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[TVD + KH] Support
Title: Support
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries & Kingdom Hearts crossover
Universe: Fusion AU [Stefan as Keyblade Master, Tyler & Caroline as his travel companions]
Summary: While Stefan sleeps, Caroline admits to her darkest fears - and Tyler does only what a proper husband can: he listens.
Notes: A while back, I'd proposed a Kingdom Hearts AU revolving around Stefan-Elena-Damon, since their counterparts were similar to Sora-Kairi-Riku. However, I grew super interested in Tyler & Caroline as counterparts to Goofy & Donald - and this short fic was the end result. I'm not sure how much context you'll need to understand it, but I hope you enjoy!
As soon as Stefan fell asleep, Tyler put the gummi ship on autopilot. They wouldn't reach the next world until morning, and their scanners hadn't detected Heartless for hours. He could stretch his legs a little and relax.
Funny, he hadn't thought about relaxing for a while. Between King Alaric's disappearance and the subsequent revelation that he and Caroline were babysitting a child, he hadn't had time. Every waking moment was focused on Stefan.
Unfortunately, their personalities clashed, and poor Caroline acted as mediator when their spats grew especially bad.
She would narrow her eyes at him and go, "Aren't you supposed to be the better person, Ty? He's a kid. A lost, troubled kid whose home got destroyed. Let him be."
They were young too, he wanted to remind her. For all their immortality, they hadn't reached the proper thresholds of adulthood. They had yet to own a home, or have children, or any of those neon lights that said that they made it. They were struggling against a sea of Heartless when they should've struggled to pay a mortgage.
None of it felt fair.
Maybe the next world would have less Heartless, or a place for them to forget about collapsing worlds and soulless monsters for an hour or two. Caroline needed that. Tyler needed that. Heck, the kid needed it most.
As he rose to his feet, he heard sniffles towards the back of the ship. Tyler's heart grew heavy as he shuffle back towards Caroline. Although she had a novel in her lap, her shoulders were shaking and her eyes were bloodshot as she looked up at him.
He rushed to her side and intertwined his fingers in hers. "Hey. Hey. It's gonna be okay."
She gave a slow nod as she mimicked his breathing. In and out, in and out...
After a few seconds, she gave him the shakiest, uneasiest smile he'd ever seen on her (darling) face. Her breaths were shallow, too: short, uneven, almost rocky, like she was struggling for air.
"Is it, though?" She said, her gaze falling on the sleeping boy behind them. "We aren't any closer to finding the King."
Stefan could sleep through a hurricane: as Tyler glanced at him, he turned over and entangled himself further in his blankets. Tyler stifled a laugh. As long as these nights were, they would plow through. This kid held the key - literally.
Tyler squeezed her hands. "No, but he trusted us with Stefan. He has his Reasons, and I've got no reason to doubt them. The Key's important, and so is the guy wielding it."
In the morning, she would plaster on a brace face and declare that everything was all sunny and rosy. She would laugh like bells and give them affectionate kisses that wouldn't betray her fears. She wouldn't let Stefan see her inner doubts, but Tyler?
Tyler didn't have to play pretend with her. He could see the cracks in her (almost) perfect facade, no matter how hard she tried.
"I know, I know. Stefan's such a good kid..." Her voice was quiet and small as she rested her head against his chest. "It's not his fault. We've been to so many worlds, and still no sign of the King."
The King hadn't set foot in a single world they visited. Stefan's older brother, however - that young man knew better, with the swagger that he had inherited from a mentor that was corrupting him bit by bit.
"We'll see him soon." Tyler's voice was firm (because he had to be), but he allowed himself some concern as he kissed her forehead. "If we can't get rid of Salvatore Sr., we can definitely find him soon."
Caroline let out a small, quiet laugh. "I don't think Stefan wants to get rid of him, but yeah. You're right."
"No, family's ohana, and you don't leave that behind." Not unless circumstances forced them out of your life. Tyler's heart ached for Mom and Uncle Mason more than he wanted to admit, and he knew Care missed her mom and dad just as much. They craved castle life again, to be stuck within its borders rather than patrolling the edges of the worlds.
That night, he and Caroline slept together as usual, but it was Stefan who was piloting the ship when they woke up.
He gave him a slow, knowing smile as he saw them climb out of their slumber. "Morning, lovebirds."
Tyler rolled his eyes at him. "Morning, dork."
Caroline laughed, a real, genuine one, as she rose to her feet and reached for their protein bars. "You're up bright and early. What's the occasion?"
"I figured, you had enough on your plate." Stefan's concern reached his eyes as he turned his attention back to the road ahead. "You don't have to worry about me so much."
"No, but we want to," Tyler said, surprising himself with how he reached out and touched Stefan's hand. "Don't worry. This ship runs on smiles, remember?"
Smiles and support, he added to himself as they resumed their places. Today - possibly for the first time since they'd traveled together - the smiles (and support) came from a genuine place.
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries & Kingdom Hearts crossover
Universe: Fusion AU [Stefan as Keyblade Master, Tyler & Caroline as his travel companions]
Summary: While Stefan sleeps, Caroline admits to her darkest fears - and Tyler does only what a proper husband can: he listens.
Notes: A while back, I'd proposed a Kingdom Hearts AU revolving around Stefan-Elena-Damon, since their counterparts were similar to Sora-Kairi-Riku. However, I grew super interested in Tyler & Caroline as counterparts to Goofy & Donald - and this short fic was the end result. I'm not sure how much context you'll need to understand it, but I hope you enjoy!
As soon as Stefan fell asleep, Tyler put the gummi ship on autopilot. They wouldn't reach the next world until morning, and their scanners hadn't detected Heartless for hours. He could stretch his legs a little and relax.
Funny, he hadn't thought about relaxing for a while. Between King Alaric's disappearance and the subsequent revelation that he and Caroline were babysitting a child, he hadn't had time. Every waking moment was focused on Stefan.
Unfortunately, their personalities clashed, and poor Caroline acted as mediator when their spats grew especially bad.
She would narrow her eyes at him and go, "Aren't you supposed to be the better person, Ty? He's a kid. A lost, troubled kid whose home got destroyed. Let him be."
They were young too, he wanted to remind her. For all their immortality, they hadn't reached the proper thresholds of adulthood. They had yet to own a home, or have children, or any of those neon lights that said that they made it. They were struggling against a sea of Heartless when they should've struggled to pay a mortgage.
None of it felt fair.
Maybe the next world would have less Heartless, or a place for them to forget about collapsing worlds and soulless monsters for an hour or two. Caroline needed that. Tyler needed that. Heck, the kid needed it most.
As he rose to his feet, he heard sniffles towards the back of the ship. Tyler's heart grew heavy as he shuffle back towards Caroline. Although she had a novel in her lap, her shoulders were shaking and her eyes were bloodshot as she looked up at him.
He rushed to her side and intertwined his fingers in hers. "Hey. Hey. It's gonna be okay."
She gave a slow nod as she mimicked his breathing. In and out, in and out...
After a few seconds, she gave him the shakiest, uneasiest smile he'd ever seen on her (darling) face. Her breaths were shallow, too: short, uneven, almost rocky, like she was struggling for air.
"Is it, though?" She said, her gaze falling on the sleeping boy behind them. "We aren't any closer to finding the King."
Stefan could sleep through a hurricane: as Tyler glanced at him, he turned over and entangled himself further in his blankets. Tyler stifled a laugh. As long as these nights were, they would plow through. This kid held the key - literally.
Tyler squeezed her hands. "No, but he trusted us with Stefan. He has his Reasons, and I've got no reason to doubt them. The Key's important, and so is the guy wielding it."
In the morning, she would plaster on a brace face and declare that everything was all sunny and rosy. She would laugh like bells and give them affectionate kisses that wouldn't betray her fears. She wouldn't let Stefan see her inner doubts, but Tyler?
Tyler didn't have to play pretend with her. He could see the cracks in her (almost) perfect facade, no matter how hard she tried.
"I know, I know. Stefan's such a good kid..." Her voice was quiet and small as she rested her head against his chest. "It's not his fault. We've been to so many worlds, and still no sign of the King."
The King hadn't set foot in a single world they visited. Stefan's older brother, however - that young man knew better, with the swagger that he had inherited from a mentor that was corrupting him bit by bit.
"We'll see him soon." Tyler's voice was firm (because he had to be), but he allowed himself some concern as he kissed her forehead. "If we can't get rid of Salvatore Sr., we can definitely find him soon."
Caroline let out a small, quiet laugh. "I don't think Stefan wants to get rid of him, but yeah. You're right."
"No, family's ohana, and you don't leave that behind." Not unless circumstances forced them out of your life. Tyler's heart ached for Mom and Uncle Mason more than he wanted to admit, and he knew Care missed her mom and dad just as much. They craved castle life again, to be stuck within its borders rather than patrolling the edges of the worlds.
That night, he and Caroline slept together as usual, but it was Stefan who was piloting the ship when they woke up.
He gave him a slow, knowing smile as he saw them climb out of their slumber. "Morning, lovebirds."
Tyler rolled his eyes at him. "Morning, dork."
Caroline laughed, a real, genuine one, as she rose to her feet and reached for their protein bars. "You're up bright and early. What's the occasion?"
"I figured, you had enough on your plate." Stefan's concern reached his eyes as he turned his attention back to the road ahead. "You don't have to worry about me so much."
"No, but we want to," Tyler said, surprising himself with how he reached out and touched Stefan's hand. "Don't worry. This ship runs on smiles, remember?"
Smiles and support, he added to himself as they resumed their places. Today - possibly for the first time since they'd traveled together - the smiles (and support) came from a genuine place.