Elena watches with interest as Klaus moves around the kitchen as he plating the breakfast he made and sets it down in front of her.
Elena moans loudly as she takes a bite and turns to him. "I changed my mind." She says seriously. "Marriage is not an antiquated institution only necessarily for the survival of the species. Marry me." She demands as he sits down next to her with a smile.
"Sorry, love. I still believe that." He responds in an apologetic tone, making her laugh and lean forward, kissing him before pulling away after they hear a groan.
"Ugh, can you not? We eat here." Damon says as he enters the room.
"You didn't come home last night. Blonde or brunette?" Elena asks, taking another bite of her breakfast and looking at him with a smile.
"Redhead." He states with a proud smile she instantly returns.
"Nice. Me too. Kinda." She says, running her hand through Klaus's hair.
"No. He's more dirty blonde." Damon says, looking at Klaus with slightly tilted head as Elena shakes her head.
"Yeah, but red in the sun." She argues as Klaus looks between them with confusion.
"Doesn't count." Damon replies as she shrugs.
"The two of you, are far too close." Klaus comments as Damon and Elena's eyes snap to him.
"Watch your mouth." Elena reprimands as Damon says, "Take it back." Klaus raises his hands in surrender with an amused smile.
"Don't listen to him, ocean eyes. He doesn't know how close friends are supposed to be, he doesn't have any." She says with mock sympathy.
"I thought we were friends." Klaus says, wiping the corner of her mouth and sucking his finger seductively as she chews her lip and leans towards him.
"No, that's fine. Why don't you just have sex right in front of me?" Damon says with annoyance, breaking their eye contact as Elena raises a brow.
"If you wanted to watch, all you had to do was ask." She teases as he turns away with an eye roll.
"Where's Stefan?" Damon asks with an exasperated sigh as Elena furrows her brows.
"I don't think he came home last night." She says as Klaus shakes his head.
"I heard him come in while you were sleeping." He tells her as she stands and walks with Damon to Stefan's room.
"Stef, you up? Klaus made breakfast." Elena says as she knocks on his door.
Damon bumps her out of the way and opens the door, revealing a disheveled, blood covered, Stefan curled in a ball at the foot of his bed.
Elena covers her mouth in shock before walking towards him as Damon follows behind in stunned silence.
"I- I didn't. I don't-" Stefan stutters out as he looks to Elena with an expression so heartbreaking it makes her chest tightens painfully as she drops down next to him.
"Oh, baby." Elena whispers as he puts his head in his hands and brings his knees to his chest.
"I was just feeding, but then I started thinking about my mom and how she's also a ripper. El, what if I've just been fooling myself into thinking I have control? What if it's hereditary?" He rambles as she rubs his back. "I lost control." He admits in a quiet tone as Elena makes eye contact with Klaus, who nods and leaves the room as Damon sits down on the other side of Stefan.
"Hey, Stef it's alright." Damon tries to calm his brother in a gentle tone as Stefan shakes his head.
"No. No, it's not alright." Stefan denies. "It's not alright. I lost control." He repeats as Elena stands, taking his hands in her and pulling him up.
"Come on." She says quietly, leading him to the bathroom. "Sit." She says as she sits him down on the edge of the bathtub. "Up." She says in a soft tone, raising his arm as he sends her a pointed look.
"I'm not a child." He says with a defeated sigh as she smiles slightly.
"Good, cause if you were, I'd definitely be in jail for all my thoughts." She jokes as she pulls his bloody shirt over his head and he lets out a breath through his nose. Elena grabs a towel and wets it under the sink before wiping Stefan's chin and neck of any blood. "Get a shirt, please." Elena says to Damon.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Elena asks after handing the shirt Damon retrieved to Stefan.
"I don't know what to say." Stefan says as he washes the blood off his hands in the sink. "Are you gonna lock me up now?" He asks with defeat.
"Why would we ever do that?" Elena asks with furrowed brows as he drys his hands.
"Aren't you worried I'm gonna go on a binge?" He asks looking between his brother and Elena with shame written across his face.
"Are you kidding? We'll join you." Elena replies, gesturing between herself and Damon as he sighs.
"I'm serious, El." He says as she nods.
"I know and I hate it." She admits, taking his hand in hers and pulling him back into the bedroom.
"Stef, you lost control, it happens. Alright, I do it all the time. It's no big deal." Damon says with a nonchalant shrug, patting Stefan on the shoulder.
"It is to me, Damon." Stefan says, taking a seat on the bed, Elena following. "I killed someone." He sighs. "And I know you think people are just cattle or whatever, but that's not how I feel, and that's not who I am." He says sadly in a quiet tone as Elena pulls him into a hug.
"I know. I'm sorry." She whispers in his ear as his arms tightens around her. "We're not locking you up." She promises as Damon sits down next to her.
Damon observes his brother's face pressed against Elena's neck with a smile. "Well at least we know the ripper's actually dead." He says making Stefan and Elena look to him with confusion. "You have your lips against her carotid. If you were lost in the sweet red sauce, dear Ellie's head would be on the other side of the room by now." He says with a laugh as Stefan looks at Elena's neck with furrowed brows, moving her hair out of the way and leaning forward.
"I don't want to kill you." He says, making eye contact with her before turning to his brother, "I don't want to kill her!" He exclaims loudly making Damon and Elena laugh at his expression.
"Well, I should hope not. It'd cost a fortune to get her blood out of the carpet." Klaus says with a smirk, leaning against the door frame as the three friends roll their eyes. "One of my minions took care of the body, you left a rather obvious trail of blood straight to our front door." Klaus criticizes, making them roll their eyes again.
"Klaus, stop calling the hybrids your minions. It's dehumanizing." She says as he scoffs.
"You insisted I pay them a yearly salary and provide lodging, I'm going to call them whatever I please." He tells hers. "Anyway, I have some things to take care of. I'll see you tonight." He says with a nod, turning around and walking away as Elena yells after him,
"Well who needs you. You were getting clingy anyway." She mutters childishly, before turning to the brothers with a wide smile. "Let's have a Salvatore/Ellie night!" Elena proposes as the two look to her with question. "You know like the council party and halloweekend. Just us chillin, seeing where the night goes." She explains, making them smile at each other.
"Okay. We're in. What would you like to do first?" Stefan asks as an excited smile spreads across her face.
"Alright, we have popcorn, of the sweet and salty variety." Elena says, setting down two bags of popcorn on the bed as the brothers watch her with amusement. "Comfy pajama pants to be worn by the two of you, shirts optional." She wiggles her eyebrows as they roll their eyes. "And Taxi Driver, 'You talkin' to me?" She quotes with squinted eyes making the brother laugh as she climbs into the middle of the bed.
"Scorsese?" Damon raises a brow as he sits down next to her.
"Stef loves him. Right?" She turns to Stefan as he nods, leaving the room and returning in his pajamas and laying on the other side of her.
"Isn't this cozy?" She asks as she makes herself comfortable between the two and plays the movie.
About half an hour into the movie, Stefan looks over to Elena with a smile before taking the remote and pausing the movie, making Elena and Damon look to him with confusion.
"Thank you." He tells her with a soft tone as she shrugs with a smile. "No really, I know you hate this movie. Thank you for pretending." He says as she grimaces slightly.
"Sorry. It's just, this movie is sooo boring and child prostitution is not my cup of tea." She admits, patting his arm as he laughs and shakes his head.
"Maybe I shouldn't avoid talking about what happened." He ponders, scooting down in the bed and putting his head on the pillow.
"Wanna do a sharing circle?" Elena asks as the brothers look to each other with identical expressions.
"What in the hell is a sharing circle?" Damon asks incredulously as she giggles.
"I do it with Rem. Whenever he was feeling down about our parents we would sit together in bed and take turns sharing our feelings. I read it in a parenting book after they died." She explains as they shrug. "Okay, I'll start, I feel bad for leaving my friends to come on this trip." She admits as they both pat her arm in comfort. "Now you." She says, turning to Damon.
"Uh, I feel… that Stefan should go before me." He says with furrowed brows as Stefan and Elena laugh.
"I feel horrible about what I did to that guy. I mean, he probably had a life and a family and a future that I took. And not for my survival or to save someone, but because I lost control. He didn't deserve it." Stefan finishes sadly as Elena lays down beside him and puts her chin on his arm before turning to look at the ceiling.
"I feel guilty for taking away your happiness." She confesses with vulnerability, surprising the brothers. "For taking away your epic loves." She continues as Stefan takes her hand.
"We might not be in love, but what we have is epic." Stefan says as Damon nods in agreement. "I've never trusted someone so fast or as easily. You're my best friend, El and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world." He tells her honestly as she shakes her slightly and looks to him.
"And I love you for saying that, Stef. But I never told you about you and OG Elena's life together." She says looking between the two with a guilty expression.
"It couldn't have been that great." Damon says shaking his head as Elena turns to him.
"But it was." She starts. "For years, you guys fought through unrequited love, murder sprees, guilt, feelings of unworthiness, sacrifices, werewolf bites, vampirism, 2000 year old psychopaths, prison worlds, lost memories, and a freaking magical coma just to be together. And it paid off, because you guys took the cure and had a family. You lived a long and happy life together and I took that away from you." She finishes, looking at the ceiling with a tear rolling down her cheek.
"Ellie, I don't want that." He shrugs as she sighs.
"Maybe not now-" Damon interrupts.
"No, not ever. And you know why?" He asks as she shakes her head. "Because you don't want that." He says as she flinched in shock.
"What I want is a long and happy life with you. And Stefan. And maybe even your little scooby gang. But not with her, some girl I've never even met. With you, my best friend, the girl who gave me my brother back and never once judged me for who I am." He finishes with a deep breath, laughing when Elena and Stefan continue to stare at him in shock with open mouths. "How's that for a sharing circle." He jokes smugly, snapping them out of their shock as Elena pulls him down to her level and wraps her body around his like a sloth.
"I love you. I love you. I love you." She kisses all over his face as Stefan laughs and leans into her side.
"Okay, okay. Enough. Go slobber all over Stefan." He says with a smile, wiping his face as she smiles down at him, then pulls both brothers into a hug.
"I feel loved." She says teasingly with a nod making them laugh and cling tighter to her. "You know, someone once said 'As long as I have a Salvatore on each arm, I'm doomed." She says, running both hands through their hair. "What does having one on each tit mean?" She asks observing they way they are laying across her, throwing all three of them into heavy laughter.
Elena pushes them off and stands on the bed as they both smile up at her. "Let's go out." She says as she starts bouncing.
"Where would you like to go?" Stefan asks with amusement as she stops bouncing and brings her hand to her chin in thought.
"Milkshakes!" She yells, jumping off the bed with two laughing Salvatores following.
"Thank you, hun." Elena flirts with the girl behind the counter while she sets down their milkshakes as the Salvatores rolls their eyes with a smile.
"That'll be $9.25." The girl says with a blush across her cheeks.
"I got it, this is on me." Elena says, holding out her hand to stop Damon from pulling out his wallet before reaching for her own. "Who's card shall I use today?" She asks herself. "Nikky's? The Suit's? Uncle Dad? Damon's?" She leans away, dodging Damon's attempt to grab his card. "Mr. Lockwolf's?" Elena whispers longingly as the brothers look to her in disbelief.
"I'm sorry. You have the mayor of Mystic Falls, presumably stolen, credit card in your wallet?" Damon asks with wide eyes as she sighs.
"I don't use it. I just like the power." She admits, stroking the card creepily as Stefan stares at her with furrowed brows and pursed lips.
"El, don't take this the wrong way, but out of anyone I've ever met, you have the most potential to be a real life super villain." Stefan tells her as she brings a hand to her heart and tilts her head.
"Thank you." She whispers with genuine gratitude, eyes watering slightly before she sighs. "But sadly, that won't happen. I have all of the charisma, but none of the social ties to the community." She adds with disappointment, making the brothers laugh as the girl behind the counter stares at them in confusion.
"I'm sorry. Is that a stolen card?" She asks with concern as Damon rolls his eyes and makes contact with her.
"No, everything's fine." He compels, she smiles and nods.
"Oh my god. Please." Elena says with wide doe eyes as they come across a bar with a 'karaoke night' sign in their window while walking down the street.
"Absolutely not." Damon says at the same time Stefan says, "Never in a million years."
"I like big butts and I cannot lie
You other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist and a round thing in your face, you get sprung
Wanna pull up tough 'cause you notice that butt was stuffed
Deep in the jeans she's wearin'
I'm hooked and I can't stop starin'
Oh, baby, I wanna get wit'cha
And take your picture
My homeboys tried to warn me
But that butt you got makes" Elena and Damon point to Stefan
"M-me so horny!' He says into the mic as the bar patron cheer them on.
"Oh, Rump-o'-smooth-skin
You say you wanna get in my Benz?
Well, use me, use me
'Cause you ain't that average groupie
I've seen 'em dancin'
To hell with romancin'
She's sweat, wet
Got it goin' like a turbo 'Vette
I'm tired of magazines
Sayin' flat butts are the thing
Take the average black man and ask him that
She gotta pack much back
So, fellas!"
"Yeah!" Stefan rolls his eyes with a smile.
"Fellas!" Elena and Damon yell.
"Yeah!" Stefan repeats.
"Has your girlfriend got the butt?" They asks the crowd.
"Hell yeah!" They scream back.
"Tell 'em to shake it!"
"Shake it!" Stefan yells into the mic
"Shake that healthy butt!
Baby got back!" They finish with a laugh, making their way down the stage and walking to the bar.
"Was that so bad?" She asks smugly as they roll their eyes.
"No, it was very fun." Stefan admits as she smiles brightly.
"You bet your fine ass it was." She says before turning to the bartender. "What would you recommend to someone who is being crushed by the weight of eternal guilt?" She asks as the bartender furrows his brows in thought.
"Cheap tequila on an empty stomach." He says with a nod before she turns to Stefan.
"Four for the gentleman!" She says, throwing an arm around Stefan's shoulder and hitting the bar.
"Shit." Elena says under her breath as she stumbles through Klaus's bedroom door, only slightly tipsy. She swears.
"You look like you had fun." Klaus says with amusement as she nods her head frantically.
"And you look adorable." She she replies, bopping his nose as she climbs over him in bed, accidentally kneeling him in the ribs, causing him to groan.
"Sorry." She whispers, trying to sit next to him with a serious expression.
"Did you wait up for me?" She asks, making him roll his eyes.
"I did give my word to your aunt to keep you safe. It would have been broken had the ripper, well ripped your head off." He defends him self as she smirks at him.
"I'm sure. But Stef's fine. He just had a slip up. He's strong. If anyone can get through this, it's him." She says definitively, laying her head on his shoulder.
"You guys are very close. Clearing he's attracted to you and with as much as you flirt with him, the same could be said for you. Why didn't you ever get together?" He asks with curiosity.
"I'm aromantic." She says simply before continuing, "I don't feel romantic attraction-" He interrupts with a nod.
"I know what it means." He laughs lightly.
"I don't really talk about, I mean I'm not ashamed or anything I just don't really care about labels. And if I have a feeling, I'll go with it." She shrugs before looking over to him. "You're the first person I've ever slept with that I had an emotional connection with first." He raises is brows in surprise. "Always sex first then we become friends, because I don't if you know this or not, but I'm very loveable." She teases. "You fall somewhere between causal lay and baby boo." She admits as they laugh.
"I'm good with that." He replies with a smile as she nods.
"Me too." She says with a kiss before he pulls back with a scrunched nose. "What? Don't like tequila and milkshakes?" She asks teasingly as he smiles and silent shakes his head. "But if I did feel romantic attraction, oooh I would have reversed haremed all you bitches." She says making him laugh as she scoots down in the bed.
"Do I wanna know what that means?" He asks, coping her and letting her lay her head on his chest.
"Probably not." She says with a smile.
After a few moments of silence she looks at him with her chin on his chest and wide vulnerable eyes. "Is Stef gonna be okay?" She whispers as he looks down at her, moving the hair off her forhead.
"He's got you, hasn't he?" He replies, making her smile and nod.
"Always." She whispers back, laying her head down and drifts off to sleep as he stares at nothing while rubbing her back.
She suddenly shoots up and looks to him with wide eyes. "Will you make waffles in the morning?" She asks with urgency, making him laugh and nod.
"Sure." He replies kissing her head as she falls back asleep.
