Taking A Minute

 

Banner By: Juliete

Title: Taking a Minute
Rating: PG-13
Author: Sxymami0909
Fandom: Vampire Diaries
Pairing: Damon/Elena
Word Count: 1170
Prompt: “Snowflake” from Ziva21



Elena glanced out her bedroom window as she sat back against the wall, knees up, red fleece blanket draped over her body. Her diary lay open to an empty page across her lap, and there was a steaming cup of hot chocolate on the windowsill next to her.

A shiver ran up her spine as a cool breeze sailed through the open window. Elena knew she probably shouldn’t be sitting in front of an open window in the middle of winter, but she didn’t care. With everything that had happened lately; Isabel, Katherine, Caroline, the tomb Stefan, Klaus…

All the commotion in her life lately and the uncertainty of her future had started to bog down her mind and she just wanted to take a minute and…reflect. She wanted to clear her mind and just enjoy the star lit sky before she went back to worrying.

Her head lifted and she caught sight of an exceptionally bright star. Seconds later she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as a shiver went ran up her spine. Elena knew that feeling. When she glanced down again Damon was perched on the tree outside her window amusement dancing in his eyes.

She let out a light sigh and pursed her lips, her tone slightly exasperated when she spoke. “What are you doing here Damon?” He shrugged watching her closely as he spoke, a teasing note in his voice. “Oh you know…checking on my favorite human. Making sure she’s not trading her life for her friends or making deals with the devil…”

Elena’s lip quirked at the corner, but she said nothing just lifted the mug full of hot chocolate to her lips and took a sip. A comfortable silence settled between them as they gazed at the sky together. Damon shifted settling better into his spot and was startled when Elena’s soft voice broke the silence.

“It’s only three days until Christmas…think Stefan will be back by then?” He swallowed hard and gave her a short nod. “He said he’d be back by Christmas Eve…I don’t see why that would change.” She nodded, but kept her eyes on the sky.

Damon studied the expression on her face and he caught a glimmer of sadness in her deep brown eyes and it made his heart ache slightly. He turned his eyes back to the sky and hesitated for a moment before speaking softly.

“When Stefan and I were younger…our family used to go all out for Christmas. It was my Mother’s favorite holiday. We’d decorate the entire house…sing carols if you can believe it and then on Christmas Eve our Mother would tell us the story of Christmas and how it came to be.”

He sucked in a deep breath and Elena’s eyes fell, gazing at him as he spoke a faraway look in his eyes. “Those were simpler times…but every once and a while I like to take a couple of minutes and remember it…remember those days or else…it would be as if they never happened.”

Silence once again enveloped them as she pulled the mug to her lips taking another sip before stretching her hand out the window and offering him some. Surprise crossed his face, but he took the mug from her gently and lifted it to his lips, letting the rich taste of chocolate with a hint of cinnamon rush over his taste buds.

He passed it back to her and licked his lips. “Tastes like Christmas in a cup…” That time she did grin. Elena glanced down at the book on her lap, voice barely a whisper when she spoke. “When I was younger…we’d always spend the week before Christmas decorating and getting ready. The tree would be covered head to toe in whatever Jeremy and I could get our hands on…”

She paused and glanced back up at the sky, her hands surrounding the mug for its warmth. “My Mom and I would bake a ton of cookies the night before Christmas Eve…all kinds of shapes and sizes and we’d spend hours decorating them while Christmas music played in the background…”

Damon noticed how the spark that had lit up her eyes moments ago was no gone as she looked at him and shrugged, “But this year…it’s different. Stefan is handling whatever he’s handling…Jenna and Alaric went away…Caroline is with Tyler’s family…Bonnie and Jeremy…I don’t actually know where they are…and my parents…”

Her voice trailed off as she tried not to let her emotions overwhelm her. Damon shifted again, the breeze outside growing colder as clouds brewed above. “Well…I suppose it’s not much, but…I’m here. My cooking skills are exceptional if I do say so myself, but I haven’t baked in quite some time. I’m a quick learner though and I love cookies.”

Elena glanced up at him startled, before her face softened and her eyes filled with warmth. “I never got a chance to tell you how sorry I was about Rose…” Damon’s jaw tightened and he nodded. “Thank you.” They were quiet again as another breeze, this one sharper, more fridged blew through the window causing Elena to curl into her body for a second.

She glanced up at the sky one last time before catching Damon’s eye. She held out her hand, “Come on…it’s getting cold. I’ll make you your own cup of my special hot chocolate.” He chuckled lightly before glancing at her hand and taking it.

He started to move off the branch when he felt Elena’s body tensed, her eyes going wide. He froze expanding his senses trying to see if there was any trouble around them. “What…what’s wrong?” She shook her head right as something cold and wet landed on his face.

He frowned and wrinkled his nose causing laughter to bubble up from Elena’s throat. She reached out brushing the cold spot on his noise, eyes glittering in the moonlight as she spoke, excitement in her voice. “It’s a snowflake…it’s…snowing!”

He grunted and she helped him climb the rest of the way into the room before they turned around to glance out the window and sure enough medium sized white flakes fell from the sky. Elena couldn’t remember the last time it snowed in Mystic Falls, but it was truly gorgeous.

She felt strong arms wrap the blanket around her shoulders and she leaned into Damon’s touch. He paused before putting an arm around her and pulling her to his side. She let him, comforted by the feel of his body. This had been exactly what she was looking for.

Just a normal night, no worrying…living in the moment and if she was honest with herself she wasn’t surprised that Damon had been the one to give it to her. She let out a content sigh, voice low not wanting to break the magic of the moment.

“Happy early Christmas Damon…” He glanced down at the woman in his arms before placing a short kiss on the top of her head. “Happy early Christmas Elena.”