prompt: "Oh! You're jealous!"
word count: 1,277

nothing to worry about

Bonnie was on her second glass of totally overpriced champagne and it was doing nothing for her. She was the one that talked him into being her plus-one to this gala, which had taken no small amount of pitching, but now she was regretting it. Why? Because the whole point of having him come along was that she would have someone to mutually complain to about the other guests. Only here she was, standing by the buffet, picking at mini quiches and finger sandwiches, while he was over there, being the life of the party. Why was she even surprised? Damon thrived in the spotlight. And given the many middle-aged women currently fawning over him, he was in his element.

Rolling her eyes, Bonnie turned her back on the scene, and picked at a fruit plate.

"Bon, you know the whole point of this was to bring in donors, right?" Caroline appeared next to her, gently bumping her hip with her own. "Well, that and I really wanted to go dress shopping." She winked at Bonnie when she took in her shimmery rose-gold gown. "Nice, right?"

Bonnie hummed. "Remind me again why you need donors when Stefan has more than enough to foot whatever bills the school has?"

Caroline shrugged. "Tax purposes? Also, did I mention that galas mean shopping? Anyway, rich people love things like this. It makes them feel better about themselves."

Shaking her head, Bonnie felt a smile pulling at her mouth. "Well, as long as it's going to a good cause."

"Oh, totally. We're putting a ton of it into scholarships and the rest can go toward the Olympic-sized swimming pool I'm already building in my head."

"Swim team or leisure?"

Caroline shrugged. "Both." With a wave of her hand, she said, "Anyway, enough about that. I know you weren't exactly excited to come, but you're not usually this scowly. What's up?"

"I'm not scowling."

"No?" Caroline raised an eyebrow. "I seem to remember you were a lot happier when you first got here. You and Damon were holed up together in some dark corner, giggling–"

"We were not giggling."

"–he was doing that not-flirting-totally-flirting thing he does with you where he leans in real close and keeps intense eye contact…" She leaned in to show what she meant, amused when Bonnie merely rolled her eyes. "Speaking of, where is my brother-in-law?"

Bonnie pursed her lips and gazed past Caroline's shoulder to where her best friend was gesticulating wildly. "Entertaining rich widows last I checked."

Confused, Caroline turned around to see what she meant. "Oh." She paused. "Oh!" She whipped around. "You're jealous!"

Bonnie shushed her. "I'm not jealous," she denied. "I'm just… I thought tonight would just be the two of us, hanging out, making fun of all this fuss. And instead, I'm the one on my own and he's over there making nice. I didn't spend real money on a dress just to hang out with the room temperature cucumber sandwiches."

Caroline pulled a face. "First of all… nothing on this table is room temperature. I paid extra to make sure everything stays cool and fresh. And second of all…" She raised a knowing eyebrow. "You've been avoiding the obvious for years. Just face facts already. You and Damon are a thing. A romantic thing. And as gross as it is for me to admit… you're even kind of cute together."

Bonnie crossed her arms and shook her head. "We're not–"

"Not what? Interested in each other? You don't spend every waking moment together? So much that spending one night not glued to each other's side has you pouting?"

"I'm hardly pouting."

"Then what are you doing? Why are you wasting your time standing over here, grumpily watching him entertain other people when you could be mingling and flirting with rich, handsome men your age?" Caroline waved a hand around. "I know of at least three bachelors here tonight that would gladly sweep you off your feet and onto a privately owned jet. Just say the word!"

Amused, Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the offer but–"

"What offer?" Damon sidled up next to them curiously. He plucked a mini quiche from Bonnie's plate and popped it in his mouth, winking at her when she frowned.

Looking mischievous, Caroline grinned. "Oh nothing, just reminding Bonnie she has options." She pointed at a handsome man across the room, impeccably dressed. "CEO, no kids, property in France… He's already asked if you're here with anyone."

Damon turned, scowled in the direction Caroline was looking, and then turned back to them. "Please, Bonnie has much better taste."

"I don't know about that." Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Her choice of date tonight is somewhat lacking."

"Aww, Care-bear, is someone upset because I shmooze better than she does?" He reached into his jacket and came out with a handful of checks. "Here, buy yourself something Olympic-sized."

Caroline's eyes lit up as she plucked them from his outstretched fingers. "See, this is why you're my favorite brother-in-law." She grinned back at Bonnie. "Offer still stands. Let me know if I should pass your number along."

"All right." Damon waved her off. "Skedaddle."

With a light laugh, Caroline swanned off in the direction of an amused and adoring Stefan.

Bonnie watched her go before turning back to Damon, who was still frowning thoughtfully. "What?"

"Hm?" Damon blinked back into the present and focused on her. "Nothing. Just… thinking."

"About?"

He shook his head and held out a hand. "That we should dance."

"What? Now?" She glanced at her plate of half-eaten food.

"You don't even like quiche." He passed the plate off on a passing server and took her hand. "You keep trying to, but it hasn't stuck yet." He swept her onto the dance floor and gave her a little spin, drawing her in so her back was pressed to his front, their arms wrapped around her. "So, what's this about Caroline playing matchmaker?"

She laughed under her breath. "She wasn't serious."

"No?" He rocked them side to side, his chin hooking over her shoulder. "She sounded pretty serious."

"Just Caroline being Caroline."

Damon hummed and twirled her out again, stepping in toward her until they were chest to chest, his arm slung low around her back. "So I don't have anything to worry about then?" He stared down at her, strands of raven hair falling across his eyes.

"Worry about?" She stared up at him, her voice sounding far more breathy than she wanted it to. "Why would you…?"

He stared at her searchingly. "You remember when you asked me to come out tonight?"

"Which time?"

"The last one. You told me it was for a good cause. We'd help get Caroline a few donations and then we could leave early, get take-out, spend the rest of the night on our own, just the two of us…" He stared at her searchingly.

She swallowed tightly. "I remember."

"Well, Carebear's got more donations than she'll know what to do with. So, I'm collecting, Bon-Bon. I was promised some alone time with my favorite witch… Since she's dressed to the nines, I wouldn't want a pretty dress to go to waste, so I vote we stay one, maybe two more songs, but then… Then we go home. And we talk a little more about why Caroline thinks you were jealous."

Bonnie's eyes widened.

But Damon only grinned, warm and knowing. "And why you don't need to be… Ever."

Warmth bloomed across Bonnie's chest. "Yeah?"

He tugged her a little closer, ducking his head down so they were forehead to forehead, eye to eye. "Yeah."