The weeks passed quickly and without significance. Then one evening Stefan found himself standing in front of his closet. He rarely put much thought into what he wore, everything just seemed to work out naturally. However, he found himself pulling various shirts and jeans from the rack in front of him and examining them against his gently muscled frame before putting them back with frustration.
Is this how women feel every day? he wondered. He bit his lower lip. Tonight was the big event, and he was going to be spending it with Elena. He found himself watching her doing the simplest of chores. He liked to se the way her facial expression would shift, or the way her hair fell around her shoulders. Naturally she didn't notice anything, and Stefan couldn't help but feel a little bit creepy.
He gave up. He pulled his nicest collared shirt from its hanger and matched it with a simple pair of jeans.
"Stefan, are you ready?" he heard Alaric calling from downstairs.
"Yeah, in a minute," he replied loudly.
He pulled a comb through his hair a few times and rushed downstairs.
The car ride was quiet. Alaric was in the driver's seat and he was preoccupied with the traffic. It seemed that everyone in town had left their houses at the same time to drive to the event.
Stefan took the opportunity to glance over at Elena. She had pulled her hair up and he could tell that she had curled it for the occasion. The deep purple dress she was wearing hugged her petite figure perfectly. The length was short enough to be appealing but long enough to keep him guessing.
Alaric dropped them off in front of the plaza and drove off in search of parking. The two stood there awkwardly for a moment before Elena spotted Bonnie and Caroline in the crowd.
"Come on, I'll introduce you," she said to Stefan.
Stefan smiled. He followed her through the mass of people. At first he was unsure about whether or not her friends would like him. As soon as they got close enough those doubts vanished. Both girls beamed at him and Elena and they came over. They began to converse immediately, talking in loud, animated voices.
Stefan caught bits of news about people from school. Some football player showed up alone and this had caught Caroline's attention. She was debating whether or not she should move in. It was Bonnie who finally decided to rope Stefan into the conversation, "You graduated a few years ago, right?" she asked.
Stefan nodded. "Ooh, where are you going to college?" Caroline followed up.
"Uh, well, I was at Penn state for a while. Good academics. Goods sports program. Not my thing. I came back to take some classes at MFCC," he replied.
"Oh, that's cool," Caroline said. She began to tell some mildly related story about a senior she knew that went to the community college and asked if Stefan knew him. Stefan, of course, had never heard the kid's name before.
His stomach growled, pleading for him to fill it with something delicious. "I'm going to go grab something to eat. Does anyone want anything?" his eyes scanned the small group, but they lingered on Elena.
They all declined his offer and he stalked away into the crowd in search of the catering tables.
"Wow," Caroline said. "Why do you get all the good ones?"
"What?" Elena asked, clearly confused.
"So, you and Stefan aren't a couple yet?" Bonnie asked.
"No, we're just friends," Elena clarified, "And what do you mean yet?"
"It's just the way he looks at you," Bonnie replied.
"How does he look at me?"
"Let's just say that friends don't look at friends like that," Caroline replied, smirking.
x~x~x~x~x~x
Damon slumped into a fold up chair. He finally had time to rest his feet. He had been running around since noon, putting last minute touches on things, and ironing out little details. It had been a nightmare to coordinate such a large event with the local catering company and the whole thing almost flopped. In the end, everything worked out, and now Damon had time to calm down and enjoy the event.
He took a sip of punch from the plastic cup he was holding. He looked up and saw Alaric making his way through the crowd. The sun was beginning to set and the orange glow accented Alaric's defined facial structure perfectly. He took a seat next to Damon and put an arm around his shoulder. Damon rested against the comforting warmth of Alaric's side. "Sometimes I wonder how you do it," Alaric said quietly.
"Yeah, me too," Damon laughed taking another sip of punch. They watched people form groups, chatter in lively voices, the dissipate. It was like being in the eye of a hurricane. People swirled around them, but Damon and Alaric were surrounded by tranquility.
"We should take a vacation," Alaric suggested.
Damon smiled, "Where would you like to go?"
"Someplace warm. Someplace tropical," Alaric said wistfully.
"I'll take you, Ric," Damon said, finding Alaric's hand and squeezing it in his own.
Alaric rested his head on top of Damon's. His mind drifted away to rest on the warm sand of some distant tropical island.
x~x~x~x~x~x
The hour approached eight and everyone herded into the middle of the square. Many of them were carrying their paper lanterns and lighters. Some of them had scribbled messages on the side of their lanterns.
Elena searched for Bonnie and Caroline but the mass of people was too dense. She was gripping Stefan's arm, in fear that he would be carried away by the human current. Finally, she gave up. She assisted Stefan in lighting the lantern and they held it at the ready.
"So, are we supposed to wish for something when we let this thing go?" Elena asked uncertainly.
Stefan shrugged, "We could if you want."
x~x~x~x~x~x
Three. Two. One.
The lanterns sailed above the crowd. Their glow illuminated the faces below. They faded away into the inky sky, until they blended in with the blanket of stars. Everyone was silent for a moment, then the crowd began to trickle away. At first only a few individuals left the mass. Then groups of people began to leave. Until finally, the mass had melted away.
"What did you wish for?" Elena asked. She and Stefan were walking arm in arm in search of Alaric and Damon.
"I can't tell you. It won't come true," Stefan replied, grinning down at her.
"Fine," Elena said in a faux flustered voice.
They both laughed and almost simultaneously realized the same thing. They were happy. Their minds hadn't dwelled on the dark parts of their lives for the entire evening. It was as if Stefan and his father still shared a healthy bond. It was as if Elena was going to open the front door and be greeted by her parents.
It's like being…normal again, Elena thought.
Yup. The building of the Stefan and Elena relationship begins. Never fear, Damon and Alaric aren't just going to disappear. They're still going to be father figures