Chapter 42: Date Night
The evening sun was slowly descending over Mystic Falls, casting a warm golden glow between the trees, while a peaceful stillness settled over the town. Only the distant call of birds whispered in the horizon. At the Salvatore house, the atmosphere pulsed with a quiet rhythm, laced with the familiar scent of humor and brotherly teasing.
This time, Stefan stood in front of the long mirror in his room, adjusting the collar of his navy-blue shirt for the third time. The fabric looked perfectly pressed, and his hair was styled with near-perfection. On the table beside him lay a small bouquet of lavender and white flowers, exuding a calm fragrance that brought a sense of serenity.
By all standards, it was a date night.
"You know…" came Alexander's voice from the doorway, gently sarcastic, "you look like you're heading to propose to a queen, not meeting Caroline at the Grill."
Stefan glanced at him, then gave a faint smile. "I want tonight to be special."
"Very sweet." Alexander muttered with a side-smirk as he walked confidently into the room. "Want me to come with you? Hold your hand for moral support?"
"How kind of you," Stefan said dryly.
Before anything else could be added, Damon strolled in, bourbon glass in hand, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Actually, I was just about to offer to braid your hair and write you a love poem, but Alex beat me to it."
"You two are insufferable," Stefan muttered, picking up the bouquet.
Alexander leaned against the wall. "All I'm saying is, you've got the same look you had when we were about to fight Kol's army. Isn't that a little dramatic for a date?"
"A little?" Damon repeated mockingly. "If his shirt were any stiffer, it could stop bullets."
Stefan sighed, adjusting his cuffs again. "Are you two finished?"
"Not at all," they said in unison.
---
Outside Mystic Grill, Caroline was waiting, wearing a soft pink dress, her hair curled in neat golden waves, and a bright smile lighting up her face.
When Stefan arrived, her eyes lit up with pure joy.
"You brought flowers?" she asked with sweet surprise.
"Of course," he said, handing her the bouquet. "You deserve them."
She took them with a warm smile, her fingertips brushing against his. "You're lucky I love you. Otherwise, I'd assume you were trying to dodge a fight."
They walked inside, surrounded by the familiar scent of food and familiar faces. A table awaited them in the corner, lit by a single gently flickering candle.
"This is really lovely," Caroline said as she sat.
Stefan replied softly, "I wanted tonight to be about you. Not vampires, not curses, not blood feuds. Just us."
She reached across the table, her fingers intertwining with his. "Then let's do that."
---
Back at the Salvatore house, Damon and Alexander sat by the fireplace, glasses in hand, the fire dancing across their faces.
"You think he's kissed her yet?" Alexander asked with an amused look.
"Oh, definitely. He kissed her in his mind thirty-seven times before he even left the hallway," Damon said without hesitation.
"Romantic."
"Tragic."
They both laughed—a clear, light laugh.
Then, in a softer voice, Alexander said, "Still… it's nice to see him smile again."
Damon nodded slowly. "Yeah… they're good together."
Alexander leaned back, stretching his legs. "But I'm still going to mock him when he gets back."
"No doubt," Damon said, raising his glass.
---
At the Grill, Stefan and Caroline finished their dinner and stepped out into the refreshing night air. They walked quietly through the town streets, hand in hand, the stillness embracing the town like it was asleep in peace.
"Did you ever think we'd get moments like this?" Caroline whispered.
"Not in a long time," Stefan replied in a low voice. "But I'm glad we are now."
She leaned on him, her head resting on his shoulder. "Even amidst the chaos, with everything that's happened… I'm happy."
He raised his hand, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Me too."
He kissed her under the streetlight—a quiet, lingering kiss, speaking of silent promises and unspoken healing.
---
When Stefan returned home late that night, his shirt was slightly wrinkled, and his hair tousled as if the wind had played with it. Both Alexander and Damon were waiting.
"So?" Alexander asked with arms crossed. "Did you cry?"
"I didn't cry," Stefan said defensively.
"He totally cried," Damon commented with a smirk.
"You two need hobbies," Stefan muttered.
"You are our hobby," Damon replied with a grin. "Welcome home, Romeo."
Stefan shook his head, but the smile on his lips didn't fade.
---
The Next Morning
The morning sun had not yet fully stretched over the Salvatore lawn in Mystic Falls when Alexander sat at the edge of his bed, elbows on knees, eyes fixed on the floor as if it held the secrets of the universe. His hair was messy, he hadn't put on a shirt yet, and his hands trembled slightly.
He was nervous.
Not "facing Kol and his undead army" nervous—worse. It was a date.
Damon leaned against the doorframe, smirking, arms crossed, coffee mug in hand. He asked in a playful tone:
"Are you dying, or just trying to decide if your socks need to match?"
Alexander mumbled, "I think I'm dying."
Stefan entered behind Damon, biting into a green apple, and said quietly:
"You've fought monsters, literally died. This is just dinner."
Alexander suddenly raised his head. "Exactly, just dinner! That's the problem! What do I say? Do I open doors for her? What if she hates the place?"
Damon chuckled and walked over to him. "Have you never been on a date before?"
Alexander looked away, his face flushing. "I've been cursed since I was a kid, Damon. No one wants to date a guy who screams at night and breaks rocks with his bare hands."
Stefan put the apple down and said gently, "You'll be fine… just be yourself."
Alexander sighed sharply. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of."
Damon patted his shoulder with a grin. "And if it goes horribly, at least we'll have a story to talk about for the next hundred years."
When evening finally came, Alexander stood by the door, dressed in a sleek black shirt with sleeves rolled to his elbows and dark jeans. He looked sharp… though the tension in his posture and the nervous set of his features remained.
Then… the doorbell rang.
Damon raised an eyebrow playfully. "Moment of truth."
Alexander whispered, hands sweaty, "I can't do this."
Stefan smiled confidently. "You already are."
Alexander opened the door.
And there she was.
Bonnie Bennett.
Wearing a long black coat over a deep green dress, her hair pulled back softly, and a warm smile on her lips.
She said gently, "Hi."
Alexander blinked, stammering, "You… you…"
She smiled. "Beautiful? Yes, I am."
She stepped inside, and immediately Stefan and Damon's jaws dropped.
Damon pointed and exclaimed, "You?!"
Bonnie looked at them and teased, "Surprised by my taste?"
Alexander rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I didn't say who it was… I was afraid I'd jinx it."
Bonnie placed her hand on his arm and said kindly, "Let's go before these two die of shock."
As they left, Damon whispered to Stefan, "Did you see that? She touched his arm… willingly."
Stefan muttered, "I think I need a drink."
---
Mystic Grill was quiet, as if the entire night had been crafted just for them, thanks to Bonnie's magic and a bit of persuasion.
They sat by the window, candle flames flickering between them. At first, they said nothing, just exchanged looks—a blend of tension and disbelief, as if they weren't quite sure this was real.
Bonnie smiled and pointed at his plate. "You won't explode if you take a bite, you know."
Alexander chuckled nervously. "I'm still not sure this isn't a dream."
She raised a brow. "You've died before, Alexander. I think you know the difference by now."
He looked at her with eyes softer than anyone had ever seen from him, and said, "Thank you… for bringing me back."
She shrugged humbly. "I wasn't alone. Your brothers—"
He gently interrupted, "But you were the one who believed it could work, even when you were scared. That… means something."
Her cheeks colored slightly, and she looked down at her plate.
She said lightly, "I figured someone had to balance out all the madness in this town."
He laughed—a real laugh, from the heart. It was the first time Bonnie had heard him laugh like that since his return from death.
And that night… they talked.
About everything. The curse. The pain. The loneliness. And about Bonnie—her magic, the burden of always saving others, and how, for once, someone had tried to save her.
---
Hours later, walking back to the Salvatore house, stars were scattered across the sky like dreams waiting to be caught.
At the doorstep, Bonnie looked at him.
She asked with a gentle smile, "Would you like to do this again?"
Alexander looked at her—this time calm, without nerves, without fear—and said with certainty, "Yes."
She kissed his cheek lightly and whispered, "Next time, you choose the place."
Then she turned and disappeared into the night.
Alexander stood there, smiling, unaware of the two silhouettes watching him from the upstairs window.
Stefan, arms crossed, said, "I think he's officially lost his mind."
Damon replied with a grin, "No… I think he's finally found it."
---
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