Rivals

Although, conversationally, the lunch continued much in the same vein as before when Steven sat down the formerly dissipating tension had returned tenfold.

Elena gleaned that Gertie had met Steven almost five years ago, meeting and forming a romance that had recently spawned to a pending engagement. She couldn't, for the life of her, pick up the details because seeing Gertie fawn over this man while Damon sat quietly was downright excruciating to watch. It crossed her mind briefly that she, Elena, didn't have the closet relationship with Damon and had only just met Gertie so her sudden investment in their relationship baffled her.

It's that look in his eye, Elena thought. Due to his uncharacteristic silence, she'd taken to examining Damon more closely. His eyes almost never left his wife and her fiancé, except to sneak a look at Elena who met him with a sympathetic smile. Damon acts out because of his issues with those he loves. He's been such a nightmare for me and Stefan because of the problems they had with Katherine. But Gertie has known him so much longer than I have-se married him! How could she do this to him when he so clearly cares about her? Especially when he rarely allows himself to care at all.

"So, when's the happy day?" Damon said, his abrupt and emotionless response snapping everyone into their tense reality. "When do you plan on officially robbing this cradle?"

Gertie appeared at least to be unperturbed, though her arm holding Steven's tightened slightly. Her head held proud and firm, "We'll marry as soon as our divorce is finalized."

Damon shrugged sarcastically, his signature smirk starting to appear on his face, "Well, you know lawyers. No way of knowing when that could happy. Explaining the situation alone that we were married before the microwave became a regular household appliance is likely gonna take some time."

"Divorce only takes a while if you've shared property or money for long periods of time." Steven interjected, "With all due respect, Gertie informed me you haven't shared anything in almost forty years."

Damon's eyes narrowed as he took a swig from his bourbon, "Yeah kid, haven't shared anything of substance. Unless you count a bed." He smirked, clearly trying to rile the man up.

"Don't call me that." Steven started to seethe.

"That was back in the 70's Damon, Steven and I weren't even acquainted." Gertie said, her voice struggling to remain calm.

"Whereas you and I have a long history of escapades painting that boring little Wyoming town red. And I didn't even have to kill anyone to get a little excitement." Damon leaned forward, looking Steven in the eye.

"Damon. Stop." Elena begged, knowing the telltale signs of Damon doing something reckless and stupid out of anger. It seemed whenever something bothered him, his go-to reaction to make something sexual. Just like he had right before coming to the Mystic Grill with her and Stefan.

"Did she tell you everything, kid?" Damon asked, keeping his face close to his rivals so that no other bar patrons could see his darkening eyes or slightly protruding fangs. "Did the beauty tell you about the beast she'd married? That every weekend with her I'd suck the life out of something not one mile away from her house?"

"Damon that's enough!" Stefan whispered to his brother, only pause in shock when he saw Steven's face which also sported fangs and red eyes. Elena's own eyes widened as she watched the two vampires stare each other down. Would this day never cease to shock her?

Two distinct slaps rang throughout the table. In the heat of the event, no one noticed Gertie had gotten up to cover the undead stare off from onlookers and slapped both her men into a ceasefire. Her sweet demeanor was gone and replaced by a calm and collected "no-nonsense" look. Complete with hands on her hips and everything.

"Steven, I'll handle this." She said, turning her body towards Damon. "I came here as a courtesy Damon. Even though we've been apart a long time you're still my husband. I wanted to treat you with the respect you deserve. But if you can't act civilly towards the man I love, we both know I don't need you to marry him. I could just as easily forge a certificate of your death and be done. Now are you going to stop acting like a schmuck or am I taking my fiancé to the local courthouse?"

No words were exchanged between them. There was only a long silence as they stared into each other's eyes. Damon's glaring anger still plain on his face while Gertie stood firm and waited for a response. She got one. No one besides Elena noticed the flash of defeat that passed through his eyes before he hid it away by draining his tumbler of whiskey. Everyone else just saw him shrug with annoyance, which Steven and Stefan took to mean that he was just waiting to verbally antagonize them some more.

Elena couldn't take it anymore, however, and stood up to go outside in silence. She couldn't watch this.