[Before he can answer, the room fades into a crowded American football field, just after a game. As a dark-haired girl waits in the middle of the crowd, a slightly younger Stefan approaches.
"Ooh. Look at you. You look hot in your jersey," she says, and Stefan can't quite help grinning as he closes the distance.
"What happened? No more cheerleader?"
She almost rolls her eyes as she admits, "I quit. I'm a quitter."
"No, hey, you're not a quitter." Stefan's voice grows sympathetic as he reaches out for her hands and swings them, as if this is the most natural thing in the world. "You suffered a great loss. You're not the same person. You should be looking ahead. You should be starting over. Ok? I hope you don't think this is too soon or too weird, but...I, uh, I wanted you to have this."
He's so nervous, because frankly, he really, really likes this girl - and if something like this scares her off, he doesn't know what he'll do with himself. Still, he opens up a box with the silver spherical necklace, and his girl takes it out for him.
"Oh my god. It's beautiful."
"It's something that I've had forever, and, uh, I've never wanted to give it to anyone until now. I'd very much like it if you'd wear it for me, for...good luck." He's so rambling at this point, and he knows it, but he can't help it. This girl does crazy, crazy things to him.
She holds it up to her face, and she pauses for a bit before, "Is that rose that I smell?"
"No, it's, uh...it's an herb." Vervain, if he were honest. Vervain, the one herb guaranteed to protect her from anything that went bump in the night, because some creatures can't stand the smell. "It's nice, huh?"
"I love it."
As he helps her put on the necklace, with her pulling back her hair so he can see the clasp, Stefan can't help feeling like this is the most natural thing in the world. In this moment, he's normal, she's normal, and this may actually be a great year of high school.
So of course, he has to say, as he closes the clasp, "And, uh, I wanted to thank you for pushing me to try out for the team. It feels really good."
Once he's done, she turns back to him and says, with a laugh, "We're a pair. I quit, you start."
"Right." Stefan leans in close and laughs. "We're a work in progress. We'll figure it out."
She stands on the tips of her toes to give him a kiss. They stand there for a few seconds, before reluctantly letting go - and as the room fades back into Stefan's bedroom, he tilts his head at Ahsoka.]
Huh.
[A slow smile crosses his face.] I was wondering where that necklace wandered off to.
no subject
"Ooh. Look at you. You look hot in your jersey," she says, and Stefan can't quite help grinning as he closes the distance.
"What happened? No more cheerleader?"
She almost rolls her eyes as she admits, "I quit. I'm a quitter."
"No, hey, you're not a quitter." Stefan's voice grows sympathetic as he reaches out for her hands and swings them, as if this is the most natural thing in the world. "You suffered a great loss. You're not the same person. You should be looking ahead. You should be starting over. Ok? I hope you don't think this is too soon or too weird, but...I, uh, I wanted you to have this."
He's so nervous, because frankly, he really, really likes this girl - and if something like this scares her off, he doesn't know what he'll do with himself. Still, he opens up a box with the silver spherical necklace, and his girl takes it out for him.
"Oh my god. It's beautiful."
"It's something that I've had forever, and, uh, I've never wanted to give it to anyone until now. I'd very much like it if you'd wear it for me, for...good luck." He's so rambling at this point, and he knows it, but he can't help it. This girl does crazy, crazy things to him.
She holds it up to her face, and she pauses for a bit before, "Is that rose that I smell?"
"No, it's, uh...it's an herb." Vervain, if he were honest. Vervain, the one herb guaranteed to protect her from anything that went bump in the night, because some creatures can't stand the smell. "It's nice, huh?"
"I love it."
As he helps her put on the necklace, with her pulling back her hair so he can see the clasp, Stefan can't help feeling like this is the most natural thing in the world. In this moment, he's normal, she's normal, and this may actually be a great year of high school.
So of course, he has to say, as he closes the clasp, "And, uh, I wanted to thank you for pushing me to try out for the team. It feels really good."
Once he's done, she turns back to him and says, with a laugh, "We're a pair. I quit, you start."
"Right." Stefan leans in close and laughs. "We're a work in progress. We'll figure it out."
She stands on the tips of her toes to give him a kiss. They stand there for a few seconds, before reluctantly letting go - and as the room fades back into Stefan's bedroom, he tilts his head at Ahsoka.]
Huh.
[A slow smile crosses his face.] I was wondering where that necklace wandered off to.