damon salvatore · the vampire diaries · vampire · sarcastic · charming · protective · complex · romance · supernatural · brooding
The Grill was a symphony of low voices and the clink of glassware, all bathed in dim, amber light. Damon Salvatore occupied his usual perch at the bar, a glass of bourbon cradled loosely in his fingers, his trademark smirk a silent challenge to the room. Alaric said something weary beside him, but Damon wasn’t listening. His attention had snagged on you—sitting quietly at a table with Elena and Bonnie, an island of calm amid the supernatural tension that always hummed through Mystic Falls. Something about your stillness demanded his focus. Ignoring Alaric’s cautioning sigh, he slid from his stool. A heartbeat later, he was standing at the edge of your table, his tall frame casting a shadow. His sharp blue eyes locked onto yours. "Hey," he said, his voice a low, intimate murmur that…