Chapter Text
After locking Stefan, Lexi on guard duty, and witnessing Caroline win Miss Mystic Falls, with a beautiful, tense, emotional dance between Elena and Damon, Henrik finally took a deep breath.
Tyler, next to him, handed him the bottle of whiskey.
"Underage."
"Me too."
"I'm fourteen, Tyler."
"Your loss."
Henrik shook his head as he looked at Tyler's profile.
"Matt told me something yesterday...interesting. And unexpected."
Tyler visibly stiffened, then asked. "What did he say?"
"About you. And me, I guess."
Tyler looked at him before picking up the phone and handing it to Henrik.
"Look how I saved you."
Henrik picked up the phone and, after finding the conversation between him and Tyler, looked at the callsign.
Babe <3
Henrik coughed, embarrassed, his cheeks blushing.
"I know I was an idiot. And I should have listened to Matt's advice on how to get a boyfriend. But…I thought any attention was better than none. Even if you ended up hating me. At least you thought about me."
"Your plan to get with me was to make me hate you, then remember you and then? What? Upset my expectations?"
"Yes, something like that."
"Well, it was a bad plan."
"What was I supposed to do?"
Henrik pretended to think about it, before reaching out, taking the boy by the tie and kissing him deeply.
"That would have been a good method, I think."
"Make you addicted to me?"
"Tyler, we Gilberts don't get addicted."
"I know. It's me who needs you."
"I've never been with anyone, Tyler. If you really want to be with me…you have to go slow."
"Slow and steady. For the long game. Not a problem."
"Are you sure?"
"You're worth all the waiting, Henrik. We can even go as fast as a paralytic slug, if that means I've got you."
"Well, we can always kiss. No need to go so slow."
"It's wonderful news."
The two resumed kissing, without thinking, for once, of the whole mess of the supernatural.
********
Jeremy watched Henrik, thinking hard.
"You have something different about you. Are you alright?"
"I don't know what you mean, Jer. I'm brilliant!"
Jenna, drinking a cup of coffee, smiled. "Too bright. What time did you get back last night?"
"Around half past eleven. Tyler walked me to the door."
"Tyler, huh? Anything you want to tell us?"
"No I do not think so."
Someone ring the doorbell, and John walked into the kitchen with Tyler.
"Hello Henrik!"
The older boy bent down to leave a tender kiss on the lips of the younger one, who blushed.
"Nothing you want to share, huh?"
"No, I'm sticking to my answer. I'll be back tonight."
"Where are you going?" Jeremy asked, amazed.
"I'm taking Henrik to the movies and skating. He has to do it at least once, right?"
"Don't be late, okay?"
The two nodded before leaving.
"Didn't you tell your relatives about us? Why?"
"And hearing Aunt Jenna gloat? No thanks. I'd rather live."
Henrik took Tyler's hand and with a smile he leaned down to kiss him.
Henrik smiled kindly, before reaching for the phone to check it
"Hey, no. Nothing like that today."
"There could be an emergency or… it could be needed magic or..."
"Vampires are older than you and can get by for a day without you. And for magic, for once Bonnie might come in handy and help her friends, don't you think?"
"But..."
Tyler took his phone, slipping it into his pocket, before kissing the boy deeply.
"No but. Today is for us."
"Okay. You got me, Tyler. Just a date today with two guys. No vampires and no drama."
"This is the spirit!"
The two walked towards the cinema, holding hands the whole way.
************
"Come on, come towards me, Henrik."
"I will fall and die. And then, what will happen to my sister? She will be alone in a cruel world."
Tyler snorted, before reaching out to help Henrik take a few steps.
"See? It's not difficult. Trust yourself."
"I'm not very reliable, Tyler. Better not risk it."
"Trust me, then."
"You don't seem very trustworthy. Honestly speaking."
"Come on, step forward and let yourself go."
"If I fall I will haunt you forever with the I told you so."
"Right. Ready?"
Henrik did as Tyler had repeatedly told and explained to him, then released the edge and leaned his weight forward.
After a while, when he had a good balance and had decided to try his luck faster, someone passed close to him, knocking him over.
Of course, Henrik was still holding Tyler's hand and when he fell, the boy followed soon after.
"I told you so."
Tyler, below him, let out a clearly audible moan, then muttering. "You're going to be awful, aren't you?"
"That's all I live for, dear Tyler."
"Delightful."
The slightest shroud of concern darkened the younger boy's beautiful jade green eyes, a shroud that Tyler couldn't stand in any way.
Then, he stood up, using his elbows to apply pressure and, flexing his well-trained abs (grateful for once for all the exercises Tanner had imposed on them), Tyler reached up to leave a long, sweet kiss on the boy's lips.
A round of applause separated them.
The two turned, flushed, to see Caroline holding her phone.
"I took a picture of you! You are so cute!"
The two, still red, decided to leave, away from the blonde stalker who would have inevitably embarrassed them.
********
Henrik got home in time to see his extremely happy sister.
"Oi, I thought you were camping at Damon and Stefan's?"
"Stefan's fine. Lexi cleared him and he and Damon are working out whatever problems they had with their transformation. Isn't that wonderful, Henrik? Everything is running fine, for once!"
Henrik nodded, and when he started to tell her about his day, wanting to tell her everything, Elena continued. "I have to go, now. I want to get some sleep and then tomorrow Stefan and I spend the day together. Isn't it wonderful?"
Elena didn't wait for Henrik's response before closing the bedroom door, leaving her younger brother outside.
That, for once, he was speechless, not sure what to say or even think.
Elena had never done this before.