Vampies in Love

5. A Brotherly Dismissal

"I just don't understand why it's such a big deal for you to meet my brother," Damon said while turned away from Elijah.

"It's important because he is your family. I assume you want to have him in your life at some point. I also assume you want me to remain in your life," Elijah paused. "Perhaps I assumed wrong."

Damon sighed. He didn't know how to form words that would accurately describe why telling Stefan would be a bad move. "You didn't assume wrong. I just have such a rocky relationship with my brother as is. I don't need to add my relationship with you to the reasons Stefan has to cut me out of his life for good."

Elijah started, seemingly shocked by what had just come out of Damon's mouth. "Do you think he would disapprove of me because I'm an original? Or because I am a man." Damon could tell Elijah already knew the answer and was clearly hurt.

"Stefan already hates me for many things: how I feed, how I compel people, how I take the slightest joy in killing humans. Those are all things I can handle him hating me for, because they're all things I have control over," Damon turned around to face Elijah, but refrained from looking him in the eye. "If he ended up hating me for something I had no control over, I don't know what I would do."

Elijah stepped towards Damon, reaching out and grabbing his hand. "If Stefan hated you for something you have no control over, then he doesn't deserve to have you in his life."

"It's not that I'm ashamed of you," Damon's voice cracked. "It's just that I'm terrified."

Elijah lifted his free hand to place it on Damon's cheek. Damon closed his eyes. "You always will be. I would know."

~~~~~~~~

It was late afternoon when Damon finally woke up. The cheap bed he was in made his back cramp up. There was an arm around his waist and dried blood caked to his mouth and chin. Just the thought of what happened the previous night, or perhaps mornings, was enough to make Damon smile.

Peeking over his shoulder, he found the face of a sleeping Elijah. Trying not to bother him, Damon turned on his side to look at the sleeping man more easily. Sunlight filtered in between the dirty curtains, shining on the space between the two.

After a couple of minutes, Damon decided that he should probably remind his brother that he was alive. Stefan had a tendency to pretend Damon wasn't around in order to make his life more tolerable. Damon gave Elijah a little nudge on the shoulder in order to wake him up.

"Hmm?" Elijah groaned without opening his eyes.

"Hey," Damon started. When Elijah cracked open one eye, he continued. "Hey, I have to go see Stefan. The last time he saw me I wasn't exactly all right in the head."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Elijah's voice was a kind of groggy that very few people would have the pleasure of hearing.

"I just need to let him know that I'm okay," Elijah made a noise of agreement. "I'll see you later."

Damon removed himself from the bed and Elijah's arm and started the search for his clothes. His pants were fine, but his shirt was trashed: ripped and bloody from their lustful night. Instead of going shirtless, he grabbed Elijah's shirt that had fared much better.

"I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to have to borrow this," Damon said as he put the shirt on.

"Looks better on you," Elijah smiled from the bed. "Just make sure you return it to me personally."

"I think I can manage that," Damon smirked, then left the room.

~~~~~~~~

Damon arrived to an empty house. He expected Stefan to be home already, as school should have let out, but he figured that Stefan was spending time with Elena. Damon was okay with this, though, because it gave him time to figure out how he was going to explain what had happened over the past three days. Telling Stefan the truth would obviously explain everything, but Damon still had reservations about that specific course of action. Stefan would assume the worst if Damon brushed him off, which might be the best choice. Damon also had to come up with an explanation that would allow him to sneak off to see Elijah without his pesky little brother feeling the need to follow him. The situation was looking to be rather sticky.

Too soon, Stefan walked in. Damon had poured himself a glass of blood and was laying across one of the couches, looking into the burning fireplace.

"I see you're back from whatever escapade you went on that I'm sure will make the news tomorrow," Stefan sat himself down on the couch next to Damon, attempting to act casually, but failing.

"Yes, I am, and don't you worry, I didn't do anything too crazy," Stefan nodded, obviously relieved. "Though, on an unrelated note, there might be a young woman that went missing." Stefan sighed and shook his head.

"You can't just disappear like that, Damon. Not right after Elena's been kidnapped, and definitely not after Alaric tells me you were getting drunk and talking nonsense."

This made Damon sit up. "What exactly did Alaric tell you?"

"Just that you said you fucked up," Stefan looked Damon in the eyes. "What are not telling me, Damon."

Damon put on his 'bad boy' voice. He knew he wouldn't get Stefan off his back any other way. "There's a lot I don't tell you, and just because I spewed some drunken jargon to Alaric doesn't mean there's anything you should be concerned about," Damon stood up to leave. Damon obviously chose the easiest explanation, not the most convincing. "I didn't do much , Stefan. Stop worrying."

One day, Damon might consider telling his brother the truth. Right now, however, Damon was perfectly happy keeping his little secret.