(originally posted on tumblr.)

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His thumb trailed down her bare spine, pausing at each ridge like a physician about to do a vivisection. He stopped when he reached her lower back. The black dress covered the rest of her body, but not this warm piece of flesh, which he could cut open in the blink of an eye.

"Tried to kill yourself, huh? Should've known better. I'm the only one who can get the job done…properly."

Bonnie stirred in her sleep. Dried tears clung to her eyelashes like drops of dew.

His thumb worked its way back to her nape. He applied pressure to that sweet spot where the brain and the spine interlocked nerves.

"Mhmm…" she mumbled, relaxing her muscles and giving him more access to her shoulders.

"You're right. My hands are amazing. I should become a masseur. Well, after I kill my dad, take Jo out, end the stupid Coven and make you my endless magic supply. After all of that, we're definitely moving away so I can follow my dreams."

His thumb dived into her hair and his fingers started massaging her scalp and temples.

Bonnie moaned in relief and arched her neck towards him.

"Don't - stop," she mumbled into the pillow.

Kai grinned. "Oh, Bon. How redundant. When have I ever stopped?"

He applied more pressure to his fingers, kneading and rubbing at her scalp until her hair was wild and tangled and unruly. She looked mad, unhinged. Just the way he liked it.

And then, Kai grasped a clump of hair and yanked it up, until her head reached his collarbone and she screamed in pain.

"Aaah! Let go of me!"

He pressed his lips to her neck. "I would, but you went ahead and tried to commit suicide while I was gone. Don't you know it's rude not to say goodbye?"

Bonnie opened her eyes. The dry tears became fresh once more.

"Kai!"

"Welcome back, sweets."

She wrenched herself free and rolled off the couch, landing ungracefully on the carpet in front of the fireplace.

Bonnie gasped, taking in her surroundings at once. She felt a spike of panic when she recognized the hatefully familiar boarding house. For an agonizing moment, she thought she was back on the Other Side with him for company.

But then she saw her teddy - Miss Cuddles - sitting idly on a table by the window.

Her heart started beating faster. Oh God. She had hoped for so long. If it turned out to be an illusion, she would die from the heart break.

"I figured it was time for you to return. Your friends? Dumber than a box of matches. I needed some…intellectual stimulation. Someone on my level, if you catch my drift."

He grabbed Miss Cuddles and threw her in her direction. Bonnie caught the teddy in her lap.

"You should probably get working on your magic. I need you fully functional and operational."

"You. Asshole. You. Stabbed. Me." Each word came out of her mouth like a bullet. She narrowed her eyes at him until he only saw two dark slits.

He smirked. "I know. Your face when I plunged the knife inside of you is the only thing I want to remember about the Other Side."

Bonnie clenched her fingers around her teddy.

"I'll kill you."

Kai chuckled, resting his elbows on the couch. "I'll take that as thanks for bringing you back."

"You deserve to die. I thought it was your family's fault, the way you turned out. But you don't deserve mercy."

Kai chewed on his lip in thought, as if he was considering her proposal. He walked around the couch and crouched down until he was at her level.

"That sounds like a date," he said, breathing warm air into her face.

His finger reached out and touched the hem of the dress resting against her collarbone.

"I'll pick you up around seven tomorrow. Make sure you wear this again."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he was gone in the blink of an eye. Disappeared like smoke.

Bonnie groaned and cursed under her breath. Clever witch trick.

"Bonnie? Oh my god, you're awake! Damon!"

Bonnie heard Elena Gilbert's voice, but she did not look up to see her friend's beaming face. Instead, she turned towards the fire, one hand on Miss Cuddles and the other touching the spot at her nape where his thumb had ghosted.