AN: Texts are in italics and I plan on continuing to update this until it's finished, I don't want to update something else and lose my interest in this one.
Elena doesn't see him for two weeks, and when they make plans, she's surprised he wants her to meet him at his house. It's not the house he's living in with his siblings, he bought a rather large property for that and she hasn't met any of them. She supposes there's a reason for that.
Do you mind? He inquires and she tells him she doesn't and sends the text. Then she adds something else.
I don't care where we meet as long as it's got air conditioning and you bring some wine. Her finger hovers over the send button for a moment before she presses it.
It's a Tuesday night and he welcomes her in quickly.
"My siblings do not know about this house. I would prefer for them not to." Elijah admits, and she nods.
"I get that. Privacy is nice." She says and he disappears for a moment before he reappears with two bottles of wine.
"You get to pick between the two." Elijah says and she grins.
"While I do that, you get two explain." Elena tells him, and a smirk pulls at his lips. Elena certainly got to the point.
He begins to explain how Originals can't be killed except by one thing, and she's not offended that he won't tell her. If she had a secret weakness she wouldn't tell anyone either.
"Niklaus and my other siblings have been living together somewhat peacefully. But my siblings and I have been trying to determine who could be in that damn locked coffin. Rebekah is hell bent on opening it." He almost sounds like they're talking about the weather, not the fact there could be a desiccating vampire or corpse in the locked coffin.
"I pick this one." Elena says and hands it to him so he can pour two glasses of it for them.
"This might sound stupid-" Elena pauses as he hands her a glass and she thanks him.
"But who was the witch your mother worked with when you were human? Could someone from your shared past be in there, like her?" She finishes and he seems interested by her line of thinking. There are a few people he can think of who might be in that coffin.
"Perhaps." Elijah says and she takes a sip.
"Keep explaining." Elena gestures and Elijah chuckles as he sets down his wineglass and continues speaking.
They both get through two glasses of wine as it's all out.
"I think I might miss you a little once we both leave Mystic Falls." She's got a life plan, find her soulmate and love them and get a house and maybe think about a family. A human lifetime neither of the other Petrova doppelganger had, Tatia died at his mother's hand and Katherine is somewhere trying to avoid Klaus and Elijah. She's going to be the first Petrova doppelganger to have a normal life and she's going to fight tooth and nail for it.
"I've enjoyed your company as well." Elijah admits honestly. The air feels thick and Elena shakes her head.
"Maybe we could be like pen pals or something. Even if we don't talk after this summer, I want you to know you're better than you think you are." Elena says and checks her phone as it buzzes. She misses the look on his face and by the time she responds to the text and looks back at him he's schooled his expression.
They aren't anything but the potential is there. Elijah could see her as anything she wants to be but there's also the potential for her to stay in the supernatural world. She is supernatural, part of her must know she belongs there but she clings to being human and he isn't cruel enough to force her to realize she most likely won't have a normal human life. Maybe she will, he thinks. Elena's persistent and stubborn enough to make it happen.
"Where do your siblings think you are?" Elena wonders as she reclines on his couch.
"Where does your family think you are?" He counters and she laughs.
"I told them I was going to see a friend and didn't offer details." Elena tells him and he grins at that, it's easy to be a little more open with Elena because she's going to forget all of it someday, and she's putting all of this behind her and she'll grow old with someone who will make her happy, he hopes. Pen pals might not be a bad idea until she decides to completely leave the supernatural behind.
"I didn't offer my family details either." Elijah tells her and she grins as he hands her a glass of water.
"Thank you. I guess great minds think alike." She says and he nods.
"We should both probably get home soon." Elena sighs and he nods.
"Agreed. Text me if you need anything." Elijah says as they delay going home by slowly putting things back in his kitchen.
"Text me if you figure out who's in the coffin or if you want to hang out with your favorite doppelganger." Elena tells him and he has a mischievous look on his face.
"Katerina could be my favorite doppelganger and you wouldn't know." He jokes, his accent slips out and into his voice. Elena rolls her eyes.
"I'm your favorite because we have the same taste in alcohol and we're honest with each other. You told me Katerina was a liar. You like honesty too much for her to be your favorite." Elena tries to imitate his accent to his amusement.
"You are my favorite doppelganger." He confirms unnecessarily and she grins.
"See you later?" She asks and he nods.
"Another time." He confirms as he turns off the lights and they leave the house, back to their separate lives.
