Upon entering the empty, dark loft Alaric was suddenly struck by another memory…
FLASHBACK
Tired after a long day of work Ric entered the apartment building. He wondered absently if Isobel would be back tonight. She had disappeared two days ago, without telling him where she was going or when she`d come back. He`d come home to find a note, stating that she had to go check something out. He hadn`t heard from her since. And the really sad thing about it all was that he didn´t really care. This had become almost normal lately and he had long since given up on scolding her about it or trying to reach her on her cell phone, demanding to know where she was. Not for the first time he wondered if their marriage was spiralling to an end.
He entered the apartment and blinked in surprise when he was met by warmth and the smell of Italian food. Isobel`s cooking skills were worse than his. Curious he went on, but stopped dead in his tracks once he reached the kitchen. "Damon?" The dark haired man looked over his shoulder with a grin. "Hey, Ric. Perfect timing. Dinner will be ready in five minutes." Ric watched him bustling around the kitchen, stirring something in a pot, adding some spice to another. He looked weirdly domestic and not at all out of place. "You broke into my apartment to cook for me?" Just when he thought the guy couldn`t surprise him anymore.
"I didn`t actually break in. I found the key. You really should find a better hiding place than under the doormat. Way too easy to figure out, my friend." Damon chastised, walking over and handing Ric a glass of wine. "And as for the cooking… Well, I didn´t see Isobel today, so I figured she was still off somewhere and you`d be all alone at home. And since I had some free time I thought I`d stop by and feed you." Their hands brushed together when Ric accepted the glass and he shuddered. His breath hitched slightly. It often did when he came this close to his friend. Damon´s eyes were mesmerizing, making it hard to look away. "What would I do without you?" Ric joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Damon smiled and returned to the stove, calling over his shoulder. "You`d be ordering pizza right now." Ric laughed, because that was exactly what he`d planned to do. His friend knew him too well. "Guilty." he chuckled, taking a sip of his wine, savouring the flavour. "Hmm, that`s good stuff. You spoil me." Damon glanced at him, a smile playing about his lips. "Someone has to."
###
Alaric slumped down on the couch. The memories were overwhelming him. Remembering their shared past he couldn`t believe that he had spent the last two years hating Damon and plotting his death. He was suddenly glad that he hadn`t succeeded in killing the vampire. And he knew he would never try again. He felt torn. Considering their history he couldn`t help but like the dark haired vampire. They had spent so much time together, shared so much. But he was also angry at him for taking away his memories. He felt betrayed. Even more so now that he remembered how close they had been. He wanted to yell at him, to punch him again. Had their friendship really meant so little to Damon? Had it only been an act?
Ric`s head was spinning and he felt extremely tired. A glance at his watch told him that it was close to midnight. Tomorrow was a school day. He`d have to face his students, face Elena and Stefan, who were probably worried about him. Who would want an explanation for his hasty departure. He wasn`t looking forward to explaining anything. Wasn`t sure how much he wanted them to know. If he wanted them to know anything at all.
Sighing he got up and went to bed, but he couldn`t sleep. He lay awake, tossing and turning, caught in the memories of long evenings spent at bars or in front of the TV, of walks through the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at university, joking around and making fun of the lovesick couples. Of meeting up for a quick coffee in the afternoon that ended with them talking for at least an hour more often than not. Of making dinner together or getting hammered when Isobel wasn`t home, playing stupid drinking games until Ric couldn`t see straight. Of Damon spending the night on their couch and waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, bacon and eggs and finding the vampire bustling around the kitchen.
And as the night wore on he also remembered how their friendship had taken a change...
FLASHBACK
Ric entered the apartment, frowning at how dark it was. He turned on the light and went to the kitchen, not really surprised by the note he found there. Hey Ric, something came up. Had to go check it out. See you soon. Isobel He crumbled the note and threw it into the trash. It was always the same. He wondered how long she would be gone this time. Last time it had been four days and she hadn´t once felt the need to call. She never did. He had stopped worrying long ago.
After debating with himself for a moment he grabbed the phone and dialled a familiar number. He wouldn`t sit around alone and mope. "Hey Ric, what`s up?" It was strange how just hearing Damon´s voice made him smile. "Isobel took off again and I really don´t feel like sitting home alone. I thought we could go out for a drink." He could hear laughter through the phone. "Sounds like a good idea. Especially considering that I already am at a bar. A nice little pub named O`Shea´s to be exact. Wanna meet me there?" Ric grinned. "Absolutely. Just tell me where you are and I`ll join you." Damon gave him the address and about 20 minutes later they were sitting at the bar, each sipping a glass of their favourite bourbon.
Both were quiet for a while, but the silence wasn`t awkward. Sometimes they enjoyed just spending time together and not many words were needed. Still, something about tonight felt different. Ric was all too aware of Damon´s closeness as they sat side by side. He could smell his aftershave, the distinct scent of his shampoo and when one of them moved they would almost brush against each other. For some reason it made him jittery.
"Nice pub. How did you find it?" he asked after a while. Damon shrugged. "Stumbled upon it, quite literally. My apartment is just around the corner." Yes, Ric remembered now. He`d only been to Damon´s apartment once. They usually spent their time either at Ric and Isobel`s home or they went out. "Right. I almost forgot. Been some time since I visited you." he mumbled. The dark haired man glanced over at him and there was something in his eyes that made Ric`s heartbeat quicken.
"You could visit me now." he offered. Ric swallowed hard, wondered if the words really held a double meaning or if he was imagining things. "Sounds like a plan." he replied. They drained their drinks and put some money on the counter. Alaric felt strangely nervous while he followed Damon through the deserted streets. The walk took only about ten minutes.
Mere seconds after he had entered the apartment, Ric found himself pressed back against the door, Damon`s lips claiming his in a hungry kiss that literally took his breath away. Ric responded enthusiastically, kissing back with equal fervour. He gasped when Damon´s slightly cool hands found their way underneath his shirt, stroked over his sides, leaving goosebumps behind. Finally they had to break apart, when the need for air got too great. Ric was startled at the hunger he could see in Damon´s eyes, although it was probably mirrored in his own. How long had he wanted this? He wasn`t sure, but he supposed since the first time he laid eyes on the dark haired man.
Damon was tugging at his jacket and Ric quickly shrugged out of it, before lifting his arms so Damon could pull his shirt off as well. The dark haired man shed his own leather jacket without taking his eyes off Alaric. Ric reached out to rid him of his clingy t-shirt. Their lips met again and then Damon was pulling him further into the apartment. They stumbled through the darkness without breaking the kiss, knocking into furniture twice, before finally reaching the bedroom. Ric kicked off his shoes, noticed that Damon had somehow lost his along the way and reached for the other man´s belt.
The tight fitting jeans proved a bit of a challenge. Somehow the two men ended up toppling onto the bed while trying to get each other naked. Damon laughed breathlessly and moved to take the rest of his clothes off himself, before ridding Ric of his pants and boxers. Finally naked they reached for each other, rolling until Damon was underneath Ric.
Ric´s lips trailed across Damon´s throat, up to his ear. "Want you. So much." he whispered, letting his tongue curl around the lobe. Damon shuddered beneath him, nodded shakily. It was all the encouragement Ric needed. He let his hands trace over the slender body, watching fascinated how Damon arched into his touch. "God, you`re beautiful." It should sound strange, calling a guy beautiful, but it was the only word fit to describe Damon. The dark haired man smiled and tugged Ric down for another kiss. "Been wanting you.. wanting this for month." he admitted and Ric´s heart raced even more at the quiet words.
"Gonna need…" he muttered. Damon nodded and pointed to a cupboard. "Top drawer." Ric quickly went to fetch the necessary items, blushing slightly when he found Damon staring at him. "You`re damn hot, Ric." the dark haired man murmured. Ric had never felt so wanted. He leaned down for another kiss, while his hand found its way between Damon`s legs. Damon gasped and moaned as Ric`s fingers slowly opened him up. He was a sight to behold, his dark hair mussed, kiss-swollen lips slightly parted and his blue eyes darkened, pupils blown wide. Ric stared at him, tried to burn the image into his memory.
He took his time, not wanting to hurt Damon, but soon the dark haired man urged him on. He gasped once he was finally buried between those slender thighs, the tight heat nearly undoing him. Ric moved slowly at first, but quickly picked up the pace as Damon grew accustomed to him, as they found a rhythm, clinging to each other.
Neither lasted long. They had waited too long for this, had been wanting this for too long. Ric came hard, gasping Damon´s name, while Damon pressed his face into Ric`s shoulder, his cry muffled by the skin. They collapsed next to each other on the bed, legs tangled and waited for their breathing to return to normal. Ric looked at the beautiful man lying next to him and murmured "Wow." Damon chuckled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Why did we wait so long to do this?" Ric shrugged. "No idea."
##
Alaric rolled onto his back with a sigh, stared up at the ceiling, now not only sleepless but also turned on. That had been the first time they slept with each other, but certainly not the last. Once they had taken that step there had been no turning back. Not that either of them had wanted to turn back. They had enjoyed this new twist to their friendship way too much. Ric had soon stopped counting the nights he´d spent in Damon`s bed. Always Damon´s, never his. It was one of the few rules of his and Isobel`s relationship. Never at home.
He was pretty sure Isobel had known about him and Damon, although she never said anything. Frankly, back then he didn`t care. The open relationship had been her idea and he`d never taken advantage of it before. Had never felt the desire to do so. Not until Damon came along. Meeting Damon had changed a lot. And their friendship had changed, too, over time. While Isobel had drifted away from him, he and Damon had steadily gotten closer...
FLASHBACK
Ric glanced at the window, noting that it was long dark outside, but not ready to get up and leave yet. He and Damon were lounging on the dark haired man´s bed, both of them naked. After Isobel had told him she`d be visiting her parents over the weekend, Ric had decided to spend the time with Damon, who had been more than happy about the idea. Now it was sunday night and he knew he really should leave.
Damon was idly tracing patterns across his skin. He stopped at Ric´s knee and looked at the scar there. "How did you get that?" he asked suddenly. Ric shifted, shrugged. "That was a long time ago. The story isn`t really good." Of course his words only served to catch Damon´s interest. "Tell me." he asked, giving Ric his best puppy dog look. With a fond chuckle the blond man complied. "I was four, I think. My mom went to the playground with me, but she wasn`t really paying attention. And while she was busy chatting with our neighbour, I fell off the swing and cut my knee on a broken bottle. Bled like crazy." he remembered.
Damon bent down to place a kiss on the scar and Ric shuddered lightly. "You know, I think I never told anyone." he realized. "Not even Isobel?" Alaric frowned at the mention of his wife. He didn`t want to think of her right now. "No. Only my parents know. And now you." Damon grinned and moved up to kiss him. "I like that. Knowing something about you no-one else knows." he admitted. Ric smiled and stroked his back. He loved the feeling of that soft skin underneath his fingertips.
"I should leave. Gotta work tomorrow." he mumbled with a sigh. Damon cuddled closer to him. "Or you could just stay another night." he offered. "Isobel won`t miss you. I would." Ric bit his lip. His heart beat a little faster at those words. He wondered if Damon could hear it, since his head was resting on Ric`s chest. Not for the first time the word divorce flashed through his mind.
His feelings for Isobel had changed. Had started changing even before he met Damon. Lately he had started to realize that his heart belonged to someone else now. But he wasn`t sure yet, if he´d be brave enough to do something about it. He was postponing the inevitable. Deep down he knew that. He still loved Isobel, but not as much as he had when they`d gotten married. And he seriously doubted that she still loved him. She was barely ever home anyway. "Stay." Damon whispered against his skin, his lips moving over Ric`s torso teasingly.
Ric ended up staying the night and called in sick the next day.