( damon presses his chest up further against her back at her encouragement. he feels the steadiness of her heart against their hands, her mouth brushing against his knuckles with a gentleness he's never believed he deserves.

but he wants, and he's been willing to fight for, to be better for.

he kisses her shoulder and buries his face there. he releases a breath against her back.

he lets his heart beat ease, lets the reassurance of her wash over him until his heart beats at a slower speed. he meant to keep his promise to open up to her when he's hurting even if he can't say all the words. )

The last five years have been about facing all this darkness in me, accepting what I have done, what I would do, and my responsibility to choose better. I hate myself sometimes. It blinded me earlier. ( that self loathing croaked up along with the fear any version of him could put her in harm. again. after he'd already believed he'd killed her, set her on fire, after everything he's already done to her. ) But I know the reason I was able to learn all of that is because of you, because I love you and you love me and you changed me. You're the light in that whole lot of awful dark.

If anyone can reach through to my mirror and figure out what he's after, it's you. I meant it when I said I trust you. ( And no one knows him better than her. )