AN: This is just a random bit of fluff because the angst on the show is rather overwhelming at the moment. Dress inspired by Ian McEwan's Atonement. Reviews/comments are much appreciated!

Elena had always thought her family consisted of a bunch of pack-rats. Old letters, clothing, and toys littered the attic, along with rickety furniture her father had planned on fixing, out of date history books and encyclopedias, tea sets and paintings and dishes, the remnants of wedding gifts and university days. When she was younger she adored playing in the attic, wearing the funny old hats and sorting the broken china into matching piles. She'd spend hours trying to solve puzzles with pieces missing, playing with broken and incomplete tea sets. Even when she was older she enjoyed looking through the costume jewelry, the old clothing- like her grandmother's unfortunately hideous bridesmaid dress in a rather repulsive shade of green.

Her family's collection of stuff is nothing in comparison to the Salvatore's extensive collection that completely covers the mansion's gigantic attic. She could easily spend days up here, sorting through various boxes. Some of them are neatly labeled (Madeline's letters, 1910-14), others don't even say what they contain. Those are the most fun to go through, promising at the very least the element of surprise, even if they only contain old shoes with no partners.

Elena combs through the letters eagerly, searching for references of Stefan, finds almost none. Understandable, yes, but a bit disappointing. She's not really sure what she was hoping for- just some fragment, something like "Cousin Stefan came to visit" would do.

When she gets tired of scanning faded and overly elaborate handwriting, she starts on clothing. It only takes a moment of going through a box of dresses for her to revert back to a five-year-old playing dress-up in her mother's clothes. Only this time the dresses aren't pooling around her feet, the waist-line reaching below her knees. Now the dresses actually fit, some of the perfectly in fact. There's a whole pile of 1930s and 1940s dresses that fit like they were custom made for her, and she sincerely hopes that the next decade dance fits into those time periods because she now has a ton of options for it.

She's just pulling on a backless green silk dress when she hears Stefan's soft footsteps on the stair. "Hey," she calls out, turns from the mirror and realizes just how messy the place looks now. Piles of clothing are everywhere, various books are stacked precariously, and she really should have put some of the shoes back. When he pauses at the doorway, though, Stefan doesn't even look at the rest of the room.

"How do I look?" she asks, striking a fancy pose.

Stefan simply stares.

"That bad?"

"Beautiful," he says softly, slowly walking towards her. "Stunning, amazing, gorgeous."

She laughs. "Go on."

"Spectacular, tremendous, wonderful, magnificent, lovely."

"Lovely?"

"Absolutely lovely," he encircles her waist and hugs her close. Elena wraps her arms around him, slowly kisses his neck while he touches her bare back. Eventually her kisses travel up to his face, his lips eagerly meeting hers. Yanking on his hair, Elena felt herself being lifted and carried until her back's pressed against the wall while they continue to kiss.

When their lips finally do break apart, her already flushed cheeks blush even more. "So, um, I take it I look good?"

Stefan continues to kiss her face, her neck, his hands stroking her back. "Stupendous," he murmurs before his tongue traces her lips and they meet again, their tongues engaging in mock battle.

"Your family has so much cool stuff," Elena gasps out between kisses, her hands divided between roaming around Stefan's back and tugging at his hair.

"Mmm hmm."

"Like this dress... and this one black one..." she gasps as he finds the slit in the skirt, slides his hands up her legs. "Stefan, not up here..."

He drags his lips across her collarbone, glances up at her with eyes filled with lust and desire. "'Lena..."

She shivers despite the heat. Breaking away from him, she walks to the doorway, Stefan noticing with a smirk how her heart is racing, her chest heaving, how she's stumbling slightly because her whole body's shaking.

There's a wicked glint in her eyes when she turns. "Race to your bedroom?" she says as she hikes up the green skirt so she can run without tripping down the stairs. Stefan gives her a minute just to be fair, then races downstairs to his room to find she's already stepped out of the dress, a sly smile on her face. Kicking the door closed, he grabs her and pushes her onto the bed, eagerly covering her body with kisses, his hands pining her to the mattress.

Neither one gives another thought to getting anything practical done that day.

AN: This is just a general note- I really do appreciate all the wonderful comments/reviews that I've gotten so far! Unfortunately, due to university being exceptionally trying at the moment, I really don't have time to respond individually to people, but all the comments/reviews/story ideas are greatly appreciated!