Chapter 46

"I really, really don't want to celebrate my birthday," groaned Damon, as the two girls danced around the room, decorating it with streamers and balloons. "Come on, I've had like, 150 of them!"

"Well why stop celebrating there?" retorted Lexi, lifting Ottilie to tie a balloon to one of the great beams stretching across the large room.

"He's just grumpy because he's getting on a bit…" teased Stefan, walking into the room for the first time that day, and looking around at the décor strewn across the room. "It is a bit… much…" He said, looking over at Damon, who groaned again and put his head in his hands.

"Who did you say is coming over? Everyone?! Oh god, I'm going to be the laughing stock of the Mystic Falls supernatural community…" he grumbled, whilst the other three just laughed at him.

Eventually they turned him out of the house, exasperated with his whinging, and needing to get on with the cooking for that evening's celebrations.

"What time is everyone arriving?" asked Stefan, rolling his shirt sleeves up after having tied his apron strings around his waist.

"7.30pm, Chef Stefan," called Lexi from the other room, still decorating.

"Hey, Lexi," said Ottilie, grinning wickedly, "Chef Stefan – Chefan… what do you think?"

Lexi laughed, "perfect!" she said. "Do you need any help, Chefan?" She shouted through to the kitchen. They heard a groan and something that sounded very much like a face palm.

"Please, don't make that a thing…"

"Wouldn't dream of it, Chefan," teased Lexi, heading to the kitchen with Ottilie in tow.

The two girls got started on a birthday cake, whilst Stefan chopped vegetables expertly.

"How do you know how to cook?" asked Ottilie, gazing at his knife skills in admiration.

He shrugged modestly, "well I never had to growing up, as we had a cook who lived in our house, but when I turned, I wanted to be a doctor. I couldn't handle all the blood so I trained as a chef instead, amongst other things."

Ottilie nodded, interested in this part of Stefan's life that she hadn't known about before. "What else did you do?" she asked.

"Well I did some mechanical engineering, some teaching, some accountancy here and there… but medicine was my passion. I guess it just wasn't to be."

He looked a little sad, Ottilie thought, and she went over to give him a hug. "You look after me?" she said, hoping to raise his spirits just a little. "I'm such a mess that that makes you basically a doctor?" she added, smiling slightly.

He chuckled and shook his head, returning the hug. "You're not a mess, Otti," he said gently, "and caring for you has been one of the greatest honours of my life" he added, truthfully, before turning back to finish preparing the meal.

7pm arrived and a grumpy Damon returned back to the mansion, following his strict instructions however begrudgingly.

"Your suit is ready in your room," called Lexi, as she put the finishing touches to the cake that she and Otti had prepared.

He zoomed upstairs to get changed, and was surprised a few minutes later to hear a soft knock at the door. "Yep?" he called, and watched as the door swung open to reveal Lexi, already in a gold, shimmery dress and heels. His jaw dropped and he gawped at her. "Wow," he breathed, taking in her immense beauty.

"Jesus, Damon, you're acting like a teenager," she teased, walking up to him and fixing his tie.

"Lexi, you look incredible," he said, taking one of her hands gently in his.

"Thanks, sweetie," she said, blushing a little. "You look great too!"

They stared at one another for a moment, lost in their thoughts, their eyes locked. Damon felt himself leaning in slightly, and noticed briefly that Lexi was doing the same. Their lips touched, and Damon felt his eyes closing as he let himself get lost in the softness that was Lexi's lips.

They moved closer to one another, Damon threading his hands through Lexi's golden hair, revelling in how soft it was, relishing how her face fitted so perfectly in his hands.

She pulled back, breathing hard. "Damon…"

He shook his head, putting his hands up, "I'm sorry, Lexi, I don't know what came over me," he said quickly, his cheeks reddening.

"You don't feel it?" she asked, lowering her eyes to the ground in disappointment. He didn't feel the way she did, she thought miserably.

Damon took a step forwards, taking both her hands, and lifting her chin so that he was looking straight into her eyes.

"Oh I feel it," he said, huskily. "I feel all of it."

She smiled at him, and he felt his stomach do somersaults. "Come on Mr Salvatore, you can't miss your own party," she teased, running her fingers sensuously down the smooth satin of his suit lapels before taking his arm and leading him out of the room and down the stairs.

The party went without a hitch, not a single guest commenting on the OTT decorations, all of them wishing Damon many happy returns for his birthday. Stefan smiled humbly as his food was complimented endlessly, and the guests cheered as the enormous cake was brought out.

Stefan had said that Ottilie could invite her friends over to enjoy the party with her, and Cassie and Greg had been grateful to accept to her invitation. The three of them had had a wonderful time, gossiping about school and watching the supposedly sophisticated adults get increasingly less sophisticated as the night went on.

Eventually, Cassie and Greg's parents came to collect them, and Ottilie bid farewell to her friends, waving them off as they disappeared down the drive. Stefan stood by her side, noticing how she was leaning against him.

"Tired, Otti?" he asked, smiling down at his niece. She nodded and he put his arm around her shoulders. "Come on then," he said, guiding her back towards the party. "Say good night to everyone then off to bed with you."

Damon watched as the last guest left the mansion, all except for Caroline, who had none to subtly followed Stefan upstairs. Smirking to himself, he turned to face the mess left after the party, sighing at the tidying up that would be required.

"Thank God for vamp speed, am I right?" came a voice from behind him.

"Lexi," he said, smiling as she walked over to him. "Thank you for a wonderful party," he looked a little guilty, "and I'm sorry to making such a fuss about it."

She laughed, and the sound of it made his dead heart beat a little faster. "I thought you'd enjoy it after all," she said, reaching to cup his cheek with the palm of her hand. "Was there anything I missed?"

Cocking his head to one side, he looked thoughtful, pretending to consider everything. "Well there was one thing," he said, smirking at her. "But that can be easily remedied."

"But the party is over?" she countered, playfully.

"Not just yet, it isn't," he said, taking her by the hand and pulling her into his arms, kissing her deeply, revelling in the feel of her lips against his, the smooth subtle curve of her body, and the passion with which she was returning his kiss. "Lexi, do you want to…"

"Yes…"