*incessant knocking at the door. she rushes to open it*
"Hey, wasn't expecting you'd be back so soo- oh my gosh, what happened?"
"Ohhh this? 'ssnothing I swear. Just a little tiff at the bar, is all."
"Your clothes are drenched in blood. And you're probably drunk. Sit down."
"Hmph." *he complies anyway* "If I wanted to be babied I would have gone to Alex."
"Then why are you here?"
*it's quiet while she dabs at his face with a washcloth*
"I wanted to see you, are you going to sue me for that? Isn't that what you Americans do all the time?"
"I'm not going to sue you."
"I missed you."
*they stare at each other, his eyes glassy and trying to focus*
"I missed you, too."
"Really? You don't have to lie to me."
"Why would I lie? It's not like I've got tons of friends at the moment and I get lonely…"
"Then you didn't miss me in the way that I missed you."
"Careful, you wouldn't want to say something you'd regret."
"Why would I regret being honest? It's been a while since what happened between us and-"
"Enzo, don't..."
"I really bloody love hearing my name from your lips, did you know that?"
"What I do know is that you're drunk and exhausted and you should get some sleep."
"I'm not drunk. I mean, I'd say I'm about 50% drunk at the moment. But I'm pretty aware of my senses. If I wasn't aware of missing you, I wouldn't be here."
"Someone's awfully talkative this evening."
*he just looks at her and laughs, shaking his head. she smiles and moves to the kitchen to rinse off*
"Just in a good mood."
"Strange for someone who just got into a bar fight and murdered a mortal."
"Want to know my body count for tonight?"
"I'll pass."
"Zero."
"Right. The blood all over you says otherwise."
"You underestimate my control, love. Stopped before I drained the life out of the poor chap. He put up quite a fight, not going to lie. I compelled him and sent him on his merry way."
*she simply shakes her head and twiddles her thumbs as she sits back down*
"I see a couple of blood bags weren't enough for you tonight."
"When were they ever enough for me?"
*pause*
*he turns her head toward him and strokes her cheek with his thumb*
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm fine."
"Then why aren't you looking at me?"
*she turns around to fully face him and crosses her legs on the couch*
"Don't know what you're talking about."
"Pfft, don't be a smart-arse."
"I'm not. I'm being normal."
"Alright."
*a few minutes of silence and determined staring*
"You know, this was pretty much the way we were sitting when you jumped my bones last week."
"Oh my god, we're not doing this."
"So much for being normal…"
"I am! I just don't want to do this and-"
"Do you have regrets? You don't have to hide anything, you know that."
*she sighs heavily*
"No, I don't regret what happened. It was great, it blew my mind. I just… I just-"
"Don't want to deal with the aftermath."
*pause*
"Yes. I need some time to think things through. What happened… it's not something I'm used to. It's different and I need to be sure…"
"You told me you'd changed, Bonnie. After the prison world, after you'd literally died and come back. What happened there changed you. Being impulsive doesn't necessarily mean bad."
"It doesn't…"
"And I, personally, wouldn't call what happened between us 'impulsive'. More like, a long time coming, to be fair. What do you think?"
*she remembers New Year's Eve and smiles*
"You're right. But I don't want to rush into anything. I need us to take things slow, just to be sure."
"We'll take all the time you need, I'm not going anywhere."
*she looks at him in realization*
"You're really not."
"Come on, love, thought you'd get rid of me so easily? I'm here till you get sick of me and throw me out, even long after you're finally free."
"I somehow don't doubt that."
"You're not the only fiercely loyal supernatural being in this room, love."
*she leans forward but hesitates suddenly. he looks at her questioningly*
"Your clothes. I've been trying this whole time not to hurl, but they reek."
"Oh. My apologies."
*he shrugs off his jacket and pulls his t-shirt over his head*
"I also apologise if my partial nudity disorients you for a couple of minutes."
"Don't flatter yourself, it's nothing I haven't seen before."
"Cheeky."
*he lays back on the couch as she wraps her arms around his torso and lays her head on her chest*
"I'm glad you came back."
"I'm glad too. That last time, it…it was perfect and I couldn't resist staying away longer."
"You don't have to stay away."
"I wish I didn't have to. But you know-"
"Locator spells don't work on me but they work on you and we can't afford to lead Alex here directly. I know."
"I'm sorry, Bonnie."
"Don't apologise. You've done so much to keep her at bay for the past two years. I can't afford to screw it up, not now. Plus this is a good thing, if you think about it. We get to have individual lives while also having small moments together. Balance."
"Moments in a dingy cabin in the middle of nowhere."
"Hey, don't diss my home, I'll fight you."
*they laugh and look at each other*
"Want in on a little secret?"
"I'm all ears."
"I kind of like it like this. No rush, no hurry. Just us. It's like our magic little bubble."
"Indeed."
"But I also feel like it's the calm before the storm. There are so many things left unclear, the pieces don't fit. But when they do, it's not gonna be pretty."
"Honestly? It won't be. But you will get through this, love. You've gone through worse on your own, I don't know how you do it. But the fact is you're still here after those deaths and losses. It's going to be worth it in the end, all those years of taking people's bullshit, including mine, and still staying yourself. Never failing to do right by people even if that meant making sacrifices. You're worth far more than you understand, Bonnie Bennett."
*she smiles with tears in her eyes and leans forward for a light kiss*
"Oooo, here I thought we were taking it slow."
*she laughs and pinches his nose*
"Yes, yes we are, you old perv. Now get some rest, you've had a long day and it's pretty late."
*she pushes off of him to get up but he holds her back tightly*
"Where do you think you're going? I need my feather-light teddy bear to get a good night's sleep."
"I always knew you were using me for my body."
"I really do love your body, though."
"Ok ok enough talk about me!"
"Come here."
*she sits up for a moment and stares down into his tired, drooping brown eyes*
"What are you waiting for, Bonnie?"
*she leans down and kisses him deeply for a few moments before snuggling down under his neck*
*Nothing... nothing at all she thinks as she drifts away*