Study Hall

Summary - It's hard to study with those dark eyes staring at you. Damon and Elena UST oneshot.

Disclaimer: copyright for these characters is held by a lot of people who aren't me, presumably including the likes of the fantastic LJ Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec and the likes of the CW, all I can say with any authority I that they certainly are not mine despite the regularity with which they appear in my daydreams. Ta for that!

Elena was sitting alone at a desk in the Mystic Falls school library, textbooks and study notes piled all around her, uncertain of where to begin. She missed so much school these days that being naturally bright wasn't quite enough to keep on top of things. Her grades were fine but she was used to above average and it stung to think how disappointed her parents would be if they'd known she'd let them slip. Though she had to reason that they would be somewhat understanding, after all she'd never been pursued by an evil half-bred vampire-werewolf while they were alive, that had to count for some sort of special consideration.

She was about to start on Trig when he pulled up a hair opposite her and lent forward peering at her over the pile of books.

"Damon, have you forgotten, you're not a student here?"

"Not to worry I compelled the librarian, she thinks I'm here so you can interview me about the town council for a social studies paper."

"Great, but I actually have some real study to do, you know so I can write some real papers, the ones that they mark and use to determine my grade." Elena's frustration was building. Why was it so impossible to concentrate these days? Clearly it wasn't an emergency or Damon would have gotten to the point by now.

"Fine, study away, I will simply observe. Though I could be of help. I might not be a super nerd like little brother but I've been to a few classes, eaten a lot of classmen, and women, teachers, professors, writers,..."

"I get it; you've eaten everybody there is to eat. But unless you were around in Pythagoras' day I doubt you can shed any special insight into high school maths."

"Fair enough, go ahead then, you're cute when you concentrate."

"That doesn't help. Is there a reason you need to be here Damon?"

"Stefan sent me, something about wanting me to protect you from Psycho Vampire Barbie. Thinks she might try something on you."

"Rebekah? I thought Caroline was Vampire Barbie."

"Well they are both pretty blondes with fangs so what's the difference?"

"Rebekah is nothing like Caroline!"

"Sure she's not, because Caroline isn't bossy, independent, and loyal to her family, almost to the point of ruthlessness..."

"Point, but it's not the same. Caroline would never hurt anyone innocent."

"Unless they got in her way in line at a shoe sale."

"Well maybe, but Caroline wouldn't consider that innocent. Enough Damon, I need to study!" Elena sighed with exasperation.

"Go ahead."

Elena tried to focus on the examples in her textbook and apply the somewhat familiar procedures to the exercises but she could feel his eyes on her, those deep dark eyes. Even when she'd only had eyes for Stefan she could appreciate that Damon was an aesthetically pleasing package. It had never bothered her as much as it did now, when it had been months since she'd been with Stefan or anybody else unless you couldn't that kiss with Damon on her porch. The memory burned on her lips. She swallowed hard, grateful that he couldn't read her thoughts though sometimes he seemed to think he could.

She tried again to focus on the question at hand but he was watching her with such fascination, such hunger, such affection, that her skin actually felt like it was tingling under his gaze. Don't be stupid Elena, she thought to herself, it must be the air conditioning; Damon can't play tricks on your mind.

Then she made a mistake and when she reached absently for her eraser her hand connected with his as he offered it to her. The slight touch between then felt electrically charged and she automatically met his gaze. "Thanks. Shouldn't you be patrolling or something, find out what - is up to, she's obviously not here, she could be harassing Caroline or Bonnie. Okay Caroline can probably take care of herself, and Bonnie too I guess but shouldn't you make sure she's not turning half the cheerleading team in the girls locker-room as we speak? The last thing we need is an army of vampire cheerleaders... Please Damon, it would concentrate so much better if I wasn't worried about her," the last bit stretching it, it sounded more like something Caroline would say to get her way than Elena but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Fine, but I may need to sample a few cheerleaders; just to be sure she's not spiking the Gatorade."

"Thanks," Elena smiled with false gratitude; really she was just relieved he was gone. She wasn't ready to face up to the way he could so pervasively disrupt her concentration. It reminded her too much of those first few weeks back at school after her parents' death when Stefan had arrived and she'd felt his eyes on her everywhere, in the class, in the corridors, in places where he wasn't meant to be yet she sensed him. Every fiber of her being had itched to be nearer to him. With Damon it was different, it was a smaller part of her, but it was still a definite pull and she wasn't sure how she felt about that now that was beginning to face the fact that Stefan might never come back to her.