There's Always You and Me

Chapter 8

"Someone arrest that dog for obstruction of justice!"

Jeremy looked over and watched as Percy ran up next to him, his friend watching as a dog ran away with a set of keys, "That's not a thing."

The green-eyed teen looked over at him in surprise like he didn't notice him there, "Do you know how many crime shows I watch? It's definitely a thing."

"You can't charge a dog with human crimes," The Gilbert sighed in exasperation. "Come on, obviously you haven't had coffee yet."

"I haven't but I can't- That mutt has the keys to my apartment! I swear to the gods, if that thing swallowed them..."

"Don't you have another set?" Jeremy asked, ignoring the colorful threats coming out of the human's mouth.

"Damon has it," Percy pouted. "Man, now I have to make another copy..."

"You gave Damon a key to your apartment?"

"Yeah?" The teen raised an eyebrow at him, "Why do you sound so surprised?"

"It's just- I mean, I didn't think you two were that close," Jeremy said quickly. Everyone knew that the other teen was, for some strange reason, protective of the eldest Salvatore.

"He's my best friend," Percy sounded a bit miffed that they didn't know that. It wasn't like they spent nearly everyday with each other or anything.

"Right, sorry," The Gilbert said sheepishly. "Well, let's go get some coffee and then you can call Damon for your keys."

"Okay," The green-eyed teen nodded, allowing the other to lead him to a coffee shop since he was still new to the area.

—

"Wanna go out on a moonlit killing spree?"

"Damon," Stefan sighed in exasperation at his brother. "For the last time, no."

"But it's so poetic." The eldest Salvatore pouted, "I bet Percy would go with me."

"First off, I'm a little concerned with the fact that I actually believe that. And second, don't drag Percy into this no matter how bored you are."

"Don't order me around," Damon glared. "And I won't drag Percy into anything, he seems to have full control over everything he does." He didn't elaborate on what he meant, something was weird about his friend that he noticed since they met. The teen always seemed aware of what he did and kept his body tense even when they were alone. It was like he was expecting an attack but, oddly enough, not from Damon.

The vampire looked down when his phone buzzed and raised an eyebrow, snorting at the message his friend sent him.

PJ: a dog ate me keys pick me up the weird coffee shop next to the lady that sells those dead cacti

PJ: stop laughing asshole before i kick you in you kneecaps

PJ: rude

"I gotta go," Damon stood up, putting his phone in his pocket and grabbing his jacket. "I have to pick up Percy, the idiot got his keys eaten by a dog."

Stefan's eyebrows shot up, "That's... Okay, yeah, tell him I'm sorry to hear that? What kind of dog was it?"

The eldest Salvatore shrugged, "No idea but it was probably a poodle knowing Percy."

—

Percy still kicked him in the kneecaps when he saw him and stole his leather jacket while he was at it. He climbed into Damon's car, ignoring his friend as he slipped on some shades and tried not to spill his cup of coffee as he re-adjusted himself to sit properly in the seat.

Damon just smirked at his friend, "Tough day?"

The teen just sipped his drink and flipped him off, "Ass."

The vampire laughed instead of being offended like anyone would expect him to be if they saw them interacting, "Wanna watch Friends and eat Skittles?"

Percy pouted for a moment, "Doctor Who and pudding? I've had a shitty week."

Damon's eyes softened and he nodded, "I'll make a copy for your keys tomorrow."

"Thank you," The teen slumped in his seat looking utterly exhausted despite it only being one in the afternoon. He burrowed his face in the jacket he stole and, somehow, managed to fall asleep in the seven minutes it took to drive to his apartment.

The vampire sighed and rolled his eyes in fond exasperation. After placing the car in park, he unbuckled his seatbelt (Percy made him start wearing one and the Salvatore found himself having a hard time saying no) and turned towards his friend, "PJ. PJ, get up. Come on, we're here."

"No," Percy grumbled, snuggling more into the jacket, pulling it around himself more. "Let me sleep."

"If I let you sleep in the car, you're going to complain about how your back hurts and I'll never hear the end of it."

The teen was silent for a moment, "... Carry me?"

Damon groaned but he couldn't keep the grin off his face, "You're such high maintenance. Fine, give me a second." He climbed out of the car and walked around to open Percy's door. He lifted his friend without any other warning, chucking at the small gasp he gave and how his hands shot out to grip the back of his shirt. He walked to Percy's apartment and held his friend up with one arm as he used his other arm to unlock the door, "I'll get the pudding. Set up Doctor Who?"

"Yeah," Percy nodded, allowing himself to be set down before he made his way to his small disc collection. "Um, I only have season three... Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Damon said, coming back with about five or six pudding cups and two spoons. "We'll just watch that, it's not big deal."

"Okay," The teen seemed to relax and at the words and he put in one of the discs from the case. He turned to his friend and marched over, sitting right next to him until he was a wall of warmth against the vampire, "Give me some pudding, please, Mr. Serial Killer."

Damon rolled his eyes at the name but handed him a pudding cup and spoon, "Shh, it's starting."

Halfway through the first episode, Percy fell asleep, his head leaning almost on the vampire's chest. Damon didn't move for a moment before he realized that he was running his hand through his friend's hair. He almost didn't want to leave but he also didn't want to deal with Stefan interrogating him on where he was, "Percy, Perce, I gotta go."

His friend made a soft snuffling noise before he opened his eyes blearily, his green eyes slowly looking around before focusing on him, "Okay. Oh," He looked down when he realized he was still wearing Damon's leather jacket. "... I'm not giving this back. I'll see you later?"

The vampire laughed at his friend's words, "Yeah, I'll see you later. Go to bed, I'll clean up before I leave."

"Grazie mille," Percy nodded, standing up and making his way to his small room. "I appreciate it." (Thanks a thousand)

"No problem," Damon turned off the TV and cleaned up the pudding cups before leaving, locking the door behind him. He was happy. Even though he still couldn't get his brother to feed or at least go hunting with him, he was happy because he got to spend time with his (best?) friend and it was pretty fun.

—

"What happened to your jacket?" Stefan asked when his brother returned.

Damon shrugged, moving to the bar to grab a drink, "It got stolen." He kind of wanted to laugh at his brother's expression.