(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Ninety-Eight

Damon is fast asleep in his bed when Daphne apparates into the room straight from Klaus's mansion. This is the one place she wanted to go after dealing with him because Damon makes her feel safe. And if there is to be retribution from Klaus, then she'd rather have Damon watching her back. She climbs onto the bed, trying not to disturb him. She wants to let him sleep. But the bed dips beneath her and it wakes him up. She cringes a little as his hand reaches out, seeking her. Fingers touch her knee and he turns his head to look at her.

"Ah, when did I fall asleep?" He leans up as Daphne smiles at him. She holds up an empty blood bag from the top of the bed. There are a few there. And an empty whiskey bottle. And Chinese food cartons.

"I would say after bag four or five" She teases a little, but he looks concerned. He might not have been all there when she brought him back, but he was aware enough to know she was going after Klaus. She rolls her eyes a little. "I'm fine" She assures him, throwing the bag back onto the bed next to the other empty bags. After what he went through with Rebekah, Daphne doesn't really blame him for binging.

"And Klaus was just fine to let you walk away?" She smirks and glances at him.

"Would I be sat here if he wasn't?" She counters, he lets out a breath and then shrugs.

"Maybe I'm dreaming" He comments glancing at her slyly. Seemingly there are no lingering effects of what he went through if he is attempting to flirt with her. Daphne snorts and then moves to straddle his waist. He hums. "Starting to maybe believe...." She chuckles and leans closer to kiss him. His arms wrap around her back. After today. This is a pretty great place for him to be. The perfect way to end a shitty day. Fed, healed, safe, and wrapped up in a delicious little redhead. He slides his hands up under the back of her jacket to pull her closer to him, her arms wrapping around his neck.

....

They all sort of wait for it in the days after Daphne's confrontation with Klaus. They wait for the blowback. But it doesn't seem to come. Klaus seems to accept the threat that she made. It doesn't stop them all from waking up on edge. Waiting for it. Except Damon is feeling more relaxed about things this morning. He doesn't know what it is. He doesn't know why. But there is something about today that has Daphne relaxed, which helps him. He is stretched out in Daphne's bed, his hand on his stomach as he watches her wrapping the book that Hermione had sent her, she needs to send it back now that she is finished with it. Archimedes, the owl, is perched on the windowsill waiting for the package. Damon was slightly annoyed that the bird woke them both up before the sun had even risen but given how excited and happy Daphne was by his visit, Damon didn't stay annoyed very long. A box in his talons, which now lays untouched on the dresser. That just makes him curious, and a curious Damon is a very annoying Damon. Daphne lets out a breath, feeling his eyes on her as she moves across the room to Archimedes. She hands off the package and closes the window once the bird flies away before she turns to the bed and Damon. She smirks and shrugs out of the hoodie she'd pulled on to keep warm then climbs back into bed with him, crawling across the blankets to reach him. He smirks as she leans over and kisses him. His hand comes up to thread his fingers through her hair. He could get used to mornings like this. The last few days he has woken up with her at his side. No rush to get up or do anything. Time to explore one another. He hasn't enjoyed sex like this in a very long time. He does it and it was always fine with others, but there is just something about doing it with Daphne that peaks over the others. There is a knock at the bedroom door before it is opened. Whoever it is, is not waiting for any response from them. Damon throws his head back against the bed with a groan as the door opens. Interruption. Daphne glances over her shoulder to find that it is Elena who has let herself into the bedroom. She smiles sheepishly at them both and then waves a gift box in front of her.

"Happy birthday" Damon frowns and lowers his head to look at Daphne as she climbs out of his lap.

"It's your birthday?" He asks, she hums and nods. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because we've had bigger fish to fry" She answers and takes the gift from Elena. "And I wasn't expecting anything from you, Damon, we haven't known one another that long" He hums a little, not at all happy that he's missed her birthday like this. With everything they've been through, this should have been a bigger deal. A chance to celebrate and have fun. Damon jumps up and grabs his shirt from the floor along with his jeans and boots. Elena pulls a face as he moves. That's a little more of him than she really wanted to see. Daphne gives him a confused look though. "Where are you going?" She asks him, and he leans over and kisses her.

"I won't be long" He assures her then smirks. "Happy birthday, Red" He offers, she shakes her head.

"Damon, you don't have to..." She starts but he kisses her again to stop her. He wants to. He actually wants to go out and find a gift for her. He wants to do this for her. He heads out of the room, leaving the siblings to share an amused look. But Elena knows how much Damon means to Daphne, and how content she is with him. There is such a weight lifted from her. A weight that Elena had never even noticed before.