The pair entered the Lockwood estate in Damon's car. Some had come in limo's celebrating their victory, but the Camaro was fancy enough. Tyler though Damon looked mouth-watering in his warm light grey suit. He had no plans about letting the vampire out of his sight that evening.
Well, his own hormones aside, Mason and his parents were there and he did not want to risk it. Though, Mason would be able to smell his claim a mile away. He grinned.
Tyler kept his hand at the small of Damon's back, knowing he was quite a bit sore. He looked like he was still glowing from his orgasm. That had been amazing. It was better than the right to wear a championship ring for the rest of his life. Tyler smiled warmly- and proudly. Damon was just glowing. He was so beautiful with his pale skin, flushed cheeks and deep red bruised lips.
Damon appreciated the warming hand at his back. He was feeling rather loose limned and shaky at the moment and the grounding hand kept him from drifting off.
They had yet to enter the building and the cameras were pointed at them. Flashes from the photographers were bright, but the two supernatural being paid it no heed. Damon knew there would be pictures of them in the morning.
As they entered the front door, and were, as per usual, greeted by the hostess. "Tyler, Damon," Carol greeted and nervously tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm glad to see you're going well Damon," she said sincerely.
Tyler just glared at her, "Any vervane on any food or drinks we should know about mother?" he asked pointedly.
Damon just let his eyes drop to the ground and sank into Tyler's side. "Thank you Carol," he spoke quietly, and with a small, seemingly timid smile he nudged Tyler to lead the way, away. He few steps later, Carol saw them discreetly join hands.
Stefan watched his brother and his boyfriend from the other side of the hall. He'd heard Damon scream earlier and rushed up to see what was wrong. The sight was not something he had expected. Then again, who ever expects to walk in on their older brother riding his half clothed boyfriend like that? Ever?
He really had to learn the whole 'what the trailer's rockin', don't come knocin' rule. But the warmth in Damon''s eyes as he looked up at Tyler was... worth having to wash his eyes with dishwasher soap.
He glanced to see Elena at the bar. With a smile, he joined her.
Mason caught a whiff of Damon as he entered the main hall, and rightly enough, there he was. He paused. It was definitely Savatore. And he smelled much the same, but different. He smelled like milk, and grass. And fertile. Oh god he smelled so fertile it made his mouth water. Almost. There was a twang to the scent that said that this piece of ass was claimed. Very claimed. Completely.
How odd.
But he was a vampire. He was sure of it. He smelled like a vampire- but fertile. His nephew had the scent of the vampire hanging around him like fog as well.
How could his Tyler, his werewolf nephew stand to be around it?
He had to find out.
Carol could barely stand watching her son and his... boyfriend dance. They were so close and loving. Damon stood with his back to Tyler's chest with his head resting back on his shoulder. Tyler had his arms wrapped around Damon's waist and was nuzzled into his neck. They were in a private little bubble and seemed not to notice people watching, or cameras filming them.
It made her ache with guilt.
Damon, who had always been larger than life, such a passionate and powerful presence in any room he was in, seemed tired and pale. Small, as Tyler held him. Glowing and satisfied, but fragile, compared to his usual powerful self.
She'd barely held it together at the meeting regarding their relationship. It was ridiculous. Mr. Dumas seemed intent on having Damon hanged. Of course, that would not happen. Tyler was of age, and the worst he could do, by any fair standards, was to have him fired.
"We did them so much wrong," she whispered sadly to her husband.
Richard nodded. "It seemed we did just what we tried not to," he said, "I had hoped this would be a phase, a rebellion of sorts...but now... I don't know if it was our actions, or if they were this way before and I just could not see it..." he trailed off. His wife understood what he meant. Perhaps they'd grown tired of each other had they left it alone. Now they seemed to be tighter bound than ever.
"We nearly killed him," Carol said, "Regardless of if he were a vampire... which he's obviously not... he has been nothing but good to us, and helpful to this town." Richard remained silent, complementing her words.
Tyler swung Damon around, making the paler man laugh; a laughter muffled by a gentle kiss. The gentle way Tyler handled the older man, like he was fragile and breakable, made tears come to her eyes. "I can't watch this," she sad and retreated to her husbands office, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
"You mother is crying," Damon said as they danced, "You should talk to her."
"She nearly killed you," Tyler growled.
"She's your mother," Damon countered. "I know what she did, but I'm fine, I'm alive... -ish." he grinned.
"It's not funny, Damon," Tyler said darkly, "I nearly lost you. Whatever she did, changed you. You're more human than vampire these days and you have trouble distinguishing your limits. Blood does not sustain you, you don't heal, you have a pulse-" Tyler said, frustrated, "You can die."
"You know that's because of Emily's spell, not your mother vervane shot. Those things changed before- and we should be grateful it did because I don't burn in the sun anymore," Damon said, "She's your mom, and she loves you. It's Mason you should be worried about."
"If you're so eager for her to feel better, you talk to her," Tyler said, his teenage brattiness shining through.
Damon rolled his eyes, "Fine, I will," he said and moved to leave.
Tyler caught his hand, "I don't want to argue," Tyler said, "I'm just not ready to forgive them. They nearly took you away from me." He pulled him close again, "You're the one thing I hold dearest in the world, I love you."
Damon paused. That was the first time Tyler had ever told him that straight out. He bit his lip, trying to suppress a smile. "I love you too," he replied and kissed his cheek.
It took his a few seconds before it dawned on Tyler what had just happened. Damon had walked away and Tyler was left on the dance floor with a silly grin on his face.
Damon used his hundred-and-then-some years of training in being sneaky to sneak into the mayors office unnoticed.
Carol Lockwood stood looking out the window, her arms crossed over her chest. Damon could smell the tears in the air. He sat down on the couch and waited patiently.
It only took a few minutes before she turned around. "Oh god-" she gasped, a hand on her heart. "Damon..."
"Carol," he greeted and raised a glass of Scotch at her.
"Damon, I need a moment," Carol said, "I need to calm down otherwise I will be-" she sniffed, "Unable to fulfil my duties-" She paused as the door to the study opened again; this time it was Mason.
"They're starting the conference with the players," he said, shooting Damon a lethal glare as he spoke to his sister in law.
Damon sighed and nodded. He'd hoped to speak with Carol, but it seemed things just would not work out in his favour.
Tyler thought it was pretty boring, but exiting at the same time. The glare of the lights were hot, but he wasn't really bothered. In the corner of his eye he saw his mother, Mason and Damon come into the main hall.
"Lockwood, you were on fire tonight! How do you feel about your performance?"
"Not a damn thing," Tyler replied and returned his attention to the people in front of him, "I play the way I play." The reported noticed the atmosphere become tense as the players became wary. Tyler stared blankly at the reporter. Stefan nudged him and gave him a look. Tyler sighed, "I was pissed off."
"About what? What inspired you to play such an unbeatable game?"
"There were some very unsportsman-like comments and hostility flying around out there -" Tyler said, his eyes flashing gold at the mere thought of it. He took a breath to calm down. "Football is a competition, but it's still a friendly game. There shouldn't be any juvenile behaviour between the teams like there was today. I lost my temper and injured players when I didn't have to, which I shouldn't -" Tyler said, trying to both keep his temper and keep the situation under control.
"Was pretty fucking justified -" Ryan spoke up. "How the fuck are the Crows to think they can talk shit like that about Damon and not have Lockwood come down on them like a brick wall? Hell even I put one on the gurney on fucking principle!"
"I agree -" Matt said, "I was so pissed off. If they'd said that shit about Caroline, I would have lost my head."
"And Damon would be," the reporter paused, "Lockwoods boyfriend?"
"And my brother," Stefan spoke up, "Damon is a solid guy, and a great footballer. He's trained us for the better part of two months, he's taught me everything I know. The Crows had no justification, aside from simple malice to say the things they did. It was -"
"-Inspirational," Ryan said, "I have to say, I've never had so much motivation to kick ass in my life."
Tyler let a small grin tug at his lips. How true.
"Not to take focus away from your amazing game, but how long have you and Damon been together? How has it affected your game?"
"About three months, I think..." Tyler mused, "Positively, I think -"
"Very much so," Matt teased. "I found that Tyler is much more prone to impress nowadays. But I would not know if that has anything to do with the audience." He waggled his brows at his best friend. Tyler flipped him off.
"It is well known that the football world is not very welcoming for... homosexual players," the reporter said. Tyler arched a brow. "But how have you experienced it?"
"I never really gave it any though. I don't tolerate that anyone sticks their nose where it does not belong in my private life, regardless of whether I'm seeing a girl or a guy. These guys are my friends and team mates and they don't really give a shit who I'm seeing as long as I perform on the field. That's all that matters."
"I have to say it was a bit weird -" Ryan said, "Most of us have known each other since kindergarden, and then the manwhore of the group catches himself a dude, and goes steady no less, it was a surprise." The guys laughed.
"I was more surprised that they're going steady than either of them seeing another guy," Matt said.
Stefan snorted, "Agreed, my brother was always more of a kid in a candy store when it came to women..."
"Not all of us can work the broody forehead Stefan," Damon shot form the crowd. Tyler grinned, flashing his incisors. Damon felt a hot flash at the sight of the pearly white teeth that hand been buried in his skin not hours earlier. Tyler's grin widened as he saw pink spread over Damon's cheekbones.
AN; oh my lord I got such a scare when I opened the Madrigalian document to update this story. For some stupid reason I hit the 'ignore rich text commands' button and my story was surrounded by weirdo signs and shit. Lucky I realised what I did. phew. disaster averted!