Summary: Damon and Bonnie meet in 1862 and there is an immediate connection.
Damon Salvatore walked across his family's estate with excited thoughts of a reunion with his brother on his mind. He had left the army, he wasn't cut from that cloth. He was always at war. If it wasn't against the union army, then it was his own mind attacking him. He would have flashbacks of the war when performing mundane activities. He had night terrors and was getting jumpy, which could've led to an unfortunate accident that left him or an innocent bystander injured. With the safety of the people around him in mind, he had reluctantly appealed to his father about it because he knew that he'd be hunted down and killed if he wordlessly deserted. He wasn't sure what his father said or did to get Damon out of there, and he wouldn't ask. The two were at odds more times than not. Damon knew it was because of his appearance – he was the spitting image of his mother who had died 10 years ago when Damon was twelve and Stefan was five. His mother had made him promise to look after himself and Stefan. He tried his hardest to do so. Stefan was the most important person in his life. He had practically raised his brother. His father wasn't an affectionate person and treated them more like they were his wards than his own children, so they had learned early not to rely on him. Damon was just glad to be back home.
As he walked through the fields, many of the servants and slaves greeted him warmly. Slavery always felt wrong to Damon. It went against all he believed in. His opinion on the horrible institution was a part of the divide between him and his father. He smiled brightly as he saw Cordelia, the woman who had helped raise him and Stefan, working in his father's tobacco fields. Damon motioned to silence to the others working with Cordelia and snuck up behind her, intending to startle her.
"You try it at your own risk, Damon Salvatore," Cordelia warned without even turning.
Some of the field hands snickered as Damon deflated. The dark-skinned woman turned with a maternal smile. Damon immediately pulled her into a hug.
"I missed you," he told her with a smile.
She smiled back before kissing his cheek.
"I am glad you are safe," she replied back.
Damon began to look around.
"Where is Stefan?" He asked.
"Off in the rose garden with Bonnie."
"Bonnie?"
"Your father's new ward," Cordelia explained.
"Is he trying to marry Stefan off again?" Damon asked, rolling his eyes.
"No. Miss Bonnie is not what Master Giuseppe would think of as wife material for his boys."
Damon quirked an eyebrow at that, but Cordelia promptly began to shoo him off.
"I got work to do. Go on. Go," she ordered dismissively.
Most other people would take offense and probably have Cordelia hung for such an action, but she was like Damon's second mother. She was way more of a parent than Giuseppe, so Damon just kissed her cheek again before walking to the rose garden.
He could already hear Stefan's familiar laugh and an unknown feminine one. As he walked closer, he could make out Stefan in a loose white shirt with suspenders and brown pants: clothing he could get dirty. The woman was a different story. She wore a finely tailored green dress. A section of the dress was folded over to reveal gold silk embroidered with rose vines. She wore a hat with green feathers and a gold embroidered bow atop it. She was fit for the aristocracy, nobility even. As Damon observed her, he was immediately privy to the reason his father wouldn't approve of any relations between the girl and Stefan. She was Black. Her caramel-colored skin looked almost golden under the sunlight. Her long, curly, dark hair was unrestrained and blew in the wind, despite the hat she wore, obscuring her face from Damon's view. He could tell she was probably stunning. He watched Stefan chase after the girl, weaving through the maze of a garden before he finally caught her and lifted her up by the waist, swinging her around before finally putting her down.
Stefan was different. The fifteen-year-old had grown up whilst Damon was away. Long gone was the gangly, skinny boy who looked like the wind could blow him over. Gone was the youth who looked as if he couldn't control all his limbs yet. Gone was the clumsy boy who tripped over his own feet. Stefan had muscle mass now.
Father probably put him to work, Damon thought.
He decided to make his presence known sooner rather than later.
"And here I thought my return would be much anticipated only to see you have replaced me, dear brother," Damon called out.
Stefan immediately whipped around and then promptly tripped and fell.
Still clumsy then, Damon thought with a laugh.
Stefan popped back up and immediately began running towards his older brother. Damon put his bag down so he could catch Stefan in a tight embrace. It felt like home. Damon returned the hug fiercely, another laugh escaping his lips. He pulled back and held Stefan out in front of him.
"Look who is all grown up now," he said mockingly.
Stefan rolled his eyes at Damon's teasing.
"What are you doing here? I was not aware you had leave."
"Permanent leave as it so happens, thanks to Father. I decided the army did not suit me."
"Your dedication to the cause is awe-inspiring, Brother," Stefan said, teasing Damon right back, but he could see Stefan's approval. He was glad Damon was home. Stefan and Damon heard leaves crunching, signifying someone's approach, and both suddenly remembered they weren't alone.
"Where are my manners? Damon, this is my dearest friend: Bonita Bennett. Bonnie, this is my older brother Damon," Stefan introduced, before stepping aside and letting Damon and Bonnie see each other clearly.
Damon froze. She was even more beautiful than he had imagined. Her eyes drew him in immediately. They were emerald with flecks of brown and gold. He didn't know eyes could be gold. Her lips looked soft, plump, and inviting. He wondered what they would feel like against his. She had a very light dusting of freckles, which mostly blended into her skin, except for a few darker ones around her nose. Her cheekbones were high and her hair blew in the wind enticingly. She was stunning.
He could see her eyes studying him and wondered what she was thinking. All of a sudden, her face lit up in a smile. It tugged at something in his chest.
"Bonnie, if you please. Hello, Mr. Salvatore. I have heard so much about you," she said.
Damon snapped out of his daydreaming as she spoke to him.
"Please, Mr. Salvatore is my father. I am Damon," he said, holding out his hand.
She reached to shake it and he turned it over and kissed the back of her hand. She raised an eyebrow but didn't seem displeased. He held her gaze as he leaned back up.
"Um, Father is in business with Bonnie's father. He was nice enough to let Bonnie stay with us while they conduct their dealings because her father travels a lot, though they are from New York. She's been here for the last six months. Everyone loves her. Even Father adores her," Stefan prattled to fill the silence.
Damon nodded absentmindedly.
Suddenly the spell was broken by Giuseppe's voice booming from the steps of the main house, calling for Damon. He turned to see his father beckoning to him.
"Well, it was nice meeting you, Bonnie."
"And you, Mr. Sal— I mean, Damon."
Damon smiled a bit before walking away from her. He could hear Stefan immediately begin teasing Bonnie as any teenager would.
"You like him," he heard him say.
"Shut up," she replied.
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Damon sat at the dinner table with his father, waiting for Stefan and Bonnie's arrival. His father had given him a long spiel about how he didn't have to help Damon out, but he was his son, and he cared for him.
He cares for me? He might want to show it every once in awhile, he thought to himself.
After the lecture, he had taken off his confederate army uniform and secretly took it outside to where the slave quarters were and burned it. The slaves on the plantation had watched him before he went to spend some time with Cordelia.
He looked up as Bonnie came sweeping into the room in a new dress. This one was a red cotton dress with a slit by her knee, which showed embroidered black lace sewn into the inseam of the dress. She had her hair pulled back into a half up do with purple and pink wildflowers adorning it.
Like a forest nymph, he mused to himself.
"Good evening, Giuseppe," Bonnie said enthusiastically, going over to Giuseppe and giving him a light kiss on the cheek before sitting next to him.
Damon froze at the display of affection from Bonnie to his father.
Is he blushing? Damon thought in disbelief.
His father bestowed Bonnie with a very rare smile and greeted her warmly. Who the hell was this man?
"Oh, I heard you went to the cook and asked her to prepare my favorite meal. Thank you so much. You didn't have to go through the trouble."
"Of course I did. You deserve it. You have been a wonderful and welcome guest," Giuseppe complimented.
Damon was sure a bug would fly into his mouth, but he couldn't pick his jaw off the table. This woman was a miracle worker.
Bonnie turned to him then, giving him a dazzling smile of her own.
"There you are, Damon. Stefan and I were wondering after you. We wanted you to join us outside again. We went riding shortly following your arrival. We wanted you to come, but we could not find you."
"Oh, I was tired from my journey," Damon quickly said, not wanting to disclose his actual location in front of his father. Secretly he felt his heart soar at the fact that she wanted him to spend time with her.
"Perhaps another time. Mystic Falls is quite scenic, much more than even New York. Riding has easily become a beloved past time of mine. It is more gratifying here."
"It is a welcome pastime of mine as well," Damon said in agreement.
She just keeps getting better and better.
"Damon has been riding since he was a child. He knows all the best trails and routes. I am sure he would be happy to take you out one day, Bonnie," Giuseppe commented to Bonnie in a light tone, though he looked at Damon with eyes that screamed he didn't have a choice.
Damon didn't mind.
The room looked up as Stefan came in, limping sheepishly. Bonnie looked on in concern mixed with exasperation while Damon rolled his eyes. The kid couldn't go a day without injuring himself. He could tell by the smile instantly dropping off his father's face that he wasn't pleased or amused.
"Stefan Lorenzo Salvatore, what have you done to yourself now?" He asked angrily
"I just twisted it a little," he said, sitting down next to Damon so the food could finally be served.
"Lucy says if I soak it tonight in her special blend before I go to sleep, I should be up and running again by tomorrow."
Damon knew what was coming. The same old lecture to Stefan about how he would one day end up making a mockery of the family name, how he couldn't expect to get a wife if he couldn't even walk without tripping over his own feet, how he needed to present himself better, how he wasn't good enough. Damon would get upset, then he and Giuseppe would argue and Stefan would end up running out of the house and not come back for a day or two. Damon knew he stayed in the slave quarters with Cordelia, but father didn't, and he never asked where Stefan went. However, as soon as Giuseppe opened his mouth to begin his tirade and Stefan shrunk in his seat, getting ready for the harsh words, Bonnie spoke up.
"Oh Giuseppe, forgive me, but I had wanted to ask you about the room design in the drawing-room."
"The drawing-room?"
Giuseppe's attention was immediately drawn away from Stefan.
"Yes. The art on the wall, they aren't portraits of family members like in the other rooms and the vases seem quite foreign, Indian in make if I'm not mistaken," Bonnie observed innocently.
"Actually, my late wife designed the room, but I helped her."
"Do tell," Bonnie invited excitedly as if completely enthralled and wanting to know more. Then Giuseppe smiled again and began talking about their mother.
He never spoke of mother and least of all with a smile, yet Bonnie made him. When Giuseppe wasn't looking, Damon saw Bonnie give Stefan a small wink before continuing to listen to his father intently. At that moment, Damon decided that Bonita Bennett was perfect. She was who he wanted. He could already feel a shift in him. Something broke away, and he was hyper-aware of her. He spent most of the dinner staring at her in awe and confusion.
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The next day, after a long lecture on responsibility from his father, Damon was upset and wanted to unwind. Spending time with Stefan seemed a good way to calm down, especially since it seemed spending time with Stefan meant spending time with Bonnie. He changed into his play clothes and grabbed the football he had brought home before running outside. He could see Bonnie and Stefan on the bench swing under the giant peach tree that resided on the plantation reading a book. They were both in their play clothes as well, both wearing a white cotton button-down and Stefan wore tan pants with boots while Bonnie wore a long purple skirt tied with a large black bow at her waist and a beige hat with a matching bow above the brim along with boots. It looked like they had just come from a ride or were planning to go on one. Their heads were bent together above the book, and they were quietly discussing it amongst themselves when he reached them.
"Hey Stef. Want to play a game with me?"
"Stefan and I are currently discussing the merits of Alice in Wonderland," Bonnie protested.
"It is a children's book," Damon snorted.
"And you wish to play a child's game," Bonnie retorted.
Damon smirked a little at her quick wit.
"What kind of game is this you speak of? And what kind of ball is that?" Stefan asked skeptically.
Bonnie closed the book with more force than was necessary, drawing attention to herself.
"It is a football, of course."
"A football?" He asked in confusion.
"Coincidentally, it is not meant to be kicked but thrown rather," Bonnie said to Stefan in a sisterly tone. Damon was a little surprised if not taken aback by her tenderness and care with the younger boy.
"How do you know about football? Do they have it back in New York?" Damon asked.
"We most certainly do. Baseball is the sport of choice, to be sure, but I encountered the game on several business trips with my father last year. I learned all about football from some neighborhood boys in Brooklyn."
Damon and Stefan seemed intrigued by her story and she explained all she had learned from the boys about football.
"Hmm, seems a little rough, does it not?" Stefan said with a bit of concern.
"It is a bit rough, I suppose, if you are sensitive," Bonnie said in agreement before getting a sly look on her face.
"Luckily I am not sensitive at all."
Bonnie suddenly grabbed the football from Damon and began running away from both Salvatores into the trees, leaving both of them a little surprised.
She's flawless, Damon thought as he watched her disappear among the trees, her hat flying from her head and allowing her dark hair to flow free in the wind. He didn't care that she was Black. She was not some dainty flower like the other girls in Mystic Falls, and she could get rough and rumble with the boys. She was more beautiful than any woman he had ever met. She could deal with his father effortlessly. Plus, she seemed to care a great deal for Stefan.
Stefan suddenly smirked and looked over at Damon.
"That, big brother, is a woman who wishes to be chased. I would be willing to bet the entire plantation that you are the one she wishes would chase her."
Damon was still a bit in shocked awe at her and didn't move. Stefan smirked wider before getting up and beginning to run after Bonnie.
"If you don't chase her, I will!" He called behind him.
That finally snapped Damon out of his stupor. He began running after the two. Stefan laughed as Damon blasted past him. The two ran for about a minute before they caught up with Bonnie. She turned and smiled when she saw Damon in the front coming after her. When he was close enough, she threw the football in a perfect spiral to Stefan, who caught it and began running horizontally from the vertical path the three were running down. Bonnie followed his change of course. Damon started running to catch Stefan. When he was close enough, Stefan threw the ball to Bonnie, who caught it and turned the corner into denser, foggy woods and began weaving through those trees. Damon followed her, but Stefan didn't. He smiled to himself as he watched the two disappear.
They'll thank me later, the teen thought to himself before beginning to stroll back home.
Damon chased after Bonnie, easily able to know precisely which area she was located in even in the dense greenery and mist because her laughter echoed through the forest. Suddenly the laughing stopped, but Damon was on high alert.
"You will never catch me, Mr. Salvatore," he heard her taunt.
He whipped around, trying to figure out where it was coming from.
"We will see about that. And it is Damon."
"Why not Mr. Salvatore?" He heard her disembodied voice ask.
"I am not old enough for that."
"Really? You seem old enough. How old would you say is too old?"
"Are you fishing for my age?" Damon asked, amused.
"Maybe. I am trying to gauge whether any association with you would be appropriate according to my standards."
"You want to be associated with me?"
"Maybe."
"Are you flirting with me?"
"…maybe," he heard right in his ear.
He whipped around to see Bonnie standing there with a tiny smile, holding the football in her hand.
"I am twenty-two," he responded.
"Is that appropriate enough by your standards?"
"Quite. I am nineteen," she answered.
Damon smiled back at her before sighing.
"You know…" he started, stepping closer to her.
"Despite his fondness of you, my father would never approve of us. He would say that although you are obviously a cultured, educated young woman and that he likes you, that you are beneath me. That your skin color makes me better than you and that being with you romantically is a betrayal to the family name and my integrity," he said gently, not wanting to offend her.
"Funny, my father would say that you were beneath me. He would say that I am the heiress to his sizable fortune and his growing business empire. That I am sharp-minded and witty and responsible, yet able to have fun when needed. That I would make any man a pleased husband. One of the same social standing as myself. Preferably, one from the North who never saw a Confederate uniform he did not want to torch. Even better, would be from the city," Bonnie replied just as softly before stepping closer to Damon.
"But do you know what I say?"
Damon quirked an eyebrow at that.
"I say that I am not my father. I have my own opinions. You intrigue me. I like you. I want to know you better, and if you can say the same, then I don't see a problem," she said in a tone that didn't betray her inner fear of his rejection.
Damon looked conflicted before he stepped closer and placed a light, chaste kiss to her lips. Bonnie leaned in a little more as he pulled away and pulled him back into the kiss, kissing him deeply and passionately. They both felt something flare in their chest. An invisible tether formed. They both pulled away in a breathless haze. Damon nodded in agreement.
"I can say the same."
Bonnie smiled that dazzling smile again and leaned in to kiss him. Neither ever noticed that Stefan hadn't followed them. Neither really cared.