new york city, ny } { another saturday night in new york

[braveandstupid]

New York City is not Mystic Falls.

It's not something you can escape either, especially not after a hundred years in a very small town. Elena Gilbert was never the kind of girl who was meant for isolation, even the kind that's self inflicted. She knows on some level she probably made herself worse by doing just that, but when you live long enough to slowly lose everyone you've ever loved, it's hard to want to reach out to someone else. Still, she needs people the same way she needs blood, and she couldn't stay isolated forever.

However, New York City is a rather giant first step, and her grip on Tyler's arm as they walk into the museum says as much. The press of people around her brings up a whole fresh surge of needs and wants, but she keeps it together. She has to. She's had control for so long, she isn't going to lose it now. Besides, she's here to see Tyler's art.

As they pass through the threshold, she glances around at the different exhibits, picking up the different colors and styles, before she glances back to him. "Where to first?"

Comments

[lockwood]

It's been a decade or so since Tyler was last in New York but he tends to keep track of where his art is. It's the closest thing he has to any sort of legacy anymore. It's something Klaus hasn't managed to take from him, and for that much he's grateful.

But they aren't here for him. It's for Elena. She deserves to see how the world's changed. He thinks maybe they should have started out with something smaller, but it's too late now.

"Well, most of my stuff is in the graphic art section, if you want to start there."

[braveandstupid]

Something smaller may have been good, but Elena's always been someone who jumps in with both feet. Just getting her toes wet has never been enough, and this became even more apparent after she became a vampire.

New York may be overwhelming, but she's better for making the jump.

"Sounds good. Lead the way."

[lockwood]

He nods, leading her through the rooms, occasionally commenting on pieces he likes until they finally get to the area his stuff is in.

"There's only really one or two of my pieces up here."

[braveandstupid]

"Still, you're in a museum." Her eyes wander over the area for a moment, seeing if she can pick them out before he does. It's been a long time since she's seen Tyler's art, but it was always distinctive in it's own way. "This is amazing, Tyler."

[lockwood]

He shrugs his shoulders a little. For all his bravado he can be pretty nonchalant about the things he's actually proud of -- the things that matter. "I had a lot of spare time." And art helped with that. Helped keep him sane.

[braveandstupid]

She smiles a bit at that, before squeezing his arm. "I haven't seen your stuff in a long time, but I'm pretty sure that one is one of them." She points across her body, to one of the pieces on the far left.

[lockwood]

He smiles at that, nodding. "You're right. I painted that one about ten years ago or so."

[braveandstupid]

Her smile widens, glad to see that she's still got it, before moving closer to get a better look. "It is very cool."

[lockwood]

He smiles, feeling a little proud at her words. "Thanks."

[braveandstupid]

She lets her eyes wander over the pictures again, trying to see if she can pick out another one herself. "Is there another one on this side?"

[lockwood]

He nods, grinning a little. "Right again."

[braveandstupid]

This is fun. It's something different for a change, and she's missed just hanging out, but it's not just that. It's hanging out with someone who's known her since she was a kid, and she doesn't have to explain anything to.

"I've got this." She still doesn't look down at the plaque, but she moves closer to the banister to get a better look. "Don't tell me."

[lockwood]

"I promise. Not even a tiny hint."

He had forgotten how nice company was, how nice it was to be around someone who knew him -- knew the real him.

[braveandstupid]

She looks at each picture carefully, studying the lines and the style of it, before pointing towards one of the ones in the middle, towards the top. "That one."

[lockwood]

He smirks a little, nodding. "Right again. You're good at this."

[braveandstupid]

She smirks back. "I guess you can say I've been a long time Tyler Lockwood fan."

[lockwood]

"I don't know if I'd go that far." He somehow doubts she was a fan of him back in his more dickish days -- back when she was still dating Matt, though that was a few lifetimes ago now.

[braveandstupid]

True, Elena and Tyler hadn't always been the closest, but at the same time, the Lockwood family secret wasn't as much a secret as they had hoped, especially after Richard tried to involve Jeremy in it. While Elena doesn't excuse Tyler's behavior, she at least understands it. That is how Elena rolls.

And she is a fan of the person he's become despite it.

"You don't think I should be?"

[lockwood]

"I didn't say that. I guess I'm just surprised you are."

Tyler doesn't really tend to assume people are a fan of him -- he never has. Even after he broke the sire bond -- he was really only a part of the group because he was dating Caroline, he never felt truly a part of thing. His priorities never quite met up with everyone else's (particularly the Salvatores).

[braveandstupid]

No, they never did. It takes a lot of perspective -- and space -- to see the things that happened with Stefan and Damon for what they were, and a lot of the time, the way Damon and Stefan saw things was because of her. Still, Tyler was Tyler, and even if she was caught up in her own life at the time, she saw the person he became.

He saved her life once, blew his cover with Klaus in order to help her. Those kinds of things matter to her.

But that's a bit too serious for the moment right now. "Nice to see that I still can be full of surprises."

[lockwood]

"I'd be worried if you weren't"

Elena's always been the type of person to take people by surprise -- he'd be a little disappointed if that had changed somehow.

[braveandstupid]

She smiles a bit, before glancing back to the wall. "Did I get all of the ones here?"

[lockwood]

"There's one more, actually," He says with a small smirk.

[braveandstupid]

"Okay," she says with a smirk, looking over the pictures again, taking in the different details that she noticed in the other pieces. "Let's see what's left."

[lockwood]

"This one might not be as easy of a guess," He warns her, watching as she looks over the other pieces.