Tear me apart | a delena fanfiction | Completed

10. Luxuries and loss

"Damon, we're going to Washington?" Elena asked.

"Why yes Elena, I thought it would be better if we were at the other side of the country."

"But, why there?"

"Elena, I just told you..."

"Yeah, I don't mean that. I mean, do you own any place there or something? You should have some place to hide if you are so sure we're safe there."

"Actually, I do." he said, grinning. "It's right in Seattle. I own a very cozy penthouse there with a breathtaking sight."

"Oh, really? Since when?" she asked, really curious.

"I don't remember very well. I think since.... the 80s or the 90s. There was a lot of party going on here in those years and I needed a place. But I am Damon Salvatore, I cannot live anywhere so... I bought a penthouse in the most exclusive zone in Seattle."

"Ah, figures..." Elena replied.

"Well what did you expect? A simple apartment?" he asked, with a look of disgust in his face when the word apartment escaped his mouth.

"And how long has it been since you were last here?"

"Fifteen years, give or take." he shrugged.

"Damon, do you own places everywhere?" she asked.

"Are we playing 20 questions here?" he asked back.

"No, it's just that I don't know what to talk about, and I feel like I know you since ever but I realize that I don't know anything about you."

"Fair enough. And to answer to your question no, I don't own places everywhere unfortunately. But Seattle, well the whole Washington state, is a rainy place where the sun doesn't usually rise and, even though I have this fancy ring, it still bothers me."

"It must be one of the hardest things. To feel weak and to be scared of a simple thing like the sun."

"It is one of the worst things. The worst of all is the hunger. Even if we feed every day, every hour we still feel hungry. It calms through the years but it's still there. It's an endless hunger that consumes us and it's really difficult to control it."

Elena's heart started to beat faster at this revelation, fearing for her life. No Elena! What are you thinking? Damon would never ever hurt you. He loves you. And so do you, she reminded herself. And obviously, Damon felt her fear, the sound of her heart beating fast echoing in his ears.

"Elena, I could hear your heart from a thousand miles away. Calm down. I would never hurt you. I'd rather die than know I hurt you in some way."

"I know." she replied quickly. "I trust you with my life and with my heart Damon, I'm well aware of the fact that you would never hurt me. It's just that unconsciously my head yelled at me to get away from here when it felt a physical danger. I'm sorry that the pumping of my heart made you uncomfortable."

"It didn't make me uncomfortable, I was just worried about you. I don't want you to be scared of me."

"No Damon, I'm not scared of you. I love you." and she kissed his hand, still intertwined with hers.

"Ok. We still need to talk about what happened in that bar the other day, by the way." he reminded her, grinning.

"There's nothing to talk about that Damon. I was drunk and it was your fault that I was drunk. I made a fool of myself singing up there..."

"You were gorgeous and cute Elena" he said with a serious tone.

"I'm shocked. Did Damon Salvatore just say the word 'cute'?" Elena gasped.