starcrossed ➳ damon salvatore

seven.

"ANOTHER ROUND PLEASE, MAKE IT TEQUILA THIS TIME." CLAUDIA SAID TO the young bartender at the Grill. She was having a bad day, and bourbon, which had usually done the trick, was causing her nothing but anger as it's normal effects were not taking place.  She needed to be drunk fast, and forget the past twelve hours.

Apart from the fact that Damon and Stefan finally found out Elijah was still alive- which was no thanks to Claudia's multiple warnings throughout the day since they didn't listen to her- they also had forced her once again to stay in the house by stealing her daylight ring. When she had visited the boarding house in the morning, Damon swiftly knocked her out and hid her ring. Stefan classified this as 'protecting her' but Claudia had yet to figure out why the seventeen year old children could go out with them while she couldn't. It was ridiculous that she had to wait until nightfall just to leave the boarding house.

Upon nightfall, Claudia had no idea where to go, as well as no clue as to where Damon, Elena or Stefan were, due to their unusual silence throughout the day. It had made her extremely uneasy and worried for them. She didn't want to admit it, but she cared immensely for the three of them, even the girl, who was a carbon copy of the person she despised most in the world.

Taking her out of her thoughts, the young man handed her three shot glasses of tequila, which she downed in five seconds. Hopefully this will make me feel something, Claudia thought. Maybe it will curb the hunger as well. Claudia was very hungry due to the fact that since Salvatore brothers kept her occupied for the past few days on end. She didn't have time to feed, nor visit a blood bank, and the hunger was seriously getting to her head.

"Figured you'd be here," said a voice creeping up behind her. Claudia turned around to see Damon holding out her daylight ring with a grimace. "Truce?"

"I'd rather not," Claudia replied, sliding the cold ring on her finger. She'd never let it go again, especially in Damon's hands.

"Look, I've had a rough day," Damon took a seat next to her, and for the first time she could see how deprived he looked. His eyes were low and red, his hair disheveled, and his lips chapped. "I don't want to fight. I've came to ask you for a favor."

"What is it?" Claudia entertainer him.

"I need you to talk to Elena. She put herself in incredible danger tonight, and she doesn't seem to care about the consequences."

Claudia scoffed. He had the nerve to ask her to console his teenaged crush? She wasn't interested. "Look, Damon. I'm not here to be a babysitter. I'm sorry."

Damon slammed his fist on the bar countertop, startling Claudia, as well as the bartender, who was cleaning up. "Why did you come here then Claudia? And why are you staying? Enlighten me, please."

"I'm staying because..." Claudia trailed off. She had no clue why she was still in Mystic Falls. Was it because she still had a sliver of hope for her relationship with the raven haired man? Or was it because she believed in their plan to outsmart Klaus and wanted to see the outcome? "I don't know, okay? Part of me wants to see how we turn out, and part of me wants to see how things with Klaus and Elijah turn out. But I'm definitely not staying so I can be a seventeen year old's babysitter, especially one that you have a crush on."

"What?"

"Damon," Claudia smiled a sad grin. "I know you. I know when you like someone. You like that girl and she likes you."

"Elijah?" Damon changed the subject, rebounding her previous statement. "How did you know he came back from the dead? I never told you about our fight today."

Fight today? Claudia thought. What did they fight about?

"I already knew, you just wouldn't listen when I tried to tell you. Originals can't die, Damon. I learned that years ago. My guess is that Elijah has been biding his time ever since you stabbed him with the stake. Don't underestimate him."