feel the noise } { of pizza and good kisses

[braveandstupid]

Jeremy: [coming home around 6pm-ish] Hey Elena, got us some Pizza!

Elena: [on the couch grading papers] I'm in here! What kind did you get?

Jeremy: We got one meatlovers with extra pepperoni, and one bacon and veggie. Plus all the cheesy sticks we could find

Elena: Perfect. [she starts pushing the papers to the side as she gets to her feet] I'll get the plates.

Jeremy: I also found this guy wandering around and brought him home. Figured safer with us than a life on the streets.

Ben: [carrying all the boxes, just shakes his head at Jeremy] Thanks, man.

Elena: [still smiles when she sees him, even if she has a sinking feeling that she's been duped] Three plates, then. Want a beer?

Ben & Jeremy: Yes!

Elena: [laughs] Three beers, coming up.

Ben: [follows Jeremy to set up the pizza on the table] Hope you don't mind me dropping in unannounced...

Elena: Not entirely unannounced. Jeremy warned that there would be company, he just neglected to say who.

Ben: [gives his friend a look] Oh really?

Jeremy: Hey, you didn't ask me who the person was, and you didn't ask if I asked her if it was okay. I did nothing wrong here.

Elena: [returns with the beers] Did I say anything?

Jeremy: I thought there was something there.

Elena: Mmm-hmm.

Ben: You two really are siblings.

Elena: It is an unfortunate fact of life. [only it's not, she loves Jeremy to pieces, and technically he's not really her brother, but screw genetics.]

Jeremy: So we watching a movie, playing a game?

Elena: [she shrugs] Anything that is not grading papers.

Jeremy: So movie it is. Anything in particular you want to see? We have a good collection going.

Ben: [ flopping down on the couch] I don't really get to see a lot of movies unless I'm in LA and get invited to the premiere.

Elena: Considering my tastes are probably in the minority here? You don't really want me to pick. [chick flick city over here]

Jeremy: No, we really don't want you to.

Ben: Hey, I'm game for whatever. I'm just glad to be out of the house for a while.

Elena: Why don't you guys pick some explosion action movie and I will just point out all the plot holes and ask all the ridiculous questions?

Jeremy: This is why we don't watch half the movies we own.

Ben: I don't mind answering questions...

Elena: [grins as she picks up a piece of pizza] See, Ben is a considerate movie watcher.

Jeremy: [so not making the comment on the tip of his tongue, and just grabs two slices]

Ben: Thank you. [he's all over the cheesy bread]

Elena: [and eventually they settle on a movie and Elena is predictably asking ALL the questions]

Ben: [and he's actually enjoying answering all of the questions while Jeremy is just eyerolling and ignoring them at times]

Elena: [it's probably for the best. She's finding Ben much more helpful and would have probably teased Jeremy for it.]

Jeremy: [goes to get a refill of the beers halfway through the movie when they stereotypical romantic part comes up]

Elena: [oh! oh! The part of the movie Elena likes!]

Ben: [he's still eating, but watching Elena out of the corner of his eye, amused]

Elena: [and they get to The Moment and she grins.] Good kiss.

Ben: Eh, I can think of better ones.

Elena: [turns to him, raising an eyebrow] Really?

Ben: Totally.

Elena: Okay. Example.

Ben: [thinks] Alright, Han and Leia. Empire strikes back when he's about to go into the carbon freeze.

Elena: [she wrinkles her nose] He thought he was going to die and he couldn't just tell Leia that he loved her? Lame.

Ben: He did, in his own piratey way.

Elena: [a bit of a look] Sometimes a girl needs to actually hear the words.

Ben: Even if the actions scream it louder than words ever could?

Elena: Then how do you know the actions are true? Or the words for that matter? They both need to match.

Ben: Have you never watched a silent movie?

Elena: That's different.

Ben: [shifts to focus on her more] No, really. You ever watch one? How all you get is the actions and the facial expressions, a musical underscore and yet there's a complete relationship played in front of yours eyes.

Elena: [will turn to face him more too] That's the medium. It's not the same. In a silent film, they don't have any other way to say it. When there are words there's so much more to consider. [because she's the girl who had a guy tell her he'd love her and always protect her then nearly drive her off a bridge. So. This hits home.]

Ben: So then a mute guy could never show his love to another girl?

Elena: No. But a guy who isn't mute needs to do more than just do the right thing or say the right words. He can't say he'll never hurt her and then use her as leverage when things get hard - and on the other hand, he can't act as though he loves her and not be able to say the words, and just expect her to know.

Jeremy: [comes in and leans over his sister's shoulder, squeezing them playfully] And this is why she doesn't get any dates.

Elena: [she blinks at Jeremy's hands, before closing her eyes and shaking her head] Sorry. I'm a buzz kill. [or just a girl who's exboyfriend screwed her in the head. Who knows?]

Jeremy: [hands her a beer, then tosses one to Ben]

Ben: No, it's fine. We just see things differently, that's all

Elena: [nods as she takes a sip of her beer] Guess so.

Ben: I just mean, I think there's more than saying it out loud. Sometimes words just don't come out right when you want them. Doesn’t mean you don't feel it.

Elena: [nods slowly] I'm a writer. To me the words are always going to matter. But I know how they can be hard. I guess that's why they mean more.

Ben: I'm a writer too. I write love songs sometimes too. The phrase "I love you" isn't the only way to mean those words.

Elena: No, it isn't. But it isn't "I know" either.

Ben: [Just shrugs and takes a sip of his beer as Jeremy shakes his head and flops back down in the chair]

Elena: [leans back against the couch and settles in to watch the rest of the movie. She gets quiet after that, not really asking as many questions as she probably could have. She's spiraling into her own thoughts again, which is probably bad, but that's usually what happens when it comes to things that remind her of Stefan.]

Ben: [notices but doesn't say anything. Once the movie is over, he started to gather the plates to take them into the kitchen]

Elena: [that snaps her out of it and she moves closer to take over, her arm bumping his as she does] No, I've got it.

Ben: No, I can do it. It's just a few plates.

Elena: [the "but you're the guest" is sitting on the tip of her tongue, but she lets it go, and she grabs the beer bottles instead] Then I'll get the bottles.

Jeremy: I'll take out the trash. [he's combining the pizza and sticks into one remaining box]

Elena: [nods and gathers up the bottles before leading back into the kitchen]

[They shuffle things into the kitchen and Elena takes over with the actual cleaning of the dishes and bottles while Ben helps carry things over.]

Elena: [washing dishes by the sink] There should be room in the fridge if you just want to stick the leftovers in there.

Ben: Alright. [he goes to do that] So how long have you lived in this town anyway?

Elena: [pauses as she thinks about it] Almost a year now?

Ben: Jeremy wasn't sure when I asked. He said you moved around a lot because of your job.

Elena: [her head bobs a bit] We like to keep moving. Though I think we're going to be settled here for a while.

Ben: Doesn't it make it hard on you to make friends and stuff if you're always in motion? [Ben knows he has found that to be true]

Elena: A little. But given that we kind of travel in a pack, we usually always have each other. That can mean a lot.

Ben: You talk like you're a bunch of wolves. [he picked up a drying towel and moved to help with the dishes]

Elena: [she smirks a bit] Hey, wolves are incredibly loyal, and have each other's backs. It's not a bad metaphor.

Ben: Oh, so you're a biology teacher now too?

Elena: [she laughs] No, but I knew a guy who was really into them back in the day. ["really into them" = werewolf, hi Tyler.]

Ben: Ah. And you made sure he wasn't secretly one, right?

Elena: [her eyebrows climb a bit as she gives him a look that's curious but borders on playful] What's that supposed to mean?

Ben: Well, a guy secretly into wolves? Makes you wonder if he was raised by them or something and not telling you.

Elena: I've known him since I was five. I think I would be able to figure out if he was raised by wolves.

Ben: [laughs] Yeah, pretty sure you'd notice the wolves delivering him to his first day of school and sitting on the corner waiting for him to get out.

Elena: [she laughs] Yeah, they would kind of stand out. [though ... a case could be made for Richard Lockwood being wolf-like, but that's a conversation for never.]

Ben: [smiles a bit at her, not totally looking up but watching her out of the corner of his eyes as he dries dishes] Anyone tell you that you have a cute laugh?

Elena: [she flusters a bit, glancing back at him for a moment before shaking her head] If they have, it hasn't been in a long time.

Ben: Well, that's a shame. [and he's focusing on the dish, not sure what to do now]

Elena: [continues washing, sticking some of them in the drying rack] I guess I haven't really had a lot of reasons to.

Ben: Can I ask why not?

Elena: [she hesitates before ...] I've been through a lot. When I was younger it felt like this ... black hole that I was never going to be able to dig myself out of until I did. Part of the reason why I don't really go back to Mystic Falls if I can help it.

Ben: I get that. I mean, I know about some if it from Jer.

Elena: [she nods a bit] Anyway, lots of tears aren't exactly conducive to a lot of the good kind of laughter.

Ben: Well, then I suggest you never go back there. Ever.

Elena: [she nods with a smile] That is the plan.

Ben: You just break up with it like a Taylor Swift song and never look back.

Elena: [she laughs again] I'm sure she totally has a song for something like this.

Ben: As long as you don't swing more towards Miley and wrecking ball.

Elena: No ... that was more college Elena. I've since stopped being that much of an unpredictable basket case.

Ben: Good, because I seriously don't need another Miley in my life. [and he shuts his mouth quickly because oh god did he just admit that]

Elena: [she spins a bit to face him, eyes wide with a bit of a devilish smirk] Oh really?

Ben: [puts down plate and turns, his face a bit red] Alright, you can never tell my cousin about this. But yes, for all of a hot minute.

Elena: And what was it like?

Ben: [rubs the back of his neck] Actually, when she's away from her tour and entourage, she's really nice. But she's too caught up sometimes in trying to be herself that I think she loses it more than she gains it. I couldn't stand watching her destroy herself like that.

Elena: [if you think if that in terms of vampires, Elena totally gets it] I wish I had figured out how to do that sooner - walk away, I mean. That was kind of the problem with my old relationship, but ... he was a little more violent about it.

Ben: [he linefaces a moment. His mind figures now that's why she's so hesitant] I'm sorry.

Elena: [she can't say that Stefan wasn't abusive towards her, because he was, even if it wasn't all the time. But at least she sees it for what it is now. She finishes with the dishes and shrugs as she reaches for the towel to dry her hands] He's better now - or at least that's what I hear. We still have mutual friends.

Ben: Well, that's good at least. Him getting help and better and all.

Elena: [she nods] We just had this really intense relationship, so it's better that we ... don't fall into old habits.

Ben: And what's your old habit you're trying to avoid?

Elena: Sacrificing everything for other people so I have nothing left for myself.

Ben: So putting yourself first then. Good goal. And what do you want?

Elena: [she glances over at him again before shrugging] I've got a few things I'm considering.

Ben: Skydiving?

Elena: [she laughs] Things a little less death defying. [there's a beat] But ... almost as terrifying.

Ben: So what is it? You can tell me.

Elena: [she studies him for a moment, trying to decide what to do. Putting herself out there is hard, but she remembers Caroline pep-talking her into asking out Stefan all those years ago. There's no reason the same rules can't apply.] Well, there is this guy. You'd think that given his profession he'd be kind of a jackass, but he's actually really sweet.

Ben: Oh? Well, some guys tend to be completely different outside of their job.

Elena: I'm starting to get that.

Ben: Of course, you kinda have to really get to know them sometimes. Which can be difficult if the guy, say, has a very demanding job.

Elena: He does. But I have a very reliable source vouching for him, so that helps.

Jeremy: [from the other room] Oh my God will you two just please, stop killing me out here and go on a date already?

Elena: Then again, that same source is impatient and tends to ruin the mood.

Ben: [ laughs, throwing the towel out of the kitchen towards the source of the voice.] I think I may need find myself a new roadie next summer.

Elena: I wouldn't blame you. I'd get rid of him too, but I'd feel bad about inflicting him on Ric.

Ben: Maybe you'd want to take his place? I should eventually get my high school diploma finished.

Elena: I think we should probably stick with dinner first, see how that goes.

Ben: Dinner it is. Preferably without the other half of the Gilbert clan?

Elena: Please. He could probably use the night off from keeping me company anyway.

Jeremy: Truth.

Ben: Jeremy, don't you have headphones you can blast some music through for like, ten minutes?

Jeremy: What's it worth to you?

Elena: I don't know about Ben, but it'll save you a lot of pain and suffering the next time you bring a girl over.

Jeremy: Headphones it is. [and he reaches over and grabs his iPod and heads for his room.]

Ben: [watches and shakes his head] You need to get that boy a girlfriend, and then he'll get out of your hair awhile.

Elena: [she laughs] I don't usually mind. Except for situations like now.

Ben: [smiles] So, we were talking about dinner?

Elena: We were. Though you said you were going back to see your mom soon.

Ben: It's only a nine hour drive. I can, you know, drive out of it?

Elena: [her eyebrows go up at the idea of driving nine hours after having dinner] Are you sure? That sounds like a long drive to be starting late.

Ben: Elena, I don't get a lot of time to myself. A nine hour drive on my own is a luxury. Getting to have dinner with you makes it even better.

Elena: Okay. I just don't want you to be driving late and run yourself off the road or something. [there's a beat] ... I'm a worrier, in case Jeremy hasn't already told you.

Ben: I think I've picked that up on my own.

Elena: [she nods] So if you're sure, then yeah. That sounds good.

Ben: So I'll text you and we can figure out a day that works for you? Even if Dean's not in town, I'm sure Sam will let me crash there for the night

Elena: [she smiles] Sounds good.

Ben: [grins back] Then it's a date.

Elena: [nods] It's a date.

Ben: Awesome.

Elena: [and then she nods, before turning to head back to the living room] It'll be fun.

Ben: [ follows] Now do we want this dinner to be one that we go out for, or are we going to try the whole you fake cooking.

Elena: [she shrugs] I'm good with either option.

Ben: Um... well, the one downside to going out on a date with me is that there is the chance you'll be photographed. Not just by professionals, either. Girls with cell phones and twitter can be just as bad.

Elena: [oh yeah. There's that.] Maybe it's better if we order in.

Ben: It's a lot to handle, I know.

Elena: [she shakes her head] I've handled worse. But I'd rather the evening be just us.

Ben: Me too.

Elena: So I'll order. We just need a when.

Ben: Well, you go back to school next week. I could come back on Friday so you don't have to worry about classes the next morning?

Elena: Sounds perfect.

Ben: So I'll drive out in the morning, check in with Sam and maybe grab a nap, then come over. Probably wait to drive home Sunday since I'm sure Olivia will demand time too.

Elena: Okay. I'll get rid of Jeremy.

Ben: Perfect.

Elena: So I'll see you then? Unless you want to stay and watch a movie or something?

Ben: Honestly, I'd love to stay. Maybe we can even lock your brother up in his room

Elena: [she grins] I think we can manage that.

Ben: [he grins back. There's a part of him that wants to kiss her, but he's keeping himself back, unsure if she would want it just yet]

Elena: [maaaaaaybe later. Right now she's going to head over Jeremy's room to glance in the door and see what he's up to]

Jeremy: [has his headphones on, twirling a stylus in his fingers while playing with his computer]

Elena: [very veeeeeeery quietly closes the door and hopes he'll keep himself occupied for a bit]

Ben: [looking at the movie collection while she was gone]

Elena: [makes her way back in] He is fully occupied, so hopefully he won't be bothering us for a while.

Ben: That's good. So a rom com?

Elena: Only if you don't mind.

Ben: I don't mind.

Elena: Then sure.

Ben: [looks and pulls off a title off the shelf. It has Ashton Kutcher in it] This work?

Elena: Definitely. [And with that they’re off to enjoy another movie.]