[ℜ]     Okay, might’ve deserved that one. He bites back a grimace as her grip is a bit more ‘you’re an idiot’ than ‘let me take care of you’. None the less, her lithe frame is cradling his hips and he can feel the heat of her on the base of his spine. “My face is usually what got me what I wanted, but then I’d open my mouth and whoops! There she goes.” Well, everyone except Elena that was. Bonnie and Caroline simply tolerated him because Elena loved him and lord knows his sister wished she was the only child at times. “Ah, so you are with me for my dick?” He bucks a bit from beneath her and chuckles as she lets out a yelp. “See boy, you are good for something.” 

[ℜ]     “Yes ma’am.” Any slight idea of toying with her or teasing her at this current moment would surely end him in the doghouse and he was already making it up to her later once Noah had gone to bed. A look into the trunk and his head cocks to the side in….wonder is the word he’ll go for. Because first glance would have people thinking she was feeding several Noah’s. Or perhaps just Jeremy. He steals a glance at her as she hands the young his Happy Meal, the child poking his head into the box to grab some fries and stuff his face. “You uh…wanna tell me something?” He smirks, shaking the few bags he’s grabbed. 

[ℜ]     A hand is placed over his heart and he makes a face of pain. “You wound me, Elena. Truly. And here I am catering to your every whim and desire of my on free will.” He wipes away a nonexistent tear and turns from her dramatically. “Women.” The sour mood lightens a bit and he can breathe a bit easier, well that is until she licks sauce off her finger and whoops, there goes a boner. He hyper focuses on the food in front of him because he just know if he turns his head and watches her do it again he may actually cum in his pants. “More beer please….” If anyone was getting drunk tonight it was going to be him. At least then he’d hopefully pass the fuck out before his hand had any chance to assist him. 

[ℜ]     “Knowing this town he will own it by then.” Or he’d be the next mayor or sheriff or some other boring shit their small town was famous for.  He steps out first, Elena following soon after and he’s by her side by the time they step onto the curb to walk inside, his fingers laced in hers even as they swing the door open and walk inside. The action causes everyone’s heads to turn and suddenly they’re surrounded by old classmates and neighbors, people they haven’t seen in…a very long time asking them all about their lives. Yeah, New York is a lot safer than here. He can already feel his shoulders tensing up with all the unwanted attention, memories of his childhood and the stares in whispers. But he holds fast, nods when he’s supposed to an tries to answer what he can without giving too much away. Thankfully the small crowd eventually dissipates, wishes they’ll come back soon and often and the raven plops himself in the first available booth, a headache already climbing its way up his skull. 

[ℜ]     “Only for me,” he confirms with a shit-eating grin. “What kind of idiot would I be if I allowed someone beneath me to get such a great honor of having your hands on their skin, hmm?” He follows her order (because of course he does) and lies face down on the mattress, crossing his arms under the pillows and bringing them up to lay his face down comfortably. “So….come here often?” It’s a crap joke, one that will no doubt get him a smack but it’s worth it in his eyes. “Sorry, I haven’t had shitty jokes since we were kids and I checked out that dumb book from the library. Honestly how did you even put up with me?” he inquires with a chuckle. 

[ℜ]     The raven and Noah situate themselves on the couch, Ryan commenting every now and then, showing him which buttons to press for which channel he wants to watch. Noah’s eyes are wide as he flicks through the seemingly endless list of options but finally settles on some cartoon the sinner can’t say he’s heard of. None the less it keeps the boy occupied and he crosses his legs while he gets sucked into the action. He fiddles with his phone for a bit, debating on whether or not he should send Elena another text but decides against it as he steals a glance over at Noah who’s gotten more comfortable on the couch and gets more engrossed. 

A good half hour goes by before he hears Elena roll up, the SUV coming to a stop and trunk being popped open, his name being called soon after. Noah seems to hear the commotion as well and jumps to his feet, rushing off the couch and to the door before Ryan can really stop him. “Easy little one…” But his words fall on deaf ears as the boy swings the door open and rushes outside to Elena’s side, Ryan coming after him with his hands up. “I didn’t do anything…” 

[ℜ]     “I’m not against taking my shirt off and proving that fact right now,” he throws back at her, hands reaching for his shirt before a small look and he’s rolling his eyes with a chuckle. “You knew that from the first day you met me, especially when you volleyed back and forth with me in Italian. Something that still blows my mind by the way, well done. Not many people can do that.” Hands reach out for a few wings and place them on a spare plate provided for them, grabbing some blue cheese and pouring some to the side. “I think we talked about how terrible each other meeting would’ve been a few years ago as well….” His brows furrow as he remembers that lovely weekend and the conversation afterwards that brought up demons he’d rather not allow to come back to life. “I was a piece of shit then, Elena. Not the worst of course but, I would’ve hated myself had I played a part…..” 

[ℜ]     He’s quiet as she mulls it over, his mind racing with the idea of them spending the rest of their lives here. Their biological or adopted children scraping their knees on the same sidewalks they did as children while learning to ride their bikes, the Grille which would become ingrained in their blood as it did for every kid before them and would. Sending them off to the schools he and Elena went to, seeing teachers they had so many years ago. God a part of him almost wants it….but then she speaks and her words ring truer than the visions he has in his head. Yes this town shaped them, but it was time for them to finish who they were as people and shape their lives the rest of the way as well as the lives of their future children. “This town is in them no matter where  we go,” he muses, turning the key and bringing the car to silence. “It’s in in their blood.” From the car window he can look inside the Grille and see the bustle of people inside and how even after all this time it continues to be the buzz of the town. “I swear we’ll be 90 and this place will still be here…” 

[ℜ]     “When I’m eating, sleeping, jerking off, showering, working, playing video games, working out,” he ticks off easily, not even sparing her a glance, his eyes focused on the multitude of games on the screens above their heads. “I would say sex but I can be pretty Dominant in the bedroom or an ‘overbearing dick lord’ if we’re using your words. That’s all I got.” He turns to her then, offering her a smile and wink before his own bottle is placed in front of them along with their orders and a basket of fries large enough to feed a team of people. “Like now, now I won’t bother you even if you pull a Coyote Ugly on the bar top. Unless you fuck up my food then we’ll have a problem.”  

[ℜ]     Yeah, he had wanted out as soon as he gotten his diploma. Planned on filling his car with as much gas as he could and stuffing every essential thing he could into it before heading west and never looking back. But…Elena and all his feelings for her and how he couldn’t have left without telling her something, without taking that chance with her. “I loved you for so long,” he says quietly, the Grille coming into view. “I loved you and this town hated me, I hated how they made me feel and I couldn’t get past that. Even at the expense of you.” And look where it got them. “You….our friends, Grayson and Miranda, were the only good things that I had here and….I let the opinions of others scare me away from a different path we could’ve taken.” Every street they’ve passed on their way here he has a memory of sorts on it, the square where they had the parade and the high school kids would gather before and after a game, Mystic Falls is ingrained in him no matter how hard he tried to run from it. “But I’m not afraid anymore,” he informs her. “I’ll go wherever you want.” 

[ℜ]     “I’m a greedy motherfucker what can I say?” he says with a smile. Honestly Elena had done everything she could with what they had to turn their bedroom into a massage parlor, candles are flickering deep shadows among the walls, the smell of the oil she’s chosen have already began their magic in working work stress from his body, and he hasn’t even climbed on the bed yet and surrendered himself to her hands. He crosses the room in long strides, cupping her face in his hands as he lifts her face for a kiss, humming in contentment once their lips connect. “5 stars on Yelp, excellent service, not sharing with friends though.” 

[ℜ]     “We’ll be waiting for you when you do,” he says to Elena, Noah waving in goodbye before he ends the call. “Would you like to walk around for a bit and pick a room to sleep in?” The raven assumes the boy would also like a bath or… shower (were kids his age taking showers now?) maybe, start anew in a way. Then again, there was nothing Ryan could offer him to sleep in. ‘Get him some clothes too, maybe stuff for a bath?? I’m lost here.’ He figures texting Elena will be his best best with things like this. “Could I watch tv?” Noah asks meekly, eyes glancing over to the living room. “You sure can, come on.” Might as well keep him in one place and satisfied right? Holding his hand out, he waits for the young boy to either take it or simply hold back, wait for Ryan to lead while he follows. To his surprise the boy takes the first option, though opting to hold onto his finger instead. “I have a lot of channels, some movies too. You can pick whatever.” 

• ‘ are you bleeding? ’
• ‘ take it easy. you hit your head. ’
• ‘ where does it hurt? ’ 
• ‘ sit still and let me take a look! ’
• ‘ how did you get that black eye? ’ 
• ‘ you should see the other guy. ’ 
• ‘ did i say you could get out of bed? ’
• ‘ that’s going to leave a bruise. ’
• ‘ i’ll get some ice. ’ 
• ‘ that’s what you get for picking fights. ’
• ‘ are you trying to give me a heart attack? ’
• ‘ what’s wrong with you? ’
• ‘ you can barely stand. ’
• ‘ did you throw the first punch? ’
• ‘ that’s a nasty bump. ’
• ‘ get in the car. you’re going to the hospital. ’
• ‘ at least bandage it. ’ 
• ‘ no, you’ll get an infection. ’ 
• ‘ wet floor signs are there for a reason, you know. ’
• ‘ you’re lucky. that icicle could’ve killed you. ’
• ‘ where’s your gratitude? i rescued you! ’
• ‘ i’m calling the nurse. ’
• ‘ was that stupid dare worth it? ’
• ‘ what happened to you? ’
• ‘ sit down. i’ll make some hot chocolate and fix you right up. ’
• ‘ are those bandages? ’
• ‘ you need stitches. ’
• ‘ look out for that tree branch. ’
• ‘ i’ve got you. just stay awake. can you do that for me? ’
• ‘ lean on me. ’
• ‘ you got two choices: let me carry you, or die out here. take your pick. ’
• ‘ shit, you’re burning up. ’  
• ‘ you’re not dying. it’s only a sprained ankle. ’
• ‘ lie down. ’
• ‘ i’m sorry. i know it hurts. here, hold my hand. ’
• ‘ you’re in no condition to be walking around. ’
• ‘ wake up! wake up! ’
• ‘ i don’t feel sorry for you. ’
• ‘ look at your face! ’

[ℜ]     “Oh I’m well aware of the things you can hold down, Ms. Gilbert.” Need he remind her of the time she almost snapped his spine in half like she was Bane? “But I’m also aware of what heavy drinking can do on an empty stomach and I don’t want you avoiding the sun tomorrow because you drank so much tonight that breathing hurts.” He’s meeting her glare with what he hopes is a ‘I’m only trying to look out for you’ look, even if she is looking at him as if she was ready to use his balls for batting practice. When she turns back towards the bar he decides that his nuts have survived another night and he exhales a deep breath of relief, flagging down the barkeep as he does. “Another bottle of this please, two actually so I’ll be able to wake up tomorrow still male.”