Vampire Diaries Imagines

After the Storm - Damon Salvatore

The Salvatore boarding house was eerily quiet, save for the rhythmic ticking of the antique clock in the parlor. Damon lounged on the leather couch, his signature glass of bourbon dangling loosely from his fingertips. He hadn't seen Y/N since their argument earlier that evening-a minor disagreement that spiraled into something much bigger than either of them had intended.

He hated how easy it was for her to get under his skin, but more than that, he hated how much he cared. It was dangerous, and Damon didn't do vulnerability well.

The front door creaked open, and he turned his head, catching the familiar scent of her perfume before she even stepped into view. Y/N closed the door softly behind her, her shoulders slumping as if carrying a weight she didn't want to discuss. She hesitated before walking into the room, her Y/E/C eyes finding his icy blue ones.

"You're back," Damon said, his voice cool and unreadable.

"I'm back," she echoed, brushing a strand of Y/H/C hair behind her ear. She didn't move any closer, and he could sense the tension rolling off her. "I needed to think."

"About?" he prompted, taking a sip of his bourbon. He was trying to sound nonchalant, but his heart raced in a way that annoyed him.

Y/N's lips pressed into a thin line before she spoke. "About us. About what we're doing."

Damon scoffed and set his glass down. "Oh, here we go. Let me guess, you think I'm bad for you, or maybe you're realizing the whole immortal vampire thing isn't exactly ideal boyfriend material?"

"Damon-" She sighed and stepped forward, frustration flickering in her eyes. "That's not what this is about."

"Then what is it about, Y/N?" He stood, closing the distance between them in two strides. "Because from where I'm standing, it feels like you're looking for a reason to run."

She stared up at him, her emotions conflicted. "I'm not running. I'm scared, Damon. Scared of how much I feel for you. Scared of what it means to love someone like you."

His breath hitched, and for a moment, his trademark sarcasm failed him. He searched her face, seeing the honesty in her expression, and it gutted him. "You're scared?" he asked softly. "Do you think I'm not? Do you think I don't look at you and wonder when the other shoe is going to drop?"

Y/N swallowed hard, her gaze wavering. "I don't want you to be mad at me later," she whispered. "If I make a mistake, if I hurt you... I couldn't live with that."

Damon reached out and gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek. "Newsflash, Y/N/N: I'm already mad at you half the time. You're infuriating and stubborn, and you drive me insane." His lips quirked into a small smile. "But I don't care. I'd rather be mad and with you than not have you at all."

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she leaned into his touch. "What if I'm not enough for you?"

"You're more than enough," he murmured, his voice laced with an unfamiliar softness. "You're the only thing in this crazy world that makes any of it worth it."

Before she could respond, Damon tilted her chin up and kissed her, the weight of their earlier argument dissolving into the warmth of the moment. His lips moved against hers with a desperation that mirrored her own, as if they both knew how rare and fleeting happiness could be for people like them.

When they finally broke apart, Y/N rested her forehead against his, her hands clutching the fabric of his shirt. "I'm sorry I doubted us."

Damon smirked, his confidence returning. "You should be. I'm pretty irresistible."

She laughed softly, and he relished the sound. "Don't ruin this moment."

"No promises," he teased, but the sincerity in his eyes betrayed him. "I'm not going anywhere, Y/N. You're stuck with me."