Elena goes early in the morning to get what she wants, her favorite kind of tea, chocolate, coffee creamer and a few other things. There's no point in bothering Jenna or Alaric to go with her and she needs something to do. There's a familiar looking person and she wonders if it is who she thinks, but Elena calls his name out anyway. Mystic Falls is small, it can only be him.
"Stefan!" She says and he turns around.
"Hello Elena." He says and her jaw drops slightly.
"Are you on a skincare regimen or something because you look exactly like you did senior year." Elena says and his eyes widen for a few seconds before she apologizes.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry that was rude, I haven't had my coffee yet. But if you are on a regimen or something, you have to tell me what you use." Elena apologizes and he looks at her. Elena made it to her twenties, graduated college without knowing about the supernatural. He smiles for a second.
"No it's just uh-good genes." He excuses. He went on a few dates with her when they were in high school but she was still grieving, he wanted to make sure she wasn't Katherine and he kept his secrets and they broke up. It was for the best, he thinks. Elena looks happy, still human and blissfully unaware of the vampires in Mystic Falls. Elena lets out a little laugh.
"I wish I had your genes." She jokes and he lets out an uncomfortable laugh.
"I'll see you around, I guess." She needs to pay for her things and leave, and Stefan probably has other things to do than talk to her about what he does to keep his skin looking so young.
"See you around." Stefan echoes and she gives him a small smile before they part ways again.
"I saw Stefan Salvatore this morning. He must get carded all the time, he looks exactly like how he did our senior year." Elena tells Jenna and Alaric and there's a strange tension she sees in her aunt and uncle.
"He said it was good genes." Elena continues and Alaric relaxes a little bit more as he pours pancake batter.
"Damon is that way too." Jenna says conversationally and Elena misses the look Alaric sends Jenna.
"Some really good genes in that family." Alaric agrees and Elena responds to texts from her friends as she and Jenna wait for Alaric to make breakfast. She might not be as bad as Jenna was a few years ago but Alaric has told them both they're not allowed to help cook things. Jenna almost set the house on fire their second year of marriage, he knows them. He cooks, it's safest.
