I am wowed and humbled by your response to this fic, thank you guys so much. {P.S you guys reviewed so you get this chap sooner.} Enjoy!


There was one thing that was bad about being home. It meant she had to go back to school. Damon dropped her off and unceremoniously chucked out her garbage bag of clothes. "I'll swing by tomorrow for dinner," he called and sped off.

Aria was left wondering how much longer she'd be left to suffer through this mess.

X

She covered up with a scarf to her first day of school.

No one noticed.

No one even talked to her.

Probably because she looked like walking death.

The worst thing was that her parents didn't even notice.

Compulsion sucked.

X

Damon climbed in through her window that night. Normally Aria would've been scared shitless. Instead she watched cooly as the vampire approached and tilted her neck. His fangs sunk into her flesh and he drank.

"Why didn't you ask Anna about Katherine?" Aria asked when he pulled away.

He didn't answer, simply disappeared off into the night.

A vampire in denial, Aria mused as she pressed a cloth to her neck.

She wondered if there were therapists that specialised in the supernatural.

X

Damon picked her up from school the next day.

Aria was disturbed.

"What are you doing here?"

"Making up for that one week I held you prisoner, like a good friend should."

Aria glared at him, but was unable to stop herself from sliding into the car. "We're friends?"

"Of course! You helped me threaten someone. That definitely puts points in the friendship meter." He turned with a smirk on his face. "And there's no take-backsies."

"I'll stab you with a stake."

Damon's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Kinky, what brought this on?"

"Maybe I'm a little pissed off because you, oh I don't know, strapped me to a bed and drunk my friggin' blood." Aria crossed her arms and kicked her feet up onto the dash, like a tiny act of defiance.

Damon sighed and reached over to pat her leg, one hand still steering the wheel. "You'll need to calm down a bit if you're going to meet my brother."

"I don't want to meet your brother, or any of your other friends. I just want to go home."

"I figured you of all people would want to meet Saintly Stefan, but okay. Want to go see a movie then? Get some snacks? Throw popcorn at the screen when the writers fuck up their job?"

"No."

"Aw c'mon Ari, don't be like this. Where's that sunshine little ball of sass everyone knows and loves?" Damon poked her shoulder and she wished she could flinch away from his touch. "What do you want to do then, huh?"

"Go home."

Damon shifted and caught her gaze. His pupils narrowed and Aria resigned herself to what was coming. "Give me a proper answer. Something fun, like breaking into an exe's home and setting fire to it."

Of course he'd think that would be fun. "I'd like to go home and read," Aria found herself answering. She wondered if that would disappoint the vampire. Maybe it would, and she'd be able to go home alone.

He surprised her by answering with a grin, "Great! Let's go do that then."

Aria desperately wished she knew what Damon was up to.

X

Damon borrowed her copy of The Lost Symbol.

He turned out not to be that bad of a reading buddy; quiet, still and above all— he didn't bend back the cover of the book.

Aria didn't notice she'd fallen asleep until she woke up to a chilly breeze.

The window was open and Damon was no where to be found.

X

Damon returned the following night and drank her blood before settling down and reading once more. Aria stared at him openly, trying to convey a nonverbal message of get the fuck out.

"Why are you still here?" Aria finally asked, realizing the non-verbal cue wasn't loud enough.

The vampire looked up from his reading and tilted his head at her. "Because we're friends and I wanted to hang out with you."

"Friends don't suck each other's blood."

"Why do you always have to put a damper on things?" Damon sighed and stood, heading over to plop himself down next to her. He gazed at her with seemingly-innocent eyes. "I was thinking about Elena today…"

"You're right on track then."

Damon ignored her taunt. "Stefan and Elena are utterly sickening. Maybe I should just spook her away from him. How do you think that would go?"

"It would be stupid. She helps you both out quite a few times in the future. She's also a key to many supernatural events in future. It would be wise to keep her close. Plus you two end up becoming friends."

"But I have you. I don't need a new friend." Damon's eyebrows drew together. "Especially not someone as criticising as Elena. I can just imagine how petty she'll be when she finds out I'm responsible for all those deaths."

"It won't be that bad." Better her than me, Aria decided.

"I'm afraid you're stuck with me either way."

Aria pinned him with an unimpressed look. "I'm positively charmed."

"That's the spirit!"

She rolled her eyes and went back to reading, only for her book to be plucked from her hands. "Aria, seriously, tell me what I should be doing?"

He looked at her like he genuinely wanted to know her opinion. It set something stirring in her chest. "I don't know. I can't tell you what the right path is. I can just tell you what you were going to do. If you want to change that, then go ahead. It's your life, your future. Mostly I just want you to leave me out of it."

"I can't leave you out of it now though Ari. You're far too important to me."

Right. Because he wanted to drink her blood and use her future knowledge to assist his own evil ploys. Aria snatched her book back, Damon letting her, and went back to reading.

Damon was gone when she next hazarded a glance.

X

Damon showed up looking incredibly proud of himself. Aria set aside her homework and prepared herself for whatever Damon had in mind. "Guess what?"

"What?" Aria played along.

He scooted on top of the desk and picked up her history homework. He clucked his tongue, eyes scanning down the page. "Ugh. Boring. Anyway! I had a brilliant plan I just enacted. I planted a mountain lion in the woods so that all of my murders would be blamed on the animal."

"Oh?"

His face fell. "You don't sound surprised."

"Psychic," Aria tapped her temple. "Duh. I knew already."

"Wow you really take the fun out of everything. Does my plan work?"

"As long as you don't kill anyone else through… 'vampiric' means."

Damon gave himself a tiny clap and then hopped and flopped on Aria's bed. The force knocked off a few pillows, but Damon ignored that and tucked his hands behind his head. He sighed contentedly. "As long as you provide me with a healthy blood supply, that shouldn't be an issue."

"Actually Stefan locks you up after weakening you with vervain. He'll starve you so you won't be able to control yourself when you're finally free." Aria frowned as a thought hit her. "Though that's only if you're spending time with Caroline."

He lifted his head. "Caroline who?"

"Huh. Guess you've been spending too much time messing with me to mess with her."

Damon's grin became sultry. "Mess with her? Ooo, what fun did Caroline and I get up to?"

"Things that I wouldn't dare to ever describe." Aria directed her attention back to her homework. She just hoped Damon would leave soon so she could get it done. She was focused so intently on her homework, trying to ignore Damon's presence, that she didn't notice when the vampire knelt down next to her. "What do you want?"

"Need any help?" Damon smiled mirthlessly at her. "I happen to know quite a lot about history."

"I'd rather ask Bing for help than ask you."

Aria nearly jumped from her seat when Damon started laughing. She honestly hadn't expected him to respond. He fell against her, shaking with laughter. Damon's hand landed on her shoulder as he held himself up.

"That was supposed to be offensive."

"Kitty may have scratch but your claws can't get to me." His cerulean orbs were filled with amusement as he slid her homework in front of him and begun making notes on it with a red pen. Aria had half a mind to wonder when he'd started stealing stationary from her.

She sat back in her chair and watched as the vampire read her homework. "I suppose you do know a lot about history. Probably because you are so old."

Her taunt wasn't said with much conviction. Damon turned to her with sparkling eyes anyway. "Honey, at my age you realize it really is just a number."

"If you're so immune to getting offended, why did you kill Mr. Tanner?"

Damon stilled. "Now I'm a vampire and even I know that was a low blow."

"Not really. It's an honest question." Aria scooted her chair closer to the vampire, desperate to keep his attention. "I think it was because you do have a bit of humanity in you."

Rather than answering Damon chose to start running his hand up and down Aria's arm. He regarded her with a gaze that Aria could never hope to unravel. Was he angry at her? Surprised that she'd come to such a conclusion? Did she think she was an idiot for having hope?

Sucked for him that she knew the truth. He had a slither of humanity buried in his sarcastic depths. Aria yearned for it to be freed, yearned to be free herself. If he listened to his more human thoughts, he'd realize how wrong it was to be using her like this.

It was like she was but an 8-ball to be shook and shook until she gave him an answer.

"You're very beautiful Aria."

She leveled him with a look. "Flattery won't get you anywhere with me."

"Well it was more of a segway. There's a Founder's ball being held at the end of this week. I would love for you to join me."

Aria knew well of the event Damon was speaking of, and she had absolutely no interest in accompanying him. Then again… If she said no he might go after Caroline…

No, Aria hissed at herself mentally, I'm not getting involved. I'm not going to try and help any of them. She licked her lips before giving Damon a firm shake of her head. "No way."

"Aw come on-"

"No Damon." Aria stood suddenly and Damon pulled his hand back. "Look I put up with you asking for information and treating me like a blood bank but under no circumstances will I join you at some stupid ball."

He was standing so abruptly that Aria took an unintentional step back in shock. His eyes blazed with barely-contained anger, and Aria immediately knew what he was going to do.

She held up her hands, pleading, begging. "Please don't force me to go, Damon. I'm sick of being compelled. I don't want to go with you. You'll tell me how to dress and act and to keep my mouth shut. You'll force me to do more things I don't want to do. I'm sick of it, I'm sick of being controlled."

Belatedly, Aria realized she was crying. Tears flowed steadily down her face and she hated that he got to see how weak she truly was. God, he hadn't even compelled her yet and she felt like she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"Shh," Damon soothed and pulled her against his chest. Unable to resist, Aria's cheek was placed against his shoulder and the vampire ran his fingers through her hair with a gentleness she so rarely witnessed. "If I promise not to compel you, ever again, will you join me tonight?"

"I can't trust your word."

Damon tssked and kissed the top of her head, much to Aria's distaste. "Maybe not. You can trust yourself though, trust your peculiar resistance to compulsion."

"You drive a hard bargain." Aria finally managed to wrangle herself free. "But I'm still not interested. I know what you were going to do with Caroline and I'm not interested in any of it."

Damon's smirk became positively suggestive. "Any of it?"

"Nope."

He moved closer, so slowly that Aria was able to watch as an idea settled behind Damon's eyes. His smirk fell, but his gaze remained charming. Damon reached out and with a ginger touch he rested his fingers against her cheek. "I really don't believe you."

He started drawing her closer, intent clear.

He wanted to kiss her.

Aria felt anger flare through her and she shoved him back. The vampire let her push him and Damon stumbled back a few steps from the force. "Fuck Damon!" Aria swore and found herself crying again. She loathed her tears and wished they'd go away. "I'm not interested. Can't you tell?"

Damon appeared struck speechless. Aria felt a bitter sense of accomplishment at that.

As beautiful as Damon was, Aria just couldn't feel that way about him. She was broken beyond repair in that sense, but at least some of Damon's tricks wouldn't work on her.

"Are you gay?" Damon suddenly blurted.

Aria scoffed. "One girl turns you down and you automatically assume she's homosexual. Egotistical asshole much?"

"You flatter me." He sighed as though the whole situation was a horrible burden on him. Aria supposed in his mind it probably was. A girl turning the Damon Salvatore down? Unheard of! "Come onnnn, I need someone to accompany me." His eyes suddenly sparked with triumph. Aria felt her stomach drop. "I suppose I could take that pretty Caroline girl, hmm?"

Damn. Aria realized she was stuck. this whole time she hadn't wanted to get involved, even if it'd meant that people would get hurt. Now here she was, Caroline's life in her hands. She supposed a lot of things had been under her control since she'd come to Mystic Falls. She'd known everything after all, but at least before Damon kidnapped her she wasn't directly involved.

Now she truly was in the middle of it.

And she couldn't, in good conscience, let Caroline become another of Damon's' toys.

She knew personally how much it sucked.

"Fine." Aria relented. She was a little jarred by how pleased Damon seemed. Clearly it was all an act, right? But the vampire looked almost… genuinely happy. "Although it's really horrible that you have to threaten someone's life to get me to be your date."

"But are you really surprised?" Damon replied. He glanced out the window and then smacked his lips. "Okay I'll swing by at five to pick you up. I can't compel you to, so I'm just going to ask you nicely to dress up in…" He looked her up and down. "Maybe blue. I'll bring something around."

"I'm not wearing something you pick out for me, Damon."

He pouted and looked at her with wide gunmetal eyes. "Pleassseee?" He whined, drawing the word out. She knew at any second, if he didn't get his way, he might snap her neck.

Aria was willing to take that chance though. "No."

Damon glared at her childishly. "Fine."

"Fine."

He headed to the window. "Remember. Five o'clock sharp."

"I'll be ready by five thirty."

Aria figured it was totally worth being petty to hear Damon grumble like a child who didn't get his way. She was messing with a vampire and so far he hadn't killed her.

Although she didn't doubt he'd ask for dinner right before they left.

X

Aria stood before her closet and groaned. She had nothing to wear. At least… nothing that Damon would be happy with. It's not that she wanted specifically to please Damon, but she knew there was only so much she could rebel before the vampire snapped.

Dressing how he wanted was one small thing she could do to appease him. Lord knew how much trouble she'd get in tonight. Aria was never one to bend to another's whims.

She turned and something glittered at the edge of her vision. With a frown she cautiously stepped from her closet. Sure enough, on her bed was a glittering lump of midnight blue fabric.

"No way…" Aria approached it carefully and when she reached the edge of the bed she noticed the accompanying white tulip. "Damn Damon. This is borderline creepy."

She poked at the fabric first, as though to check there wasn't a snake bundled up in it. Once satisfied it wasn't booby trapped, Aria gingerly grabbed onto the fabric and held it up.

A stunning dress unfurled, tag still attached to the label, that made Aria gape in awe.

It was fucking beautiful and something Aria could never imagine wearing.

As the dress hung from her hands a small slip of paper fell. Aria gently placed the dress down and picked up the paper. The handwriting was an elegant scrawl in cursive that so few used in current times. "Heard your frustrations. Remember, five o'clock…" Aria read aloud. At the end of his message he added an 'xoxo'.

"Perv," Aria spat but she couldn't deny she had been growing frustrated. She checked over the dress again. It wasn't what she thought Damon would pick out for her. It wasn't too short, the neckline wasn't low, over all it wasn't too revealing. Aria would undoubtedly feel comfortable in it. She'd also probably look fucking beautiful.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." Aria also knew she had a jacket that would go perfectly with the shining gemstones that were beaded along the neckline. She stepped over to her desk and snipped off the tag without checking the price. Damon had probably compelled someone to pay for it. Others would probably find it romantic, Aria just found it stupid.

If Damon was over one hundred years old, surely he would have a rather impressive savings.

None the less, she went ahead and put on the dress.

Aria had finished styling her hair and was putting away her straightener when the doorbell rang. She frowned, wondering who'd be ringing the door at this time.

She heard her mother call that she'd answer it. Aria let her be and moved to grab her jacket. Her hands had just grasped the pale material when her mother called. "Aria! It's for you!"

Surprised, she quickly grabbed her scarf and wrapped it around her neck. The last thing she needed was for people to see the bite marks Damon had left. "Coming!"

Before she left she also snatched her purse. Their new house was grander than their last, and there was an impressive balcony overlooking the entryway. Aria hurried to it and leant over the banister. She noticed her mother by the doorway and next to her…

Was Damon Salvatore.

"Aria," Damon greeted with a supposedly friendly grin. Aria just found it freaky. That expression should never be seen on Damon's face. "You look ravishing."

"Damon." Aria began climbing down the stairs. "I believe it's not five yet."

Damon shrugged and acted an innocent fool. "I suppose I'm overexcited."

When Aria reached the main floor Damon was suddenly in front of her, blatantly abusing his supernatural speed. In panic, Aria glanced at her mother. Only… the elder Bailey hadn't seemed to notice. In fact, Aria's mother seemed incredibly pleased of her daughter.

"Compulsion?" Aria whisper-questioned to her date.

Damon nodded and took her hand in his. Aria rolled her eyes when he brought her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. "I am very happy you agreed to accompany me to tonight's ball."

Aria wanted to remind him that he'd threatened someone's safety to get her to go. Instead she took her hand back from his grip and handed him her jacket. As he held it for her to slide her arms into, she kept his gaze. "Got tired of climbing through my window?"

"No I could never tire of that." Damon aimed a glance at Aria's mother. "I just very much wanted to introduce myself to your mother. She has a right to know you'll be draped on my arm all night."

Aria's mother smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Damon."

Aria scoffed and tugged on the collar of her jacket to straighten it. Damon waited by her side like a gentlemen. Aria was sceptical of his act. There was no reason for him to act so… nice. He must have been planning something. "Yeah, you're real considerate... I know consent really means a lot to you."

Damon laughed off her jab and bowed towards Aria's mom. "If it's all the same to you, I'll be heading off with your lovely daughter now."

"Go right ahead." Damon lead Aria through the door and she quickly spotted his car right outside her driveway. "Have fun you two!"

They walked briskly once free of the house. Damon set a fierce pace but Aria kept up easily. He opened the door for her, but Aria wasn't humbled by his action.

"I see you wore the dress."

Aria clasped her hands in her lap. Damon's car had a peculiar chill to it. "Only because I had nothing else to wear."

"Don't lie. You love it."

She allowed herself a tiny smile. "Alright. Maybe I do."

"I knew you would." Damon's mouth quirked and Aria figured that was the default set of his face. Smug and arrogant. "I have a very good sense of style," his cerulean gaze flickered to her. "Sense of taste."

"Can we not talk about blood preferences? Ew." Aria played with the clasp of her purse. There were too many unsafe topics with a vampire around. She felt like every little thing could lead back to the fact he wasn't all-human. Like a really massive inside joke.

"Well I mean… your's isn't exactly the best I've ever tasted, but it's definitely towards the higher end of the scale. It's a bit tangy but also has a nice kick to it."

Aria had to chuckle at the way he was describing her blood. Almost as though he was in the middle of a wine tasting. She immediately quietened though when she noticed the pleased look on her date's face.

Damn him.

"Are you going to introduce me to your brother?"

He snorted derisively. "Duh. And his dense little girlfriend."

"I'd really rather you didn't."

"But you're my girl! My pal! My one and only B-F-F. They just have to meet you."

"They'll know immediately you're using me as a blood bag and then think you're still the 'bad guy Damon' who'll go on random murder sprees." Aria couldn't help but feel smug as Damon's amusement was scared away. "Then they'll fill you with vervain and lock you up."

Damon considered her words. "They would've done that anyway."

"Stefan already tried, right?"

"You knew. Of course you knew. Didn't want to warn me?"

Aria hummed non-committedly.

"Either way, my point is that you aren't getting out of this ball little missy, and that's final."

Favoring being petty, Aria grumbled and stared out the window. She'd ignore Damon the whole trip to the mansion. Aria was done putting up with his attitude.

Unfortunately the drive wasn't as long as she'd hoped, so her phase was cut short. She had to suck it up as Damon raced round and opened the door for her. He offered his hand. Aria looked at it as though it personally insulted her.

"Please?" Damon asked, gaze genuine in its request.

Reluctantly, she accepted the offending hand. "There. That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"It gives me great personal pleasure to aggravate you."

"Oh ha ha. You're just going to be the life of the party, aren't you?"

"We'll see," Aria answered him drily as they lined up to enter the mansion.

She noticed Mrs. Lockwood when they reached the door. Aria's mother had kept to her habit of having friends over for lunch. Mrs. Lockwood just happened to be one of those friends. "Aria! Oh honey you look absolutely devastating."

"Thanks." Aria tugged Damon forward. Anything to get the ladies attention off of her. "This is Damon, by the way."

"Oh! Well come on in," she invited.

Convenient invitation to a vampire. Damon schooled his most charming demeanor. "Lovely to meet you. I've been looking forward to this party for quite a while."

Aria didn't doubt that. Especially since once he got the gem he would be one step closer to freeing his precious Katherine. She still didn't understand why he wouldn't believe her. Probably was too lovestruck to consider maybe their 'true love' was one sided.

Once again Aria reminded herself not to get too involved. Let Damon do what he wants.

"Well, enjoy."

Damon gave her a parting nod before directing Aria inside. "Let's get a drink."

"I don't much fancy alcohol."

He scoffed. "Of course you don't. We'll get you a plastic cup of apple juice then?"

"Water will be fine." Aria couldn't help but mess with Damon.

He seemed to catch onto what she was doing though. When they made it to the bar he held the bartender's gaze firmly. "I'll have a fifth of whiskey. A bottle of water for the lady."

"And a cup of ice!" Aria added hurriedly.

Damon relayed her addition then turned and leant back against the bar. Aria copied his movements and faced the growing crowd. She spotted her mother and father entering. Surprise marred her features. Her father never came to social gatherings.

"Here," Damon said, interrupting her train of thought. She took the bottle of water and the glass of ice, pouring one into the other. Damon clinked their glasses when they were done. "Spotted anyone you know?"

"My parents," she gestured with her right hand. "And a few kids from school."

"Any friends?"

"Don't really have any of those."

Damon appeared surprised. "Really? With your dry humor I'd have thought you'd have an army of minions at your disposal."

"Not interested." Aria took a sip of her drink. "Besides, they could end up to be like you."

"Oh of course, you wouldn't want to risk that."

They grew silent, each enjoying the company of their respective drinks. Suddenly Damon straightened. He seemed to focus intently on something before downing the last of his whiskey and placing it back on the bar. He turned to her with a scheming expression.

"What now?" Aria asked. She had to admit, spending so much time with Damon was making her gradually start sounding like a tired and overworked nanny.

"Stefan and Elena are bonding. We're going to interrupt."

Aria knew this moment too well. "Let me guess, you want me to take your brother aside for a dance?"

Damon grinned. "Precisely!"

"No."

"Aww come on," the vampire pouted. "What if I promise you a dance?"

Aria had to admit, a dance with Damon did sound fun. She wasn't prideful enough to lie and say she'd rather choke on a walnut. Though, his offer still wasn't enough. "You'll have to do better than that."

"Okay… What about if I promise to drink from actual blood bags from now on?"

"Pfft. You'll probably still steal a snack from me time to time."

Damon huffed. "You do know me too well."

"That would be nice though." Aria didn't like being drunk from anymore than the next person. One little dance in exchange for semi-freedom from that? Except… "Why the sudden change? I thought you liked 'fresh blood'."

"Yes and I like causing people pain," Damon added scornfully. "How about you try not questioning my motives for once and just… go with the flow?"

"If I did that I would have died long ago."

He nodded. "Fair enough. So do we have a deal?"

Aria really didn't trust his word, but his offer was too hard to resist. "Alright."

"Great! Now play along."

"Got it, sir!" She gave him a fake salute and put aside her drink.

It didn't take long for them to approach who Aria easily recognized as Stefan and Elena. They'd met briefly at school and of course, Aria had seen them in 1080p on her other self's flatscreen. It was almost like a sense of deja vu as she watched Elena read the list. "...Look at all these familiar names—" She caught the girl saying. "Sheriff William Forbes, Mayor Benjamin Lockwood. Is that Damon Salvatore? And, Stefan Salvatore?"

"The original Salvatore brothers. Our ancestors. Tragic story, actually." Damon tugged Aria along like a puppy on a leash. She didn't miss the way Stefan regarded her before addressing his brother. He definitely suspected something.

She was actually kind of proud of him. Least he'd learnt not to trust Damon in the hundred years he'd lived.

"We don't need to bore them with stories of the past."

"It's not boring, Stefan. I'd love to hear more about your family."

Aria had to admit, seeing Elena so desperately prompting Stefan for more information was kind of sad. "I don't," Aria cut in bluntly. She turned to Stefan. "Damon doesn't want to dance with me-"

"Mm-Mmm," the older Salvatore agreed.

"-So do you mind Stefan? I'd love to dance, and I won't take no for an answer."

Stefan tried to brush her off. "I don't really dance..

Damon scoffed. "Oh, sure he does. You should see him. Waltz, the jitterbug, the moonwalk. He does it all."

Aria turned to the girl by Stefan's side. "You wouldn't mind, would you, Elena?"

"It's up to Stefan."

"Then it's settled." Aria grabbed Stefan's hand and started leading him away. "Don't be scared Stef, there are worse things in life. Trust me." Like being held captive by a vampire.

They started dancing, but it was clear Stefan was uncomfortable. He let Aria lead, but it wasn't any fun. He hadn't paid any attention to the steps and Aria was sure he was trying to listen in on Damon and Elena. Not only though, but he clearly wanted to try and get information from her. He just wasn't sure how to go about it.

Eventually she grew sick of his silence. "Just spit it out already."

"Damon told you to ask me to dance. Didn't he?"

"Now why would he do that?" Aria responded, feigning innocence. Again, she reminded herself not to stir up any trouble.

It was just her luck a waiter passed with a tray of champagne.

Oh no.

"Would you like one?" Stefan grabbed two glasses and thanked the waiter. Aria knew that he'd spiked her drink with vervain, but for the life of her she didn't see him do it.

Now she was left with a really inconvenient choice. Accept the drink and chance poisoning Damon? Or…

"I'm sorry, but I don't drink."

Aria saw Stefan visibly deflate. "Oh." Aria realized with a sense of shocked disappointment as Stefan's pupils narrowed. He was trying to compel her. Asshole. "I insist."

Aria found herself desperately wanting the drink in Stefan's hand. At the back of her mind though, she felt an overwhelming sense of reason. She clung to it like always. It gave her enough space to think. Not wanting to give away her secret talent, Aria took the drink.

She didn't sip it though… not yet.

She still had time to decide.

X

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