Blind Trust

Title: Blind Trust
Rating: PG-13
Author: Reportergirl13
Fandom: Vampire Diaries
Pairing: Damon/Elena
Word Count: 1540
Song: “Mama Said” Metallica from lightthesparks

Never I ask of you
But never I gave

The stone was cold under her as Elena rested her head against the wall, eyes closed. Tonight had been a disaster. She should have known something was wrong with Stefan. He hadn’t been acting like himself since the night she let him drink her blood.

She shifted and winced, a small sound leaving her throat. Damon’s head shot up and he raised an eyebrow at her.

“What’s wrong?”

She swallowed hard and shook her head, voice soft.

“Nothing.”

Damon rolled his shoulders. She could see the tiredness on his face as he spoke in a monotone voice.

“Normally I enjoy our witty banter and the way we skirt around the truth, but it’s been a long day. If something’s wrong I’d appreciate it if you just came out and said it.”

She studied him, legs stretched out, arms resting over bent knees as he leaned forward. His whole body looked weary. She shrugged.

“I pushed against the wall harder than I intended to. My back hurts a little that’s all. It’ll be fine.”

Concern flittered across his face as he frowned.

“Did he hurt you?”

The thought of Stefan shoving her into the armoire made her bite her lip. She still couldn’t believe he’d done that. She was looking at the floor when she finally answered.

“Just a shove, I’m fine.”

Damon sighed.

“He didn’t mean it I’m sure…though that doesn’t really excuse his behavior. Look I know you want to be down here with him, but if your back is still hurting from earlier sitting on a hard floor isn’t going to help it any. Come upstairs with me. I’ll be able to hear him when he wakes up and we’ll come back down.”

She opened her mouth, but before she could get a word out he was already standing in front of her hand outstretched for hers and with the briefest of hesitations she took it letting him pull her up.

He released her hand once she was standing and Elena wiped off her pants before following him back up the stairs. She watched as he mulled about the kitchen getting things out of the refrigerator and putting on a tea kettle.

She frowned slightly. Something had changed, but she couldn’t pin point what it was. This was a side of Damon she rarely saw, but that had been making itself more known since the night they opened the tomb. She took a seat, his movement’s familiar, filling her with a sense of comfort.

Damon could feel her eyes on him, but he didn’t stop and face her. It had been a long day and he hadn’t seen her eat once. If she insisted on staying here to help Stefan ride out the effects of the human blood in his system then the least he could do was make sure she was comfortable.

If he was being honest with himself, Damon didn’t even know why he cared. He told himself it was because she looked like Katherine, but he knew it was a lie. Something had changed today, but he wasn’t sure what it was.

Her trust in him seemed steady and it made him falter. Nobody had given him their trust blindly in a long time, but there she was coming to him with a plan to save Stefan, asking for his help and he couldn’t turn her away.

He never asked Elena for anything, not her friendship, not her trust, and yet somehow he’d begun to feel like he had both. An even bigger shock to him was the fact that he returned the sentiment. It had been decades since Damon had a true friend.

The water whistled and seconds later he placed a cup of tea in front of her. The look on her face gave nothing she was thinking away and as he turned back around to the stove she cleared her throat and spoke.

“Thank you…for today.”

He flicked off the stove and brought the pasta to the sink, draining it as he spoke casually over his shoulder.

“For what?”

She glanced into her tea, hands resting around the warm mug.

“For being there. For escorting me in the whole Miss Mystic Falls thing. I know it’s dumb, but when Stefan didn’t show…I thought I’d be embarrassed in front of everyone, but ironically you sort of saved the night.”



But you gave me your emptiness
I now take to my grave

He could hear the tinge of humor and awe in her voice and he smirked. Seconds later he was standing in front of her, two bowls of pasta in his hands as he sat across from her. She took the fork from his hand and smiled.

“I was quite the hero today wasn’t I? Hmm don’t get used to it. Just something new I’m trying out for the moment while the council and Uncle John are killing my fun.”

Elena snorted before bringing a forkful of pasta to her mouth. She closed her eyes as the flavor washed over her tongue.

“This is amazing. Better than last time.”

“What can I say I excel at everything I do.”

He waggled his eyebrows and she chuckled lightly and shook her head. It was nice seeing this side of him. Warmth filled her at the thought that not many people got to see this side of Damon Salvatore.

“Well aren’t we humble.”

“No need to be.”

She said nothing, but the smile hadn’t left her face as she continued eating. He watched her out of the corner of his eye trying to understand why he was helping her.

Stefan was his brother and no matter what they had been through, in the end Damon would always be there just like if he were in trouble he knew Stefan would be there. But that didn’t mean he had to make sure Elena was okay.

It didn’t mean he needed to come to her rescue today or entertain her now. The nagging in the back of his mind kept bringing up Katherine, but he knew that wasn’t it. What he thought was love, was nothing but lies. All Katherine had given him was empty promises of love and companionship.

She gave him the kind of emptiness that he would take to his grave, or so he’d thought. But Elena…Elena filled him with something he hadn’t yet examined. She was strong willed, hard headed, brave, loyal, and exceptionally beautiful.

She might look like Katherine, but she was nothing like her. In fact she was the exact opposite. They continued to eat in a comfortable silence and right when Elena had put the last bite of pasta in her mouth Damon spoke quietly.

“You’re welcome.”

She glanced up startled, but he was already by the sink tossing his dish in and turning on the water. She swallowed hard as she glanced at his back before getting up and bringing her dish over to him. She was about to lean over and drop it in the sink when he spun around.

She gasped lightly as she came in contact with his chest moving her empty hand to his arm steadying herself. Their eyes met and in that moment something clicked. She could feel his presence surrounding her. Electricity shooting through her body, fingers brushing against hers as he lifted the bowl from her hand.

She took a deep breath and he could hear the increase in her heart beat. He sensed no fear coming from her and when he reached out hand cupping her cheek gently she didn’t pull away. Elena held her breath as his face descended and right as his lips brushed hers he froze.

She could hear her heartbeat in her ears and she opened her mouth to say something but before she could he was already moving back as he spoke.

“Stefan’s awake.”

Damon saw the minute reality hit her as she stepped back a look of quiet horror crossing her face. She couldn’t believe she’d almost kissed Damon while Stefan was downstairs suffering. What was wrong with her?

She nodded.

“We should check on him.”

Damon watched as she moved out of the kitchen and toward the cellar stairs. She glanced over her shoulder to see if he was following her and when their eyes met for another brief moment. He saw the confusion in hers, the attraction, but when she broke their stare and turned away from him he knew she wouldn’t do anything about it.

Not while his brother was struggling through this. And that’s when it hit him, as her form disappeared down the steps. Why he saved her today, why he was still helping her now. Damon Salvatore was in love with Elena Gilbert.

It had been brewing since that first night he snuck into her bedroom and watched her sleep. He just hadn’t realized it at the time. He sighed as he pushed away from the counter and headed in the direction she had just gone.

This didn’t bode well for the three of them. Damon had a very strong feeling that history was about to repeat itself. He just hoped this time the outcome was better than the last.