but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[quesadilla]

( Caught off guard, Ryan inexplicably rolls an (18) to continue the deception. Sandy is several beers in (8). )

There is finally daylight in my schedule to give it real thought and as many times as I told Seth that World of Warcraft is his thing, his kid is too young, so I gave in. Honestly, whatever they say, Alliance or Hoard, I'm just going to go with.

( Sandy just doesn't process much of that because he doesn't quite care. There is something at the back of his mind, the 'us,' if Seth and Sweets knew each other through Taylor - but, this is Christmas and when his son has a bone he does not let it go.

"Well, I hope your hoarding proves successful," he says, taking his tray of veggie burgers and beer over to the grill. "Caroline, you want to come help me?" he calls back. And even though it's a lovely, nice ask. It's clear. Not an question. )

[vampireboulevard]

Yeah, of course.

[Caroline lives to be helpful. She turns to follow Sandy and once his back is turned, she mouths "thank you" to Sweets, who nods in return. She then turns back, looking over the grill setup before turning back to Sandy.]

What do you need?

[quesadilla]

( "Have you ever grilled before?" he asks, without waiting for an answer as he sets the temperature he wants, letting it heat up. "There's an art to it. A timing. You put the patty on. You watch the flames, the juice. You flip - once - so it doesn't get too dry. There's thought behind it." He holds a hand over the griddle, dropping the top so it can heat up.

"How are you liking a Newport Christmas, Caroline?" )

[vampireboulevard]

[Okay. This is not a conversation about grilling. This is a Conversation, and she is going to put her best girlfriend foot forward.]

It's been lovely. Thank you so much for having me.

[quesadilla]

( "We're happy to have you. And Ryan. The thing is, we haven't seen Ryan in person for over a year now. We know he was only recently affiliated with your charity work and your outreach." Recently in Sandy speak is the last year. "But, we worry about him. Ryan tends to sit in the flames a little too long. Seeks out the grill. Jumps out of the frying pan -- You get it," he explains.

"We just want to make sure Ryan isn't..." )

[vampireboulevard]

I totally get that.

[And she thinks that the person they should be asking is Ryan himself, because she isn't really sure how to talk about it for him. He's been through a lot of change over the course of the last year.

Is she the fire he's referring to?

She's also well aware that Ryan can hear all of this and she doesn't want to misstep.]

If it helps, I don't feel like he's on fire? Or in a frying pan? I'm ... not really sure how this metaphor works. Unless I'm the frying pan in question?

[quesadilla]

( "Life's the frying pan," Sandy says, opening the grill top again and distributing the patties onto the grate. "A life Ryan included us in until he started his involvement in your organization." He turns to her. "And I don't blame you for him checking in less. He is a grown man. I just want to make sure in those times we're kept in the dark, that he has someone. Someone to keep him out of the fire. Or, get him back into the frying pan. It's... not my best metaphor." )

[vampireboulevard]

Oh.

[Okay, that does make her feel better. And even if it's not the strongest metaphor, it's an accurate one.]

I do have his back. I ... I'm still getting to know him in a lot of ways so I don't know him as well as you guys but ... I care about him a lot.

[quesadilla]

( "It shows," he insists. "And Kirsten likes you, which is not an easy get." Kirsten loves them Type-A and feels like since Marissa, Ryan has had that kind of type. "Thank you, for spending this holiday with our family."

He knows something else came up, an emergency that sent her away. But she returned.

He holds the spatula out.

"Want to flip?" )

[vampireboulevard]

Sure.

[She will take the spatula and will very carefully flip the burgers while not getting anything on her outfit.]

And thank you for inviting me. I have my friends and stuff, but it's been a long time since I've been to a real family holiday.

[quesadilla]

( "Ryan said, you lost your mom and dad. We want you to know that, if you ever need anything, we'll never try to compare, but we're all here," Sandy says - half meaning Julie Cooper, too. She's come a long way with all of them as well. He keeps a few questions back about any interactions with Frank, or if she's met Dawn, his mother who isn't doing well but who's further north.

Back at the other group, Ryan looks at Taylor who's caught him. He sips, turning his ears off again. It's Sandy. She knows. She leans into Sweets' side.

"Ryan's listening to whatever Sandy is saying to Caroline." )

[likeababyduck]

Yes, vampires tend to do that.

[And Sweets is not judging. He had a feeling that if his girlfriend was cornered with a parental figure he'd want to be listening in too. He glances over at Ryan.]

Everything okay?

[Caroline swallows because her mom is back now, but ... how does she explain that to Sandy. She won't! Not yet! It's not like she and Ryan are getting married. "I appreciate that. You've all made me feel really welcome."]

[quesadilla]

Yeah. Just Sandy being Sandy.

( It was heavy-handed and a bit vague but the love came across.

"And we will continue to," he insists, dropping the grill front back down. "Alright, you heard my spiel. Go, go back to your boyfriend and his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend." He points with his spatula making it formal more for his amusement. Also, this is Newport. Julia became Kirsten's stepmom that one time. )

[vampireboulevard]

[That is a tangled line of connections but it's not nearly as bad as Mystic Falls so at least there's that. She nods, before making her way back over and glancing over to Ryan.

She knows that he was listening - she's not judging. But did she do good? That's the question that echoes in her glance as she pastes on a smile for Sweets and Taylor.

Sweets nods, glancing between them, before giving Taylor a small squeeze with his arm around her waist. "We should go see if there's any latkes left. We'll see you two back in there?"

Caroline nods.]

Yep. We'll be there in a sec.

[quesadilla]

( Taylor gives a look, like nothing needs to be kept from people, when everyone are friends, but she follows him in, anyway.

Ryan watches them go and then turns to her. )

You okay?

[vampireboulevard]

Yeah.

[She gives him a small smile as she steps closer, wrapping her arms around his waist.]

He's just worried about you and wants to make sure you're okay.

[quesadilla]

I heard. He's - real protective when he wants to be. But, it comes out in his Sandyisms.

( It means Ryan is family. )

Thank you. For enduring.

[vampireboulevard]

This is hardly something that need enduring.

[That phrasing does make her smile.]

Your family is not something I have to endure. I'm having a good time. Really.

[quesadilla]

I know. I can tell. They are, too. If they didn't like you, you'd probably know.

( Or, if they were wary. Or distrustful. )

Thank you, for coming back.

[vampireboulevard]

Thank you for being understanding about our detour.

[She knows she doesn't have to keep thanking him for that, but it's worth being said.]

And thank you for keeping me on track. I know I was crashing out, as the kids say.

[quesadilla]

She's your mother.

( And, even then, if it was Bonnie's grandmother, or anyone else. He respects when Caroline has to step in. )

Your crashouts look a lot different. ( He kisses her forehead, remembering the crashout in question. ) So. Everything you said - with your version of crashing out ( he maintains she is an elegant crashout ) it was just the crashout?

[vampireboulevard]

[Her heartbeat picks up a bit because oh.

Did he hear it?

She doesn't want to make things weird, and it's hard to say, right away, if it's a good thing or not.]

Not all of it was just the crash out.

[A pause.]

But it can be. If any of it is going to make things weird.

[quesadilla]

Things aren't weird.

( He'll maintain that, too. )

And you couldn't make them... any weirder than your mom and other people coming back. ( Well, she could, but not as weird as Taylor could once upon a time. ) I said 'Thank you,' once, the first time Marissa said 'I love you.' I said... thank you.

[vampireboulevard]

Thank you isn't bad.

[That's nicer that some other responses but understandably not ideal.]

I mean, it's not what you hope for. But ... it shows you appreciate the effort.

[quesadilla]

I made up for it. But, I'm not good with it. Great. With it. Taylor tried to get me to say it. ( Hard. ) If your "I love you," wasn't the crash out and it was you. Then, without crashing out on my side, ( He says, he knows leaving her on the end of the sentence. But he means it and wants her to know: he means it. ) I love you, too, Caroline. And, thank you for saying it.