Author's Note:
So, I've been obsessing over My Babysitter's A Vampire for a while now…and the idea of an Ethan/Rory fic has been nagging me too much, but somehow I couldn't come up with a way to start it. Then came V-day, which I hate by the way, but it provided the necessary inspiration this year. So, happy reading!
OH, RIGHT! Lest we forget: MBAV's not mine. Sadly. I'd spice it up with some slash, but alas, I'll never be able to. Except for fanfiction. Which, obviously, can't be official, since MBAV's not mine. … Wait, I've already said that. Gah. Read on.

– PROLOGUE –
Valentine's Day Sucks

Ethan was so absorbed in arguing with his best friend that he didn't even notice the lonely figure sitting on their doorstep. Not that it was a real argument of course, but they could not quite agree on whether the latest installment of Zombie Headhunters lived up to its predecessors: Ethan found the new control system too complicated, while according to Benny it was just the twist the series needed. When the taller teen stopped and poked his shoulder, nodding towards the blonde vampire, Ethan tilted his head and blinked.
'Whatever do you think is wrong with him?' Benny asked.
'How should I-…' Ethan replied, shrugging, but was interrupted by the other's phone ringing.
Benny answered the call and Ethan's gaze returned to Rory, who looked unusually crushed: his elbows on his knees, his chin in his palms, looking downwards on a close spot on the ground, as if observing something interesting, but his eyes clearly not ocused at anything in particular. He did not even notice his friends approaching, something Ethan thought was impossible with his vampire senses. He was pulled out of his musings by Benny waving a hand in front of his face and smiling.
'Welcome back, E.'
'Huh? Oh, sorry, just… Thinking. So what happened?'
'It was Grandma. Says she needs help finding some stuff in the cellar, so I'm to head home, like, now.'
'What? Couldn't she just use magic if it's that problematic?'
'Yeeee-ah,' Benny nodded, scratching the back of his head. 'Actually, I did kinda promise to clean the place… aaaand I might have been postponing it for a bit too long, soooo…'
'Might have?' Ethan asked, smirking.
'Oh, shut up! Go and see what Count Dorkula is moping for, I'll call you later.'
'Um, right, bye…'
Benny was gone in a few seconds and Ethan could only sigh as he stepped on the front walk.
'Hey, Rory,' he greeted the blonde, who looked up at him, startled, but not moving to get up.
'Huh? Oh, hi Ethan…'
'What are you doing here?'
'Er, well, I was… I was waiting for you,' he said, standing up, looking strangely confused and disappoitned at the question.
'What? Don't be stupid,' Ethan exclaimed and grabbed his friend's hand.

Snow falling peacefully, people walking up and down – on the other side of the glass of a window.
Rory's face, his eyes questioning and hopeful at the same time.
A room full of dancing figures, mere shadows in the low lighting.

'Ethan? Ethan, let go of me!' Rory demanded, completely oblivious to the seer's state. Truthfully, he could have snatched his wrist out of his friend's hand, but he didn't want to get violent with people, especially with those close to him. It has never been in him, and not even his new life seemed to have changed that – as his new life did not seem to have changed anything else either.
Ethan snapped out of his vision and quickly returned to the current situation, filing the the little snippets away for a later analysis.
'Sorry, I just had another vision,' he explained. 'And, don't be stupid anyway. You know that's not what I meant; it's just weird seeing you so…forlorn. Come on in.'
The news of the vision made quick work of dissolving the clouds in Rory's mind, and a few minutes later they were sitting in Ethan's room, sipping hot chocolate.
'So, what brought you here?' Ethan asked when he finished reporting his vision. 'You know you looked borderline ridiculous sitting on the doorstep like it was summer. There's just too much snow around.'
'Nevermind that, you know I don't get sick…' Rory shrugged.
'You're avoiding the question.'
'Well… I've been thinking…'
'Uh-oh…' Ethan joked, smiling smugly.
'No, seriously… y'know what day it is, right?'
Ethan sighed: of course he knew the date. He saw the red hearts, the roses, the chocolates, the cuddling couples and the kissing lovebirds all day, at every possible part of the school – even at certain impossible parts, too. And suddenly he had a pretty good idea of what the blonde could be thinking about, he was pretty sure the same things crossed his mind as well, at one point or another.
'Valentine's Day,' they said at once.
'Exactly,' Rory went on. 'Do you think I'll ever get a girlfriend, E? And don't just say what you think I wanna hear either.'
This was not a good turn. As much as Ethan did not want to let his friend down, he was no fool. He knew Rory was funny – if one could put up with geeky jokes, and girls didn't exactly fall into that category. Rory was persistent – if one could consider that the positive side of constant pestering, and girls generally did not fall into that category either. Rory was observant – but having super sensitive senses was not exactly what girls meant by that. Rory was gullible as well as, at times, stupid enough even for Ethan to want to smack him upside the head. Maybe he was at least cute or adorable, but that really wasn't something he has ever wondered about.
'Yeah, I… get it,' the vampire whispered.
'Wha'? No, Rory, I-…'
'Y'know, I used to think it's only a matter of time, one year, two years, but sooner or later it'd happen and I wouldn't spend this day single anymore, but… this vampire business? I might front like I'm so cool, but we both know it didn't change me… I've never had any attractive feature…' He sighed and as he went on, his voice came to a whisper again. 'It's an awfully long time, forever's every moment, to spend alone.'
'Wow', Ethan thought. 'How did we even get here? And of all things, why did he have to figure this one out?'
'You're not alone, Rory,' he tried. 'Me and Benny are here for you… So are Sarah and Erica…'
'Riiight,' the blonde scoffed. 'Sarah puts up with me only because of you, guys… Erica not even for Sarah's sake… And honestly, I'm not stupid, Ethan, I know I annoy and disturb you and Benny, I'm just like a third wheel…'
He looked positively bashful now, and Ethan really started to feel bad. Even if none of it was his fault.
'Plus, even so, the two of you won't have an eternity to live… I know it'll be even more awkward in a few years.'
His head hanging low, sitting still and silent: that just wasn't how Ethan has come to know Rory in the years they've been friends. Suddenly, a strange idea popped in his head.
'Wanna watch a movie?'
'What?' Rory looked up, perplexed.
'I mean, not here… Like, go out? My treat', he offered.
'But… but it's a Thursday! And… why would you take me to the movies anyway? You rarely even invite me over, even with Benny around, and-…'
'Uh, b-because,' Ethan started explaining, lifting his hands defensively in front of himself, 'you're being totally unlike yourself, and frankly that's freaking me out. So, first thing first, let's keep you company today, even if I'm just a friend, to keep your mind off the issue. We'll figure the rest out later. How's that sound?'
The blonde's eyes opened wide, all shiny, as he nodded enthusiastically.
'That'd be great, E!' He grinned.