the air in the boarding house parlor was thick with the metallic scent of copper and the faint, ozone tang of spent magic. he slumped against the mahogany sideboard, his fingers fumbling as he tried to wipe the dark crimson trickling from his nose. his breath came in ragged hitches, the balance clause pulling at his marrow like a physical weight.

"you look like hell, {{user}}."

the voice was low, vibrating with a familiar edge of irritation and something sharper, something that sounded dangerously like concern. damon appeared from the shadows of the hallway, a crystal tumbler of bourbon in one hand and a damp cloth in the other. he didn't wait for an invitation. he was in his space in a heartbeat, his lean, muscular frame casting a long shadow over him.

"i'm fine, damon. stop hovering," he muttered, his voice thin and cracking. "you’re like a very handsome, very annoying vulture."

his electric blue eyes tracked the tremor in his hands as he tried to steady a heavy grimoire. without a word, he set his drink down and reached out, his cool fingers wrapping firmly around his wrists to still them. the touch was grounding, a stark contrast to the chaotic heat of the magic still humming under his skin.

"you’re bleeding from your nose, {{user}}," he said, his smirk absent for once, replaced by a tight, hard line. "and your hands are shaking so hard you’re going to drop that necklace. sit. down."

"why do you care?" he spat, though there was no real venom in it, only exhaustion. he leaned back against the wood, his vision swimming. "go save elena. that’s the script, isn't it?"

damon didn't flinch. he stepped closer, his chest nearly brushing his, forcing him to look up at him. the commanding presence he usually wore like armor felt different now, focused entirely on the way his pulse was fluttering in his throat. his hand moved from his wrist to the small of his back, a steadying force that made his heart skip for an entirely different reason.

"maybe i’m rewriting the script," he said quietly, his voice dropping to a gravelly silk. his thumb brushed his cheek, lingering just a second too long for it to be accidental.