Howl

Damon. Danica. Jackson. Natalya. Hayley.

[packdivided]

30 minutes ☙

[packdivided]

onehellboundangel:

“ of course there is a difference… but i guess that at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter , does it ? when you’re hurting , you’re hurting. “ it sucked either way , no matter how good anyone’s intentions were. maybe she didn’t know a lot about relationships , but she went through more than enough pain to know this. “ right. having standards is important. “ but god knows her own were  q u i t e  high. it was safe to say that she was rather spoiled in that department after all. 

serena gave him a surprised look when he called her bright. it was not rare that people told her she was sweet , but no one ever called her bright before. it brought a gentle smile to her lips as she gave him one nod of her head. “ thank you , doctor wolff. i appreciate it. i do hope you learn to listen to your mom , by the way. who knows… if you stop thinking so much you might be able to find the love of your life ! “ if there was such a thing out there. 

the hybrid could sense his confusion , which - in turn - confused her & she wished she could have just disappeared into thin air once he explained what he meant. “ wow. that was… “ awkward , to say the  v e r y  least. he almost seemed like her mistake amused him , so she tried to ignore the blush that continued to set her cheeks on fire & shrugged her shoulders.

“ i guess frequent hookups are a thing. not with more than one partner though. “ she wasn’t that kind of a girl was she ? “ as for that question… we’re not in a committed relationship , or dating or anything. “ oh god. was this as bad as she thought it was ? “ i know how that makes me sound. “ she mumbled , once again lowering her eyes to the ground. 

It was true, intentions did matter but they didn’t always matter enough to outweigh the effect of the words or actions. Perhaps they made it easier to forgive someone but for many people they couldn’t actually erase, at least not entirely the pain felt. Jackson’s standards weren’t terribly high or complicated, but he supposed that the one criteria that he did have was something difficult for many to achieve. Did that make him picky? The doctor laughed when she said maybe if he stopped overthinking things he could find the love of his life. “Maybe. But I like to think it is not so bad. Most wolves don’t think enough before they act, they’re impulsive, reckless... perhaps being more contemplative is not a bad quality for a guy like me to have.” He winked at her as he noted her gentle smile in response to his compliment.

He bit his lip to hold back a little chuckle, not wanting her to think that he was mocking her. Much the opposite, he just thought it was an endearing mistake, and he was amused by the situation/miscommunication. He softened up a little the following instant as he realised that her confusion probably came from the fact she was not used to seeing doctors. He hoped this experience would help change that.

“It doesn’t make you sound like anything in particular, Serena.” Jackson started reassuringly, but he meant it. “As long as you are happy and enjoying yourself, no one should be telling you how to enjoy your sexuality and what to do with your body. It is your choice, and as your doctor I am simply here to guide you on how to best remain self and happy in accordance with your choice.” He offered another bright smile before continuing. “Do you... know if your species is fertile?”

[packdivided]

The Road is Long ☙

[packdivided]

doppclicious:

“Thank you.” Elena muttered in a quiet tone. She appreciated his kind words, even if they were not enough to make it all better - to be honest, it seemed like nothing was and she hated it. This gloomy, depressed person? It was not who she was. It wasn’t who she wanted to be. If only it could have been easier to be grateful for her survival too… 

The brunette stared at him for a moment or two, trying to figure out what to say. He was the first person that could relate to her situation ; sure, some of her friends ‘lost’ parents too, but they were alive. There was a chance that time would heal their relationships, there was hope that they would come back into their children’s lives. She would never have that.

Great, now she felt like crying again, so she quickly gave him a small smile while she attempted to ignore her own thoughts. “I am sorry that you lost your parents too, Damon.” Just like she was sorry for ruining the mood, but she was not going to say that. There was no need for him to try to convince her it wasn’t so.

She inhaled a deep breath before she studied him in confusion. “If you’re not thrilled to be back… Why are you?” Sometimes people didn’t have much of a choice, Elena was aware of that, but it was her turn to be curious - she couldn’t help it. The slightest blush crept it’s way onto her cheeks when she heard his next words, but she was dead set on ignoring the tingly sensation. Maybe he wouldn’t notice! “Well. For what it’s worth, I’m glad you don’t hate it. At least not completely.”

This man still caused her to feel a little nervous and something about his behavior was strange, but she was starting to grow more comfortable, so she was kind of glad that he decided to sit down. “It sucks when people do that.” And Elena was sorry that he found himself in a situation like that, but she would probably seem like a complete idiot if she apologized again. “But what would you do if he went on a vacation? Stay home alone?” She wondered until the crimson on her cheeks intensified. “You’re not that bad, but awesome? I don’t know about that.” Wow. If this wasn’t the lamest tease ever. “I will have a water and their pizza primavera.” Elena smiled. She didn’t even have to look at the menu to make that decision ; it was her favorite. “You really don’t have to do that. I mean…” They just met. He didn’t have to play the gentleman.

He didn’t push the issue any further. Besides it wasn’t like she owned him anything in particular, much less a smile for the gratitude of a stranger who didn’t know much about her, that she was alive. Damon wasn’t especially educated in matters of modern human psychology, but even he understood the principle behind survivor’s guilt. It was probably something he had himself experienced when his mother had passed away... as well as at other times in his life, though those times might have been different in terms of the hand he had played in his own misfortune. But that was not something he liked to think about. He preferred to think about how satisfied he was with the fact he had outlived his father. Because in reality the true loss of his father hadn’t been when Giuseppe passed away. No, it occurred before that... it occurred in the constant berating, the constant disdain his father harboured towards him. It happened in the small and the large betrayals, and the cruelest of all was the last one. In reality, he’d been so foolish to hope for his father’s love and approval still. Ugh thank goodness validation was a human thing. Or so he told himself. “Thanks. It was a long time ago so don’t worry about me.” He wanted to tell her that it got better, at least for him it did, but he knew that now was definitely not the time in her grieving process to say so. Instead he decided to simply state something about himself. “It’s not easy losing your parents, it took me a while to get over my mother’s passing in particular but in the end, it might sound strange but there are certain experiences I’ve had since then that I might not have gotten if she’d still been around. I miss her but I like to think she watched over me and kept me going in her on way.” Okay maybe that was a bit of an embellishment but he was careful not to specifically say he hoped she was proud of him. Because if that were a thing, she certainly wouldn’t be proud of him. Luckily, as a vampire he no longer cared. Or, he’d convinced himself of that fact. He was grateful to take the conversation away from what was obviously still a fresh wound for her, and an awkward subject for him. Not that Zach wasn’t awkward, but it was a different kind of awkward, a kind that almost amused him. “Eh you know. Unfinished business. Stuff.” He was purposely vague almost as if he were making a joke in the third degree, but her blush didn’t go unnoticed at his next words, and his heart (what was left of it), skipped a beat for half an instant before he suppressed a smirk. Maybe getting close to her wouldn’t be so hard after all. “Yeah, I would. It’s a pretty swanky crib, I wouldn’t mind having to myself... or sharing it with select company,” he glanced at her, right after she turned crimson and attempted to tease him. “Whoa, easy there tuck your claws back in kitten. Guess you’ll just have to find out how awesome I am for yourself,” he pursued. He waved her notion of not having to pay with a hand gesture. If only she knew that he didn’t any money at all so it wasn’t any trouble, but even if it were the case... “Don’t worry about it, I might be a bit of a rascal these days but I was raised as a Southern gentleman. You’re the only one welcoming me back in this town, the least I can do is buy you dinner.” If only she knew how truly, he was literally raised as a gentleman from the antebellum south. Not that he’d always acted like it, but certain manners and maures were ingrained notions at this point.  He hailed the waiter over. “A primavera pizza for the lady. And I’ll have the steak dinner. Cooked rare. Do you want anything to drink, Elena?”  

[packdivided]

The Road is Long ☙

[packdivided]

doppclicious:

Elena didn’t think that a stranger truly cared to hear another stranger’s story, but what was the point in ignoring his words or waving them off? Jenna told her that she needed to talk about these things, as hard as it was, and maybe that was right. Besides, if he stayed in this town he would probably find out anyway. Everyone talked about the tragic death of Miranda and Grayson Gilbert and the miraculous survival of their daughter. 

“How could it?” She asked him with a sigh. The brunette was not expecting an answer, but she was not trying to be rude either. It was all just… so fresh. Talking - even thinking - about this made her feel like she couldn’t breathe. “There is nothing good about losing your parents. About being the talk of the town because no one knows how you didn’t drown with them.“ And who knew, maybe it would have been better if she did. Of course it would have been worse for Jeremy and she knew she had to carry on, but it sucked.

But she was tired of crying and she sure as hell wouldn’t do it around him. This whole thing was awkward enough as it was. “Oh.” She mumbled while she leaned back against the chair, watching him. Elena still didn’t think that they met before, but he looked like he was a little older than her, so maybe that was why. Not to mention that she didn’t know every single soul that resided in this town. Only most of them. “Welcome back to Mystic Falls then.” 

“It’s nice to meet you too.” It was, even if she wasn’t completely comfortable in her skin right now - but that was not necessarily Damon’s fault. “Salvatore? Right. I’ve seen Zach a couple of times.” But she didn’t really know him. “Weird how?” Elena wondered out loud before she gave him another faint smile. “I am sure he’s happy to have you back.” Family was so important. She would have given everything to be reunited with her own. 

This stranger was definitely curious to hear her story. That was perhaps different than caring but on some level, Damon perhaps without realising it, was growing invested, and in some way he definitely cared to hear her story, if only to understand the mystery that she probably wasn’t even aware of, unfolding before them.

The vampire shrugged lightly even though he knew the question was rhetorical, the gesture was meant to acknowledge her words whilst simultaneously acquiescing for her to continue telling him about her. It was rapidly clear though that this was probably more than just a bad day or a boy problem. His ears picked up on the way the flow of her pulse changed and how shallow her breathing became, things that she may or may not have even been aware of herself. 

Her next words confirmed his impression, but it was worse than what he would’ve expected. Then again, he’d argue that having your parents try to murder and sell out your lover, then without blinking try to have yourself murdered wasn’t great either. “I’m really sorry to hear that. I lost both of my parents too. Not at the same time but... still. I get it. For what it’s worth, I’m glad you made it though.”

Damon made a face when she welcomed him back to Mystic Falls pursing his lips slightly with a cringe. “I can’t say I’m thrilled to be back. In all fairness, it’s not like there’s a welcoming committee throwing me a parade either. But thanks, I didn’t expect to meet someone interesting so I guess being back is not all bad.” He flashed her a little quirk of a smirk again before the conversation moved on to Zach. 

“Yeah he’s living at the Salvatore boarding house still.” He chuckled a little when she said that Zach was probably happy to have him back. Oh this sweet little bird, if only she knew the truth. “Yeah he seems delighted. But maybe I can convince him to leave town for a little bit, he could use the vacation. When he gets grumpy he starts to blame everything that goes wrong on me instead of just enjoying my awesome company. But you seem smarter than him about that.” He picked up the menu and handed it to her, looking into her eyes almost as if trying to penetrate her mind. "Now tell me, what are you having? I'll make it my treat."

[packdivided]

The Road is Long ☙

[packdivided]

doppclicious:

As much as she wanted to, Elena couldn’t read the look on his face. It almost seemed like he didn’t expect her reaction, but what could he possibly expect from a total stranger? Was she missing something? No, that was unlikely. She would have remembered him, if the two if them met before, right? The brunette bit the inside of her cheek when he said that she looked lonely… That was exactly how she felt, but it was nothing that could be fixed - especially not by a mysterious stranger. His next words caused her to feel that void inside of her even more, but she tried not to let it show as she shrugged her shoulders. It was good practice for her return to school. 

“What happened wasn’t exactly abnormal. “ Accidents happened all of the time, even in a small and peaceful town like Mystic Falls. Elena knew it too. “It just… it changed everything for me.” For Jeremy, for Jenna. For all of the Gilberts. “Are you new here?” She asked in response to his remark. He had to be ( in spite of the fact that he talked about this town like he knew it ), right?

She opened her mouth to react to his introduction, but the words never left her lips. All that she could do was stare into his eyes and… Why couldn’t she look away from him?! “Katherine who?” Her voice was barely a whisper and by the time Elena wanted to try to remember if she ever even heard the name before… she couldn’t remember what she thought about. It was gone and he carried on, so… Wow. Her mind must have been playing tricks on her. That was no surprise, she barely slept these days. Could he sit down with her? It didn’t look like he would give her a choice, but she kept the snarky comments to herself. Who knew. Maybe it was him that was lonely ; it wouldn’t be fair to hurt his feelings when he was probably just trying to be nice. Besides, it was not like he could do anything as long as they were inside of the Grill - in case he was a crazy psychopath. “Sure, sit. I was about to order food anyway.” She nodded her head. “You said your name is Damon? I’m Elena Gilbert.” The brunette added as she attempted to fake a smile. 

Most humans were terrible at fronting. This one was no exception, and he picked up the way she bit her inside cheek, whilst trying to shrug casually, probably unaware of how tense and awkward the shrug looked. He must’ve said something wrong. Okay. Now his curiosity was definitely intrigued and not just because she looked like a damn clone. Which he now knew was just a physical thing, her body language couldn’t have been more different from that of the woman he had known. “Doesn’t sound like it changed everything in a good way.” He prodded lightly. It was said in such a manner that if she didn’t want to talk about it, she didn’t have to reply without making it awkward, whilst if she did, she definitely could answer. Not that he expected her to open up, but 150 years of existence certainly hadn’t taken away Damon’s curiosity, as disinterested as he often liked to act. “I’m not new here, no.” He’d waited until after the compulsion, so as to make it seem like the flow of the conversation had be uninterrupted. “But I haven’t lived here in a while, I’m staying with an uncle,” he lied as if it were the most natural thing in the world, though he couldn’t help but smirk a little bit at the familial designation he chose. It was pretty comical, really. He gave her a nod of acknowledgement and sat down when she invited him to studying her features, looking for differences, wondering how this was possible. The fact he’d managed to compel her clearly proved that she was human. So, there was no way in hell this could be Katherine, but how? “Nice to meet you Elena Gilbert,” the b bounced off the tip of his tongue as he echoed her name and flashed her another charming smile. “Yep that’s right. Damon. Damon Salvatore. I’m Zach Salvatore’s nephew, though you might not know him he’s a bit of a recluse and somewhat of a weirdo.”

[packdivided]

The Road is Long ☙

[packdivided]

doppclicious:

Elena Gilbert loved Mystic Falls. Or that was how it used to be. Sure, this town had always been a little bit boring, but she liked that about her home - right until her parents died, changing everything in the process. Could things ever be the same after you came face to face with death? She tried to be strong for her younger brother and for her aunt, even for her friends, but deep down she could not deny how empty she felt. How lost.

The sun did not make her smile anymore. The thought of going to school to prepare for her future stopped motivating her. Cheer-leading seemed like an awful waste of time. It was hard for her to enjoy anything, even though she knew that she needed to learn how to do it again. If she couldn’t enjoy things for herself, Elena needed to live for her parents. They would have wanted that, right? 

A sigh fell from her lips when she entered the Mystic Grill - she didn’t want to come here, scared that she would run into Matt and thereby make the day worse than it already was, but she needed some food after the morning she had. Not to mention that it gave her an excuse to hang up on her ( very concerned ) best friend. “No, Bonnie. I promise, I will be fine.” She told her after she gave the waiter a tiny smile and took a seat at an empty table. “I don’t need more time. What I need is for things to go back to normal.” And attending school was a first step in the right direction. “Okay. Monday. 7:30. I’ll be there. Love you too. Bye.” 

She shoved her phone into her bag - an action that momentarily kept her from looking up as someone approached her. “Hi.” Elena mumbled, half expecting the waiter, but she was taken by surprise when her eyes found the male’s face. He definitely wasn’t a waiter, or if he was she’d never seen him here before. That itself was strange - this town was small ; most people knew each other… but she would remember him, right? Something about him made him… stand out. Was it the smile on his face? Most people didn’t smile like that anymore. Hell, it felt like an eternity passed since she smiled in that way. “Can I help you?” 

‘Love you too?’ that definitely didn’t sound like Katherine as he remembered her. His brows furrowed slightly in spite of the smile that still hung at his lips as his eyes scrutinized her expression for any clue. What the fuck? Was she playing some kind of game with him? No... She seemed genuinely confused and unaware of who he was. Had something happened to her that’d erased her memory? The thought of it made his stomach flip. After all this time- but then the alternative, the notion that she was pretending not to know him? That was just as confusing and infu-  Wait. She wasn’t wearing her necklace, the one with lapis lazuli that she’d shown him and told him about. The situation was becoming more perplexing by the second. An idea popped into his mind. Finally retrieving his voice and explained himself. “No. I noticed you from the bar and thought you seemed a little lonely. I couldn’t help but hear the end of your conversation. I have a hard time imagining anything happening in this town that could be considered abnormal,” he lied with a hint of a smirk.  An idea dawned on him. “I’m Damon,” he introduced himself simply before gazing straight into her eyes and focusing on constricting the willpower of her mind, bending it to his own, ensuring that she could only speak the truth - or at least what she thought to be true, and yet wouldn’t remember the following second about this interlude in their conversation. “Do you know Katherine Pierce?” he asked, very quietly. He carried on a little more loudly, releasing the grip on her mind so as not to leave her with any discernible blackouts. “May I sit down with you?” His question was more of a formality, as his debonaire smile and his confident body language already indicated he had every intention to sit. 

[packdivided]

The Road is Long ☙

Damon Salvatore hated Mystic Falls. Or so he told himself. Yet in over 150 years he had not been able to resist the pull that drew him back here again and again. Which, he told himself was more to do with having to check up on the Salvatore boarding house every now and then and his only living relatives over the years. (And he wasn’t counting the undead). Nonetheless it was just one of the many lies he repeated to himself over and over as a mantra.  He certainly did not stop to enjoy the trickling of sunlight through the thicket of trees along the roads and various forested areas in the town. He did not pause to admire the intense, fervid colours of the foliage in the fall, nature borrowing the guise of fire to herald the approach of winter. Nor did he stop to breathe in the scent of pines and damp earth or look up at the cawing of crows. Those were things for the living. Those were things for humans. Damon, had spent the last century and a half convincing he was neither. The Vampire knew that little details changed overtime, but as far as most places went, Mystic Falls remained in many ways much the same. He expected to see perhaps a storefront here and there with a more modern look, just as he expected to see the church to remain just about the same. He expected to see the same old decoration at the grill, with perhaps an evolution in the seating arrangements over time. What he did not expect however was to see her. To see that face. Here, and now.  He froze as he saw her reflection in the bar mirror but made no move to get up. After a few seconds he peered into his glass, considering what to do. He downed the rest of his bourbon and tried to eavesdrop on her, sussing out information. Strange. Her voice sounded different. Had she adopted a new persona? How had she gotten out of the tomb? It took a few more minutes before he decided to get up, walking over to her table and offering a dashing smile. “Hello.”

[packdivided]

30 minutes ☙

[packdivided]

onehellboundangel:

“ uhm… ” serena had very beautiful & well mannered friends , but somehow she did not like the thought of setting up a date with them. “ you are joking again , aren’t you ? “ she questioned while she gave him a shy smile. way to go , serena. he probably thought that she was one hell of an idiot. 

the hybrid bit her lower lip as she listened to his words. some of them made sense , she had to admit that , but she didn’t want to think of love that way. her view on that subject was probably messed up enough already. “ i’m sure you’re overthinking it. it’s not common to have that lie detector , you know ? most of us simply need to trust the person they want to be with. besides… anyone could hurt you. even out of love. ” though he probably didn’t care all that much about her opinion. hell , she was like a three year old in a grown up’s body. 

his touch didn’t make her uncomfortable , at least not in a way that would have made sense. serena did not mind - it was just… it was strange. her cheeks were tingling & she made sure to keep her eyes lowered to the ground ; or anywhere that wasn’t his face. 

the blonde nodded her head , glad to hear that he didn’t judge. her eyes wandered up to his face again & god , she wished they didn’t do that once she heard his next questions. “ i , uh… “ why was it so hard for her to look away ? her nails dug into her thighs before she shrugged. “ i did have sex before , but i… i mean i’m… quite obviously not… currently… sexually active. “ holy shit. what on earth was she saying ? 

Her shy smile was irresistibly cute although Jackson tried not to think about it. There was no question that finding his patient so endearing was toeing a dangerous line. But it was a small town, and maybe these sort of things were less frowned upon. Damnit! He shouldn’t be thinking in this manner. “I think you’re right about the overthinking... My mamma always did tell me I thought too much,” he smiled at her warmly this time. He seemed a little surprised when she mentioned that anyone could hurt him, even out of love and he nodded lightly. True, people hurt each other all the time. “But there’s a difference between intentionally hurting someone and accidentally hurting them, still you’re right. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to have standards though.” He couldn’t help but wonder if she had had a lot of relationship experience. “I hope that never happens to you, you seem very sweet and very bright Miss Salvatore.” For a moment, Dr. Wolff was confused when she said that she was quite obviously not currently sexually active. His head tilted ever so slightly before he had to bite the inside of his cheek as he realized she had misunderstood the question. His piercing eyes sparkled with the laughter he couldn’t let out and he started “uh... that’s... not.” God. She was cute enough to eat. “I’m sorry I should have clarified. I meant it like... are you having sex regularly or frequently. My next question was going to be if you were in a committed relationship. But I know some people also have frequent hookups with more than just one partner.”

[packdivided]

30 minutes ☙

[packdivided]

onehellboundangel:

“ i am sorry. “ she mumbled before she gave him a small smile at his ‘joke’. it wasn’t even funny , but serena thought that it was important to be able to smile about certain things - especially when they were not amusing. it showed strength. “ and i’m sure you will be able to find someone that won’t upset you. “ the hybrid added with a sweeter smile. 

at the end of the day relationships could always be exhausting , in one way or another , but honesty was important. no matter what. the species didn’t really matter , did it ? 

the blonde stayed quiet for one moment before she shrugged. “ i don’t know… but i would rather be with someone that wouldn’t lie to me than with someone that would lie to me and others. “ maybe it was selfish , but things weren’t simple anymore. it was hard to find any match at all & maybe the only way to find love was to settle for 98%… 

” i think so too. “ she agreed with a hint of sadness lacing her voice. there was so much she wanted to learn about the past & the future , but it felt like a lot of people didn’t care anymore. it was terrible. serena looked up at him when his hand rested at the nape of her neck , but she was quick to lower her eyes again - before his features could distract her !

the doctor’s question was nothing she expected , but the hybrid didn’t need to think twice. there was nothing to be ashamed of. not in that department anyway. “ very rarely. i get in the mood sometimes , but only… i don’t know. once or twice a year ? “ she honestly couldn’t say if it would change , now that she was older , but she preferred to stay in control.  “ nothing too extreme either. my father taught me to be very cautious. “ 

“Yeah? You wouldn’t happen to know any good girls, would you?” he continued to joke though he smiled at her well-wishing, trying to indicate that he appreciated her sentiment. As for Jackson himself, he didn’t think of himself as strong for laughing at something “difficult” so to speak, it was just a fact of life to him. 

While it was true most people were at least a bit dishonest - in fact some people were so used to telling little lies, white lies that they often didn’t even realise it anymore, he had hope he’d one day meet someone, no matter the species, who was straightforward and honest.

“Well that’s true... but if you don’t have a lie detector, how would you know? I mean even if they don’t lie to me, but they lie to other people... what else are they potentially willing to do to me?” He let out a little laugh and shook his head. “I suppose I’m overthinking it. Doesn’t need to be this way though. Maybe I should just take things as they come.”

He noticed the way her gaze furtively glanced away from her when he rested his hand on the nape of her neck. He had a hard time reading her reaction - it didn’t seem like she was made uncomfortable by it, yet... perhaps she was unsettled. He counted back from 10 mentally. Really this was ridiculous he shouldn’t be thinking of his patient in such a way...

“Sounds reasonable. Personally I believe most things are okay in moderation. Enjoying life is also part of having a good health,” he assured. “Alright... last round of questions. It will be a little bit more personal, but I want you to know that no matter your answers there is nothing to be shy about, my job is simply to guide you.” He sat back down facing her, his near-hypnotic eyes piercing into hers. “Have you ever had sex before, and would you consider yourself currently sexually active?”

[packdivided]

30 minutes ☙

[packdivided]

onehellboundangel:

“ i guess people are just… used to it. “ tiny little lies were much easier to tell anyway. it didn’t take anything at all to make something seem more dramatic , whatsoever , whereas big lies certainly did take some nerves. “ is there any way you can turn it off ? at least for a while ? “ she wondered. it wasn’t like serena wanted him to do so around her , the female just wondered if it was possible. 

serena thought about his words before she laughed in a quiet tone. “ you wouldn’t tell her ? in that case i really hope your future wife is going to be a naturally honest person. “ it was a tease , but only in some ways. the doctor seemed like he was a good person & he deserved to get the things that he wanted to have in his life. 

sitting still was hard for her in this instant - she tried to focus on his explanatory words rather than his hands , but she couldn’t say that it was an easy task. maybe that was the reason she gave him a quick roll of her eyes , though it was a playful one. “ i told you. the amount of human inside of me isn’t that big. “ so it was rather unlikely that she got hurt. especially by another demon… but he didn’t even know what she was , meaning that she couldn’t blame him for being careful. 

several times a week ? the hybrid shook her head at him before she shrugged her shoulders. “ once a week. sometimes more , sometimes i won’t drink anything at all. “ not to mention that she only drank around people that weren’t human either. people that could step in & stop her at any point if something happened. “ i’m studying history. i know it sounds boring , but… it helps me learn. “ which was more important to her than having fun at college. yet another reason why she thought about staying at home. no library could match the one that the salvatores had. 

Jackson smiled when she asked if he could turn it off. He shook his head. “No, sadly not. I wish I could. I guess that’s why I’ve been single for so long,” he added pursing his lips slightly as if laughing at his own self-deprecating joke. “It would be easier if I could, a lot easier on my nerves, less exhausting and... sometimes less upsetting.” 

He supposed that’s why most triggered werewolves tried to stick to other wolves. But Jackson thought that was limiting and thought it was as nonsensical as rejecting prospective partners based on race. Who knew where love, where compatibility could hide?

“I guess I wouldn’t tell her right away, but eventually maybe. I just wouldn’t want to start off a relationship. Because what if they would lie to anyone else? What does that say about their character? I mean I guess there can be good reasons to lie... but as a general rule.”

He hummed thoughtfully and nodded his head as she listed off her drinking habits. Moderate, sounded about normal. “Alright.” He smiled when she said history sounded boring. “It doesn’t sound boring at all, I always found History to be a fascinating subject. I think it’s important to know where we are coming from to know... where we are going,” he stated, his hand now done tracing through her hair, the other one resting on the nape of her neck. “What about drugs?”

His tone was inquisitive and showed no trace of disapproval. Hey, he was a werewolf after all, he had sown his wild oats back in his day and still could let loose and party hard even now. And of course, it probably didn’t affect her body the way it would a human, or not at the same rate, but again, no such thing as too much information in his opinion. 

[packdivided]

30 minutes ☙

[packdivided]

onehellboundangel:

the blonde nodded her head in acknowledgement of his answer. that was good… she honestly didn’t want to upset him. “ trust me , i think i have an idea. “ so maybe she was the lucky one for not having it. serena knew people lied to each other all of the time , but some things must’ve been hard to take. “ but hey. it has it perks. your wife could never ever lie to you. “ & that must be a relief , right ? 

serena scrunched her nose when he said that she only thought that they healed - he was right , of course , but she didn’t want to admit that. the hybrid always wanted people to believe that she could handle herself. “ i was bleeding and now i’m not. “ she pointed out , letting her stubbornness get the best of her. “ i would say that’s the definition of healing. “ even if she knew he was referring to injuries that wouldn’t show on the surface.

“ so you think that i’m cute ? “ she questioned with a raised eyebrow. it was mostly just a tease , but she bit down on her lip in the next moment , cursing herself for saying anything at all. he was her doctor. the last thing she was supposed to do was flirt with him. no matter how playful it was. “ i hope you get to do that one day. “ she mumbled before his touch sent a shiver down her spine. his skin was so warm & maybe that would’ve been enough to let her know what he was… but she was just so distracted. 

“ i - uhm… “ she took a deep breath , trying to pull herself together. “ i am studying at the moment. “ even if she thought about quitting to be home with her family again. “ partying is fun , sure. … … but i’m… not an alcoholic or anything. “

“The amazing thing is all the small lies. Just tiny, insignificant lies that shouldn’t need to exist, and yet for whatever reason people still do. I understand what might lead people to it sometimes, but it can get quite irritating for my nerves. Like I said it tingles... and when it does all day long...” his voice trailed off and he shrugged. He didn’t want to bore her with all that. But hopefully, even without knowing about his power, she wouldn’t ever feel a need to lie to him. 

“I’m not married so I honestly can’t say. But if I were, I wouldn’t necessarily let my wife know about it. Because I wouldn’t want her to feel the need to lie in the first place... same with any partner. I want honesty, but honesty shouldn’t be forced.” Or at least not in a relationship. In his ever so humble opinion.

He finished working through her part, before gently sectioning her hair to examine another area of her scalp. “I don’t see or feel anything wrong so far, but rather be safe than sorry,” he explained. One thing that he knew was an obstacle in the profession was appropriate communication between doctors and their patients, and he didn’t want to treat her like a silent idiot, which is why he tried to include her in what he was doing, by briefly mentioning it.

“It’s ok, I’m not here to judge, I just need to know in order to provide you with the best care. How often would you say you drink then? Every weekend? Every other week? several times a week?” Not that he needed an exact figure, just a ballpark number. It probably wasn’t all that important given she wasn’t entirely human but then, he knew even supernatural beings could get drunk with sufficient amounts of drink and who knew how that may affect their bodies long term. “What are you studying?” he asked to continue the friendly conversation even as he was examining her.

[packdivided]

30 minutes ☙

[packdivided]

onehellboundangel:

it was true that the hybrid didn’t mean him any harm - all she wanted was for people to get along , no matter what they were. serena never understood why people fought so much. being cautious , however , was something she certainly understood. it wasn’t easy for her to admit just what she was & while she was curious about the doctor’s species , she wouldn’t ask the one question she always feared. 

the blonde watched him as his jaw flexed & she bit down on her lip while she searched for his eyes. “ did i say something wrong ? “ she muttered before his words distracted her. “ a built-in lie detector ? “ how cool was that ? “ wow. why don’t i have something like that ? “ the female laughed lightly though she was partially teasing. it surely had it’s benefits , but there was a dark side to most things in life. this was probably one of them. 

“ they already healed. “ she stated with a roll of her eyes before she could stop herself. it was not the doctor that annoyed her , it was just that she had to tell her father the same thing - over & over again. “ but fine. “ she gave in with a sigh. serena really didn’t want to be rude to him when he tried to be so kind & patient with her. “ of course you can take a closer look at me. “ 

jackson’s tease actually managed to make her laugh & her blush increased once again. what could she say ? she was a fast blusher & right now it embarrassed her how obvious it was that she didn’t want to be here. “ for what it’s worth , it’s not necessarily you i want to get away from… i’m just not a fan of hospitals. “

“No, you didn’t say anything wrong,” Jackson started. To be honest he flexed his jaw muscles whenever he was in thought, or waiting for someone’s answer. It was a mostly neutral thing for him, which was not the same as when he clenched his jaw or otherwise displayed expressions of tension. “And yes the lie detector is pretty handy most of the time, but it can get irritating after a while... you wouldn’t believe how many lies people might tell in a day.”

“You think they healed! You are probably right, but that is why I said those kinds of injuries don’t always heal in the manner that you think.” He explained. Likely if something were wrong with her he’d be able to detect it with his keen sense of smell. If he could detect ordinary human ailments, why wouldn’t he be able to sense something off pertaining to the supernatural?

“I’m glad to know I’m not the source of your repulsion,” he continued to joke. “You’re lucky you’re cute and can get away with saying that! But I get it. I don’t particularly love hospitals either. It’s why I hope to work in a clinic at some point.” He got up and gently walked over to he resting one of his deft, refined yet masculine hands on her shoulder as he softly traced a finger along her hair’s parting. His nose didn’t indicate anything was wrong, so he began to ask her the questions she’d need to in order to update her file.

“So, I’m guessing you’re a college student? Do you have any extracurriculars besides fighting demons? Like... partying for example?” 

[packdivided]

30 minutes ☙

[packdivided]

onehellboundangel:

if only serena knew what that meant. the young woman knew surprisingly little about the creatures that lived on their planet , but maybe that was just what happened when you grew up so fast. she made a mental note to read more about other supernatural beings once she got home & she gave him a slight smile while she studied the male. “ alright. that’s not awkward at all… “ she mumbled though she wouldn’t ask what he was. not now. they only just met & serena knew that a lot of people weren’t comfortable with this conversation - including her ! 

a blush crept it’s way onto her cheeks , coloring them in a crimson color , but she stared right back into his eyes when he told her that he hated it when people lied. “ how do you know ? “ the hybrid whispered in confusion before she bit down on her lower lip. great. a supernatural doctor she couldn’t lie to. if this wasn’t her lucky day…

it was kind of him to attempt to reassure her , but a part of her still wanted to leave. even if the doctor wasn’t allowed to tell her family what happened , serena felt like it would become way more real once she said it out loud. but what else was she supposed to do ? not speak to him at all ? the blonde ran a hand through her hair & she inhaled a deep breath before she shrugged. “ fine. there was a demon in our backyard and i can assure you he wasn’t friendly. so i took care of him. as i said. i’m okay. “ it honestly wasn’t a big deal , but her family would make it one. 

“ i’m sorry i lied , but you have to understand. “ there was no one in her life she wanted to talk to when it came to these things. in spite of the fact that she trusted them with all of her heart. “ what else do you want to know ? “

She still seemed puzzled by his reference but did not try to push it further. In some ways it made him relax as it probably meat she wasn’t a direct threat to him, but still one could never be too cautious. As a general rule he did not reveal himself to vampires - and while her scent wasn’t that of a full fledged vampire it carried an olfactory signature that was similar, and he couldn’t forget that... as much as he found himself liking her. And if she didn’t know werewolves were a thing... he didn’t want to risk scaring her either.

Jackson’s jaw muscles flexed slightly when he noticed her blushing. She was incredibly cute like that and for a moment he was briefly distracted by it. “It’s part of the ‘perks’ of my being not so human. Like a built-in lie detector,” he explained. Naturally it wasn’t fool-proof and only reacted to people who were aware they were lying.

He waited patiently as she seemed to make up her mind on the matter of whether or not she would be honest with him, and he even offered a little wink, as if to say it really was okay to tell him. His expression remained impassible when she said she fought a demon in their backyard and for a moment he realized she was in some way lucky to have him as her doctor. He’d never met a demon, didn’t even really know they were a ‘thing’ until now. But she spoke the truth.

“Can I take a closer look at you just to be sure? While I’m sure you’re as good as new, injuries caused by... supernatural means don’t always heal in the way you’d expect,” he stated gently. “And then we can update your file and you’ll be free to get away from me,” he joked with a little laugh.

[packdivided]

30 minutes ☙

[packdivided]

onehellboundangel:

“ hi , dr wolff. “ she smiled a little while she squeezed his hand. for one moment she thought about saying that it was a pleasure to meet him , but it kind of wasn’t - not when she was forced to be here & when she felt rather uncomfortable in her own skin. not that it was his fault. as a matter of fact , he seemed much nicer than her former doctor.

the words that followed his introduction took her by complete surprise & all that serena could do was stare for a second ( or sixty ). “ wait. how do you know ? “ as far as she was concerned there weren’t many creatures like her. it was not exactly an every-day scenario that a child was conceived by a human & a vampire , not to mention that this child was born during a demonic possession. serena was anything but normal , not even among other supernatural beings. “ i don’t think you’re going to see a lot of me. “ she admitted in a quiet tone. “ i’m only here because my father insisted. “ just because something about her was human. 

serena took a seat , shrugging her shoulders. she couldn’t exactly tell him that she fought with another creature , could she ? not even stefan knew. “ i’m clumsy. i tripped and fell. it’s nothing , really. “ & she really hoped that he’d believe that. 

“ what do you need to know ? i can try to answer your questions. “ but to be honest… there were a lot of things that the blonde just didn’t know about herself. as much as she hated it. 

“Like I said, I have a nose for these things,” he repeated when she sounded startled by his words. He suppressed a laugh by wetting his lips instead, before clarifying. “I’m not exactly human, either.” Though if she didn’t ask or guess by now what kind he wouldn’t reveal it for now. They had only just met after all! And though he couldn’t tell exactly what she was, she had a distinctly non-human scent. She bore a similar scent to some hybrids and vampires but it was different. He wasn’t there to judge or presume though.

An irritating tingle tugged at his nerves and he let out a long sigh. Of course, the lie detecting abilities had always proven very useful from the moment his powers had been active, but it didn’t make the sensation any more pleasant, as practical as it were as a doctor. “I’m going to need you to be honest, Serena. I hate when people lie.” He looked at her with his piercing blue eyes as his gaze bore down into hers, showing he was serious, and not bluffing. 

“You shouldn’t worry about telling me anything,” he assured calmly, and offering another smile, relaxing a little to show her he meant no harm. “You’re old enough to qualify for doctor-patient confidentiality, which means anything you say will stay between us, if you’re worried about that. And if you’re worried about being judged, that is not an issue either. I’m just here to take good care of you, and in order to take the best care of you, I need as much accurate information as possible.”

It was important to the young doctor to establish that first, before he updated her file.

[albatrosswashere-deactivated201]

… to be human is to love

[packdivided]

30 minutes ☙

[packdivided]

onehellboundangel:

serena hated doctors… well , she didn’t hate doctors , but she hated it when she had to go see them.

- because the truth was & would always be that she wasn’t human. she had no idea how to act around them & she certainly didn’t know how to explain things that could only be explained by exposure. not that anyone would believe her. they would probably send her straight to the loony bin.

that was why she was so glad about her recent growing spurt. the hybrid honestly thought that she’d be able to put this circus behind her , but here she was. waiting for her turn because her father ( a freaking vampire ! ) got too worried over a slight injury. he should’ve known better ! 

the blonde sighed , wiggling her foot in impatience until a nurse showed up to walk her to her new doctor’s office. this was even worse. serena knew how to handle the old one - she wasn’t prepared for someone new. 

“ that is me. “ she answered in a half-hearted tone , but it wasn’t until she saw him that she started to feel even more discouraged. the man was good looking & young. how was that going to help ? 

the young woman caught herself staring and she cleared her throat while her shoulders dropped in defeat. god , she hated stefan for making her go here. “ but i really don’t want to waste your time and i’m afraid i am. i hit my head , but it wasn’t that bad. i feel fine. “ there wasn’t even a scratch to be found , in spite of the fact that it bled pretty badly before. oh , the perks of being the daughter of a vampire. “ can i just… go ? “

He offered her a warm smile as soon as she confirmed who he was, trying to put her at ease. “I’m Dr. Wolff,” he introduced himself, extending a hand for her to shake. She didn’t have the scent of a witch and he knew that allowing her to touch him wouldn’t necessarily expose him. She did, however, bear an intriguing scent, and he could sense her reluctance at being here. It wasn’t always easy to gauge what the reactions would be when he let people know that he was aware of their other-ness, but in this case, he wagered that the secretiveness was a factor in her apprehensions. 

“It’s okay. I know you’re not exactly human,” he stated bluntly. “One could say I’ve got a nose for these things,” he smirked charmingly. “Be that as it may, I still should give you a quick once over. Hopefully I’ll be your regular doctor from now on, we should get to know each other a little better, regardless.”

Jackson gestured for her to sit down so he could examine her. “How did you hit your head exactly?” He asked, enquiring to be sure neither of them were missing anything. In all liklihood she would be totally fine, but he thought it best to ask just in case. Especially if the injury had occurred supernaturally, in which case he would be able to tell if something was off enough for her to need a witch.

“I’m sure you’re as good as new, but I will be needing to ask you a few questions to make sure your file is up to date.”

[packdivided]

30 minutes ☙

Jackson had spent most of his morning walking a metaphorical tightrope. He was admittedly aggravated by the fact that he had specifically chosen Mystic Falls because he was hoping he could have a more humane approach to medicine there, and yet once here they were trying to crunch as many people into his schedule as possible. They were saying he should spend no more than 30 minutes per appointment, that he should be as swift as possible in redirecting people to specialists. But how was he supposed to get to know his patients this way? How was he supposed to start learning what was normal for Mr. Brown vs what was normal for Miss Labontée?

This was not why he’d chosen to become a doctor. This was not what he had dragged his ass through medical school for. This was not why he’d sacrificed big city living for. Not that small towns didn’t have their charms... but he’d always enjoyed the pulse-pounding liveliness of big urban living. 

Nevertheless, he figured that if he could get through this day and meet or exceed expectations, he would have more room to negotiate and lay down his own terms. So he swallowed his objections, focusing on his work, trying to best the doctor he could possibly be given the circumstances, putting his patients at ease with his kind demeanour and infectious smile where possible. He also quickly realised that Mystic Falls had an unusually high number of... non-human residents which stopped shocking him after a while, though he remained cautious, and wasn’t certain if he should broach the subject with them yet. 

In spite of all this, nothing prepared him for the feeling that struck him as soon as his next patient walked through the door. Hurriedly he glanced at his tablet’s screen, double-checking the name to ensure he did not misspeak.

“Miss Serena Salvatore?”

[packdivided]

Prodigal Return

[packdivided]

pierceyourhearts:

packdivided:

Of course he knew that the shoes were no more than an excuse. It was not about the shoes, or in a sense, not even about his thoughtfulness really. But life had not been easy for her, and subsequently, he knew that even after all this time it was difficult for her to express certain feelings. To show attachment overtly. Damon didn’t know if that would ever change, but frankly to him it did not matter. He loved her as she was and above all, he understood her. The other thing is, of course the gift wasn’t meant to buy her good graces, but rather, because he refused to take her and her love for granted. She was his whole world, and he never wanted her to stop feeling like he treasured her beyond all measure.

Keep reading

Damon too had gone through a dozen lifetimes, with and without her, but in the end, they had in one way or another, always been about her. About waiting for the moment, the time where he could reunite her. About longing for her when it was impossible to be with her. About worrying over her and struggling with the guilt of being unable to save her right there and then. Of course, as he soon learned, she was Katherine Pierce, and when she, as Katerina Petrova had most needed for someone to save her, no one had been there. So she’d learned to save herself - and as much as it had hurt him when he’d initially found out, he only came to admire her more for it. Perhaps that was part of the reason why, in spite of the pain that separation caused him, his short trip to Italy had not scared him. He was not afraid of losing her in the same way as he once had. They had their beautiful son, the jewel of their love, and he could trust her, to always look after herself and their little one. Even if deep down it did nothing to quell that virulent and primal desire within him to protect them both. He would easily give up his life for her, but they needed each other. Which is exactly why he would have never gone if he had thought there was even the slightest possibility of him not coming back. Though impulsive as he may’ve been, since getting her back in his life and becoming a father, he actually did take the time to look before he leaped. His body spasmed as she began to move rougher, harder, her hiss sending down jolts of pleasure down his spine as her pussy clenched mercilessly around his shaft. He panted as he leaned forward, his hand sliding from between her shoulder blades to surround her waist, and pull her closer to his chest, nipping softly at her ear and the sensitive skin just behind it, near her neck. “Thankfully, you will never have to make that choice, gattina” he breathed in a tone so sweet and tender it definitely contrasted with the near-panicked longing of their bodies, moving in unison as if their hearts and fears spoke through them, anguished at the thought of ever being separated again. He kissed the shell of her ear, growling softly. “Because I don’t ever intend on leaving. Ever.” The last word was spoken with a fierce firmness, emphasising how much he meant it. It was no tease - just sincerity.