Any Dream Will Do | Hale - TVD/TO/TW [2]

29 | Minute of Bliss

With a wide grin, Lexi steps out of the Hale house, glancing behind her. The house has no light shining through the windows; only the moon and stars glowing in the night sky. The chilling breeze whips past Lexi's face, her hair flailing all over the place; she ignores the stinging sensation settling onto her cheeks.

"Where are we going?" Derek asks as he closes the door behind him.

Lexi giggles. "Stop asking questions. Don't you trust me?" She extends her hand with a sly smirk.

Derek glances between the offered hand and her smile. He feels his own lips tug upwards as he takes her hand, lacing his fingers with her's. "Of course, I trust you," he says as she takes off with him in tow. "But I would like to know where we're going."

"I'm surprised you can't already hear it."

With a frown, Derek focuses on his limited hearing; whoops of drunken laughter and the crackling of fire echo in his ears. "Come on," he groans as Lexi's pace quickens. "That stupid party? Really?"

Lexi's grin falters. "I'm sorry," she says but continues walking through the woods. "I thought you would have fun—that it would get your mind off things."

They both know what she is talking about. Neither says it.

Eventually, they find the fire flickering through the woods along with the shadows of immature high schoolers drinking beside an open fire. The two slowly approach, letting the noise and scents overwhelm them. It is not long before someone notices them, and sticks a red solo cup in Lexi's and Derek's hands.

"We can leave, if you want," Lexi says. He can barely hear her over the music and fire.

Someone starts to chant, "Drink! Drink! Drink!"

When he sees the frown on her face, Derek raises the cup to his lips. The cruel liquid spills over his tongue; he spits it out. "That is disgusting!" He exclaims as Lexi sniffs her own cup.

She takes his cup before putting both her's and his in the nearest trash. "Sorry," she mutters. "I guess, this is a bust, huh?"

"No, I mean, we can still have fun," Derek says as he looks around; he catches a few boys on the basketball team dancing around the fire with the rest of the crowd. He takes Lexi's hand and drags her towards the others with a growing smile.

"You want to dance?" Lexi asks with a raised eyebrow. "Do you even know how to dance?"

Derek lets his jaw drop dramatically. "Of course, I can dance!" He says, beginning to nod his head. "Can you?"

"I'm a thousand years old," Lexi chuckles. "I know how to dance." She grimaces at the other teens. "This? This is grinding and swaying."

"Oh, come on!" Derek throws his head back with a grin. "This is all us teens have nowadays! Get with the youth, Lex."

Lexi's head begins to bounce to the music blaring through the woods. Before long, Lexi finds her hands in Derek's as they jump to the beat of pop; the others around them always look twice because neither had made many public appearances after Paige Krasikeva's mysterious death.

As the beat winds down, both Lexi and Derek are panting, their hair wildly unkempt and bodies sore. A slow song comes on; many teens groan while couples instantly get together.

Lexi's eyes flicker down. "You look like you had fun," she says, her breath fanning over his chin. She lets her gaze meet his before looking away with a blush covering her cheeks.

Derek cannot shake the smile off of his lips. "I did," he replies, tilting his head down at her. "Did you?"

"Moderately." She does not notice as Derek takes a step closer, bringing her hand up to his shoulder. All she sees are his eyes.

He smirks when they begin to sway to the music. "That's the best you can do?" He quirks an eyebrow. "Moderate fun?"

Lexi rolls her eyes. "I am not the biggest fan of high school raves. Too much idiocy in such a small space."

Derek hums, somehow moving closer so that they stand cheek to cheek. "Thank you for bringing me," he says against her cheek. "It's been helpful."

Lexi smiles. "Just listen to the music for a little longer. Enjoy your minute of bliss."

And so they sway to the music as the fire crackles before them. As the stars shine down on them, Lexi and Derek refuse to let go.

—|—|—|—

Peter narrows his eyes as he watches Lexi cook in his kitchen. She hums to herself as she flips a pancake in her pan; Cora sits at the table with her fork ready.

"Lexi!" The girl shouts. "I'm hungry!"

"Be patient, little wolf," Lexi replies, sending Cora a small smile. "Do not worry." She walks over to flip the pancake onto the girl's plate. "Breakfast is served."

The nickname echoes in Peter's ears—too familiar. He's heard that name before.

He watches as a younger version of himself runs into the room and snatches the pancake off of Cora's plate. Peter smirks as Cora yells at him. "Come on, Cora. You'll get the next one." He takes a bite.

"LEXI!"

Without looking back at the bickering Hales, Lexi sighs. "Cut it out, you two. Another pancake is on the way." Glancing over her shoulder, she narrows her eyes at Peter. "This one is for Cora. Only."

"Yeah!" Cora shouts. "Cora only! Take that, Uncle Peter."

"Ok!" The young man exclaims. "I guess I'll just go hungry, is that what you want?"

Cora and Lexi exchange a look; Lexi shrugs. "Maybe you'd learn some humility?"

Peter throws his hands up in the air as thunderous steps echo in the kitchen. With narrowed eyes, Peter watches Derek race into the room, his eyes instantly landing on Lexi.

"Got any food?" He asks. Only Peter hears his heartbeat quicken. "I've gotta get to practice."

Snatching an apple from the fridge, Lexi tosses it to Derek with a soft smile on her lips. "Don't eat it too fast. Have fun at practice."

Derek sends her a grateful chuckle before running out of the house.

"Lexi?" Peter asks as he leans over the counter. Lexi hums in response as she flops a pancake onto Cora's plate; she picks up her glass of water, taking a large gulp. "You wanna tell me how long you've been in love with Derek?"

Lexi chokes on the water, liquid spraying all over Peter's face. "What?" Her voice cracks as she coughs. "What the bloody hell gave you that idea?"

Cora giggles as she shoves her pancake into her mouth. "Lexi has a crush!" She sings with her mouth full.

"I do not!" Lexi's wide eyes bounce between the Hales smirking at her. "I am not—I do not love Derek. Not like that."

Peter raises an eyebrow. "You two have been giving each other those sickening lovey-dovey eyes for weeks now. Admit it."

Lexi shakes her head and purses her lips. "You have a very active imagination, Pete, but you are wrong. There are no eyes—"

"Listen to your own heartbeat, Lex," Peter replies. "You like Derek."

With a glare, Lexi turns back to the stove. "Believe whatever you want, Pete," she snaps. "But you are wrong."

"I'll remind you of that at the wedding."

Cora shoots up in her chair. "Can I be the flower girl!"

As Lexi plops the last pancake on Cora's plate, she shouts, "There won't be a wedding!" 

Peter knows what's up. Go Peter! Hope you enjoyed!

-L