everyonelives | there's something due any day

( Ryan is a man of very few words. But, when it counts, he can say the right thing. Unfortunately, until he realizes he has to, he comes off aloof. That has always been the Ryan Atwood way. Laconic, but pretty easy going. More hardened now, especially after Marissa's death, a stint in Mexico and then crashing and burning with Taylor. Not to mention, almost being eaten alive.

But, Caroline, from day one, has been support he wasn't able to voice that he needed. And she wanted for nothing. It's what she did. She helped anyone. She worked at the school. She recruited. And Ryan became her right hand. He nursed the crush for months, was similarly teased for it - inexplicably in the presence of Klaus Mikaelson - and then finally owned up to it after graduation.

And that was a good night. But, then Caroline has brunch plans and okay. Of course she should have brunch with her girlfriends. He's not going to stop her, or insinuate himself.

He might do better getting more friends... but, he always kept it tight knit in Newport, too. Maybe in time. He kisses her goodbye and dresses, too, because Caroline's house isn't his, and maybe he fails at really saying anything that gives her any idea how this went.

And that's why she finds him at the Grill, a whiskey taking the vampire edge off. Expending all that energy, and getting that kind of release, finally, it definitely bumped up that want, so he chooses alcohol because his sponsor has always been about moderation.

He hates this, though. He nods, and then decides the gesture he could make is to slide over so she can sit next to him and not across. )

Everything okay at brunch?

Yeah, brunch was good and much needed.

[The only thing that would have been better was if Bonnie had been there in person, but she can't help but hope that one day, the three of them will be together again.]

I hope I wasn't too ... abrupt this morning.

[If she hadn't had plans, it probably would have been a very different story, and they would have had this conversation already, but alas.]

( That's good, he'd want her to take whatever time she needs personally, to see her friends, or anyone. Really, forget personally, she doesn't have to live her life according to what he'd want, which - might be what this is about.

He knows that like Taylor Caroline is an over thinker, usually it comes from a place of logic and confidence, with something behind it, usually reasoning.

But he's also glad she's asking, confronting him directly, and not scheming. )

You weren't. You made plans, and they were made before. ( Before he slept with you, which to be completely unclear because he hasn't voiced it, he thoroughly enjoyed himself, and he has feelings for you, Caroline. Funny how you can't just get all that from his mildly expressive eyes. ) I wouldn't expect you to skip them.

I appreciate that.

[Caroline isn't so much a schemer anymore. She's old enough now that she knows that those kinds of machinations never really got her anywhere, and she just had to breathe. Things would happen in their own time.

Even if she's not the most patient.]

But we also didn't really get a chance to talk. And I'd like to. Talk, I mean.

( Her impatience can balance out his patience, then. As for talking, while it can be overrated, he knows when it should happen. And that it should happen. )

Let's talk.

[Okay Caroline. Deep breath.]

This is not a commentary on last night. Because last night was great. Better than great. I just ... want to know if it was a one time thing or ... maybe something more.

[Yep. Just put it out there. Say what you want and hopefully it winds up along the lines of what he wants. You remember how this works, Caroline.]

( Not a commentary on last night. Not that he's Casanova, but he thinks he has it handled in that department pretty well. Being about her pleasure. But, she - oh - she's asking -- what does she want it to be? He thought, maybe, from their conversation at graduation, as brief as it was, that she did want more.

Did she not? )

I want more, Caroline. I've wanted more for a while. I didn't know if that's what you wanted.

( And why he'd never said anything. Among the one-room mix-ups when they traveled or staying up so late that falling asleep in the same bed was fine. )

What do you want?

I'm definitely into more.

[She's going to put that up front.]

I've just learned that it's good to have an official conversation. Just lay it all out on the table.

( He's never really had the official conversation. Things either just happened, or fell apart, or were orchestrated (Taylor), and he thought maybe actions mattered? But Caroline wants actions and communication. )

Is it.

[She nods in agreement.]

Yeah. We start on the same page. We both know what the other wants and can move forward in the same direction.

I want to try this. I've wanted to try this for a long time.

( But, between the power dynamic, the traveling, and then the recent hunter sightings, it just never felt like the right time. )

Good. Me too.

[Maybe not as long as he did, because she was trying to focus on turning him into a respectable vampire, but there's been that spark for a while.]

So maybe we could do something official, since we're going to be in Mystic Falls for a while.

( He'd like to think there may have been mutual sparks they hadn't acted on, but he was content to keep their relationship professional if she needed to. He never pressured any girl into anything. )

Like, DTR?

( Didn't they just do that?

Also, thank Seth for that lingo. )

No, like ... an actual date.

[Because Caroline does like dates, and she thinks it would be a nice step from "DTR" as Ryan so eloquently put it to something that goes with that relationship.]

Nothing crazy, just ... a real one.

( And not moving in already, so, that's good. It would be fast. Maybe not in time, but in time since their first kiss. )

A date's not crazy. I've - dated - not crazy. But. She did crazy things. ( She always meant well. ) An actual date. We should do that.

Great! Maybe this weekend? There's actually usually a county carnival not too far from here.

[She was thinking of taking Stiles as a test of his control, see how he could handle the crowds, but if Cora or Scott were willing to babysit or and handle sense management, maybe she and Ryan could sneak off for a ferris wheel ride or two.]

Yeah.

( He smiles, and would be liking that Cora and Scott could handle Stiles' first outing, with that giving him a date.

He's had carnival experiences, several of his own, from high school. It's time to make new ones. )

I don't like heights.

[Way to crush her ferris wheel dreams right out the gate.]

Not even when you're securely strapped in to a tiny car and have vampire healing?

[She's just making sure.]

( He -- knows she has a point. he takes her hand in his leaning closer. )

There is one thing we could do to distract me.

( he's stealing from his own history, but, that's what traditions are, right? recurring incidences? )

[She brightens at that, before leaning in closer to meet him.]

I can be very distracting.

[Especially if it's a sexy kind of distracting.]

OK. You've convinced me.

( What's some cute back booth canoodling between two newly dating vampires?

damon drops the check off with red pen detailing G E T A R O O M :) )

[She catches that note and rolls her eyes at him, before looking over to Ryan with a smile.]

I'm usually not a fan of giving Damon what he wants when he's being a dick, but want to get out of here?

Yeah, I can think of something better we can be doing.

( He slides out of the booth and offers his hand. )

We need to plan our date.

( Ryan Atwood comes in with a spare! But, he also leads her out the door. )

there's something due any day

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