(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Ninety-Nine

Damon paces the length of his bedroom. His mind spins and tries to come up with the perfect gift idea for Daphne. Because to him, nothing but perfection is going to be right. This is the first time he is going out of his way to get a meaningful gift for somebody he cares for since he was human. And he really cares about this one. The magical little redhead that stumbled and spelled her way into his life like a whirlwind. And he knows her. So he just has to dig deep. Find one thing that is going to make her happy. He's spent enough time with her and around her to know what will do that. He hopes. Why is hunting for a gift for his girlfriend far more terrifying than dealing with a psycho hybrid? And he knows, he knows, that Daphne really doesn't care about him getting her a gift. He knows he can't get it wrong. And yet, here he is. Coming up blank. He knows she likes nifflers, magic, bear claws, spicy candies, coffee...Then he suddenly recalls something he saw under her bed one night when he was hunting for his shoe. It was a strange thing, but not all that surprising for her. It does give him an idea. Something quirky and unique enough that it might just be good enough for her.

......

It is late in the day when Damon finally returns to the Gilbert house, specifically to Daphne's bedroom, where she still lounges in bed with a book, a tray of tea and the remains of some birthday cake. The soft lamp light gives her a sort of warm glow. Even in just some shorts and a wizarding band tee, she looks beautiful. At peace even. Given how stressful their lives have been it has been rather rare for them to feel completely at ease. But she looks it at this moment. Not a care in the world.

"You're still in bed" He muses, leaning in the doorway. Daphne gives him a look and shrugs.

"I have no reason to get up" She defends, lowering her book to turn onto her back, leaning on her elbows. "Fool's errand?" She teases, sensing he's come back empty-handed. He hasn't, and she looks far too smug about it. He leans up and crosses the room to the bed, kneeling on it at her side. He is rather proud of himself. He isn't one for buying gifts for people. Or caring about people. But he is doing all sorts of new things since meeting Daphne. "At least stay in bed with me" She goes back to looking down at her book. "I'm cold" He smirks and pulls his hand from behind his back, a small ring box settled in his palm.

"Red" She hums and looks at the hand, her eyes settling on the box.

"Damon" She starts, warning him that this better not be what she is assuming it to be. Because that step would be way too soon for them and she is not even sure she wants that.

"Relax" He coos. "It's not that sort of ring" He shakes the box at her. She takes it from him and opens it up. Her face cracks into an enormous smile. It's a garden gnome ring. She laughs as she looks at it. It's perfect. It's not overly expensive. It's not something shiny just because. It's a novelty. And she does love her gnomes. She takes the ring from the box and slides it onto her middle finger.

"I love it" She tells Damon when she looks back up at him. His eyes watch her softly. "Thank you" She adds.

"What did Elena get you?" He asks her.

"A gnome" She answers with a smirk. Damon's smugness at his gift fades. He thought he got something pretty unique, and here Elena is getting her an actual gnome. "Dressed as a clown"

"Oh" He lets out, she leans up and shakes her head.

"I love the ring" She assures him fondly. "I love it because you gave it to me, I love it because you thought of me, really thought of me to come up with it"

"It did take me almost all day to find it" He points out, she nods.

"I love it because I know you" She whispers. "And I know what it means" The two of them share a look before he leans closer and kisses her firmly, then leans back a whisper, lips brushing over hers.

"So would you say that my gift is better?" He asks her, wiggling his eyebrows, she chuckles and hums.

"The best" She assures him.

"I do have one more thing" He pulls her down onto her back beneath him with a smirk. "One thing that only I can give you" He looms over her, slotting himself against her. Daphne bites her lip, very happy about the way this conversation is heading. It is her birthday after all. "Do you remember when you talked about that magical karma sutra?" He muses and her eyes widen slightly, it feels like a while ago that she mentioned that book and she just assumed he would have forgotten about it, but she should have known better. Damon is a fiend. And if she's learnt anything from their relationship so far, is that it's never vanilla but she has read that book, she knows some of the moves and spells are a little more than what they've ventured into. It's using magic too. She's not sure how he's going to feel about it.

"You would be okay with me using magic on you?" She asks.

"Do all of the...positions require magic?" He counters.

"Not all....but some" She answers, he hums a little, drawing his fingers over her cheek and neck. "Not all magic is for causing pain" She assures him, wrapping her arm around him to touch his spine, dancing her fingers along the line. "We do have a fun side" She teases, he hums and nudges her nose. Suddenly, a deep warmth erupts from where she's touching his back. Tingling its way through his entire body causing him to gasp against her mouth. Well, if this is the way the afternoon and evening is going, he is not about to complain about it.