#delena fanfiction

[rand0mfangurlstuff]

Need some Delena fic recs!

I've started watching TVD again, I'm on season 3. I'd love some Delena fics sort of set around that time (season 2/3) where they aren't together and she's still hung up on Steffan. Something with a lot of sexual tension and maybe a kiss or something. If anyone has anything please link it here!

[shesmellsspoiled]

prom night and the days that follow

he was leaving.

me, this town, us. the thoughts of all the time we’ve spent together fills me with the feeling of sadness. but he has to do this. i know it’s for a good cause because without this bonnie could be exposed for her magic and the rest of the town goes down with her. i know we can’t let that happen but i can’t bare the thought of losing him as he goes to battle with those sirens. those evil souls that rid me of my one true love, but i haven’t told him that just yet.

we’ve been friends for a while and realizing i liked him wasn’t easy. but coming to the realization that i loved him was even more difficult. i’ve never loved anyone before. yeah, i dated matt but he was mostly a teenage fling and for stefan was nice and all but i had to break it off once i started liking his brother. i have the respect to at least do that.

prom is coming up in my high school and it’s important i go because to be completely overly honest i haven’t participated in many of the senior activities at mystic falls high school. but the only person i want to go with is damon and i just need the balls to confess and finally spend time with him before he leaves and risks his life so selflessly.

i sigh and get the random urge of confidence that i need: now the only thing left to do, confess.

i know he’s in his room right now packing his things for his trip. or less of a trip and more of a drive down to hell. mostly my hell. he doesn’t seem very scared, mostly confident which confuses me but it’s damon and he’s most likely hiding how he feels. i know him too well for someone that isn’t even dating him. that and the fact that i dated his brother.

i walk up to the wooden, dark tanned door and prepare myself to knock. but before i could do so the door swings open and surprises me so much i jump. damon laughs and invites me in.

“you know, it’s not very smart to try and sneak up on a vampire. you know they have super hearing abilities”

“okay smart guy.” i take a breath and he notices the look on my face. probably the adrenaline rush of what i’m about to say.

“is everything okay? you seem a bit nervous” he says looking me up and down and making sure i don’t make any sudden movements like faint or

throw up on him. he’s funny like that. i like that he notices things about me before i even notice them myself. maybe it’s because he’s a vampire and have come accustomed to reading people’s emotions or the common human traits, but nevertheless stephen wasn’t like this. and i felt comfortable around damon, i feel like i can tell him anything.

another breath and i sit down on the bed as casually as possible. “i want you to take me to my prom”

“are you asking or demanding?” he jokes and i laugh but i’m embarrassed at the way i said that and almost back out and say it was a joke.

before i can respond, he says, “i would love to take you to prom, but i must ask, why do you want to go with me? i mean stefan would’ve probably been a better candidate, don’t you think?”

i want to confess now but the words seem to almost refuse to leave my mouth. “well.. since you’re leaving for a while, i just thought it would be nice to spend time together, you know? just a friendly little hang out and you can act like a teenager for a day.” before he can respond i add, “and we don’t have to dance or any of that stuff. we could just sit and talk and enjoy the music and punch”

“okay, elena. i will go to prom with you” he says calmly in almost a reassuring way that he actually would enjoy going with me, which almost makes me blush but i can’t do so without blowing my cover.

“thank you. i anticipate we will have a great time”

i turn to leave his room before he says “what’s the theme”

“winter wonderland”. and as corny as it sounds i know caroline put a lot of time and energy into planning it. so either way i know it’s going to be beautiful and turn out amazing, like always.

i finally can breathe normally again once i get outside to the fresh, cool air. i’ve never been so excited and nervous at the same time.

the day finally rolls around and i’m getting ready for the evening of a lifetime. i put on a white gown with blue bows in my hair and draw little snowflakes on my cheeks with eyeliner. i love getting dressed up but i’m most comfortable in my usually jeans and a cami top.

i walk over to the salvatore home and knock three times, per usual. i hear the footsteps as they step toward the door. the creaking of the door following quickly after.

“come on in”

“don’t mind if i do” i respond and walk inside, carefully, as to not to fall with these heels.

“you look beautiful. here, i got you this white corsage to go with your dress. sorry if it’s not what you were expecting”. he looks down at it as if i would hate it.

“i love it, damon. you’re so sweet”. this compliment repeats over and over in my head and i let myself blush this time around.

i think he notices since he grabs my hand and puts the corsage on, so carefully.

he opens the car door for me and i get in. he shuts it and walks over to the driver’s seat as my cheeks get rosier and i internally scream out of excitement.

we buckle in for the short ride to the high school. i can’t believe i’m graduating already, seems too good to be true.

we make it to the prom and just as i thought, the place was so wonderfully decorated. i know caroline and she’s always been amazing at these sort of things. always pays the closest attention to detail.

the palms of my hand get sweaty and i’m nervous he will notice as he grabs my hand and interlocks our fingers.

i giggle as i say “thank you for coming with me”

the parking lot of the school is empty as we came a bit earlier to help set up, although caroline barely needed any. i need to tell him.

“i have to tell you something. it’s embarrassing and stupid but i feel like i need to.”

damon makes eye contact with me and then looks at our hands. “i know. and i feel the same way”

i blush and hug him. so tight that he acts like he’s being suffocated and i roll my eyes as i let go.

“you’re so dramatic”. i continue, “so what does this mean exactly?”

damon takes a step forward, separating the space that was once there. the grand my face so gently and pulls me in my lips to his. i feel his soft touch against me and let out a giggle once we depart.

i giggle but can’t muster any words for a while after.

“i do like you, elena. but i mustn’t forget that i’m leaving and can’t be distracted from the things i must be the upmost focused on.

i feel my face turn into a frown and sadness sets in before i completely shut down and can’t seem to say anything more.

“i know. but it’s the sad truth. i must wait to know if i will survive this and be able to come back to this small town. i want to live the rest of your life with you and devote myself to this eternal happiness but you must understand my motive here.

“i do.” i let out a cry and he holds me in a hug for a while. he lets go and i see tears form in his eyes.

“but that doesn’t mean we can’t spend the night together. we’ll have the best time and we’ll dance and drink punch. we’ll talk and we can put this on hold. but don’t wait for me. if you fall in love with another while i’m gone i will understand.”

“love?”

“yes, love”.

“do you love.. me?”

“yes, my love. of course i do. you’re the only girl i’ve ever loved and will ever love. i’ll live an eternity of you in my thoughts and my heart.”

“i love you”

“i love you too. forever and always”

[writememysticfalls]

Roleplay | Damon Salvatore

Summary: Damon secretly fantasises about getting you pregnant. Is it just roleplay... or something more?

Pairing: Damon Salvatore x reader

Genre: Suggestive, hubby!Damon

Word count: >1k

“You know all my sex fantasies. Why don't I know yours?” you asked.

You watched your boyfriend Damon unbutton his shirt in front of the mirror.

“Hmm, I love your fantasies,” Damon teased. “There's the one where I'm Count Dracula…” he murmured, crawling up the bed. His black shirt fluttered open, revealing his hard stomach.

“I only drink the blood of beautiful women,” he whispered, his fangs sliding out, “and only at night.”

His fingers were cold against your neck. He found your pulse, and sucked it gently.

You stared at the ceiling, wide-eyed. What were you talking about again?

“Hey!” you said, pushing him off. “You're trying to distract me!”

Damon shrugged.

In a flash, his back hit the wall, his eyes fluttering shut. “Your blood is like a drug to me, Bella,” he moaned.

“The Twilight one is a secret!” you hissed. “Your fantasies. Go.”

“Okay,” Damon said excitedly, crawling onto the bed. He lifted you so were straddling his strong thighs. His cool fingers ghosted your lower back, making you shiver.

“I have one fantasy…” he whispered, his cheeks pink. “About making a baby with you.”

You grinned. “So... just sex?”

“No!” Damon said, rubbing your thighs. “Literally making a baby. I dream about getting you pregnant.” He sighed. “I know it's impossible, but that's it.”

“Like what?” you asked.

Damon gulped. “Like…” his hands hiked up your shirt, “we've been talking about it, and we decide that tonight's the night. We're going to make the magic happen.”

“Wow…” you whispered. “Damon Salvatore wants to put a baby in me. I'm impressed.”

Damon pushed you back onto the pillow, his body moving over yours. “You like that - mommy?” he said, smiling shyly.

Damon, the guy who danced on rafters, was feeling shy. This had to be a big deal.

“Call me that again,” you murmured.

“Mommy,” he whispered, his face turning darker.

You gave him a long kiss. His mouth was gentle, but you could feel that his arms were tense, his whole body trembling.

“Tell me more,” you whispered in his ear.

“Hmm,” he started. “Well, we have a little baby boy, who we call Zach.”

“Zach?” you said.

“Yep,” Damon said, his eyes distant. “Little Zach’s a guy’s guy, so I can teach him to take cars apart, but he also loves running around in your high heels, which Kajol - that's his younger sister - finds hilarious.”

You moved to sit up, frowning. “Damon,” you said. “That's not a sex fantasy. That's a life plan.”

Damon smiled goofily. “What?”

“Oh my god,” you said. “You're serious about this. You actually want to have kids with me.”

You stood up. “How long have you wanted this, Damon?”

Damon stretched out on the bed on his stomach, his fingers reaching for you. “No…” he whispered. “Let's go back to the fun sexy stuff.”

“I'm twenty years old!” you said, staring at yourself in the mirror. “I can't have a kid. I practically am a kid.”

Damon sat up, scowling. “Goddamn it, Y/n. This is why I didn't want to tell you.”

“Well, you have. And now I know you want me to be a mom,” you said, your face flushed. “I need to think.”

“Don't go,” Damon breathed. He was trying to smirk, but his eyes were wide. “We'll drop the subject. Pinky promise.”

“I'm sorry,” you said. “I'm staying at a friend's house tonight.”

---

An hour later, you opened the door to your friend's house to see Damon. He was in the same shirt, his hair still mussed up.

“Let me in, Y/n,” he said, his hand gripping the doorframe.

You pulled your dressing gown tighter. “I'm sorry. I need some space.”

Damon’s hand slid down. “So I secretly want kids! Big whoop. I'm 150 years old. I like tequila and one-night-stands just as much as the next guy - hell, more - but after a while, you get tired.”

“Exactly when did you decide you wanted to have kids with me?” you asked.

He licked his lips. “The moment I met you, okay? I'm sorry that scares you, but it's true. I saw you, and I instantly knew you were the woman I wanted to start a family with.”

Your heart was in your throat. You had always felt like Damon was hesitating, like he didn't want to define the relationship. Now you knew why. He wanted it all.

“Hey…” Damon said. “I'm happy doing the college thing with you for now! I was born to be a frat guy. Jello shots are my champagne.” His eyelids fluttered. “Honestly, the hot college girls are the main perk.”

“I don't know,” you said. “I'm gonna need time to decide if I want this.”

“I've waited a century,” Damon said lightly. “What's another decade?”

You slid your fingers down the doorframe. “Maybe we could adopt,” you said, smiling. “In the distant future.”

“So distant…” Damon said in a squeaky voice, his fingers fluttering away into the distance.

You bit your lip, fighting a smile. You could never stay mad at Damon.

You stepped out onto the porch. “Hey… daddy,” you said, rolling your eyes.

Damon grasped the sides of your head. He twined his fingers in your hair. “Oh, so the calling me daddy part is fine with you?”

“Mm-hmm,” you said, nodding.

Damon pulled you into his chest, inhaling the scent of your hair. “So… you like Charlie Swan, Bella’s dad?”

You shook your head.

“Oh no. It's Carlisle Cullen, hot papa doctor,” he corrected.

You laughed. “That's more like it.”

—

MAIN MASTERLIST

Let us know what you thought in the comments or on anon! 💋

[theaftersundown]

Rest in Peace, L.J. Smith - Thank you so much for these entertaining and amazing characters and the universe you worked hard on to share to the world. Your legacy will live on. Thank you for everything, truly.

[deus-sema]

A long cherished desire to see the Creature and the protagonist end up together in Creature from the Black Lagoon served as inspiration for Guillermo del Toro's The Shape Of Water.

So, dear authors, please keep writing and creating. Write whatever, however and whenever you wish to. By doing so, you never know you might end up becoming the cause for someone's happiness.

[cece693]

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES MASTERLIST!

Damon Salvatore

Male Reader

The Better Brother Summary: Damon finally found the one, however, thoughts of self-hatred and the constant comparison to his 'better' brother had him doubting if he even was deserving of such future. Why Didn't You Tell Me? Summary: You were bitten by a werewolf after saving Damon, as usual. However, even with death looming over your head, it was comforting knowing your unrequired crush had been saved. You Call That Love? Summary: Elena tries to get with Damon but soon realizes he has moved on—with m/n of all people. Chapstick Summary: Damon believed his relationship with M/N was great, perfect even. However, when his boyfriend returns from a night out tasting like cherry chapstick, Damon's insecurities rise to the surface.

Stefan Salvatore

Gender Neutral Reader

Stop Talking Summary: You loved him and he loved you too, but his actions spoke louder than words. Tired of watching him run off to save Elena every time, you understood it would always be her.

Klaus Mikaelson

Male Reader

Bet and Bet Pt. 2 Summary: Thanks to your brothers, all you knew about the Mikaelson family was that they were dangerous and threatened your livelihood. However, when you're saved by the hybrid himself, he poses a bet to change your mind or be given insight into the cure.

The Salvatore Brothers

Male Reader

Space For Two Summary: You met the Salvatore Brothers when they were only human, inexplicably falling for both of them. You're Just Jealous of Me Summary: Elena is just a hater—she's jealous that you're dating and fucking both the Salvatore brothers. Pulling The Strings REQUEST: just something that deals with the Salvatore brothers A Shift In Focus REQUEST: The reader is Elena’s older brother by three years and just finished college, and come home to take guardianship of Elena and Jeremy and he meets Damon and Stefan. Damon immediately flirts with the reader and Stefan fallows in suit, they eventually ask the reader out and he says yes. Elena get jealous because her older brother gets both Damon and Stefan and she doesn’t.

The Mikaelsons

Male Reader

Mikaelsons Whore REQUEST: Where Klaus, Kol, and Elijah are overprotective of you.

[stelenasfav]

im about to say something that is going to make some people mad, but someone has to say it. damon and elena's relationship was really bad. and im not saying this because i like stefan and elena better, im saying because its true. the build up to their relationship was so much better, they had so much chemistry and honestly i kinda liked the love/hate relationship that they had in season 1/2! but when they got together all the chemistry that they had just died and they were fighting all the time and they were so toxic. are we just going to forget the fact that he raped caroline and used her as his human bloodbag? and what he did do andie or whatever her name was? or wait when he forced elena do kiss him many times while she was with stefan, HIS OWN BROTHER. and that one time when damom was so mad because katherine didnt want him that he went to elena's house and forced her to kiss him and when she didnt want to he killed her brother. and before you say that he knew that jeremy had his ring no he didnt. i mean their relationship was just driven by the sex drive, they were fighting and then the next day they were fucking. and the delena betrayal?? god i felt so sorry for stefan, it actually hurt. while he was with klaus, literally suffering, damon and elena were just casually making out and shit, and the only reason stefan went with klaus in the first place was to save damon. and when elena had those feelings that stefan was hurt, damon got so jealous and didn't even care, meanwhile, stefan never got jealous. on season 3, stefan knew that elena had feelings for damon and instead of forcing her to just forget about it he gave her time to really know what she felt, even if that meant losing her. and even when they broke up they still had insane chemistry, especially in that episode or episodes where stefan lost his memorys, like he feel in love with her TWICE (i need him badddddd), and they stayed friends, even tho she broke his heart, because she did, the amount of time where delena were together and stefan was looking at them it was sad it actually broke me. he truly deserved better. anyways, i dont hate damon, i know i made it seem like it but i really like him, i just think that delena was really bad and stelena was so much better and deserved to be endgame

[vole-mon-amour]

That trope when "Oh, of course I love you. I loved you even when I wasn't supposed to. I loved you before you even loved me back. I loved you before you started seeing something in me and thinking about me"?

Yeah.

[chronic-escapixt]

His Rose ~ Part 1

(Kai Parker x Bennett OC fanfiction)

content warnings/tags ~ Dark fiction, CNC, dubcon, yandere, murder, abuse, trauma, smut, stalking, innocence kink, dacryphilia, manipulation. Minors DNI

I don't claim ownership of The Vampire Diaries or its characters. All credits go to the rightful owner(s). I only own my original character(s).

Word count: 1.6k

K.P. Masterlist

Bonnie's life was on the line.. again.

The Other Side was collapsing, time was running out and as the anchor to the crumbling realm, she knew she wouldn't be spared. She stopped at her home and let Rose know. The news absolutely crushed her sister. Rose felt like she just got her back from when she died last summer. Becoming the anchor was her second chance at life but now it was being ripped away. Rose didn't even have time to argue a solution before she squeezed her in a tight hug and said goodbye. She was out the door, dashing off to pull Elena, Damon, and the others back from the Other Side.

Rose watched as the door shut behind her, wiping the wetness from her eyes before charging into Sheila Bennett's in-home study. From her life as a practicing witch and occult studies professor, their late grandmother had shelves full of ancient grimoires, scrolls, texts and items so she ought to have something that could save Bonnie. As the minutes ticked by, the piles of useless books stacked around her grew with her desperation.

"There's nothing here!" she muttered, slamming the heavy grimoire closed. The force rattled the desk and the shelf above it, knocking a scroll down in front of her. Rose blinked away her frustrated tears and lifted the dusty scroll, blowing it with her breath to reveal the Latin handwriting and symbols.

After pulling her friends back to the living world, Bonnie anticipated the approaching light. She glanced back, meeting Elena's solemn gaze. They all gathered behind her, no words left to say as they watched their beloved witch meet the very fate she had saved them from. She knew she couldn't save herself and she accepted that. She only hoped that within the next few moments she would find peace with her grams and father.

The moment she closed her eyes, she felt a jolt of energy lance through her. Something changed. When she opened them, she was amongst the others but Rose stood a few feet away, the wind of the collapsing dimension tossing her brown curls, the white light reflecting off her face.

Horror gripped her when she realized she was no longer linked to the Other Side, Rose was.

She offered Bonnie an apologetic smile as she watched tears bead down her shocked face.

"I love you, Bonnie," she uttered just before the light consumed her completely...

and she was gone.

The brightness subsided as the wind around her settled to a calm hush. Rose could finally open her eyes and found that she was standing in the same place, at the boarder of Mystic Falls but everyone had disappeared.

She dashed around town calling out Bonnie's name, looking for her, their friends or anyone but it was completely deserted. She stopped to catch her breath in the middle of the town square, the usually bustling epicenter was empty. That's when panic set in, worrying that she was actually dead, though this didn't seem like the “peace” described or even hell. For that matter, she didn't feel dead, in fact she felt very much alive something she realized when her stomach growled. “Dead people don't get hungry," she told herself as she walked into the Mystic Grill. Much like everywhere else, the Grill was desolate. She made her way into the kitchen and found it fully stocked with alcohol and food that seemed up to date, so the town couldn't have been abandoned too long ago, she thought. Rose made a quick sandwich and walked toward the bar when her eyes fell upon the bulletin board. She nearly dropped her plate when she read the date on the calendar.

May 9th, 1994.

It didn't take long for him to notice that things were different. After 18 years of complete solitude, he grew accustomed to the consistency of the realm. His strong ability to detect the presence of magic, made it all the more obvious to him when the young Bennett witch touched down in his prison world. He tracked her down to a Virginian town called Mystic Falls where he first saw her in the living room nose deep in a grimoire. He slipped through an unlocked door and watched her silently out of her view. He figured she was looking for anything that would explain where she is or how to escape but she likely wouldn't find anything in those texts. Luckily for her, he planned on revealing everything...

In due time.

Just over a week passed and unbeknownst to her, Kai was watching the entire time. He’d stay up while she slept, curled up with her fuzzy plush lamb she called lamby. Most nights she’d clutch the stuffed toy to her chest and just cry herself to sleep. Like a sad shelter commercial, he enjoyed the pathetic display, though he hated the little white lamb with a passion, fantasizing about how much more she’d cry if she woke up and it’s head was cut off.

He observed everything, from her tendency to talk to herself to the she way she put tension in her lips when she was concentrating on the Latin of her texts. Clearly, she was a beginner and her general naivety would come to his advantage once he finally decided to make his move.

Rose swayed her hips as she rounded the corner, pushing her grocery cart while singing along to ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody' by Whitney on her Walkman. He sat in a fold up lawn chair in the center aisle of the otherwise empty market, munching on a bag of pork rinds and watching with an amused grin, wondering when she would finally notice him. After deciding on a box of Count Chocula, she finally turned from the shelves and their eyes met. Her mouth fell open as she paused the tape and lowered the headphones from her ears. He smiled and gave a slight wave.

“Were you there the whole time?” She blurted breathlessly, taking him in. His face had a pleasant balance of soft and sharp features that made him both cute and intimidating and a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. The dark brunette wore a hooded jacket styled over a graphic tee, denim jeans and worn out converse.

“Yeah, I didn’t want to interrupt. You sounded amazing by the way.”

Her cheeks burned, “t-thank you… umm who are you?”

“Sorry, manners, I’m Kai. Nice to meet you.” He set aside the bag and stood up from the chair. Her eyes followed his ascent until he stood fully, towering over her. “And you are…?”

Her ears got hot. “Oh right! Rose- I’m Rose… excuse me, I haven’t spoken to another person in a while. I promise I’m not normally this awkward…” she sighed and averted her gaze downwards.

Kai shoved his hands in his pockets, “can’t be any worse than me I've been here since the very beginning.”

“You’ve been all alone for 18 years?" she uttered in disbelief.

Kai forced a laugh, “It's not so bad. There’s no traffic, everything’s free and privacy isn’t an issue… now, there is the crippling loneliness but that only creeps in once in a while.” He casually plopped back down on his chair and grabbed his chip bag.

“There’s no way out of here, is there?” She sighed.

"Nope, not unless you happen to be a Bennett witch…” he scoffed as though the thought were incredulous and popped a rind in his mouth.

Her eyes lit up. “Wait, I am! I am a Bennett witch.”

Kai grinned, “well then the odds just got a lot better.”

“So, is Kai short for something?” She asked as they walked back to her place. Kai offered to push the cart for her.

“Malachai,” he replied.

“Malachai,” she practiced softly.

“But I prefer Kai,” he tagged on.

“What about you, Rose is short for what? Rosemary or… Rosalie?”

She giggled. "You’re close, it’s Rosalina but I prefer Rose.”

“Rosalina... that's pretty, much more fitting if you ask me.” The way he said her name made her want to bite her lip but she opted to return his smile instead.

“This is me,” she announced when they came to her house. She led him inside where he was kind enough to help her put away the groceries.

“So, what is this place?” she asked.

“One of many prison worlds created by the Gemini coven. Anyone who opposes them is gifted their own personal hell dimension. I got mine on my 22nd birthday.”

“That’s horrible. Why would they do that to you?”

He sighed, “most of it is coven politics- what you know and who you know, ya’ know? Long story short, my family betrayed me for more power. I don’t really like talking about it.”

Rose understood and decided not to pry. “So, you know how to get us out of here?”

Kai leaned forward on the counter while he explained the Gemini coven always left a back door to their prison worlds and it was called an ascendant. Under the direct light of a solar eclipse a Bennett witch is to use her magic and blood to activate the device and transport them back to the real world. “We’re going to need a locator spell to find the ascendant. Without my magic, I haven’t been able to find it.”

“When is the next eclipse?” Rose asked.

“Time works a little differently here… the month of May repeats itself over and over, starting with the 9th. Every third time May 9th comes around the eclipse happens.”

"The last eclipse just passed a few nights ago… that means we have about three months to wait.”

“On the bright side, we have plenty of time to find the ascendant,” He noted with an optimistic air. It amazed her how he managed to be so hopeful and positive even after being trapped for 18 years. “After all this time, 3 months is nothing,” he murmured.

She thanked him for helping her with her groceries. “Well, I’m going to make stuffed chicken for dinner. You can stay if you want.”

“You just met me and you’re asking me to stay for dinner… I mean, I could be a serial killer,” he finished with a charming smirk.

“You’re too nice to be a serial killer,” she put matter-of-factly while taking out the chicken breasts.

“Ted Bundy was nice,” he retorted.

She smiled at his wit. “Are you staying or not? Because I need to know if I’m making one chicken breast or two.”

Kai relented, “Oh, alright. How can I say no to stuffed chicken?”

[nostalgicbytch]

Drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain

[wattskerrylou]

Click here to read Tomorrow by Scarlett21122

This isn't my story. It's just been uploaded by a good friend who has helped me and many others promote their fanfiction, and has offered so many writers unwavering support. I would be so grateful if others could show her story the love it deserves. You don't have to be a fanfiction reader to enjoy it. It is a magnificently well written and incredibly researched WWII story that will tear you apart with heartbreak and put you back together again.

[splatooshy]

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join now! rare pair & fanon friendly

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[elenascollection]

First of all im completely in love with this whole look😍 Another one of my favourite outfits seen on Elena Gilbert, season 1 episode 3. Especially those earrings, they’re such a unique statement piece! They have to be my absolute favourite piece of jewellery she wore. The screen accurate brand is Claire’s but they’re pretty hard to find in the blue and green combination and are usually pretty pricey when found.

Was so happy when i found these on ebay a couple days ago after the pair I had my eyes on posh got sold. The seller even accepted my offer😍 Still on the hunt for that gorgeous top tho!

[writememysticfalls]

Bath Time | Damon Salvatore

Summary: Why was there a very wet, very naked Damon Salvatore in your bathtub? And how were you going to sneak him out?

Pairing: Damon Salvatore x reader

Genre: Suggestive, Angst

Word count: <1k

“You're so hot,” your date murmured, leaning in to kiss you on your bed. This was your first date since your boyfriend Damon died six months ago.

“I need to shower,” you said. “Before we… get down to it.”

You locked yourself in the bathroom. "I don't even like him, Damon…” you whispered, kissing Damon’s daylight ring. "But I have to move on.”

Just then, you realised the bath was full of hot water. Freaky - you had no memory of filling it.

You stripped, sank into the bath and shut your eyes.

Then, you got the strangest feeling.

It felt like Damon was in the bath with you.

You could feel his hard chest under your back. You could feel his fingers playing up your arm.

It was like those Sunday afternoon baths you would take with Damon, giggling when he soaped your chest a little too much.

You gasped as you felt a cool kiss on the side of your neck. Damon had been obsessed with your neck, attacking it till the skin was sore.

“Are you okay?” Rohan, your date, called.

“Ten minutes!” you yelled back.

Were you going crazy? If you were, you didn't care. This was the closest you'd felt to Damon in months.

You shifted in the tub, and you imagined Damon grasping the sides of the tub with his strong arms to steady you. You were used to hearing a clink as his daylight ring tapped the side of the bathtub.

CLINK.

You heard the noise - just as if Damon was here. That was impossible.

Stepping out of the tub, you wrapped Damon’s black shirt around your soapy body. You looked in the bathroom mirror.

Your heart stopped.

Damon was standing behind you in your reflection.

Damon was in his black shirt, with three buttons open. His hair was that jet-black nightmare that no amount of gel could tame. And he was smiling like you were the only girl in the world.

You began to sob. You spun around, but Damon wasn't behind you - you could only see him in the mirror.

“Shh, don't cry!” Damon said. “I didn't come back to make you sad.”

“Are you real, or am I going crazy?” you said.

Damon made a silly thinking face. “I’m on the Other Side, so I'm definitely real. You might be crazy, though. You’ve eaten pancakes every morning for six months. That's not exactly normal.”

“Shut up,” you sobbed. “Why are you here?”

In the mirror, Damon’s hands ran down your waist… your butt… Then he squeezed your bare thighs naughtily.

“Reason 1. You look so hot in my shirt,” he said. “Reason 2 is because that man wants to have sex with my girlfriend. So, I need to shove his you-know-what in a meat grinder.”

Your hands flew to your mouth. “Damon!” you said. “You told me to move on…”

Damon groaned. “That's just something you say! I didn't actually mean it, you numbskull!” His lip curled. “Rohan is way too old for you. And did you see his car? It's a Fiat 500. My girlfriend is not riding in that clown buggy.”

You weren't sure if you should laugh or cry.

“That car gives small sausage energy,” he whispered into your ear.

You laughed “Whereas your Chevy gives…?”

“Immense wiener,” Damon said. “I'm talking the Empire State Building.”

You laughed, then felt sad again. “I don't even want to date again,” you said. “I sleep in your shirt every night. But I'm so lonely.” You sighed. “I wish I could touch you.”

Damon paused. Then, he said, “You can.”

Suddenly, you could feel his arms circling you, strong and real. You turned around, and saw Damon there, in the flesh.

You kissed him till you couldn't breathe. You wrapped your legs around his waist, and he spun you around with a groan.

“I'm so sorry!” you said, touching your forehead to his. “I gave up on you in six months. I'm a terrible person.”

“I know I should be okay with you moving on,” Damon said. “But I'm a bad guy, Y/n. I want you all to myself.”

He pushed you into the hot bath. Then, he stepped into the water fully clothed, his body hovering over yours. Jewels of water hung off his dark eyelashes.

Damon’s hands grasped both sides of the tub, trapping you. “The bad guy in me…” he murmured, “wants to tell you to never touch another guy.” His arms were tensed. “I want to tell you to cry for me forever.”

Damon leaned back. “But I can't be a bad guy with you, Y/n. So, go do hanky panky with Rohan. Just don't enjoy it too much.”

“I'll get rid of Rohan,” you said. “But how are you touching me?” Your heart thumped. “I know how spells work, Damon. There's always a price.”

“Ahh…” Damon said. “You got me. The reason I can touch you is because I’m leaving the Other Side. In a few moments, I'll be gone forever.” He gestured at the ceiling. “Into the white wishy-woo. At peace.”

“No!” you said, digging your nails into his back. “Why would you do that?”

He kissed you, his lips moulding against yours again and again. You felt dizzy.

“Because kissing you is so worth it,” he said, his voice breaking off into a whisper.

He smirked. “Sorry about Rohan, by the way. I think I made him mad.”

And just like that, Damon disappeared.

You were alone in the cold bath. You got dressed and went into the bedroom.

“I can't do this,” you told Rohan.

He stood up. “I figured.”

That was when you realised what Damon had done to Rohan’s car. The car had three words keyed into it. “SMALL DICK BASTARD.”

You laughed all the way home.

Damon Salvatore, you thought. How am I ever getting over you?

​—

MAIN MASTERLIST

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[theaftersundown]

Not to be dramatic or anything but The Vampire Diaries is one of the best shows ever + Damon/Elena is THE couple/ship. Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

And yes, even 7 years after TVD's finale I am saying this. Thank you, L.J. Smith I am eternally grateful to you.

[cosmic-adventurers]

Submission for @hurtcember (Alternate Prompt: Don't Leave. A bit backdated, since it was posted on AO3 on 12/8/24, but it honestly could fit that day's prompt, "Cuddle," too. So, I guess, both? :D) Summary:

With an Accounting exam inconveniently scheduled on Samhain, Bonnie sends Damon and Elena to collect leaves from a nearby lake for her evening ritual. Little do they know that on this day, when the veil between worlds is at its most delicate, the lake becomes a portal — one activated by intense emotion.

Takes place during an alternate S7 where Elena has yet to take the Cure, and was able to avoid being placed under Kai's spell. Chapter Summary: The magical lake sends Elena though space and time to encounter a past, humanity-devoid Damon in 1994, while he's trapped in a shed, awaiting the annular eclipse to retrieve his daylight ring. Fandom: The Vampire Diaries Pairing: Damon/Elena Rating: M Chapter Tags: banter, humanity switch, memory magic, blood-sharing, copious use of sarcasm, angst, humor, humanity comes back with a bang, time travel, emotional hurt/comfort Word Count: 6,308

Everything within Damon seethed.

An active volcano that trembled beneath the surface. While the flimsy shade provided by the battered shed afforded him physical protection from the scalding sunlight, everything within him made up for it by burning with disdain – smoldering, simmering, erupting beneath the surface as he replayed Stefan’s words for what felt like at least the twentieth time in the last hour. 

Beneath the scalding fires of contempt providing a convincing cover for the anger, however, Damon’s heart contorted with pain.

Saint Stefan had stolen his daylight ring, and locked him in this ridiculous shed – declaring all the world safe from his debauched, blood-consuming brother like some kind of Undead Mother Teresa.

Fucking idiot. Snapping his neck, pissing him off, and counting on the sunlight to keep him at bay on the day of an eclipse. Maybe getting all those love-kicks to the head while trying to drain Bambi really did knock his sense loose.

Damon had been so close to turning his humanity back on – right on the verge of it. All he wanted was to rebuild the bond with his brother, reclaim a connection he hadn’t felt since he was human, but instead…

"I’m not trying to screw up your dumb, new life.”

“You don’t have to try, Damon. All you have to do is exist.”

The words tore into his brain, scorching themselves into the deepest fibers of his soul, marking it like his father’s cigars did his skin when he was a defenseless youth. He touched the space on his forearm where they had once been, the twin circular scars – each not 20 millimeters in diameter – a small wound for one that burned so deep. One of the first experiments conducted by Dr. Whitmore was to skin the scarred flesh and examine how it would regrow. After several agonizing days, it grew back clear. In time, he’d replace that disturbingly unblemished space with a tattoo, to remind himself to focus on the present – despite what’d he’d realized was a craving to see the scars embedded on his arm, instead of where they’d come to reside, deep inside. The only remnant of that Thanksgiving night now lived in his soul – the caustic threats his father would make against Stefan if Damon refused to confess to a crime he didn’t commit, leading to just one of many punishments he’d take to protect his brother.

Giuseppe Salvatore was the first person to ever make Damon realize just how unwanted, reviled his existence was. Lily was the second, idly standing by while he burned, and bled, and openly yearned for any semblance of affection with the naive earnestness befitting of a child. He’d learned to release such silly notions long before his peers, instead donned the most reliable companion he’d had since – his scintillating wit, his sardonic smirk – his nigh-impenetrable walls that swiftly hid all trace of vulnerability between a well-placed quip or sharp retort.

And now the Patron Saint of Hair Gel and Perpetual Frown Lines was picking up the mantle. Stefan was always such a sucker for family traditions.

It was time to get rid of that painful, physical reminder. Remind himself that where he lived – the here and now – nothing would ever hurt him this way again. 

Damon took a quick glance through a crack in the siding. He had no idea how long he’d actually been out, but the Sun still looked too dangerous for his planned excursion.

Trapped in the shed where he could do nothing but wait until the Moon covered enough of the Sun’s surface for him to strike.

He’d felt the first stirrings of his humanity only weeks prior, the faintest bouts of empathy sneaking through when he fed, when he came close to snuffing out the light from his latest snack. He felt guilty, ashamed – perhaps it could just let this one go, he argued inwardly, when he drank his fill.

It was so sudden and unexpected that he nearly choked. What the hell? Where did that even come from? But the thoughts persisted.

What if someone waited for them, loved them? He fought the feelings off with something akin to revulsion, but they persisted.

Before he could stop himself, he sent a bouquet of apology flowers to Lexi, remorseful about his less-than-considerate trap for her on a hot, sunny New York City roof – and her without a daylight ring. At the time, he thought it was hilarious – and hitting the Reverend of Self-Righteousness right where it hurt, after he sent his glorified lackey of a bestie instead of coming himself, was too satisfying to resist.

It was the perfect revenge – until it wasn't.

The lingering empathy that slowly fought to creep forth from beneath the bowels of its decades-long prison sentence burned into his behavior. He even began to pen a note, expressing concern for his misdeed, before catching himself as though the offending paper scalded him, and quickly tossed it into the flames.

Nevertheless, he found himself on the front steps of the Boarding House with a newspaper in hand, wryly announcing the news of Kurt Cobain’s death to a less-than-pleased Stefan.

Or he could have been ecstatic. Who could tell? Stefan's been working the 'perma-frown chic' vibe ever since he sprouted fangs and started hanging out with Betsy Buzzkill.

What followed his begrudging invitation into the house was a ridiculous series of character tests through which Damon sailed with sardonic finesse, because he’s awesome, until he didn’t. The Purity Police found bite marks on the wrist of one of the boarders – apparently one romantically involved with Zach. Okay, fine, maybe feeding on Steffie’s special human friends wasn’t exactly the best show of burgeoning humanity, but he was at least trying, wasn’t he?

A pparently not, according to the Condescending Crusader, because the next thing Damon knew, he was in a sooty shed, recovering from a broken neck and a scorching case of regret.

He should have known better.

But even as Damon recalled the events that led him here, he felt the pain sliding down, slipping beneath the surface, like molten lava retreating into the depths of an active volcano. Down it went. Underneath – where it could no longer burn – where nothing hurt.

Below the walls he’d spent years cultivating, slithering past a switch that had been such a constant companion over the last few decades that he’d known its face almost better than his own.

It beckoned him smugly – you naive fool, it said, twisting in the spaces, sweeping and cleansing, removing all traces of what made him care, made him love. You’re only safe when we’re together, when you’re under my protection, it whispered.

And with a satisfying mental ‘click,’ Damon’s humanity was unceremoniously shoved back down, behind its stalwart lock, its short-lived escape attempt little more than fleeting fancy – a silly sojourn into hope that he should have never allowed himself.

He could still feel rage, hate, contempt. But the pain was gone, the sorrow, any trace of empathy, of compassion. The desperate yearning for affection, for love. All sealed away.

Just like before. As it should be.

Damon could breathe again. Could plot.

Good. No one would be able to hurt him this way. Not Stefan, not memories of his father, his mother. Not even Katherine, when it came time to release her from her subterranean confinement. He wasn’t a fool. He knew that Katherine loved his brother more, and there was absolutely no way he would expose himself to the anguish of unrequited love ever again.

Sure, he’d save her. They’d have their fun. But she’d never be able to hurt him again. No one would.

He felt every empathetic instinct within him tremble against a nigh-impenetrable vault, hidden away, banished – his humanity, forgotten. He knew that coming here was a bad idea. He never should have come back.

Damon carefully pressed himself against a wall where he was able to get a safe peek at the Sun without combusting into vampire flambe. It looked partly covered by the Moon’s shadow already.

The annularity was less than an hour away, and then he’d get his ring back. And he’d show Stefan just how well his existence could screw up his dumb, new life.

Damon was so lost in the formation of his plot to bullet out the second the annularity arrived that he scarcely noticed the introduction of a new scent suddenly filling the air. It was curious and familiar. What was it? Lake water? Along with a racing heartbeat and anxious, uneven breaths –

The figure that met his startled eyes nearly knocked his own breath out of his body, barely kept upright in his shock. He recognized those eyes – those wide, expressive, dark doe eyes that haunted his dreams for over a century, except they’d never gazed at him this way before – like a drop of healing water in a withering, scorching drought. 

Not even in his wildest dreams could he imagine Katherine ever looking at him this way.

Or was that how he looked at her? Everything in her tender visage seemed to reflect what he felt – what he would feel had he not locked it away – though the stirrings of it trying to crawl its way back up were undeniable. He fought to shove them back down.

“Damon?” Her voice was a soft whisper carried by the late Spring breeze. But how – how could this be possible?

“Katherine?” The word was out before he could stop himself, astonishment and joy and dizzying awe all fighting within him for control. She was soaked to the bone; her long, dark hair slick against her rounded cheeks, her perfectly kissable, pouty lips. When he finally managed to pull his eyes away, he took in the sight of the rest of her.

She stood in the path of the sunlight, its golden glow brightening her silhouette, illuminating the water droplets that clung to her like crystals. The only cover on her bare, olive skin were still-wet leaves in shades of gold, plastered to her thighs, her hips, the swell of her breasts.

She looked almost ethereal, and far more beautiful than he ever recalled, even in the wilds of his imagination. It was her eyes – the way she gazed upon him – the guileless, unguarded affection, the trust. It pierced him in a way he had no intention to explore.

“What the hell did you just call me!?” The adoring expression was gone in an instant, replaced by boiling outrage as her hands flew to her hips.

O-okay? Well, that was certainly … a reaction. Damon raised his hands in playful mock-supplication, but every instinct within him was suddenly on alert. “Katerina, then – if you prefer?” Was she looking to test just how much he’d learned about her former life – a desire to return to the girl she once was before donning the specter of immortality? Or was this another ruse? Katherine always did have a fondness for capricious behavior. “Kitty-Kat? The Cunning Katastrophe?”

“I am not Katherine.” He could practically feel the growl resonating from deep within her. Wow. Damon had seen enough involuntary displays of emotion in his lifetime to recognize one, and this girl was certainly triggered. Well, obviously, she seemed to know Katherine – and based on the rage that the comparison incited, she probably knew her personally. Was she under a glamour spell that gave her Katherine’s exact appearance? Just how old was she? She had to be older than him, right? If she was acquainted with Katherine.

Unless there were two of them? That’s kind of hot. His imagination began to run wild before he had to forcibly rein himself back in.

Or was there an entirely different kind of spell in place? If Steffi-saur the Sour Knight wasn’t above snapping his neck and stealing his daylight ring, who’s to say he wouldn’t inject a hallucinogen into his veins, or scheme with a witch to mess with his mind?

And not the fun kind, either. Fuck, he sometimes really missed the ‘60s.

“What I’d prefer would be to never be compared to a raging narcissist with chronic backstabbing disorder,” she replied hotly, eliciting a charmed grin from Damon at her admittedly accurate description of his vampiric former paramour. She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting adorably. 

“Okay, then, ‘not-Katherine,’” he replied with what he liked to think were an artful use of air quotes, “who are you, exactly?”

Her response was immediate and involuntary, and something within Damon’s heart clenched at the sudden devastation written into the sudden downturn of the corners of her lips, the light fading from her eyes as she glanced away from him. “You don’t know me,” she breathed. Either this girl had no poker face whatsoever, or she was the best actress he’d ever seen.

“I usually don’t make it a habit befriending escaped water nymphs,” he replied wryly, his lips twitching into a smile that was far too kind for his liking, so he immediately masked it by flashing his eyes at her in a flirtatious manner that most found devastating. “Though I definitely approve of the fashion statement.” He couldn’t tell if he was more bewildered or impressed at how comfortable she was with her nudity around him. Normally, he’d be all about exploring just how far that would go, but since Steffie just hit him with the break-neck special, he was more than a little suspicious.

She laughed, but in a way that unnerved him. There was a warmth to it that set everything inside him ablaze. She was dangerous. He expected immediate desire, perhaps bashfulness. Instead, it was almost as though the light swam back inside her, like she’d come home. “I’m Elena,” she said, taking a seat on the warm grass, tucking her legs underneath her, and gesturing to her ‘ensemble’ wryly, with a cheeky wink. “And this is an experimental look – a girl’s got to explore her options.” Although visibly delighted by his responsive smile, she winced afterward, as though about to ask something that made her uncomfortable. “What is this place?”

He slithered next to her, still wary of her presence, but determined to hide it while surreptitiously investigating her, and shooting her a grin that was positively roguish. “Salvatore family shed – perfect for storing tools, family skeletons, outdated gym equipment, private moping space, three metric tons of hair gel – and, oh yeah, pesky house guests.”

Her smile only widened, gazing at him with a familiar affection, like she was privy to a secret about him that she was unwilling to share. “Mmm,” she hummed, “and would that be you?”

“She’s a fox in both looks and brains.”

She ducked her head, giving it a subtle shake at his antics before the nerves visibly returned. “When is this? What’s today’s date?”

He frowned. “Afraid you spent too long in the underwater kingdom and missed Prom Night?”

“I’m serious, Damon. I – “ She began to chew on her lip, her eyes darting about the space as though struggling to gather her thoughts. “I know you, but you don’t know me. And I have a theory that –”

He narrowed his eyes. This was officially getting strange, and given his track record with weirdness of the witchy-woo variety, he had a sneaking suspicion that Stefan fell down the rabbit hole of self-righteousness all the way to mercenary magic town. Sure, maybe she was telling the truth, and she really was a sweet, earnest, adorable Katherine look-alike who just happened to appear right after Steffie trapped him like a bad doggie, but what are the odds? He got up sharply. “Well, this has been a rousing game of Am I Lying or Just Crazy Pants, but I’m done with whatever it is you’re playing.”

“I’m not playing a game!” It was hard to call the tone of her voice exasperated, when she looked so clearly on the verge of tears. The frustration in her tone quickly evaporated, replaced with worry when her gaze fell onto his hands. “Damon, where’s your daylight ring?”

He studied her for a quarter of a second, but decided to play along. “Count Sulkula decided I needed a time out, so he took my favorite traveling accessory,” he snarked, taking another quick glance through a crack between the boards.

“What do you keep looking at….?” Elena mumbled to herself, following Damon’s line of sight. She stuck her head out into the sunny pasture, hiding the rest of her scantily-clad body – if a bunch of leaves even counted as cover – behind the wall of the shed. “Oh, wow. Is that a transit?”

“Not just any transit,” Damon replied smugly, unable to stop himself from preening just a tad at the thought of executing his plan. “Today’s the annular eclipse.”

Quick as lightning, Elena was back in the shed, looking like she’d just heard the funniest joke of her life but had to use every quark of energy within her from erupting in explosive laughter.

“So…” the corners of her mouth lifted, and she covered a failed attempt at a stifled giggle with her hand. “You’re telling me that Stefan stole your daylight ring on the day of a solar eclipse and then...” She paused, narrowing her eyes in amusement, “left you in an easily-escapable situation, all the while keeping himself and the ring close enough for you to get back if you needed to?”

“Yep,” he said, feeling an entirely different kind of warmth fill his chest, charmed by the adorable stranger. If this was a fever dream, maybe this one wasn’t so bad – she certainly wasn’t the worst company in the world. Maybe – no, no! He needed to stay focused.

“This explains so much,” she mumbled under her breath, chancing another quick peek about this Sun.

“What was that?”

“He’s just not very good with comets, either,” she said, shrugging almost apologetically, though she couldn’t hide the mirth dancing in her eyes as she eyed him speculatively, watching him for a reaction. “What an interesting plan, Stefan has. Did he also plan to shove you into a tank, filled with sharks with ‘frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads?’”

Damon drew his eyebrows together at the range of stilted inflections that was probably meant to be an imitation of someone. “And here I thought my brother’s creepy entanglements began and ended with forest creatures, but I guess he’s expanded to sharks,” he quipped. “Are the laser beams some kind of a new kink of his?”

Elena’s shoulders shook with giggles. “Definitely before nineteen ninety-seven, then.”

While Damon’s immediate response was a suspicious lightness in his chest at his ability to make her laugh, the trajectory of the conversation gave him pause. He looked at her curiously, hoping to cover his growing anxiety that she really was someone sent here to fuck with him, with nonchalance. “Uh huh. And is this the part where you tell me you’ve been sent from the future, here to make me repent and change my ways?” he drawled, sounding almost bored, though the sharpness in his eyes as he slowly circled her said otherwise. “Hate to break it to you, Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, but you’re a few months early – so you might want to crawl back into that lake where they make Katherine models.” He paused, unable to resist teasing her again. “Though you might actually be an improvement -”

“You are so annoying!” She threw her hands up in exasperation, jumping to her feet. “Fine, yes, Katherine and I are doppelgängers, and I know it’s a lot to wrap your mind around, and I get that I caught you at a weird time, but your paranoia right now would make Klaus blush!” 

He just stared at her. Doppelgängers? And who the fuck was Klaus?

“Why do you keep assuming that this is some kind of trick?” Just as suddenly, however, her dark eyes were alight with determination – a mirth brought on by what appeared to be the formation of an idea. “I got it! I can prove that you can trust me!”

“How’s that?” he asked dubiously, putting some physical distance between them, as he scanned his surroundings for a preying Steffie, waiting in the wings.

She softly gathered the soaked locks to one side, revealing her slender neck. His fangs desperately longed to pierce the inviting flesh. “We blood share.” She must have noticed his immediate reaction, because faster than he could respond, she crossed the distance between them, and his hands were in hers, threading their fingers. “What do you have to lose?”

“My consciousness, for one,” he drawled. “Nice try, honey. What’s the play here? My sulky brother sang you a tale about his hotter, sexier, wittier brother being evil incarnate, then pumped you full of vervain, and hoped I would be dumb enough to take the bait?”

“You can be really frustrating sometimes,” she shot back without any real malice before elongating her own fangs to bite through her wrist. “Here, take a sample – since you’re so paranoid.”

A vampire. Huh. And yet somehow definitely not Katherine. He brought the wrist to his lips, taking an experimental sip. The first taste immediately filled him with warmth, cascading through his body, lighting his soul – it was unlike anything he’d ever felt before, but all too quickly, she pulled her wrist away.

“Aren’t you curious?” she breathed, her own fangs inching slowly toward his neck. “Don’t tell me Damon Salvatore can resist turning this into a little sanguine exchange love shack?”

“It’s a shed.” He corrected, gesturing wildly, hoping to distract himself and her from the obvious temptation he was feeling.

“Not a very pretty one,” she replied, her eyebrows raised in challenge, before bestowing him with a smirk that looked a little too much like one he’d seen in a bucketful of mirrors. “Except for what’s inside.”

He knew it was a bad idea. Every ounce of logic within him rebelled against trusting this curious creature with his blood, his proximity, his vulnerability – but something within her made it so hard to resist. Oh, what the hell? He was already trapped. If Stefan wanted to turn him into a sexy undead candle, he had plenty of opportunities while he was unconscious.

Without preamble, he allowed his crimson to flood his eyes, his fangs elongating just as he pierced the tender flesh of her neck. His arms coiled around her of their own volition, pulling her close. He hardly had a moment to revel in just how right and good she felt in his arms, as he felt her fangs pierce him.

As soon as the sanguine elixir of her veins flooded his mouth, he felt it.

Love. Brilliant, all-encompassing, unconditional love. Love for him. It blazed through him like a wildfire, scorching him. It soothed him like a gentle wave.

It consumed him.

Damon felt his darkest, most clandestine, battered spaces that he’d fought so hard to keep safe and hidden, filled with her light – soothed with her whispers; kissed by soft lips; embraced and pressed into her heart, beating as one.

He felt her soul – everything inside her, radiant, imbued with light, driven by empathy, illuminating his dark crevices, filling them with warmth. But deeper in, further, he saw pain. Old wounds; guilt; trauma. A tenacious tendency to self-blame, a flicker of her own unworthiness to live. The weight of it almost broke him. How could she – how could someone like her believe this about herself? His only relief was that the wounds were old, nearly healed – the broken parts of her that once threatened to rip her apart were filled with him, a different version of him, holding her together, healing her. He was horrified to discover just how desperately he longed to soothe every ache, help her become whole again.

The nigh-impenetrable wall behind which he hid his humanity was rendered but a flimsy, worn paper screen, ripped apart by the wave of emotion battering against it.

His knees began to buckle under the weight of it as he stumbled back, still holding Elena in his arms, grateful that the wall of the shed against which he desperately leaned wasn’t exposed to sunlight as he fell to his knees, along with her.

When he finally pulled away, he was nearly undone by the gently calm expression on her face – the same soft tenderness he’d seen before. How was her world not completely ripped apart by this? This gargantuan tsunami that shook every foundation he held firm and set every fiber of his soul aflame with her. He fought to catch his breath, desperately searching for his switch but it couldn’t be found – not now. Even his smirk and shield of sarcasm abandoned him.

“I don’t understand.” He looked back at her with tears shining in his cerulean eyes, nearly broken and healed anew with what he just learned. ”How is this possible?”

Elena frowned, visibly confused, before her lips quirked upward in a teasing smile. “Well, this is certainly a surprise. I didn’t think I’d be the one to explain blood-sharing to you.”

“I –” he nearly choked on the wave of renewed feeling, threatening to engulf him whole before he found his voice again. “I know what blood-sharing is. But this!? " He gestured between them wildly. “How is it that you love me that much? I’ve only ever heard about this sort of thing –”

“Really?” Now it was her turn to be puzzled, but the confusion soon evaporated, leaving her enflamed with awe.

“This kind of bond takes a while to build; and you need strong feelings – you need…” he looked away, uncharacteristically bashful, the threat of exposing vulnerability after so many years practically unravelling him, but the hand gingerly cupping his cheek lured his gaze to hers without her even trying. “You need love, on both sides, and it needs to be –” 

Real.

She kissed his lips soundly before he could even finish. He immediately sank into the embrace, one hand reverently touching her cheek while the other wrapped itself fiercely around her waist, drawing her impossibly close as if to meld, become one with her. Her tongue traced a gentle line along his lower lip, beckoning access that he immediately allowed, as waves of wildfire cascaded between them, through them, setting them alight, consumed.

“I never knew it was so rare,” she blurted, gasping for air as soon as they pulled apart, then frowned, looking visibly troubled. “Or did I?”

The sight of consternation on her lovely face pierced his heart, and his lips moved to kiss away the frown between her brows before he could stop himself. “You’re really from the future?” His hands moved to caress her cheeks, her hair. He couldn’t stop touching her.

“You believe me,” she breathed, visibly relieved.

“I can’t think of any other explanation,” he confessed, drawing her back into his arms, needing her close. The sensation of her skin against his, healing wounds he’d forgotten existed – the paradoxical feeling of restorative waters soothing aching burns while simultaneously fueling the fires of desire with the proximity of her touch, her scent, the mesmerizing beating of her heart. He pulled away to look at her again, unable to decide between the two – he needed both, to feel her close and to see her, to experience her in every way. “How long did it take for this to happen - for the connection to form?”

Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second. She looked stricken; her eyes downcast before she bravely forced herself to meet his gaze again. “I – I'm guessing it took a while.”

His eyebrows were drawn into a mystified line. “You don’t know?”

She appeared to shrink into herself. “I don’t remember,” she correctly quietly. “I, um…” She swallowed the thick lump in her throat, the words broken by the emotion in her voice. “I had some memories erased – memories of us.”

“Why would someone do that to you?”

She winced, a guilty expression settling on her face. “It was my decision. I thought you died, and – “ She took a breath, then looked away. “We knew someone who could compel vampires, and he erased all the good memories of us.”

“But why – why would you do that?” The news shattered a piece of his heart, more potent than a stake. She erased him?

“I don’t know,” she said glumly, hugging her knees to her chest. “But I have a feeling I did something bad, or was about to. And no one wants to tell me the truth. My only clue is my own journal, where I called myself a monster.”

“So, you don’t remember anything about us?”

She shook her head. “Nothing good – not from before you came back. I’m sorry,” she murmured. “It’s strange – how quickly I saw that you weren’t the man from my memories. Falling in love with you – back in love with you, I suppose – it was as natural as breathing,” she said, finally meeting his gaze again, her own glistening with tears, awash with shame that was quickly being replaced by wonder. “So, I can’t really tell you anything about our life before, aside from some stories you told me,” she confessed. “But I know that I love you – more than anything in the world – more than I ever thought humanly possible.” She bit her bottom lip to stop it from quivering as her trembling hands moved to cup his cheeks. “The truth is, I can’t imagine a world where I don’t love you. A part of me wonders if I always did, but I was just too afraid. Every road in my heart leads back to you – and I have a feeling it always has.”

His hands settled over hers, his heart clenching in equal parts by her tears and the weight of her confession. He placed a soft kiss into the pulse point of her palm, a smug satisfaction at her visible shiver. “Everything I saw inside you was beautiful, Elena.” His lips pressed into a thin line, as what he knew rushed back into him, the spell of blood-sharing bliss slowly dissipating in the wake of harsh reality. “So beautiful that I know I don’t deserve you – I can’t, I –"

“The past doesn’t matter, because – because it’s not what you do for me. That‘s not who we are – we’re more than just what we do for each other, more than just our history. That’s not why I love you. I love you for who you are,” she whispered, her eyes darting between his as she placed her hand over his heart. “I love you for this.”

Everything within him threatened to come apart at her words, so he stayed almost impossibly still, for fear that if he let himself so much as breathe, he wouldn’t be able to pull himself back together. The force of it was so overwhelming that he nearly missed the flicker of worry on her face when she looked at her arm. “What’s wrong?”

She chewed on her lip. “I’m not sure how much time we have left, and I'm guessing the lake sent me here for a reason,” she said quietly, before her voice affected a determined tone. “So, I need to ask you, while I still can. I remember having done this with you twice before, and I’ve always sensed old wounds, but this time there was something fresh,” she said, the words tumbling out. “Did someone hurt you?”

He rolled his eyes, summoning every bit of theatricality he could, which wasn’t insignificant, a musically wry timbre back in his voice. “Elena, I don’t get hurt. I –“

“You can’t lie to me, Damon – not after what we just did.” Her thumbs traced the sculpted contours of his cheekbones. “I felt you.”

Damon turned away. He felt ice flood his veins, its grip squeezing, a familiar voice whispering reminders of other times he’d allowed himself to be vulnerable and where it led – where it would always, inevitably lead. But then she pressed her lips to his in a kiss so soft, the open adoration in her expressive, dark eyes so open, so sincere that the voice instantly hushed, its shadow extinguished by her light. “Tell me. Please.”

“Oh, you know,” he quipped, desperate to hide the pain in his voice. “Stef’s been watching a lot of teen dramas lately – Melrose Place, Beverly Hills - and got inspired, thought he’d try out a new trick on the squirrels by monologuing the will to live out of them. It's been making him extra melodramatic.”

She tilted her head to the side in a manner eerily familiar to him, reminiscent of his. “What did he say?”

He waved her off. “Something about ‘blah blah, you don’t have to try to screw up my dumb, new, life Damon, while polishing his morality merit badge. All you have to do is exist.’”

Her reaction was immediate, her eyes widening in horror. “He said you screw things up by existing? That your existence ruins things?”

Damon just shrugged, glancing at the sunbeams entering the shed through the open door, immediately uncomfortable with her reaction, the protectiveness feeling foreign, unfamiliar, undeserved. Not for him.

Elena leaned into him, grabbing his shoulders in an almost too-tight grip. “He’s wrong – you know he’s wrong, right?”

“You’re making a bigger deal out of this than it is, Elena.”

She shook her head emphatically. “You don’t understand!” she cried, her voice trembling, her hand pressed into his chest, over his heart. “Damon, I – I can’t imagine anything worse than you not existing. Every time I try to imagine what that was like, I –” Her voice broke, but she took measured, broken breaths, trying to calm the wild panic that settled inside her when faced with the notion of his absence from the world.

His veneer of indifference broke, wrecked by the passion in her voice, the love he now recognized in her eyes, his own misty, vision blurred against the onslaught. The aching vulnerability he knew reflected in his gaze prevented him from speaking. A cynical part of him wanted to scoff, to chide, to rib – Damon Salvatore, who prided himself at never being lost for a quip, completely unraveled by a string of sappy words. But even that part knew this was much more.

Now calmer, she inched even closer to him, her hands threading through his hair, stroking it in a manner he found hypnotically soothing. “And Stefan doesn’t think so, either – not really. You’ll become a lot closer in the future, too. You've no idea how much he missed you when he thought you were gone. He needs you, too.”

In lieu of words, he took one of her hands, pressing a soft kiss on each finger - a certain, unnamed emotion building within him with each subsequent caress. He wasn’t ready to name it yet, terrified to feel so much so quickly, but as she slid either thigh around his hips to straddle him, pulling him into a passionate kiss, he felt a familiar fire within him build. Desire, he could handle. This –

And just as suddenly, he thought he felt his lips go through hers. His terrified eyes opened to find hers apologetic, her entire form becoming increasingly transparent, a glowing visage of an Autumn lake shining in the distance behind her.

“I think it’s pulling me back, Damon,” she told him softly.

His heart fell. That along with any hope in maintaining composure. “No! You can’t leave yet. Please!”

“We’ll see each other again.” She looked so sure, despite the slight tremor in her voice.

“When?”

“About fifteen years, give or take,” she replied with a wince.

“How do I find you? How – ?” His hands reached out for hers, desperate to feel her again. He wasn't ready for this - he never would be. 

“I don’t think I’m allowed to tell you too much about the future.” A wistful smile graced her lips. She pulled a leaf from her chest, and handed it to him. “From my heart,” she said, her voice quivering. “Where you’ll always be. This will help you remember today – remember me - until we meet again.”

“I don’t think I’d ever be able to forget you,” he told her truthfully, even as he felt his heart shatter.

“I love you, Damon,” she whispered, her voice, an echo distorted by the wind, before the visage disappeared entirely, like she was never there, save for the golden leaf adoringly clasped in Damon’s hand.

The tears that gathered in his cerulean eyes finally fell, leaving delicate trails on his cheek, cooled by the Spring breeze. When his heartbeat finally began to regulate, he was aware enough to notice the slight dimming of the light. The annularity was close.

The sudden flow of empathy searing through his veins made his stomach churn at the thought of killing the boarders, but that didn’t mean he was above a well-placed threat and some theatre to get his daylight ring back.

Clutching the leaf almost reverently, he placed it into the inside pocket of his shirt, above his heart, where he could keep it safe.

Elena...

Even the memory was enough to illuminate his darkest, hidden spaces, filling him with her warmth. Tomorrow, he'd begin looking for Katherine's doppelganger. He’d find her again.