[party post]

[eyething]

Who: Anyone & everyone who'd come to the bar
Where: Damon's Bar
When: All of December-January. Feel free to come back as often as you want.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Just another two months at Damon's bar full of the day-to-day drinking, advice giving, and more drinking for those in need. There are also special nights like Speed Get-to-Know-You and Trivia Night and Karaoke night. Use the top-levels for all your bar needs. Tag around. Profit!
The Story:

Damon's bar has been up and running for approximately six months. Have you come by yet? If not, you should. There's no age requirement for entry (or for having a drink really) given the special nights can interest people of all ages.

The bar has a full staff. There's a kitchen in the back where food's made fresh. There's something special about it being made for you by actual hands, right? In the corner, there's a jukebox playing quietly to not disturb the atmosphere, but you can feel free to dance if a good tune comes on. Sometimes the jukebox acts up. You try to choose one song, and the jukebox decides that it has a better idea of a song that reflects your mood/current situation more. There's no changing channels when it does this.

Inside the bar, there's pool and darts to enjoy. Drag someone new over for a game, challenge a friend, or make up your own rules. Just don't toss a dart into someone's hair.

There are special nights ranging from Karaoke Night to Trivia Night. You've probably heard about them. They're listed up on a board outside of the bar, but also advertised on the network. This month is the first time the bar will be trying a Speed Get-to-Know You event. It's like Speed Dating but for everyone (whether someone wants a date or a friend or a frenemy).

Because it's the holiday season, there are some minimalist festive decorations up and around including mistletoe (so watch out). Damon's not a huge fan of the holidays, but there will be some festive drinks offered for the next two months.

Comments

[interpersonal]

( her eyes close as another laugh escapes her lips.

but also, that drink looks amazing.

the only thing that distracts elena from it is what he says next. her eyes lift to meet his, something softening in them. she tilts her head, a little wonder to her expression. she caught up some to damon, but not completely. it's been a while since they spoke of a memory she has yet to live. )

How did we get to talking about a bar?

[eyething]

( there are still years he has lived that she hasn't- well, he slept through a good portion of those years. he hasn't mentioned that to her either, but he's been taking her lead on how much they talk about the future- how much they talk about what is to come. )

We were at Jo and Alaric's honeymoon spot, and we... turned it into a game.

I asked you where you saw yourself in five years time. You outlined our future in detail, but originally and very offensively might I add, you first made me Matt Donovan in your fantasy. Just a bartender.

( before she switched it to the owning part of it. )

You were doing your surgical rounds, and you'd come home to me and a glass of wine and a massage. ( courtesy of damon )

[interpersonal]

( oh no.

the indignity of being equated to matt donovan.

elena's lips twitch with amusement, since she can't say anything about that fantasy sounds anything but ideal. there's one thing that has her slightly taken aback, however. this elena has sadly not had the pleasure of meeting jo laughlin. )

Wait. Alaric gets married again? ( all her hopes for him turn out to be real? )

[eyething]

( damon regrets bringing it up almost immediately. he wanted to be honest about why the subject came up, but at the same time, everything's attached to something terrible. especially that wedding. he's not going to hide anything else from her, but he also doesn't want to get into the details. it's the wedding where kai enacted his plans. jo dies. elena is put in her sleeping coma.

here he wanted to be the fun, distracting boyfriend that she so obviously needs tonight, to enjoy their time together, to put a smile on her face that'll stay.

there's a pause as he meets her gaze. )

It... doesn't turn out well for him. ( or for jo, especially for jo. )

[interpersonal]

Of course it doesn't.

( she says this under her breath before she takes a generous gulp of her drink.

truth is, she knew deep down. she just hadn't wanted to believe alaric's luck when it comes to women and ... most anything is really that tragic. she sets the glass back down, and looks up at him with a rueful smile. she can tell that he's trying, and it means something.

it means everything. ) We're not doing so well at this whole casual thing, are we?

[eyething]

( they all have really tragic luck.

damon doesn't know what comes after for them. he doesn't know if she'll ever be woken up. he doesn't know if he'll be there to see it when she does. he put himself to sleep. he pauses, glancing down at his own two hands when she speaks.

he'd wanted to- wanted to help her be casual and embrace it with her, but. he shakes his head with a soft smile. )

You told me on that street that- that you wanted me to be happy while you were away.

I want that for you. I want that for us. We're together. I believe we'll get it at home too. I have to. ( or he would not have survived putting her in that box. ) But I want it for us here too, Elena, and I'm willing to wait as long as it takes for us to find our way there.

( he reaches over, sliding his hand over her own. he knows it's not as easy as saying it, as wanting it and letting it happen. he was miserable without her despite his best efforts, but they're together here, and they can try together this time. )

[interpersonal]

I want to believe you, Damon. I do. But --

( but what?

how do they reach for that happiness with this heavy truth in between them? it would be a waste, in every sense of the word, to not seize this opportunity wonderland gives them: he is awake and so is she, and there is nothing in the way for them to be together. she knows that.

it would be so easy to agree with him.

she wants to. more than anything, she wants their future together in what way they can have it. but she's done it too many times in the past for it to work now: placing a band-aid on a gaping wound and hoping that it heals on its own if she ignores it for long enough. it hasn't been denial that's kept her from broaching the subject this time around, at least not exclusively. elena simply hasn't found the words. she isn't sure that they exist. )

You lied to me. You've been lying this whole time. ( she and stefan were doomed from the start because of these kinds of lies. ) How do I even know you're telling the truth right now? How can I trust you? ( trust anything? is this really what he believes? not that long ago he'd pledged her a future that he knew he might not get to see. a future he wouldn't have gotten to see if he didn't end up in that prison world and met kai to begin with. )

[eyething]

Elena, you knew there was something I couldn't tell you. You knew that. That wasn't me lying to you.

I just couldn't-- How the hell was I supposed to say that?

( damon closes his eyes against the burning there, because he still doesn't think that he can look her in the eyes and actually say those words- actually admit that she is sleeping in a coffin right now. that he has to wait for her- for the chance that she'll wake up but only when bonnie dies.

he's brought back to that moment on the street that they said goodbye but more than that, he's brought back to- to standing over her coffin as the weight of it crashed into him, as he realized he had no idea how he would make it through the next decades without her in it.

and then every miserable day that followed, knowing she was in that coffin- knowing he'd failed her, knowing she was sleeping when it should have been him. it was his mother who did it- it was his mother who- who wanted to punish him. )