when he speaks the fateful truth she cannot deny it. the understanding between them developed slowly, thoughtfully, because there was so much darkness around. they had no choice but to walk into this with their eyes open, the trust earned and not simply given. whatever they were, it was built against a universe in which they should have never met to begin with. their feelings should have never gotten here; to where elena breathes and damon feels it, where damon speaks and elena knows every facet of what he means. the push and pull of what the other actually needs is a taut string, waiting to be severed by one of them going too far. but for the first time since she met him, elena doesn’t believe it will be damon who could ruins things. even with his demons, the impulses and urges he has to fight every day and often doesn’t, it’s her that is closer to pushing them off a cliff. one way or the other, her actions will set the scene of what comes next; and for the first time in an agonizingly categorical life of grief, elena lets her guard fall against the one person, a vampire, who could end that life altogether. the one monster who has wanted to for truly vengeful reasons. damon’s love was not pure, it was forged.“ i’ve always known who you are, ” she replies, the setting sun sending a golden hue around them. “ you didn’t hide. ” for better or worse, damon was honest. he did what he said he would, he spoke vitriol without warning or apologies. “ and now i don’t want to either. we haven’t made each other weak, damon. ” doe eyes look into his, slowly leaning in as their lips meet. she couldn’t help it. the idea of the moment, of kissing him, swept through her entire body and wouldn’t be fought. when she pulls back, elena speaks softly. “ we’re falling in love. you see it, don’t you? ”
she is dancing with the devil. flirting with danger. flirting with death. he tried everything he could to make her realize he’s no good for her. showed her every bit of his darkness and yet she stayed. worse, she fell for him. saw the good in him. he can’t stand her compassion, her gentleness, her humanity - and yet . . . it is everything he admires about her. ‘’ you need to take a step back. ‘’ he tells her, a bare whisper that leaves fleshed lips. again, another warning given. she moves closer, the rhythm of her human heartbeat echoes around him, loud and clear. he swallows, his gaze cold and his body is tensed, slowly beginning to realize it’s him who’s afraid now. terrified of all the things he might do to her. his mind : a dark place. yet, when her soft and delicate lips finds his, all is forgotten. he wanted nothing more than to hold on to his anger, his hatred, his pain. but now, he just wants to hold on to her. for dear life. he takes in her words, hues flickering back and forth between her own, a mixture of hesitation and desperation written all over him. ‘’ elena - i don’t.. ‘’ he leaves a trail of words behind, cursing underneath his breath, before he closes the distance, his lips finding hers. gentle, lingering, simple but sweet, before deepening the kiss. he’s completely mesmerized, aware of the feelings : attacking him. overtaking him entirely. hands settled upon her waist, forehead resting against her own, lips brushing against her softer ones. ‘’ i despise the word love. i don’t think i’m capable of such thing. ‘’ eyes shut, giving his head a little shake, but still holding her close. he wants her close. needs her close. ‘’ i need you to understand - i never did this before. i never felt this before. but whatever this is, i want it with you. just you. ‘’
his motions startle her, calling into question everything she’s believed up until then. stefan was a savior, damon a monster. but how could that be true when his touch was gentle, when the care he places in his words is deliberate and powerful? he could do so much to her. but he has not. in moments like this she can see the difference between who he truly was and who he became in order to survive. words fail her as she stands before him entirely weakened by the enormity of her desire for more. where had it come from; this desire? why is it suddenly important for elena to make sure he does not leave? because she needs him, and she hasn’t realized it until their faces linger closely, the feeling of his hands steadying her. what would have once caused terror is now a moment she seeks. ‘ don’t. ’ elena replies, bringing his fingers to her lips. ‘i want you here. you’ve, ’ a pause as she allows them space; the intimacy overwhelming.‘ you’ve made me feel safe again, damon. if you left, i don’t think i’d be as… happy. ’ once she admits it, the truth frightens her less. damon salvatore matters to her. greatly; and without him, her life would not be the same. it would be less. less full, less exciting, less meaningful. he’s brought so much to her without her noticing but now that she has, she cannot let him go.
most people fear him, they run from his sight, they curse his presence but not her. he sees it, the look in her eyes when she watches him. something soft, something warm, something full of forgiveness. she sees something in him. something good. something wicked, still. he’s perfectly aware : he’s a monster. something hideous. something evil. she knows it too. but it no longer terrifies her. if anything, he thinks it consumes her. challenges her. he’s honest with her, refuses to pretend when she’s around. there’s a darkness hidden within him, and he’s not afraid to share it with her. he no longer hides from her. and he thinks . . . she no longer hides from him, too. ‘’ there’s something going on between us, elena. you can’t deny it. ‘’ words escapes fleshed lips, his dark eyes laced with hers, unraveling her. ‘’ and i don’t know what it is. you know i’m a monster, right? capable of bad things? i came here to hurt you. nothing satisfied me more than the thought of ruining the one girl he loved. ‘’ one step closer, eyes flickering back and forth between her own, awfully close now. ‘’ but now . . . all i want is to protect you. even from myself. the thought of having you close, holding you, touching and kissing every inch of your skin - it haunts me. you did something to me. i think you made me . . . weak. i can’t stop thinking about you. ‘’
the amount of times she’s wished for him to leave, now slowly become replaced with her need for him to stay. damon’s arrival was fairly constant and hadn’t been unwelcomed in a long time. when did that happen? elena wonders why she hasn’t noticed the change until tonight, when he admits something so unlike himself she couldn’t ignore it if she tried. slowly the brunette turns towards him, chocolate hues trying to determine if the moment was some kind of bluff. but instead of a smirk or an immediate counter, damon remains still; staring at her with a kind of intensity she’s never seen from him.
the statement was genuine. she can feel it, see it in his face and the way he’s actually allowing her to process on her own accord. when elena arrives in front of him, her gaze never wavers. ‘ you mean it. ’ a statement, not a question. she doesn’t have to ask if it’s honesty. the distance between them remains despite elena’s desire to eliminate it. he was a monster first, she couldn’t forget that simply because of a few tenderhearted moments. was his kindness a trap? pulling her in only to take what he’d been after all along. the doubt settles in, making a home in her heart. ‘ damon if this is some kind of joke, it’s not funny. ’
he remains still as he takes her in. he can see she’s conflicted, the coldness and hatred that is now replaced with something else. something warmer. doe angelic eyes lit up, but she remains distant : fully aware that he’s a monster still. a weak, charming smile finds fleshed lips, his dark hues settled upon the gilbert girl. does she know? does she feel it, too? she’s no longer his prey. no longer the girl he was so determined to DESTROY just weeks ago. something has changed. she means something to him. something important. something he has never quite felt before and it frustrates him.
another step is taken, hues laced with her own, closing the distance - slowly and carefully so. ‘’ i mean it. ‘’ he says, loud and clear, before the vampire reaches out for the girl, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. oh, how much he wants to keep her close, to shield her from all danger. ‘’ i know - i gave you plenty of reasons to not trust me but now i’m asking you . . . trust me. i need you. you keep me calm. ‘’ a quiet sigh rolls down his tongue, his palms tugging her cheeks, his thumb tracing along warm delicate skin. ‘’ tell me to leave. i’ll leave mystic falls behind and i will never come back. tell me - what is it that you want, elena? ‘’
nonverbal meme prompts ↪ they seem few & far between, so i tried to come up with as many scenarios as i could think of where dialogue wasn’t a necessary starting point. some are more uh specific than others / drabble-y, but they’re all dialogue-free ( tho ofc this does not necessarily extend to the response itself ). to reverse who sends what, send ‘ [ prompt ]+ ’! alter any as you see fit, & lemme know if anything’s unclear ♡
[ pull ] sender pulls receiver closer to them
[ touch ] sender places their hand affectionately on receiver
[ guide ] sender helps receiver through a difficult video game
[ lean ] sender leans on receiver
[ pierce ] sender helps receiver with a new piercing ( doing, aftercare, etc )
[ sit ] sender sits in receiver’s lap
[ spar ] sender pins receiver down in a practice fight
[ cook ] sender makes food for receiver
[ slide ] sender pushes an item across the table to receiver
