Chapter Text
Bonnie grabs the cart from her best friend and swivels it down the snack aisle, procuring bags of Doritos, double stuffed Oreos, and liters of Mountain Dews as Stefan recounts the antics of his desk neighbour at work.
“I’m telling you, Bon. Bryan is a full scale infant in need of diaper changes, bottle feeding, and burping. He can’t do a single thing by himself. It’s embarrassing. I’m supposed to be an intern. Instead I make all his coffee runs, make calls to his pet sitter and waste half of my evenings on the weekend proofing, fixing, and making his presentations.” He snatches a pack of mini marshmallows out from her hand before she can drop it in the basket and holds it out of her reach, “Really, Bonnie? Overkill.”
“Who are you, my dietitian?” she snorts and leans in on her tiptoes to reach up for the bag, but Stefan only raises his arm higher.
“No, I'm the next best thing. I wouldn’t be a good best friend if I let you chow down on”, he squints at the nutrition facts on the back, “sucrose and corn syrup.”
“No, but you would be the sweetest one ever”, she bumps her hip against his, catching him off guard, and catches the marshmallows when he drops them from his hand, “Thank you very much.”
He looks at her incredulously but she just moves her shoulders in time with the beat of the music playing in the grocery store and asks, “You were saying?”
“I don't know how he gets me to do it either. ‘Stefan, my hands are little tied. Would you mind helping me out? You're the best, pal. I'll pay you back for this one, I promise.’ It's ludicrous ”, he all but pouts.
“Saint Stefan comes to the rescue once again, huh?” Bonnie says.
He scoffs. “Don’t remind me. I happen to have the word no in my vocabulary, Bon.”
“So grow a pair and use it. He's only going to keep using you unless you stick up for yourself.” They're in the next aisle and she's reaching for a bag of Nestlé's chocolate chips.
“Does that mean if I stand up to you I can get out of helping you clean out your storage space this Saturday”, he eyes her, lifting up an eyebrow, causing her to roll her eyes and drop her hand.
“Pfft, not a chance, Salvatore. This is one bully you can't get rid of. You tried though”, she smiles saucily.
“Scoundrel ”, he smacks her on the arm and nudges her aside, “Move over. I need to buy some shaving cream and disposable razors.”
“Good, you’re starting to get a little prickly”, she runs her thumb along his jaw and then gives it a good pat. “Speaking of, I’m just as guilty when it comes to saying no. Remember that summer, when we were kids, and you practically begged me to jump off Wickery Bridge with you?”
“I did not beg”, he denies, “but I don’t remember you saying yes either. In fact, you flat out told me no, saying that you couldn’t get water in your hair-”
“You think hair like mine stays straight on its own”, she tosses some aftershave into the cart for him.
“-but you came rushing back later saying that you wanted to give it a try. Gillette or Edge”, he holds up two bottles of shaving cream for her to choose from.
“How about Pure Silk”, Bonnie indicates toward the shelf of feminine shaving products and smiles cheekily.
“That’s not even a little funny. Why was that, though?” he just throws one in the basket and keeps pushing on, “What made you change your mind?”
“Oh, nothing really. Just thought I’d give it a try”, she says. “Is this all we need?”
“Looks like it. Though I think you could do without the Cool Whip, B.”
“Don’t you start with me, Stefan”, she counters.
“Fine, fine. Race you to the checkout line?”
“You are so on.” She's already dashing for the counter and leaves flabbergasted Stefan to push the cart after her.