AN- First hand at TVD simply because that love triangle is epic and cannot be ignored… I had meant this to be a one shot but now I think I'll continue. It'll still be short though; 3-4 chapters max.
Slightly AU, considering I don't have Stefan and Elena break up before he gets stuck in the tomb. It sort of dimmed the intensity I was aiming for. So there are still together and I haven't really mentioned Rose. She is there somewhere but I haven't mentioned her yet mainly because I didn't know where to fit her.
The main inspiration for this story is the frustration I felt at having Stefan back from the tomb so soon …Sorry, I can't help it, I'm a loyal Delena shipper…
Disclaimer. Disclaimed.
She blames the entire thing on him…It isn't his fault and she bloody well knows it…And yet she puts every little thing wrong with her life on him.
If he hadn't been so busy accessing his authority on her and her decisions then perhaps he would have been there to save Stefan from getting stuck in the tomb, if she hadn't been stuck with him, being treated like a two year old, then she would have done so herself.
On a vague thought she knows that it had been her brother's stupidity more than anything else which has Stefan in the tomb with her psychotic doppelganger for company but she pushes that thought away and directs all her anger (guilt, worry, insecurity and just general discomfort) on Damon Salvatore.
It is easier than not being able to do anything about it…
He on his part just ignores her.
The thought of his brother troubles him as well, but he'll rather die a second time over than admit to it. So he alters between discussing farfetched possibilities with Alaric and watching the witch try her hand at some of her hocus pocus.
"It isn't working", Bonnie tells him every time he goes to see how she is progressing and the thought of ripping her head off in frustration does cross his mind; until he sees the genuine worry in her eyes.
She wants Stefan out probably as much as he does.
Everyone worries about Stefan. Everyone wants him safe and living; He has known that for centuries now…
When he enters the boarding house late at night he sees Elena in front of the fire, her unblinking eyes watching the flames steadily.
'Another brooder', he thinks. Stefan and Elena were probably made for each other. The thought leaves a weird taste in his mouth and he remembers that he hasn't had his usual scotch for the night.
He makes a glass and is on his way up the stairs when she finally breaks the silence.
"Anything?"She asks.
"Nothing." He answers.
It's the same scene every night.
She has Jeremy over at the boarding house, again. And even though he pretends that it irks him, it really doesn't.
Because sometimes he sees something in the younger boy's eyes he saw many many years ago in Stefan's.
It's a sort of an awe mixed with irritation look younger brothers have reserved especially for older ones. He doesn't like to think about those times…But most times he does. The times before vampires, before death…Before Katherine.
"How long are you going to keep her here?" the younger Gilbert asks him.
"As long as it takes."
Jeremy tells him something about Jenna being worried and Damon reminds him that he would let Alaric take care of that. It was more necessary that Elena remains safe and he didn't see any place safer than his own place.
He had made Stefan a promise. He was going to keep her safe, sometimes for Stefan, most of the time for himself…
It takes a week and a half and a lot of tantrums from Elena till he lets her out at day time. They haven't heard anything about the originals yet and he hopes it remains so for sometime…
She decides to go back to school and tries really hard not to stare at the empty chair beside her. Stefan would be out soon, she reminds herself and hastily wipes away the tears forming at the corner of her eyes. It bothers her because if she is so sure and hopeful then why is she crying?
She blames her tears on Damon.
That night his oversensitive ears pick up the sound of her quietly typing on her computer in his living room.
"Some people are trying to sleep you know." He drawls at the doorway.
"Most people can't hear keys being typed from a floor above." And she doesn't even look at him.
He smirks at her, "tch tch…" he clips, "somebody sure has her knickers in a twist."
She ignores him and simply picks up her stuff and makes her way towards Stefan's room. She had a choice from the several guest rooms but she chose Stefan's. She was trying to make a point. She isn't sure to whom.
"Goodnight Damon."
"Wait." He stops her.
She stops in her tracks, "what?"
"Sit."
And she has no intensions of obeying him. She is done with him trying to control her life and it's three in the morning and they are alone and she is definitely not going to stay here with him. But she is so so tired of everything and suddenly the load in her hands feels too much to handle. With a sigh she sits back and turns around to look at him, "what?" She repeats.
"What are you working on?" He asks motioning towards her laptop.
She tells him that it's a paper on The Great Depression she needs to complete, "Thanks to you, I haven't been to school in weeks and have no idea what to write." She adds as an afterthought, you know, just for the effects.
He smiles at her and she wants to smack it off his face, "I'll do it for you."
She looks up at him in shock; she doesn't expect him to know what she is talking about. Stefan perhaps. But not Damon.
He shrugs nonchalantly at her, "I was there remember."
She lets him do it and closes her eyes as the only sign of gratitude while he types the night away.
She gets an A on her paper but she doesn't tell him that.
They don't talk much. She spends her time with Jenna or Caroline while he is still trying to get Bonnie to undo the tomb spell.
There has been no progress and it's getting more and more frustrating day by day.
Elena doesn't make it any easier.
He knows that she is not eating properly. He can see it in her eyes, in the way she walks. In the fact that she looks thinner than usual. He pushes a cereal bowl at her before she hurries off to school and threatens that he'll pull away that necklace of hers and compel her if she doesn't eat and she is left no choice.
He smiles in satisfaction and is on his way out of the kitchen when she calls out, "Damon."
He stops at the doorway.
"The fact that Stefan is not here does not mean you have a chance. Okay?"
His fists clench at his side and he's thankful that she can't see his face.
"I'll keep that in mind." He says without a trace of emotion, "Now eat."
And he's gone before she can respond.
AN-I think I'm going to focus a bit into what kind of relation the brothers had before Katherine came and ruined it. What do you think? Please review. I'm open to every kind of suggestions because this can go wherever you would like it to.