[journal entry][open]

[eluding]

Speed Dating Event

So I am incredibly bored. [By bored, he means if he doesn't have something to occupy his mind at all times, he might actually lose his mind in things he doesn't want to and can't think about at all so bored. bored's an accurate enough sum up, right?] Clearly, the answer to this is to throw a little event for those who might want to participate. It is obviously not mandatory, and it will mostly be a party. I haven't thrown a party in a very long time, but I don't think I have lost the ability to do so. [or maybe this is a test of that, he doesn't really know.]

There will be delicious food made by yours truly! [hopefully still delicious, he hasn't made food for a lot of people in a very long time, but he returned to the kitchen before he disappeared, dragged through the door again]

There will be music, dancing, mingling, and talking!

And for those who'd like to, there will be speed dating. You sit at a table for five minutes, meet someone new, discuss things, get to know one another. Romance is not required. Make a friend, make a connection. Take the pressure off. Wear your fancy name tag with your preferences on it whether that's very specific preferences or none at all!

There will even be a table to share advice at whether it be romantic or otherwise if you want to give advice or if you need advice on wooing or what to use to get a particular stain out of your shirt or what have you. ;) It will be this weekend so if you're on the ship and want to stop by, feel free!

If you have any questions or any concerns, feel free to ask me them! I'm here all night while I plan out a menu. Also, I might make food while planning out a menu so there will be extra food in the main kitchen if anyone wants to eat anything.

[Locked Against his Older Brothers]

I know three very eligible bachelors, who just so happen to be my brothers. I absolutely want to sell up their qualities like nobody's business. They all have dark hair and are very tall. Many have considered them attractive. They were raised by a very wonderful woman who taught them proper manners and how to respect women.

There is one gentleman in his early thirties who is rough around the edges but a softy at heart. He enjoys a glass of whiskey, can curse like a sailor, but once you get past that rough exterior, you've got a person who is very protective and amazing in my opinion. Irish accent. His name is Adam.

There is another gentleman who is in his late twenties. He is very logical, smart, wise, and responsible while also being very caring. In fact, he practically helped our mother raise all of us growing up which means he had to put up with all of my shenanigans, which I have to tell you were pretty wild and occasionally dangerous. However, he always did so with utter patience. British accent. His name is Logan.

Finally, you have the gentleman and brother I am closest to. He is polite, charming, very easy to talk to and very caring and perceptive of and giving to those that he cares about. He is the most loyal person that I know, and he's also a lot of fun to be around. British accent. His name is Connor.

I highly recommend the three of them. ;) Individually naturally as they are not a package... deal.

Comments

[resuming]

Speed-dating, huh? [ this is such an ethan-like thing to do, she can't help that it makes her smile. (she's missed his cooking.) ]

[eluding]

Speed-dating, the real deal! You know you're interested, Ms. Elena. ;) It will be fun!

[locked to elena]

Alek has a new budding romance, and he suggested I focused my attention on our eldest brothers' lack of love lifes instead of his own, which obviously gave me the idea to spread that focus to all. Very generous of me. [he's joking about that last sentence, okay? he doesn't actually think he is generous, and his reasoning was more selfish than anything but you know.]

[resuming]

I might be. [ more like she's interested in what ethan's really up to, and since he goes on to explain in the locked portion of this comment, she is pleased such curiosity is being sated. ]

[ locked to ethan ]

I have a feeling that's likely not what Alek had in mind when he made the suggestion. [ in fact, knowing ethan's younger brother, it was probably an offhanded, smart ass comment and ethan is now running with it. ]

[eluding]

Oh, you might be? I can appreciate that answer because it is both mysterious and intriguing. Leaves people wondering on whether or not you'll show up. ;)

[locked]

Well, likely not at all what he had in mind, no, but I thought it was a fairly logical next step. [ethan simply has very, very special logic at the end of the day, okay? he can't be blamed.] Hopefully no one tells them about this whole... describing them without their knowing thing or I might be in trouble.

[resuming]

I like leaving some things up to mystery. ;) [ you charming man you. ]

[ locked ]

You could always add that it's meant to be a surprise for them? Although I'm sure they will eventually connect the dots. [ there's a small pause here, and then she rectifies: ] Logan will connect the dots. [ she loves all of y'all but logan's the bright one there ok. ]

[eluding]

Very smart of you. [look, it is a personality trait of his. charm. :')]

[locked]

You're absolutely right. Logan will definitely connect the dots. In other words, I am... very much in trouble. [thankfully he is very accustomed to being in trouble. he is kind of a troublemaker, and by kind of, we mean he really is.

no matter how old he may be and how much he has been through, the charm and troublemaking hasn't been ripped away completely.]

locked until infinity and beyond!!!!!

[resuming]

If I remember correctly, you don't mind trouble.

[ he is all about the mischief and the troublemaking. or rather, he was. elena is aware they've both been in places that would inevitably change them, even if she doesn't know what those changes are yet. but she can feel them. she does. ]

jrkel;a /buzzlightyear!!!!!!

[eluding]

You remember very correctly, Ms. Elena.

[they change and they change again. they remake themselves. they move forward even when it's hard, even in the face of a lot of changes. he knows she has changed too.

he knows they both wish they could stay on this ship always with the same painful understanding that that isn't possible. but they've all found each other again on this ship when they never thought they'd see each other again, that means... something, right?]

How have you been?

[resuming]

[ it's not so much that elena wants to stay on this ship.

but she does want to find a way to control the door so that they can all have the choice. so that ethan can be with his brothers on the other side of that door. so that damon doesn't have to go back to that awful world and he and stefan don't have to lose each other all over again. so that she can bring bonnie and caroline with her, wherever she may end up.

they out of anyone really know what it means to remake themselves. they've had to time and again. ]

I've been okay. [ there's a tiny smile, not that he can see it. ] I'm out by the pool, if you care to join me.

[eluding]

[ethan doesn't know what he wants anymore. maybe that's part the trouble.

control the door, go somewhere else. isn't that just escaping a fate he was meant to have the moment he fell into that world? he doesn't really know anymore, and he doesn't try to think about it. before he left the last time, he tried to look into how to alter the door, how to control it.

now he just tries to hold on to whatever little time he has while he has it here, always wants more since every time he leaves its for months at a time, and the terribly true thing is he has all the time in the world, just not spent with people he loves.]

I always care to join you, Elena Gilbert. I'll be out in a moment.

[resuming]

[ elena would want him to hold on to what time he has here.

she would want him to spend as much time as he possibly can with his brothers, the way she would want damon to do so. she'll take care of everything else, in her mind. she has nothing to lose by trying, or if she does, it's a risk she's willing to take at this point. she still has plenty of nerve and even more drive to see this through to the finish line. she's just waiting on clark to give her the go-ahead.

when he comes out to the pool, he'll find elena sitting on the edge of it, her knees dangling in the water. next to her is a tiny dalmatian who looks intrigued by the prospect of all this water, sticking its paw into the pool experimentally. ]

[action]

[eluding]

[elena, no. this is incorrect, because he wants to spend time with her too while he can. she's his best friend. she's family, and she always will be how ever long it has been, how ever much has happened.

he does not come out to the pool alone either. the first thing he tried to do when eh got back into a kitchen, to push himself through the anxiety of being in a kitchen again and wondering if he'd lost his touch was to make those infamous chocolate chip cookies. he wonders if logan has the recipe. he thinks their mother only gave it to him so he needs to pass that along while he can.

he's got some on a plate as well as glasses of milk as he watches her from a distance and smiles softly at the sight of the dalmation.]

...when did you get an absolutely adorable puppy? [it's asked as he sinks down to the edge of the pool beside her with a tiny smile.] Hi.

[darkplace]

[john hasn't really gotten the chance to talk to elena since the night of the ball. he doesn't know what she was thinking about the last time they saw each other or why she pulled them back inside when that was the last thing that he wanted.]

What is speed-dating?

[also, hi, elena]

1/2

[resuming]

[resuming]

[ hi, john. ]

It's this... dating system, I guess you can call it. Like formal matchmaking for a large group of people. You set a time limit on how long a conversation lasts, and then move on to the next person until you find someone you don't want to move away from.

[darkplace]

I didn't realize that was a thing. Sounds like it could be fun, an easy way to meet people if that's what you want anyway. [well ;)]

So what happens when you find someone you don't want to move from? [just asking.]

[resuming]

Um, well. I think in this case it's less formal speed-dating and more Ethan wanting everyone to get to know each other. [ ]

There's this date card you're given at the start. You write down their name if you'd like to see them again. [ stUFF ]

[darkplace]

It's a good idea. People should get to know each other on the ship especially with the impending trips to find answers. Help people trust each other more. []

What if you know before you go into speed dating whose name you'd want to write on that date card?

[resuming]

[ WAILS ]

[resuming]

Then I'm... not sure you need speed-dating.

[ WAILS MORE.








wait. ]

You know about the trip?

[darkplace]

There was a journal entry.

[NOW




ON TO MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS]

So maybe I just need a date?

Can you ask someone on a date to speed-dating?

[resuming]

Right.

[ she did not forget. she's been on top of things.

SHE READS THINGS.



noooooo closes journal tosses it runs away maybe not really. ]

I mean, you are allowed to bring a date if you want to, I'm just not sure that's how speed-dating works.

Or this ship.

[ REMEMBER. ]

[darkplace]

Maybe I don't care if that's not how speed-dating.

Or this ship.

[ohhhhhhh shnap

what then, gurl.

there's a slight pause from him before he smirks lightly, because he knew when he opened up the journal and saw her words there exactly what he was going to ask. he's wanted to kiss her since their moment on top of the ship. he doesn't know what she felt or went through after the ball.]

Do you want to go on a date with me to speed-dating, Elena?

[resuming]

That's not what you said the other night.

[ unless she read things totally wrong. which she is starting to realize she did.

BUT HE SAID STUFF. BALLOON DEFLATING STUFF. STUFF THAT KEPT HER FROM MAKING A MOVE. SHE HAS GOT MOVES, SON.

noooo. she is so dumb. ]

You're asking me out.

[darkplace]

What I said... the other night?

[john doesn't even know what she is talking about.

HE DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE WERE GOING TO BE MOVES or that her balloon deflated before she could make those moves.

it's why he is confused at the moment, because he is directly making the move to ask her out and she seems confused and he thought there was a THING between them. a spark.]

Yes. I'm asking you out.

Am I really doing that badly at it? [he's never really done this before okay? but he thought it was... clear at least? MAYBE.]