What Lies Beneath

Chapter 43: Liar Liar

Over the years Damon Salvatore had worn many faces depending on who he was interacting with. He could be the helpless human, the ferocious vampire or the total flirt…and those were just three of the masks in his bag. After a while though he honestly came to forget who he really was but when you could turn off everything that mattered, it wasn't a big deal. And he would love to credit Bonnie with making him want to find himself again but that actually went to Elena. After all he'd been somewhat obsessed with her when he first returned to Mystic Falls.

Everything else though was because of Bonnie. In becoming someone she could be with, he slowly remembered what it was like to be that human man with father issues and the world before him. He still didn't exactly understand it all however. His relationship with Bonnie wasn't something that made sense but it worked and he liked it. He liked that she was his—that she'd wanted him from the start unlike a certain vampire whore he wouldn't mention. He didn't want to get all sappy and say that Bonnie was healing him in some way but she was. If it wasn't for her love and stuff he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to function around Katherine, let alone be civil enough with her to have dastardly plans.

Still it was amusing to him how he could love Bonnie and hate so much else. How he could want her safe and yet be willing to let everything else burn. Well except Stefan but he hoped he was never in that situation where it was either or. Shouldn't I be different now? Shouldn't I be all hearts and rainbows because the power of love has touched me?

Apparently not.

Whatever.

His moments of retrospect were drifting in more and more because of their current circumstances. He was spending time with Elena, helping her train and save Stefan, and he couldn't help but think back to earlier times when he would have given his right testicle to be this guy. The one she counted on and turned to when times got fucked up. Now—while he didn't mind helping her out—he also felt nothing when she was in his arms or looking up at him with those big puppy dog brown eyes. Friendship sure but nothing else. No fluttery emotions where he wanted her to forget his brother so they could drown in each other.

A part of him felt like it should be weird but it wasn't. Truth of the matter was Bonnie satisfied him in every way that he needed. Sexually—fuck yeah—emotionally and one of the best parts was that she didn't let him get away with shit. It was a bit annoying but he liked that she wasn't scared to stand up to him. That she had no problems calling him out or putting him down when he got to up his own ass. He'd never tell her but she was a bit like Katherine sometimes; powerful, beautiful and cunning. The big difference is that she was also sincere and empathic to the feelings of others. Especially his.

God I'm such a fucken girl.

Anyway so yeah he didn't have feelings for Elena anymore. He wasn't sure how she felt about him and naturally he wasn't about to ask, but he hoped their quiet moments were just normal. That she wasn't coming to depend on him more now that Stefan was acting like a coke fiend. He didn't want to have some kinda talk with her. As far as he was concerned everything was as it should be.

Now if only he could get Bonnie to see things the same way.

Maybe she needs some kinda grand gesture. Jewelry. Expensive jewelry might do the trick. Or something old and heartfelt.

But back to the matter at hand. Stefan.

Elena didn't think he knew how to handle his little brother but he did, so letting him out of his cell wasn't a bad thing. Not like he was really getting better in there anyway. No matter how much of the bloodlust he lost he would still be compelled to not feel anything. They needed to see how far that went though.