too much of her blood, but her blood tasted so different from everyone's else's. It tasted more sweet than metallic. But his ripper in pulses didn't take over. It had never done when he was with her and he knew that that was because of the soulmate bond.

"Stef-" The girl groaned and felt her body relax under his when she finally came, and not soon after so did Stefan. His forehead leaned against Olivia's, who was tiredly staring up at him, but her look was just as loving as it had always been.

"Here." Stefan spoke, rolling to her side, while biting in his wrist. It was not just to complete the bond, but also to heal her. He didn't like blood on her, even though the drops that were rolling down her neck were made by him.

Olivia sat upright and looked down on his wrist, leaned down and started drinking. She had thought it would've tasted disgusting because well, it's blood, but it didn't. It didn't taste like blood at all.

The wound on her neck started to heal and Stefan placed one last kiss on her lips. "I love you, Stef."

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Words: 4867

Published: SUNDAY 26/01/2025

Written: SATURDAY 25/01/2025 + SUNDAY 26/01/2025

You guys excuse me for the smut I'm still not very good at it because I don't write it very often and it kinda makes me uncomfortable.

Be sure to comment. I love reading them and it keeps me really motivated! And thanks for reading again! Sorry for taking so long every time to update this book!

song at the start: the perfect pair Over by Beabadoobee

mwah Katherine