Sunflower | N. Mikaelson

VIII

Damon had missed Rapunzel, even though it had only been a day since he saw her. It felt wrong not seeing her every day, and he was even more worried and protective over her since seeing the bruises her mother left on Rapunzel's face. But he respected her wishes and didn't visit her the day before no matter how much he wanted to. Instead, he stayed in the boarding house, drinking himself into oblivion with bourbon. All he could think about was all the bad things that could happen to Rapunzel alone in the tower, and when his mind exhausted that worry, all he could think about was Katherine and how she betrayed him.

It's safe to say that Damon hit a low that day which he hadn't reached in weeks. Though he didn't reach low enough to start drinking from and killing innocent girls, as he couldn't help but see Rapunzel's horrified face when she scratched her arms, and it started bleeding. Rapunzel really didn't like blood, at all.

Due to his previous low mood, Damon decided to visit Rapunzel extra early the next day, just in case. He left at around five and just took a while walking to her tower instead of speeding to it like he usually did, after all it was a while into the woods so no one would stumble upon it on accident. It had been so long since he spoke to his brother, that Damon didn't even think that Stefan would've seen him leave and follow him, but that's what Stefan did, and Damon was so distracted by his thoughts of Rapunzel that he didn't notice his brother clumsily following behind him.

He reached the tower an hour later, and pushed on the same brick as per usual, knowing which one it was by heart through trial and error after he accidentally pushed it on the first day. Despite the unpleasant odor, Damon climbed the steps slowly still, not wanting to seem too eager, and Stefan followed behind him silently. Soon Damon reached the top and opened the door without hesitation, welcoming the blinding sun.

He stepped fully into the apartment, but when he didn't see Rapunzel waiting where she normally would, Damon full-on panicked, getting Deja-vu of a few days before. "Rapunzel?!" He yelled out panicked. Not hearing a reply, instead of speeding around like a madman (which he did last time), he used his hearing to pinpoint her location. He could hear her heartbeat coming from her room, but for some reason it was a lot slower than usual. Then he breathed in through his nose, and a dreadful smell greeted him, causing panic and worry to overwhelm him as it rushed in at an alarming rate. Blood.

Damon sped into Rapunzel's room, being met with a sight he never wanted to see. His little sister in everything but blood was lying on the floor, bleeding, bruised, broken, unconscious and barely breathing. The vampire rushed to the girl, sitting down by her head, placing it gently on his lap afraid he would break her. This movement stirred Rapunzel from her sleep, as she weakly muttered "Damon?".

The vampire was crying freely now as he hummed in confirmation, before biting his wrist and hovering it over Rapunzel's mouth, "You need to drink this Rapunzel, and you'll feel better. I swear it." Rapunzel shook her head, not drinking the blood, prompting Damon to question her, "Why not? Please, I beg of you. You can't die, I won't allow it."

But Damon soon found out why as when Rapunzel drank the blood after hearing Damon's pleads, and being too weak to refuse, Rapunzel didn't start healing, reminding Damon that she is an immortal and would most likely not be affected by vampire blood. Damon cradled her body in his arms.

"We have to get her out of here," Stefan spoke up, shocking Damon as he didn't know that his brother had followed him out of the boarding house, let alone into the tower, "Her attacker may come back. She'll be safer in Mystic Falls."

Damon nodded in agreement, not acknowledging how Stefan followed him there without his knowledge. Damon picked the hybrid up in his arms, clutching her close to his chest. Before he left though, Rapunzel managed to get out the word "bag", prompting Stefan to notice the fully packed backpack on the floor, and pick it up, bringing it with him as the two vampires sped to the boarding house, with the eldest carrying Rapunzel in their arms.

Word count: 762