I'm back! Finally exams are over and I feel so free. However the results might be depressing…. Anyway let's get back to the thing you readers are longing for. This starts as a conversation between Alaric and Elena. Ends with words shared between Damon and Elena. Hope you like it.
"Ok, Ric I think it is time for us to discuss how to handle Jeremy.'' Elena said when she managed to move her eyes from Damon and recall the purpose of this meeting.
"Sure, what would you like to talk about?'' asked Ric. His face clearly didn't hide his nervousness. He definitely didn't want to deal with sister-zilla. He sure as hell was nervous with Jeremy.
Sensing it was a family matter, Damon discreetly slipped up from his chair and decided to leave and give them some moment. He was about to take a 180 turn when Ric cried out, ''Hey where are you going?'' His tone made it obvious that he didn't know what was coming for him and wanted Damon for moral support. Although the rational part of him knew it was highly unlikely.
"I forgot something home, I'll be right back.'' He nodded at Elena was looking at him and she smiled. When she turned back to face Alaric, he was giving Damon a look. I'll catch up with you, Damon mouthed towards Alaric who clearly understood what he was trying to do and let out a sigh of defeat.
"So where were we?'' He turned towards Elena as soon as Damon made his way out. He figured the faster the better.
"Ric, do you have any problems regarding Jeremy?" Elena asked warily, for Alaric looked like he wasn't quite ready.
"No…why will I have a problem?" He said far too quickly. Elena raised an eyebrow and looked at him skeptically.
"So you really have no problem?" Her voice held a certain edge that could be called as teasing.
"Yes. No. I don't know." he sighed. "It's all new to me." he rubbed his face. "I just don't want to let your father down."
"It's okay Ric. I believe in you. I know you'll be great despite the fact that this might put a drastic change in your life-style. Listing the fact that you've been living alone for so long."
"It's not about being alone. I have Damon with me." He blurted out. "We've been together all this years." He was completely oblivious to how he sounded.
"So you are with Damon?'' She tried to hide the disappointment and flashed a fake smile.
"Yeah I spend my working hours serving him, then have drinks over here, talk about our day even after we spend most time together. Then if one of us is too drunk to even stand up the sober one takes him to his home. And if we are equally drunk Damon's driver, does the hard work." He kept on blabbering.
Elena couldn't help but grow disappointed at the thought of Damon being gay. She was so attracted to him. The quote about all cute men being married or gay occurred in her head.
"I'm happy for you Ric. I know you have a quite depressing history with women. So I guess I saw that coming.'' Her words were confusing Alaric. He didn't object so she went on saying. "I'm glad you found the depth of your sexuality and finally found Damon."
Alaric's eye got so big as if he saw a ghost. "WHAT! You thought I was in a relationship with Damon?! That's by far the most disgusting thing I've ever heard." He shook his head in disgust even thinking about something like that. He wanted to wash his brain with bleach.
Blood crept through the vein of her cheeks in utter embarrassment. How can she make a fool out of herself like that? "Sorry. I... I thought when you said that you're with him I assumed that in a relationship way not in a bromance way." Elena stammered when she said that. She knew in the future she would laugh about it. However now she was red with what she assumed. Even though she was slightly relieved that Damon was not gay.
"I hate to admit, but you're not the first person who came to this conclusion." He let out an exasperated sigh. "Damon blames me for this. He says that I make it sound like that. I think the bastard is right." He said then stared at Elena whose cheeks were still red. "Okay enough about me let's get back to Jeremy.'' He said trying to change the subject.
"Yeah sure." She cleared her throat before speaking again. "So as I was saying, I think you'll be good. But if you face any problems, just tell me. I want to have some sort of responsibility towards him as his big sister."
"Sure, you could be my partner in the Upbringing of Jeremy Gilbert." He made her laugh with his goofiness. "But seriously though. You have the key to come at my place whenever you want. I have a spare bedroom you can have if you want to stay over and spend hell lot of a time with your brother."
"That won't be necessary. I just want a daily update about him and yeah maybe take him away for weekends or sibling bonding." She shrugged.
"I can't believe your even asking permission for all this. The door is always open."
"Thanks Ric. You have no idea how deeply that satisfies me after everything." Elena gave him a heart-warming smile and let out a sigh of relief. "You and Caroline seem to be the only people that makes me feel alright when everything is messed up."
"Me and Caroline only? What about your boyfriend, Liam?" Ric was astonished when he didn't hear Liam's name. It's boyfriend duty to comfort his girl in the time of despair.
"Broke up when he said he can't do this.'' She hissed.
Ric was about to respond with an outraged comment of what a jackass he was but a shrill noise of his phone stopped him. "Yes? Oh okay I'll be there." He turned towards Elena with an annoyed expression. "Sorry I have to get back to my home. Apparently there is an important email I have to go check. It was really nice to see you." He said hurriedly.
"It was nice to see you too. Hopefully I'll see you soon."
"Yeah see you soon, Elena." he proceeded towards the exit.
Just when he was about to leave Elena called out, "Ric!'' he turned around to face her. "No offense, but can you drink much less than usual as Jeremy would be around?''
Ric didn't think about it before. He completely forgot that he couldn't drink heavily when a teenager occupies his house. However it was too late to think so he replied, "Okay."
"Great. See you soon." After Ric left Elena wanted to go back to the bar and have some drinks so that she could feel a bit free from the trauma.
When Damon made his way back to the bar he didn't notice Ric's car was gone. He half expected to see Ric drinking all alone, but never did he expect to see the brunette who haunted his heart from the moment he looked at her.
What is happening to me? I've never felt like this before. What is it about her that drags me to her? What is the thing she possesses which no other women ever did? Is it her beauty? Or is it the warmth of her heart displayed on her face? Or is it just I? With these jumbled thoughts in his head he approached her with his famous smirk.
"I see Ric's not here. Mind if I join?" he asked her politely like a gentleman.
"No. Not at all." She said with a polite smile then went back to her drink.
"So where is the old friend of mine?" he looked around slightly to see if Ric was there.
"He had something urgent to do at home so he called off. I just decided to stay longer and have shots." Her tone reflected sadness and still looking at her drink.
"So Miss Gilbert, I hear my buddy would become a guardian soon." Damon said trying to make a conversation with Elena. He wanted her to open up for some reason. Like she had a lot of things stored for him.
"You heard right. Maybe you guys would have some difficulties to rare up a teenager." Elena had a grin on her face as she told him.
"What? No I will not rare up a teenager. That's for Ric." He scoffed. He had many years in front of him before raring up anything.
"Well from what I heard you guys barely leaves each other's side. So I'm guessing you'll be around Jeremy just as much as Ric would be."
"Oh! That bastard exaggerates too much. I bet you guessed that I am gay and have a relationship with him."
Elena's cheek turned red and she let out a low chuckle thinking how much they knew each other. "You could say that."
"What about you? Will you be around?" he asked curiously.
"Yes. More than often." Elena looked up to meet his eyes and they interlocked.
"So Elena, can I call you Elena?'' he asked politely. Elena nodded gave a hearty smile. "Tell me about you. Where you work? Where you stay? Your hobby? Anything you would like me to know about you?"
"To answer your questions respectively, I work as an English literature teacher in a high school. This is my first year as a teacher. I live with my best friend at a condo in Brooklyn. My hobby is reading and writing. I know it's kind of boring but not for me. So what about you?"
"What about me?" Damon said curling up his lips.
"Where you work, stay and what is your hobby?"
"I work as the CEO of Salvatore and Co. carrying out my father's work after my parent's death.''
"I'm sorry about your parents." Elena said with an understanding look. She also lost her parent recently and knew exactly how it felt.
"It was two years ago." When Damon said it he tried hard not to remember it and ruin the moment.
"Still they were your parents. At the end of the day when you realize you can't see them anymore, it will always…hurt." It was like her words carried some sort of spell and immediately Damon felt something lively. He looked right into the chocolate brown eyes and found deep source of understanding. He was getting the warm feeling of the heart, which he didn't feel in years. He wanted know her more and spend more time with her.
"Okay enough about this, let's get back to the questions I need to answer respectively." He teased, "I also live in a penthouse in Brooklyn with my brother. My hobby is singing and playing piano.''
"So one of the youngest and best businessmen who also happen to be a singer and pianist, I have to say you're a man of many talents."
"That I am." Damon said cockily.
"So how often do you sing?" Elena might be a bad singer but she was eager to know about his singing for some reason. Maybe she wanted know about him too.
"I always used to sing with my brother. However when he went to coma I stopped singing."
"Oh my god! I am so sorry." She was surprised to hear that out of the blue. Surely he didn't deserve any of these. "What happened?"
"Car accident. Your father said that he escaped death, but he won't wake up until he is healed, which can take years."
"My father?'' Elena didn't have any idea how her father was involved. Sure she knew he was a trauma surgeon.
"Yep. He was Stefan's doctor."
"Oh." This was all she could say.
Damon knew if they went on talking about him it would not create a happy atmosphere around them. So he turned the table. "So literature, let me guess Shakespeare is what you teach." He looked up at Elena, who nodded her head. "And the story is Romeo and Juliet. Am I right?
"No. Not 'Romeo and Juliet'. 'The Merchant of Venice' is what I teach."
"Poor souls." Damon muttered enough for Elena to listen.
"Hey it is not that bad… It might be a little boring." She said softly at the end.
"A little boring? I used to get punished everyday for sleeping in the class because of this story." He started chuckling and so did Elena. Damon didn't notice Elena's hand on the table and unconsciously placed his hand above hers. They both felt the tingles and looked up at each other. Their hands remained like this as they intensely stared at each other and got closer. When they were a mere inch away Elena's phone began to ring. Damn it. They both internally cursed. Elena brought out her phone to see Caroline calling. She also noticed the time and she was really late for home. No wonder why Caroline was calling her. Time passed so quickly with Damon.
She turned towards Damon. "Sorry. It's my best friend."
Damon nodded and she picked up her phone. "Hello Caroline."
"Elena Gilbert, where are you?"
"Sorry I lost the track of time. I'm coming."
"You better." With that she hung up the phone.
Elena let out a sigh and looked at Damon. "I should go. It is pretty late."
"You had four shots. I can drop you. I didn't have any drink today." There was no way in hell he would let her go alone to her condo in this state.
"I'll be fine. I'll call a Uber."
"I insist. Ric would kill me if he finds out I let you go out alone. Also I want to make sure if you reached there safely. Now come on."
Before Elena could protest Damon led her to his car and opened the passenger seat. She slowly entered the car. She actually felt it was really nice of him to drive her safely to her place and smile curved her lips. Damon noticed the smile and he himself smirked. They drove the rest of the route in comfortable silence.
When she reached her place Damon again got up from his seat and walked to open her side of the door. She got up from the car and faced Damon. "It was nice to meet you Damon. I had a great time tonight."
"Me too." Damon didn't know what to do. He was craving for something. Without thinking he leaned forward and kissed her on the side of her cheek. "See you soon, Elena."
Elena was frozen at her place. Goosebumps was all over her body as his lip grazed her skin. Damon was leaving and went inside the car. Once he was inside she mumbled, "See you soon, Damon."
She went upstairs to her condo. She knew she had a lot of explanations to give Caroline for being late. As she opened the door and stepped, she immediately faced a frustrated Caroline.
"Elena Gilbert why are you so late? Why did a hottie drop you instead of Ric? And don't tell me that was Ric, cause I know how he looks. Now more important question is who is the hottie and why the hell did he kiss you?" She continued her ramble without in taking any oxygen.
Here we go…
Please tell me about how you felt about the conversations. Tell which made you happier, the Ric and Elena's conversation or Damon and Elena's conversation. Who am I kidding? I tried to make them as realistic and lively as I could. Please tell me if there is any flaws or confusion. If there is write it on the review so I could explain it to you in PM. The song I used for the title is 'Every time we touch' by Cassandra. Next chapter would be up soon where Jeremy will make his grand entrance and more of Delena.