Confess | Emma Gilbert (TVD & TO) [BOOK 1]

LVII

It's been a few more days since I've faced Damon.

"I heard that you have gotten quite close with my brother, especially after the break up with the coward of your ex-mistake." He states and I sit up in bed, laying against the bed frame.

"He forced me to stick around all summer to hunt werewolves with Stefan. We became... friends. And as my friend, he had to take care of me after I found out about... you know." I shrug, looking down at my fingers as I play with them.

"My brother took care of you." He smiles amused by some reason and I look up at him in confusion. "I'm just surprised because my brother doesn't take care of anyone but himself. Uh, my brother has a... hard time demonstrating how he really feels, but with you... something has changed." Elijah smiles, looking at me as if he's waiting for my reaction.

I furrow my eyebrows, looking away from him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm sure you don't. Yet, I've been daggered for months and I've immediately noticed how you seemed to wake up this side of my brother that I haven't seen in a very long time. I quite enjoy teasing him about it, I'm sure it'll get another dagger on my chest soon. He's very protective of you, makes me believe he's the same Niklaus from a thousand years ago." Elijah says and I look at him for a moment before I speak again.

"Rebekah said the same thing." I confess, letting his words flow through my mind.

"I'm sure you know he fancies you. I'm sure you've seen him defend you, protect you... flirt with you. You are scared to let him in as much as he's scared to lose you." He arched his eyebrows at me and I nod slowly.

"I know he has a thing for me, I'm not blind. I just never realised that it was that deep. I just... it doesn't matter. Because I don't want anyone else. I'm just going to live alone for the rest of my life. That way, the only person that can hurt me is myself." I conclude and he chuckles at my words, making me glare at him.

"It could be simple like that. Loneliness is not a good feeling. It's worse than a broken-heart." Elijah speaks with a far away look and I wonder why.

"Well, my heart has been broken since I was two so...." I trail off, reaching my hand to touch Isobel's necklace.

"It gets better, Em. I'd never thought I'd see him fall for someone else... yet, thousand years later.... here we are. So, you see, it's not that simple." He smiles, placing a hand on top of mine and I deeply sigh. "You know, Emma, it's not just you make my brother want to be better, he does better when you're around. He watches what he does, he thinks before he speaks, he tries to do everything he can to not hurt you or people you care about."

"He killed my aunt, my sister and I." I point out and he gives me a knowing look. "Okay! That was before we... got to know each other. He hurt Alaric. He gave me an ultimatum between my brother and him."

"And if you said no to either... what do you think would happen?" He questions me and I shrug. "He cares more about you than he shows. I hope you don't give up on him, Emma, you might be the best thing that has ever happened to him."

I shake my head. "I don't know what you want me to say to that."

"You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know, as your friend." Elijah stands up from the bed with an urgent expression and I frown in confusion. "Damon wishes to speak to me. I would ask you to join me but I don't think he would be alive by the time I asked him what he wants." Elijah speaks and I nod my head in agreement.

Elijah gives me a sweet smile before he quickly speeds out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts once again, but this time my mind isn't focused about Damon anymore.