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Elijah smiled as she slowly stumbled around the room, apologising to inanimate objects she bumped into.
When Hayley had been drinking, she would yell and tell him how useless he was.
When Elena gets drunk, she tells him how beautiful he is.
(Past Elena & Elijah)
“Eliijah.” Elena giggled when he stopped turning the key in the door to look at her.
“Yes, lovely?” His eyebrow quirked at her pink cheeks and lazy smile.
“Hmm…never mind.”
Elijah sighed exaggeratedly and opened the door. “Let’s get you inside.”
He held onto her waist as he helped her up the stairs, softly laughing at her slow tiny steps and-
“Lijaah.” She sang.
“Yes, Elena?”
“You’re so beautiful.”
Elijah blushed as he always does when she compliments him. He still wasn’t used to it.
“Not as beautiful as you.” He kissed her temple and continued pulling her up the stairs.
“Nooo,” she spoke close to his ear. “You’re like, really, reaaally beautiful.”
“Thank you, dear.” He said quietly.
She huffed as she dropped onto their bed, immediately falling onto her back. “How’d you get so beautiful?”
“I drink a lot of water.” He said as he handed her a glass of water.
She scrunched her brow. “Where’d you get this from?”
He smiled. “Oh, you know, the tap.”
“Well, duh.” She said after drinking at least half. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “How’d y’get it so quickly, baby?”
“I put it up here before I came to pick you up.”
She looked down at where he was taking her shoes off and smiled. “How’d I get so lucky, hm?” she sunk down to the floor to straddle his thighs. “I love you sooo much!” she emphasised by kissing him all over his face.
(Past Hayley & Elijah)
His face was resigned as he watched her pacing the room from the corner of his eye.
“Why do you treat me like this, Elijah?” Hayley eyes burned sourly into the side of his face. “I don’t have to put up with this, you know? Jackson treated better than you ever do.”
Elijah sighed. How had this become his life.
“All you do is play your stupid piano at that run-down bar!” She seemed to be getting more worked up by the minute. “Have you ever thought about getting a real job? Maybe try to earn some decent money so we can move out of this shitty apartment and go to nice restaurants? Maybe take a vacation once in a while?”
She picked up a vase resting on the table and threw it at the wall by his head.
He jumped out of his chair as it shattered.
“Are you even listening to me?” She yelled and turned red. “God you really are pathetic, Elijah. I should have picked your brother and not you.”
His eyes shined but he’d learned not to engage her when she was drunk and when it got to this stage, he knew how quickly things could escalate.
“You’re useless.” She seethed. “I can’t think of one thing you’re good for.”
“Well, then maybe you should go back to your ex if he’s so much better than me.” Elijah realised his mistake as soon as he’d spoken.
Her entire body froze “What?”
He sighed in his head and wished he had a drink in his hand.
“Elijah, why would you say that?” Her eyes were quickly tearing up. “Just because we’re having an argument doesn’t mean we should break up!”
He didn’t know why he felt so brave tonight. “All we do is argue!” He yelled into the now quiet space. “Actually, all YOU ever do is yell at me and tell me how horrible I am, so why don’t you leave!”
“So, you hate me, is that it?” Her face was red and her breathing heavy. “I’m a terrible girlfriend and you’d be better off without me.”
Elijah was silent.
“Well, fine.” Her voice cracked as she wiped away the tears. “If you feel that way then maybe everyone else does.”
His face cringed.
“That’s probably why Jackson and I broke up, it’s why Klaus never moved on from Caroline, because I’m just a terrible human being.”
He was still waiting for the moment he knew was coming.
“Maybe the world would be better off without me.”
There it was. Every time. It was why he had never truly left her.
“Don’t say that.”
“Why?” She questioned him. “I should just kill myself and no one will have to put up with me anymore.”
“That’s not what I’m saying!” He moved closer to her.
She started crying again. “Why don’t you love me anymore, Elijah?” She looked at him desperately as her hands came up to his shoulders. “Please, just stay with me and I’ll do better. I will. I’ll be the girl you fell in love with again.”
He swallowed hard as her nails dug into the skin on his neck. Replacing the old marks he’d just got rid of.
“Please.” She quietly begged him.
He nodded. He couldn’t find the words he wanted to say so he just nodded and wrapped his arms around her when she came in for a hug.
“I won’t drink so much next time, Elijah.” She whispered her lies in his ear. “You shouldn’t take the things I say seriously when I’m drunk. I don’t mean them.”
He hummed in agreement.
“Things will be better now.”
He knew that was a lie.
(continuation of past E&E)
He laughed and grabbed the glass of water before she could spill it. “I love you too, Elena.”
“Yay!” She smiled and kissed him again.
“Alright, sweetheart.” He chuckled and pulled her back onto the bed. “Let’s get you ready for bed.”
She smiled sweetly at him. “You’re the best boyfriend in the world, Lijah.”
As he pulled off her clothes to change her into her pyjamas she gasped excitedly.
“I should make you a cake! A ‘best boyfriend’ cake!” He pulled her down as she tried to leave for the kitchen.
“Maybe tomorrow, lovely.”
“It’s gonna be chocolate and caramel.”
‘His favourite.’ he thought with a smile.
“That’s your favourite and you deserve your favourite things all the time.” She spoke as her head popped out the top of her shirt.
Elijah bent down and kissed her forehead. “You are my favourite.”
“M’still gonna make you a cake.”
Elijah chuckled at her determination. “I look forward to it. Let’s get you tucked in.”
(Current E&E)
She looked at him from her spot on the living room floor.
“Why are you laughing at me?” Pouting as he walked over.
“Because you are adorable.” He pulled her up to her feet. “What were you celebrating tonight?”
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Bonnie got a new job remember?”
“Ah.” He nodded and hummed as her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck.
“She’ll be moving here, and I’ll get to see her more than twice a year!”
He smiled as she grinned and jumped up and down a little. “Well, that’s very good news. It’s late,” he looked to the clock. “Let’s get to bed.”
“Are you coming with me?” She yawned as she walked towards the stairs.
“Yes, I’ll be up shortly. I just have to put a few things away.”
“Okay, beautiful man.” She yawned again. “Don’t take too long though, I need cuddles.”
Elijah laughed as she trudged towards their room. “I’ll be as quick as possible.”
He went into the kitchen and put away the plates and cutlery washed earlier in the day. He locked the door and turned off all the lights. Climbing up the stairs he stopped in the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth.
Walking into the bedroom he stripped down to his underwear and climbed under the sheets.
Immediately, Elena, moved into his arms.
“Love you so much, Lijah.” Her voice muffled in his chest.
He closed his eyes and couldn’t believe this was his life.
“I love you with all my heart, Elena.”
End.