"A lunch date. As friends?" {Eli || James}

I drug James to the Grill. He needed out of the house. Since we both had some type of Lapis on, we were no longer traped inside. I got us a table in the middle of the place. "Look, I'm sorry. But we really need to get out more." I told him as I opened the menu. "Human food really cruves the hunger."

Apparently, Elizabeth had thought it would be a nice day for a well... a day out. It wasn't awkward for them after they had had the sex, but James just wondered, wondered where exactly they would go from there, what would they be, and what else they would need to sort out because he was sure Bonnie wouldn't be too fond of it. It was a good day for him too: his cravings were low, it seemed, and with his Lapis Lazuli that Bonnie made for him as a gift, he was able to walk out into the sun.

James' mouth began watering when they entered the grill, the smell of cooking burgers and beer almost instantly reaching his vampiric senses. Sitting down and opening his menu, he heard Eli speak. "yeah, I know what you mean. Being kept up in that house, it isn't good for either of us." He paused, scanning the burger section. "Especially after we knocked that door down, I'm sure your uncles will kill me the first chance they get" A smirk beginning to show itself on his face at the thought.

I smiled as James looked over the menu. "I fixed it before you got up this morning." I told him, smirking over the salad section of the menu. I looked at the drink menu. a good Sex on the Beach sounded great right now, no pun intended. It was hard to believe that I was fully healed and I had sex with James last night.

"There was no way I was goning to let you stay inside with me all day with my uncles." I told him as I set the menu down and looked at him. "And I thought we could get to know each other better, given last nights events."

A small laugh echoed silently from behind his menu, and could be heard only by those at the table. Good, he thought, wouldn't want to be dead already; would be too short of a vampire life. Finally he chose the burger that he thought sounded the best, before looking over the drink side of the menu. There were a lot to choose from: beer, to soda, and even water. Choosing one, he set the menu back down on to the table.

James nodded to her remark. "yeah, that would be rather boring. Damon going off on how good blood tastes and Stefan telling him to stop." He said, smiling a little. "That does sound like a good idea. Wasn't planning on it to be a one night stand, Eli." He told her, bringing his hand up from below the table and resting it on the surface. It was true, James did want it to perhaps be something more with Elizabeth, even if he didn't come out and say it; he wasn't sure if she would be ready for something like that.

I knew what I wanted, so I placed my menu down. I looked at James as he was chooseing what to have. "My uncles. Cant live with them, cant live without them." At least thats how it was for me since They occasionally saved my hide when I was a human. I smirked at James laugh, which only we could hear.

I looked at him at his comment. I knew he loved Bonnie and she was my best friend. So when he said he didnt want it to be a one night stand thing, it made my unbeating heart jump. "With a track record like mine and a family like mine, would be scared?" I asked him half joking and being half serious. I was jealous when he was with Bonnie because he was just so damn hot. But now, if I took it corectly, he wanted to try a relationship with me?

James lifted up the glass of water that had been brought while they were still looking at the menu's and took a gulp of it; "isn't that the truth" He replied, setting the glass back down to the table, then placed his menu on top of hers (and hoped that Eli had been finished too). It wasn't that he disliked the Salvatore brothers, more so that he wanted to enjoy life as a Vampire, and not get his heart ripped out before he reached a hundred.

"What do you mean, scared? Of getting my heart ripped out, or something else?" He asked, as a waitress came over and asked what they wanted. To which, James spoke: "I'll have the deluxe cheeseburger and a Corona" He told the lady, to which she looked him head to foot and didn't bother asking for I.D before moving onto Elizabeth.

I looked at the water. I picked it then placed it down. I smirked at table top. "I mean as a Salvatore, its kinda easy to make enemys. Lets say I have more enemys then friends at the current time and What I am scared to see is finding you dead because they wanted to get even at me or send a message." I told him. There I admitted I wanted what he wanted. To try something, but I showed him how I felt that he could be harmed by other vampires for my actions.

I looked at the waiteress. "House salad with Italian dressing on the side and a Sex on the Beach." I told her. I worked with her before, but by her next question i knew rules changed here. "Can I see your I.D.?" I looked up at her and once we were in a locked gaze, I compelled her. "You do not need to see my I.D. We will get our drinks on the house." Then as she repaeted my staement, she left. I looked at him hoping he wouldnt be mad at me.

After the waitress had left, James looked at her and smirked. "Isn't this life great" He stated, and laid his right hand on top of hers on the table. He found it nice, how Elizabeth cared about him in such a way as though they were already dating in her eyes. The smirk, still existent on his face, "Well, you don't need to worry about that now" He consoled her. "I'll just try and not piss anyone off that has a short temper, like your uncle Damon, for instance" He mused, and laughed a little. James had known him (Damon) for awhile, he had actually helped get his vampiric tendencies in better order and how to control that urge to rip out someone's jugular.

His mind soon went back to Elizabeth's order. "So. Sex on the beach, is that what we are going to do next?" He asked. It would be relaxing, and would surely take both of their minds off of the current problem that they seem to be worrying about; although since that day was supposed to be them talking, James didn't believe it would end up at the beach.

I placed my elbow on the table and rested my chin on my left hand as he covered my right hand. I moved the hair out of my face. "Yeah, its a good life, now that I can enjoy it." I said smiling. I guess our friend date turned out to be our first lunch date. "Yeah, Damon is a loose cannon." I said thinking about how Damon could snap at any moment.

"Please, the closetes things to a beach here is the cave behind the Falls." I said smirking at him. I was going to be serious with this relationship. I screwed up with Jeremy, and I was not going to be what Mrs. Lockwood and Galvin has labeled me as: The Salvatore Whore. Now I was going to be the Girl Next Door, like I was before my life got complicated. Maybe James was that piece to the puzzle I was needing.

Her hand felt nice, feminine; soft, inside of his. He watched as she bent her head down and leaned it on her uncovered hand. "Enjoy it - how?" He asked, or rather, mused. They had only really had sex one time; not finishing the first before David stormed in and pulled him off into the living area. "I completely agree, but now that he has his things in order, and hasn't gone on a binge, I think he's gotten better with that whole loose cannon thing" He replied, and looked down to her beautiful blue eyes that seemed to be staring off into nothingness.

He smirked slightly, and kept up the stare. "Well, that would work for me. Could always go 'swimming' He joked, or was it real - Although all the sex, he didn't want it to consume their life. There was other things to live for as a Vampire, like love, which he seemed to feel with Elizabeth as she sat across from him at their table.

"Well, when I was bitten I didnt do anything but go around town and tried to talk to people I was in the wrong with. Now, that I'm cured, I can do anything I want." I said as I looked at our hands then back to his eyes. "And when David came in, I felt like It was you being attacked by the wolf and I was saving you." I told him as I looked around the resaurant, which wasnt bust at this hour.

"Yes we could, but how many times can we say we are going 'swiming' or whatever? Sooner or later people will find out." I told him. I didnt want him to feel as if I was giving him mixed signals. I leaned over the table and kissed him, placing my feet in the seat. I hated being short.

The stare between his eyes to hers remained, while his hand continued to hold hers within it. "So, you pretty much made up for all of your demons or sins, whatever they are called nowadays; but now that you're free, you don't have those things holding you down." He replied, blinking once but not moving his eyes elsewhere. "Well, except the small chance that your uncles will figure us out" James joked, and gave her hand a slight squeeze. "and thanks for that, I don't think I ever thanked you for saving me from him" He smiled, moving his eyesight from hers down to the hand that he continued to hold.

James nodded sloppily to her statement. "yeah, I know -- But are you sure it is such a good idea to spread the word about us right now? Would probably be a good idea to tell your uncles first before they hear about it from somewhere else" James said, unsure if it was even the best idea to go about saying that to other vampires that he had only met a few times, and whom were a lot older then him and Elizabeth combined.

I pulled away and sat back down. My obvious approach of a kiss to cover it all up was a failed atempt. "I guess I have. But is free me cleaning up my uncles messes for the rest of forever? I dont want to spend it slaving over the exsitence of supernatural;s getting out." I said as I looked at him. I held ont his hand as he held mine. Our waiteress came back with his beer and my girly-drink.

"Would you rather tell them in person risking your life, or tell them over the speaker and prepare for an ass kicking? I mean it doesnt matter to me if people find out now or five years from now. I do agree that Damon and Stefan need to be told first, but what are you going to do when Bonnie finds out?" It was risky, his love-of-his-life being a witch then our romantic encounters last night almost proving fatal, things were bad, but that didnt scream disaster.

James had zoned out a little, not realizing about the kiss until a few minutes later after the waitress had brought the beverages. He used his hand to crack off the bottle cap then took a sip, before placing it down on the table. "I don't know, to be honest I've never actually been free like you are; although being a supernatural does make it easier, I'm not quite there yet" James replied while a cold bead of water ran down the side of his Corona beer.

At Elizabeth's reply to his question, he shook his head lazily back and forth. "I'll tell Bonnie. But I wouldn't want to cause unnecessary drama between us unless I know that this, us, is something to cause drama about. Y'know?" He questioned, wondering if Eli had thought the same, which was the reason for the lunch that day, or if she had some hidden agenda for that 'date'. "But about your uncles, I think it would be best to tell them in person, it would probably mean more to them knowing I'm not afraid, rather then hiding behind a phone or a PA system."

I looked at him as my hands wrapped around the cold glass of fruit jucies and acohol. I looked at the little umbrella in it and smirked. I took a tiny sip through the straw. "I know I can just leave this town without looking back, but if I do that, I wont feel free but I will at the same time. But you, you're as free as a wild eagle. You can up and leave this town and nothing will change, but if I leave I will be leaving roots, and family and friends who I treat like family. I just dont see what or how I can change my life now and be the free person you see me as." I said looking down feeling ashamed and confused.

"Then you truely are a brave man, telling my uncles about us. I knew they talked to Jeremy when I was human, but I could tell they spooked him, maybe even scared him. But now, since your the first vampire I have been in a relationship with that they know I was with, it could be bad. But if you want to tell them, I applaude you for that." I looked back up at him with my last few statements.Our friend date was becoming more and more as our first date, without me meaning it. Maybe he used my exuse for us to get out of the house as his way of asking me out. Was that his plan the home time? "So do we tell Bonnie and Damon and Stefan together or alone? Like do you want me there with you?"

James looked up to her from his beer while his hand made a loose grip around the cold beverage; she was so cute, he just couldn't get over it: how she could even make drinking out of a straw look sexy, James wasn't able to figure it out. He smirked too, but it could have been because Elizabeth had been doing the exact same thing prior. Her speech seemed very well thought out, like she had practiced it before. He raised the opening of the beer to his lips, slid some into his mouth, and looked into her beautiful, gleaming eyes. "I never meant it that way, El. But, I guess, that is a good way of looking at it. Although I too have friends here, and my mom, then there is Bonnie; of whom I don't even know is related to my roots to this town." He paused, and seemed to almost forget what it was that they were discussing in the first place. "I've done things that I need to live with, and I don't think I will ever be able to correct those acts that I have done." James admitted; only that one time had he actually spoken of what other things he had done in both his vampire life, as well as his human life.

The beer was brought back up to his lips and another gulp, or two, was taken forcefully from the bottle. James held it midair, looking from Elizabeth down to the Corona label that was stuck to the beer bottle. "Thanks, Eli. But the way I see it, if I want to keep seeing you, then they need to know. It's not like I could travel back in time to when I was human, tell them something about it, then come back, and not worry about dieing." He said, his voice wasn't wavering at all, even the thought of her two uncles stripping his limbs off one at a time did not phase him.

"I would say together, but I am not sure how they would take it. It would almost be too obvious if we showed up together holding hands - or something else that couples do."

I looked at the way he was staring at me. Was it a romatic gaze, or was there something on my face? I set my drink down as I wiped my mouth with a napkin. "Who says theres something wrong with having to many friends? Look at me. If anyone has too many friends, Its me." I said before taking another sip of my vodka-ed fruit juice.

james was nice, really nice. He is kind and when he needs to, protective and strong and acts like he would take a stake to the heart for anyone. I looked at his beer bottle which at the current time was half full looking. "You'r right. It would look bad if I wasnt there to tell them with you. And when we do this we cant be like 'Well we have something to tell you' or We have some great news!'. It has to be like a meeting with them. And since Stefan has been MIA for a while, you'll have to answer to Damon."

James' stare moved down to Elizabeth's shoulder; too busy thinking about 'the' conversation between him, her, and her two uncles to notice her wiping her face. However, a smirk absentmindedly showed on his face at the gesture she had made; believing something to be on her face. "yeah. You have tons of people who care about you. But depending on how you look at the situation, those are your ties to this town." James noted, and took another drink from his beer bottle.

He set it down, and looked back to her face from her shoulder; his eyes glazed over her nose, lips, and then stopped on her eyes: so beautiful, he thought quietly to himself while paying attention to what she was saying. "Great, so the one brother with a conscience is not going to be there?" He asked, and left a subtle hint of a joke within it. "I agree though, a meeting would be best rather then springing this on him or them. But no matter which way it goes, I am probably going to get my neck snapped a good few times."

I sighed a little when he said that about Stefan. "Damon and Stefan first met here in Mystic Falls about 50 years without seeing each other. From Stefan's journals, it looks like Damon was the one with a clear mind and his head was on his shoulders corectly. Stefan isnt really what everyone see's him as. Damon, Elena and I can testify that when Stefan goes off the deep end, its bad. So in reality, your dealing with the good uncle." I said before taking another sip of my beverage. "But I do not know what he will do, but I can try to keep him from snapping your neck maybe at least more than twice?"

James' hand remained on the opening of the beer, rubbing the opening absentmindedly between his index and thumb when Eli started talking about when they first arrived at the town. He had taken in every word that she said, and though he had never seen Stefan after he went off the deep end, he expected something bad. "I guess you're right." He replied, "But didn't Damon kill the old football coach, Tanner, or something I think his name was" James noted, "So isn't it perfectly neutral to say that Damon is always bad, just Stefan is worse when he goes off the deep end?" He asked her, and figured the answer would be something along the lines of 'yes'.

He smiled faintly at her response to the snapping of necks. "Thanks El, that means a lot" And he meant it. As a Vampire, James never had his neck snapped at all, he was stabbed once, but that was as a human, not a vampire. So he didn't know what it would feel like to have that much pressure applied to make it snap, then come back to life. "So - when do you want to do it?"

I didnt really want to answer a question that was basically already answered. Why did my family have to be so...predictable? I was supposed to be the girl that everyone knew what she was going to do, but know im the opposite. I sighed at his second question. I didnt need him getting hurt again, but Damon was a wide cannon.

"Maybe after we go swimming?" I asked before taking a sip of my drink, winking at him. I smilied as I sipped. I tried my most suductive face as possible. It may have turned out to be a fail since I was trying. Oh well, it is what it is after all.

He smiled a small goofy grin at her reply; swimming? Something like skinny dipping, he kind of hoped to himself, although just going swimming with her in bathing suits would have been great anyway. He took a drink of the beer, which was almost empty. The thing he didn't really like about it was the skunky taste that it got from being in the sun too long, but besides that Corona was a Mexican beer, the only real thing Mexican that James enjoyed.

"Swimming huh" He said quietly between them. "Sounds like it could be fun" He smiled back to her, noticing her attempt to be sexy. "But I like the idea, swimming would be a good way of - easing the tension, before we need to talk to your uncles" James said, noting the same thing, and set the beer down on the tabletop.

The waiteress finally gave us our food, along with a refill. I looked at her then as she left back at james. Had he always looked like that? So handsome in the sun light? Or was it the fact that we were accepting the fact that we were together? I didnt know. I picked up my fork and took a bite out of my salad. It was cold and crunchey. The flavors of the tomatoes, carrots and crutons were mixing in my mouth. I wasnt much of a savory girl, i liked sweet things. Yet this salad was great.

"Which is why we should turn it into a road trip up to my lake house." I said winking at him before taking another mouthful of lettece and various vegtables.

A grin showed up on James' face as the girl came over with their food, he could practically taste the grease and beef before sinking his fangs into it; the lettuce, it had always been crisp at The Grill, especially the more leafy green parts, not just the white bits. She placed it down, walked away, and noticed Elizabeth's look back to himself. James was having a rather hard time trying to focus on her, after all - he hadn't had very many blood bags before going there, and the burger was the only thing stopping him from thoughts of wanting to dig his fangs into a human.

After he took a bite, the grin was still on his face; he looked back up to her, and set the burger back down on to the plate. "Now that sounds like fun. Just you and me, nobody else. Nothing to... tempt me, or us, away from the time there." He replied, "Especially since I don't enjoy the bunny diet" James noted in a whisper, and gave her a wink with his right eye before popping the top off his second beer. "Is it a nice house? One bed?" He asked her, and then took a sip of the amber liquid.

I looked at him with a grimice on my face. Everything bought by any Salvatore is always made great. "It's more like four beds, One Master wing, huge living room slash kitchen slash study area and perfect lake access. Everything and more." I looked around to see if anyone could hear us before i talked again. "I was never a big fan of the fur diet either. To big a fan of bambi to be one so." I said before finishing off my first drink. I couldnt believe that we were going to do this. Just me and him, log cabin miles from civilization. And I wasnt talking about a weekend get away. I was personally going to pack for a mini vacay away from the am-scray, if you know what I'm talking about.