everyonelives | but oh what a year

( Buffy gives him the space he needs, especially when it's in the kitchen. She has now thrown (two) semi-successful Thanksgivings but it doesn't make her a kitchen effort. She can follow a recipe, though! Her boyfriend? Not a recipe guy. Very old world what works for him, so she stays scarce. She's been distant herself, too, with all of these returns. It's hard not to hope - even with complications - to see other people from her past. Her mother is at the top of her list and then Tara.

And the list goes on.

As for one of those people that is back, he has nothing but time now. Sheila is also a delightful flight companion. He wouldn't choose anyone else to sit with.

It's the smell that draws him, first. He's been "scrolling," for some time now, just in one of Damon's guest bedrooms, getting to know this new form of social media he isn't unhappy to have missed.

He rounds the corner, finding someone he knew he'd inevitably find, stirring some sort of sauce. No, pouring in some cheese. Then noodles. )

Stefan.

( A beat. )

Smells spectacular.

( He passes Stefan's other side to move to the coffee machine that still has some coffee left in it. He starts searching the cabinets for a mug. )

You know I was in your place. Not long before, in fact. ( He doesn't face him. ) I had a siren in my mind. You had the devil.

I did.

[And that doesn't make this any easier. Stefan's never been good at absolving himself of anything, really, but it's especially true when someone takes control of him. Part of him always feels he should have fought back harder or wrenched control back.

He knows the people he hurt. He's not going to wash that away.]

I still made choices, though.

[Enzo hadn't been the goal. Enzo had just been another step to plow through to get to Elena. In fact, Liv and Tyler and Bonnie probably would have been equally dead if they hadn't got to him first.]

I'm sorry for my part in it.

Yes, you did. Without humanity and against a clock. If you're looking for my wrath or you're waiting for me to throw down, you're going to be sorely disappointed.

( Finding a mug, he finally looks at him as he pours himself some coffee. Crossing back to the bar cart just outside of the kitchen, he helps himself to a little whiskey.

He caps the whiskey, swirling his mug around before coming beside Stefan. He breathes in the smell. )

And I'm sorry we ever let out the sinister sisters, but if apologies did anything, really, then we'd all be feeling a lot better, wouldn't we?

( He smiles at him, taking a sip. A sigh. )

Stefan, I accept your apology.

Not waiting. Just ... anticipating.

[But his shoulders do relax a fraction and he looks up from the food in front of him.]

And thank you. It is good to see you.

[They may have had their ups and downs, but Enzo had been a good friend to his brother and good for Bonnie.]

Have you seen Damon yet?

Briefly, but he has his own handful. Two of them. Look like him and Elena. Uncanny really, or is the uncanny valley.

( It's bizarre, though. )

Have you met the little cherubs?

Not yet. Though I've heard that I'm dead in their version of things, so they may be avoiding me.

[And Stefan is letting them. He doesn't know what they've been told about him or about their life, so he doesn't want to ambush them. He doesn't think that will end well.]

It's fine. I'll probably see them at the party.

How does that make you feel, asks the recently realived. Apparently, the kids these days say unalive to kill - themselves, maybe. I'm still catching up. I do hate slang over the ages.

( They will find him at the party. )

I wonder if I'm dead in their world, a footnote, a stranger, or Bonnie's vampire husband. ( He smirks to himself. ) Hypothetically. I know that ship has sailed. A man does move on in his own Prison World of her making.

[Stefan hesitates, using the pause to layer some more pasta and cheese and sauce before shrugging.]

I think it depends on how I died.

[But he can't say he would mind if it meant he did less damage on his way out the door.]

But from what people are saying about alternate universes, there probably is one out there where you and Bonnie make it work. Apparently it's all about choices.

Are you going to ask?

( He doesn't think he would. It wouldn't change anything. )

Oh, well, then. I love that some of the last months we spent together, we had no choices in our matters. That really stacks the deck against us.

I don't know.

[Part of him is curious, part of him doesn't really want to know. (Part of him suspects he might be baffled by something - like getting married to his best friend.)

Stefan smirks a bit before shaking his head.]

I don't know. I'm not the expert. You can ask Barry when he gets here, and he'll probably be able to give you a better answer.

[A pause.]

Would you rather be doomed in every instance?

I'd rather things turn out. Everything comes to an end. Or a twist. Or a turn. I didn't have this on my docket, but I won't waste another trip around the sun.

( He leans against the counter. )

And you shouldn't either.

I intend to.

[In fact, if he plays his cards right, he intends to spend many more trips around the sun with a certain blond, but rubbing his happiness in Enzo's face seems a bit gauche.]

Have you thought about what's next?

A long, much-needed vacation.

( With a certain brunette. )

I get a clean bill of health, I'm on the next plane right out.

[Stefan can't say he blames him for that.]

Somewhere warm, I hope.

[It's the time of year to go somewhere warm.]

Or have you not decided yet?

I will be taking her lead. ( a beat. ) But I do vote for somewhere in the sun and sand.

Her?

[Okay, Enzo. Stefan doesn't want to assume, but the only hers Enzo has met thus far to Stefan's knowledge are Melanie, Shelia and Erica. Erica is too young for that kind of a vacation and since he doesn't think Shelia would ...]

Melanie?

I did take a shine to Ms. Hamilton.

( He doesn't know what your game is here, though, Stefan. )

[Nothing! He's not after anything. He just likes gossip. Wait until he finds out about his brother and Freya Mikaelson, he's going to be texting his ex girlfriend post haste.

He smiles slightly before nodding.]

She's great. And she has excellent taste in hotels.

[And because he realizes how that sounds:]

Damon and I were recently traveling with her and some other friends this fall.

She very much does.

( But... )

What a coincidence. We seem to be full of them.

The working theory is that it's not as much of a coincidence as it seems. You guys showed up in a way that you would be found.

[But that being said:]

We've known Melanie and the Butlers for almost as long as we've been vampires. Damon turned Scarlett who turned Melanie.

And by whom.

( They've made a whole network of allies in his absence. )

Did he. You'd think that's something a friend might tell another from inside their cell. Will wonders never cease.

I will not comment on what Damon does and doesn't decide to keep to himself.

[He could understand that Melanie might not come up in that scenario, but Enzo and Damon had a lot of time to talk.]

But we tended to float in and out of each other's circles. They may not have been front of mind.

I'm kidding, Stefan. We didn't exactly exchange sob stories.

( Well, they kind of did. )

I can say with certainty they weren't anywhere near.

[Stefan nods, before moving to start to load the trays into the oven. He sets the timer, and leans back to look at him again, finally focusing now that he doesn't have a project in front of him.]

Well, enjoy your vacation. And your new lease on life. Hopefully things are calmer over the next year. I'd very much like to go back to the relative drought of problems we had.

Really. Mystic Falls had a drought of problems? Sounds like I missed almost nothing.

( All he remembers is crazy. )

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