𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 | 𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐄 [𝟏]

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐍𝐄

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE | AS I LAY DYING

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

RILEY EVANS WOKE UP WITH A FEELING OF IMMENSE HAPPINESS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, WHAT FELT LIKE, FOREVER. Every part of her was desperate to deny her feelings for Damon, but the moment she gave in to the way she felt— everything changed. She loved Damon; she wasn't sure when those feelings started, but they completely consumed her. 

Riley lifted her head up from her pillow but was startled when she saw Stefan in her doorway."Uh— Good morning to you, too, stalker." Riley groggily spoke as she scratched the back of her head and sat upright in her bed. "What're you doing?"

"You don't know?" Stefan raised an eyebrow as he watched a dumbfounded look appear on the witch's face. "Damon got bitten by Tyler Lockwood. I found him trying to burn himself in the sun this morning."

As the words fell from Stefan's lips, Riley's heart began to rapidly thump within her ribcage. "He, what?!"

"No, no, no. It's okay. He's— he's in the basement cellar until I can try and find a cure for the bite." Stefan exhaled deeply as he wandered into Riley's bedroom and perched on the edge of her bed.

"A cure for a werewolf bite?" Riley scoffed, incredulously. "But, I didn't think—"

"There's not." Stefan finished for her. "But, we found a way to keep Elena human when there was no way. There's got to be some way to fix this. So, I'm meeting with Bonnie this morning. I was wondering if you could keep an eye on Damon."

"You mean, make sure he doesn't try and off-himself again." The witch corrected her best friend with a smile. "Sure. Just, promise me something?"

"Anything?" Stefan nodded.

"Please, please find something. Because I—"

"I know you do." The Salvatore knowingly nodded as he carefully pressed his lips against his best friend's forehead. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Shortly after Stefan had left the Salvatore house, he texted Riley to say that he had a lead on a cure for the werewolf bite. Riley felt hopeful as she sat on the steps just outside Damon's cell. She wanted to be nearby, just in case he tried anything stupid. She knew that the hallucinations were bound to set soon, and Riley didn't want him to have to go through it alone.

"Riley?" Damon's voice softly called out as the brunette lifted herself up from the staircase and she rushed to the bars. She peered inside and saw him propped up against the wall, a weakened look in his eyes. "You're still there."

"Of course I am." The Evans witch smiled back toward him. "Where else would I be, huh?"

"Ideally, I figured once I told you I loved you, it would probably be good to take you out on a date. This is some first date, huh?" Damon sarcastically scoffed, but the small scoff turned into a violent cough.