A life in the shadows

28

"Jer!" Elena called as she led Caroline, Siobhan and Matteo into her house, though Matteo hung back. He wasn't officially invited inside, and they didn't need any more questions.
"Will you invite me in, Elena?" He asked.
"Oh, of course." She said. "Come on in, Matt."
He followed them into the house as Jeremy came out of the living room.
"What?" He asked before noticing that they had company. "Oh, hi."
"How you doing?" Matteo asked as Siobhan gave him a small wave.
"I'm fine, come on in, you guys. Alaric's in here too." He said ducking back inside. They all followed and greeted Alaric.
After a few minutes of talking, and Alaric and Jeremy congratulating Siobhan and Matteo on their engagement, Matteo gestured Jeremy aside. They headed to the kitchen behind.
"Hey, you okay?"
"I believe I promised you something? And I make good on promises, so here." Matteo brought out Eliza's art.
"Is that..?"
"Gilbert originals. I'm sure they ought to be hung up in some museum somewhere," Matteo gave a small smile.
"Wow thanks. She was really talented."
"It runs in the family," Matteo ruffled Jeremy's hair.
"Thank you, really."
"There's something else."
"Really?"
"I told you about Josh, right? He died when he was ten. Ten and a half," he chuckled without any humour. Jeremy looked at him, sympathetically. "On his birthday, his grandfather gave him this."
"He got a pocket knife at ten?"
"Well, his grandfather was kind of old fashioned and believed more in brute strength than smarts. Anyways it was given to me when he died, mr Gilbert believed I should have it. If Eliza had it, instead, it would have found its way to you."
"If it's not too much, could you maybe, I don't know tell me about them sometime? They sound like they were awesome."
"Oh, they were. I mean, Josh was so cheeky, and fun and smart and kind. He adored Damon, and I swear the two of them were devils together. And Eliza would just sit back and watch in delight as it usually ended with me sopping wet."
"Damon?"
"It was the first five years of his life, Jeremy. Although human Damon is a lot different to vampire Damon."
"How so?"
"For one," Matteo looked back at the doorway. "Human Damon could mind his own business."
"I have a right if you're talking about me!" Damon called back, smirking.
"I'm going to go put these in my room. When I get back, maybe you could tell us all about human Damon." Jeremy said.
"Certainly. With pleasure."
"Oh no no no." Damon frowned. "You know we should get going. Bye, baby Gilbert."
"Tell you what? One of these days we'll have another dinner, and I'll bring out the baby pictures too."
"Count me in." Jeremy smirked and headed to his room.
"Hey Alaric." Matteo said, getting a ring on a chain out of his pocket.
"Yeah?" He looked up. Matteo threw it over to him.
"I'm flattered, but don't you already have a fiancé?" He said.
"Funny. Put it on and shake Damon's hand."
"Um, okay." He did as he was told. As soon as Damon touched his hand, he flew backwards. "Oh wow. Protection against vampires."
"Oh, I suppose that too. I just thought since you're friends with Damon, you could use it."
"Thanks man."
"Of course." Matteo nodded at Alaric before they all headed out.
"Next stop, the Grill." Damon said as they all piled into Matteo's car.
"I think maybe I'm going to skip out on this. I should get home." Caroline excused.
"Hey, Matty. Why don't you and Damon go together?" Siobhan said.
"Yeah of course." He said getting the hint. "I'll drop you guys off."

Matteo and Damon had given Matt the watch and were on their way home. That's when Matteo got a call.
"Hey little brother." He and Damon said simultaneously.
"Creepy." Was his reply.
"How's it all going?"
"Same old. No werewolves to be found. Et cetera. Stuck with Klaus. You were his friend?"
"I heard that!" Klaus called in the background.
"Am I supposed to care?" Stefan yelled back. "Seriously, it's barely been a month and I'm ready to blow my head off."
"I've met him a handful of times and always in small doses. But we've more or less known each other for a century."
"Ask him if Siobhan's spilled the secret yet?"
"Yes, she has Niklaus. About everything."
"And you still keep her around?"
"Keep her around? She's not property or a dog or something to just dismiss. I love her Klaus."
"So you know she's my sister?" He casually dropped in.
"What?" Stefan sat up. "Wait, she's an original?"
"No, she's not. Not exactly. But she is his sister."
"How?"
"Well they have the same mother. That usually makes people family. Of course they haven't been on good terms since she was fourteen."
"What did Klaus do?" Stefan asked.
"Me? Why do you automatically assume I did something?"
"Let's see, you sacrificed my girlfriend and her aunt on an alter of fire. You blackmailed me into being your companion with the lives of my brothers."
"Brother. I don't know if you recall, but the cure would've been free for Matt."
"Who wouldn't drink it unless Damon did. You just stabbed your own brother, effectively killing him. You've stabbed the rest of your family and scattered them about, keeping them away from your brother- need I go on."
"He does make a lot of solid points."
"Well I didn't do anything." Matteo snorted.
"So has Matteo told you he has-"
"Shut up, Damon." Matteo muted the phone, so as not to let them know what was going on. "Klaus is there. We're keeping the engagement from Klaus for the time being. Until we figure out how to break it to him."
"Right." Damon unmuted the phone.
"Matteo has what?" Stefan asked.
"Matteo has... a pet." He said at the same time as Matteo replied.
"I have two dogs." Damon looked at him, baffled.
"Oh."
"Since when?" Klaus asked.
"Since, it's been a while now. I named them Damon and Stefan."
"What?" Damon jerked suddenly, surprised.
"I'm joking." Matteo laughed. "I named them Damion and Steven."