THE CENTRE
A/N: Reason for the title is because I wanted to look at the centre of this whole situation. We've seen other character's reactions but its time to focus on the main people in this - Damon and Bella.
It was 3:02 and I was still awake.
Maybe it was because I passed out in the early afternoon or it could be that my mind was restless, constantly worrying over what Damon thought or whether I had been to snappy with his friends and his brother.
Then again, his brother was being a dick. I didn't really understand what he was trying to say but today, he proved that what Damon said about him was partially true.
I had scolded him for speaking so rudely towards his brother when we were alone together. However, now, I understood.
The thoughts were disrupted when I heard movement in the room next to me.
Was he awake?
This was confirmed as I heard the bed shift and his footsteps pad across the bedroom.
Without another thought, I pushed myself off the bed and shuffled towards my door, slowly pulling it open and then walking across the other bedroom door opposite mine.
Nothing would've prepared me for the sight before me.
There was Damon.
He was shirtless and in black silk pyjama bottoms. His muscles on show as he sat on the bed but bowed. His dark hair falling over his forehead
as he prepared himself a drink. "Role model huh?" he chuckled.
I could only manage a weak smile.
He turned to me and before waving me in, his hungry gaze trailed down my form. Again, I was dressed in dark blue pyjama shorts but with a white cotton tank top.
With a sigh, I walked further into the room and made my way towards him. I got onto the bed and moved behind him, kneeling so i could pull him back. My hands now tried to untie the nonexistent knots in his muscles.
He used to massage me a lot and I sometimes returned the favour, regardless of how unnecessary they were.
Still, he said he enjoyed it.
He took a small sip and sighed. "Great day huh?"
"They're just worried about you" I said and began to massage his shoulder. "It's nice" I muttered.
"They're worried about you too" he revealed but sounded tired.
Gentle fingers slowly kneaded his muscled shoulders and then down his back. "I don't think there's anything to worry about" I placed a gently but brief kiss onto his cheek.
For a moment he blinked, struck in surprise but a good surprise until he finally wondered aloud, "Thought you'd be asleep by now"
"Can't" I shrugged and continued with my task.
He sighed, "Me neither" he admitted with fatigue underlying his breathed words. "Don't let Stefan get to you" he added unexpectedly.
"No one got to me" I lied and didn't give him a chance to call me out as I interrupted him. "Your girl is pretty" I commented, taking him by surprise.
"My girl?" he scoffed but grew wary of where the conversation was heading.
"The one you told me about" I pointed out with a knowing smile.
He turned to me and challenged, "Which one do you think it is?"
"Elena, right?" I guessed correctly, not needing his confirmation to prove it.
He shook his head and turned back around, "She doesn't mean anything..." He tried to play it off but he was not fooling anyone - well he wasn't fooling me.
"I saw the way you looked at her" I murmured and that silenced him...but only for a few moments.
"Did you come here to talk about relationships?" he snapped, losing his patience and temper.
With that, I knew I couldn't stall any,ore. Just like I could see through him, he could easily read me.
"You know, we've talked to everyone and I've talked to other people but...but I haven't really talked to you" I moved to the side so I could meet his eyes.
In a blur, I found myself laying on my back and Damon hovering over me with a small smirk, "What do you want to talk about?"
I crossed my arms over my chest and hitched and eyebrow, wanting him to read into the obviousness.
"Well then, where to start?" he rolled off me so he was laying on the bed next to me.
I laid my head in my hand and looked down at him, "So, I guess I should tell you my parents know" I laughed it off, hoping he would understand that there was nothing to worry about.
"How did they take it?" he frowned, growing wary.
"Well, I had to stop my dad from following me here with his gun"
This made him smile and he now lazily drew circles on my bare thigh, "Chief of Police right?" his eyes fell down his fingers caressing my skin.
I too smiled at the fact that he'd been listening to me. "That's the one" I nodded in agreement.
"What about your mother?" he peered up at me with a small furrow between his eyebrows. "She can't be too pleased" he tried to remain nonchalant.
"Actually, she is probably buying baby clothes as we speak" I grinned at the excited chatter of my mother.
Damon's touch stopped but he left his palm flat, on my thigh. "Really?"
Stupid move Swan!
This time, I actually slapped my forehead, "Geez, Sorry" I apologised with a guilty glance, "I'm just - sorry" I repeated again, "This is probably freaking you out" I shook my head at my own stupidity.
Nonetheless, Damon being Damon. grew defensive as he arched an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm 'freaking out'?" he mused but I could evidently see as his eyes tightened and he sat up once again, going for the bottle.
"You're pouring yourself another drink" I answered with a smug expression but pursed lips. "Also, you tend to tap your foot, clench your jaw and look away when you are in fact 'freaking out"
He looked down and realised he was tapping his foot so he quickly stopped. "That doesn't prove anything" he muttered but it was a weak argument.
I rose from the bed and moved behind him again. I rested my head on his warm back and tilted my head to place a kiss on his bare back.
When he shivered, I trailed my kisses up to his shoulder and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him back down onto the bed. "We need to talk" I reminded him.
He complied and lay back down.
I say up and looked down at him, expectant and waiting.
"Listen, as much as I would love to, I can't tell you what to do" he said.
I nodded taking his words into consideration but then deciding that I did want to know what he was thinking. "If you could, what would you tell me to do?" I wondered and felt my heart rate speed up.
"Like I said, I can't tell you what to do" he repeated.
I dropped my hands to my side in frustration. "Yes but Damon, you can't - that's not enough" I exclaimed angrily, "You are a apart of this. Whatever decision I make, I should make with you"
He avoided me and began to stare at the ceiling. It took him a full two minutes before actually giving me an insight into what he was thinking.
"I didn't ask for this"
A cold silence stretched between us and I felt alone and suddenly fearful of what he wanted.
I wasn't going to shout at him or scold him because it wasn't his fault.
He was scared and so was I.
I fell back next to him, laying on my back so I too was staring up at the ceiling. Then soundlessly, I slipped my fingers through his and held tightly as if I was gripping onto something.
Maybe comfort? Maybe any contact possible? Maybe I didn't want to feel so lonely?
"What are you thinking about?" He whispered and I felt his gaze fixated on me, probably trying to read me again.
As he had been honest with me, I decided to return the favour. "I don't think I can do this" I shook my head and bit my lip as I turned my head to face him. "...Not alone" I added quietly.
"I can't be a dad" he admitted in a quiet and vulnerable whisper. "I can't be some kid's father" he grew more agitated and then began to run his fingers through his hair, messing up the locks even more but he still looked sexy - like a ragged sexy...
Focus...
I sighed, ashamed at myself and tried to focus once again.
"I don't know how to be a father" he added, equally broken and angry.
"As opposed to my vast experience of being a mother?" I retorted and this earned me a small smile. "No one is ever ready for these things" I made another attempt at giving him some peace by stroking his scalp. "It's normal to be scared and worried but..."
"But what?" he interjected.
"Two is better than one" I replied with a sad smile.
"You heard my brother" he outburst with a humourless laugh, "I'm reckless, irresponsible and impulsive" he listed with such burning hatred that I worried he had taken the insults to heart.
"Exactly so you know what not to do" I joked and that again earned another rare smile. "This should be about my parents or your brother or Elena or anybody else" I argued, still using my fingers to comb through his tangled locks but then moved down to place my hand on his chest. "It's just me and you" I gestured between us.
His intensity was becoming too much that I had to incline my eyes back to the ceiling as I tried to make out the patterns. They were different swirls and held no meaning or creation - just a cluster of different designs.
"I wonder which time did it?" He decided to break the silence and I was taken back with the teasing tone.
"What?" I tilted my head to the side again, confused by what he meant.
"You know, which time? Which position...?" he trailed off but it was enough for me to understand.
"Oh God?" I slapped his arm and jerked up to scowl at him, "That's what you're thinking about?!" I hit him again when he continued to laugh.
Once the laughter subdued, I fell back next to him and felt a grin stretch up as the answer popped into my head.
"The bathtub" we both said.
Finally, we had something to smile at.
A/N: Cute massage time? Cute DamonxBella time?
Question: For this story, would you like - AlaricxJenna or AlaricxMeredith
