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fandomweekly2019-09-08 08:06 pm
iluvroadrunner6) wrote in fandomweekly2019-09-08 08:06 pm
Entry tags:
[#022] I'm Getting Older Too (The Vampire Diaries-verse)
Theme Prompt: #022 – Change of Season
Title: I’m Getting Older Too
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries-verse
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes.
Word Count: 762
Summary: Caroline is starting to feel her age as the current chapter of her life closes.
“Don’t you think you’re being a little melodramatic?”
Caroline may be a little older than she was in high school, but the withering stare she bolsters has never changed. Alaric’s been on the receiving end of it more than once in their quarter century of co-parenting experience together, and he doubts the one in this moment is the last one he will ever receive, but it is one that makes him laugh in her over defensiveness of the situation.
The two of them were basking in the calm following the storm after Josie’s celebratory graduation lunch after receiving her master’s degree. The twins had just breezed out, off to celebrate with their friends in a party that was certainly no parents allowed, leaving Alaric and Caroline alone at their outdoor table, splitting a bottle of scotch – Caroline looking every bit as youthful as their children, while Alaric looks a bit grayer around the edges.
“I think I’ll take that as a yes.”
He passes a glass across the way to her and she takes it with a scowl, before leaning back in her seat with a huff. “I can’t believe our babies are old enough that they’re starting careers of their own and going off into the world and … don’t need me anymore.” She takes a healthy sip of her scotch before she continues. “You know, these parenting blues were supposed to skip me because of the whole vampire thing, and now I’m the one going through them first? How the hell is that fair?”
“Because the world is a funny, funny place.”
Caroline doesn’t heed his comment, instead she finishes the rest of her drink. “It’s not that funny.”
“I do think it’s a little funny that you’re complaining to me, of all people, about how all your romantic interests are dead.”
That comment seems to mellow her theatrics a little, and the look she offers him next is more apologetic. “I’m sorry. You’re right, that was unfair.”
“What are you so worried about, Caroline? It’s not like you’re actually getting any older.”
“But I am.” There’s a pause as she tries to figure out how to articulate the discomfort with all of this. “When I was seventeen the idea of living forever didn’t feel as … endless, you know? It was an adventure, and for a while Tyler and I were going to do it together. And then we weren’t anymore, and Klaus happened, and he promised me forever all over again, and that didn’t happen either –”
“Which was for good reasons.”
“It was. I don’t want to take that away from him either. And then I married Stefan for whatever our human ever after was going to be and that turned out to be all of a day.” Will Caroline ever be over that? Absolutely not. “I just … I had the girls to keep me going for a while, and finding a solution for the merger, but that was solved and they don’t need me anymore.”
“They’ll always need their mother, Caroline.”
“And eventually they’ll be gone too.” Which hurts to say, but it’s true. “The weight of forever is starting to feel a lot heavier these days. It didn’t used to.”
“Then it sounds like you just have to start your next chapter.”
“And what’s that supposed to be?”
“I don’t know. That’s for you to figure out. You’re not my student anymore. Haven’t been for a long time.”
Caroline looks over at him with a small smile, trying not to see the wrinkles around his eyes and focus on the young history teacher he used to be, and nods. “Guess I have to start turning my own pages, rather than waiting for them to be turned for me.”
“I have confidence that you will figure it out.” He finishes off his glass, before reaching for the bottle again. “And until then, you can just sit with me and feel old that we have two grown children with a lot of student debt and full lives ahead of them.”
She laughs, and at first she considers declining, but just as she’s about to get up and make her way onto the street, thunder cracks overhead and a sudden summer downpour fills the streets, the first of the season. There’s a small shriek as she feels herself starting to get wet, that turns into a laugh when she realizes there’s no stopping it.
“Maybe we should take this inside?”
Alaric laughs as well, before grabbing the bottle and climbing to his feet. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Title: I’m Getting Older Too
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries-verse
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes.
Word Count: 762
Summary: Caroline is starting to feel her age as the current chapter of her life closes.
“Don’t you think you’re being a little melodramatic?”
Caroline may be a little older than she was in high school, but the withering stare she bolsters has never changed. Alaric’s been on the receiving end of it more than once in their quarter century of co-parenting experience together, and he doubts the one in this moment is the last one he will ever receive, but it is one that makes him laugh in her over defensiveness of the situation.
The two of them were basking in the calm following the storm after Josie’s celebratory graduation lunch after receiving her master’s degree. The twins had just breezed out, off to celebrate with their friends in a party that was certainly no parents allowed, leaving Alaric and Caroline alone at their outdoor table, splitting a bottle of scotch – Caroline looking every bit as youthful as their children, while Alaric looks a bit grayer around the edges.
“I think I’ll take that as a yes.”
He passes a glass across the way to her and she takes it with a scowl, before leaning back in her seat with a huff. “I can’t believe our babies are old enough that they’re starting careers of their own and going off into the world and … don’t need me anymore.” She takes a healthy sip of her scotch before she continues. “You know, these parenting blues were supposed to skip me because of the whole vampire thing, and now I’m the one going through them first? How the hell is that fair?”
“Because the world is a funny, funny place.”
Caroline doesn’t heed his comment, instead she finishes the rest of her drink. “It’s not that funny.”
“I do think it’s a little funny that you’re complaining to me, of all people, about how all your romantic interests are dead.”
That comment seems to mellow her theatrics a little, and the look she offers him next is more apologetic. “I’m sorry. You’re right, that was unfair.”
“What are you so worried about, Caroline? It’s not like you’re actually getting any older.”
“But I am.” There’s a pause as she tries to figure out how to articulate the discomfort with all of this. “When I was seventeen the idea of living forever didn’t feel as … endless, you know? It was an adventure, and for a while Tyler and I were going to do it together. And then we weren’t anymore, and Klaus happened, and he promised me forever all over again, and that didn’t happen either –”
“Which was for good reasons.”
“It was. I don’t want to take that away from him either. And then I married Stefan for whatever our human ever after was going to be and that turned out to be all of a day.” Will Caroline ever be over that? Absolutely not. “I just … I had the girls to keep me going for a while, and finding a solution for the merger, but that was solved and they don’t need me anymore.”
“They’ll always need their mother, Caroline.”
“And eventually they’ll be gone too.” Which hurts to say, but it’s true. “The weight of forever is starting to feel a lot heavier these days. It didn’t used to.”
“Then it sounds like you just have to start your next chapter.”
“And what’s that supposed to be?”
“I don’t know. That’s for you to figure out. You’re not my student anymore. Haven’t been for a long time.”
Caroline looks over at him with a small smile, trying not to see the wrinkles around his eyes and focus on the young history teacher he used to be, and nods. “Guess I have to start turning my own pages, rather than waiting for them to be turned for me.”
“I have confidence that you will figure it out.” He finishes off his glass, before reaching for the bottle again. “And until then, you can just sit with me and feel old that we have two grown children with a lot of student debt and full lives ahead of them.”
She laughs, and at first she considers declining, but just as she’s about to get up and make her way onto the street, thunder cracks overhead and a sudden summer downpour fills the streets, the first of the season. There’s a small shriek as she feels herself starting to get wet, that turns into a laugh when she realizes there’s no stopping it.
“Maybe we should take this inside?”
Alaric laughs as well, before grabbing the bottle and climbing to his feet. “I couldn’t agree more.”
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