darkest timeline } { of chinese and feel good movies

[braveandstupid]

Elena: [and meanwhile, back at the Abattoir, after Elena sees Laura leave, she sneaks back upstairs with the glass of water he asked for, and knocks on the door lightly] Hey. Everything okay?

Derek: [he's breathing better now and nods] Yeah, better.

Elena: [nods as she makes her way in, closing the door behind her] Did Laura work everything out with Chris Argent? [she places the glass down in front of him]

Derek: Kinda. I'm still trying to figure out how to handle the news.

Elena: Do you want to talk about it?

Derek: She doesn't remember me. At all.

Elena: What?

Derek: I don't know. Something her grandfather did to make her a better hunter. She doesn't hunt now, but the memories are gone. [he's happy she wasn't using him, but it hurts that someone he loved was forced to forget him]

Elena: [yeah, she's been there on both ends, the person who was used and the person who did the forgetting. She reaches forward, and takes his hand with a small squeeze] I'm sorry. That must have been hard to hear.

Derek: Am I supposed to be happy or sad for her?

Elena: I don't know. I think you can only feel what you feel.

Derek: Right now, I'm feeling a lot of things. [focuses on his breathing again for a minute] Can we go somewhere else? I need to just, move.

Elena: Sure. You want to just take a walk?

Derek: Yeah. I'm just going to keep my hood up though, just in case. [a habit when he's feeling anxious]

Elena: Okay. [and she'll wait for him to do that, before taking his hand back down and onto the street out the back door]

Derek: [and he'll walk beside her, but his eyes dart to look into alleys and shadows]

Elena: [and she'll just keep her hand in his, letting him decide where he wants to go, and only really stopping if they need to cross a street or there's a group of slow moving tourists in front of them]

Derek: [and eventually their walk will lead them to stand outside of a Chinese buffet restaurant, and his stomach will growl. He'll turn to face her] You hungry?

Elena: Starving. I could go for Chinese.

Derek: Same. [and he will reach for the door to open it for her]

Elena: [and she will make her way inside, waiting for her to follow before stepping up to ask for a table for them with the hostess]

Derek: [and they will get a booth next to the buffet and Derek will take the seat where he can see the front door] This is good.

Elena: Good. I'm glad. [she settles in across from him with a warm smile] And I know you probably don't want to talk about this right now, but if you ever want to tell me about her, I don't mind listening.

Derek: Not today. Another time.

Elena: Okay. Whenever you're ready, just let me know.

Derek: I will. But for now, let's eat.

Elena: [and they will! they will enjoy their Chinese buffet adventure, and Elena will fill the silence talking about lighter things]

Derek: [yeah, and just listening to her talk and getting warm comfort food helps him a lot]

Elena: [good. and eventually after they're a few plates in, they'll have to leave the restaurant and she glances back to him as they make their way back to the street] So where to now?

Derek: [looks a lot lighter and relaxed] I don't know. What are you feeling?

Elena: [takes a deep breath and shrugs] It's getting late. Maybe back to my place for a movie?

Derek: [nods] Yeah, that'd be nice.

Elena: Okay. [and she will call them an uber to head back to her and Caroline's apartment]

Derek: [and he will relax even more once they are in her apartment because it's a safe space] So what movie are you thinking?

Elena: [she shrugs] Maybe something light?

Derek: Neverending Story then?

Elena: [smiles] Sounds perfect. Popcorn?

Derek: Obviously. [and he'll smile]

Elena: I'll pop, you pull up the movie?

Derek: Sure. [goes to the movie shelf] Are we expecting Caroline tonight?

Elena: [shakes her head] She went back home to Mystic Falls for the weekend.

Derek: So just us. Nice.

Elena: Yeah. You could stay all weekend if you wanted to.

Derek: Wouldn't that be awkward?

Elena: [shrugs] I certainly wouldn't mind the company. But if you don't want to, it's okay.

Derek: I just don't want to be a burden.

Elena: You are never a burden. [and she returns to the room with the bowl of popcorn and sits next to him] I enjoy your company and I enjoy you being here, so if you want to stay, then you're welcome to.

Derek: [nods, smiling] Thank you.

Elena: [smiles back] Anytime. Besides. [and she shifts to get settled in comfortably next to him] I love a good sleepover.

Derek: [and he will snuggle into her] You're just lucky I'm a snuggler.

Elena: [she laughs] It's one of the many thinks I like about you.

Derek: [and he will grin and nuzzle against her cheek before settling down to watch the movie]

Elena: [and so will she, occasionally munching on popcorn and just getting really comfy and cozy]

Derek: [and he is going to end up drifting off halfway through the movie]

Elena: [and when she notices, she nudges him gently] Hey. Wanna go to bed?

Derek: [he'll just whimper agreement, not fully waking up]

Elena: [and she'll turn off the movie before gently nudging him up and easing him towards the bedroom]

Derek: [and like the good puppy he is, he will follow her]

Elena: [and they will change into pjs, or strip down in Derek's case, and Elena will pull back the covers] Does your sister know you're staying the night?

Derek: I don't think so. [he reaches for his phone on the nightstand, blinking at the screen trying to wake up enough to operate it]

Elena: [and she'll just climb in next to him and get comfy while she waits for him to join her]

Derek: [and Laura will get a text saying "At Elenas. Go sleep"]

Laura: Okay. See you when you get home.

Derek: [and he will put the phone down and curl up next to Elena]

Elena: [and she curls into his side, getting comfortable before drifting off to sleep]

Derek: [and yup, he's out the moment his head hits the pillow]