Є004

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Who: Elena + You
Broadcast: video
Action: marsiva
When: rite nao!!

[Elena is curled up on one of the couches.]

So is anyone else starting to get a little worried we're not going back to our ships? I thought maybe this would last a couple of days or a week at the most, but...

[She shakes her head a little with a sigh.]

At least they gave us some entertainment, I guess.

[If her tone of voice is any indication, she doesn't find that all that comforting.]

Comments

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Still a skeptic?

[stefanged]

Not at first. Over time, some things started to bug me - like how we don't get fanmail, or how no one's been able to find the cameras that film us. Or us not being recognized everywhere we go.

[He sighs, staring down at his mug.]

I don't know what lengths Atroma would go to, to fake a TV show, but I don't think it's the whole truth.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[It sounds a touch paranoid, honestly. Not that he doesn't probably have a right to be. Elena should probably be a little less trusting and accepting herself.]

They sometimes read fan letters though over the announcements. And we might not be able to see the cameras. The technology here is way more advanced than anything I've ever see, anyway.

[stefanged]

[He nods, conceding to that thought]

True. We had teleporters in Locke, but they weren't as uh, refined as Atroma's. [That part of home - Locke-home - he doesn't miss. A life without world teleportation is a pretty decent one.] I don't know, Elena, something feels off.

Even if it's my imagination, I don't feel right ruling anything out.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

I guess that's not such a bad thing... [she says with a vague smile. Frankly, she just doesn't have that kind of energy. It's a lot just trying every day to feel like everything's fine and normal.]

[stefanged]

No, just like your optimism isn't bad. We could use more of that around here.

[He instinctively reaches a hand out, only recoiling at the last second because he did just give her something to drink.]

Crazy dreams aside, is everything else going okay?

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Yeah. [Elena nods a little and then frowns a little.] I think so.

[She sighs, rubbing at her neck with one hand.]

I'm a little worried about a friend is all.

[stefanged]

Oh. [He furrows his brow] What's going on with them? Is it, uh, something you can talk about?

["Anything I can help with?" is the unspoken question. This isn't Mystic Falls, where their social circles overlapped enough that he would hear of things through Caroline. He would sometimes see Elena talk to people when he visited Yosuke, but honestly - Yosuke's a huge bundle of energy, and one that easily distracts Stefan.

So for the first time, he doesn't know who Elena would worry about, and that worries him a little. Should he be paying closer attention? Or is it good that he's giving her that kind of distance?

Hard for him to tell, so he'll just sip his tea and rack his brains for who this person could possibly be.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

I... [Elena's brow furrows.] I don't really think I should. I mean, I don't know how well you know Caesar, but I don't think he's talked to anybody about it. Not that he's keeping it a secret it's just...

[Complicated. Like everything in Elena's life, it's immensely complicated. It's just someone else's complicated for a change instead of something directly related to her.]

It's really personal. It'd feel wrong to talk about it with someone who isn't him.

[And she doesn't think he's quite ready for that. No, she corrects herself as she takes a sip of coffee, he definitely isn't just yet.]

[stefanged]

Not well enough to ask him about it. [The guy showed up a few times to help with the Interfaith Center, and Stef crashed one viewing of the Princess Bride. They're far from close. Salvatore might've kept prying, even if it wasn't his place, but Stefan pockets that information for now. There's an old Catholic prayer he'll send over, when the time feels right.]

Though - I'm glad he can talk about it with you. [His smile's thinner than usual - not out of jealousy, but out of the realization that he doesn't know her friends anymore, and that's weird.] Because then I know he'll pull through. He's a strong guy, and he's got a pretty good secret keeper by his side.

[Is that a crack at him, for refusing to tell her about Alesci? PROBABLY.]

If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know. Especially if it's related to his faith - he came by the Center a few times, but I haven't seen him around lately.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena's not sure how much Caesar's faith plays into what he's dealing with, but if it will help? She's definitely for it. But what she feels more than that uncertainty is a little guilt. She doesn't think what she told Caesar would change things enough so that Caesar would start to avoid Stefan, but that in combination with the memory she unintentionally shared with him? That's...]

[Elena rubs at the back of her neck a little. Now's not the time. Not now. Some other time.]

I'll be sure to let him know he's welcome to talk to you about things, [she offers, instead.] I'm not sure he'll take you up on it, but at least he'll know it's there.

[stefanged]

Me either, but... it can't hurt.

[Stefan can't say he would expect Caesar to follow up, considering the sudden avoidance. Maybe he'd cracked one too many inappropriate jokes about Space Pope^TM - but out of everyone on the Fleet, he knows how faith can comfort someone and guide them back towards their straight path. It's not an empty promise, at least, not on his end.]

I just hope they hurry up with these "calibrations." Never thought I'd admit this, but I'm starting to miss my hunk of junk.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena flashes a smile.]

I know what you mean. It's nice being able to see everyone, at least.

[stefanged]

Yeah, kind of like one big slumber party. We've even got daily marathons of The Princess Bride.

[He returns that smile. Stef can play the optimism game too! ... Kind of.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

[Elena's smile widens. He really must have been hanging around Caesar then.]

Nothing better than that.

[stefanged]

Of course not. [He leans back, as if trying to think of something...] So. Until this's all over, I've got a sudden abundance of free time.

And since I kind of owe you, why don't you pick what I'm watching next?