Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. It belongs to L.J. Smith.
A/N: Takes place after The Return: Shadow Souls
Breathe
One…two…three…breathe! Just take a deep breath. Inhale, exhale, big guy.
Damon Salvatore frowned. Why would someone call another person "big guy?" He keeled over. Breathe! Stupid flower from the stupid kitsune at the prison. Had it not been for Stefan, he wouldn't be in this mess! He never wanted to be human, so why was he?
He stood shakily. He could not be human. Human's were weak. He looked at the food Bonnie had left in disgust. Kill him now. If he was going to be some weak human, he'd starve himself to death. He hadn't ate human food for around two hundred years and he wasn't about to start.
The door opened and little Bonnie Bennett stood there. Sweet, wide-eyed Bonnie. About the only person Damon could stomach anymore. He'd slipped up once and called Mutt Matt and let people see the better side of him. No way was he going to do that again.
And yet, when he turned to be cold to the little witch-no pun- it seemed as though he couldn't. Why was that? Because he was in love? Nonsense. Damon Salvatore didn't love.
"Damon?" Bonnie asked, breaking his train of thought.
"What is it, Bonnie?" he asked in an emotionless voice. She bit her lip.
"You should eat," she said finally. He opened his mouth, but she rushed on, stopping whatever he was about to say. "I know you think that you don't have to, but you do, Damon, unless…unless you want to die or Stefan and Elena force feed you!"
"My brother cannot make me do anything," Damon said semi-coldly. She shrugged.
"Well…um, seeing as though you are…um," she stuttered.
"Say the bloody word already," he cut in. She stood tall.
"Fine, I will. Seeing as you are human, which makes him stronger physically, he very well can make you eat," she said.
"Yes, but how?" Bonnie shrugged.
"I suppose however he sees…fitting."
"Bonnie, I believe that you were never a vampire, so I don't see how you could possibly know what I feel," he said.
"I-" Damon cut her off.
"I don't need help, Bonnie. The only thing I need is to be left alone so I can figure out a way to fix this," he said, motioning to himself. She didn't move.
"I'm not leaving Damon, at least not until you eat something," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Guess you'll be here for awhile. Best get comfortable. Two weeks without food? Week without water? Is that what it is? If so, I have six days remaining, which then translates to one hundred and forty-four house until death-give or take a few," he said, smirking. She shrugged and picked up the sandwich from the tray.
"Maybe…unless I make you eat,"' she said. He snorted. "Look, Damon you've saved me countless times-and don't deny it-and now it's time for me repay you."
"Repay or pity?"
"Does it matter?"
"I don't take pity."
"Fine, I'm repaying you," she said, rolling her eyes.
"Call it what you want, but I still say pity."
"Sure," she said, handing the sandwich to him, which he looked at as though he was afraid. "Just eat, Damon, for me." She pecked his cheek and went to sit in a chair, watching as he took a tentative bite.