𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍:
Failed persuasions
(S2:E16 - The house guest)

"DO YOU JUST WAKE UP IN THE MORNING and decide to be a bitch, or is it some sort of mood swings?" Stefan asks Genesis in a mocking tone after Genesis tells him to shut up his mouth and that no one wants to hear his voice so early in the morning.

Genesis gives him a sweet smile, then she puckers her red lips to the side, tilting her head, raising an eyebrow as her pointing finger rests on her cheek, pretending to ponder, "I don't know, Stefan. Maybe my inner bitch comes out when it sees your brooding hero face, and it just whispers into my ear-" Her voice lowers into a teasing whisper, "Be a bitch to Stefan and his ugly hero hairdo."

Stefan was about to respond, and then Genesis shushed him.

Stefan offendedly looks at her, "Did you just shush me?" Elena watches their interaction quietly, not wanting to interrupt.

"I did." Genesis smiles at him, "You're going to be late for school." Genesis teases him as she waves at them goodbye.

Damon walks up to her with a chuckle. "Gen."

"Damon," Genesis responds with a roll of her eyes as she plops down on the brown leather couch. "How's the stab wounds?"

Damon scoffs, "Healed."

"I told you not to be stupid, Damon."

"Well, apparently, being stupid is in my nature."

"Obviously. Your stupidity almost got you killed. If you just listened to me, you wouldn't be thrown around the room like a rag doll."

"Are you just here to scold me? Because if so, you can politely leave my house." Damon gives her a tight-lipped smile as he motions his hand toward the front door.

Genesis chuckles, shaking her head. "No, actually. I have to tell you something."

"What?"

"I received an envelope last night from my front door from Elijah." Genesis starts as Damon looks at her intriguingly. "And in the letter, it contains a bargain."

"What kind of bargain?" Damon asks curiously as he pours himself a drink.

"Well, in the letter, he says that after the stunt you pulled, it's best if I chose an option." Genesis informs him, and Damon nods, "Either he kills everyone on Elena's list of loved ones."

Damon's eyes suddenly panicked as Genesis continued, "Or I agree to go out on a date with him."

Damon releases a relieved sigh. "So, when's your hostage date?"

Genesis furrows her eyebrows. "I'm not going to date the enemy, Damon." Genesis chuckles, shaking her head.

"What?!" Damon exclaims as he hurries out the front door. Genesis sped in front of him, laughing.

"I chose the date, Damon." Genesis laughs as Damon looks at her with a scowl. "You are so done with me." Genesis couldn't stop the laughter from escaping her lips.

The letter wasn't really true.

Genesis just made up a story because Elijah came to her house last night when she and Rose were watching a movie with red wine and cheesecake with a bouquet of sunflowers and asked her out on a date.

Of course, she agreed.

If the man that she wanted from the start asks her out on a date. Hell, yes, she'll agree.

"When's the date?" Damon sighs tiredly and walks back to the living room, with Genesis following behind him.

"Lunch. He's driving me somewhere." Genesis answers with a smile, tucking her hands into her pockets.

"Hopefully, he won't kill you."

"He won't. Have you seen the way he flirted with me during dinner last night?" Genesis points out, and Damon scoffs, taking a sip of his drink.

"Don't do what I wouldn't do."

"You can trust me when it comes to not being stupid."

───⊱⁜⊰───

"WHEN IT COMES TO LOCATING the site of the witch massacre. I can help." Bonnie tells Genesis with a firm nod as Simon purses his lips then Bonnie assures him. "I'll only be reading journals. No magic."

Simon nods as Genesis gives her a grateful smile. "Thank you, Bonnie."

"Why do you want to find the location of the witch massacre anyway?" Simon asks curiously as Genesis sighs.

"Hear me out. Okay?" Genesis looks between Simon and Bonnie while the siblings share a look.

And Genesis told them the same thing she said, Caroline.

"As long as Damon dies. I don't really give a shit when it comes to Elena. Kill the girl for all I care." Simon scoffs as Bonnie purses her lips. Genesis sees the doubts in Bonnie's features.

"Bonnie?"

Bonnie sighs as she rubs a hand on her forehead, "I-I just feel guilty that I can't bring myself to feel bad about anything that you just told me."

Genesis releases an inner sigh of relief. Genesis places a hand on top of Bonnie's hand, squeezing it lightly. "Hey, you've been through so much, and you're only 17. It's okay, and your emotions are valid."

Bonnie snorts, "At least they're being valid now."

Simon smiles to himself as he wears his white coat and bag, preparing to go to the hospital to start his shift. Then Bonnie says, "Can you drop me off at Mystic Grill?" Simon raises an eyebrow with a questioning look.

Bonnie answers with a low voice, tone shy, "I have a date with Luka." fumbling with her fingers, and Genesis chuckles as she stands up from her seat, taking her bag.

"What a coincidence. I have a date with Elijah too. You go, girl."

Simon rolls his eyes as he motions his head towards the front door, "We'll talk about this in the car." Bonnie nods as they exit the front door. And they see Elijah leaning against the hood of his parked car on their driveway.

"Simon, Bonnie." Elijah gives them a curt nod, and he's only wearing a white oxford shirt and neutral brown trousers, one hand tucked in his pocket.

"Elijah." Bonnie and Simon greet Elijah in unison, and they both look at each other with raised eyebrows, then shake their heads as they enter their car.

Elijah approaches Genesis and offers his arm while Genesis smiles at him, wrapping her arms around his as they walk towards his car, a 2010 Lincoln MKZ.

Elijah opens the passenger seat car door for her, with Genesis saying, "Always the gentleman."

"Always for you," Elijah responds with a grin as Genesis sits on the black leather seat and Elijah on the driver's seat as he starts to drive.

"Mind telling me where we're going?" Genesis asks, crossing her arms, and Elijah mimics his lips being tightly zipped. And Genesis laughs, with her laugh, Elijah beamed-he loves the sound of her laughter.

Then her phone rang in her Louis Vuitton black and beige Pochette Metis bag. Answering it, with Caroline greeting, "What am I going to do? Elena and Jenna are so mopey, and I don't really want to be here." she complains. Elijah chuckles as Genesis says in a sympathetic tone.

"Sorry, sweetheart. You have to endure it. One of the jobs of being a double agent."

"I'll take you up for the shopping you promised me."

Genesis chuckles, shaking her head, "Of course, sweety. I'll even buy you your first Hermes bag."

"Say no more. Bye." Caroline excitedly responds as Genesis ends the call.

"Goodness, these girls." Genesis laughs softly, and Elijah glances at her with a soft smile.

"You've grown to care for them," Elijah notes with a nod of his head.

"Of course I did. They're nice girls." Genesis agrees with a genuine smile on her plump red lips. "So you're really not going to tell me where we're going?"

"No," Elijah answers shortly as he looks straight ahead, focusing on the road.

Genesis huffs as she pouts, "I can be very persuasive."

"I know."

Genesis leans forward as her face inches away from his neck, and she softly nudges her nose on his cheek. Elijah stilled, grip tightening on the steering wheel.

Genesis whispers in his ear, her voice so low and soft it's almost a pur, "Tell me where we're going."

Elijah shrugs off the shivers he felt crawling in his skin as he hums, contemplating-it's very difficult to say no to Genesis, but he'll endure. He had done it before, once or twice, and he succeeded, responding, "No."

Genesis huffs as she sits back down on the leather seat, crossing her arms to her chest. So she decided to open the radio. We belong together by Mariah Carey started to play.

And that's how Genesis spent the drive, singing to the songs that played on the radio while Elijah listened.

Elijah parked in a nearby spot. Genesis looked around through the window with furrowed brows, confused about why it seemed like a forest instead of a restaurant.

"You're not planning to kill me, are you?" Genesis asks Elijah with a raised eyebrow as Elijah chuckles, exiting out of the car and speeding to her side of the car, opening her car door and offering her hand. At the same time, Genesis takes his hand and exits the door as Elijah closes it.

"I plan on doing something better," Elijah responds with a grin.

Genesis hums with a teasing smile, "Naughty." Elijah shook his head as they walked on the fairy-lighted path. They approached a large greenhouse decorated with lights and different variations of colorful flowers that Genesis could name.

Genesis looks at the greenhouse in front of her in awe. "This is beautiful, Elijah."

Elijah places a hand on the back of her waist. "You haven't seen the inside yet." Then he guides her, opening the glass door, and Genesis releases a laugh of excitement as she looks around as if on extinct she took Elijah's hand, intertwined with her own hand.

She didn't notice the way Elijah's features beamed as she softly dragged him around the greenhouse, her fingertips softly grazing each leaf of every plant-it was lively and vibrant, full of different shades of green and various plants that were well taken care of.

"This is just-" Genesis says softly as she turns around, facing Elijah, who is looking at her with pure adoration, "Perfect. I love this, Elijah." squeezing his hand gently.

Elijah smiles, eyes soft as he speaks, "I'm glad you love it."

"I think this is the most thoughtful thing a person has done for me." Genesis tells him, "It's as if you know me better than anyone."

Because I do, I know everything about you. Your likes and dislikes. How I memorized your different smiles, from forced to mischievous. Your wants and your needs. Your ambitions and advocacies. How your eyes sparkle in joy and when you hide your sadness. I know your soul more than mine, and you used to know my soul better than anyone, more than myself. Elijah thinks to himself as he smiles at her, saying with a light shrug from his shoulder, "I merely observe. Your house is full of plants, and I saw your garden. So I assume you love everything about gardening."

Genesis's heart warmed. She felt mushy and soft all over, "I do." Genesis answers and continues, "Men should take notes from you. There's this intimacy of not saying something that you really want, but they already know because they listen and observe."

Elijah nods in agreement, "I believe in the act of knowing a person even with them not telling something about them, but you can truly know them, the way they talk, move, personality and attitude. And I agree when they say that the eyes are a window to one's soul."

Genesis takes a step forward, an inch of space between them. She tilts her head, looking straight into his mesmerizing hazel brown eyes that look back at her with irises full of passion. "Tell me what you see when you look into my eyes."

Elijah gently places a hand on the back of her neck as he tilts up her head. She is looking up now. Now that Genesis was this close to him again, she noticed how he towered over her even with her heels.

"I see a woman who builds a tough and strong facade." Elijah looked at her deeply, and she felt like she couldn't move, that she could melt on his hold. "A fierce woman with fire, and I want to embrace the warmth she exudes."

She felt her undead heartbeat-as if it was fluttering.

"But behind that exterior. I see a woman who wants to be handled with softness. To be cared for, taken care of, to finally show her vulnerability because she seems to have grown tired from the fierceness she has shown to everyone." Elijah mutters softly as a hand goes to her waist, his hand from her neck glided towards the side of her face, tucking in a curly stray hair behind her ear.

Elijah continues as he leans in, placing his forehead against hers as he whispers softly as he takes her hand, placing it against his chest where his heart resides. "And I would be honored if I would be the only one she shows her vulnerability with."

Genesis's hands glide over his collar, fisting his collar as he pulls him into a kiss. Her lips covered his, and Elijah responded in an instant as he pulled her waist, wanting to keep her close as possible as he cupped his hand to her jaw, with Genesis wrapping his arms around his neck with one hand tangled in his hair, deepening the kiss.

The nerves in Genesis' body thrum under Elijah's touch.

Elijah groans between their lips. He missed how her lips felt against his, and it was his addiction. His kisses felt hungry, like a starving man, full of heat, need, and passion. Until they pulled away, forehead against each other, and Genesis felt breathless-he took her breath away.

This kiss is nothing like she had experienced before. Like two souls lost in each other's needs.

They both opened their eyes as their chest pressed against each other with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist like he never wanted to let her go, the same with Genesis's arms wrapped around his neck.

Then Genesis releases an airy laugh, and Elijah looks at her questionably-it was adorable. "You have red lipstick all over your mouth now." Genesis takes his handkerchief from his suit pocket and takes it upon herself to wipe the lipstick off. Elijah chuckles as he lets her, looking adoringly at her.

She felt nothing but peace in his arms.

And Genesis's illusioned peace is Elijah's greatest war.