Their Raven

Chapter 24

Damon woke slowly, his body heavy, his mind still clouded from exhaustion. The unfamiliar weight of a blanket jacked around him was oddly comforting, but what really caught his attention was the quiet presence in the room. He wasn't alone.

Golden morning light littered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the Mikaelson mansion's lavish bedroom. Sitting nearby, legs casually crossed, was Elijah, a book resting In his hands. He looked up as Damon stirred, closing the book with a quiet thud.

"Finally awake, I see," Elijah murmured, his voice calm but observant.

Damon groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Did I die again? Because this feels like hell."

A small smirk played at the corner of Elijah's lips. "Hardly. You had a... difficult night."

The events of the previous night crashed down on him again—his magic lashing out, nearly killing Elena, being attacked, and the Mikaelsons coming to his rescue. A weight settled in his chest.

Before he could respond, Klaus entered the room, carrying a glass of water. "Good, you're up. I was beginning to think we'd have to drag you out of bed."

Damon shot him a glare but took the offered drink. "Don't sound to relieved, Klaus. You might actually sound like you care."

Kol sauntered in behind Klaus, arms crossed. "Oh, we do care, little Raven. After all, it would be such a shame if our favourite Le Rouge perished before we had the chance to train him properly."

Damon sighed, pushing himself up. His body still ached, but there was something else—a thrumming energy under his skin, a pulsing reminder of the power he could barely control. The brothers noticed it too. The chandelier above flickered, and the glass in Damon's hand cracked before shattering.

Kol clicked his tongue. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

A few hours later, Damon found himself in the mansion's training room, standing opposite Kol and Klaus. Elijah observed from the side, arms folded, as if he were judging a fencing match rather than a supernatural disaster waiting to happen.

"Let's see what you can do," Kol said twirling a dagger between his fingers. "No holding back, sweetheart."

Damon clenched his fists. "You do realise I don't actually know how to control this, right?"

Klaus gave him a predatory grin. "Then it's about time you learned."

The fight began swiftly. Kol lunged first, and Damon instinctively dodged, but his magic reacted before he could even think. A blast of red energy sent Kol flying backward into the wall. For a moment, Damon felt exhilarated. Then, the room's lights flickered violently, objects shaking as if the entire house was alive.

Damon gasped, trying to reign it in. "I—"

Klaus as on him in an instant, gripping his shirt and yanking him close. "Don't fight it. Use it."

Damon's golden eyes burned bright as another wave of magic rippled through the air, pushing Klaus back. But instead of letting it spiral out of control, Damon focused. The energy wrapped around him, responding to his will—until Kol swept in, forcing him to react again.

The fight went on, chaotic and powerful, until Elijah finally stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Damon's shoulder. The magic settled almost instantly, like a raging storm calmed by a single command.

Damon exhaled sharply, is body trembling. Elijah's grip was steady, reassuring. "You are one of us now," he said, his voice firm. "You are powerful, and we will not let anyone take that from you."

Damon blinked, his throat tight. He wasn't sure if it was exhaustion or something else that made those words hit so hard.

Later, as he lounged on one of the leather couches in the study, Kol plopped down beside him, tossing an apple into the air before catching it. "You're not terrible at this whole magic thing, you know."

Damon scoffed. "Coming from the guy I nearly turned into a wall decoration?"

Kol grinned, taking a bite of his apple. "Exactly. You've got talent. Dangerous, unstable talent, but still. We'll make a proper Le Rouge out of you yet."

Damon rolled his eyes, but the warmth in Kol's tone was undeniable.

Elijah appeared then, setting a fresh glass of bourbon on the table in front of him. "You need to rest," he said simply. "Overexertion will only make your control worse."

Damon huffed but accepted the drink. "You sound like an overbearing parent."

Elijah raised a brow. "And yet, you haven't walked away." Damon didn't have an answer for that.

That evening , Klaus found him outside on the balcony, leaning against the railing, watching the sun dip below the horizon. Damon barely reacted when Klaus joined him, handing him another drink.

"I know that look," Klaus said after a moment. "It's the look of someone who's just staring to realise his life has changed forever."

Damon glanced at him, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "What gave it away?"

Klaus chuckled, sipping his own drink. "Been there myself, mate."

Silence settled between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Damon let himself relax, just a little, as the night stretched on. The Mikaelsons were dangerous, unpredictable, and at times infuriating—but for the first time in a long while, Damon wasn't alone. And maybe, just maybe, that was exactly what he needed. The Mikaelsons.

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New chapter, I'll be posting two chapters today so a double update. So I hope you enjoy my darling