WHO: Stefan Salvatore inyourgreeneyes , Elena Gilbert huntsbunnies , & Miranda Gilbert miranda_gilbert WHAT: Stefan and Elena have Miranda over for dinner and tell her the truth about what they are. WHERE: Their house. WHEN: This evening. RATING: light STATUS: complete!
Stefan pushed out his chair and picked up the three dirty plates, stacking the knives and forks up on top before carrying them to the work surface beside the sink. "I hope that was alright, Mrs Gilbert," he said over his shoulder. Dinner had been really nice - all of them chatting and laughing - although he could tell Miranda was still adjusting to being here. He just hoped what they had to tell her wouldn't be too much.
"Miranda, Stefan, please, you're making me feel much older than I am," she told him softly, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "It was amazing, where did you learn how to cook like that? For such a young man, you have a bright future, have you thought of going to a culinary school?" she asked him, looking over at her daughter for a moment, so happy to see a smile on her lovely face.
Elena was grinning wide, her brown eyes flicking over to her boyfriend as he collected the dishes and walked away. She was glad her mom got to see with her own eyes how amazing Stefan was, how good he was to Elena. It would just make it that much easier to accept the whole truth...at least she hoped. "Stefan's also been teaching me to cook a bit," Elena admitted, turning back to her mother, still smiling, her entire face lit up. Dinner had just been perfect.
"Sorry, Miranda," Stefan said with a light laugh. It was deeply ingrained in him to be polite to people but if she wanted him to use her first name, he would - if it would make her happier and more relaxed. "I've been cooking since I was..." He nearly said 'turned' but managed to stop himself in time. "Since I was young," he corrected, heading back to sit with the other two. He reached out under the table and took Elena's hand. "I might do something with it some day, but for now I'm happy just cooking for your beautiful daughter, and, of course, yourself." He glanced at Elena when she spoke and gave her hand a little squeeze. "Her spanish omlette is amazing."
"Well, you can't be too much older now, silly," she told him, smiling. "And Elena is cooking, that is amazing. No fires?" she asked, teasing her daughter. "And a spanish omlette, that does sound lovely," she told them, then frowned for a moment. They reminded her a lot of Grayson, who wasn't here, and that was killing her. She needed her husband now more than ever.
"Nope, no fires! Though I've kinda burnt Stefan's breakfast a few times," she murmured, entwining her fingers with her boyfriend's and squeezing back reassuringly. She was going to let him lead, after all, he was much better at keeping calm and collected than she was. The girl turned to him and kissed Stefan's cheek quickly--just a little peck--before looking back to her mother. "I'm really glad you came over tonight, mama. That you got to meet Stefan..."
Stefan smiled. She knew he didn't mind a bit of carbon when it was burnt lovingly by her. "Next time Elena will cook for you," he told Miranda with a smile. He was feeling nervous, as he could tell Elena was too, but the time was approaching when they'd have to confess. He took a little breath and smiled again before saying, "And I'm so glad that I could meet you, Miranda. Elena speaks about you all the time. I just hope you think I'm good enough for your daughter."
She smiled at both of them. "You are perfect for her, Stefan, she seems very happy with you. I am sure that you two will be together for a long time. I always thought it would be her and Matt, but I have to say, you are quite the gentlemen," she told him, taking a sip of her water.
Elena didn't really know what else to say. She was so happy her mother liked Stefan and approved of him...but they still had a big hurdle to overcome. She just hoped her mother would take it well see that Elena was still very much the daughter she loved and Stefan was the perfect boyfriend. She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed contentedly.
Stefan gripped Elena's hand tightly. Now was the time. "Elena and I do intend to be together for a long time," he told Miranda, trying to keep his voice calm. "Maybe longer than you anticipate." He paused and glanced at Elena, giving her a soft smile. "You see," he said looking back at Elena's mother. "I am a vampire. And so is Elena. We intend to be together forever."
Miranda stared at the two people that she just had dinner with, one, her daughter... And the other, the boy she was growing to love for how he treated her daughter. And now, she was looking at two monsters, but she tried to stay calm, not letting it effect her. If she reacted, they would kill her, she just knew it. "Oh..." she said softly.
Elena couldn't help it when tears started welling up in eyes at how her mother was watching her. She felt like she was losing her... Elena should have known her mother would just see her as a monster. "Mom...," she breathed out. "I know...how you feel about vampires, okay? And...I've read all the Gilbert journals. But Stefan...this is who he is, mom. This is who we are. It's not an act. We're just people who want to live our lives. Please don't be like John... He tried to kill Stefan and his brother when he knew how much I care about them. ...And yes, I know all about 'uncle' John. I know he's my biological father. I also know about my mother." She wiped her eyes and sat back, pressing her small body closer to Stefan.
"Miranda," Stefan said softly. "Mrs Gilbert, I know this is a lot for you to take in, but please know that I would never hurt you or anyone you care about. Neither of us would." He frowned and slipped out of his chair to kneel beside Elena's, placing his arm comfortingly around her. "This wasn't Elena's choice," he told Miranda. "She didn't want to be a vampire, but she would have died if she hadn't turned. Think what you want of me, but she is still your daughter."
"I see," she said, slowly standing up and putting her napkin down, backing away from the table. "It's okay...Elena, really, it's okay. I just..need some air, is that okay?" she asked, knowing once she was outside, alone, she could make a run for it.
Elena nodded quickly, crying, though she kept her face turned away from her mother, wiping at her eyes and placing a hand on Stefan's shoulder to squeeze it. "Y-yeah..." She promised herself she would try to hold it together, but she couldn't, not even with her boyfriend holding onto her, trying to comfort her. She just needed...she didn't know. "Excuse me..." The young vampire pulled away from her boyfriend and walked quickly upstairs to their bedroom. She closed the door behind her and slid back against the wall, curling up and burying her head against her knees.
Stefan sighed and stood up, letting Elena go. He'd really hoped she wouldn't get upset tonight. She didn't deserve this. "Please, Mrs Gilbert, don't go," he said softly, turning his head back to Elena's mother. "She was so worried about telling you this, but it really wasn't her fault. I don't want her to be upset, and I know you don't either. She just wants her mother. She's missed you so much."
"I-I... I need time to think, Stefan, please... tell her I love her," she whispered and quickly exited the house, running as fast as she could to get home.
Elena used her hearing to listen to what was happening downstairs, biting into her bottom lip to try and keep quiet. She rested her head back against the wall and smiled softly at her boyfriend's words while her kitten, Audrey, wandered over and climbed into the vampire's lap to lay down and nap.
Stefan sighed, watching Miranda go. He wasn't going to force her to stay, but he'd hoped she'd at least want to talk it through. Slowly, he turned and walked up the stairs, heading for the bedroom he shared with Elena. He tapped lightly on the door, resting his cheek against the wood. "Are you okay, love?" he asked her, quietly, knowing she could hear him.
The girl pulled the kitten from her lap and stood up, opening the door so she could lean into Stefan, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek to his shoulder. "I'm sorry... I just...she probably thinks I'm a monster," she said with a whimper, squeezing the man and holding back anymore tears that were threatening to fall down her cheeks. "Everything was going so well too..."
Stefan took a little step back when the door opened before folding Elena into his arms. "I know, I know," he said softly, lifting his hand to gently stroke her hair. "It'll be okay. She just needs time." He pressed his lips to her forehead before pulling back a little to look down at her. "She'll come back, and you can cook for her and in time she will see that we're not evil."
"Okay, Stefan." She pulled her head back and looked into his eyes, managing a small smile and a dry laugh. "I'm such a mess... Ugh, I just...I want to cuddle and...maybe have some whiskey and ice cream." Elena kissed his lips gently, then buried her face against his neck, nuzzling at his cool skin, letting the man's embrace comfort her.
Stefan gave a sad little smile, letting his chin rest on the top of her head. "You get the whiskey, I'll get the ice cream?" he asked her, his hand still stroking her hair and her back in the process. "We can come up to bed and watch a film with Penelope and Audrey."
"Sounds good by me," she murmured against him, running her hands up and down his back in a comforting motion. Without Stefan, Elena would be so stuck and lost. Sometimes, when she couldn't hold it together--like now--he had to be the one to do it for her. He had to be her glue. She was looking forward to just snuggling up in bed and de-stressing with the man she loved and would always love.