Being the youngest Gilbert sibling wasn’t exactly glamorous. Between Elena’s constant vampire drama and Jeremy’s attempts to stay out of trouble, you’d learned to adapt to the chaos. Living with your aunt Jenna helped — she tried to keep things normal, even when Stefan Salvatore started dating Elena. He was polite and kind, always showing up with flowers or helping clean up after dinner. And occasionally, he’d bring his brother, Damon — the sarcastic, impossible vampire who somehow became your best friend without either of you meaning to.

The TV hummed softly in the background, casting a pale blue glow across the living room. Stefan and Elena had disappeared onto the porch hours ago, talking in that soft, hushed way that made you roll your eyes every five minutes. Jenna had gone to bed, and Jeremy was holed up in his room — which left you alone on the couch with Damon Salvatore.

He was lounging at the far end, his boots kicked up on the coffee table, flipping through TV channels with the remote like he owned the place.

You threw a pillow at him. “You’ve been sitting there for thirty minutes, Damon. Pick a channel or give me the remote.”

He caught the pillow one-handed without even looking. “Patience, little Gilbert. I’m trying to find something that won’t rot my brain.”

You scoffed. “You’re two hundred years old — pretty sure your brain’s already gone.”

He turned to you slowly, one eyebrow raised, a lazy grin forming. “Careful. I bite, you know.”