Broken(klamon)

chapter 5

The sun was fully up by the time Stefan left Damon's room. Damon stayed on the edge of his bed, head in his hands, trying to collect his thoughts. He knew the road ahead was going to be rocky, but he was determined to see it through. For once, he wasn't going to run from his problems.Stefan nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Yeah, you're here. And that's a start."

Damon sipped his coffee, the bitter warmth spreading through him. He couldn't shake the weariness that clung to his bones, a testament to the restless night haunted by nightmares of captivity and pain.

Stefan busied himself with flipping pancakes, his movements precise yet distracted. Damon watched him, the silence thickening with every passing moment. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Damon broke the uneasy quiet.

"Didn't know you were the domestic type," Damon remarked casually, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

Stefan glanced up, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. "Someone has to keep this place running."

Damon nodded, taking another sip of his coffee. "Smells good."

Stefan slid a plate of pancakes in front of Damon. "Eat something. You look like you haven't had a decent meal in days."

Damon accepted the plate, grateful but too proud to say it aloud. They ate in silence for a few moments before Stefan spoke up again, his tone more serious now.

"So, what happened, Damon? Where did you go after you left?"

Damon paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. He knew he couldn't avoid the conversation forever. "It's a long story. Let's just say I ran into some trouble."

Stefan's eyes narrowed with concern. "Trouble? What kind of trouble?"

Damon set his fork down, his appetite suddenly gone. "I was... captured. Tortured, actually. It wasn't pretty. I managed to escape and... took some time away."

Stefan's expression softened, his concern deepening. "Damon, why didn't you tell us? We could have helped."

Damon shrugged, avoiding his brother's gaze. "I didn't think you'd care. The last thing Elena said to me was that she didn't want me around."

Stefan sighed heavily. "Damon, you know Elena didn't mean that. She was upset, we all were. But that doesn't mean we don't care about you."

Damon remained silent, swirling his coffee in the mug. The weight of his experiences and the fractured relationships weighed heavily on his shoulders.

"It doesn't matter now," Damon finally said, his voice low. "I'm here. That's what counts."Stefan nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Yeah, you're here."

They sat in silence once more, the distance between them slowly shrinking. Damon knew rebuilding what had been broken wouldn't be easy, but at least he were trying.