"We shouldn't do this. Not with everything going on with Klaus and Esther and—agh," Elena walked up to the front door of her house with Caroline at her shoulder.
"Elena, you seriously need to have some fun every once and a while. I mean, for God's sake, it's you're birthday!" Caroline argued, stopping in front of the door and turning to look at her brunette friend. Caroline's eyes were filled with quiet compassion, understanding Elena's reluctance. "Our life has become so crazy; we need to cling onto these little moments of clarity."
Elena sighed. Her eyes switched between the door and Caroline. She knew what awaited her inside—her group of friends including the recently redemptive Stefan, and the captivating Damon.
Elena quickly smiled up at Caroline and nodded her head once in agreement at the blonde vampire's words before pushing open the tall oak door and entering the house.
"Surprise!" Bonnie, Jeremy, Matt, and Stefan all popped out from behind the wall that divided the living room from the hallway.
Elena looked at all of their faces with a smile plastered onto her cheeks.
Jeremy held a sign that said in large, glittery letters 'HAPPY EIGHTEENTH, ELENA!' Matt brandished a set of multi-colored balloons that were so tall they hit the archway. Bonnie eagerly clung onto two bottles of tequila, holding them up for Elena to see. Stefan held nothing materially, but he did display a tender smile, the same smile that he used to give her when they were dating, before all of this drama with Klaus. Elena felt her heart skip a beat at that smile. She smiled back, but the smile was quickly wiped off her face at the sound of his voice:
"You guys realize that she's known about this party for three days now?" Damon sauntered into the hallway, carrying a glass of bourbon. Elena's attention was drawn to him. She would be lying if she said that her relationship with Damon hadn't changed drastically over the last few months while Stefan was gone. She couldn't exactly label what changed, but she knew that her feelings for him had grown.
Elena broke her gaze from him and turned back to the group.
"Thank you guys," Elena paused, sincerely smiling at them, "Really."
"Happy birthday, Elena," Stefan responded, stepping closer to her. Elena stepped forward as well, stopping directly in front of him.
Stefan opened his arms, and Elena stepped into them. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he wrapped his around her shoulders, squeezing her tightly for a second before releasing her. Elena took a step back from him. Stefan's hug was different, not as comforting as it used to be, but it held something else: hope, hope that their relationship might be salvageable.
"Eighteen now, eh?" Damon interrupted Elena's wave of emotions, walking to stand right next to Stefan. Elena turned her attention to him. He stared down at her with his common smirk. She had such a hate-love relationship with that smirk. Damon lifted his hand and Elena felt her heart race at the sudden movement, overwhelmed by the feeling of unpredictability. He simply picked up a strand of her silky brown hair and examined it. "I think you're getting gray."
"Oh, shut up," Elena joked, playfully slapping his chest. Damon wiggled his eyebrows at her and Elena responded by rolling her eyes, an amused smile gracing her cheeks. Damon brushed the strand of hair back behind Elena's ear, his fingers lightly caressing her cheek on the way. His smiling eyes turned sincere with desire as he watched her. She mirrored his look, finding herself unable to pull away from those cobalt blue eyes.
Out of the corner of Elena's eye, she could see the look of uncertainty and jealousy that troubled Stefan's features. Stefan knew that Elena and Damon had gotten closer during his time as the ripper, and he understood why that happened. He even knew that they had kissed once. But, now that he returned to his normal self, he found himself wishing and wondering if he could repair his relationship with Elena. By the looks of Elena's reaction to Damon, he knew it would be an uphill battle.
Elena took a side-step from both the brothers and walked over to her other friends, encapsulating them into a group hug.
"I'm so happy! This is great!" She squealed as the group swayed back and forth, tripping together at the unnatural linking. They all burst into laughter. Eventually, Elena pulled away from them. "So, what do we start with?"
"I vote the tequila," Bonnie said, handing a bottle to Elena. Elena laughed and handed the bottle back to Bonnie.
"Maybe we hold off on the drinking for a little while," Elena responded. Honestly, she wasn't sure how being drunk at a party with Damon and Stefan would go these days. She could only assume poorly. Bonnie looked bummed at her proposition, but didn't fight her on the subject. After all, it was her birthday.
Caroline quickly swooped in with her bubbly personality.
"I've already got the whole night planned out!" Caroline beamed, "First, we are going to play party games and then we've got presents and cake, pizza too, of course, and then that's when the drinking games start!" Caroline winked at Elena. Elena smiled at her; she had never been the kind of person to throw parties, but Caroline was and that's what made them such perfect friends.
"Sounds nauseatingly boring," Damon mumbled from the hallway, his eyes were watching Elena over his bourbon tumbler even though his statement was directed at Caroline.
"You're right Damon, you'll get bored. You should probably go," Caroline spoke, popping her hip out haughtily. Damon glared at her and lowered his glass, placing it on a side table. He strutted into the room, stopping next to Elena.
Elena looked up at him and when she saw him opening his mouth to make some sassy remark, she placed her hand on his bicep, indicating for him to stop. At the sudden contact, Damon shut his mouth and looked down at her—her touch always took him aback. Elena felt heat rush to her cheeks and she quickly pulled her hand away, retracting her eyes from him back to the group.
Her interaction with Damon had not gone unnoticed. Stefan watched her with narrow eyes and his lips drawn into a straight line. He knew he had no right to be jealous, but he couldn't help it.
"So, what's the first game, Care?" Elena asked, desperate to alter the tension in the room.
Caroline smiled excitedly.
"It's called word back," Caroline said, jumping into the living room and gesturing everyone else to follow.
They all moved into the room and sat down on the couches. Elena was careful to sit as far away from the Salvatore brothers as possible.
"So, this is how the game works: I will write down a word on a piece of paper. Everyone pairs off and one partner gets to see the word, then they go back to their partner and trace that word on the back of their partner's hand with their finger. Whoever guesses what the word is first wins." Caroline explained, pausing to read the reactions of everyone. They seemed indifferent, "Well, pair up! Chop, chop! I want to see some livelihood!"
"Most of us are dead," Damon sarcastically retorted, but he stood up anyway and walked over to Elena's side. He sat on her arm chair. "So, what do you say, Elena? Partners?"
Elena scanned the room: Bonnie had paired up with Jeremy, and Matt waited to see which Salvatore he would be left with. Elena sighed.
"Why not?"
"You don't need to sound so disappointed," Damon responded.
"Oh no, I'd never want you to get that impression," Elena joked, sarcastically smiling up at Damon, and Damon was temporarily taken aback—that smile seemed almost like she stole it directly from his cheeks and put it onto hers.
"Scoot over, couch hog," Damon slid off the armrest onto the couch and Elena moved over, giving him some space. Damon stopped and settled down, the right side of his body pressed against Elena's. Elena knew that she should move over more to distance herself from him, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. She had found so much comfort in him recently that the mere feeling of him was enough to warm her.
"So, I guess that leaves you and me." Matt said to Stefan. Stefan tore his eyes from his brother and his epic love to look at Matt. He raised his eyebrows.
"I guess so," Stefan said. Matt got up and moved to sit with Stefan.
"It's okay; we'll still school all of them." Matt raised one eyebrow smugly at the crowd.
"So, the Quarterback talks smack." Damon retorted, carelessly throwing his arm over the back of the couch, "But, the question is: can he live up to it?"
"Alright, down boys. Here's the first word." Caroline held up a piece of paper.
"Do you want to go first or shall I?" Damon whispered into Elena's ear, tickling her neck with his breath. Elena involuntarily shivered.
"You go," Elena said, moving away from him because she couldn't trust herself around Damon anymore. Damon put his hand on her knee to propel himself up. The feeling of his hand caused heat to rush up her legs. He removed it and walked across the room to Caroline.
Damon looked at the sheet of paper, Bonnie and Matt at his side. He raised his eyebrows at the word and returned to Elena. All the other partners reunited as well.
"Great, now start in three…two…one, go!" Caroline beamed.
Damon's hands were quick: he caught Elena's left hand in his own and started tracing the word on the back of her hand with ghostly light fingertips. Elena smiled as his fingertips danced across her skin.
Damon was watching her, and she was watching their hands.
"Why are you smiling?"
"It tickles," Elena responded, stifling a giggle.
Damon finished the word and Elena instantly knew what he wrote. It was easy for Elena; she didn't even need to think about it. Elena wondered momentarily if that was due to her pretense relationship with her partner. They were on the same page.
"'Vampire,'" Elena spoke loudly, "The word's 'vampire.'"
"Correct! One point for…" Caroline paused, searching her brain for a name to call the winning team. Eventually, she settled on: "Delena."
"Delena, that has a nice ring to it," Damon said, flirtatiously eyeing Elena. Elena rolled her eyes at him.
"So, do we win?" Elena asked Caroline.
"Not yet, two more rounds." Caroline responded. "Switch and come on up."
Elena stood up and walked over to Caroline with Jeremy and Stefan. Elena's arm brushed against Stefan's.
"Sorry," Elena mumbled.
"It's all good," Stefan responded with a little smile. Elena smiled back at him. Somehow, even with all that he'd done to her recently, he still made her heart flutter.
Elena turned her gaze to the paper and read the word before returning to Damon.
"You better get this right away or our friendship is done." Elena joked.
"No pressure or anything," Damon joked back.
He held out his hand and Elena took it. They were a little premature in their set-up, leaving Elena with some time to hold Damon's hand. Her thumb subconsciously stroked the top of his. Elena became aware of her movement and her eyes darted up to Damon's. He was watching her with loving adoration. Elena smiled softly at him.
"Okay! Everyone ready? Good. Go!" Caroline said. Elena quickly spelled the word on the back of his hand. Her eyes darted around the room—the other pairs were struggling with deciphering the word.
"Really, Blondie?" Damon asked sarcastically, "You need to get more original. 'Birthday.'"
"Another point to Delena." Caroline said, this time a little more abrasively. She was obviously not fond of Damon.
"Hah! Suck it!" Elena gloated to her opponents, her competitive side coming out.
"Hey! There's still one more round." Stefan smiled at Elena.
"We already got two, game's over." Elena argued.
"One more round, all or nothing." Matt interrupted. Elena narrowed her eyes at her friend and then turned to Damon.
"What do you think?" She whispered.
"Let's do it. They don't call me crazy and impulsive for nothing." Damon wiggled his eyebrows at her once and Elena laughed.
"I don't know…that's just a little too crazy and impulsive for me."
"Buzzkill."
"Fine, we'll do it," Elena turned to Stefan. He forced a smile, but the flirtation between Damon and Elena made him want to brood.
Caroline made the partners who didn't go last time come up and read the word. Damon returned to Elena with a devilish look on his face. Elena read his look and cocked her head to the side.
"What?"
"You'll see," Damon flashed Elena a wicked smile before placing her hand gently in his.
"Go!" Caroline shouted.
Damon's fingers moved slower than before. Elena was watching his fingers spell the word, but then she felt the sudden need to look up, to meet his eyes. Sure enough, Damon's eyes were watching her intently. The moment their eyes made contact, she felt her heart jump to her throat. She had to take in a sharp breath, feeling like she was sucked of all her air. The fun and carefree game seemed to suddenly become extremely intimate for Elena and Damon.
She was spelling out the word in her mind as Damon traced it on her skin: D…E…S…
"DESIRE!" Matt shouted, jumping up.
"Correct!" Caroline confirmed.
"Hah! Suck it, Elena!" Matt turned to Elena, breaking her from the intimate moment with Damon. She quickly stood up and walked over to Matt.
"Yeah, yeah, you won. Congrats." She sat down next to Stefan, feeling the need to distance herself from Damon and spend some time with the other man who also held a portion of her heart. Stefan smiled to himself at her closeness. Elena looked at Damon briefly and instantly recognized that look—she hurt him, but he was trying to conceal his emotions. He hated vulnerability. Just as much as she hated the fact that she could not stop hurting one of the two Salvatore brothers.
As the evening progressed, Elena spent an excessive amount of time with Stefan. She could see the way her closeness to Stefan was bothering Damon, but she couldn't help it. Her feelings were Stefan were still so prominent. She still loved him, and no matter what she felt for Damon, her love for Stefan was not something that she was ready to let go of. Honestly, the way Stefan and Elena were behaving made it almost seem like they were dating again. They were laughing together, talking in hushed tones, tenderly touching each other's arms. The feeling of familiarity was comforting to Elena.
"Time for presents!" Caroline bubbled, pulling Elena to the kitchen where a large stack of presents resided. "Mine first."
Caroline handed Elena a large, glittery pink bag stuffed with cream and pink tissue-paper.
"Haha, okay, Care," Elena opened the gift. Caroline's present was an extreme amount of makeup and a few new dresses. The other gifts her friends gave her were also great: Bonnie gifted Elena with a spell-bound bracelet; it was a protection charm. Jeremy gave Elena a portrait he painted of them together at the lake house. Stefan gave her a scarf that she had been eyeing when they were together at the mall. Matt gave Elena a playlist of music that reminded him of their friendship and a few mini bottles of hard liquor.
But, by far, the best gift was the last gift.
Elena looked at the empty table before her. Her opened presents were at her feet, and she couldn't help but feel upset at the apparent lack of Damon's gift.
I mean, I did tell him not to get me anything. Elena thought, trying to convince herself to stop being so ridiculous. Oh, screw that. Since when does Damon do what I tell him?
"Thanks guys, I really love all of these." Elena tried to cover up her true emotions.
"Missed one," Damon interrupted, pulling a small jewelry box out of his jacket. Despite the sting that Elena provided him with all evening, he put aside his own interests to make sure her birthday was perfect. Elena felt an overwhelming sense of relief flood her system.
"I told you not to get me anything," Elena said despite herself.
"Yeah, you did. Doesn't mean I actually listened." Damon responded, and Elena internally smiled. It was as though he read her mind. Damon began to explain his present: "I remember you telling me about the charm necklace your mom had. The charms were the first letter of the names of the people she loved and wanted to protect. I know you cherished that necklace, but lost it, so I went looking for it."
"Damon, you didn't—," Elena gasped.
"No, I didn't. I'm sorry," Damon paused, outstretching his arm and the box in his hand, "So, instead I got you this."
Elena took the box and opened it. Inside, there was an exquisite necklace—sterling silver chain with crystal charms dangling from it. Elena gasped in stunned surprise as she lifted the necklace out of box.
"Eight charms for eight people," Damon explained. Elena nodded, examining the charms.
"J—Jeremy, M—Matt, B—Bonnie, C—Caroline, A—Alaric, S—Stefan, T—Tyler," Elena paused, "D—Damon."
She looked up at Damon with appreciation in her eyes.
"I can't believe you did this. I love it. Thank you." Elena said. She handed the necklace to him, "Will you?"
"Of course," Damon stepped forward and ducked behind her back. He brushed her chocolate brown curls over to one side of her shoulder, his fingers brushing her skin as he went. Elena involuntarily closed her eyes contently at the contact. When she opened them, she found herself staring into hurting green eyes—Stefan was watching the scene with an aching heart.
There I go again, hurting another Salvatore. Elena thought, exasperated.
Damon finished the clasp, letting the necklace fall heavy on her chest. Elena placed her hair back over her shoulders and smiled at Damon in thanks.
"Now the part I think we're all looking forward to…drinks anybody?!" Caroline picked up the two bottles of tequila and a bunch of 'woohoo's!' echoed around the room.
The gang decided to play 'never have I ever' with shots. They all sat in a circle in the living room with shot glasses and the bottles of tequila.
"Never have I ever…" Matt paused, wracking his mind for something good, "Dated a vampire!"
"Guilty as charged," Elena mumbled before tossing back a drink. Damon and Stefan also threw back a shot.
"Okay. Never have I ever kissed a Salvatore," Jeremy laughed as he watched Elena roll her eyes.
"You guys are targeting me," Elena threw back another shot. Caroline did too.
"Does the mirror count?" Damon asked.
"Yes, drink up, lover boy." Elena laughed, punching Damon on the arm. Damon smirked at her and took a shot.
"Never have I ever kissed both Salvatores." Caroline said. Elena picked up the shot glass and filled it to the brim. The room fell silent as they watched her. Only a few of her friends knew of her and Damon's kiss.
"Oh well, it's out there now." Elena lifted the glass in the air in cheers and tossed the shot down her throat. Luckily, Elena could handle her alcohol. Elena placed the shot glass back on the table with a thump. She looked up at her friends; they were all watching her in silent shock. All except for Stefan, who was watching the ground sulkily, and Damon, who was leaning back in his seat watching Elena with desiring eyes.
Elena turned her gaze to him and furrowed her brow. Damon read her look and interpolated the silence. He stood up, breaking the normativity of the room.
"I think it's about time I head out."
"No, Damon, you don't have to—."
"Yes, I do," Damon interrupted Elena. He nodded at her with his lips pulled together. "Have a fun night together."
Damon walked to the front door and the group quickly retracted into their original state of fun-going, except for Elena. Her eyes were glued to Damon as he opened the front door and left out it. Elena figured everyone was too caught up in the party to notice what she was doing, so she gave them the slip.
Elena excited the front door behind Damon. He was halfway through her lawn when she got outside.
"Damon!" Elena stopped him in his tracks. He turned around and began walking back towards her. Eventually, he reached her.
"Yes, Elena?"
"I—I, I just wanted to say thanks." Elena searched for an excuse for the real reason she was out there. Damon raised his eyebrows at her; Elena read the look, "For this." She pointed to the necklace he gave her.
"I thought you said you didn't want me to get you anything," Damon said.
"Yeah, I did. Doesn't mean that I don't love that you did." Elena responded. Damon smiled at her and she smiled back. They stood in silence for a moment, just watching each other. Inside, an obnoxious fit of laughter erupted. Damon broke the staring match to look at the house.
"You should get back in there." He said. Elena slowly nodded in agreement. Damon reached up and caressed her cheek with his forefinger and thumb. Elena instinctively leaned into his touch, "Goodnight, Elena."
He pulled away from her and began walking back down the stairs. Damon wanted to kiss her goodnight, but he remembered back to recently when Elena told him 'you can't kiss me again.' He wanted to respect her wishes. He made a vow to not instigate their next kiss.
Elena felt a cold wave of emptiness hit her.
She watched as Damon walked down the steps, his words ringing loud and clearly in her head: 'Goodnight, Elena.' He had said those same words to her so many times before, but the way he said them, the way they rolled off his tongue like a purr, the intense emotional backlash he put into each syllable made her realize something: Damon's 'Goodnight, Elena's' were actually his way of saying 'I love you' to her without her rejecting him.
"Damon, wait!" Elena said, stopping him again. He turned back on the final step of her porch to look at her.
"What?" Damon asked.
"I—I," Elena stumbled through her words, searching for another lie. Eventually, she settled on being honest with him, "I know that you want me to be with you…"
"Elena…"
"No, Damon, stop," Elena said, walking quickly down the stairs so she could stand directly in front of him. "You need to hear this. I know that you don't think that I value you or care about you, but that's not true."
"I know that you care about me, Elena," Damon argued, "That's not my problem! My problem is that you care about me less than you care about him."
Elena was stunned silent.
"Damon, I don't know how I feel right now." She paused, searching his face. His features were turned up into confusion, waiting for her to say more, "I love Stefan, yes. But I also—." Elena stopped at her words. She realized that she was about to tell Damon that she also loved him, but she wasn't sure if that was true or smart of her to say at the moment.
"You also…?" Damon egged her on, his eyes lighting up with hope.
"I care about you, Damon." Elena backpedaled, and the hope disappeared from Damon's eyes. Those weren't the words he was searching for, "You've been so good to me, so strong for me. You're the one that's been there when I really needed you, bringing Stefan back…despite everything." Elena paused, her brown eyes darting up to his face, "It's late and I'm tired. I'm making no sense, I know. But, I think this is all coming down to: thank you…for just, being you."
Damon smiled down at her, although his eyes deceived his true emotions. He loved her, unconditionally and uncontrollably; it was painful that she didn't love him the way that he loved her. But, at the same time, he knew that she was starting to fall for him, and that made him happy.
"Happy birthday, Elena," was all Damon said in response. He leaned forward and pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek. Elena closed her eyes, letting the sensation of his warm lips against her skin fully caress her.
Ever since their last kiss, Elena could not stop thinking about those tantalizing lips.
Damon slowly pulled away and Elena's eyelids fluttered open. His lips were hovering merely inches above hers. Her eyes switched between the electric blue of his eyes and his plump, pink lips. She knew what she wanted to do, so why wasn't she doing it? Maybe because she was a few feet away from a house filled with her friends and Stefan, or maybe because she was terrified. She was terrified that if she gave into the warmth of Damon's kisses one more time, she'd lose herself to him forever.
Ah, screw it. It's my birthday. Elena thought, grabbing Damon by the back of the neck and pulling his lips down to hers. The moment their lips connected, Elena felt everything that had existed between them explode like TNT—lust, anger, appreciation, passion, respect, sexual tension, love, caring. All those pent up emotions hit her at once, overwhelming her senses.
Elena grabbed the lapels of Damon's jacket and pulled him greedily closer to her body. Her head tilted to the other side and hungrily reclaimed his lips. Damon grabbed Elena's waist and secured her tightly against his body. Her soft curves melded perfectly against his hard muscles.
Damon smiled against her lips. He loved her kisses, he loved the fact that he was lucky enough to receive some of her kisses, he loved her.
Eventually, Elena pulled from his lips. She was breathing heavily with her eyes still shut tight, her forehead pressed against his. Damon was also breathing heavily. They opened their eyes together—locking cobalt blue with chocolate brown.
"You should wear a warning sign," Elena whispered. Damon smirked at her.
"That'd take away half the fun," He responded. Elena chuckled and pulled away from him, letting go of the lapels of his jacket. She could see the wrinkles on the leather where her iron grip used to reside.
Elena turned away from him and walked to her front door. She looked back over her shoulder at him.
"Goodnight, Damon," Elena said, opening the door and stepping back into her house.
"Goodnight, Elena," Damon responded, but what Elena actually heard was 'I love you, Elena.' She smiled at him and closed the door.
Damon sighed and looked up at the stars with a happy smile painted onto his cheeks before he began walking away from her house back to his car.
The moment Elena closed the door; she fell back against it, her fingers finding her lips. She closed her eyes and exhaled, her fingertips lingering lightly on her bottom lip. The feeling of electricity from Damon's kisses still sparkled on her lips.
"Hey! Elena—!" Bonnie drunkenly stumbled around the corner, her arm draped around a considerably more-sober Stefan. He was holding Bonnie up.
When Elena came into visibility, Stefan and Bonnie immediately knew what had happened moments earlier by the way Elena was touching her lips.
Elena quickly popped her eyes open at the sound of Bonnie's voice and dropped her hand from her mouth.
"Yeah! Hey! I'm back!" Elena said, jumping forward. She didn't even make an excuse for her absence; she had a feeling everyone already knew.
Elena rejoined the party, flashing Stefan a guilty look before grabbing a bottle of tequila and tossing back a big swig of it. She really needed something to help dull the emotional rollercoaster she was currently riding.
A/N: I felt inspired to do a one-shot. I hope you enjoyed! If you enjoyed, you should check out my other work. Please leave a review!