Written In The Stars
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Summary: Established Elejah. Elijah and Elena celebrate an unexpected anniversary, leading to some important revelations in their relationship. AU. A thank you fic for Tumblr user Wearenotmonsters who requested Elejah fluff, so hope you like it hun.
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She should've suspected something, given the fact as shadowy as his nature could be, he'd gone to even greater lengths to try and hide the fact he was up to something. Cold and cynical though Elijah could be at times, most of the time he displayed a surprisingly vulnerable heart that, unbelievably, she'd manage to conquer, and though they'd played a lengthy battle to avoid facing the inevitable truth, eventually swords had to have been put down, and shields lowered, so that the reality of their lives could unfold between them.
She hadn't meant to fall for him, that much she'd told everyone who'd asked her about their rather unusual tale. Despite his courteous ways, and eloquent mannerisms that often threw her a curve-ball she couldn't quite deal with, Elena knew she'd never quite abolished that fear she'd first felt when she'd laid eyes on his somewhat ruthless expression, which had conveyed genuine surprised and cynicism in one look, and she'd never quite allowed herself to trust him to the degree where she could completely let her guard down around him.
That didn't mean she hadn't trusted him with other things (definitely not her heart; not at that stage of her life), like the ability to keep his word when it had mattered (his betrayal still scorched like a fiery kiss, yet she'd let it go), and she was strangely fond of the few and far between memories they'd created between before she'd become a vampire, and everything had got shot to hell. Back then, she'd considered Elijah a strange sort of friend, one who, although prone to rash, impulsive actions (which she could relate to), always made sure to convey his utter regret if, later on, those actions had led to dire consequences. He'd always been honourable in intent, if not in anything else.
Elena scoured the hallway of the small house they currently shared in a quiet town far enough away from Mystic Falls that the echoes of home couldn't call her back. The deep red walls were almost a cruel reminder of the series of events which had led them here, but rather than redecorate, she'd found she liked staring at them, and sometimes it helped curdle the blood cravings. Elijah never got those anymore, or so he'd said anyway; he said certain things could put matters like procuring blood into perspective, and when she'd asked him to deliberate, he'd merely given her a wistful smile, shaken his head, and told her it didn't matter.
But he'd squeezed her hand that extra tighter after he'd said it, and she had the feeling when he'd looked at her, he was remembering something; a memory, or perhaps a regret, but either way he wouldn't say anything more.
Right now, she walked down the corridor, her body covered in a deep purple, strapless dress, which hugged her body just right, and showed off her womanly curves whilst at the same time leaving just enough to the imagination. He'd bought it for her not long after they'd left Mystic Falls, but she'd never had chance to wear it, and since he'd asked her to get dressed up for the evening, she'd decided that tonight felt like the right moment to wear it.
She stopped by a mirror which hung on the wall of the corridor, the gilded frame cracked slightly from where she'd fallen against it one night, sobbing quietly because she'd lost control again, and he'd wordlessly swept her into the living room, presented her with a silken handkerchief he always carried around with him – the words always & forever stitched neatly into the corner – and let her pour out her heart, which had come gushing out in a stream of babbling nonsense.
She half smiled at the memory.
How long ago had that been now?
Hard to say. Time seemed to slip right through your fingers when you had an eternity to play with, and so each day seemed to seam effortlessly into the next.
Elena hadn't seen Elijah since this morning, when he'd passed her briefly in the hallway, offered her the briefest of smiles before continuing on his way, leaving her feeling slightly confused. Elijah wasn't one for overdoing romantic gestures – but when he did them, they were perfect and well planned, like he'd spent hours shaping them in his head before bringing them to life – but she did figure they'd had gotten to the stage in their relationship where they couldn't float past each other without touching in some way, as if to reaffirm their established existence in each other's lives.
But Elijah was a hard individual to work out; this she already knew. He loved fiercely, and intensely, but he also could disappear into a different time, if she wasn't careful, and his eyes would glaze over, and she would lose him to a memory she would never be a part of, and she had to wonder whether there were parts of his life that had scarred him some way, although she was always careful not to probe too much into his past, although on some nights he would indulge her with a tale or two about a particular era in time he was fond of.
She glanced at the watch on her wrist – a gift for her twentieth birthday (although in reality she remained eighteen in appearance, always and forever) – and frowned slightly. He'd requested that she appear no earlier or later than eight, and she was a few minutes early, so she took time to fix her appearance, wondering why he felt the need to be so super specific with the time of their date – at least, that's what she was assuming this was. There was an air of mystery wrapped around the entire day, and it was almost frustrating, but she'd been mollified by the champagne he'd left on the vanity table in their bedroom, and she'd been charmed by the bouquet of flowers he'd left on every windowsill in every room she frequently visited, and so all these clues had led her to the assumption they were celebrating something.
She fixed her hair in the mirror; she hadn't been sure whether to wear it up or down, and to compromise and do both only reminded her Katherine had been particular fond of that style, and so she'd curled and straightened her hair instead. The hair which fell around her face like a frame she'd curled, and she'd straightened the back, giving her entire appearance a chic look she was quite proud of, if she was honest. She wore barely any jewellery – she never felt comfortable with it anymore, so she just stuck with the daylight ring – but did put in some earrings to complement the dress, finishing the outfit with some dark shoes with a low heel on them, and the bare minimum of make up required, seeing how Elijah preferred her to remain as natural as possible, insisting he found no beauty in girls that insisted on covering up what mother nature had provided for them.
Elena gave herself a modest smile in the mirror, wondering whether this smile was borne from a certain sense of pride at how far she'd come since she'd last really looked in the mirror like this, or because she was genuinely intrigued as to what Elijah might've planned for them.
It must've been a combination of both; the swirl of butterflies in her stomach indicated a certain level of anticipation you couldn't pin on simply revelling in the change of character you'd undergone over a certain period of time.
When her watch revealed the time was now eight, Elena inhaled and exhaled slowly, before walking as gracefully as she could to the living room. She stopped as soon as she'd put one foot through the door, overwhelmed by the sight which lay before her.
First thing to note was all the candles strewn about the place, which created an incomparable glow that seemed to make even the dullest of pieces of furniture shine like a new star. There was a single table placed underneath a chandelier she didn't remember being there before, the centre piece including a single red rose protected by a svelte looking vase, and a note lay on the table which she strode over to read, knowing full well Elijah's letters and notes tended to strike a chord within her heart, whether he was apologising for a mistake, or professing a deep emotion he couldn't say aloud.
My dearest Elena,
Conventional people celebrate anniversaries of the day they met, or the day they got married, some other trite occasion such as these. You and I have never been conventional people, and unlike most people there are not a million moments in our lives we could classify as worth celebrating annually. Our first meeting I abhor to recall, given how frightened you looked when you first laid eyes on me, and even when you, by some miracle, let me have your heart, soul and spirit isn't particularly a momentous occasion enough to merit an annual celebration.
This night marks the celebration of the day you turned into a vampire, and forgive me if this might seem presumptuous for me to celebrate, given the fact I have more than enough evidence to believe this was never the life you wanted for yourself. For me, it doesn't mark the night a young life was wasted; it marks the brand new chapter of a brand new book written by your own fair hand. I watched you during that first year, regarded your highs and lows with interest, admiring how you rose from each fall with the grace of a swan, and how you pushed yourself higher to become a woman who could easily contend with the likes of my sister herself in both fire and beauty.
Admittedly, the curse of being a vampire is one I would not wish on anyone, not even my worst enemies, but to turn it into a gift, the way you have, continues to stagger me every day. A part of me was selfish the day I learned of the atrocious act my sister had committed, and I hoped there were some traces of vampire blood within your system so that you were not lost forever. I was out of town when all of this conspired, grieving for the brother I believed I had lost, searching for a purpose I no longer seemed to have, and when I learned of the fate which had befallen you, I was stricken, so you can imagine the relief I felt when I learned you were alive. A vampire, no less, but alive.
Not many people would wish to celebrate the day their life effectively ended forever, and nor do I wish to presume you would either, but when the only other option is to reflect bitterly on the past, you become consumed by the idea that happily ever after doesn't exist, as my brother, Niklaus, did, and we all know how his story turned out.
All I ask is that you accept this evening for what it is, and let me treat you to a night you'll never forget, because since I've met you, you've treated me to several days worth of events I shall never forget.
With deepest regards,
Elijah.
She folded the letter, smiling despite herself because Elijah's letters always evoked some form of emotion out of her despite the formality to them. She read and re-read each line, trying to work out whether there was a double meaning there or not, and she couldn't help but contemplate the fact that despite the fact they'd been together less than a year, nobody else had done this for her. On the anniversary of her turning into a vampire, she'd never allowed herself to dwell on that fact, and if anybody had mentioned it to her, she would change the subject, and everybody quickly gathered that it would always be a sore subject with her, yet here Elijah was, ignoring all the rules, and she was almost excited by what he would do.
As soon as she sat down, there was the sound of music playing. Even with her heightened hearing, she had to strain to make out what it was. She could make out the sound of violins, but she couldn't make out where they were coming from as there was no CD player around, since Elijah couldn't abide that particular form of technology.
Curiosity eventually led her to rise fluently to her feet, as she walked out of the living room, and towards the kitchen where the back door was which led to the garden. Immediately, the sounds of the violins became enhanced, and she cautiously opened the back door to a stream of bright lights.
The garden, which was fairly big by anyone's standards anyway, had been decorated with more candles (how had he acquired all this without her noticing?) and hosted a small string quartet at the back, along the decking. The song they were playing she vividly remembered hearing her father playing once, but since it was a well known song, she couldn't imagine Elijah making them play that particular song in connection to that memory.
Looking up, she couldn't help but gape at the sky, how it resembled a canvas containing the richest blues and the palest blacks, with the stars littering it like glitter scattered along a landscape.
Her eyes then fell to the suited figure, who walked towards her, bearing a soft smile that held so much tenderness there, it was hard to believe he was once the man who could have reduced her to frightened tears on first appearance. She'd very rarely seen him without a suit on; there had to be an interesting story there, she knew, but it was one he hadn't shared just yet, although she couldn't help but speculate it probably had to do with the part of his personality which clung to tradition and formality, and the suits reflected that, but until she got more information about him (and they had an eternity for her to find out his entire story) she would just have to settle with entertaining herself with wild theories that were probably nowhere near the truth.
He looked more than dashing, with an edge of handsomeness to boot, but still managed to look debonair, even against the solemn suit, and as she walked towards him, she swear he saw one corner of his mouth upturn into a dazed smile, although he was always careful to repress any emotions which made him appear as though he was a schoolboy, not a grown adult.
"Someone looks very handsome," she teased, eyeing him up and down with barely concealed delight and attraction.
"Someone wore the dress I purchased," he returned, a slow burning smile of surprise emerging on his face. "And looks ravishing, may I just add."
He made a low bow, during which moment he took her hand and pressed it to his lips, his eyes flashing with unconcealed delight and slight awe at how stunning she looked.
"And, um, what is all this exactly?" She gestured to the parade of decoration all around her. "I know your letter stated this was a celebration, but I'm a little surprised at the choice of occasion to celebrate, I must admit."
"Well, I know you've been sad lately," he told her, and the smile slipped from her face. "I know you miss your family and friends, and that each year which passes you by makes you feel burdened by your new state of being, and I can't... I can't bear to see such unbearable sadness in your eyes."
She tilted her head to the side fractionally, as if trying to assess the sincerity in those words, and then, after a brief pause, she reached out to hold his hand.
"You always knew me better than I knew myself," she said softly. "And this is all just so...amazing. And this song..." She almost welled up with emotion. "It was the one and only song my father could play by heart on the violin. It became our family lullaby."
"You hum it in your sleep sometimes," Elijah observed. "That's how I knew it was significant to you. I correctly identified it, and made sure to find a group who could play it as it was meant to be played." His eyes twinkled with an almost uncharacteristic merriment. "Don't worry. They aren't compelled. I hired their services."
She didn't know quite what touched her more, the fact he could still read her like a book, and still see the worry written there that perhaps he'd crossed a few moral boundaries to achieve all of this for her, or the fact he'd went above and beyond her every expectation to be the man she'd tried to find in Stefan and Damon – and they were honourable too, in their own ways, but between them, she knew she would never have found happiness with one knowing the other would be suffering for eternity – and continued to surprise her every day.
Their relationship had progressed timidly from the first moment he'd professed a deep attraction to her, which she'd immediately rebuked him for, worrying he would never see her for her but for the legacy her ancestors had woven. She'd spent time avoiding him when she could, uncomfortable with the knowledge he'd planted in her mind, and even nearly lost her mind trying to wrestle with her own attraction towards him, wondering how one heart could hold so much love and pain for various individuals at one time.
When he'd kissed her, he'd gone for the gentlemanly kiss on the cheek, but she'd (deliberately) turned her head so their lips had been parallel to each other's, and since he'd never been one to back away from a challenge, which she'd spontaneously offered him there and then, he leaned in and met her lips, withdrawing quickly only to gage her response.
All she could really compare the experience to was being lost at sea, spending years fighting for survival, competing against the waves just to stay afloat, only to get that momentary glimpse of land and just feel that surge of belonging, and of home, that she'd never quite felt with anyone else before.
She wasn't suggesting Elijah was her home, or anything as cheesy as that, but he did anchor her to the very root of what she constantly tried to make sure stayed alive inside her. He was her moral compass, guiding her through the rocky shores of her new world, always making sure never to highlight her failures but to remind her that she wasn't alone in making the mistakes she made, and he always made sure to commend her on her successes. He was honest, never delivering the truth in the almost brutal manner Damon had adopted with her, and he never hid anything from her, once commenting while he never doubted the intensity of the love the Salvatores felt for her, he did find it odd that they seemed to differentiate between giving her free reign of her own life, and then intervening and taking away her choices because they didn't like the direction that particular choice would've gone.
She didn't know at what point along their rocky journey she'd realised she'd let something deeper than affection settle into her bloodstream, but the moment she knew she'd stopped fighting it was the official moment they were "together", as it were.
"You know, I woke up this morning knowing today was significant somehow." She inhaled deeply, fighting the craving for blood (always fighting it, every minute of every day), a deep sadness pooling in her eyes despite the fact Elijah had done all this to stop her feeling this way. "I appreciate all of this, but it's still three years to the day when my human life ended. It's always going to hurt, that memory, but I have to deal with it and move on."
He gazed at her with a new level of appreciation.
"You'll have good days and bad days, Elena, as do we all. The important point to remember is that losing control becomes a risk the moment you taste human blood for the first time while in transition, but we all find our ways of coping. I've told you before that what I admire about you has never been your humanity, but the courage and loyalty you display regardless of what state you're in."
Her smile broke; her eyes blinked back tears as her emotional chart suddenly rose and fell like waves in the ocean.
"Why are we out here then?" she mused, gazing at the quartet as they began their next song. "What could you have possibly planned out here that requires us to stand in the cold, and stare up at an admittedly radiant sky?"
"A happy coincidence, actually," he confessed. "Tonight happens to be a night where a meteor shower is supposedly visible. The moment I heard that, I planned this evening accordingly."
He shrugged off his suit jacket, slipping it around her shoulders before she could protest that she didn't feel the cold anymore, at least not as much as she had as a human. She held onto it perhaps tighter than was necessary, staring up at the sky as the music kept playing in the background, the perfect score for a perfect night.
They stood there in silence for a few moments, occasionally glancing at each other, moving closer almost as if guided by an invisible hand, and then something caught their attention. A series of flashing lights shooting downwards lit up the sky, and they resembled flaming arrows as they sped through the sky, piercing through the darkness like small beacons of hope. Elena's mouth fell open slightly, because the last time she'd seen something as beautiful as this before, she'd been staring at a comet, too afraid to quite let go of the misery which consumed her after her parents' deaths, and now look at her. She was stronger, emotionally and physically, and with a man who continued to surprise her every day, his compassion and cynicism somehow complementing each other rather nicely, and even though they were romantically involved, he never put up any illusions that he was anything but what he was, and although she'd struggled to accept that with Damon, with Elijah that process came naturally.
The sky seemed to weep light, the tears as devastatingly beautiful as any other natural phenomenon. As the music in the background built to a heart stopping crescendo, Elena felt her own heart burst with the beauty of this moment. There was tragedy in the fact that this right here was the best night of her entire existence (so far anyway), and she couldn't help but reflect on the fact that because of one person's choice, she could live to see thousands of moments like this one right here, and that had to be an upside to living an immortal life.
"This is just amazing," she breathed, starry eyed, the craving for blood still present but not as strong. "I just can't believe this sort of thing would happen on the anniversary of the day I became a vampire. It's astonishing."
"Remarkable indeed," Elijah agreed, and she could tell from his tone he was no longer referring to the shower above them.
She turned towards him, smiling, her eyes shining from both the inexplicable joy she felt and the beads of fresh tears which just couldn't resist making an appearance. He made a movement and, seeing where he was going, she reciprocated the movement, and their heads moved in perfect synchronism as their lips locked at the very moment the meteor shower seemed to brighten in intensity.
He kept his hand on the back of her head, steering her only but a little, and before they released, she let loose a small breath, her eyes lifting just a little to study his better, and the rush of warmth and affection there was better than any display nature could offer her.
"I must say, you've really outdone yourself with this display," she murmured, drawing back, a teasing smile on display. "How did you persuade nature to put on this fantastic display for me? Somehow, I doubt compulsion got you anywhere at all."
"I was going to bring you the moon in order to emulate that movie you made me watch," he agreed, "but as it turns out, when nature isn't trying to restore the balance in the most inconvenient ways, it has the potential to offer the world the most exclusive and attractive displays no species will ever successfully emulate."
Again, she had the feeling he wasn't talking exclusively about the shower, and so her smile became coy.
"Thank you," she murmured, leaning forward to kiss his lips again, before drawing back to study him. "You know everything you've done this evening is going to make it extremely hard for me to top it, right? I'm never going to be to top a meteor shower and a quartet of musicians for the next time I do something nice for you."
He smirked, and it was clear he had a witty response at the ready, but then his face shifted, and he was back to looking solemn.
"Just being the very person that you are, Elena, will always outshine any action I perform to celebrate that fact," he sighed. "Your compassion and courage are the two key aspects of your personality I am very glad remain as constant as they've ever been in your vampire state."
She shook her head.
"You over-flatter."
"You undermine yourself," he persisted. "Just when will you embrace everything that you are, rather than lamenting everything you are not?"
She pretended to think for a moment, resting her head against his shoulder, slipping her hand through his, before giving him her answer.
"Give me an eternity, and I'll do my best."
"So an eternity is how long it'll take me to convince you that you are the strongest, most beautiful and courageous person I have ever met in my entire existence?"
She smirked. "Uh-huh. Good luck with that."
Elijah nodded, pursing his lips together before perusing the sky again.
"Challenge accepted."