#damon albran x you

[leaawrites]

Between Us

Damon Albarn x fem!reader

Summary: After a heavy break up, both of them see that what they've done wasn't what they wanted

Warnings: angst, swearing, fluff

Wordcount: 1.8k

Masterlist

You’d think that over time, people would forget. That they would move on, find new people to obsess over, new couples to admire. Though some stayed focused on one past forever. Lingering over photos from a decade ago, a smile on their faces. Gushing over people’s private life that they didn’t know.

But she knew. She lingered over the pictures and she knew what happened, how it all ended. She knew the story and she knew the ending. Though she never told anyone.

Damon and her dated for seven years, until it ended in 2001. An abrupt ending with little explanation to anyone outside of their house.

“It just didn’t work anymore,” she told the press at movie premiers. All while Damon simply ignored every question that involved even the slightest mention of her name.

The media, being hungry for the meanest kind of funny and not accepting that two adults could make a mutual decision, painted a picture of their own imagination.

‘DAMON ALBARN SHOWING UP ALONE TO THE BRIT AWARDS AFTER LONG-TIME GIRLFRIEND, Y/N L/N, CHEATED ON HIM.’

‘GOOD LUCK TO NEWLY SINGLE, DAMON ALBARN. May he live in peace now.’

“Do you want me to say something?” He asked her over the phone, miles away from her. Not able to console her like he once did. It hurt to hear her broken voice over the phone, knowing that part of him was at fault for it.

“No, don’t worry about it, Damon.” The use of his name on her tongue almost hurting more than the sniffle she let out seconds after it. “I’ll be fine. It’s gonna last a week or so and then it’ll be forgotten anyway. No need to make more drama out of it.”

Though it didn’t just last a week, it lasted twenty years.

Twenty years filled with accusations, reminders, rumors. Haunting both of them day and night. Pictures in magazines when they had nothing else to print. ‘DAMON ALBARN SPOTTED WITH NEW WOMAN, WHAT DOES HIS EX THINK ABOUT IT?’

Spoiler: She thought absolutely nothing about it.

‘He lives his life, I live mine. He can do whatever he wants.’

‘IS SHE JEALOUS FOR LETTING HIM GO SO EASILY? FIND OUT IN A BEHIND-THE-SCENES INTERVIEW WITH HOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR, Y/N L/N.’

It was pathetic, truly. Truly pathetic, that’s what they should call themselves.

Her and Damon still stayed in contact sometimes, whether it was to congratulate the other on their new project or a small conversation about life when they accidentally met in a coffee shop.

Though, the night when she was woken up by knocks against her front door at 3 in the morning, she didn’t expect more than an axe-murderer.

With reluctant steps towards the door, the thought that she had nothing and no one to protect her in the middle of the country became more apparent as her hand lingered over the door knob and there was no other sound besides the knocking and her heavy breathing. The knife in her shaking hand not being stable enough to defend herself.

She could just ignore it, but when she heard the sobs through the wooden door separating her and the unexpected guest, she couldn’t help herself.

Swinging the door open, her eyes widened as Damon stood on the other side, bloodshot eyes, probably drunk, crying.

“What are you doing here, Damon?” she asked, the name still hurting to say. No ‘love’ anymore, he was simply Damon to her now.

“Don’t call me that,” he said, his head lulling back and forth as he leaned against the door frame.

Putting the knife down, she tried pulling him inside her house, though he didn’t budge.

“No, no, no. Leave me alone, I have something to say.” He pushed her away slightly, holding her by her biceps at arms-length.

“Can’t you do that inside? It’s freezing.” She tried pulling him inside again, but he only pulled her closer.

Their chest pressed together, the alcohol apparent on his breath fanning down her face. His heart beating against her ribcage. Her hands stabling her body as the fell on his shoulders. Grabbing the flesh under her fingernails to hold herself upwards as her legs felt like giving up from being so close to him again.

“I know the last years were horrible. I should’ve said something earlier, apologize earlier,” he started talking, slurring some of his words.

“It’s not your fault, you couldn’t have known it’d be this bad.”

“Sh,” he shushed her before gathering his words and talking once more. Finger laying over her lips. “And I refuse to believe that all those years ago was our end. It can’t have been. It can’t end like that, not you and me.”

She wanted to interrupt him again, ask what he was saying, what he was referring to. She wanted to stop his movement as his hands slid down her arms and lost her skin at her fingertips, until his whole body moved down. One knee propped up in front of him. His fingers messily scrambling for something in jeans pocket.

Pulling out a little velvet box, tears pooled out her eyes as well, streaming down her face.

“Damon,” she tried once more, aware of his condition. Aware of what he must’ve taken to act this way. He wouldn’t do it if he was sober, right?

“Marry me.”

The words hung in the air, surrounded by tension and sobs. Surrounded by lingering looks and feelings they both still held dearly.

“Please,” his voice was quieter now. Almost begging. “I know we haven’t been as close as before, but I still hold you in my heart the same I did 10 years ago. I can’t let you go. Not if I still don’t know if we’re absolutely over. Until then I’ll fight and dream and ask. So, please, say yes and let us fight and dream and love together.”

“Damon,” she said. “You’re drunk. High, I don’t know. I can’t just say yes if you’re like this.”

“You don’t want to marry me?” His voice was shaking, his head hung low in surrender, tears welling up in his own eyes once more.

“I do,” she whispered. “I want to marry you, always did. But it’s unfair of you to ask me now.”

“Then say yes and let us be happy.”

“Not now, in the morning maybe.”

Damon nodded, standing up, closing the box and putting it back to where it had been hidden for too long. It had to wait a bit longer now, maybe forever.

She stepped to the side, letting him pass her, his eyes lingering on her face, searching parts he forgot. Though there was nothing. It was still the same face he saw in his dreams whenever he closed his eyes.

The rest of the night was spent in silence, she brought him pillows and a blanket to have it comfortable on her couch. And while night went and day rose, both laid down, trying to rest, but neither getting the rapid beating of their heart to slow down.

The sun dried her tears away and soon enough, she found herself in her kitchen making coffee for both of them, Damon asleep in the room next to her.

She could still ponder the options in her head, but what would they do when he woke up? What would she say to him? If he even remembered what happened.

A groan coming from him made her head turn around, reality creeping up their spines at the same time. He didn’t recognize the ceiling, neither the walls around him, but he could identify the smell that hung in the air. It was hers.

A strike of lightning shot through his body, making him sit up, the pain coming shortly after. His head aching. But it didn’t matter when her wide eyes stared back at him.

Slowly, one by one, pictures crept back.

“Oh my god,” he mumbled, dragging his hands down his face. “Oh my god. I didn’t ask you, did I? Please say I didn’t.”

“You did,” she confessed, making him grown once more.

Scrambling to his feet, Damon walked over to the kitchen entrance. “Shit. I swear I didn’t mean to, I don’t know what I was thinking. Probably nothing.”

His words made her throat tighten, her heart cried out a sorrowful scream, half laughing about her, half yearning for him to take his words back.

“So, you don’t actually want to marry me? It was all just some drunk mistake?” The words felt like venom on her tongue.

Venom that made his eyes widen in realization.

“I mean, I did - I do. But I never- I never wanted you to know. I just- you probably hate me now. You said, no, right?” He couldn’t remember what she said. After his speech, he forgot everything.

“I never said no,” she confessed.

“You didn’t?” It surprised him. Why didn’t she say no?

Shaking her head softly, she walked closer to him. Leaning on the wall next to him. “I told you, that I wouldn’t answer you until you were sober.”

His eyes slipped down to her lips, sucked between her teeth anxiously.

“Marry me.”

He said it once more, the words feeling heavier now. Reality feeling heavier now.

But her words were light.

“Yes.”

And when her lips fell on his, her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer, the world felt light.

“Let’s not tell anyone,” she said as they laid under her covers, hidden from the rest of the world. “Let us stay like this forever.”

“Like what?”

“Secretly happy, enjoying ourselves and letting no one else near what we have. I want you, Damon. I want to love you unconditionally. I don’t want to end like we did last time.”

“We won’t let it happen, I promise. I won’t let it happen.”

“So, we keep it between us?”

“It’s just you and me. Forever.”

And they said yes, forever. Keeping it quiet, keeping their life away from anyone who was too interested in it.

Another ten years passed, and when the same day came around from which on they were bound together by a promise, they made it official.

A post, a simple one.

‘New song at midnight. A special one.’

‘Between Us’ was nothing anyone expected. A simple piano, words of love and a video of memories. Just them two. Like it had always been.

A message at the end of the video.

‘I can’t believe I get to live my life with you. The most perfect person I’ve ever met. The love of my life. Twenty years have passed, with a break in between that I’ve never regretted more than when I saw you again, and I still love you like I did the first day I saw you. Until death do us apart and every life time after.’

Written by Damon Albarn and Y/n L/n.

Directed by Y/n L/n.

[leaawrites]

She's the one I'm running with

Damon Albarn x fem!reader

Summary: when everything falls apart, at least they still have each other.

Warnings: the press, fluff, maybe messed up timeline and behavior

Wordcount: 1.2k

Masterlist

“Do you ever wanna run away?”

A simple question as that had started it all, well maybe not everything. The press was there first, as always. Whether it be in front of a restaurant they were eating at one night or outside the studio whenever the band recorded a new album. They were there to take pictures of every situation, hoping to capture just the slightest glimpse of unintentional imperfection. Something more raw than laughter on a TV show or dumb comments in an interview or on stage. They wanted the real faces of every celebrity and they’d do anything to capture just the right moment for a new headline. They’d write anything to have their name printed as a footnote under the newest headline.

‘Damon Albarn, cheating on long-time girlfriend? Is there trouble in Paradise for the power couple of Britpop?’

Everything was a question and over the top. Everything was what it was never meant to be. A bloated stomach was a pregnancy and a new ring was an engagement or secret wedding. Everything one did, when it was seen by the public, was a form of violation. Whether it be against the fans or the own closest circle, someone always had to be hurt. Something always had to be dramatized.

The newest of them all finally drew the line for Damon, it made him ask that one specific question.

“In what sense?” she’d asked, playing with the sleeve of his grey shirt and looking up at him from her position on his chest.

“Just go,” he answered with his hands tangled in her hair. “Let’s just pack our stuff and go somewhere quiet. Without all the cars and people, just us.”

“OK.”

And that’s what they did the next morning. Damon called the band, saying that he needed some time off and that he wouldn’t be available for the next three weeks or so. Let’s say, they weren’t all too happy with his call. Y/n asked for the holiday she’d been putting off and her extra hours, before starting to pack their bags. Not too much, not too little. They wouldn’t be doing much, she knew that. He hadn’t actually told her what he’d planned for them, but she was willing to follow him anywhere.

She was sure of that at last, when she climbed into the car and looked over at him. His face highlighted by the golden sunlight that was still rising above the buildings, catching all the little details and making him stand out for her like he did the first time she’d seen him.

Taking out the film camera that was hidden in her bag just in case, she captured the moment, hoping it’d come out alright and good enough for her to put it into the box with all the others she’d been collecting over the past two years.

At the sound of the shutter going off, Damon turned to her with a slightly playful grin on his face. He hated the pictures others took, but hers, he loved them. He’d let her follow him with a whole film crew if it meant that he got so see the smile spreading across her face whenever looking at him or the video she took, the photos she gave him at every end of the year since they met in college and became close friends. At first it were mostly of the band at rehearsals, where she’d been invited to by him in particular, or at gigs, where Damon invited her as well to, but over time and as the friendship blossomed to something more than light banter and occasional flirting, the pictures of him became more too until they filled the whole album. He’d look at them on nights when he couldn’t sleep or was feeling lost for inspiration and read through the small notes or poems on the side of every page with a smile on his lips - he still did that - wishing that her words were only meant for him and no one else in the band, until they were.

And now she was his and he was hers just as much, a dream come true.

“What?” Y/n asked, looking at him with knitted eyebrows and an unsure look on her face, like she waited for the hour long speech about pictures once again.

“Nothing,” Damon simply shrugged, starting to tap his finger to the beat on the steering wheel and looking at the road ahead. “Your smile is just absolutely beautiful.”

The drive to their destination was an hour and a half, all in which they were talking or singing or sitting in silence, solely enjoying the other’s presence with them. Stopping the car, Damon looked from the little cottage he’d rented over to the girl in his passenger seat, asleep. He couldn’t just wake her now, could he? Deciding on the easiest way to get her into the warmth of the house, Damon went over to her side of the car and picked her up, carrying her inside.

Opening her eyes, Y/n was greeted by the fireplace burning in front of her, her body slumped against the cushion of the sofa and Damon nowhere in sight. Sitting up, she looked around the little space out of wood until her eyes landed on the figure standing in the kitchen, staring puzzled down between a small piece of paper and the pot boiling in front of him.

Not noticing his girlfriend waking up, Damon almost let out a scream as he felt a pair of arms wrapping themselves around his chest and a head nuzzling itself into his back, inhaling the scent of his shirt. Looking down at the hands clasped around his middle he smiled, recognizing the ring. The one, whose meaning the press weren’t wrong about.

“Hello, love. Slept well?” He asked, continuing to try and cook the pasta like it was scribbled down on the little paper by her mother.

“Yeah,” she answered, not moving.

“Hope you’re hungry.”

“If it tastes good,” she teased.

“My food always tastes good,” Damon argued back, looking over his shoulder to see her stifle against his back and shaking his head at her behavior.

“It’s not even that bad,” she complimented as she tried the first bite, her nodding in approval as she was still chewing.

“Thank you, chef,” he answered with the same attitude she had been talking with earlier.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about something,” Damon said into the middle of silence, blowing out the smoke of his cigarette, before handing it over to her.

“About what?”

No matter how much people might deny the fact that she was supportive of her boyfriend and complain about how little times she was seen at gigs or festivals, she truly cared about everything going on in his mind and how he chose to express it.

“A new band,” he answered, making her turn her head in his direction.

“What about blur? Don’t you wanna try and keep that up? I mean, you’re so popular.”

“I wanna try something new, you know?” She nodded in understanding, aware of the fact that he’d been trying out different styles for quite some time now. “Blur is good and all that, but I believe there’s more in my creativity than ‘Britpop’. Do you remember that guy Graham was obsessed with, Jamie Hewlett or some? He’s the comic artist and we’ve talked about music as such these days and all that. What do you think of a band made out of comic characters?”

“What?” The idea sounded absurd, unimaginable even. With all those people around that were catching on fame, all those real people everyone liked to talk about when life got too boring for them, how would a group of fictional characters fit in there? Though, the more she thought about it, the more it intrigued her. An real fictional band in a world so unreal. It made sense of some sorts.

“Tell me more.”

“We have some vague ideas as of now, nothing solid though.”

That’s how they spent the next few weeks, talking and brainstorming ideas, sometimes with Jamie on the phone. Falling asleep between scribbled notes or with an open song file lulling them to sleep. It wasn’t their ideal idea of a holiday activity, but at least they got to do something just for them for a little while. It would be available to the public in time, but at least now, nobody could ask them about it.

It was just theirs.

Their little world to hide away from reality in. The one they could run away together to.

[leaawrites]

Festival Confusion

Damon Albarn x fem!reader

Summary: When a performance turns into jealousy and confessions.

Warnings: fluff, angst, jealousy,

Wordcount: 0.9k

Masterlist

It had been years and years of watching him perform. Interacting with different people, with the crowd and other artists. All she ever felt when watching him up there, singing and enjoying himself, was pride of his achievement and a certain kind of joy when seeing him so happy while doing it.

So why did it feel so different now?

Standing on the sidelines, she sang all the lyrics to every song. She knew every single word. She had always been the first one to hear them. Until a new beat came booming over the speakers. One she didn’t recognize from the first second. One that she’d never heard before.

It would’ve been a problem with her, Damon had every right to keep some songs to himself. And the longer she watched him, sing and interact with the crowd, the more invested in it she got.

It was good. It was really good.

Moving her body to the rhythm of the song, swaying her hips. Mouthing the words she’d picked up during the previous chorus.

Until something else new came out of the blue. Kali Uchis stepped out onto stage, singing her verse. Standing near Damon as they finished the song together. The rest of the set was a blur. Rummage of images and melodies but not a lot substance to it. Time she would’ve spent enjoying herself was now occupied with uncertain thoughts in her head.

She knew the set-list, knew when to walk backstage to greet Damon just as he got from stage to find her waiting for him. Making her way through the crowd with uncertain steps.

Watching him say goodbye to the crowd from behind the stage she saw the change of emotion in his eyes as he turned and faced her. Finally. Pride turned into calmness and affection.

Running into her arms, Damon picked her up, making her shriek in amusement. He buried his head in her neck, leaving little pecks on her skin together with mumbled words she couldn’t understand.

Pulling back and letting her feet touch the ground again, Damon looked at her the same way he looked at Kali earlier on stage, standing just as close. Smiling in the same way. And when the thought dawned in her head again, so did the uneasy feeling in her gut. Reappearing with every second of his sweet smile and climbing further up her throat.

“Kali asked if we wanted to go to a party with her,” Damon told her excitedly. Throwing an arm over her shoulder and pulling her closer into his side as they walked into the fresh wind together. “Just some celebration thing. A bit of fun.”

She smiled at him, acting like she was thinking about it, though he saw the hesitation in her eyes, felt in her hand when the found his. He knew what was going to come from her lips the next second.

“I’m not feeling too good, sorry.” Looking down at the ground, she continued like she always did, “But you should go, I bet it’s gonna be fun. I’ll just go to sleep.”

“OK,” he answered, continuing their way off of the festival grounds and into the growing night sky.

“Where are you going?” she asked as he kept by her side, hand in his pocket. “What about the party?”

“You’re not feeling well, so I’m staying with you.”

“You don’t have to do that, Damon. I’m fine on my own, just go have fun.”

“I don’t want to,” he said, halting his step and turning towards her. “Why don’t you trust me that I like spending all my time with you? No matter in what condition or form. I said yes to forever and I meant that. Didn’t you?”

His voice broke, breaking her heart a bit further.

“No, God no. Of course I meant it. I always did. It’s just that…” There didn’t seem to be the right words to make this sound as less stupid as possible. “I was just worrying you felt bored having to let go of all you loved doing so much.”

“I love doing you even more,” he answered, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. Leaning in closer and letting his lips fall on hers. “I love you.”

Her hand went up to his face, pulling him closer once more.

“I love you too, Damon.”

“Now, tell me what’s really going on.”

They continued walking hand in hand. Turning right and towards the car waiting for them.

“It’s stupid, really.” She tried playing it off, but after receiving a dissatisfied look from him, she knew there was no way around the truth.

Settling into the backseat, she stared out the window before answering. Feeling his hand moving up and down her thigh in comfort.

“I had this really uneasy feeling in my chest when you performed with her,” she confessed, turning towards him. Staring into his brown eyes. “That’s why I wasn’t feeling well.”

“It’s just a song, love. A performance, that’s all,” he tried to assure her, moving a bit closer.

“I know, but it just felt so real. You two looked good together, Damon.” Tears were welling up in her eyes, pooling at the corner of her eye and blurring her vision completely.

“You look way better with me. Even better than me. I can’t believe I got so lucky with you willing to stick around with me for so long, I wouldn’t trade you for the world, love. Don’t you worry about anything. You’re the only one for me. Forever, like I promised.”

[leaawrites]

Heyyy,could I maybe request a Damon x reader where Damon feels a bit down and tired ,so the reader comforts him and it’s all sweet it’s Christmas time btw .I love your writing so much!!!!!(some people are really creative in requests I had to dig out my skull to formulate a proper sentence)

Movies

Damon Albarn x fem!reader

Summary: a quiet night, where frustration is eased through christmas movies.

Warnings: fluff, none other

Wordcount: 0.7k

Masterlist

Looking up at the wall from her place on the floor, she rolled her eyes as the same melody began playing again. Groaning in frustration as she heard Damon do the same in the room next door.

They’ve both been busy the whole day, whether it be work or last minute Christmas preparations. Both tired and their minds repeating the same melody over and over again like a broken record.

The melody they both began to hate over time.

“What’s wrong this time?” She asked, leaning against the door frame. Watching him slump in his chair with his hand over his face, shaking his head in answer.

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” he finally said, turning towards her and stretching out his hand for her to walk over.

Standing in between his legs, her hands found their way into his hair, running her fingers through it and trying to make him relax. It wasn’t the first time that they’d been in this situation. Damon frustrated over a verse, chorus or melody and her ready to calm him down and get a clear head.

“Okay, then don’t talk about it.” Taking his hand in hers, moving them from her thighs, she pulled him up to his feet. Dragging him towards the living room where a tower of wrapped presents were already waiting for him.

“You’re not gonna make me wrap presents, right? Because you know how terrible I am with it.” It was more of a joke, though the fear of the possibility was visible in his eyes.

“Don’t worry, I’m already finished,” she said, shaking her head in assurance that he didn’t have to do anything.

Sitting down on the sofa, she made him settle down next to her, pressing play on the TV.

“Oh no,” he groaned, rolling his eyes behind closed eye lids, still she could see it. “Do we have to do this?”

“You never watch any movies with me, and when you do, you always fall asleep. So, you’ll watch some Christmas movies with me now,” she insisted, excitement lacing in her tone as the start credits began playing.

“I have this thing-” Damon pointed back to the room where his project was still open, waiting for him and new creativity to make it right.

“The thing you can’t get right? Get your head out of that and at least let me try calm you down. Movies are the best way to shut everything out. Just, watch.” Bumping her elbow with his arm, she raised her eyebrow in suggestion. “I swear, my taste isn’t as bad as you may think it is. Just because I’m younger doesn’t mean I don’t like older things,” she said, winking at him.

A low blush creeping up on his cheeks still. “It’s not that I don’t like your taste in movies, I just don’t like movies as much as you do.”

“Just sit down and try it.”

Reluctantly he settles down next to her, throwing his arm around the head of the sofa and sinking into the cushion. His head already lulling back in wild anticipation.

A low melody began filling the space between them as she settled down and got comfortable next to him. Cuddling into his side and throwing one of her legs over his, which were sitting on the top of the table in front of them.

“If you don’t like it we can turn it off and do something else,” she started talking, overthinking her decision and wondering if it was too much. Was she too persistent in making him watch movies with him?

“Pshh,” he made her go quiet, laying his finger over her mouth to make her shut up. “I’m trying to watch something here.”

Her eyes crinkled as she laughed at his behavior, pressing her face further into his side to stifle her giggles.

“I love you, you know that?” She asked, looking up at him with her head resting on his chest. A bright smile on her face.

“I know,” Damon said, smiling too and leaning down to press a quick kiss on her lips. “I love you too.”

Pulling her closer with his hand around her waist, they focused on the screen in front of them. Letting the scenes play in their order and the story unfold without their input. It wasn’t their story, but it was one to enjoy just as much. The time filled with laughter and reactions of joy and exclamation.

When everything failed to relax, at least movies could make you forget for a few hours.

[leaawrites]

The Bottom

Damon Albarn x fem!reader

Summary: when the Italian countryside brings more nice views than the beautiful scenery.

Warnings: age gap, fluff, some angst

Wordcount: 0.9k

Masterlist

It started as simple as a day can be.

The soft humid air of the Italian countryside was fanning over her face as she was sat with a book in a little cafe near the house she rented. Two or three other people were occupying the space alongside her. A waiter scattered all over the place. Soft Italian jazz playing from one of the speakers. It was as quiet as peace could be.

Her mind was quiet for the first time in months, finally untangled from the bodies buried in the basement of her mind. No regret was now tripping from her lips. Only the coffee got to run down her throat and burn her tongue.

Averting her eyes from the tree to not make memories replay and feelings resurface. The others seemed unfazed by the scenery in front of their eyes. One’s gaze was covered by a newspaper while the other’s was looking at their phone screen. It’s a shame how much people miss while trying to stay updated with life’s course.

Looking over to the third body that sat at one of the tables, he was already looking at her. Smiling slightly and lifting his hand towards her in greeting. In return, she lifted her book up, silently asking him about the one sprawled out in front of him. Understanding her question, he closed it gently, making sure that no paper slipped out and held it up for her to see. His pen dangling in between his pointer and middle finger. A Notebook. Nudging his head up, she turned the cover towards him.

Putting it back down, they just looked at each other for a while. Unexpected smiles creeping up on both their faces. Raising her eyebrows in question, he picked up his own drink as well as his notebook and made his way over to her. None of the other people paying them any mind.

“What are you writing?” she asked quietly over the silence as he sat down. Notebook still closed in front of him.

“I’m a musician,” he answered back in the same whispered tone. Leaning closer to her to understand her more clearly.

“So you’re writing songs at the moment?” As he nodded his head, she continued. “Did I disturb you?”

“Nah, don’t worry ‘bout it. It’s rather that I’m trying to write. I can’t really come up with something lately,”

“That’s why I came here. In search of inspiration.”

“Italy is a magical place,” she agreed with him. “Did you find any yet?”

“I feel like I’m really close to it.”

At his words a light blush made it’s way to her face. A low chuckle escaped her lips as she shook her head in mocked surrender. Biting the inside of her cheek to keep the corners of her lips down.

“Care to find out if there is any?”

“Let’s get outta here,” he suggested, already standing up and letting her lead the way.

Settling into the driver seat of the car she rented for the trip, he climbed in next to her, throwing the notebook on the backseat. Fingers drumming against his thigh as he waited for her to pull out of the parking spot.

“What even is your name, stranger?” she asked, looking over to him before focusing back on the road ahead.

“Damon.”

On their drive the air was filled with laughter and music, fun facts about places they drove by and read about prior to this adventure. It was never meant to be more than a little fun, but when the moon came up from behind the ocean and the sun stopped blending their vision, the closeness between them seemed to become real all of a sudden. His arm slung around the head rest of her seat, fingers tangled up in her hair. Her eyes were flitting over to his gaze turned towards her every few seconds. The smiles that passed between them in a constant interval. It was all more than it was ever meant to be.

In search of inspiration he found himself falling further to his knees in desperation of a confirmation that the heat wasn’t what made his heart beat faster.

“What are you thinking?” she asked as they sat near the beach later that night. Knees touching. Fingers brushing. Hearts slowly intertwining.

“I’ve never felt more inspired,” he answered.

“As if,” she scoffed, not giving in to what her heart wanted her to do. “I don’t know how old you are but I doubt you’ve spent your time bored out of your mind.”

“Boredom can be inspiration,” he corrected her. “But you’re something different.”

Looking at her for a while longer, he decided his next words.

“You’re much more.”

“You barely know me.”

“I can’t wait to get to know you.”

They were moving closer. Some force between them pulling their faces nearer. It was the same force as when he first leaned over the table in the cafe to hear her, now he only wanted to hear her heartbeat under his fingertips.

“But I’m too old for you,” Damon comes back to his senses.

This would be all over the media. All over his face. It would be painted as shame, because who was he to fall in love with someone like her?

“Says who?”

“Society.”

“Well,” she dragged her words, moving her hands towards the collar of his shirt and dragging his face closer to her. “We’re all alone here. Nobody has to know, do they? It’s just us.”

“I’m gonna drag you right down to the bottom,” he whispered against her skin, letting his breath fall down on her lips without any regret other than having them still so far away from his own.

His thoughts betraying his actions. Desire twisting his morals.

“You can only bring me back up again from where I’m already stranded.”