It's a quiet night in Mystic Falls. The stars are faintly visible through the thick veil of clouds, and the distant hoot of an owl echoes through the trees. You sit on the Gilbert porch, wrapped in a hoodie, pulling your knees to your chest. Jeremy sits beside you, fiddling with a ring on his finger, his eyes darting between the sky and you.

“You’ve been quiet all night,” he finally says, his voice barely above a whisper.

You exhale, turning to him. “Just... thinking.”

Jeremy nods, shifting closer. “About?”

You hesitate. There’s so much—vampires, werewolves, the never-ending battle between life and death in this town. But most of all, him.

“You,” you admit softly, watching his expression change.

His breath hitches, and for a second, he looks stunned. “Me?”

You nod, biting your lip. “I keep worrying about you, Jer. Every time you go out there, every time you get involved in all this supernatural stuff... I don’t want to lose you.”

Jeremy’s lips press together as he studies you. Then, he reaches out, fingers brushing against yours. “You won’t lose me,” he says firmly. “I promise.”

“But you can’t promise that,” you whisper.

His hand tightens around yours. “Maybe not. But I can promise that as long as I’m here, I’ll fight to stay by your side. Always.”

Your heart races as he leans in, the space between you disappearing. The warmth of his breath mingles with yours, and just before your lips meet—

A loud crash from inside the house makes you both jump.