All of the Above
This is kind of long as far as one shots go, but I decided to roll with it. Honestly it was not meant to be so long, but I just kept writing and adding things until I had this! Anyway, things get a little smutty, just a fair warning. Enjoy!
The whisper of pages echoed in the hushed library.
Elena swept the tendrils of hair away from her face and rubbed her eyes sleepily. This test proved to be a lot harder to study then she expected it to be. Then again this was college, it wasn't meant to be a walk in the park.
Neither was studying biology, she thought wryly, her eyes blurring from staring so long at the cramped textbook print. She had been sitting there, slumped over her book for nearly four hours. She fumbled for her drink, taking a swig from the paper cup and relishing as the warmth of coffee trickled down her throat. Caffeine surged through her veins, but it would only last so long.
Her bed was calling her name back in her dorm room. With its soft, cream colored sheets and fluffy pillows, it sounded like heaven. Elena's head started to lull before she snapped herself out of it. She couldn't afford to sleep now, not with the test bright and early tomorrow. Glancing at the clock, she noted that it was nearly eleven and the library would be closing anyway. Deciding she could finish studying in her room she stood and gathered her books before shuffling wearily out the door and into the moonlight night.
Hugging her sweatshirt close against the Fall chill, she walked briskly under the halogen lamps of the campus, heading towards her building. A blast of warm air washed over her as she entered the dorms, immediately thawing her tingling fingers. Elena hummed in content, glad to be out of the cold.
Making her way down the dimly lit hall, she shuffled to her dorm room. Elena jostled her books while fishing her keys out of her bag. Fumbling, she managed to unlock the door and all but stumbled into her darkened room and into a pair of strong, lean arms.
She gasped, scrambling away from the stranger. A low chuckled rumbled through the shadows, sending her heart into a beating frenzy. Her arms prickled as heat raced through her veins. Heart hammering in her chest, she reached for the light switch, flicking it on and bathing the two of them in harsh florescence.
He was leaning against her desk as if he almost belonged there. She wasn't all that surprised. After all these years, she was used to his unannounced visits. Dressed in dark fitted jeans, a button down shirt, and his signature leather jacket, he was the picture of confidence. She looked at him, suddenly very aware of her unkempt appearance. She brushed some stray wisps of hair away from her face, all the while wishing she had thought to brush some concealer over the dark circles under her eyes.
He strolled towards her, eyes dancing. "Rough night, college girl?" He offered her his trade mark smirk, hoping to coax a smile out of her.
She sighed, trudging over to her twin mattress and dropping onto it in exhaustion. "You could say that," she mumbled, her face already smashed into her pillow. How she would kill for a solid eight hours right now.
She lifted her head, cracking an eye open, intent on telling him to leave her to her torture. Her response died in her throat.
He was inches away, his cool breath fanning across her lips. Dark wisps of hair fell into crackling blue eyes. He was kneeling before her bed, his hand splayed out over her homemade quilt, inches from her thigh. Elena's breath hitched in her throat. Heat bloomed across her cheeks. He was so close.
In a last ditch effort she snatched up her textbook and shoved it in his face, creating a barrier between them.
Her eyes peaked over the thick spine of the book, following the curve of his eyebrows, sweeping past those smoldering eyes, to the gentle slope of his nose, down to the puckered smirk of his lips.
"I-I have to study," she whispered, hating how breathless she sounded in front of him.
He cocked an amused brow but said nothing, only turned away from her.
She buried her nose in pages of expression cloning and eukaryotic cells, trying her best to ignore him completely. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him move. Her eyes flicked back and forth from her text to the lean vampire that prowled her room. She watched as he inspected various objects on her desk and poked at the plush pillows on her roommate's bed. For several moments, all was quiet as Elena struggled to read the cramped scientific text.
Turning back to the page, she realized that she had been reading the same sentence over and over again without retaining any of it. She sighed, propping her chin in her hand.
He turned towards her, a wicked gleam in his eye. She eyed him warily.
"I can see that you're really concentrating," he drawled.
She huffed, having been caught watching him. It's not like he made it easy to concentrate.
"It's not as easy as it looks," she pouted, thumbing the book listlessly.
"Well why don't I make things a little easier for you?" He was strolling towards her looking positively feral.
Once close he grabbed her book. His thumb brushed her pouting lower lip.
"None of that. Save it for later." His comment sent Elena's blood into a humming frenzy.
"Which chapters are you studying?"
"Four through six," she answered, eyes crinkling in confusion as she watched him leaf through the pages.
He settled in her desk chair, tilting it back as he flicked through meticulous facts and diagrams.
"Which of the following organisms participate in the nitrogen cycle? Is it, A. denitrifying bacteria, B. Chemosynthetic bacteria, C. Saprophytes, or D. all of the above?" His eyes were dancing with amusement.
"All of the above," Elena answered, still puzzled as she watched him ease up from the chair with a smirk.
"Correct," he praised, shrugging out of his jacket.
"How is this supposed to make studying any easier for me? I could just study the questions myself," she griped.
"Just hush and let me ask the questions. You just concentrate on getting them right." He gave her a lavish wink.
The gaze behind his eyes left her skin prickling with heat. Turning away she mumbled for him to continue.
He licked his finger and turned the page. Elena couldn't help but watch as his tongue darted out and pressed the pad of his thumb.
"Which is true of ecological succession? A. Pioneer species move into new communities first, B. Climax communities have lower total biomass than preceding communities; C. Species diversity is greatest in the early stages of succession, D. Climax communities shift constantly, or E. All of the above."
Elena pondered the question for a few seconds before answering. "A, Pioneer species move into new communities first."
"Correct," his voice was smooth, melting. Why was he smiling?
"I still don't see how-." She stopped short.
Damon was slowly unbuttoning his shirt. A sliver of ivory skin peaked through the fabric and Elena's mind went blank.
She could see the planes of his chest. Long, lean muscle etched in creamy marble. Elena could not find her sense. It was lost, buried somewhere beneath the hot, frantic pulsing of her heart. Fire crackled in her veins. Something thick and heavy settled in her stomach. It burned slowly, deliciously.
In the small, rational part of her mind, Elena knew that there were risks. The walls were thin. Her roommate could come in at any time. She had to study. It was Damon.
She dragged her eyes up from his chest to find him staring at her, something dark and untamed flickering in his eyes.
Licking her lips she managed to find her voice.
"N-next question," she rasped.
In a haze she heard him ask. Her mind was fuzzy, muddled with the thought of him, of them, and what they could be together. Fumbling with her thoughts she took a guess at the answer.
She knew immediately that she was wrong.
"Incorrect." His voice was low, disappointed. He began to button his shirt.
No! The feeling gripped her with a sudden frenzied panic. She moved towards him, stumbling in her rush. She saw him move to catch her. Her hands brushed against the opening of his shirt, feeling the heated skin beneath the fabric. Elena bit her lip. She couldn't ignore this, she decided.
As if reading her mind, he snapped the book closed and tossed it away. "Screw studying."
He snatched her to him and his lips found hers in a hungry kiss, cupping her bottom and pulling her against him. Elena moaned as her body met his, rubbing together in delicious friction. When her fingers stroked his chest he hummed appreciatively.
His hands roamed, tracing the hem of her baggy sweatshirt, tugging eagerly.
He helped her with it pulling it over her head, revealed a simple lace camisole. Damon was no fool. His heated gaze fell to the soft curves of her hips, the ample swell of her breasts, giving just a hint of cleavage.
His head jerked to the crumpled sweatshirt she tossed over her chair. "You wear that a lot?"
"Hm?" Elena watched his eyes flick from the hoodie to the fitted camisole she wore. She caught the edge in his voice, and immediately formed a devious plan.
"Oh, you know, here and there." She turned away from him, hiding a devilish smile. She made a show of stretching her arms, so that the camisole inched up, revealing a sliver of olive skin.
She did not miss his intake of breath. He was fighting it, she realized. She smirked. "You know sometimes it gets warm outside and I have to take it off—"She was cut off by a growl.
In seconds she was flush against his chest. She felt his finger slip under her shirt, finding her bare skin and stroking it possessively. "The only one you're taking that off for is me," he said heatedly in her ear.
He whirled her around to face him. She caught his piercing stare, full of desire. Elena's breath came in gasps now as she felt her body react to the thought of doing just that.
His head dipped and he caught her mouth, his lips searing. "Tease," he hissed. Elena felt her legs go numb. She leaned against him as he lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist.
Her hands snaked around his neck, her body utterly limp as he trailed fire down her throat. He nipped and nibbled, stroked and coaxed her until she surrendered to him willingly.
When he peeled off her shirt to reveal a lacy red bra, she couldn't help but blush.
"Not embarrassed now are we?" His voice was husky as he gave her an appreciative look.
"Shut up," she mumbled, pressing her lips to his eagerly.
"Oh, Miss Gilbert, such language," he admonished, pinning her to the bed.
"I may just have to flunk you," he warned, his lips trailed lower, skimming the pale column of her throat, hovering over her throbbing pulse.
"How about you just fuck me?" She lifted her hips eagerly, brushing against him.
He growled, hitching her leg over his hip. His hands dipped lower, finding the button of her jeans.
The denim slid slowly down to reveal her delicious legs. His fingers caught the edge of her panties, toying with the soft cotton. He watched as her eyes darkened with need as he stroked and teased her.
"Pop Quiz Miss Gilbert," he whispered against her neck.
Do you want me?" He asked her, his hands brushing low, slipping in her soaked panties, stroking her wet folds softly.
Elena whimpered as his hands found her sweet spot. She pushed against him, eager for more contact. Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling his lips to her mouth. She nibbled and sucked his swollen flesh, smirking when she heard him moan against her.
He continued on, despite her efforts to avoid answering.
"A. For sex, B. As a boyfriend, or C. As friends?"
Maybe it was the stress, or the lack of sleep that made her thoughts falter. Or the fact that she hadn't been with someone in so long it made her ache with need. And he was there, hovering over her, looking so worn and rugged and so Damon that it made her want to wrap her arms around him forever.
He had always hovered, come to think of it. Elena could think of very few times when he was not there, always a shadow in her peripheral vision, that distant thought that never failed to flutter to the forefront of her mind. He had remained that constant in her life, and no matter how hard she tried she had not been able to shake him off. She wasn't sure that she wanted to now, or how she could live with her own regret if he ever decided to leave on his own.
She knew he wanted an answer, he deserved one. After all, they couldn't keep doing what they were doing without consequences. She would not be Katherine. She had to make a choice. Why the decision between what was was best for her and what she wanted so difficult?
That's when she realized with a sob. He was the best thing for her because he was what she wanted. Tears welled in her eyes and threatened to spill over.
Suddenly aware of the man who held her, she looked up at him, lips trembling. He was waiting. He had always been waiting.
Taking a steady breath she managed to answer him. "D, all of the above," she warbled her vision blurry with tears.
She heard his sharp intake of breath. She carefully leaned her forehead against his. "I want all of those things with you. I'm in love with you."
The damn broke then. She turned away, not wanting him to see her cry over him. She couldn't believe what a fool she had been not to see it. How much he loved her and how much she had tried to bury her own feelings for him.
Damon turned her face towards him. She looked so vulnerable then, so raw and emotional, and so much like himself. Both afraid to love, afraid to be hurt, and so unbelievably attracted to one another there was no denying it anymore.
"Correct," he breathed, his voice ragged.
He moved in to whisper in her ear. "I love you." His voice was so raw and guttural that her heart ached.
She felt his lips on hers, catching her tears. He was so gentle that she wanted to cry all over again.
"I love you," he said again between kisses.
She tried to speak, her voice caught like a lump in her throat. She clutched to him, pulling him closer. "I love you too, so much," she whispered.
For the next hour he proceeded to love her well. Somewhere beneath the haze that had settled over her, between the soft caresses, the breathy gasps and heated kisses, she remembered her test.
She lay there in his arms, her body flushed and tingling. Twisting in the sheets, she turned to stare up at him, watching the rise and fall of his chest as he slept with a peaceful look softening his features. A small giggle escaped her as she thought of her test early the next morning. She may be failing biology, but she would most definitely ace anatomy. She had found him at last. And he was better than an A any day.
I hope you all liked it! Please review, I love and appreciate all your feedback, comments, sighs, squeals, and the like. Thanks again for reading.