When you live for centuries, you just see certain things coming.
Events are just parts of a chess game in which you are four steps ahead of.
You just know some things will happen, like the first world war's outbreak that has found its final push in the death of Franz Ferdinand of Austria, or like the bell-bottomed trousers' fashion that followed the disco music epidemic.
You just know that certain things will happen and if you don't have to fear for your life - in the classical, boring and definitely overrated sense of the word - then you can just sit back and enjoy the show, taking advantage of the general confusion to make a few extra snacks.
After all, it's not his fault that he never had any figure problem or that he is a fascinating Italian-American stallion with a fisique du role which nature so sadly denied his little brother.
Anyway, the point is that if you are a vampire living in the world for centuries, certain things you see coming, so theoretically, Damon should have seen this moment come; the moment when he enters Elena's house because it's him and he can do that. The same way that he can kiss her, and slip into her bed and murmur her things that will make her, giggle and be very girly.
Because he has Elena now, or, at least he's got a part of her beautiful heart. It's disturbing to acknowledge that such a candid creature could deceive him in such a way; move his strings like he is only a puppet, but he can go past that, dismiss the sting of humiliation he felt, because he knows Elena enough to recognize she meant no harm, and what matters is that they are closer then ever. She can't deny it anymore, and it makes him feel proud, and giddy and ready to take over the world for her.
And it's Elena whom he is looking for when he pushes open the door to her bedroom only to find Bonnie looking at herself in the mirror to check out her new dress for the ball. She's holding her hair up from her face and she's very concentrated on what she sees. Well, mind you, it's something he'd like to concentrate on too.
It's made up of lonely moments
There was always a moment there when I knew.
Bonnie is curvy and he wonders how he could possibly forget that. The pearly black of her dress gives a different glow to her mocha skin. She's not wearing shoes and he can see the bronze nail polish on her toes. The naked feet on the floor suggest to his brain words like accessible, like close - things she never is because she won't let herself. Not around him anyway, except for that one single time that he can't get out of his mind or make himself remember without feeling like there's something he can't quite decipher.
You always gave installments,
Always knew you concentrated and grew.
Her mouth is pouting while she's contemplating her attire, and he is very surprised by the fact that Bonnie Bennett can actually look very cute. Also, so damn young- he forgot that. He always forgets about her. He likes it that way and he doesn't need to ask himself the reason.
Her lips are full, her skin is smooth like a peach, there are feathers on her dress and she suddenly reminds him of a bird. Yes, he decides, there is something about the way she manages herself in front of him that reminds him of a bird ruffling its feathers to preen itself and scare his enemies away.
And I believe in reinvention,
Do you believe that life is holding the clue?
"Hey, little bird," he calls out making her jump, "without the gown and the gavel I almost didn't recognize your judgy person."
"Oh, God!" she exclaims, bringing her hands to her chest, letting her chocolate curls fall down around her face. She turns around, already annoyed with him, making him feel quite successful.
"No need to be so formal," he says flashing her a smile, "you can just call me Damon."
She ignores his usual pompous attitude.
"What are you doing here?"
"Nothing at the moment," he says, "but I think I'll be doing Elena very soon," he adds, because, well yes, he counts on that and he wants to irritate her.
Take away all the lonely moments,
Give me full communication with you.
She gives him her best, disgusted face when she tells him, "My disdain for you is reaching levels I didn't even know were possible."
"I love to be of inspiration," he replies, faking emotion. "In fact, whenever you feel like writing poems about my extraordinary beauty, don't let your shyness stop you."
"Actually, I do feel inspired..." she says, with the icy grin she always gives him before bursting his brain into flames.
He's on his knees again and it is really not funny.
"I get this is your favorite position," he manages to say while crying out because the pain is getting unbearable.
Your smile, shine a little light, alright?
Don't hide, shine a little light,
Give up on your pride.
"What are you guys-" Elena is at the door and Bonnie stops. His immortal body starts to absorb the pain when the witch finally is done playing her favorite game with him.
"As you see, I didn't let my shyness stop me," she says, with a very satisfied expression.
"Not before the fifth aneurysm, anyway," Damon objected, standing again.
"I've been swept away by a sudden, burning passion for art."
"The only thing burning here was my brain," he says, clenching his teeth in irritation, "tz, tz," he waves his index like a scolding parent, "you should really be more subtle about your attraction to me, Bon-Bon. It's very indelicate toward Elena," he explains in his most soothing voice, giving her a smile.
Bonnie would like nothing more then to see him on the floor again, but maybe because of Elena, or because he would find a way to smile so hatefully even while being in pain, she just throws the first thing she can put her hands on at him - a stuffed animal with a heart sewed in his mouth - while he just ducks, and disappears into the hallway.
Damon grins, unseen, while the poor stuffed animal bumps against the wall and then lands on the floor.
"She really needs to work on her reflex's, that girl."
Your smile, shine a little light, alright?
Don't hide, shine a little light,
Give up on your pride.
"Will you two ever get along?" Elena asks, already knowing the answer to her question.
The girl has her 'I'm-so-patient face'and Bonnie can't help but roll her eyes because Damon is so whipped by her friend that he follows her around like a loyal puppy, but with her, he is actually his most unnerving, pompous, jerk self ever.
"I don't really know what you see in him," besides his dedication, his 'bad boy on the road to redemption' attitude, his blue eyes and that annoying, fucking-perfect face of his, she thinks. That's it.
"I know he can be-"
"No you don't," Bonnie interrupts her, because she really doesn't know. Despite all him wanting to be accepted just the way he is, the way he is around Elena and the way he is around Bonnie are miles apart. Around Bonnie - God only knows why - Damon lets loose an edge only she can get.
"I can't stand him!" she protests, suddenly feeling like they are two children fighting over a toy they don't even really want, and it just makes her feel more annoyed because it's all Damon's fault, as usual.
"Please, Bonnie," Elena says with her best, sweet, open expression, "for me." And just like every other time, she can't deny her anything, because Elena, just like Caroline, is her best friend and she's pretty much the only family she's got anymore.
And besides, Damon is their ally, even if she's reluctant to say it aloud.
Note: I will follow the show's lead somehow; this is right after the trip to Denver, and so a few days before the 1920 dance. The song in this chapter is "Pride" by Syntax.