Elena was getting ready to sleep when she heard a knock at the door.
She hopped out of bed, walked into the living room, and opened it.
"Damon," she gasped, staring at the man before her. He looked more haggard than she'd ever seen him—his hair was disheveled, his eyes were shadowed, and traces of red marked his face.
"What are y—"
Before she could finish, Damon leaned forward and pulled her into a hug. Startled, she hesitated, uncertain of how to respond.
She knew he was going through something, something dark and painful, but didn't know how to comfort him.
Then, instinct took over. Her arms wrapped around him, and she gently patted his back. "Everything is going to be fine," she whispered, trying to reassure him.
Damon closed his eyes and let his head rest on her shoulder. This—being held, comforted—was all he'd ever wanted, and with her, it felt right, almost perfect.
After a few long moments, they parted.
Elena guided him inside and offered him a glass of warm milk. He looked exhausted, and it was clear he wasn't going to sleep anytime soon.
"Milk?" he asked, a touch of confusion in his voice. "I'm not a kid. Why would you give me milk?"
"It's warm milk," she explained, smiling softly. "It'll help you sleep."
Damon chuckled, his tense expression softening just a little. "Thank you," he said, taking a sip. His heart fluttered at her kindness.
Elena watched him quietly as he drank, then asked gently, "What happened?"
He took a deep breath. "Nothing," he murmured, then pulled her close again.
"Nothing? Damon, there's blood all over you!" she exclaimed, pulling back from his arms. "We agreed to give this marriage a try, but if you still feel you can't tell me anything... well, maybe we should call it quits tomorrow."
"No!" he blurted out, panicked. It had taken him years to craft everything perfectly to reach this moment with her, and the last thing he wanted was to mess it up.
He took her hand, holding it tightly. "Zach, a close friend... he was killed today."
Elena's heart sank. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.
"It's okay. The one responsible has already paid for it," he replied, his voice laced with a chilling finality.
Elena felt a shiver run down her spine. There was something dark, something dangerous, in his gaze.
She wanted to press further but sensed that now wasn't the time. Instead, she let him pull her back into his arms, resting his head on her shoulder as he sighed. Exhausted, he finally drifted off to sleep.
Once she was certain he was asleep, Elena carefully got up, gently laid him down on the sofa, and tiptoed to her bedroom to grab a blanket.
Returning, she covered him, watching him sleep.
As she stood there, a pang of sympathy tugged at her heart. He might be a Mafia boss, but he was still human, and the loss of Zach had clearly taken a toll on him.
She turned off the lights and retired to her bedroom, her mind filled with thoughts of him.
---
Morning
"Damon," a soft voice called.
Damon stirred, slowly opening his eyes to see Elena's beautiful brown eyes gazing at him. His heart skipped a beat. This moment—the chance to wake up with her by his side—was something he'd dreamed of almost every day.
Overwhelmed by emotions he'd kept hidden for years, he pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips to hers.
Elena was taken completely by surprise. It took a moment before she regained her senses, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She quickly pulled away, stammering as she hurried into the kitchen, her hands covering her rosy cheeks.
Damon followed her with a mischievous grin, clearly not finished with her yet. She had barely managed to steady herself when he turned her around, lifted her, and set her on the kitchen island.
"D-Damon, wh-what are you doing?" she stammered, attempting to push him away, but he held firm, his grip gentle but unyielding.
"You promised we'd act like a married couple for six months," he murmured, his voice a low rumble. "And isn't this what married couples do?" His hand trailed over her bare thigh, sending shivers up her spine.
She wore a simple vest and shorts, her night attire suddenly feeling far too vulnerable.
"But you can't just ambush me like this!" she protested, her voice breathless. "Besides… you haven't even brushed your teeth."
Damon chuckled, letting her go just enough to give her space. "Is that so? Then I'll go brush, and we can pick up where we left off," he said, winking playfully.
Elena, flustered, pointed him toward the bathroom, handing him a spare toothbrush and a fresh set of pajamas.
She'd grabbed one of her brother's old nightgowns, which was large enough to fit Damon, and returned to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
After a short while, Damon returned, freshly groomed and grinning as he joined her at the dining table. She'd quickly whipped up some scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast, along with glasses of juice.
They ate in an awkward but companionable silence. When they finished, Damon stood up and gathered the plates. "Let me," he offered, heading toward the sink with the dishes.
"Are you sure?" Elena asked, amused. She had a hard time imagining a Mafia boss washing dishes.
Damon nodded confidently, carrying the breakfast dishes over to the kitchen.
"Elena," he called, his voice drifting out to her. She couldn't help but feel a strange warmth at the sound of her name on his lips, the way it sounded almost... affectionate.
She joined him in the kitchen, where he was struggling with an apron, looking a bit desperate.
"Are you laughing at me?" he asked, his face scrunching up in mock annoyance, his lips pouting in a way that transformed him from a hardened man to something almost childlike.
Unable to contain herself, Elena burst out laughing.
"Alright, that's it," Damon declared, tossing the apron aside with a scowl. "I'm not doing the dishes anymore."
"Wait!" Elena caught his arm, still laughing. "I'm not laughing at you—I just… remembered something funny, that's all."
Damon narrowed his eyes, his pout turning into a smirk. "You're lying."
"I'm not!" she insisted, grinning. "I swear, I wasn't laughing at you."
With a sigh, he gave in, turning back to the sink.
This time, she took over, helping him tie the apron properly and showing him how to wash the dishes.