DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS // CHRISTMAS CALENDAR 2020

Saturday December 5th

I woke up with my head against Stefan's chest. He was already awake, kissing my head every now and then.

"How are you feeling?" He asked and I shrugged.

"I just wanna forget about yesterday." I said. He nodded and I looked at him. Kissed his lips and smiled. Got up to find something to wear.

He hugged me from behind, turned me around, kissed me. I sensed something. Someone was looking. I turned my head towards the doorway and there he was. Our problem. Damon. Hurt and anger visible in his face. He turned around, rushed away.

"Damon, wait!" I ran after him, not caring that I was only wearing a T-shirt and pajamas pants. Damon was almost already by the door, when I caught a hold of his wrist and he looked at me in disgust.

"Don't go," I begged.

"It's not like you leave me with any choice here. You just kissed my brother, when you told me a month ago, that you loved me!"

"I do love you!" I said, tearing up.

"Like you love him? Do you love me the same way? Because I'm pretty sure I love you the way that he does! I love you just as much, Luna!" He said. "And I think I've made it pretty damn obvious since I met you."

"Damon-,"

"No," he said. "I need to breathe. You need to leave me alone."

He left. I quickly grabbed my jacket, following him, but he was already gone. I looked around frantically.

"Luna," Stefan called behind me. I turned to look at him.

"Don't do this," he said. "Don't leave. Stay here. Stay with me. Don't let him control you like this. He's trying to make you follow him. This was his plan!"

"You didn't see the look in his eyes, Stefan," I said. "This is not a plan. He is hurt. I have to talk to him."

Then I ran. I ran to town. Ran to the grill, which was where Damon would spend most of his nights with Alaric or alone. And this was like any other day. He was at the bar, nursing a bottle of bourbon.

I took a seat beside him, and didn't say anything before he talked to me.

"How long?" He asked after a while.

"Two weeks," I answered. Damon nodded.

"I was there for you yesterday, Luna," he said. "I was there for you a month ago. I was there for you a half year ago. I was there when your parents died. And you thought that it was the better idea to not tell me."

I was quiet for a while.

"Were you afraid of how I would react?" He asked.

"I wanted to tell you," I said, looking at him finally. "Stefan thought it was a better idea to keep it to ourselves. Nobody knew. Not you, not Elena, not Caroline, not Bonnie."

Damon downed the rest of his drink and refilled the glass.

"You've had too much grief," he said. "You deserve happiness. If that means letting you go, then that must be it."

I looked at him.

"I love you, Damon," I said.

"I know, I know." He said. "I just wish, it would have been me instead of him."

"I'm sorry,"

He looked at me.

"For what?"

"For not telling you sooner. You deserved the truth."