Written for the Vampire Diaries Comment Ficathon.

Prompt: Damon/Elena (preferably not in-a-relationship-Damon/Elena, though), "Seriously, Damon? Nowhere in the span of a hundred and fifty years did you learn to put a tie on properly?"

Nervous

"Damon, where are you? It's time, we have to…"

Elena peeked around the corner and found Damon standing in front of the full-length mirror.

"Just a sec," he threw over his shoulder.

Elena stepped further into the room and watched him struggle with the tie around his neck. A small smile played around her lips. "What is this? Nervous, Damon?"

"Pfft, no," Damon scoffed. He turned away from the mirror and faced her instead. "Why would I be nervous? It's not like I'm the groom, so…" He shrugged and lowered his eyes to catch a glimpse of the knot he'd managed to fabricate. He went nearly cross-eyed and looked up again frowning. "This isn't right, is it?"

Elena sauntered over, happiness radiating off her in spades. "Only if you look at it with your eyes closed. And even then…"

"Stop gloating and just help me out here, will you?"

Elena smiled and then went to quickly reopen the knot. Her hands worked both ends of the blue tie in sure moves and soon enough she had formed the perfect knot. She stepped back and eyed her work. "There you go, all set."

Damon turned back to the mirror. "I'm impressed, Elena. You have to show me that again some time but for now…" he winked at her. "I'll go with your handiwork making me look good."

"Damon," Elena shook her head. "I know you know how to do this, so stop pretending…"

"Who's pretending?" Damon interjected with a casual shrug.

"Seriously, Damon?" Elena raised an eyebrow. "Nowhere in the span of a hundred and fifty years did you learn to put a tie on properly?"

"There was no need," Damon shrugged again and turned to pick up the drink he'd poured himself earlier.

Elena crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't believe him for a second. This was all Damon trying to hide and squash his fluttering nerves, nothing else. "I've seen you wear a tie before, Damon. Many times in fact. If you don't know how to do them, who did it for you all those times, huh?"

"Stefan," Damon grinned and took another sip from whatever alcohol the tumbler held.

"Stefan," Elena repeated and her eyebrow rose again. "Sure. You really expect me to believe that for example on the day of the Masquerade Ball, Stefan did your tie for you. Or at the Miss Mystic Pageant, when Stefan was high on human blood and trying to hide it, he took the time to do your tie for you before he went crazy with bloodlust? Seriously, Damon?"

Damon's sure-of-himself smirk wavered just for a second, but Elena had seen enough. She walked over and took the tumbler from his hands.

"It's okay to be nervous, Damon. I understand," Elena smiled softly.

Damon rolled his eyes in one last attempt to get her off his trail. "For the last time, Elena. I. Am. Not. Nervous. There's absolutely no reason for me to be." But he knew it was futile. She knew him too well.

"Right, Damon," Elena linked her arm with his and began walking towards the door. "There's no reason for you of all people to be nervous about the fact that your best friend, something you don't even admit to having, is getting married today and that you're proud and happy beyond belief that he asked you to be his best man? Why would you have to be nervous about standing there by his side, in front of every citizen of Mystic Falls, admitting that you actually have a best friend and that you're proud of the fact, and happy for him, and… just happy in general?" Elena cuffed an elbow into Damon side and squeezed his arm. "No need to be nervous at all, no."

"Absolutely," Damon agreed and cuffed her back. Then he straightened up and led her through the corridors of the church to the small side door that would take them into the main hall.

Damon stopped with one hand on the handle. He sought out Elena's eyes and they shared a gentle smile.

"Here goes nothing," he breathed out and opened the door.

They walked through and Damon could immediately feel everyone's eyes on him. He gulped. Elena squeezed his arm one last time and then had to leave his side in order to join the other bridesmaids waiting outside for their special entrance. Damon's eyes followed her until she'd vanished through the backdoor. Then he turned his head to look beyond the front row and slowly made his way over, avoiding everyone's gaze on him.

Halfway there Damon suddenly felt another pair of eyes on him. He looked up and all the nervousness suddenly fell off him. He could do this.

Damon squared his shoulders and with a smile on his face strode purposefully up to take his rightful place next to the groom.

"You okay?" Ric asked.

"Yep," Damon replied with a wink. "Let's get you married, Ric."

And when the music announced the bride's entrance the two of them turned around in unison to watch Jenna walk up the aisle.

The End