Karaoke
DG32173
Sarah: inspiration has struck. Okay, it's more like the music has hit me just right. Be prepared for a bunch of these, my lovelies. Also, be aware that my beloved beta is having a crisis in the form of a broken laptop monitor so until he can get it repaired, these are most likely going to have some errors in them. Please forgive me for any mistakes made. I have muse, I have music, and I want to let you guys know I'm still alive. Once my beta gets his laptop fixed, I will have him look over these chapters for errors. Enjoy.
Song: It's Gonna Be Me
Artist: *NSYNC
Album: No Strings Attached
Genre: romance
Pairing: Damon/Elena
Note: Damon's perspective. The different segments are time frames of Elena getting over Stefan and accepting her love for Damon. Also, this ficlet doesn't actually follow the song very long, but I did listen to the song on repeat while writing it so I'm putting it here rather than in 100 Moments.
I hold Elena as she cries her heart out onto my shoulder. Stefan has finally gone and done it: he has finally decided once and for all that he and Elena just can't continue as a couple. She had come running to me as soon as he gave her the news that he's leaving Mystic Falls and not returning in her lifetime. "You might be hurt now, Elena, but I'll help you heal," I murmur into her hair too quietly for her human ears to hear.
It seems that no matter what I do, it just isn't enough to open Elena's eyes to just how much I love her. Stefan obviously never loved her. If he had, he would never have even considered leaving her. I'm nothing like him. Once Elena's ready to start dating again, I will make damn sure I'm the one dating her. If she goes out with someone else, I'm going to 'conveniently' drop in on the date and make the guy who dared asked her out so completely uncomfortable, he won't dare ask her on a second date.
Well, the plan I made a few weeks ago to drop in on her dates is actually necessary. I shove Elena's date further into booth he's sitting in and sit next to him, penning him in. "Damon!" Elena gasps, horrified by my behavior.
I put up with her dating Stefan despite her obvious feelings for me. I refuse to allow her to continue to ignore them. "Elena," I gasp back, mocking her horror. I turn to the guy. "And who are you?" I ask, allowing my inner predator to shine in my eyes.
"S-Steve," he says.
I turn a frown at Elena. "Seriously?" I ask Elena dubiously. "I thought you said you were over my brother."
"Look, man," Steve starts.
I interrupt him. "One, don't 'man' me. Two, Steve is short for Steven, right?" I ask. He nods warily. I turn to Elena. "Two letters difference, Elena. Same shade and length of hair for that matter. Elena, you are not over my brother."
"But!" she protests.
"Admit it, Elena," I say. "You accepted this date because of the similarities."
"That's not…," she starts.
"You made me promise that you won't make a fool out of yourself again like you did with Stefan," I tell her.
"It's Steven," the guy interrupts.
I look at him. "Her last boyfriend, the one who completely shattered her heart, was my brother, whose name is Stefan," I tell him. Steve's eyes widen in surprise. "Now quit interrupting." I turn to Elena. "From where I'm sitting, it looks like you latched onto the first guy who reminds you of Stefan." I glance at Steve. "Has she ever called you Stefan?" I ask.
He nods. "She said it was just a slip of the tongue," he says.
I look at Elena. "Elena, don't use someone as a stand-in," I tell her. "That's what Stefan did with you." Her eyes widen in shock as what I'm saying sets in. "I'll be up at the bar. Let me know if you need a ride home."
I stand up and leave Elena with her date. Barely five minutes pass before Elena joins me at the bar. "I'm sorry," she says softly.
I wrap an arm around her shoulders. "It's not me you should be apologizing to," I tell her as I pay for my drinks. "It's that poor guy you were on a date with."
She sighs. "I know. And I did."
"C'mon, I'll take you home. I think if we grovel a little, the others might let us join game night," I tell her, guiding her outside.
She chuckles. "You don't grovel," she reminds me.
"Oh, I'll grovel when everyone's agreed on a strip poker tournament," I say, winking at her.
"They did not!" she protests.
I chuckle. "You're right. They didn't. It's UNO night," I tell her.
When we're nearing the boarding house, Elena sighs. "Thanks, Damon," she says softly.
I don't even pretend to misunderstand. "Anytime," I reply.
"Okay, this is getting ridiculous," Elena snaps when I slip in next to her latest date. "There is nothing even remotely similar between Dave and Stefan."
I shrug and smirk at her. "Habit," I admit. I turn to the latest guy and examine him. Blonde hair, blue eyes, freckles … freckles? I turn suspiciously at Elena. "I thought you hated freckles," I say, frowning.
She groans, burying her face in her hands. After she takes the time to count to ten, she raises her eyes to me. "It's just a date, Damon," she says through grit teeth.
"Elena, my dear, if you're going to date someone, at least date someone who won't cause you to grind your teeth every time you look at them," I tell her smoothly.
Dave looks between us. "Uh, what?" he asks. He turns to me. "Who are you?"
I give him my most sinister smile. "Elena and I have a very strong bond of friendship. I'm just looking out for her," I tell him. "So, Dave. How do you know Elena?"
"We have English class together," he says.
"And French and History," Elena adds.
I groan. "Elena, there is the similarity," I tell her. She frowns. "English, French, and history are the classes you shared with Stefan when he first got to town."
I slip out of my seat, drag Elena out of hers, and grab her purse. "Damon!" she protests.
I ignore her and turn to Dave. "I'm sorry to inform you but she's still a little hung up on her ex. The schedule similarities is not a coincidence, no matter how much she claims it is," I tell him. "I promised her I wouldn't let her make a fool of herself. This is me keeping that promise. Have a good night."
I then drag Elena out of The Grill. Over the past year since Stefan's left, the townies have grown used to me dragging Elena away from her dates on the excuse of even the slightest similarity between her date and Stefan. Everyone except Elena has figured out the real reason I'm dragging her away from those boys: I'm madly, hopelessly, irrevocably in love with her.
"I'm beginning to think you have an alternative reason for dragging me away from my dates," Elena says once we're on the road to the boarding house.
"Oh, and what would that reason be?" I ask, casting a smirk at her before turning my attention back to the road. She just chuckles and settles back in her seat. I shake my head and laugh as I realize that the past several dates have been just an excuse to see me act jealous. "You're in for it, Miss Gilbert," I tell her.
"Bring it on, Damon," she says, her amusement lacing every syllable.
"Oh, I will. For eternity," I promise.
"I'll hold you to it," she vows.