[Uh, so. It's not every day Elena Gilbert stands in the boarding house's parlor with a glass of Damon's favorite bourbon behind her back, pointedly out of his reach. She's all very stubborn and serious about this, okay.] If you don't stop with the... that thing you're doing, you're not getting it back, Damon. [She lifts her free hand to hush him with a finger before he retorts.] And you're gonna say please.
[Damon makes a grab for the glass, practically growling out of frustration when she just won't give it to him. His expression darkens and he narrows his eyes. He doesn't know what she's trying to play at here but it isn't funny. It isn't fun. He knows that he can overpower her if he needs to and he's really starting to feel like that's becoming an option] So I took a bite out of that girl in your school... whatever her name was. She's still alive, she doesnt even remember anything about it! Besides, I was doing you a favor. You said you don't even like her. Now give me the drink Elena.
[Oooohhh, a dark expression and narrowed eyes. Color Elena completely unintimidated. His childish whining and transparent excuses really don't convince her, either.
Her head cocks to the side and she twists her torso further around, away from his hands, and follows it up with an impatient sigh. Imagines herself radiating steel resolve.]
You're not using me as an excuse to go nibbling on innocent girls, got it? Stay away from Aimee Bradley.
Not an excuse so much as a happy coincidence. I didn't actually choose her specifically, it just happened. I realized later that it was that girl you don't like, whatever you said her name was. Now, give me the drink, Elena, I've had a bad day. [Bad day like he was almost found out by someone he knows he can't compel. One of Liz's deputies. One of the ones in on the vampire thing. Then he would have had to kill that deputy and then try to cover it up and it would have been some big ordeal and he just didn't want to deal with that. He's getting too comfortable in Mystic Falls. He's getting sloppy. Time to shape up or ship out, or whatever that saying is.
But right now? He needs that glass.
Not wanting to kill certain humans is actually a lot harder than it should be. Not even wanting to hurt them. One would think that if he doesn't want to hurt a select few humans, it would be easy to keep himself from hurting those humans. Well that's not the case. Keeping himself from using force to get what he wants from Elena is- This time he
( ... )
[Uh, Elena thinks not. Aggravated vampire growl or not, Elena shoots back a wide step to avoid Damon, being pretty quick for a human. (Of course it was a happy coincidence. Does that make a difference? Answer: No.)] You know, I've had a bad day too. I went to school this morning to find out one of my friends was attacked. You don't care about hurting and killing people, Damon? Fine, but not here. The least you can do is keep that low profile you keep swearing up and down that you keep. [She pulls the glass from behind her back, balances it in her palm. Her arm rests over her torso and her hip juts out. She's being snarky, watch out.] So maybe I should just keep this for myself.
[Damon really hates snarky Elena. She's all snarky... and Elena. Bad mix. He rolls his eyes when she takes another step back from him. He doesn't have time or the patience for this. His day was far worse than hers. She found out that some girl she knows got bit. Big deal? What does that matter? It's not like he bit Elena or something. He doesn't see why she taking it so personal. Then again, it is Elena and she always takes these matters so personal. Being a righteous human has to be tiring.
Damon watches the glass on her hand. He could use his speed to his advantage with the glass just right there, but he doesn't. Yet. He's not sure if it's because he doesn't want to risk hurting her, or if it's because he doesn't want to risk spilling the drink] Don't do it, Elena.
[Wow, Elena couldn't care less about what Damon thinks of her and her snark. She's in a right mood, and if she wasn't? Wow, she still wouldn't care.
And being righteous would be tiring, perhaps, if most (if not all) of her righteous actions and attitudes fell squarely under Elena's 'right thing to do' category. This next thing she does, though? This is less about being righteous and more about being angry and stubborn, plus she's not going to start taking orders from Damon. And quite frankly, he doesn't scare her despite, oh, that last time he killed two girls and a tryst in the cemetery she's still trying to make sense of. So, don't do it, he says? Challenge accepted.
Elena pulls her lips and brows into a careless, innocent expression, brings the glass to her lips, and downs it.
Then she leans over to place the empty tumbler on the nearest table with a thud.]
Sorry, Damon. I guess I'm just doing things to inconvenience your life now.
[She should start taking orders from Damon. Everyone's lives would just be so much easier for it. He watches her with increasing annoyance, hands balling into fists at his sides. It's not like there isn't more alcohol in the house, because there's plenty of it, but it's the fact of the matter. Besides, she's standing between him and it.
Damon closes his eyes, brow furrowing, when the alcohol disappears down her throat in one gulp] You shouldn't have done that, Elena. [It's not a threat. It's not even meant to be a threat. He's just aggravated and irritated and this is very much a straw and camel situation right now]
[Cue arms crossing over her torso. This expression? It's one made of teflon, babe. His whole irritation, fists clenching, big eyes-close move? Does nothing. Okay, so maybe she looks him up and down curiously for a few seconds, but she's a stonewall otherwise.] And you shouldn't have used Aimee Bradley for a snack, Damon.
[In one fluid, impossibly fast motion and before he can really even think about it, he grabs Elena by the throat and pushes her up against a nearby wall. The hold isn't enough to hurt her, just to hold her in place] When will you get that I'm a vampire, Elena? Because you're really not seeming to understand that. [He lets go of her, then, as though just realizing what he's doing, and that it's never what he intended to do. He steps away from her, falling back into an arm chair and he sighs, his tone when he speaks at once apologetic and pleading] Elena...
[Shock. She just feels shock. Because that's one of the last things she expected him to do in response -- maybe not to say, but to do -- and it steals the breath from her. She's not hurt, not physically at least, and she lifts her fingers to lightly touch her throat as she watches him drop back into his seat.
But her wide-eyed, gaping look does not last very long, and perhaps it's the apology in his voice that snaps her out of it. (He didn't hurt her; he was just trying to scare her...) Elena presses her lips together, feels a familiar prickling of frustration and impatience, of anger.]
Just be quiet, Damon. [She barks the words out, and says the only thing she can think of saying.] You know what you're not really understanding? That I know you're a damn vampire. [She shrugs a little, the corners of her lips turning down.] I've accepted a long time ago that you're a self-serving sociopath who only bothers to care about maybe three people after yourself. So why don't you cut the supernatural lesson short because I've heard it, Damon
( ... )
[Damon's eyes snap to Elena face when she snaps at him. It's unexpected, to say the least. He couldn't seem more hurt if she'd hit him. Then again, he can take physical pain. It's the emotional pain that he can't seem to handle. It cuts too deep and in ways that he's not used to. He lets all of his emotional defenses down around her, whether he likes it or not. It makes everything she says that much harder and dig that much deeper. He can't shake it off. These things stay with him] I've been doing it for over a hundred years, Elena. It's no more "dangerous" or "stupid" than it ever was. Unless she somehow wound up with vervain, there's no more to worry about than there ever-
[He's on his feet the second she grabs the bottle of scotch. He knows what he plans on doing, he knows that he knows, but he doesn't want to believe it. And he doesn't. Not until he actually sees the bottle shatter. Then he's at the fireplace, about to reach into the flames to retrieve the broken bottle. The searing heat, though, reminds him that there's a fire
( ... )
[Of course it's stupid. This is just, bottom line, the most frustrating and circular conversation she's ever had with someone. For weeks. And sure, maybe a few weeks ago she was trying to convince him of his own humanity, but right now? Not really. She's just trying to protect the town, protect her friends, and god help her, protect him.
Elena merely turns to face him by the fire, completely unsurprised by his burst of speed. She huffs out an incredulous breath of air.] Are you hearing yourself right now? You said it before: the council is breathing down our- [But there she stops herself, lifts her arms to hold her hands up defensively.] You know what? Forget it. I tried. Now I'm going home.
[Quota for dealing with Damon for the day: more than fulfilled. Cue spinning on her heel to go collect her things off one of the couches.] Enjoy your alcohol or digging your own grave or whatever else you're planning on doing tonight.
[He walks back to the chair when she turns to collect her things. There's no great attempt to go after her, physically try to make her stay, and tack on a few flowery words to make everything seem alright. He just walks back to the chair and practically drops into it. He drums his fingers on the arms of the chair, staring out at nothing in particular or maybe nothing at all. He's just staring for the sake of it. Thinking. He stops the drumming with one hand, lifting it to rest his head against it] You're right. [He pauses and looks up at her, letting his hand fall from the side of his head] You should go home. [And maybe she's right about more than that too]
[Oh, she's not letting him do that. He can't just make that face at her and expect -- god, she doesn't even know what he expects. Maybe the way that look softens up her insides is all on her. But it barely flickers in her impatient, no-nonsense gaze, because she's not giving in to whatever self-pity he's feeling over his self-destruction. She holds his eyes as if to wordlessly say so, yanking her jacket on with forceful, jerky movements. Looks away only to hoist her book bag over her shoulder. Her voice is only somewhat calmed. She can't help him if he doesn't let her, and she hopes he gets that.] Fine. [She heads towards the foyer.] Good night, Damon.
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Her head cocks to the side and she twists her torso further around, away from his hands, and follows it up with an impatient sigh. Imagines herself radiating steel resolve.]
You're not using me as an excuse to go nibbling on innocent girls, got it? Stay away from Aimee Bradley.
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But right now? He needs that glass.
Not wanting to kill certain humans is actually a lot harder than it should be. Not even wanting to hurt them. One would think that if he doesn't want to hurt a select few humans, it would be easy to keep himself from hurting those humans. Well that's not the case. Keeping himself from using force to get what he wants from Elena is- This time he ( ... )
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Damon watches the glass on her hand. He could use his speed to his advantage with the glass just right there, but he doesn't. Yet. He's not sure if it's because he doesn't want to risk hurting her, or if it's because he doesn't want to risk spilling the drink] Don't do it, Elena.
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And being righteous would be tiring, perhaps, if most (if not all) of her righteous actions and attitudes fell squarely under Elena's 'right thing to do' category. This next thing she does, though? This is less about being righteous and more about being angry and stubborn, plus she's not going to start taking orders from Damon. And quite frankly, he doesn't scare her despite, oh, that last time he killed two girls and a tryst in the cemetery she's still trying to make sense of. So, don't do it, he says? Challenge accepted.
Elena pulls her lips and brows into a careless, innocent expression, brings the glass to her lips, and downs it.
Then she leans over to place the empty tumbler on the nearest table with a thud.]
Sorry, Damon. I guess I'm just doing things to inconvenience your life now.
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Damon closes his eyes, brow furrowing, when the alcohol disappears down her throat in one gulp] You shouldn't have done that, Elena. [It's not a threat. It's not even meant to be a threat. He's just aggravated and irritated and this is very much a straw and camel situation right now]
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But her wide-eyed, gaping look does not last very long, and perhaps it's the apology in his voice that snaps her out of it. (He didn't hurt her; he was just trying to scare her...) Elena presses her lips together, feels a familiar prickling of frustration and impatience, of anger.]
Just be quiet, Damon. [She barks the words out, and says the only thing she can think of saying.] You know what you're not really understanding? That I know you're a damn vampire. [She shrugs a little, the corners of her lips turning down.] I've accepted a long time ago that you're a self-serving sociopath who only bothers to care about maybe three people after yourself. So why don't you cut the supernatural lesson short because I've heard it, Damon ( ... )
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[He's on his feet the second she grabs the bottle of scotch. He knows what he plans on doing, he knows that he knows, but he doesn't want to believe it. And he doesn't. Not until he actually sees the bottle shatter. Then he's at the fireplace, about to reach into the flames to retrieve the broken bottle. The searing heat, though, reminds him that there's a fire ( ... )
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Elena merely turns to face him by the fire, completely unsurprised by his burst of speed. She huffs out an incredulous breath of air.] Are you hearing yourself right now? You said it before: the council is breathing down our- [But there she stops herself, lifts her arms to hold her hands up defensively.] You know what? Forget it. I tried. Now I'm going home.
[Quota for dealing with Damon for the day: more than fulfilled. Cue spinning on her heel to go collect her things off one of the couches.] Enjoy your alcohol or digging your own grave or whatever else you're planning on doing tonight.
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