Salvation (TVD Fan Fiction)

Chapter 30

3rd POV

Stefan did his best to appear stoic as he stared at the remnants of his Bambi-themed birthday cake, but ended up snorting with laughter. Damon could be so abrasive sometimes, always finding humor in the most inappropriate situations, and always relentlessly teasing him. But Stefan loved Damon, and he appreciated his brother's unwavering loyalty. He looked over at Damon as he shoved the last bite into his mouth, smiled, and started laughing again.

Damon shrugged unapologetically and grinned back. "Sorry I couldn't have the real one here for you instead, but you of all people know what a pain in the ass PETA can be," he called out.

"There's always next year, right?" Stefan laughed back.

"Wishful thinking, brother. I like it," Damon said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Stefan's abundant joking seemed to be proof that he was indeed enjoying himself at his party, and for that, Damon was pleased.

Out of the corner of his eye, Damon caught sight of Elena staring shrewdly at him and instinctively tightened his grip around Rhi.

Wonder what bug crawled up her ass, Damon pondered silently before deciding that he didn't care enough to find out. Instead he refocused his attention on Rhiannon.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear before kissing her hair.

Rhi looked up at Damon through her thick eyelashes and smiled brightly. "I love you, too."

Elena stared down her nose at Damon and sniffed disdainfully. She had watched Rhiannon with contempt all evening. While she had been thankful to the red-haired vampire for saving her from Katherine, seeing how Damon interacted with Rhiannon consumed her with jealousy. Stefan may be hers, but the idea of competing with anyone for Damon's affection was unnerving. Elena refused to believe that Rhiannon had won Damon so easily, and she wasn't giving him up.

Rhiannon was more than happy to see that Ric had switched from bourbon to water. When she had voiced her concern, Damon had told her that he had seen his friend far more inebriated in previous situations, but Rhi still contemplated hiding the liquor bottles at home. The man drank like a fish, and she worried that all the liver transplant jokes weren't too far away from becoming a reality if Ric didn't slow down.

"Hey, uh, listen, I'll be right back. I've just gotta run and get something real quick," Damon announced rather suddenly, eyeing Ric meaningfully and doing his best to avoid the bewildered expression on Rhiannon's face.

"Well the party's over for the most part anyway, isn't it? Why don't I just go with you?" she offered.

Damon's eyes darted to Alaric for some help. After a moment, Ric seemed to finally catch on to Damon's predicament, and finally chimed in.

"And leave us here with this mess, Rhi? Come on! What's a matter with you, huh?" Alaric managed to say, rather convincingly to Damon's surprise.

"You know Stefan won't be cleaning up anything, either. So yeah, the two of you get cracking," Damon added.

"Oh? And what makes you exempt from clean up duty?" Rhi inquired, her left eyebrow arched noticeably.

"Because, Kitten. I am always the one cleaning up messes. I'm taking the night off, for a change."

"So you get the night off and I don't?" Rhi challenged.

Damon chuckled at her relentless interrogation, wondering to himself why he hadn't remembered to simply stick the blindfold in his pocket before he left. For a brief moment, he wondered if it was really worth the trip home at all.