Lover
I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need,
Damon finished washing and drying his face and he turned off the faucet in his bathroom as his footsteps followed the very loud Christmas music that was coming from the kitchen of the boarding house, as he made his way down the steps.
I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree,
He smirked when he quietly walked into the kitchen and he heard her singing along, loudly, as she danced around with a mixing bowl in hand, dressed in just a pair of tube socks and his red flannel shirt. He had to admit she looked sexy and silly as all hell, and that was a part of the reason Bonnie Bennett was such a turn on to him. She was a fucking nerd; but a smoking hot one, and he couldn't pretend he wasn't the luckiest man on the planet to have struck gold with a woman who knew how to wear a pair of stiletto heels but also liked to argue about conspiracy theories, while she was putting on her face mask before bed.
Damon watched on in quiet amusement and amazement as she reached into his oven with a mitt on and pulled out a tray of freshly baked muffins. He let out a soft laugh as she continued to hop around happily, putting on a show for no one but herself, before she finally spun around and saw him standing there, with a huge grin on his face that she couldn't help but reciprocate when she realized he had indeed been here for quite a few minutes, watching her dancing and singing to Mariah Carey, like the crazy person that she was.
Instead of stopping like any normal person would've, Bonnie grabbed a ladle and held it like a microphone as she continued on, approaching him, with a serious but theatrical look in her eyes as she sang.
"I just want you for my own, moooooooore than you could ever know," she sang as dramatically as possible and Damon started to laugh as she did some ridiculous hip-gyration in his direction as she got closer and closer and he held up both his hands to shield himself as she wrapped an arm—and a leg— around him, as if he were a fucking stripper pole. "Make my wish come trueeeeeee,"
"Get off of me, you weirdo," he said between laughs and Bonnie laughed as well holding onto him tighter, like a koala on a gum tree.
"All I want for Christmas is youuuuuu, you, baby!"
"I swear to God, if you weren't so hot, I'd throw you right out of my house," he shouted over the music and she bit back a knowing smile as she threw both of her arms over his shoulders and he held her by the waist as the song finally ended and he could finally hear himself think again.
"Did I wake you?"
"I think you woke up the entire state of Virginia with that rendition," he said and she scoffed as he looked around at the table and noticed an entire spread of food before he looked back into her eyes with furrowed brows. "How long have you been awake anyway?"
"Just a few hours. I couldn't sleep. I was too excited," she babbled and he instantly knew that Bonnie was running on at minimum five cups of coffee—or cocaine—as she bounced on her heels happily and he couldn't help but smile in response at the childlike gleam in her eyes. "It's Christmas, Damon. Our first Christmas together," she said and he nodded with a laugh. "And I just wanted to make you breakfast. I guess as a preliminary thank you for coming tonight to dinner with my family," she eased as her hands landed on his bare chest. "Are you sure you're up to this? I know I invited you when we were just…"
"Fuck buddies?"
"Precisely and if you think this is too much too soon because we literally just became official, I get it. We are a lot—"
"I'm going, Bonnie. I haven't changed my mind, and there's no way I'd miss a chance to shoot the shit with my girl, Sheila," he reassured and she smiled as a slower Christmas song started over the speakers and he took her hands into his, pulling her in closer. "She sent me a text last night to remind me that I owe her a drink."
Bonnie snorted at that as they slowly swayed in the kitchen; the morning sun rays filtered through the shades and she looked into his bright blue eyes.
"My grandmother's texting you, now? How? And more importantly why? What are you two up to?"
"You jealous? She's pretty hot. And I heard she's rich as hell. Maybe I'm just securing my place in the Bennett bloodline, just in case things don't work out with you," he joked and Bonnie smiled though she rolled her eyes as he pulled her in closer to his chest and her head rested against his heart. "Thank you for breakfast," he added sincerely and she smiled as her arms still hugged him and they continued to move. "I appreciate it. And you. And I'm thrilled to be your guest tonight. There's no place else I'd rather be."
Bonnie smiled against his shirt.
The sweet aroma of pancakes, eggs, bacon, muffins, cinnamon buns, and hot cocoa filled the room.
He had to admit, Bonnie knew how to cook one hell of a meal, as she had been spoiling him with them since the official "start" of their relationship, and he warned her he was no longer going to have the six-pack abs that she so verbally adored if she kept feeding him the way that she did, nearly every single morning. But he knew he was also full of shit, because he loved the fact that she was thoughtful, an early riser, and surprisingly, such a fucking sap, because that meant that there was always some form of a cooked plate or baked good on the table, even when she was rushing out the door to run some errands or do last minute gift shopping.
The last week had been absolute bliss and he couldn't find one thing to complain about—other than the fact that his diet had gone to shit—because Bonnie Bennett had breathed an all new life and love into him that he didn't know was possible, until he had the pleasure of calling himself hers.
They had the "talk" after having sex for the first time—several times—that night following the gala and just like that they were finally ready to be together. It almost seemed too simple, he recalled, as he laid next to her in bed after their shower, stroking her hair and staring into her eyes, as if it were the first time he'd seen them before. She asked what he was thinking. He flat out asked her if he was her boyfriend and he almost felt stupid saying the words because to him, they sounded dumb and trivial falling from his lips.
But when she said it—when she said yes, you are my boyfriend—it sounded like magic; the angels above singing a beautiful hymn that had fallen onto his no longer deaf ears, and settled into his heart as he grabbed her hands and kissed them softly. Bonnie was biting back her grin all the while.
And that was it. There were no fireworks—if he didn't count the ones happening in his head—and he breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that maybe they were due for some simplicity after the long, winding, complicated road they had taken to get here. Maybe, this was when things started to get easy.
Damon spun her into his arms and Bonnie's back pressed to his chest as she rocked side to side and his hands hugged around her tiny frame. His lips met the top of her messy bun.
"I should warn you. My dad can be a little… intense when I'm dating someone," she eased and he ticked his jaw as they still continued to sway. "He starts asking a lot of questions. Oversteps his place, quite a bit."
"Your former police chief-turned-politician of a dad gets intense about men showing an interest in his extremely good looking, successful, and intelligent daughter? Who would've thought," he said sarcastically and she groaned before turning to face him.
"I'm serious. He… likes you as my friend, Damon. He's never had a bad thing to say about you all these years but us being together… this is different. He's got ridiculously high standards for me. And after everything that's happened I just… I know he's gonna give you a hard time," she said and Damon cupped her face with his hands and he saw actual genuine worry in her eyes as he looked back at her. "He thought Enzo was my soulmate. He still does, despite me leaving him at an altar. It's going to take a lot to change his mind and I just hope you're up for it because I am. I want to prove it to him that I didn't make the wrong choice."
"I understand," he replied softly and she tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth.
He knew this moment was coming, the moment Bonnie's mother, Abby, called to confirm if Bonnie was bringing a guest to dinner and she said yes, though she was hesitant, even after Damon reassured her that he was happy to still go. Bonnie had been his best friend all of his life and as a result he knew all of her immediate family members and a good portion of her aunts, uncles, and cousins from social gatherings over the years and of course, events that happened prior to the wedding. But they all knew him as Bonnie's friend; not her lover. And certainly not the man that she would ultimately cancel said wedding for, because she was harboring deeper feelings for him than she realized, probably long before the night that they slept together.
Nevertheless, Damon needed to make a good impression. He couldn't risk screwing this up knowing just how much her family's opinion meant to her; how much their approval and acceptance shaped who she was as a woman, despite the fact that she trying to convince herself she wouldn't let it get to her if things didn't go entirely as planned.
He knew which family members liked him—like her Aunt Gloria from Chicago, and her cousin Lucy who lived in Atlanta. Tessa and Emily, her cousins from Los Angeles, however, were both basically the devil's spawns and naturally preferred Stefan's company to his, anytime they were on the East Coast and Damon couldn't say there were any hurt feelings; he couldn't fucking stand them either. But he knew they were both big fans of Enzo and probably wouldn't be shy about bringing him up or asking Bonnie if she was sure Damon was the right choice.
Luka, her cousin from Tampa, was decent but quiet, as was Beatrice, from Portland; she was a total hippie who showed up stoned to everything and their family just kind of accepted it at this point, according to Bonnie. But she thought Damon was cool—she told him he had a good vibe—and he was happy to accept another person in his corner who wouldn't look at him like he was Lucifer himself, for setting Bonnie's life on such a path of craziness and chaos, just because he dared to be in love with her.
But Damon didn't know what else or who else to expect and if Rudy really was going to be as much of a hard ass as Bonnie was warning, he was going to have his work cut out for him tonight. His father Giuseppe had been great friends with Bonnie's father, growing up. After all, Damon's dad was responsible for half of the architecture and infrastructure that existed in Mystic Falls, because of his construction company that spanned through generations of Salvatores, until he finally retired to live in Italy. Giuseppe had always been privy to Mayor Hopkins' plans for the town and the two made a great match when they were both still around, with continuous projects to beautify Mystic Falls, making it one of the most desirable suburbs to live not just in Virginia, but in the country, according to the US News Reports.
Damon hoped that Rudy's admiration for his father coupled with the fact that he'd known Damon since he was in diapers would help ease the fatherly instinct that he had to interrogate him about his intentions with his only daughter.
It didn't help that Damon had a hand in Bonnie being suspended from her job, but he could only hope that his actions to protect her earned his a few brownie points, because in the end, he really was just trying to defend her honor. And he prayed Rudy would see him as someone who was good—and good enough—for her. Not just some white, privileged, reckless asshole, who was inadvertently ruining Bonnie's perfect life.
"I promise, I will do anything that I need to do, to get your father's blessing," he said and she smiled as his thumbs stroked her jaw. "Should I wear a tie?"
"Absolutely," she nodded as he did in understanding. "But nothing flashy. He hates patterns."
"I've got just the one, then. What else? He likes Scotch?"
"He loves it. Balvenie Portwood 21 is his favorite," she said, as she still thought. "He also really likes Glendronach, and Old Pulteney," she informed and Damon nodded. "You've heard of them, I assume?"
"Heard if them? I happen to have 3 out of 3 in the cellar," he said and she sighed with relief before offering a smile. "I've got this Bon. I promise. I will make a good impression on your family. Or I will die trying."
"Don't die please," she said and he smiled softly as she stroked his hair. "But speaking of family… have you heard from Stefan this morning? Caroline FaceTime'd me earlier, with the boys… They loved the drone you got them," she confirmed, and Damon shook his head as he met her eyes.
"I haven't heard from him. It's been a week. We're on a 'brother break,' remember?"
"Damon…"
"He wants me to be someone that I'm not, Bonnie, and there's nothing I can do about that. In Stefan's perfect world, you and I never would've gotten together so he'd get to still ride his Harley around with Enzo," he said, realizing a slight bit of envy for her ex was creeping into his tone. "He admires him in a way that he doesn't admire me, Bon. I've known it since they met. There's no use trying to plead my case when it won't change how he feels. Enzo is the victim and I'm the asshole who ruined his life."
"I'm the asshole who ruined Enzo's life," she corrected him as they stopped dancing and he followed her eyes. "And Stefan is your brother, Damon and… this time of the year is about family, not the mass consumerism that overshadows that. I know that what he said hurt you and I'm not asking you to kiss his ass because he's wrong. You're not cruel and you are not unkind," she echoed the words Damon and had told her when they finally talked about his conversation with Stefan, at length. "You do have a big heart, despite what everyone thinks. And… I'm just asking you not to close your heart off to him when he does come around, because you know he will. Especially if Caroline has something to do with it."
Damon sighed but he nodded as he followed the sincerity in her eyes before she leaned in and gave him a long hug. He shut his eyes and exhaled as he felt her arms gripping onto him tightly while they stood in an easy, comfortable silence.
She was right. He couldn't shut Stefan out, no matter how much he wanted to, and he knew he'd be here when his brother finally decided to come around. Whether that be in ten days or ten years. He loved him; he always would. Even if he didn't like him very much right now.
"But for now," she smoothed her palm against his, as a Frank Sinatra song started and he reopened his eyes to capture her gaze. "Let's just try to enjoy the day. Crazy ass, dysfunctional family drama, aside."
"I can do that," he said gently and she continued to trace her index along his palm. "Tonight, after all the family stuff is over, I figured we could come back here. And I can give you your Christmas present," he said and she immediately whined as she met his eyes. "What's the frown about, McPouty?"
"I have to wait until tonight? Why? You got to open yours yesterday."
"Yeah, because you asked me if I wanted to open it, fifteen times, until I finally agreed," he replied as she smiled innocently. "And I loved it. Thank you. It's right up my alley, you know me well," he said, of the vintage record player she'd gotten him, coupled with a few of his favorite albums, ranging from artists like Muse to Miles and Coltrane. "But I can't let you open your gift yet. That's just how the Salvatore's do it," he dotted her nose with his index. "Build the anticipation, make you sweat it out—"
"Oh okay, I get it. So, your gift giving mirrors your foreplay? Good to know."
"Mirrors and foreplay, is that what you said? I can get behind that. Or you. Right now, if you want."
"That's not at all what I said—" she squealed as Damon threw her over his shoulder and his hand slapped her ass as she laughed while he spun her around. "Put me down, Damon! Or I swear I'll—"
He plopped her onto the marble counter before she could get into a long string of death threats and she punched his muscular arm with a smile as he smirked. His hands landed at her sides and she begrudgingly admired his half-naked frame, dressed in just a pair of boxer briefs and a lazy but sexy smile crossing his pink lips.
"What are you gonna do?" He asked lowly and she inhaled a deep breath as she looked into his devastatingly perfect eyes, desperately trying to peel her gaze away from his body, though she quickly envisioned all of he things she wouldn't mind doing to it right now.
One of the best things about dating Damon—besides the laughs, intellectual stimulation, and ridiculously hot sex— was the fact that he just never really bothered to wear that many clothes at home. She had non-stop eye candy to look at the entire day, as he traipsed around in his underwear—sometimes less— until she finally got horny enough to rile him up into a debate about something inconsequential, just because she was bored and it was funny. He was admittedly at his hottest when he was raging on about something and it was a turn on for her watching him get worked up about a topic she brought up but ultimately didn't even care about to begin with. She'd argued with him about the ending to The Sopranos for an hour last night, just because she wanted the entertainment, despite the fact that she'd only seen one episode in her life, which just so happened to be the finale.
It was just all fun and games, in her opinion, even though Damon, more often than not, spiraled into a very articulate, nuanced, passionate argument for why he was right, and at the end of the day she always respected what he felt, even if she didn't agree. Or know what the hell he was even talking about.
Except for the time they argued about whether you should pour the cereal or the milk first and she found out after 29 years of knowing him that he was a milk-first-kind-of-guy. And she just couldn't quite believe she had fallen in love with was a man who poured his milk into the bowl without measuring out his cereal. And that was the real reason she was cooking him breakfast so often. Because clearly, he wanted to watch the world burn. And he might have actually been a lunatic.
But for as much of a psychopath that she now knew that he was, she still couldn't help how attracted she was to him, as he leaned in and kissed her slowly; allowing her arms and legs to wrap around him in an instant as they began make out.
There was just something about him—from those eyes to those hands—that she couldn't get enough of and he knew it, as Damon moaned softly against her lips because he knew that she liked that, and she peppered him with soft, drawn out kisses, with little or no breaks in between them. His hand was already trailing up her shirt towards her chest where he happily discovered she wasn't wearing a bra and his fingers grazed along her nipples. She bit her lip at that as he continued to touch them and she pulled him in even closer with a grin as a gentle breath escaped her mouth.
His mouth latched onto her neck and she let out a satisfied sigh when he bit her skin softly—tugging at it with his canines—before his tongue drew small circles and she gripped strongly onto his back. His muscles flexed easily beneath her touch.
His mouth met hers again—deeply devouring her into another kiss, easily getting lost in this just as he always did—but before it could get too good, he heard his phone ringing on the counter and he groaned when she separated their lips and kissed his cheek sweetly, before urging him to answer. He did, but only because she asked him to.
Bonnie hopped down from the counter and began to clean up as he grabbed the iPhone and accepted the FaceTime call from none other than his sister Sarah, as she squealed so loudly into the receiver when he answered she almost blew out his eardrum.
That had been a constant battle growing up; the girl never really did bother to use her inside voice and more often than not, Damon usually got caught sneaking back in after curfew in high school because Sarah accidentally blew up his spot. He loved her with all of his heart. But the girl was a snitch. She always meant well, though, and he could never get mad at her. Even if she did get him grounded every other week with Giuseppe.
"Merry Christmas D!" she yelled he couldn't help but smile when he saw her face—it'd been weeks since he saw her last. "I miss you, how are you?"she studied his him slowly, before lifting a suspicious brow. "And what are you doing? I hear Christmas music. You hate Christmas music."
Goddamn this girl was observant.
"I miss you too. And you're right, I do. But I was trying to get into the Christmas spirit. I was just about to eat breakfast," that wasn't a lie, he figured, since he had been just about ready to dine on Bonnie indeed, and he cleared his throat. "What are you up to? How's Italy?"
"Amazing. Dad's taking Matt and I to San Gimignano later to see all those cool medieval castles," she said and Damon nodded. "Have I missed anything back home? How's Stefan"
"Home is good. Nothing out of the ordinary," he started and he watched as she suddenly scrunched her forehead, and looked behind him. "What?"
"Is that Bonnie in the kitchen? In your flannel?"
Shit.
"Hi!" Bonnie spun around, with a slice of bacon half hanging out of her mouth, as she totally didn't realize she was in the frame of the video phone call and Damon shot her an apologetic glance as she waved at Sarah quickly. "Merry Christmas! I'm gonna go put on some pants."
The second Bonnie scurried out the room Sarah's eyes grew wide with amusement and her mouth immediately dropped.
"Damon… That's ordinary, to you?"
"We're not havingthis conversation over FaceTime," he started but she continued anyway as a grin spread across her face. "Sarah, I mean it—"
"Are you two…? Hold on. Whaaaaaaaat. Does dad know? Because he totally fucking called it when I told him Bonnie called off the wedding. Where's your shirt by the way? Ew, oh my god… Were y'all just fuckin'?"
"Why are you so loud," he whispered between his teeth as he lowered the volume and Sarah's giddy reaction continued to grow by the millisecond. "And please tell me you're not asking me about this in front of Donovan."
"I am. He's right here. Say hi, Matty!" She shoved the phone in his face and Matt waved happily as Damon rolled his eyes and waved back with a forced smile, before Sarah returned to the screen.
He couldn't believe that man was potentially going to marry into his family, one day.
"Oh my God, Damon! You and Bonnie. Bonnie and you. Honestly? About time. This is the best Christmas news ever—"
"Hi, yes. I'm happy you're happy. Okay listen. I need to go now, Sar—"
"Is she your girlfriend? So she's like done-done with Enzo, then? Because I mean no offense but he was kind of just hot with a British accent but a total snooze. And you've been in love with her since you could walk, Dad said. Did you know you told him you were going to marry Bonnie, when you were like five years old? So adorable," she smiled and he wanted to bash his head into a wall. "So give me the scoop—what happened? You can't leave me hanging like this!"
"Can and will. I gotta go. Talk to you later, I love you, bye now," he hung up against her protests and Damon sighed as he dropped his phone on the counter and he looked up to see Bonnie toeing her way hesitantly back into the kitchen as he scratched his head and dropped his arms. "You… haven't put on pants so I'm guessing you heard all of that didn't you?"
"Every word," she nodded with a smirk and he groaned as she walked over to him slowly, and dotted his nose with her index. "Your Dad knows how you feel about me?" She asked and he sighed as she folded her arms." You said we were going to get married?"
"I was five. I thought it just meant I'd be able to have more play dates with you."
"Uh huh," she said unconvinced before she spoke again. "I'm surprised you talked to your dad about it, ever. Giuseppe always seemed so…"
"Impenetrable? He is, when he wants to be. But in my defense, he talked to me about it, not the other way around," he admitted and she lifted a brow. "At your… engagement party," he revealed as Bonnie listened on and he swallowed hard. "He saw that I was miserable and rightfully so. I was supposed to be celebrating you and Enzo but I couldn't. And Elena and I were fighting, again. And Pepe read me, like a fucking book… which I'm thankful for in hindsight. Because I… probably never would've worked up the courage to dump Elena, for good, if he didn't remind me of what she deserved… and who I really wanted."
Bonnie swallowed hard at that as Damon moved even closer to her and her body froze at the sudden intensity in his stare when his hand met her jaw and his fingers slowly traced against her cheek.
The look in his eyes could move mountains.
"You would've spoken up eventually, Damon."
"Yeah, maybe after you got actually got married, then had kids and put them through college… I was terrified," he admitted before shaking his head. "But I'm not anymore. I can't be because… I want to be the man that you deserve, Bonnie… Now and… forever," he said as she bit her lip silently. "You are the most important person in my life… You always have been and… I know I sound like a broken record when I say it but… I've dreamed about this, Bon, for so goddamn long and finally working up the courage to just be honest with you is something I thought I'd never do. Because I never thought in my wildest dreams that you'd choose me and you did," he said earnestly and she melted within his touch, as he continued to barrel directly into her eyes. "And that's the best Christmas gift of them all, so… thank you. And… I promise, I won't make you regret it."
She nodded softly, wordlessly, as she took a moment to take in a deep breath and his lips pressed ever-so-sweetly to her forehead before he dropped his hand and offered a genuine smile.
She smiled too, as he followed her eyes shyly before saying another word.
"Are you ready for breakfast? And can I turn off this dreadful music?" He asked and Bonnie laughed as she took a step in, both hands landing to his bare chest and slowly smoothing down his stomach, stopping just short of his boxers waistband.
"Yes to breakfast. And no to the music… You're not gonna be able to hear it anyway."
"Why wouldn't I hear it? It's loud—"
"I can be louder," she said lightly and he furrowed both brows but then immediately caught her drift as her hands continued to dance at his waist.
In an instant swept her up into his arms while Bonnie giggled and the sounds of laughter echoed through the home, as he climbed the staircase with her body pressed to his, and his lips already crashing against hers.
The composition of sounds, touches, and tastes battered his senses as he got her to his bed, and tore open the flannel shirt, watching the buttons fly in every which direction before she pulled him in on top of her and kissed his lips.
He made love to her, slowly, as her hands grasped onto his and their bodies moved in synchronized rhythm, until it was all over and he collapsed into the pillows beside her.
Damon couldn't imagine how he'd once gone through his life without this. He couldn't fathom how he'd gone so long choosing sex or love—settling on the fact that he was never going to have both, in a happy, healthy, and functional relationship.
Until this started with Bonnie.
He didn't have to choose, because they had both. He didn't have to stay for the love like she did with Enzo and he didn't have to stay for the sex and bad habits, like he did Elena.
With Bonnie, he had everything he wanted because she was the right person, for him, all wrapped up in one. She was perfect to him, despite how imperfect she was and he accepted that. There wasn't any part of her that he wouldn't accept and that's how he knew he didn't just love sleeping with her, but he in fact loved her too.
Even if she listened to Christmas music 24/7 during the months of November and December.
But right now, it was the last of his concerns, as she slid onto his lap, naked, and he bit back a smile as she slowly started to grind her hips on top of him, tempting him to oblige her just one last time before they needed to get up and get ready for the rest of the day. Bonnie had to go to church with her family in two hours and she'd definitely need to repent, after all that they'd been up to.
He sat up and caught her lips in a hungry kiss as she moaned his name against his mouth; her nails created a trail of fresh scratches straight down his spine. He punished her for that with one of her favorite positions, as her back landed against the bed and he pulled her legs over his shoulders. Bonnie looked into his ravenous eyes and smiled sinfully before he proceeded to push back into her, deeply, his hands slowly wrapping around her throat, just the way that she liked.
And she was right; he didn't hear any of the Christmas music from his bedroom, where the sounds of her moans filled his head, like a perfect, harmonious symphony, that would never and couldn't ever be matched by anything else. It was the only thing he could hear.
And thank God for that, when that dumbass Mariah Carey song played on loop again, for probably the fifteenth time that morning.
XXXXX
"Hey."
"Hey. Thanks for meeting me."
Stefan didn't respond to that, as he eased into his seat at the table at the Mystic Grill and his eyes met those of the dark-haired man with the thick unshaven black beard ahead of him.
Stefan swallowed hard and ordered a coffee with the waitress before turning back towards Enzo, as his fingers tapped slowly against the table; the light chatter of the other patrons filled the long silence between them before he finally spoke. There was a mixture of dejection and tranquility in his eyes. A far cry from the story of the man who humiliated and degraded Bonnie at the winter gala.
"Merry Christmas," he forced a lackluster smile onto his lips and Stefan nodded as he clinked his mug, never dropping the gaze from his stare.
"Merry Christmas."
"How are the boys? Loving the holiday, I assume," Enzo said, in a poor attempt at small talk, and Stefan nodded as he reached for his phone to show him a picture.
"Yeah, they're with Caroline right now. She took them to the park to try out the new drone they got," he said and Enzo smiled at the photo of the twins grinning brightly with their new toy in hand and Caroline's arms around their shoulders.
"That's great. Santa was very generous from the sounds of it."
"Yeah it was Damon, actually…" he trailed off and the man pressed his lips shut as Stefan continued. "I heard what happened, at the gala. I'm… sorry that's how you had to find out about… my brother and Bonnie." Enzo scratched his hair with a shrug. "How are you doing?"
"Aside from the devastating sense of regret and self-despair? Okay, I guess," he said and Stefan frowned. "Is it weird to feel remorse for how I reacted, whilst simultaneously an overwhelming amount of repulsion and disgust, towards them both?" he asked softly as Stefan read his eyes. "I feel bad that she got suspended. I do. Damon and I should've resolved it at a different time and place but…" he gripped the spoon at his place setting and Stefan continued to follow his eyes as they slowly went dark and his voice became low. "She fucked him, Stefan. Behind my back. Repeatedly. She cheated on me the night before our wedding. She didn't care about me the way I cared for her. And yeah, I flew off the handle, I admit my temper is something I need to work on. But… she broke my heart and… she doesn't seem to give a damn about it."
"I-I know."
"She ruined me. I would've done anything for Bonnie, and I have… I've poured my entire being into our relationship, giving her anything and everything she's ever wanted but it wasn't enough. I wasn't enough," he said shaking his head and inhaling a deep breath. "She's always been in love with him, hasn't she?"
"I can't answer that for her, Enzo. I don't know what led to this."
Enzo gripped his coffee mug tightly while Stefan watched on.
"I know it's no justification. There'll never be one for how I spoke to her. But hearing that—the fact that she loved him, while I am very much still in love with her… I saw red. I didn't care what I said or did in that moment because I wanted to hurt her and I did. I wanted to destroy her. Just like she destroyed me," he said honestly and Stefan exhaled as he nodded his head. "How could I possibly still love someone whose treated me this badly? I'm a hopeless idiot."
"I get why you're mad, Enzo. Trust me, Damon and I had words over it."
"You spoke to Damon about this?"
"Of course I did. He's my brother and I expected better from him. I… feel like sometimes I have unrealistic expectations when it comes to him. Because I've always looked up to him. He was my rock, when our mom died and our dad started to drink and shut us out," Stefan revealed as Enzo listened and Stefan licked his teeth. "Damon could do no wrong at that point, for me, so it's just always the way I've chosen to see him— as someone who fixes things and I know that's my problem. He's not perfect. He really did fuck you over and you're justified to feel the way you feel, Enzo."
And he was being honest about that. It took a less-than-gentle probing from his wife to finally come to terms with why he was so insistent on dissecting Damon's every action and Caroline had not been shy about ripping him a new one for being so cold towards him during their last conversation. Stefan just couldn't let Damon be him, she said, ultimately because of the weird, fucked up pedestal he had him on, since they were kids. Damon took care of him in a lot of ways his father could not, when his grief crippled him, and he dug his hands even harder into his work to distract himself from the fact that his wife and the mother of his children was dead, just like that. And with all of the money in the world, still, there was nothing he could do to change it. He was here, all alone, raising two boys to be men when he didn't feel like much of one himself those days and Damon was the first to realize it, as he often woke up in the middle of the night to find his father passed out on the couch, with a bottle in hand an sometimes even still a lit cigarette.
And it was when Damon decided that he needed to look after his brother because his father could barely look after himself.
Damon took care of Stefan—from packing his lunch for school to helping him with his homework the best he knew how— and at nine years old, he knew that wasn't the type of pressure that should've been placed on his brother's shoulders. Especially not when the only person looking out for Damon's well-being was Bonnie Bennett. It took Stefan up until this week to realize it—and truthfully he still hadn't thought about it until Caroline suggested it—but perhaps his brother latched onto his love for her so hard because she was the only person who could pull him out of the dark place he was slowly succumbing to, as the years rolled on and it set in that his mother was really gone. Stefan still kept Damon up on that crumbling pedestal, many years later, without ever taking into account that his brother was damaged and had changed. And maybe that was his fault, for not adapting his view of him with how his experiences shaped him.
He was so desperate for Bonnie's love because it had been what kept him alive. And he didn't give a damn who stood in the way—even if it were Enzo—because he'd felt this way about her all his life. Even if he struggled to admit it to himself. Stefan knew that Damon was wrong for what he did but he was slowly allowing himself to come around and understand him. And he thanked his lucky stars he'd married a woman who sometimes knew him better than he knew himself. Because she talked quite a bit of rationalization into him over the past week. And he was starting to regret the way he walked out on his brother.
"But?" Enzo asked, in response to Stefan's words and he pulled himself out of his thoughts.
There was a long silence between them as Stefan took a breath and met his eyes.
"You took it too far, with Bonnie," he said as Enzo listened on. "What you said to her, in front of her colleagues and bosses was fucking disgusting. Even if she did do something horrible. She's a human being, Enzo; one who has been my friend for years and you can't talk to a woman like that. And you definitely shouldn't—"
"Grab them or get into their faces either," Enzo filled in and Stefan remained silent. "I'm… trying to rectify it with myself Stefan, believe me. Because I know that I shouldn't have done that. It was a slight second but that's all it took because I intimidated her. She was afraid of me. And it hurts knowing that… it's hard to come to terms with the fact that I still love her and I know I'd never hurt her physically. But she thinks that I could… she and Damon both believed that I would that night."
The silence between them grew uncomfortable for a moment before Stefan finally spoke.
"So, what now? What are you going to do?"
"Get out of town for a bit," Enzo revealed. "I just need some time to clear my head and my heart and… move on from Bonnie. I've got friends back in Boston, who invited me up for the New Year and I think it'll be good for me… I think it's for the best if I just disappear for a while."
Stefan nodded his head as his hands clutched his coffee mug, as he looked into his sleep-deprived eyes and nodded.
"Yeah. Maybe that is for the best," he responded in agreement.
XXXXX
"Are you ready for this?"
Damon turned to face Bonnie with a confident smile, as he slammed her car door shut behind her and he grabbed her free hand as she took a deep breath in. They walked up the long cobblestone driveway, to her grandmother's two story French provincial style home, hand in hand, and suddenly her heart was beating out of her chest as her mind raced a mile a minute.
The beige castle-like house was professionally decorated with white Christmas lights and décor on the outside and Damon admittedly marveled at the time and effort that had gone into making this place look so beautiful because it wasn't anything short of spectacular. It was absolutely stunning and so far he had only seen the outside, when they finally made it to the door and Bonnie exhaled before she pressed her manicured finger to the bell.
Damon turned to face her—he instinctively kissed the top of her palm softly as she trembled, looking into his eyes.
"You look heavenly, baby," he whispered and she smiled gently before looking into his eyes and squeezing his hand tightly.
"So do you… baby," she echoed and he immediately smiled, pink at the cheeks, because he wasn't sure he'd ever called her that out loud, though he was always thinking it in his head. "Thank you for coming."
"No place I'd rather be."
The door finally opened and they were greeted with joyful screams, as Bonnie's cousin Lucy threw her arms around her shoulders and kissed her warmly on the cheek. She then turned her attention to Damon with a hug for him as well that he happily reciprocated as they walked into the foyer and she helped them with bags and coats while the hustle and bustle of the home only seemed to get louder the moment they walked in.
"I'm so happy you two could make it," Lucy said as Bonnie smiled and Damon stood quietly behind her, losing track of their conversation and surveying the home, though he'd been here many times in the past as a kid.
It was where Bonnie had unofficially grown up, whenever her parents were out of town on business or taking a couples only trip. The lively atmosphere brought back good memories for him as well, as he looked up in remembrance at the spiral staircase that led to the second floor—the one he and Bonnie often played on as kids, despite how many times Sheila told them not to, because they were likely break their necks. He was brought down from his own thoughts when he realized Lucy was asking him if he wanted a drink and he declined politely as she smiled before walking off to go grab Bonnie a glass of wine.
He decided beforehand that other than the drink he owed Sheila, tonight was going to be another sober night. The last thing he needed was to say or do something stupid on the one night when she needed him to be perfect, so the news of them being together would go smoothly. When Lucy came back she asked the inevitable—if they were officially seeing each other—and when both Damon and Bonnie confirmed with a nod she clapped happily, admitting she had been wanting this for a long time. She also made them promise to come visit her in Atlanta before she stalked off to help someone open another bottle of wine and Damon squeezed Bonnie's hand as she smiled.
The two exchanged pleasantries with every person there—even Tessa and Emily who had cornered themselves in the living room to take selfies and gossip when they saw Bonnie introducing Damon as her boyfriend. They were nice enough when Bonnie approached them—or fake, whatever—but she didn't have time to dwell on it or care because at the end of the day their opinions didn't matter. Only he did. And just how happy he had made her by coming tonight.
His fear began to dissipate with each warm welcome he received in return and he noticed the audible sigh of relief she let out under her breath when they'd finally finished making their rounds. She only had her Mom, Dad, and Grams to tackle. And it seemed they'd finally get their chance, as they made it to the kitchen, where her grandmother was pulling the sweet potatoes out of the oven with Abby's assistance, and Rudy was slicing up the pork with a giant butcher's knife in hand.
Because that's exactly what Damon needed to ease his nerves; her Dad wielding a machete as he walked in the door.
"Hey guys," Bonnie said in a bubbly tone, expertly hiding the traces of fear in her voice, as all three halted their conversation to face she and Damon. "What can we help with?"
Sheila was the first to walk over with a huge and warm smile as she gave Bonnie and long hug, rocking her side to side before she let go and faced Damon.
"Hi stranger," she said to him with a knowing grin and he smiled before he reached in for a hug as well and Sheila planted a kiss on his cheek. "30 whole years and you finally made it to a Bennett-Hopkins Christmas."
"The GPS sent me the wrong way," he joked and she rolled her eyes playfully. "Thank you for having me," he nodded and Sheila smiled when she noticed the nervousness in his eyes before he looked up and saw Abby and Rudy just watching him before Bonnie cleared her throat and greeted both her parents.
"Mom, Dad—you know Damon, obviously," she said and they both nodded, as Abby reached in and hugged him as well and Rudy extended his palm to shake his hand firmly as he met his eyes.
"Damon, it's always nice to see you," he said and Damon offered a smile in response.
"You too, Mayor Hopkins."
"Don't be silly. Call me Rudy. I've known you since you were in diapers,"he said and Damon nodded. "Can I get you anything? I know you're a bourbon guy."
"I'm good, thanks. But I did bring something for you," he said as he reached into the bag in his hand and pulled out a bottle of Scotch and Rudy's eyes lightened. "I heard you were an enthusiast and I happened to have a bottle on hand."
"Balvenie Portwood 21," Rudy admired, when Damon handed it to him. "You know your stuff."
"Comes with the territory of bar ownership," he smiled and her father did as well.
Bonnie exhaled with relief. Figures Damon would find a way to bond with her Dad over expensive alcohol.
"Save me a drink, for later. After dinner," Rudy said, and Damon nodded immediately.
"Absolutely, sir."
Now he was up to two drinks for tonight.
"Can someone grab these greens?" Sheila interrupted and Damon was the first one over to her grandmother to assist with the food and Abby followed as Bonnie turned to face her Dad who eyed her silently while the other three fussed over the sides at the counter.
"We're due for a talk about him, Bonnie," he said lowly and Bonnie swallowed hard with a nod as she watched Damon walk out of the kitchen with Sheila and Abby to help them put everything out.
"I know, Dad. And I promise we'll talk—"
"You're damn right we will. You lost your job?"
"It's an administrative leave," she corrected and he sighed. "But can we just not do this today? It's Christmas," she said, and her father ticked his jaw. "And you know how much I love, Christmas, right?" she pouted, and her father playfully rolled his eyes as she offered a sickeningly sweet smile before placing a hand on his cheek. "Is that a yes?"
"That's a you're safe for now," he corrected, and Bonnie cheesed as she gave him another hug and he kissed the top of her head before she pulled away.
"And Damon? You're not gonna grill him are you?"
"Nice try, but your little boyfriend is the reason you got suspended and he's going to have to answer to me," he said as she sighed, as Sheila walked back into the kitchen with a smile and a clap of her hands.
"Dinner is served, please meet us in the dining room."
Bonnie nodded as she walked out ahead of her dad and made her way over to the long rectangular dinner table. Her eyes found Damon's, and she smiled when he pulled out her chair, garnering an aww from her Aunt Gloria, as Bonnie sat down, and he eased into his own. Her cheeks flushed when she felt him grab her hand under the table and she turned to meet his stare, her voice in a low whisper.
"Laying it on thick tonight, huh?"
"Anything for you, my sweet," he winked and Bonnie held in a laugh as she rolled her eyes and they brought their attention to her father, as she asked everyone to bow their heads and hold hands to say grace.
He felt her fingers lace with his own and hold onto them tightly. When the prayer was done, he immediately flashed her a smile and Bonnie did the same.
"Now we can eat," Rudy said, and the family rejoiced, as they began passing around the serving spoons and a light bouncy chatter filled the room, as everyone spoke.
Damon got a few questions; about what he did for a living and what his family was up to. He'd even been asked if he was a Christian as well and he answered everything perfectly, including questions about his faith, as he explained that he grew up in a Roman Catholic household but he had never been particularly religious himself—but he wasn't opposed to it.
Bonnie smiled because he seemed to handle the 25 person interrogation pretty well and she even caught Tessa and Emily coming around, when he started talking to them about Game of Thrones, and the three dissected the final season—or more appropriately ripped it to shreds. The girls decided maybe he wasn't so bad, because he had a modicum of competency and also believed Sansa Stark should have been the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, too, without mansplaining his opinion to them.
Damon truly could sell ice to a polar bear, Bonnie decided.
It seemed like the meal was over, just as quickly as it had started, and Bonnie somehow got roped into setting up her cousins Xbox on the big screen, while Damon hung back and helped her Grams with the dishes and clearing the table.
"You're a guest. You should not be cleaning," Sheila chastised him, a few minutes later, and he offered a smile before tending back to the glasses in the sink as he soaped them up in a pair of gloves on, while she loaded the dishwasher.
Sheila picked up the dish cloth and stood beside him, as she grabbed a clean glass and began to dry it off while he still stared ahead.
"I'm kind of a neat freak… and by kind of, I mean my pantry is organized in alphabetical order, separated by food genres. I decided to put my talents to good use."
"Good man. The rest of them just sit around on their asses and wait for the women to take care of this stuff," Sheila replied, and he laughed at that. "Bonnie's lucky to have you. Always has been."
"You think so? Even after… everything that's happened?" he asked biting his lip and turning to face her. "I… assume you know…"
"Of course, I know," she confirmed, and he met her deep brown eyes. "I've known you and her were up to something since the wedding. I'm surprised she didn't call it off sooner," she added, and his brows lifted as she continued to dry the champagne flute in her hand. "I saw that blue Chevy Camaro pull into the country club the morning of, and drop her off back at her room—I know that car anywhere, Damon… You two were never good at keeping secrets from me. It's like when you were kids… I replaced so many nice vases on account of you and Bonnie playing around where you weren't supposed to be."
Damon nodded at that and let out a sigh.
"I'm an adult now, who has vases, that are near and dear to me. So, I totally get it, 20 years later," he answered, and she smirked. "If you knew about Bonnie and me, I have to ask… why didn't you say anything?"
"Like you said—you're an adult. Even if I am 50 years your senior… You two can make your own decisions, without everyone else trying to tell you how you should feel… You two have been hiding in plain sight, for a while, Damon. I always knew it was only a matter of time before you would come to your senses. But it wasn't my job to make you and Bonnie see that… It was up to you. It's always been up to you."
Damon's mouth went dry at that as he shook his head in slight disbelief, never dropping his stare from her eyes.
"The timing—it was terrible—"
"There's no such thing as good timing, Damon. Either you want something bad enough that you'll go for it, or you don't. But if two people are meant to be together… nothing can or will get in the way of that. Not time, not space, and certainly not other people's opinions," she said, and he exhaled slowly before turning off the faucet.
"I know plenty of Pinterest fanatics who would argue with you that you can meet the right person, at the wrong time."
"If you meet the right person at the wrong time, they're just the wrong person… Because for the right person, it doesn't matter when you've met them. All that matters is you make it work. It's not always about being perfect on paper, Damon. You and Bonnie certainly aren't… but you love each other, anyway. You always have. No matter how many successful, handsome, British distractions popped up along the way," she winked, and he ticked his jaw. "Find a way to make it work with her, Damon… I know that this is what you've wanted for years… Allow yourself to have it."
Before Damon could answer, Rudy walked into the kitchen, bottle of Scotch in hand, as he met his eyes and gave him a nod.
"It looks like they're setting up the games in the living room, but not quite ready yet… How about that drink, Damon?"
"Of course," he responded before turning back to Sheila who grabbed two tumblers out of the cabinet and handed them to him, before she gave him a soft pat on the back. "I'll finish these dishes up. Thanks for your help."
"Thanks for yours too," he answered with the glasses in hand, before walking off and following Rudy out of the kitchen and down the corridor to the study.
His eyes roamed over the bookcase that lined the wall—catching sight of some familiar titles and a few unfamiliar ones, while Rudy sat down on the couch and poured them both a serving, before Damon finally made his way over.
He thanked him when he placed the glass into his hand and let out a deep breath as Rudy stared resolutely into his eyes.
"Thank you for this," the man said as he placed the bottle of Scotch down and got comfortable in his seat. "I was impressed to see you'd know my favorite kind. I'm sure that was at the urging of my daughter."
"Guilty. Though it has been aging in my cellar, for quite some time so, I guess there was a little work on my part, as well." Rudy nodded and took a sip. "Thank you for having me," Damon said as he followed his eyes. "Your family's great. Your hospitality has been amazing as well."
"Bonnie cares for you, Damon. It's only right," Rudy said as Damon took a sip as well and his finger tapped against the glass. "So, you two are… official, I presume?" her father asked, and Damon swallowed hard but nodded at that, as he straightened his tie.
"Yeah, I… guess that we are. We had the talk, last week."
"Where do you see things going with Bonnie?" he asked straight-forwardly, and Damon cleared his throat at the fact that they were skipping the small talk entirely. "Is this just a fling? Are you two just dating with no end in sight? Do you see a future with her?"
"I definitely do, see a future with her," he nodded immediately, clutching the glass in his hand, "I… love and adore your daughter, with every fiber of my being. I can't imagine my life without her," he responded, and Rudy remained stoic. "I know that you're skeptical of me because of what's happened; how we happened," he said, and Rudy snorted.
"Skeptical would be putting it nicely but continue."
"Fine, you don't think this will work, between her and I… And I understand why. We could've gone about things way differently, just being honest from the start and we didn't. And I… was out of line at the gala, getting into that fight that cost her, her job but… just know that I would never do anything to hurt her. I've always only wanted to protect her, and do the right thing, for her. And by her," Damon answered frankly, and Rudy sat up straighter. "Everything that I've done for Bonnie has come from a place of love. I've… loved her for nearly half my life. I don't remember what it's like not loving her if I'm honest."
Rudy licked his lips at that before he responded.
"I guess I should at least thank you for defending her that night, at the gala. It's every father's worst nightmare hearing that there was violent altercation and his daughter was involved… In the world we live in, anything can happen. I'm sure you'll understand that when you have a daughter of your own, one day." Damon didn't respond to that verbally, but he offered a nod as Rudy followed his eyes. "Kids, and marriage… have you and Bonnie talked about any of that yet?"
"We haven't but I… know her. And what she expects… I'm fully aware that those are things that she wants. And I'm willing to give her both, if that'll make her happy," Damon said evenly as Rudy remained silent. "I've truthfully never seen myself as a husband or a father but being with Bonnie makes me change my mind and I… am more than happy to change the trajectory of my life to fit with hers. Especially if it means I get to have her in mine, forever."
And he honestly meant that. Damon saw it as a true indication of how much that he loved her that he was willing to go back on all the things he believed, just to be with Bonnie Bennett. He'd spent ten years of his life with Elena, and not once did he desire to have kids or get married; he was perfectly fine remaining in a long, untitled, but committed relationship, without any children running around because at the end of the day, he always believed he was too selfish and fucked up to raise any of his own, even if Elena would have made a great mom. He just could never get the picture right with him and her, in his head. It just always felt wrong, wanting a typical happy ending.
Being with Bonnie made him rethink that.
Especially now that he was having sex with her, without a condom or the trusty-old pull out method, relying on only the saving grace of her birth control, because to him? It didn't matter what happened. He'd raise a kid with her if she wanted to. He'd propose and do the whole marriage thing, if and when she was ready to cross that bridge again. He'd purchase a home with a white picket fence, get a dog—even though he was allergic to them—and even buy a family-friendly car if that was the kind of life Bonnie Bennett wanted, because she had already given him everything he wanted, simply by being with him. The least he could do was give her the world. And he was prepared to. He always had been.
Rudy took another sip of his drink and placed it down as he folded his hands and Damon sat quietly as he waited for what he had to say. Speaking to him wasn't going as badly as he thought it would, but it wasn't by any means comfortable either, and Damon knew it wouldn't be. He knew he'd have to work his ass off to get her family's approval, starting with her father, but he didn't come here to back down, and he certainly wasn't going to give up. No matter how hard he had to try.
"Do you mind if I'm honest with you, Damon?"
"I don't. In fact, I prefer it."
" I think you're sincere. And I don't doubt that you love Bonnie. But I… don't think that you're good for her," Rudy said flatly, and Damon remained silent at that as he listened on. "Perhaps I'm biased because I favor Lorenzo… because he already wanted all the things that she wanted, without her ever having to ask for it… because they shared the same values and faith—he converted to Christianity for her… He realized how important it was to have a relationship with God if he wanted to have one with my daughter and... They didn't need to compromise because they were a perfect fit. They belonged to one another, fully… Until you came around and something changed, within her."
Damon pursed his lips at that and shook his head in response.
"I haven't changed her, Mr. Hopkins. This is who she is. Give her some credit for that."
"I won't, Damon, because Bonnie has suddenly become someone who is unrecognizable to me, over the past few months, even though I've had the pleasure of raising her for 29 years. And… I don't mean to say that you're a bad person, Damon, because you aren't. I've always known that much about you, but… she's willing to throw everything away, including her career and friendships, just to be with you and that worries me. She doesn't care about anything other than you, and where will that leave her when you inevitably break her heart?"
Damon swallowed hard at that and furrowed his brows.
"You think that I'll break her heart?"
"I know that you will… you're the bad guy; the shiny new toy she's fixated on, because there's something dangerous about you that she's not used to… And you bad guys—you break hearts. That's what you all do," Rudy said as Damon blinked quietly. "You say you're fine now, giving her anything she wants but… You'll resent her, because you gave in to all of these things that she begged for, but you never truly saw for yourself; never desired on your own. And once you resent her, there isn't any going back, from there… Resentment poisons relationships, Damon—and you'll poison her. It's only a matter of time before you've ruined her."
Damon sat up at that and placed his drink down as he ticked his jaw and followed Rudy's eyes.
"With all due respect, sir, your daughter is an adult. A very intelligent one, at that and she can make her own decisions—she's not a puppet nor is she a pushover. I couldn't ruin her if I tried to. And that's what I love about her; the fact that she is so strong, and determined… The fact that she has values, even if she's stumbled, from time to time… She makes me want to be a better person and I make her feel free," he said as he bit his lip. "Assuming that I could resent her because I want her to have anything that she wants, so long as I can have her—that couldn't be further from the truth… Your daughter's happiness and wellbeing are my main priorities… and I could never hate her for wanting what she wants. And that's what being her man means to me—not always seeing eye to eye but knowing who she is and accepting every single part of her. And I have… I always will."
"We'll see if you feel the same way in six months," Rudy responded, and Damon's brows furrowed at that. "Anything can happen, Damon. And everything could change."
Damon's phone buzzed and he looked down to see that Bonnie had texted him to ask where he was, because the games were going to start soon.
He quickly typed a message in response before standing up and meeting Rudy's eyes.
"You're right… anything can happen, and everything could change… but not the way that I feel about her… I've felt this way for twelve years. I think it's safe to say I've got my mind made up about it."
And with that, he stood up and walked out the door.
XXXXX
"How'd your talk with my Dad go? I'm assuming it wasn't the worst, being that you're still standing here," Bonnie said, as she and Damon wandered through the garden in Sheila's backyard later on; his blazer was over her shoulders, as they breathed in the crisp air, and looked at the flowers that hadn't been completed killed off by the cold.
"He… thinks I'm no good for you," he said honestly and Bonnie scoffed meeting his eyes. "I guess I can't blame him. After the whole Whitmore thing but… not gonna lie. I thought it's be easier to win him over than Tessa and Emily were. If only he was into feminist theory and how it applied to television," Damon said and Bonnie linked her arm with his as they continued to walk. "He also was not shy about bringing up that fact that he's #TeamLorenzo."
"Yeah, well he's gonna have to get over that. Enzo and I are done, forever. But don't feel defeated. He… takes a while to warm up to people. But you're up for the challenge, aren't you? You said you were no quit."
"Of course, I am. Besides…It wasn't all bad. He gave me a lot to think about," Damon answered as Bonnie lifted a brow. "It's… stuff I've already thought about, but I guess it was necessary to finally say it out loud."
"Like what? Now I'm dying to know."
"We're a week into this relationship—I think it can wait a few months."
"I think we're also 29 years into this friendship, so we should be at the point where you can tell me anything," she said and Damon bit his lip as they stopped when they made it to the gazebo, a few hundred feet away from the house.
It was illuminated, just like the rest of Sheila's home with Christmas lights, and Bonnie softly marveled at them for a moment, but it wasn't enough to distract her, as she turned back to face him, with mesmerizing green eyes he'd fully drown in, ever given the chance.
He grabbed her hands and immediately felt the electrifying wave that ran through his bones the moment their skin touched, and his soul ignited. She was staring up at him, and he couldn't help but trace his gaze over her face and her hair; it was in a simple but elegant updo, that complimented her burgundy sweater dress perfectly. Damon pulled her in a little bit closer and Bonnie smiled as he extended her hand and eased her into a slow dance, though there was no music playing. The only thing they had was the glow of the moon and the beating of their hearts, but somehow that was enough as she swayed with him slowly as he looked into her eyes, counting all of his blessings starting with just how stunning she was, inside and out.
It's like he was staring at an angel in the flesh.
"Well?" she asked, as she twirled around and landed back pressed to his chest, as his arms snaked over her shoulders. "We said no more secrets."
"It isn't a secret that I… want to marry you, someday, Bonnie… And have children. I see all of that in my future, with you."
Bonnie stopped at that and immediately turned around to face him, with a gentle but flustered look in her eyes as he stood there, staring right back at her, with deep, big blue pools, that seemed to engulf her, no matter how hard she tried to evade them.
There was no use trying to escape his eyes.
"Damon… You've never wanted those things. You've said that."
"Not with anybody else, no… but with you, how could I not want that?" he asked as he moved in towards her and she had to catch her breath when they were less than an inch away; his gaze submerging her, the longer that she couldn't tear away from his eyes. "You're the most beautiful person that I know… and your looks ain't too shabby, either," he joked, and she smiled at that as he captured her jaw. "I… know we have a long way to go, before we get to that point but I'm excited to have this journey with you and I… want to keep having more journeys, with you, if you'll let me," he said gently, and Bonnie watched on as he reached into his pocket and pulled something out—it looked like two small index cards—and her brows furrowed as she looked into his eyes and he exhaled a deep breath before handing it to her.
"What is this?"
"Your Christmas gift. I decided I made you wait long enough," he said, as she looked down and her eyes suddenly widened as she read it, immediately realizing that they were in fact plane tickets, and her mouth dropped a little bit as she shook her head.
"Damon…"
"Come to Italy, with me," he said, and her heart skipped a beat as she stuttered and tripped over her words.
"Damon, this flight is tomorrow and… where's the return date?" she asked, suddenly realizing they were one-way, and she tilted her head. "I don't understand."
"When we come back is up to you," he said, and her eyes widened even more. "It could be a week from now; it could be three months from now—"
"This is crazy, Damon, y-you own a bar. What are you going to do?"
"Close it, temporarily. Until you decide that you're ready to go… And I don't think you'll want to, once you see Rome," he said, and she pursed her lips. "Take a leap of faith with me, Bonnie. Let's go traveling—see all there is to see. Get the hell out of this place for a bit, and just be me and you. We don't need anything else for a while. Just each other. We can even go see my Dad."
Bonnie stared into his desperate eyes and she realized she didn't have one good reason to say no.
She didn't have a job at the moment. Damon had the luxury of figuring out what he wanted to do with his. She'd never been to Italy before, but it was on her bucket list. And she was stupidly, madly, ridiculously in love with this man standing in front of her, asking her to take a chance, and finally get out there and live her life.
The flight was in less than 24 hours. And she'd be gone for who knew how long—however long she wanted, really. And that terrified her, because she hadn't had any time to mentally prepare herself for this. She barely even had any time to wrap her mind around it.
But something about that excited her; the fact that he had planned this, and was challenging her to take off, on a whim, in the blink of an eye.
It was crazy, foolish, and unpredictable. But it was romantic—he was a romantic at heart. And she was tempted to oblige him, despite how frightened she was. She'd never traveled alone with Damon before, and this would be a brand-new experience, exploring another country, at each other's sides. But her head and her heart were ready for it. She was ready for him. And she was ready continue the descent into madness, no matter how much of an idealist that made her.
She leaned in and planted her lips to his.
And it was just as heart-stopping as he expected it to be, as he found himself starry-eyed the second she pulled away and flashed him a smile.
She was so other-worldly, all the while.
"Okay," she finally said and his eyes beamed as his mouth formed into a toothy grin and Bonnie kissed him again, this time with her arms wrapped around his shoulders tightly, and he dipped her unexpectedly, as she let out an infectious laugh that he was convinced could only be manufactured in a dream.
But then again, she was his dream.
"I need to get home and pack," she nodded excitedly as he kissed her jaw and she shook her head. "I don't even know how much to pack. What the hell is the weather even like?"
"We'll figure it out. We always do, right?" he asked and Bonnie nodded before he kissed her one more time and she grabbed his hand to pull him inside to grab their things and head out.
If they were going to do this, she needed a few hours to sort through everything in her closet, because she knew she wasn't going to sleep tonight.
And that was perfectly fine. Because who needed sleep when reality was so much fucking better than anything you could have ever imagined?
A/N: hey y'all! Happy New Years! I'm so ecstatic to have read your responses to the last chapter and I hope this one was sweet and fluffy enough for you! I toyed with a few different scenarios on how Damon and Rudy's talk would go but I ultimately wanted them to be left an an impasse that we can revisit in the future, after Damon's had more than a week to prove himself as a good boyfriend. And a damn good one he is because HE'S TAKING BONNIE TO ITALYYYY. Thoughts on how this trip will go, and how seeing his dad and sister will further develop things between him and Bonnie? Are we also satisfied with Stefan coming to terms with his shitty reaction and simultaneously trying to be a friend to Enzo and Bonnie? That Caroline is a wizard, I tell ya. Read, review, and as always thank you so much for your kind words. The reviews last chapter really lifted my spirits and I'm happy you all trust the direction of the story and understand the moral complexities of it all. Xoxo and until next time!