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Tweak says, "ORIGINAL CRACKERBREAD"

Elena Gilbert (_doppelganger_) wrote in valarlogs,
@ 2018-08-10 11:53:00

Entry tags:

damon salvatore, elena gilbert

Who: Elena and Damon
What: Comforting
When: After their text convo
Where: His place
Status: In progress
Rating: TBD

It was probably a bad idea, going to see one's ex in the middle of the night but Elena couldn't quite help herself. The dreams have been vivid, as they always were, but this one had been full of so much back and forth. A summer spent with Damon, even as they looked for Stefan. Getting close to Stefan on more than one occasion only to find herself pulled away for one reason or another. And then that horrible night in the gym.

She was still unsettled, thinking about Klaus killing Dana and Chad, turning Tyler. But even with that, Elena also found herself somewhat comforted by the way Damon had shown up, carrying her out of the hospital, taking her to the Boarding House and promising never to leave her. His word was gold, especially where Elena was concerned.

Arriving at Damon's, she barely paused long enough to take the keys from the ignition, moving swiftly to his door and knocking. As the door opened, Elena didn't hesitate a moment, or stop to consider her actions. She stepped forward, arms winding around Damon in a hug that was somewhat lingering.

"Thanks," she advised softly. For being okay with a random late night visit that was in no way intended to be a booty call. But she needed the reassurance.

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flipstheswitch
2018-08-21 05:19 pm UTC (link)

"You haven't seen some of it yet. In the 1940's Stefan was getting out of a ripper stage, and decided to go off to WWII to help drive an ambulance. He asked me to go along and I agreed. When I got to the platform, Lexi stepped in and told me that Stefan would be better without me, so I didn't go. I watched him go, and he was looking for me, but I would have been bad for him. He thought I left him, but I didn't." He looked down at their hands. "I should have went, or told him I was there. Lexi told me to just let him go."

There was more - much more. "In the 50's, I was captured by some scientists, or really sold by family. I was in a basement for 5 years, given just enough blood for survival. They experimented on Enzo and I, cut into us testing our healing. They dug into my eyes, my organs - whatever. You know who got me out - ME. No one came looking." He had needed his brother then, and nothing happened. There were reasons his dream self had this resentment.

But wait, there was another story behind the first. "In the 70's I was on a rage. My humanity was off, and I didn't care. I was in New York, tearing the city up, and Stefan found out. Instead of coming down, he sent Lexi." He rolled his eyes. Leaving her up on a roof in the sun was somewhat satisfying. "I took dad's punishments when we were young so he wouldn't touch Stefan. I showed up when I was needed, and where the fuck was he? Nowhere." He had never really told that story from his perspective before. He knew they were dreams, but some of those feelings were hard to separate.

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_doppelganger_
2018-08-21 05:27 pm UTC (link)

There wasn't much Elena could say to that, really. Because it was obvious that everything together had wounded Damon deeply. Elena had thought that a good deal of their animosity toward one another lay rooted in the battle over Katherine. Obviously it went deeper than that.

Instead she set her glass down, moving to cup both of his hands with hers. She wouldn't try to tell him that Stefan loved him, because obviously Damon harbored more than a little resentment. "Things were changing," she answered finally. "Not that it helps with any of that but I could see your relationship improving the longer you were in Mystic Falls." Apart from the occasional flirtation with Elena. And even that wasn't mean-spirited.

"You were brothers for the first time in a very long time. You were both united against something. The tomb vampires or Katherine or Klaus." All to protect her. "I'm still sorry that you went through it all. I'm sorry that you were hurt."

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flipstheswitch
2018-08-21 05:43 pm UTC (link)

There was a lot of harbored resentment. He felt those five years as an Augustine vampire. The dreams left him with a memory of cold damp stone and darkness. Yes, it hurt. Fear led to panic attacks. Enzo was there, and that had saved him, but that was a lot to take in between physical pain, and emotional damage. "Yeah, I guess. We hunted for him with Klaus, and then later, but he never came for me. He couldn't be bothered." She had yet to see Saint Stefan drowning over and over again. "Wait until you see how we bring him back from the other side. It's epic. It cost me you for awhile." She had forgotten him, had her memories rearranged, and that was one of the worst injuries of all.

Stefan, in the end, did make a sacrifice. He didn't want to talk about it yet, but it didn't seem to mend all those pieces. "All I wanted was for someone to find me, or even care enough to look for me. Five years is a long time to wait and wonder." In the last stages of the dreams, he and Stefan had argued about Damon always leaving them. He had all but given up on the dreams, and the end was a bit anti-climactic after the useless bit of fighting. "I was always the bad one though."

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_doppelganger_
2018-08-21 08:52 pm UTC (link)

"Not to me." He had done bad things, of course, had a checkered history a mile wide, but he hadn't always been bad where Elena was concerned.

"I'm not asking you to let go of the past, but I'm telling you that you have people who care about you. In Mystic Falls and here." And Elena was completely sincere about that, large eyes looking at him, willing him to believe her.

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flipstheswitch
2018-08-23 04:37 am UTC (link)

"I know," he said - lying. He didn't know. There were a few who stuck around but most left eventually. He'd do something bad and drive them away. They wouldn't try to figure out what was in his head, or his heart. Elena had done that in the dreams. She had - then she let him go. That dream had hurt them here, even though he shouldn't let it, like how he had killed Jeremy shouldn't affect them here, but it was hard not to take that as the ultimate insult.

He pushed that thought from his mind. He didn't want to think about that right now. No, it didn't matter. He leaned closer and kissed her, just a light one. He was testing the water, not entirely sure how much it would be welcome.

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_doppelganger_
2018-08-23 01:08 pm UTC (link)

It was so familiar, the feel of his lips against hers. Familiar and comforting, both. And, though they hadn't kissed in the dream they had been close enough that she had been left wanting more. Even if her dream self had been confused and guilty at Stefan's return.

She should have known it was coming, but her eyelashes still fluttered slightly before sliding shut, Elena leaning into the kiss. That hadn't been the reason behind her going to see him but now that it had happened, she found herself unable to resist.

The kiss deepened a moment before it ended, Elena not pulling away though dark eyes slid open to look up at Damon, so close to her. Cheeks flushed, a familiar longing building within. Even if Caroline had warned her against becoming involved with him once again, it was like a moth to the flame. She couldn't help herself.

"I missed you," she confessed, almost whispering the words. Even after everything that had happened between them, she had missed this, missed him, missed having that connection and spark.

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flipstheswitch
2018-08-28 02:39 pm UTC (link)

"I missed you too," he said, pulling back a little. He didn't know if he should be doing this, especially given the past indiscretions, but they had moved past that. The past only ever managed to complicate things both in the dreams and in life. He could feel his dream self pulling them together as much as he tried to separate himself from the dream disappointments.

"I feel like I should say something, but I am at a complete loss for words." He smiled and shook his head. He knew that if they took it further, they would be met with the wall of opposition. He wasn't sure that he cared about any of it, but Elena would feel that burn. It was a kiss though - but it had possibilities.

"Do you feel better now?" Maybe that was a good question to start with.

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_doppelganger_
2018-08-28 03:04 pm UTC (link)

Elena felt exactly the same way. She was at a complete loss for words just then. It felt so right even if their past was complicated to say the least. But she nodded at his question.

"Yeah." She did feel better, calmer than she had since she'd woken from that terrible dream. "I do." She hadn't meant to call him so late but then again he did own a night club. He wasn't exactly a morning bird.

"...are you okay with...everything?" Her coming over in the middle of the night, the kiss, all of it.

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flipstheswitch
2018-09-01 02:29 pm UTC (link)

Complicated was the word, but it was also uncomplicated. It had been a long time coming. "Yeah, I'm fine," he nodded, giving her the smile that was gentle and kind. Those things also existed, no matter the walls he kept around himself.

"You should stay tonight - if you want. It's late." That was a loaded statement, as complicated and simple as they were. He made no assumptions in how that would go. She could even take up the guest room if she wanted to. There were plenty of options.

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_doppelganger_
2018-09-01 05:32 pm UTC (link)

Elena hesitated a moment, trying to decide how to respond. He wasn’t exactly pressing this encounter in one direction or another though and now that she’d seen him and talked about the dreams, the exhaustion was starting to catch up with her. Adrenaline had sustained her from the moment she jolted awake but that was fading.

If he felt anything akin to the feelings coursing through her, he knew exactly what thoughts were floating through her head. And how much she wanted to agree to that offer.

“You wouldn’t mind?”

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flipstheswitch
2018-09-01 07:22 pm UTC (link)

Damon was actually careful not to press for anything more than she was willing to give. Yes, he would like more, but he wasn't in any place to commit yet, so that was a consideration. He was healing though, more than he had been in a long time. He was moving forward without reaching back to all those past mistakes. He didn't want to push away.

He leaned in and kissed her softly. "Nope, I wouldn't mind." Not at all. "I can even offer cuddling." Or whatever came with cuddling. There was a mischievous smirk attached to that word. "Or a guest room, which is really dull and lonely, but it's your choice."

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_doppelganger_
2018-09-01 07:36 pm UTC (link)

He kissed her again and Elena could feel any resolve melting away that might have been holding her back. And her lips widened against his at the slight teasing. He certainly knew how to present the best option.

“I don’t really want to be alone right now,” Elena admitted. “Being near to you,” even if it were just to lay in the same bed and sense his presence nearby, “it would be nice.” The best remedy for troubling dreams.

One hand stretched for his, fingers lacing through his and just appreciating the familiar weight of his hand in hers for a moment before she leaned in again, lips pressing to his. “Thank you for the offer.”

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