𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 | 𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐄 [𝟏]

𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄

CHAPTER NINE | THE NEW DEAL

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

IT WAS FAIR TO SAY THAT ONCE DAMON REALIZED HE WOULD HAVE TO LET GO OF STEFAN, HE SHUT DOWN. Riley knew that Klaus had given Stefan his freedom back once he had saved him, but the only way they were going to get the Salvatore back was if he wanted it himself. Since Homecoming, Damon had spent the majority of his free time drunk. He explained that it was his way of coping after all of the fallout.

"Ah. There you are." Riley's irritated voice bellowed as she strode into the Grill and straight over to Damon, who was propped up on the bar. "Day drinking, really? You've hit an all-new low."

"Who told you I was here?" Damon furrowed his brows, then glanced at Alaric, who was stood beside him. "Wow. You double-crossed me, huh? I'll remember that, buddy."

"Oh, come on. Riley's worried about you." Alaric rolled his eyes as he waved Damon slide a drink in front of him. "I'm busy."

"It's the Eve of Klaus-ageddon. You're doing homework?" Damon scoffed in disbelief as he eyed up the pile of paperwork that was in front of his best friend.

"This may come as a shock, but I am not here to hang out with you." Alaric kept his eyes fixed on Damon before he rolled his eyes. "I'm here to see Jeremy, who is an hour late for his shift."

"Haven't you heard from him?" The Evans witch raised an eyebrow as she watched Alaric shake his head. "Hm. Call Elena, she might know something."

"Kids today. Where are their values?"

"That's his mid-term paper." Alaric slid Jeremy's paper right in front of Damon and Riley, whilst he sighed. "Copied it straight off the internet. Didn't even try to hide it."

"Oh. somebody's getting grounded." Damon's attention was soon taken by Riley, who had grabbed his drink from in front of him and downed it within seconds. "What? Woah. You need to slow down."

"You've literally been drinking for days straight, but I'm the one that needs to slow down?" Riley rolled her eyes just as she watched Alaric gather his paperwork from the bar once he prepared to leave.

Once Alaric had left the couple, another man took his place. "Don't mind me." The pair lifted their eyes up and noticed it was Klaus, who stood with a smirk plastered across his lips.

"Klaus," Riley spoke his name fearfully just as Damon stepped protectively in front of her.

"You going to do this in the Grill, in front of everyone?" The Salvatore vampire scoffed in disbelief. "That's a little beneath you, don't you think?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just came down to my local pub to grab a drink with a mate." Klaus twirled around to one of the Hybrids that stood behind him. "Get a round in, would you, Tony?"