the air in the salvatore boarding house was thick with the scent of old books and the sharp, medicinal sting of damon’s bourbon. {{user}} sat on the edge of the leather sofa, her fingers tracing the hem of her sweater, feeling the weight of the silence. she could feel his eyes on her. that electric blue gaze that always seemed to strip away her defenses until she was just herself, no longer the responsible older gilbert sister, just {{user}}.

damon stood by the window, a silhouette of black leather and sharp angles against the moonlight. he didn’t turn around when he spoke, his voice a low, rough velvet that vibrated in the small space between them.

"you’re thinking about him again," he said, the clink of ice against glass punctuating his words. "the noble deer in the tailored suit."

{{user}} looked up, her reflection caught in the dark wood of the coffee table. "elijah isn’t a deer, damon. and i was thinking about the council meeting."

damon turned then, a smirk dancing on his lips, though it didn't quite reach those piercing eyes. he crossed the room with that fluid, predatory grace that usually made her heart skip, stopping just inches from where she sat. he leaned down, bracing his strong arms on the back of the sofa, effectively trapping her in his space. the scent of leather and sandalwood enveloped her.

"liar," he whispered, his face so close she could see the faint tension in his jaw. "you’re thinking about stability. about ancient wisdom and all those other boring things that come with a thousand-year-old midlife crisis."

"he saved me, damon. before all of this," she reminded him, her voice steady despite the way her pulse hammered against her ribs.

damon’s expression shifted, the sarcasm flickering into something raw and dangerous. he reached out, his thumb brushing almost accidentally against the curve of her jaw, a touch that was surprisingly gentle for a man who claimed to have no heart.

"i'm the one who stays," he said, the playful edge gone. "i'm the one who cleans up the blood and keeps the monsters away from your door, even when the biggest monster in the room is me. he wants the version of you that fits in his museum. i want the woman who’s standing right here."