Lexi had packed a bag, and pulled it over her shoulder on her way out of the bedroom door.
"You best pack a bag for yourself, Stefan." She suggested with no more than a shrug.
"Why? Where are you taking me?"
"We'll be living at the gilberts guest house." She had a smug smile on her face.
"What? Why?" Stefan stopped her from traveling any further down the stairs and into earshot of Elena.
"You're brother is young, and you are not yet an adult." She explained as she faced him with a sigh. "They usually rent the place out to travelers, anyways…Elena offered, and when explained to her father that your father had only recently died, he understood."
"If they knew I killed him I'm sure they'd feel differently." He scoffed.
"Is that a hint of remorse I hear?" lexi teased, as Stefan shuffled his feet. Before averting his gaze to the ground.
"Lexi, I hate to say this… but do you think I'm ready to be around humans again? If I hurt someone… especially someone close to her, Elena would never love me…"
"Stefan…" lexi sighed and grasped his hand, as he pulled his eyes from the floorboards to meet her. "I will take care of you," she smiled. "I wont let you be alone with anyone, and if you lose yourself, I will be there to find you. I believe in you. I am prepared to expect the best, and be ready for the worst from you. Because you are my friend, Stefan. I do not take that responsibility lightly. I will always be there for you, I promise." She smiled, and he blushed. "And I'll put in a good word or two for you with Elena."
"Thank you, lexi." He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, before speeding to his room to pack.
Lexi grinned and shook her head before walking quietly down the stairs. She found Elena in the living room looking at all the books. The blonde one cleared her throat causing Elena to jump.
"Oh, you gave me such a fright!" she exclaimed placing a heart on her chest.
"I apologize." Lexi walked over, smiling, and touched Elena's arm to soothe her.
The blonde women looked to where she had been looking a moment before, and Elena turned to join her.
"Do you like to read, Elena?" she asked.
"I love to. My mother taught me, and it's probably become my favorite pastime."
"These are all Stefan's books, you know? He has more in his own room but he couldn't fit all the ones that he has!"
"It's almost the same in my family. Though the books were already there, I think I'm the only one who reads them. So I stole as many as I could and kept them in my room." Elena giggled, as she whispered it, like it was a secret. And lexi giggled along.
Stefan walked down the stairs, then, with a bag in hand. "Well Lexi, Elena? Shall we be off?" Stefan said, trying to sound as humble as he could (considering he had only just learned her family was taking him in) but being far to happy to spend more time with Elena.
"We should indeed." Elena walked up to him and hooked her arm around his, without shame. Lexi smiled, as if strangely proud of the two of them before she trailed behind them.
She watched them walk in exactly the same stride, not sure if it was intentional. She heard them laugh and flirt and talk, never straining to hear exactly what they were saying. They were getting to know each other and with that she would not interfere.
Soon enough they reached the house, and Elena detached herself from Stefan, before she led them in.
A beautiful black woman in a dark blue dress and an apron took their bags, while attempting to take their coats as well. Lexi and Stefan both thanked her, and Elena smiled in her direction, as the woman walked out and too the guest house herself.
"Your home is lovely, Elena." Said Stefan.
"Thank you very much, my grandfather built this place." She informed.
"Well a job well done at that." Lexi agreed.
"If you come this way, I believe my father is in here." She gestured to the living room, and they followed as she walked there.
"Papa" she said affectionately, and walked over to his armchair, kissing him on the cheek. He hardly looked up from his newspaper. She sighed slightly, and beckoned Stefan and lexi closer. "Papa, these are the people who are going to live with us remember?" she said. "Lexi and Stefan?" upon hearing the mans name, he looked up.
"Stefan, is it?" he put down his paper, and stood up to shake his hand. "Giuseppe's boy?"
"Yes sir." He said, bowing his head a little.
"Such a shame about your father."
"Yes sir, thank you sir."
"And listen," he pulled him close to exclude lexi and Elena for the exchange. "I sympathize completely. But that will not warrant any ideas you may get about Elena. You will not touch my daughter while you are here, you understand?"
"I have no intention to, whatsoever." Stefan lied. Though that was never what he desired of her, of course he'd been thinking of it, since he laid eyes on her. Though he would never take advantage of her, he would never do that, unless she would accept all of him. He still cringed at slight guilt over saying it.
Elena and lexi looked curious once he pulled away.
"anyways," Elena led once her father had taken back his seat. "why do I not, show you to your rooms?" Elena said before taking lexis arm, and leading them out the back entrance of the house, and into the guest home.
She opened the door, lit the oil lamps, and pulled back the curtains. Stefan and lexi followed into the tiny house. It was a small place, but not at all too small to live in. it had a living room, and what looked to be two very large bedrooms, as well as a porch that looked out onto the gilbert vineyard.
"it's not much, but better than to be alone." She smiled. "And you will of course have all your meals in the main house with us. And being in that you are our guests, you are welcome anywhere on the main floor of our house. And anywhere else if invited, you know?"
Stefan and lexi looked around the room and smiled in unison.
"thank you so very much Elena."
"Of course, " she gave, shaking her head. " I will leave you to get acquainted with the place, and supper is served at 6."