Damon gave them one minute. Hands clenched in hard, white-knuckled fists in the pickets of his leather jacket, leaning against the exit of the Mystic Falls High School gym, the Roaring 20s decade dance in full swing all around, Damon gave Stefan and Elena a full sixty seconds before he ruined their night. Maybe it was her smile that stayed him, the one that always lit up her face and made her eyes sparkle like something precious, that smile he so rarely saw, but did see now as his brother twirled her about the dance floor.
She deserved that joy, deserved to feel like that all the time, every day. He knew that since he'd come into her life, he'd caused nothing but trouble for her and the people she cared about. A part of Damon was sorry. Really, truly sorry. But there was also a part of him that wasn't sorry, a selfish, self-centered, self-serving chunk of his heart, his soul, that was so incredibly glad that he'd been in her life, even if it was only on the edge most times, like now. Outside looking in and all that.
He was glad that he'd been there to hug her, to kiss her and fight for her and fight with her -she really could be too damn stubborn for her own good sometimes- that he'd gotten to know the mysterious girl he'd met that long-ago night, that Damon had got to experience for himself the light and kindness of her spirit, so different from that of his first love's, despite their looking exactly alike.
But it still hurt. It still hurt to see his brother out there, swept away by the tide that was Elena Gilbert. He wanted to be the one holding her so close, making her laugh, making her happy. Damon knew that he always would want to be that guy, her guy. But he also knew, when it came down to it, if she picked Stefan, he'd try to find a way to live with it. Somehow. Because Elena wasn't the only one who Damon hadn't seen smile, the only one he'd caused trouble for. Stefan had only become road-trip killing spree buddies with Klaus because he'd been bit by Little Wolf Lockwood in the first place. He owed him. He owed him everything.
But Damon couldn't give him everything, he could only give this one minute, as the ritzy music that pulsed through the speakers echoed hollowly in his ears and the plastic strands of some tinsel streamer tickled his neck.
The minute went by too damn quickly.
It's time to do what I do best, Damon thought bitterly, miserably. Ruin everyone's good time.
The song ended, and Damon decided to give them half of the next one before blurring across the gym, darting unseen through the crowd towards them, and announcing to the only two people he loved in this world, "We have a problem."
Author's Note: Hello, dearest readers! Welcome to my little one-shot. I've been re-watching season three of The Vampire Diaries -the best season, and no one can change my mind on that, so don't try- when the idea for this came into my head. Having Damon just appear like that, it got me wondering, and my wondering lead to this.
Thank you so much for reading and please leave a review if you so choose.
All my love, Temperance Cain