Elements of an Ill-Fated Romance
{A/N This chapter was just something that I thought would be interesting to kind of move the story along and get these two characters a little closer together. ;) I'm hoping to wrap this story up in another 3 to 4 chapters. Enjoy! PS : Thanks so much for the reviews. I really do appreciate them!}
Playlist: The Blue Danube by Strauss, & All the Right Moves by One Republic
Chapter Four: Beneath the Surface
He hears them from upstairs before they even enter. Three pairs of footsteps stepping over the threshold into the boarding house; his brother pulling up the rear… forever the gentleman. He sighs deeply continuing to let his eyes scan over the novel in his palms even as he allows himself to be distracted by the commotion downstairs. He hears Stefan first as he shuts the front door and leads them further into the house…
"We can go into the library… there should be more room in there."
"Are you sure that this isn't going to be any trouble? I mean really it's not that big of a deal."
He cringes slightly at the sound of the witch's voice ready to tune them out.
"I'm telling you Bonnie, if anyone can help you, it's Stefan."
The tops of his ears twitch ever so slightly because the idea of 'help' and 'Stefan' in the same sentence almost makes him roll his eyes. But it's Elena and that always piques his interest. Still he remains laid out on his bed.
"It's no trouble… I was actually surprised that you thought of asking me."
There is a moment of silence that feels awkward even from where he's sitting before Bonnie finally speaks up.
"Actually it was Elena's idea."
"But Bonnie agreed!" Elena quickly steps in.
The desperation in her voice is a little sickening… but it's Elena so he gives her a pass. For whatever reason she wants Bonnie to be comfortable with Stefan; to like him…to accept him as one of their own… it's almost amusing.
"Look I don't want to force you to do something that you're not comfortable with." Stefan begins.
"No… that's not… I mean you're not; and Elena's right… I agreed. I need your help."
Furrowing his brow he scoffs just a little at her words. So needing Stefan isn't so bad but needing his help… is akin to leaning on the devil it seems! He flips the page with just a bit more force than may be necessary and continues with the pretense of reading.
"My cousin's bride is being ridiculous about this… but I agreed and I don't want to let him down. So…if you really don't mind helping me… I would appreciate it."
"Not at all," Stefan offers. The relief is evident in his tone. "Did you bring them?"
"Right here," Bonnie replies.
"Good… Elena why don't you help her get those on while I move some of this furniture out of the way?"
"Great! Come on Bonnie."
Damon can practically hear the smile in her voice and he can't deny that his interest is now piqued… and not just by Elena. He's set the book down on his chest while he listens. He can hear his brother effortlessly moving things around as Elena and Bonnie fumble around with whatever she's putting on, whispering to one another.
"Thanks for…you know… doing this."
"I should be the one thanking you. I know how you feel about Stefan and…everything that's happened." Elena offers gently.
Damon rolled his eyes… not the thing about her precious grams again. I mean how long could she hold onto that? It's not as if he knew what would happen... any of it for that matter.
"No… I mean… yeah it was um… difficult. But I know that Stefan isn't like… the others." She offers lamely not wanting to give name to those 'others'.
He is pretty sure that he is one of those 'others'.
"Besides I like him and I know that he really cares for you."
"He does… and he cares about you too… and it means a lot to him that you're willing to give him a chance… it means a lot to both of us."
"I know…" She replies. "Help me up?" She asks with a slight laugh.
Could this be anymore boring? This was turning into a serious snoozer. Sentimental dialogue had never been high on his list of interest. Perhaps listening had not been a good idea but he was already invested so what the hell…
"We ready?" Stefan asks.
"As ready as I'll ever be I suppose." Bonnie replies.
"Okay now… I'll put my arm here while you rest this one here…" he explains. "And now take my hand… okay so we'll start off slow. Just follow my lead…" He states softly.
He notes how Stefan's voice has grown slightly quieter which could only mean that whatever they are doing has them in close quarters. He's sitting up by this point, feet planted firmly on the floor, book moved to the side. Unconciously he cocks his head to the side as he listens to their hushed voices.
"Now count with me… 1, 2, 3… 1, 2, 3… 1,2,3…" He chants softly.
He can hear her repeating after his brother and it suddenly hits him as to what they are doing. But the reason why still eludes him. He would have to venture downstairs for the answer…
"How am I doing?" She asks.
"Good…really well; you just have to remember that there's no fourth step…" He remarks. "Now let's try a little quicker. Count with me."
He can hear her shallow breaths as he comes to stand at the top of the stairs. He watches them for a moment. Stefan's got her by the waist with one hand while the other is firmly clasped around her fingers. He leads her around the room counting softly. He can see Elena perched on the wooden reading table. Her long legs dangling back and forth as she watches them. Her lips move softly, counting with them… and then there's Bonnie. Her face is down, watching her feet as she counts the steps as Stefan leads her through the timeless routine of a Vienna Waltz. Her hair pulled away from her face into a ponytail, her neatly cut bangs hanging over her forehead, hides her eyes as she fumbles through the steps. She missteps, throws off the count and tramples on his younger brother all in one breath. She curses slightly and takes a step back.
"Sorry about that." She shakes her head from side to side.
"You're doing great Bonnie." Elena chimes in.
"Except for the part where I fell all over your boyfriend," She exhales heavily placing her hands on her hips.
"No… it's fine. I didn't even feel it… Vampire with superhuman strength, remember?" This causes her to smile ever so slightly. "How about I get us some water and then we'll try it up to speed...perhaps even with music."
"I'll help you." The brunette is already off the table following Stefan to the kitchen.
He can hear her soft giggles of happiness as she commends him on being a great boyfriend. 'Yeah they're going to be in there for a while!'
His eyes drift back to the witch and she's taken to counting on her own as she goes through the steps. She's off tempo from the very first step and her ankles are wobbly at best. Constantly looking down at her feet in thorough concentration allows him to enter without notice.
"You're off count."
She looks up, the surprise evident in her green eyes. He can see her mind working trying to figure how long he's been there… in her presence… without her knowing.
He walks further into the room, eying her with lazy blue eyes. "Only three… not four; remember?" He states.
She gives him a cheeky smirk. "So now you're eavesdropping?"
"It can hardly be considered eavesdropping in my own house." He points out. Folding his arms across his chest he stares her down noting the heels on her feet. They are thin, high, and make her look almost like a girl! He chuckles slightly before meeting her eyes again. "Hey I'm only being honest with you."
"As if you know the meaning of that word…" She mumbles.
He shrugs slightly as he makes his way to the bar beginning to pour himself a drink. "I know how to waltz and I can tell you're doing it wrong." He supplies bringing the tumbler to his lips, smiling before taking the first sip.
She rolls her eyes. "Any other pointers?" Her voice is sarcastic but inquisitive nonetheless.
He arches an eyebrow. "Now that you mention it… your back is hunched, your arms are positioned incorrectly and the last time I checked there shouldn't be a gap the size of your head between you and your partner." He lists off.
She stands there if only for a beat in silence because she can't tell if she's more surprised or annoyed by him and his accurate observation… She doesn't have long to decide because in the next moment he's set the glass down and is in front of her. She stares him down as he raises his arms in the correct position and motions for her to move forward with his fingers.
She doesn't move.
He exhales and steps into her personal space. She goes to back up when one hand grabs hers and the other slips around her waist and moves upwards past her lower back.
"Don't be afraid." He mocks.
"I'm not afraid of you." She states and they both know her statement is a lie. "I'm just cautious." She remarks with a smirk even as his palm presses into her silently urging her to move in and close the distance between them.
"Cautious; is that what you call it?" He asks.
"Yeah. I'm one of the few people in this town that knows exactly what you're capable of..."
He leans in and her first instinct is to pull away but he's forceful and suddenly her body is pressed intimately against his. He chuckles darkly and she can feel his lips brush against the shell of her ear as he speaks. "Trust me Bonnie Bennett... you have no ideathe things I'm capable of." And she tries not to shiver from the way his breath tickles her skin. His fingers splayed across the middle of her back he pulls back and looks into her eyes. The intensity of his stare lets her know just how serious he is... before it slips away as he smirks lightening the mood.
"First lesson... always keep your partner close." He states matter-of-factly. He only waits a beat for her to nod before moving on. Taking the first step he counts, "One..." Stops because she's looking down... "What are you doing?"
"I need to know where my feet are when we move."
"Your feet are on the ground! Look at me." When she complies he continues. "Your feet follow mine... it's called leading for a reason." He smiles and she exhales deeply. "Now let's try again." He begins the count as he moves around the room. Her feet feel clumsy at first as she steps on his shoes, once and then twice. She pulls back.
"This isn't working."
"Stop trying to control it... the key to a waltz is to just let it come to you." He steps back into her space taking up the position once more. She allows him as she stares him in the eyes. "Look at me... feel me." He remarks and they begin to move across the library. Her feet aren't as awkward but they are far from graceful. "Better." He notes staring down into green eyes. And he's not sure what's compelling him to continue; perhaps to show that once again he can best Stefan at something else... or maybe... just maybe it's something more. But then he feels her fingers grasp his, the slight catch of her breath on his neck and he stops trying to analyze it. Because at the moment the reason doesn't matter only the fact that they are here.
She looks up and is surprised to see the light in his blue eyes. He almost looks as if he's enjoying this. "So where did you learn to waltz?" She asks trying to make conversation.
"From my father..." He replies quietly and the tone of his voice catches her slightly off guard. "Back in my day it was something that was expected of men. The waltz... the army..." He lists off and he almost sounds reminiscent.
"Back in your day; right. I keep forgetting that you're really an old man stuck in a young man's body." She jokes trying to lighten the mood. She looks up and the smile he gives her makes her heart skip a beat.
"So why are you doing this anyway?" He asks never missing a step.
She sighs. "It's for a wedding. My cousin's fiancee is from Vienna. They weren't able to have the wedding there so she thought it would be nice to have their first dance as a married couple opened with an authentic Viennese Waltz. The whole bridal party has to learn it. And since I'm a bridesmaid..." She lets the sentence trail off.
"When's the wedding?"
"Three weeks and I've sort of been slacking on the rehearsals... as in not going!" She points out with a tight lipped smile.
"Slacker and you... those words just don't seem to belong in the same sentence." He quips.
"I haven't really been in the mood to dance..."
There is a sadness that fills her eyes and he can't ignore the slight pressure that settles over where his heart once beat. He opens his mouth to speak but the words aren't there.
They are never there.
She gives a slight shrug and smirks steering them away from the seriousness of the moment. "Besides I've been kind of busy anyway... you know fighting vampires and stuff."
"Ahhh, right... but that's really no excuse you know." He admonishes jokingly. He sees her eyes widen slightly in indignation at his comment. "Heads up!" He warns before spinning her quickly cutting off any retort that may have been about to pass her lips.
Her response is a mixture between a gasp, and a giggle as she comes back to his arms.
"Don't look now... but you're waltzing." He raises his brow as they continue around the room humming what sounds vaguely like Strauss' Blue Danube. His smirk is confidant at first and completely full of himself and under any other circumstance she would find it thoroughly annoying but right now it's almost endearing.
His face is relaxed, his posture straight and there is the faintest of smiles on his lips that she never knew he was capable of. And she realizes in this moment it's so easy to forget what he is... what he's done.
He's just so...
so...
...human.
There's really no other word to describe it and it's as strange as it is beautiful. Because she realizes that this must be what he was like before Katherine ever came into his life... in this moment he's the man that he should have been...here's the man that he could have been.
And the very thought makes her smile sadly because really what else can she do? She's never wasted a second wondering who Damon Salvatore was before Katherine... until now. The moment doesn't seem real and as she looks up... getting lost in the depths of blue hues that make up the contours of his pupils she feels herself falling into something that she most certainly needs to stay away from.
She clears her throat trying to rid her mind of thoughts that have no business in her head and sighs. "I'm getting pretty good at this."
"Far better than any witch I've ever danced with."
"You've danced with a lot of witches?"
"My fair share." He replies with a smile. "You're not jealous are you?"
She scoffs just a little. "Why be jealous when I'm far better than the rest?" She challenges.
He licks his lips. "That you are Bennett." He whispers and there's almost electricity in the way he stares at her... almost... as if... possibly...
"What's going on?"
The sound of Elena's voice has the same effect as though being doused with ice water and the two pull apart almost violently. Bonnie trips over her own heels, falling into the corner of the wooden table that her friend occupied only a few moments ago. She hisses in pain as her ankle bends at an awkward angle.
"I was showing the witch how it's done. As I seem to have to do with all the women in Stefan's life."
She looks up sharply just in time to see him leer at Elena. And just that quick...he's gone. The soft curve of the lips, the brightness of his eyes... they've vanished. The smirk is back, the hard glare of resentment is etched in the lines around his mouth and it's so quick that she can't be sure she didn't imagine it to begin with.
She goes to stand and winces as she puts weight on her ankle. Elena is by her side in a second. "Bonnie are you alright?" The brunette asks lending a supportive arm to her friend. She leans on her as she stands again. She watches Elena glare at Damon. "What did you do to her?" She asks accusingly.
He doesn't respond even as Stefan goes to her side and helps her. She hobbles over to the footstool and sits. He touches her ankle tentatively. His fingers are cold against her heated flesh. "It looks as if you just twisted it... I'll get you some ice." He remarks already heading to the kitchen. He stops in front of his brother. "Good job." He remarks quietly and Damon smirks in response.
It isn't until his brother is out of the room that he looks back down at the two girls. "I'm sure it's fine." Bonnie remarks even as Elena props her ankle up with her hands.
"Of course she's fine!" He replies for the first time.
Both pairs of eyes turn to him but it's Elena that speaks up. "Yeah...no thanks to you! What is it with you?"
"Elena it's fine." Bonnie tries to defend.
"No Bonnie it's not!" She turns to him and glares. "Look if you want to sit around and be moody and resentful of your brother that's fine. But don't take it out on my friends!"
And Bonnie would be grateful if the reprimand was called for. But it wasn't.
"Is that what I'm doing?" He asks, darkly amused by her deduction.
"You know maybe you don't want to be happy but your brother is different. He's actually trying to have some kind of semblance of a normal life. And just because you're incapable of making friends doesn't mean that you have the right to sabotage Stefan's efforts."
"Elena really it was an accident." She tries again but this time it's Damon who cuts her off.
"I'll make sure to keep that in mind!" He bites out. He looks up briefly catching her quiet stare and there is something akin to remorse in his blue orbs... and then he's turning away and out the door.
It's not until they hear the door slam that either of them make a move. "God! He can be such a jerk!" Elena shakes her head in frustration.
Bonnie remains pensively silent. Not sure of what has just taken place but feeling the shift nonetheless. His words ringing in her ears...
'Trust me Bonnie Bennett you have no idea the things I'm capable of.'
No... she really didn't. But somehow she knew... sooner rather than later... she would.