Damon's wrapped around Elena's waist from behind. They stared into the mirror, Damon's face blank whilst Elena made up for the lack of emotion with a beaming smile. Damon felt like he was withering into nothing whilst this kept on going.
Damon had no bravery to break up with Elena but he was desperate; desperate men could do anything. But, he wasn't cruel enough to do it before the ball and would wait until one of the following days to break up and then it was time to solve things with Stefan.
Damon felt his heart clench at the mention of his brother and that very feeling sent a smile to his face but a pain to his eyes. Elena, oblivious to his thoughts, smiled at him, glad to see that he had put a smile on his face again.
Elena broke away and clasped the necklace that now hung around her neck. Damon had given it to her as a present, a goodbye present, she didn't know that- not yet. Damon took off his tie, giving no explanation to Elena as why. It was simply uncomfortable and that was reason enough.
It was a statement, too, he didn't want to look like he cared, he didn't. This marked the end of a crushing relationship and whilst he wanted to celebrate, he did not feel that a ball was the place to do so. It wasn't as if he could celebrate before he even did break her heart, anyway.
Stefan, on the other hand, was getting ready alone. He would meet Caroline outside; she wasn't able to go with Tyler, for a reason she wouldn't tell a soul, and Stefan would have to do. He stood in front of the mirror, his suit looking pristine- too pristine for his liking- and his hair set in a way that made him look neat but lazy. Like Damon, he didn't care about this ball, he was going out of jealousy.
He would be able to get away with it, that much was clear. With his recent breakup with Elena, it would look as if he was staring at her and not his brother. That was how Stefan knew the night would go. He would stare without restraint as Caroline dragged him to dance, to which he would let her out of pity and then the night would end and nothing would change.
He was wrong, so very wrong.
That night would be so different to every other night. That night would bear something new, something forbidden.
Stefan only realised that when the doors of the ballroom opened, Caroline at his side, Damon and Elena following behind.
Caroline made small talk with Stefan as Elena chatted away to Damon, who was somewhere on the line between consciousness and unconsciousness. Stefan and Damon sighed at the same time before their eyes locked and a small smile twitched on their lips.
'God, Stefan, I think that's the first time you've smiled all day!' Caroline laughed, grabbing his arm and leading him to the bar where she ordered a wine for both of them.
'Off topic, anyway. As I was saying...' the gossip continued like a spiral that only seemed to loop back in on itself.
Stefan had lived for more than a century and never had he been so dulled. Maybe it was just the anticipation of what was to come but he didn't know that, he was no physic.
Life is a confusing thing and even after living so long, Stefan couldn't wrap his head around it. And right now, he couldn't wrap his head around how Caroline had been talking for so long.
Damon and Elena had disappeared God knows where and Stefan was stuck listening to the, now drunk, Caroline.
Stefan didn't mind for the most time that he had some background noise and someone to pretend to chat with whilst he looked around at the other guests but he was not prepared to drive Caroline home when she was stumbling and slurring her way around.
Stefan had brought his car on the knowledge that Caroline would become intoxicated at some point during the night but he would rather it didn't happen. It was too late now, anyway, and Caroline could hardly walk in a straight line but Stefan couldn't give even a glance in her direction to check he was okay as he decided to walk into the bustle of the Mystic Fall's Ball, apparently in honour of the mayor's birthday though Stefan couldn't see the man.
Stefan scoured the party to find someone who was at least worth of some of his time but couldn't find a soul who he could make conversation with. The name that had been running through his mind all day was brought up but he shoved the thought down and continued looking for a candidate.
Another few minutes passed and seemed that Stefan would have to suffer in silence this time. He didn't like to talk anyways but it would have been nice to have been able to talk to someone real rather than look at those fake smiles and big egos.
Stefan had seen enough of it in his time and he could feel his soul float away every time another man or woman told him the story of when they, or one of their family members, had killed a bear, a wolf or even, sometimes, a vampire.
He felt sick every time his species came up. He had become accustomed to plastering the smile on his face and tell them of his family's past with vampires as if he were not one himself. They were all so naïve, unable to see one in front of their own eyes.
Stefan didn't mind, of course, he would rather pretend he was not a vampire at all and he would be happy playing a human if it were not for the ravenous hunger he felt. The thought of blood sent shivers to him and suddenly the people around him turned into a blood bank.
'Not again, not again.' He whispered, the voices around him closing him. He shut his eyes and clenched his fists, frantically wishing the thoughts away. The animal diet sufficed but he couldn't help the urge of the ripper inside of him.
'Stefan.' A calm voice came, Damon's. Stefan's muscles relaxed a fraction as he opened his eyes to see Damon, alone. 'Let's get out of here. I know that look.' It was true, Damon had seen it many times. He couldn't help but fear the ripper inside of Stefan but he knew that when he saw it, it was time to go.
Damon led them around the mansion until he found a room that they could slip into and locked the door behind them. 'Stefan, you need to calm down.' Stefan nodded and leant his forehead on the wall, facing away from Damon.
'I can't do this. I'm going crazy.' Stefan mumbled, wanted to punch a hole through the wall.
'No you're not, Stefan. I'm here and everything's going to be okay. I promise you that.' Stefan nodded and followed Damon to the sofa before he sat down and rested his head on Damon's legs, immediately feeling slightly better.
'I'm serious, Damon. I don't think I can do this anymore, this life.' His voice trembled as he met his brother's eyes. They were stony and cold but Stefan could see the glint of pain that made him realise he had just said the wrong thing.
'You're not leaving me, brother, not again. I won't let you.' Stefan nodded and sighed.
'I need help then.' He made his way up but Damon pushed him back down.
'That I can help with but for now, stay here. I don't think it's safe to go back yet.' Damon knew it was safe enough already but he yearned to just have a few minutes silence with just him and his brother. They were fed up and unready to return to the human world.
In those few minutes, they could just be themselves, comfortable and they found themselves back to their childhood as they simply enjoyed each other's company without the disturbance of another being.
It was nice, for once, to have silence. Stefan was afraid of silence and Damon didn't enjoy it any more but in that moment, they were content. That was all they needed.
word count: 1368
published: 19.02.17
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Denial ✘ Stamon ✘ Defan
Fanfiction''i love you... ...no you don't,, Stefan and Damon have suppressed their feelings for each other for too long, They don't realise that love is a funny thing, lines are blurred together and it's hard to tell one from the other. But, for Damon and Ste...
