[ethan smirks lightly in clearly fond amusement when she doesn't look convinced. you're a good friend, elena gilbert.

he breathes in and then out deeply again, staring into the water before he looks over at her face slowly. his gaze only drifts down when she places her hand on top of his own, and he looks back up at her with a small smile that widens just a bit even if he doesn't bother hiding the ache from his chest in his gaze too.

he sees the way that she looks down like that, and he tilts his head curiously. because they've changed, but... he likes to think he still knows her well enough to sense that there is something there like she knows him well enough to sense things too.] What's wrong?

[it's asked softly and then he breathes in again with a tiny smile.] So in other words, it went to some rift-levels of wackiness with it. Can't say that I'm entirely surprised. I really hope it doesn't force people to my party but I suppose that's one of the worries about throwing a party in a ship like this one. Spontaneous kidnappings. The picking out clothes for people is a tiny bit creepy...

[he smirks a little wider. just a tiny bit.]