𝐸.

[gilbheart]

* GILBHEART ⠀ ྐ ❦⠀⠀ ໋ ֪           a     private       portrayal      of      the      cw's     𝖛𝖆𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊 𝖉𝖎𝖆𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘   :    elena    gilbert, est. 2021.

a study in: THE EVER GIRL, the center of a love triangle, reluctant heroine, the chosen one, the sacrificial lamb, and the compassionate heart.

❦ CARRD. ❦ SIDEBLOG. ❦⠀PROMPTS.

rules to be added on v soon. but, for now: please don’t follow me if you are below the age of 21, or if you have a problem with d*lena. thank you 🤍

[doeyediary]

spot the difference ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡ 🦌

[gilbheart]

please don't look at me like that.

❦ @brokenbrxther wrote a journal entry.

“ how am i supposed to look at you, stefan ? ” there's exasperation in her words, chest heaving as brows knit. arms fold across her chest and she takes a step back. a step back to protect herself, a step back to distance herself from the impending heartbreak. she can feel it. it's suffocating. elena looks at him, brown hues glistening. a blink, and the tears would surely come. her gaze is searching for another answer, or for an escape route. another way to go about this. but, how can she forget all that's happened ? how can she forget the car ride ? how can she forget... “ you took me back to where my parents died. that bridge, that night, ” anger begins to burn the ends of her words.

“ i feel like you died there, too, stefan. i don't even know who you are anymore. ”

[gilbheart]

“ i’m that gloomy, huh ? ” elena’s voice is soft and somber. she inhales deeply, and exhales right after. it isn’t long though, before warmth begins to creep in like the thawing dawn of a spring morning. damon’s wit and quip actually bring her some comfort this time. he is doing his best, in his own way, to show he cares—— that much is clear.

tick, tock.

elena gilbert sits there next to damon salvatore and allows his words to settle amongst them, as if they were guests joining them in this late hour. only thing missing was a cup of tea: for her, for damon, for the words both said and unsaid. mystic falls was quiet. everything was quiet. as damon shifts his posture upon the couch, elena is still. she does not move away, nor does she move closer.

tick, tock…

the salvatore was right. it would seem as if she was waiting for everyone to go out, one by one. and she did look for reasons…. reasons for why people would leave. why she would be alone. why she deserved to be out of everyone’s life. how she was regrettably the cause of everything, of almost every collapse. the doppelgänger curse and all. yet through it all, company remained by her side. she was eternally grateful for all her loved ones. and even now, in this moment, she was grateful for damon. a blanket covered her form, like a hug she desperately needed. soft polyester brought comfort and a skip to the heart. whatever that meant in itself, it was not the time for her to decipher. her emotional bandwidth was at full capacity. brown hues flicker; the gesture revives her spunk just enough to give him a little tit for tat. “ normally, i’d tune you out like radio static, but tonight, your voice doesn’t sound so bad… ” a light-hearted grin appears, brief, like a shooting star, and she looks at him. elena didn’t want to bring him down, to be a burden yet again. especially not after that. her grip on the pillow releases; the fluffy mold of it beginning rise now that it’s less constricted. the pillow's form is the precedent to the release of her own physical frame. beginning with the tension in her shoulders, moving up to the stiffness in her neck. this relaxation prompts her to sit up, and she adjusts herself accordingly, with ample space, right next to damon. brunette strands almost curtain her face, but a hand of hers rises to brush her face free of any forming shadow. she moves the pillow to the side and takes grip of the blanket, snuggling into it as a sign of receptivity to the gesture. a head tilt and she’s looking at him with. the entirety of her gaze. “ don’t worry. i’ll jot this away in my journal as one of the only nights that damon salvatore actually did something nice. ”

a beat, and she instantly regretted the joke. and unfortunately for her, elena now had to make up for it with what she truly meant or her conscience would eat at her for days. “ look, i’m… glad you’re here, damon, ” words slip past her lips like a secret confession in church. except, there is no repentance to follow. &. now that it’s been said… elena couldn’t decide what was worse: a bad quip to match damon's sarcasm at the worst of times, or the fact that she openly expressed her gratitude towards him, and that her stomach fluttered while doing so.

[bourbonxblood]

Damon’s eyes narrowed at the mention of her journal. “Only one of the nights?” he asked, feigning offense as one hand pressed loosely against his chest. “Elena, I am wounded. Here I was under the impression that my many acts of selfless heroism had earned me at least an entire chapter.” The sarcasm returned easily, familiar enough to give them both somewhere safe to stand. He could tease her about the blanket. About her sudden inability to tune him out. About the fact that she had apparently been keeping a written record of his rare moments of decency. Then she told him she was glad he was there. Damon went quiet.

The words were simple. Barely more than a breath between them. Yet they struck with enough force to steal the next clever remark directly from his mouth. He studied her, taking in the faint uncertainty that followed the admission. Elena looked as though she might try to retrieve it if he waited long enough, gathering the confession back into herself and burying it beneath guilt or embarrassment. He didn’t let her.

“Careful,” Damon murmured, his voice dropping into something softer. “Keep saying things like that and I might start thinking you tolerate me.” A small smile touched his mouth, but it lacked the sharpness of his usual smirk. His gaze lingered on her for another moment before drifting toward the dark television screen, giving her the mercy of not being watched too closely after offering him something honest.

The clock continued its relentless rhythm from the kitchen. Damon had always hated clocks. They measured all the things people lost, every second carrying someone closer to leaving, dying, or becoming another memory he would be forced to carry long after everyone else had forgotten. Tonight, though, he let it pass without comment.

His arm remained stretched across the back of the couch, close enough that the distance between them had become almost incidental. He didn’t close it. He didn’t move away, either. “For the record,” he said after a beat, “I’m glad I’m here too.” The admission came so quietly it almost disappeared beneath the hum of the house.

Damon’s jaw tightened immediately afterward, as though the words had escaped without authorization. His eyes flicked back toward her, and some of the familiar amusement returned to his expression, summoned quickly to cover the moment. “Mostly because watching you attempt to insult me while wrapped in the blanket I gave you is surprisingly entertaining.” He nodded toward the fabric gathered around her, one eyebrow lifting.

“Very intimidating.” The joke softened the honesty without erasing it. Damon settled deeper into the couch, making himself comfortable with the deliberate ease of someone who had no intention of going anywhere soon. He glanced toward the window, toward the darkness outside, then back at Elena. “You’re not bringing me down,” he added abruptly. His voice was casual, but his eyes remained steady on hers.

He knew that look. The careful restraint. The instinct to shrink her grief into something more manageable for everyone around her. As though being in pain were another offense she needed to apologize for. “You don’t have to perform the brave Elena Gilbert routine for me tonight.” Damon tilted his head slightly. “I’ve seen the show. Very inspiring. Terrible ending.” His mouth curved faintly. “So be gloomy. Be quiet. Stare dramatically into the middle distance.” He gestured vaguely toward the room. “I’ll even let you steal my whole brooding-in-the-dark routine.”

Damon’s expression softened again, despite his best efforts to prevent it. “And when you’re ready to sleep, sleep.” His gaze dropped briefly to the blanket, then returned to her face. “I’ll still be here when you wake up.” There was no joke attached to that promise.

Damon looked away before the sincerity of it could settle too heavily between them, reaching for the remote and turning the television back on at a low volume. Some late-night movie filled the screen, offering movement and noise without demanding either of their attention. “Now,” he said, adopting a lighter tone as he leaned back once more, “you can either pick something terrible for us to watch, or I can choose and permanently ruin your opinion of me...further.”

[gilbheart]

every time he shifted, the cushion dipped her weight toward him. subtle, very subtle ---- yet it felt like the pulls of gravity were going to bring them both in collision. her hands tugged the blanket tighter over her frame, as if her instincts were telling her this was inevitable. but what could a piece of fabric do for protection? it's like putting paper over fire, thinking the fire won't burn you.

but, my dear, fire always burns.

there was a pause after her confession, one that withdrew a deep breath that she unconsciously held onto. it seemed like her whole body reacted to what was said, whether she intended for it or not. maybe it was a big deal. it didn't help with him smirking at her like that. icy blues were locked on deep browns, and she was stuck in them, like a deer in headlights. what was it about this moment for her that was so different from all other times ? death. tragedy. loss. blood: she was used to it all. perhaps in dealing with stefan's departure and having to grow thicker skin on her part, the other salvatore also was given a change of pace. truth be told, damon had been tolerable. a little more than that, lately.

another exhale.

the sentiment of his presence was shared. he was glad to be here... it was now carved in her mind. elena clears her throat and sits up, recalibrating her own physical position in the midst of all this. if it wasn't for the ticking clock, ironically, she would've felt like she was floating. the keeper of time was an anchor here, in this old, quiet house. walls stained with sadness, windows to the broken soul. grief is a funny thing. when it's here, you feel like the world's collapsing on top of your lungs and you can't breathe. but, one can guess that even grief dissipates in the good will of good company. having people who care about you ---- that's the best medicine, isn't it ?

it helped a lot for him to say what he did: how it was okay for her to be like this, for her to just... simply be. a balm over her nerves. it's like he could read through her. in this moment, she feels seen. she feels understood. and unbeknownst to her, elena gilbert really needed that. the doe-eyed girl keeps her gaze locked onto him in return. a head tilt, and she offers a genuine smile. it is faint, but you can tell it comes from appreciation. she won't joke back about the journal, or about how his company is beyond something palatable. she simply offers this. “ thank you, damon. ”

the metronome of the clock mirrored the intensity of her heartbeat. the air thickened, and she can feel the warmth flood her face. before internal panic could strike, and it surely was going to, damon cut through the tension with the click of the remote. elena adjusts herself yet again on the couch, this time, pulling her legs to the side. with this move, she inadvertently positioned herself closer to him. her shoulder is barely a hairline away from his frame.

... my dear, fire always burns.

it was too late for her to reposition. it'd be too awkward, and too obvious. grief had drained her energy at this point, it was what it was. play it cool, elena, it's fine. she cuts through quickly to respond to his lightness: an attempt to keep things airy herself. “ do you want terrible like, twilight terrible ? or 1950's romcom terrible ? ”

[nobleimmortal]

promise me this is the end.

For centuries, Elijah had worn the title of the honorable brother, the fix-it man of a broken family, but looking at her now, the weight of her unspoken demands felt intense. He knew that violence followed the Mikaelsons like a shadow, and he could not, in good conscience, promise her a peaceful end to this madness. Elijah wanted to protect her from the problems his family will bring into her life, even if he was powerless to stop it entirely.

❝Listen to me when I say this, Niklaus will stop at nothing until he gets whatever he wants.❞

❝Elena, I want you to know that at some point I will not be able to live up to your expectations. In the mean time, I can do my best, find a witch who could do a cloaking spell before my brother could ever find you.❞

[gilbheart]

“ i’m aware of what klaus is capable of, and i'm not afraid, ” elena bites back ---- more so in aggression towards niklaus rather than elijah. it was always the case: good vs evil. brown orbs stare at the original and she can't help but wonder why this one was so different. both stefan and damon --- her thoughts abruptly stop right there. well, stefan ---- stefan's different. elijah had an air to him that carried a bit of gentleness, if that was even possible with a vampire. she'd only seen that from stefan... it made elena frown at the thought of someone else getting caught in the crossfire of this entire mess. how complicated it must be for someone to have to maneuver around their own brother.

“ i’m not trying to be difficult about it. it's just... ” a beat. “ sorry you're in all this, elijah. what do you need for me to do ? ”

[bourbonxblood]

@gilbheart continued from here

Damon did not answer right away. For once, the silence wasn’t calculated. It wasn’t the kind he used to make people squirm before cutting them open with some perfectly timed remark. He only stood there near the edge of the living room, watching Elena like he had not quite decided whether he had any right to be there.

She looked too small against the couch. He hated noticing that. Hated the way she clutched the pillow to her chest like it was the only thing holding her together. Hated the distant, hollow look in her eyes. Hated, most of all, that she was still trying to let him off the hook, as if her grief were an inconvenience. His jaw shifted. “Wow,” Damon said at last, voice low in the heavy quiet. “Very noble of you. Giving me permission to abandon you while you sit here staring at the wall like the world’s saddest oil painting.”

The sarcasm was there, but it had no bite. Not tonight. He crossed the room slowly, stopping beside the couch before he sat. For a moment, he studied her face like there might be some visible wound he could fix. Something simple. Something he could tear apart, threaten, or kill. But there was never anything simple with Elena.

“Unfortunately for you,” he continued, easing onto the edge of the couch with a careful amount of space between them, “I’m a vampire. We don’t really knock out. We mostly brood dramatically in the dark.” His mouth curved faintly, though he did not expect her to laugh. The joke wasn’t meant to fix anything. It was just something to put between her and the silence.

The kitchen clock kept ticking, loud and relentless. “You know,” he said after a moment, his gaze drifting toward it, “for someone who keeps telling people they don’t have to stay, you spend a lot of time looking like you’re waiting for everyone to leave.” The honesty sat between them longer than he meant it to. Damon glanced at her, then looked away before she could see too much.

“I’m not tired, Elena.” He shifted, turning slightly more toward her. His voice softened despite himself. “And even if I was…” He paused, tongue pressing briefly against the inside of his cheek. “I’m not leaving you down here alone.” Simple. No smirk. No performance. His eyes dropped to the pillow crushed against her chest. “You don’t have to talk,” he added. “You don’t have to explain the staring, or the not sleeping, or whatever nightmare your brain keeps replaying.” His gaze lifted back to hers. “You can sit there and say absolutely nothing. Luckily, I’m excellent company for that. Mostly because I enjoy the sound of my own voice enough for both of us.”

A faint smile touched his mouth, but it faded almost as quickly as it came. Then Damon leaned back against the couch, settling in like he meant to stay. One arm stretched along the back cushions, close but not touching her. His body angled toward the room, toward the front door, toward every shadow that might decide to become a problem. Caring was easier when he could pretend it was strategy. After a moment, he reached for the throw blanket folded over the back of the couch. He tugged it free and draped it over her legs with careful, almost brisk tenderness, like he had to get through the gesture before either of them noticed what it meant.

“There,” he murmured. “My second grand heroic gesture of the evening.” His eyes flicked back to her, soft beneath the sarcasm. “Don’t get used to it.”

[gilbheart]

“ i’m that gloomy, huh ? ” elena’s voice is soft and somber. she inhales deeply, and exhales right after. it isn’t long though, before warmth begins to creep in like the thawing dawn of a spring morning. damon’s wit and quip actually bring her some comfort this time. he is doing his best, in his own way, to show he cares—— that much is clear.

tick, tock.

elena gilbert sits there next to damon salvatore and allows his words to settle amongst them, as if they were guests joining them in this late hour. only thing missing was a cup of tea: for her, for damon, for the words both said and unsaid. mystic falls was quiet. everything was quiet. as damon shifts his posture upon the couch, elena is still. she does not move away, nor does she move closer.

tick, tock…

the salvatore was right. it would seem as if she was waiting for everyone to go out, one by one. and she did look for reasons…. reasons for why people would leave. why she would be alone. why she deserved to be out of everyone’s life. how she was regrettably the cause of everything, of almost every collapse. the doppelgänger curse and all. yet through it all, company remained by her side. she was eternally grateful for all her loved ones. and even now, in this moment, she was grateful for damon. a blanket covered her form, like a hug she desperately needed. soft polyester brought comfort and a skip to the heart. whatever that meant in itself, it was not the time for her to decipher. her emotional bandwidth was at full capacity. brown hues flicker; the gesture revives her spunk just enough to give him a little tit for tat. “ normally, i’d tune you out like radio static, but tonight, your voice doesn’t sound so bad… ” a light-hearted grin appears, brief, like a shooting star, and she looks at him. elena didn’t want to bring him down, to be a burden yet again. especially not after that. her grip on the pillow releases; the fluffy mold of it beginning rise now that it’s less constricted. the pillow's form is the precedent to the release of her own physical frame. beginning with the tension in her shoulders, moving up to the stiffness in her neck. this relaxation prompts her to sit up, and she adjusts herself accordingly, with ample space, right next to damon. brunette strands almost curtain her face, but a hand of hers rises to brush her face free of any forming shadow. she moves the pillow to the side and takes grip of the blanket, snuggling into it as a sign of receptivity to the gesture. a head tilt and she’s looking at him with. the entirety of her gaze. “ don’t worry. i’ll jot this away in my journal as one of the only nights that damon salvatore actually did something nice. ”

a beat, and she instantly regretted the joke. and unfortunately for her, elena now had to make up for it with what she truly meant or her conscience would eat at her for days. “ look, i’m… glad you’re here, damon, ” words slip past her lips like a secret confession in church. except, there is no repentance to follow. &. now that it’s been said… elena couldn’t decide what was worse: a bad quip to match damon's sarcasm at the worst of times, or the fact that she openly expressed her gratitude towards him, and that her stomach fluttered while doing so.

[gilbheart]

can you please just get some sleep?

long, silky tresses hang and drip, like the ocean's dark waves crashing at midnight. the gilbert's cranium is sunken into the sofa's arm with a pillow crushed against her chest. the kitchen clock ticks, and it's louder than usual. stefan wasn't here. jeremy was missing. it was just them: elena gilbert and damon salvatore. the atmosphere was thick with things unspoken: a silent, tremendous weight. in addition to all the chaos in the last few weeks, it’s safe to say that none of this helped elena's insomnia. the crow's plea reaches her ears, but it does not stir her. doe eyes are blankly staring out to the other side of the living room for a few moments after. eventually, a sharp inhale is taken and she tilts her cranium to meet those concerned blues. elena feels a little numb right now, but she can tell damon cares. admittedly, it always makes her feel something.

“ you don't have to stay up with me, damon... i won't hold it against you if you decide to knock out. ”

[dailyninagifs]

[gilbheart]

hiiiii 🦌♥️

[pnwander]

mama + fawn

[gilbheart]

SCHOOL HAD JUST FINISHED FOR THE DAY, the bell's rung, and students have burst through the doors like a calvary. it's the beginning of winter break, and all of mystic falls high school is in a frenzy. the brunette herself is overtaken with excitement, her hopeful heart unyielding to the trauma and disasters that have since taken place in the summer. no, today: elena marie gilbert is optimistic. she's choosing happiness, she's choosing joy, she's choosing to look at things with fresh eyes. and with her heart latched around stefan salvatore, it's no secret that his presence contributes to this mirth. he uplifts her, heals her, protects her. he's become her shelter, her very best friend. and said best friend was just a few feet away, talking to matt and the other guys. but, elena couldn't help herself; with stefan's back turned towards her, she charged up in an attempt to surprise him.

would it be successful, considering he's well, you know, a vampire ? probably not, but that youthful spark of hers was glowing and she wasn't going to dim it down. not this time, not during these holidays. a school-free, playful elena snakes her arms behind the frame of her favorite salvatore, and she lets out a fierce, “ boo ! ”

|▐ surprise starter for @brokenbrxther .

[brokenbrxther]

damon always mocked him for insisting on going to school. it was true — he had no business pretending to be confused in geometry, or preoccupied with term papers, or stressed about the upcoming game. but he very much had business in making sure elena gilbert had as normal a life as possible, especially considering the large role he played in her life being just the opposite. stefan was well aware of the unspoken between them. the silent battles she must've faced on her own for the sake of wanting to be with him. the cost of loving him.

if showing up for a few classes and playing the role of a normal jock was going to give her even an ounce of joy, then he'd do it for a lifetime.

" woah, hey! " he faked surprise quite well, brows raising and a chuckle escaping his lips as elena's arms wrapped around him from behind. if he were being honest, he could feel her before even seeing her. " you trying to give me a heart attack? " a joke and they both knew it. he shifts enough to be able to wrap an arm around her shoulders, keeping her close to his side. the group began to scatter away, but not before tyler could loudly remind them of his party.

" guess we're going to a party tonight. or... not? we can skip if you want. i wouldn't hate keeping you to myself. "

[gilbheart]

GRINNING FROM EAR TO EAR, giddiness bloomed upon elena's face in the form of a smile. it never ceased to amuse her whenever stefan played along with her antics. in these small ways, he was normal. she was normal. life was normal. two teenagers deeply in love with one another, and that was it. perfumed giggle leaves her, mirth in her playful response. her petite frame gets comfortable as his arm returns the affection. “ i'm getting faster than you now, ” she jests, knowing oh so well that stefan was more than capable of sniffing her out miles away, amongst the many of his abilities. on his side now, the doppelgänger remains close to her boyfriend, joining the last bit of the group's chatter before dispersing. it was a lockwood showdown tonight; totally fitting for a mystic falls holiday celebration. this was another chance for things to be all right, and elena wasn't going to miss out on it. that, and the fact that she wouldn't hear the last of it from caroline. “ mm, it wouldn't be so bad if we went out tonight. we could spend the rest of the weekend in after, ” lips tug yet again into a grin as a jolt butterflies swarm her stomach. there's no denying that elena's fond of stefan's possessiveness. she loved to feel it.

“ you can have me all to yourself with a movie night and smores, ” a hand reaches up to link with the one slung over her shoulder, head warmly leaning against him as she leads a walk to her car. an inhale, and elena's already playing out scenarios with a backup plan. she's used to doing that nowadays. “ let's go, and if it gets a little much... there's always the patio. ” dipping away from a party has totally become a thing for them, and besides ---- it's always good to compromise. and so, doe-browns look up to her handsome best friend for confirmation. “ that sound good to you? ”

[gilbheart]

AN EYE ROLL WAS GIVEN AT THE GIRL SCOUT COMMENT, but at the same time, elena had to check herself. a cheeky grin appeared with it, &. that in itself was out of character. she clears her throat and shakes her head to dismiss the amusement altogether ---- an attempt to wipe off said grin just in time for the door to open. it wasn’t long before the door made way to reveal the infamous damon salvatore. his tall, toned physique leaning against the frame didn’t stop the brunette from stepping into the entrance, own form meeting him inches away. doe-eyes peer into icy blues, the smirk on his face practically taunting her. “ i’d rather not get a cold these days, ” arms cross over her petite frame as a small chill shudders down her body.

the wind didn’t cease, and with the air way coming through the door, the cool intensified. “ and if i get one, it’s on you to play nurse. ” outwardly, lips purse at the thought, but inwardly, the vision gave her butterflies. tenderness from the vampire? oh, mystical falls would riot in frenzy. with a pivot, elena doesn’t even give damon a chance to respond. she heads towards the sofa and sets down her backpack, propping herself down next to it. the house was warmer, but, the chill still lingered. “ got any tea to warm things up? or is bourbon the only thing you’re stocked up on? ”

[crowsalvation]

Damon’s smirk sharpened the second she stepped past him, brushing close enough that he caught the faint warmth rolling off her skin. She thought she hid that grin well but she didn’t. Not from him. He saw it flicker and vanish like she was ashamed she’d ever let it surface.

And he liked that it had been for him.

When she crossed her arms and shivered, Damon arched a brow, eyes tracing the subtle tremor along her shoulders. “Oh, sweetheart." Damon purred, grin slow and wolfish. “I’d make a hot nurse. Maybe you should get sick and let me prove it.”

He said it lightly, teasingly, but there was that undertone that hinted he wouldn’t mind taking care of her in the slightest. Before he could follow up, she pivoted and walked straight inside, making herself comfortable on the sofa like she belonged there. Damon huffed a laugh under his breath and shut the door behind them, sealing out the cold.

He headed toward the kitchen, rolling his eyes dramatically. “We do have tea.” He called over his shoulder. “Believe it or not, we’re more than just a bourbon household.” He pulled down a box of Earl Grey, dropped a tea bag into a mug, and let the kettle finish heating.

A few minutes later he returned, a steaming mug in one hand and a glass of bourbon in the other. Damon extended the tea toward her first, letting their fingers brush slightly before settling beside her on the couch.

“There you go, princess." he teased, taking his own slow sip of bourbon as he let the warmth hit him. Then he glanced sideways at her, studying the way she fit into his living room, backpack at her side, hair still swaying from the walk in the wind.

“So,” Damon said, tone deceptively casual. "What’s the surprise pop in visit for?” A beat. “Checking on the Salvatores?” His smile tilted, knowing. "Or checking on me?”

[gilbheart]

CAPTIVATING BLUES imprinted a burning stare whenever they landed on her; elena could feel his eyes on her every move. like a hawk to its prey: a lion to a lamb. it was electrifying. and with it, beneath its heat and subdued fervor, elena gilbert sensed deep care from damon. there was something in him that she saw that many hardly did: something genuine, something warm. beneath that exterior, beneath the wounds and trauma, the anguish, the anger, the violence ---- all of it. elena could see the heart beating beneath it all. it was there. maybe subtle. maybe hanging by a thread. but still there.

it wasn’t an extravagant process to get the tea going; before she knew it, damon delivered her a mug. her hands reach to carefully receive it, and in that brief moment, their hands touched. fingers grazed, butterflies stirred yet again in the lows of her tummy. feeling like a true teenage girl, ( but with a little vampire-esque touch ) elena bypasses the feeling altogether with a soft, “ thank you.” hands pull the cup to her face, allowing the steam to tickle her chin for a moment. she takes a breath in, the heat of earl grey caressing her face. simply carrying the cup in her hands thawed the slight chill of her body. the atmosphere had begun to be cozy, and yet... then came damon.

just as she’d begun to settle in, the other salvatore simply couldn't resist to stir the pot: true damon fashion. elena's emotions had gotten so intense since the transition. her own acknowledgment of them in itself has been brutal. things coming in left and right… feelings she couldn't understand, revelations she never planned. ugh, why is this so hard? damon asked if she’d come to see him… simple, playful ---- but still a provoking question with all things considered. would she be bold enough to admit it? doe-like in innocence, elena diverts the call to answer with a sip. the tea is quite hot, but manageable. a beat.

[ ... ] elena is contemplative, but despite the rush of it all, lying was never her strong suit. the brunette's ribcage expands in a deep inhale. “ would it be so bad if i said yes? i feel like you can understand me right now, damon. ”

[tvdversegifs]

[inkpressedpetals]

[gilbheart]

SCHOOL HAD JUST FINISHED FOR THE DAY, the bell's rung, and students have burst through the doors like a calvary. it's the beginning of winter break, and all of mystic falls high school is in a frenzy. the brunette herself is overtaken with excitement, her hopeful heart unyielding to the trauma and disasters that have since taken place in the summer. no, today: elena marie gilbert is optimistic. she's choosing happiness, she's choosing joy, she's choosing to look at things with fresh eyes. and with her heart latched around stefan salvatore, it's no secret that his presence contributes to this mirth. he uplifts her, heals her, protects her. he's become her shelter, her very best friend. and said best friend was just a few feet away, talking to matt and the other guys. but, elena couldn't help herself; with stefan's back turned towards her, she charged up in an attempt to surprise him.

would it be successful, considering he's well, you know, a vampire ? probably not, but that youthful spark of hers was glowing and she wasn't going to dim it down. not this time, not during these holidays. a school-free, playful elena snakes her arms behind the frame of her favorite salvatore, and she lets out a fierce, “ boo ! ”

|▐ surprise starter for @brokenbrxther .

[gilbheart]

THE FALL WIND is no stranger to her, the cool air of mystic falls a signature staple in her life for as long as she can remember. elena, belly quite full after lunch with bonnie and caroline, begins her way home. there is a pause, though, just before she arrives back to the empty house. a sudden inclination to check on the salvatores came to her. it wasn't unusual in her eyes, though she was aware of the mixed feeling in the lows of her stomach. especially considering the awkward tension with the stefan situation. she clears her throat [ an attempt to recalibrate ] in the confines of her car as she props it into park. a swift movement, and elena gets up, backpack and all, out the car and to the front door. without hesitation, the gilbert knocks upon aged wood. bag slung over her shoulder, long brown tresses cascading upon her slender frame, the doe-eyed school girl awaits a welcome in the doorway. she was hoping it would be damon to answer the knock, but would she ever say that out loud? probably not. probably never.

|▐ starter for @crowsalvation .

[crowsalvation]

Damon didn’t even bother pretending he hadn’t heard the car pull up. His hearing was far too sharp for that, and honestly, Elena was one of the only people he actually bothered to track when she was nearby. Still, he stayed where he was on the couch until the knock came and the corner of his mouth twitched.

“Sorry!" He called out, tone thick with amusement. “We’re not interested in any Girl Scout cookies.”

He pushed himself up, taking his time as he strolled toward the door. The house was quiet, Stefan nowhere in sight which was good because that meant this particular moment was his to enjoy without the younger Salvatore breathing sincerity and moral lectures over his shoulder.

When Damon finally opened the door, he did it with that familiar lazy charm, one shoulder lifting, posture casual. He leaned his body against the doorway, crossing his arms loosely over his chest as his eyes swept over her from head to toe. “Well, wellm” He murmured, smirk deepening. “Look what the wind dragged in.”

“So.” He drawled, tilting his head ever so slightly. “How’s the weather out there?” He knew exactly how it was. It was cold, unforgiving, and very Mystic Falls. But he asked anyway, watching her closely, enjoying the way she always tried not to show too much.

[gilbheart]

AN EYE ROLL WAS GIVEN AT THE GIRL SCOUT COMMENT, but at the same time, elena had to check herself. a cheeky grin appeared with it, &. that in itself was out of character. she clears her throat and shakes her head to dismiss the amusement altogether ---- an attempt to wipe off said grin just in time for the door to open. it wasn’t long before the door made way to reveal the infamous damon salvatore. his tall, toned physique leaning against the frame didn’t stop the brunette from stepping into the entrance, own form meeting him inches away. doe-eyes peer into icy blues, the smirk on his face practically taunting her. “ i’d rather not get a cold these days, ” arms cross over her petite frame as a small chill shudders down her body.

the wind didn’t cease, and with the air way coming through the door, the cool intensified. “ and if i get one, it’s on you to play nurse. ” outwardly, lips purse at the thought, but inwardly, the vision gave her butterflies. tenderness from the vampire? oh, mystical falls would riot in frenzy. with a pivot, elena doesn’t even give damon a chance to respond. she heads towards the sofa and sets down her backpack, propping herself down next to it. the house was warmer, but, the chill still lingered. “ got any tea to warm things up? or is bourbon the only thing you’re stocked up on? ”

[flowerytale]

Jeanette Winterson, from The Stone Gods