A/N Hi, everyone!

I couldn't not write this when the idea popped into my head during my first viewing of the Suicide Squad trailer. I hope it rouses someone's attention and that you would like to see more. Let me know if you do!

Daddy Issues

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Take you like a drug, I taste you on my tongue
You ask me what I'm thinking about, I tell you that I'm thinking about
Whatever you're thinking about

Tell me something that I'll forget and you might have to tell me again
It's crazy what you'll do for a friend

Go ahead and cry little girl, nobody does it like you do
I know how much it matters to you, I know that you got daddy issues
And if you were my little girl, I'd do whatever I could do

I'd run away and hide with you

I love that you got daddy issues and I do too

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"I don't have to prove anything, love, i am the Alpha male."

—Klaus Mikaelson

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Salvatore Boarding House

"Gonna leave this world for awhile and I'm free, free fallin'..."

Dulcet, dissonant singing came from a sports car as it pulled up outside the Salvatore boarding house, a looming eyesore that the motorist wasn't particularly pleased to see. The driver lingered in the front seat as the last few lyrics and melody of the song gradually faded, his fingers tapping on the steering wheel.

Then, the second the song finished, the rumbling resounding from the engine came to an abrupt stop and the driver extracted their key from the ignition.

"She's a good girl, loves her mama..."

Crooning softly to himself as he exited the car with a bottle of Bourbon clutched in his grasp, the lyrics were drowned out by the reverberating slam when he shut the car door behind him. He straightened to his full height and stretched to rid of the aches he'd sustained during the long journey with little to no intermission.

"She's a good girl, crazy 'bout Elvis."He peeled off his sunglasses then whistled to himself, his head tipping back so he could scan the boarding house with pellucid vision."Loves horses and her boyfriend, too."

Pocketing his sunglasses inside of his jacket, he meandered away from his car in the direction of the front door of the boarding house. Only to come to a sudden halt when his eyes gaze was drawn to a familiar blue convertible automobile parked alongside porch. Damon's treasured Chevy Camaro.

He veered off course towards it momentarily, dark eyes when as they skimmed over the hood of the car, before resuming his stride. The sunlight that embraced him dimmed as he became sheltered underneath the archway of the porch. Coming to a stop outside the door, his shoulder propped up against the frame, his knuckles rapped against the heavy wood before falling back by his side.

He impatiently waited for an answer and, when this ears picked up on the resonance of heavy steps trudging towards the door, he raised his head to greet the person on the other side.

"I'm really not in the mood for this."

Clicking his tongue playfully, the new arrival straightened against the doorframe when the door was abruptly yanked open.

"I sure hope that wasn't directed at me."

Exasperated lour instantly faltering into stark astonishment, Damon's eyes widened comically. Recovering as quickly as he could, his hand braced on the edge of the door, Damon slouched against his forearm.

Damon's brows knitted together in confusion."Zavi?"

A smile curved at Zavi's mouth in reaction to the disbelief in Damon's tone. The vampire in question opened his arms invitingly, brandishing the bottle of whiskey friskily.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten about your best friend."

Damon's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of the familiar man, looking a mix between startled and pleased. The Salvatore remained rooted in his spot for a long moment, eyes still rounded as his mind slowly processed the familiar presence.

Then, gradually, his puzzled expression contorted into animated felicity and he huffed out a hearty chuckle. With no forewarning, Damon reached out and tugged Zavi into a tight embrace, the impact leaving them both staggering for a moment.

Zavi chimed in on the laughter, wholeheartedly reciprocating the hug with a holler of his friend's name.

"Happy birthday, Damon."Zavi earnestly murmured, clapping his friend on the back several times. He praised his friend on his persistent survival before he teasingly chided."Now, let go. We don't want my girl to get jealous, do we?"

Damon heaved a sigh before rolling his eyes—noting that it wouldn't be the first time—and disentangled himself from the elder vampire.

Sidestepping to let Zavi pass, Damon lingered at the entrance to shut the door behind them. Then, turning on his heels to tread on the heels of Zavi, he voiced what was going through his mind.

"How the hell did you find me?"

Gesticulating lazily as his gaze flitted around, Zavi ventured further into the mansion with the purpose of more sightseeing.

"We made a few pit stops at your old stomping grounds. Then guessed that you'd made your way home."Slowing his lazy gait to take in the impressive décor, Zavi descended the steps that led him into the parlor."Thing is, you've always hated small towns. Easy pickings and that."

Catching up with Zavi, Damon simply shrugged."Small towns means no worldwide news which means that i'm free to sit back, relax and have my pick."

"Sure, sure. But the recent arrival of you know whomust've put a spanner in the works, right?"Tipping the neck of the bottle at Damon with a pointed look, Zavi inquisitively queried."So why are you here and not in New York?"

Plastering a smile on his face, Damon's response was to snatch his gift out of Zavi's hand, motioning for him to take a seat, before making a beeline for the bar he'd had installed. A birthday present for Damon gifted by Damon himself.

Unscrewing the top of the bottle, Damon picked up two glasses from his collection and ambled over to where Zavi was sat.

"I needed a break from playing cat and mouse."

Plonking down the glasses atop the table between them, Damon deftly filled them both halfway before handing Zavi his glass. The pair clinked the rim of their glasses before taking the first sips. Settling down on the chair across from his friend, Damon allowed himself a smile for the first time that day.

Humming in approval at the familiar burn in his throat, Zavi took a second, indulgent sip of his drink.

"Talk to me 'cause I don't get it. Why have you set up shop in the place that—in your own words—served you up misery on a silver platter?"

Zavi huffed out an acerbic chuckle as he recalled the anguish in Damon's voice. He'd all but felt Damon's pain each time his friend had divulged the tribulations he'd gone through in Mystic Falls. He couldn't conjure up with a reason for Damon to return to the place that, excluding his eternal life, hadn't offered him anything but misery.

"Is that verbatim?"Damon winced when Zavi sent him a smirk over the rim of his glass."That must've been after a few drinks."

"The 'with a side of heartache' was after few more."Zavi reminded through a rumble of laughter, the pads of his fingers drumming against the glass."Come on. What's going on?"

"You're already aware of what's going on. We're infested."Damon brusquely answered, lifting his shoulders in a lazy shrug."And, not to toot my own horn and everything, but i'm the knight in shining armor here. I'm playing the role of the good guy."

Winking over at Zavi, Damon smugly chirped."I've got a cape and everything."

Zavi slowly shook his head at his friend, unimpressed and unaffected by the bravado. There was a certain aggressive lilt in Damon's tone that told Zavi everything he needed to know.

"All this for the heart of what damsel?"

Tearing his eyes away from Damon to pointedly look around for the third time—at where he apparently felt at home—Zavi's eyes finally settled on his friend.

"There's a girl, isn't there?"

Lips parted so he could sip his drink, Damon's hand came to a sharp halt mid-air, eyes snapping to Zavi's. The elder vampire stared back at him expectantly, eyes glimmering proudly when Damon's poker face faltered for all but a second.

Knowing there was no way to steer the subject elsewhere and that he was cornered, all Damon could do was numbly nod. Damon exhaled a spiteful sigh before he downed what was left of his whiskey.

"How did you know?"

Narrowing his eyes, Zavi head with an insulted scowl."I may be getting on a bit, Damon, but i'm not dense."

Swirling his whiskey, Zavi leaned forward with a nod of encouragement, elbows resting atop his thighs.

"What's her name?"

Gulping down what was left of his drink, Damon wet his lips before he ground out."Elena."

Mouthing the name to himself, Zavi reached out and patted Damon's leg before he slumped against the sofa. Propping his feet on the top of the coffee table in front of him, Zavi signaled for Damon to give a report of what he'd missed out on.

"Bring me up to speed on the tragedy of Damon and Elena. How did it crash and burn this time?"

He was well versed in the tale of Katherine, he might as well be privy to the story of the current heartbreak.

"Fine, but if I tell you and you laugh..."Zavi pursed his lips to hold in a laugh when Damon pointed at him and held up his hands in surrender."there'll be no more heart to hearts for you."

"I'll be a good boy."Crossing his heart with his most demure smile, Zavi teasingly pledged."Scout's honor."

Damon, as he'd predicted, rolled his eyes with indignant sough."That's as good as i'm gonna get, is it?"

Refilling his own glass until it rose to the rim, Damon extended his arm and skated the now half finished whiskey over to his friend.

"You'll need it."

Zavi caught the bottle before it could topple over the edge, snatching it up with an intrigued croon. He kept his eyes trained on Damon, noting how the younger vampire was already sipping at his drink while Zavi was in the midst of refilling his own

Teeth baring as his lips twitched up into a smile, Zavi motioned for Damon to begin.

"I'm on the edge of my seat."

"Zavi? Za—will you shut the hell up?"

Fingers prodding into the arm of his chair, Damon fixed his friend with an indignant glare, gritting his teeth when Zavi's booming laughter continued. Zavi's entertained—yet eerily bewildered—reaction to Damon's report of his love life had lasted far too long in the Salvatore's opinion. His response to certain parts of Damon's account had been candid whether he was amused or, for the most part, reproachful.

While he'd chided his friend now and then during Damon's narration of recent events, Zavi hadn't seemed surprised that Damon had fallen head over heels with the mirror of his first love. The moment he'd said so he had burst out laughing.

And hadn't stopped since.

"Zavi!"Damon's palms whacked the arms of his chair, the abrupt clamor and noise earning Damon a raised eyebrow from his friend."Unless you want to lose your family jewels, I suggest you stop laughing."

Laughter fading into a light, playful chuckle, Zavi wagged a rebuking finger at him before he retorted."And incur Fee's wrath? There's a long list of reasons as to why she adores me, old friend. Being frequently sated is quite high on the list."

Zavi's complacent smile faded when Damon gave a frustrated scoff, shaking his head.

Clapping his hand and rubbing them together, Zavi composed himself."I'm sorry, Damon. But your life is comparable to one of those dreadful reality shows."

Completely rejecting the half-hearted apology, Damon snatched the whiskey bottle from the table, ignoring his glass and taking a large swig from it.

"I'm glad the train-wreck that is my life tickles you."

Teasing smirk slowly faltering into a deep frown, Zavi wiped a hand down his face with a regretful murmur. He straightened in the chair and slanted forward, depositing his glass on the table.

"If you can't laugh about it, Damon, you'll spiral into a century's long desolation..."Zavi trailed off with a sharp grimace, reaching over and patting Damon's shoulder with a sympathetic smile."Neither I nor Fee wants to witness that."

Thickly swallowing and slightly enjoying the burning in his throat, Damon kept Zavi's heartfelt stare for what seemed like a few minutes. He then returned Zavi's small smile and slowly nodded in understanding, the smile not reaching his eyes but he was genuine.

"Yeah. There's nothing less fun than a heartbroken vamp who's flipped the switch."

He awkwardly patted Zavi's hand with an appreciative grumble who, to bring some sardonic humor back into play, reached up to pinch Damon's cheek only to be jestingly swatted at. Damon and Zavi laughed in unison, both lounging back in their chairs in unison.

"You know, it's good to know you and Feyona...Feyona."

Shooting upright with a third utterance of her name, Damon's eyes widened in alarm and he pinned Zavi with a dubious stare.

"Where is Feyona?"He cautiously demanded, kicking himself for failing to notice her absence. Nobody failed to notice Feyona.

Zavi's didn't move from his relaxed position, foot propped up on the table and leg swaying from side to side. Glass balanced atop his knee, he eyed his friend with a faint smile, noticing his stiff body language.

"Z?"Damon's alarmed expression amplified and his tongue lowered gruffly."Where is she?"

"Why are you so worried, Damon?"Zavi calmly inquired, pointing two fingers at the bottle then their glasses, louring at his almost empty drink."Settle down. Pour us another drink."

His words no less alarming, Damon felt even more on edge as Zavi continued to regard him with a nonchalantly.

"I'm worried because Feyona is like a rabid dog. She needs to be on her leash at all times."

Damon ground his teeth together, wanting to eat his words the second he voiced them. The atmosphere shifted and tension befell the room. Draining his glass of what was left of his drink, Zavi tapped the side of the glass with his fingers for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

"Damon..."Wiping away remnants of whiskey from his mouth with the back of his hand, Zavi's vacant stare seared into Damon."Did you just compare the love of my life—and any other life that may or may not exist—to a dog?"

"Yes. Yes, I did."Damon held up a finger with a cheery grin, pointing at Zavi before he swiftly corrected."But an drop-dead gorgeous dog with an abnormal temperament."

"You get one free pass. Just one."Zavi's tongue poked out between his teeth, his shoulders shaking with quiet laughter."But there's no need to fret. You used to love that she was in her element."

"That was when I didn't give a damn about where we were."Damon's leg bounced as he uneasily watched his friend, imagining all sorts Feyona that could be up to."I give a damn about my town and it's already plagued with the Originals, I don't need another vampire to worry about."

His brows drawing together incredulously, Zavi cocked his head his head with a heavy exhale. Zavi opened his mouth to comment on Damon's proclamation but, for some reason, he snapped his mouth shut. Zavi's eyes drifted from Damon, his expression contorting into something akin to intrigue. And when Damon parted his lips to question him, he barely managed to form his first word when the door was abruptly booted open.

"For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow and so say all of us!"

A flock of twenty-something women frolicked into the foyer, caroling tunelessly, arms flailing around wildly above their heads. Damon's eyebrows very nearly reached his hairline as the women began to provocatively dance their way over to him, their giggles and singing making him all the more puzzled.

"Damon!"A blonde greeted him as if they were familiars—which they weren't because Damon was positive he'd never forget an ear-piercing voice like that—and theatrically gestured to him with a grin."It's Damon!"

The mere mention of his name brought amplified the women's happiness and they hurrahed in delight. Damon found he liked that and nodded in encouragement.

He had no clue what was transpiring but he'd learned to simply go with the flow whenever Feyona was involved. And, with the little display before him, he had no doubt she was the puppet master.

"...a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow..."

The women were, without a doubt, compelled as they were excessively delighted to be shepherded into an unfamiliar residence. As they gyrated and giggled, grinning adoringly at the vampires, Damon and Zavi recognized the transparent fear shimmering in their eyes. The fear was palpable, no matter how broad their smile was and how happily they sang. But, alas, their minds were working against them and they had no choice but to obey and allow their strings to be pulled.

"The birthday boy!"A redhead sensually announced, slanting forward and wrapping her arms around Damon's neck, her cheek touching his own."Do you want your present?"

Without waiting for a response from Damon, the redhead unwrapped an arm from around him and extended it with a forced, excited giggle. One of the other women ambled up to them, donning an equally broad smile, brandishing a knife.

Then, acting on whatever orders she'd been compelled to abide by, the woman suddenly pulled out a knife and made an incision across the redhead's wrist. The redhead pursed her lips but made no sound of pain nor did she attempt to pull away. As blood pooled at the wound, the other woman handed Damon and knife and proceeded to caper off to dance some more.

"...and so say all of us!"

Straightening in his chair, Zavi's eyes widened in interest as the redhead, blood tricking along her skin, presented her wound to Damon. The Salvatore brother's eyes danced with hunger as his they followed the crimson smearing soft skin. Humming echoed in his ears as the other woman continued to dance around him, still singing at the top of their lungs.

He snapped.

Unable to resist fight against temptation, Damon bowed his head, lips latching over the wound.

Raising his glass in a silent toast addressed to the younger vampire, Zavi brought the rim to his lips and went to down what was left of the whiskey only to roll his eyes when he noticed that his glass was empty.

"My boy is growing up."

Emerging with no forewarning and startling her compelled companions, who proceeded to withdraw from Damon and continue their dancing, Feyona maundered through the doorway and into the boarding house. Heels ricocheting off of the wooding flooring then silencing when she ambled on the rug, her overwhelming presence and sultry humming snapped Damon out of his ravenous trance.

"For he's a jolly good fellow..."

Her almost chalk-white hair was what his eyes caught sight of first, hanging loosely in waves that reached just above her hips. With painted, red lips that were always curved up into a wolfish grin and eyes twinkling merrily, Feyona seemed to illuminate the room.

Everything about her, at first glance, was glaring and charismatic.

"Feyona..."

A sickly sweet smile played at Feyona's crimson lips and smoothy greeted her old friend."Oh, there you are."

Damon, while genuinely pleased to see his playfellow, felt a rush of relief that she hadn't caused too much trouble. While her eyes left his Damon's own trailed after her when Feyona's gaze zeroed in on Zavi, her features lighting up and body language relaxing at the sight of him.

"Sun in my sky, the apple of my eye."

Out of the corner of his eye, Damon picked up on Zavi the sheer bliss that radiated from Zavi when his eyes predictably sought Feyona out. Zavi appeared to always sense Feyona before he saw her and was noticeably consumed by the feeling because, when his gaze finally settled on her it was magnetic. Zavi's eyes soaked up the sight of Feyona gliding into the parlor, dark hues clouding with adoration and hunger.

"For he's a jolly good fellow..."Feyona crooned under her breath, whirling around on her heels, a mirthful smile blossoming on her face."and so say all of us!"

Concluding with outstretched arms, Feyona hooked one leg behind the other and dropped a curtsy. Her head tilted up when she heard a whistle of praise from Zavi. She imitated his proud smile and winked at him before straightening, blowing a stray hair out from in front of her eyes.

"Happy birthday, little one."Feyona breathily cooed, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Damon's cheek, petting his head fondly."I hope you like your birthday present."

Nodding in the direction of the women over Damon's shoulder, Feyona proudly divulged."I came across them whilst they were confabbing with their deity. I wanted to inquire about their colorful windows."

You mean you picked them up at their church. Damon internally corrected, tilting his head in unison with Feyona as they watched the women dance. At least you've still got good taste.

"Captive. Just what I always wanted."Damon singsonged in monotone, tipping his head back when Feyona tugged on his hair, dryly smiling up at her."Thank you, Feyona."

Affronted at his attitude, Feyona's lip curled up into a displeased sneer. Damon winced sharply when she curled her fingers in his hair before roughly releasing him. He reached up to massage his scalp, deciding to ignore Zavi's taunting laughter.

"Your tone. I don't like it."Hands clamping down on Damon's shoulders she massaged them with a heavy sigh, clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth."What's wrong with ya?"

Weathering the throbbing in his shoulders when Feyona eventually let go of him, Damon turned to look at her only to repeat the movement when she circled the chair and sauntered away.

"Nothing's wrong, i-"

"Our boy has been swept off his feet."Zavi interjected with a with a charming smile opening his arms for the female vampire who happily reached out for him."Come here, duchess."

"Coming there."Feyona breathily sang, purposefully slowing her pace with a teasing and daring smile. She then promptly let out a squeal when Zavi reached out, grabbed her hips with both hands and tugged her down into his lap.

Winding both arms around Zavi's neck with a giddy giggle, Feyona enthusiastically reciprocated when he inclined his head in search for a kiss. His mouth brushed her own several times, resulting in a pouting and greedy Feyona and an amused Zavi. When the teasing was too much to bear Feyona strived for control and claimed his mouth for her own. Zavi happily relinquished dominance and seized her hips to yank her closer when Feyona turned in his lap, bestriding him.

"O-kay."

Damon promptly tore his eyes away from the heated pair with a revolted expression. Thankfully the passionate embrace ended before he had to shower them with indignant scolding and the couple broke apart with playful coquetry.

"I'm still here."

Feyona her eyelashes at Damon but did respond to the underlying appeal for attention, she turned to face him. Relaxing against Zavi's chest with a sigh of contentment, Feyona's eyes settled on her old friend, regarding him with a pensive smile.

He's changed. Feyona thoughtfully observed

"He's smitten, you say..."Feyona's brow furrowed in curiosity, hands covering Zavi's when his arm wrapped around her."Who is the lucky lady?"

"The doppelganger's doppelganger."Zavi lazily answered, nuzzling Feyona's throat indulgently, stray locks of her hair tickling his cheek when she turned to glance over at Damon."But the love is unrequited."

Lower lip jutting out, Feyona wiggled her fingers at Damon sympathetically."Oh, no."

He kissed just below Feyona's ear and grinned when, as expected, she squirmed against him in delight. Unamused at Zavi divulging his personal business while completely ignoring him to canoodle with Feyona instead, Damon eyed the pair with disgust.

"Apparently Damon's billing and cooing didn't pay off."Engrossed in eliciting more giggles from Feyona, Zavi failed to notice Damon glowering over at him at the remarks."He's lost his touch."

Damon's glower darkened as Feyona's head tipped back onto Zavi's shoulder when she started to cackle loudly. The cackle was shrill, reverberating and, if the situation called for it, threatening. While most—including Damon at times, especially if it was his expense—grimaced at the sound or retreated, Zavi all but revered it.

Whether she was giggling, cackling or laughing, Zavi encouraged it. It was a melody that confirmed Feyona was giddy, excited or delighted. It conveyed happiness.

"Really? Poor baby."Feyona said with a sad smile and, much to Damon's surprise sounded sincerely compassionate."Perhaps you've dodged a bullet."

Even after decades of friendship, Damon had yet to predict Feyona's turn of mind.

He stared blankly at her."What?"

"She might not like fun and games."Feyona's lips twitched up into a lopsided grin, wrapping a lock around her finger."I know i wouldn't love a man who couldn't have fun or whose kisses couldn't make me tingle."

"What has that got to do with anything?"Damon asked in barely controlled exasperation. There was no rhyme nor reason in Feyona's words, actions or way of thinking.

"Zavi knows."Feyona's temple lolled against Zavi's, fingers tracing invisible patterns on his cheek whilst her free hand enveloped him possessively."My little Zavi knows what I need, and he's not afraid to get his hands dirty. And his kisses make me tingle.

Turning so she looked down at him, Feyona's nose brushed Zavi's."Isn't that right?"

A glutton for her caressing, Zavi's eyes hooded, his embrace tightening around Feyona. He couldn't get any closer but she was still so far away."That's right."

Whispering his name with a tender tone, Feyona cupped Zavi's face in her hands, thumbs caressing his sharp jawline. Feyona's touch wasn't gentle when her finger brushed across his bottom lip before she turned his head in her direction, and smiled when Zavi obeyed. A purr followed when his eyes met her own, their pupils dilating simultaneously.

Slouching in his chair, Damon rolled his eyes indignantly as they, predictably, banish him from whatever reverie they'd dawdled into.

"Oh, here we go. Round two."

Damon's eyes flickered between their couple several times, recognizing the pattern well but hope that they'd snap out of it soon than previous times. But, when Feyona bestrode Zavi's lap and nipped at his jawline, Damon knew there was no going back.

"You're seriously gonna do this?"

Elbow digging into the arm of the couch, Damon wiped a hand down his face before loudly clearing his throat in a bid to garner their attention. Then when he was snubbed a second time, Damon stomped a foot on the side of the coffee table.

"You know..."Damon nonchalantly premised with a light groan as he crossed his ankles, wriggling on the touch until he was snug."You've got messed up ideas about relationships, Fee."

He paused to glance over at the couple, jaw twitching as they remained trapped in their own bubble. Emitting a prolonged sigh, Damon plastered a benign smile on his lips before he continued his aloud reflection.

"A psychiatrist would say that's because your father―"Uttering father with a great amount of emphasis, Damon drew out the moment, motioning to and fro at the air."used to starve you for days on end when you didn't collect the water on time."

The pair turned to look at Damon at the same time, Feyona's hand instantly resting on Zavi's shoulder, feeling the need for comfort at the mention of her father. Zavi straightened in his seat, grip tightening on Feyona once more.

"Or because he would beat your mother when she couldn't bear him another child as you watched."Damon pointed over at Feyona with a friendly smile, rounding his eyes dryly when she turned around to face him."It's a clear case of daddy issues."

While Feyona maintained her doting smile she blinked several times as she processed the provocation. Cocking her head, Feyona vacantly looked at Damon as the color drained from her face. Zavi's beaming smile also faltered into an incensed scowl. He loured at Damon while Feyona went still in his embrace, her painted long nails jabbing into his chest.

"Damon..."Zavi growled through clenched teeth, stoically enduring the affliction inflicted by Feyona's fingernails."I don't think that―"

Zavi trailed off with stifled mumbles when Feyona cupped her hand over his mouth, his words muffled against her palm. She whispered soothingly against her hand, nose brushing his before she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Light giggles tumbled from Feyona's red lips when she turned her head to look over at her friend. Damon remained silent, his eyebrows elevating at the unexpected reaction. Her giggling sounded just like it usually did. Joyful, deafening and chilling.

But, as he was well versed with the melody, Damon's sensitive ears picked up in the slightly lowered pitch.

He also picked up on how her eyes dimmed and how her giddy smile had twisted into a manic grin.

"Touché."

Feyona drawled the word, her aforementioned manic grin mirroring something predatory. And, while it unnerved him slightly, Damon stared right back at her. To look away would admit defeat and Feyona had never liked her prey to give up easily.

"You tried to hurt me because I hurt you."Feyona crossed on leg over the other, fingers carding through Zavi's hair. She scanned Damon from head to toe before wagging at him with an impressed arch of her eyebrow."Brave."

She studied her friend for a moment, grin slowly faltering into a warm smile, her eyes glimmering with fondness. A certain smile and glimmer that Damon, without a doubt, knew were meant just for him. It was the smile Feyona directed at him the moment she'd seen him. And, as long as it was meant just for him Damon would smile right back and cherish it.

He was safe and sound with that smile.

Waving a hand dismissively, Feyona tore her eyes from Damon and resumed showering Zavi with affectionate murmurs and pecks. It was a sign that she had lost interest in the matter at hand which meant there was no harsh reproving Damon should be dreading.

The tension slowly alleviated from the room.

"Brave little ankle-biter."

"Very brave."Zavi musingly murmured, tugging at his lover's hair to obtain her attention."But rude."

He released the thick lock of hair and leaned back to avoid being lashed by her waves when Feyona whirled around. She then proceeded to nestle into his palm when he reached up for her, the pad of his thumb stroking her jawline. He searched her eyes to ensure that she was, in fact, unaffected by Damon's taunt.

"He's our friend, duchess, but that doesn't mean you should let it go."Zavi cooly stated when he was certain she was all right.

Shaking his head firmly, Damon huffed out a chuckle."No, she's letting it go."

The corner of Zavi's mouth curved up into a forced, half smile when he turned around to face his friend. Letting his hand fall back by his side, Zavi wonderingly hummed low in his throat, his arm propping up on Feyona's thigh as he shifted to get comfortable.

"You want me to pluck off a limb or two, you just let me know."

While he forced a controlled smirk and a sardonic grumble of Zavi's offer, Damon shifted in his chair underneath Zavi's gloomy stare. squirmed underneath Zavi's gaze. The elder vampire, while carefree and jovial a great deal of the time, had certain triggers one should know better than to test.

And Feyona was a trigger nobody wanted to put pressure on.

"Quit looking at me like that."Damon indignantly hissed, reaching for his almost empty glass."It's starting to get weird."

"You don't need to do that."Feyona murmured to her lover and hushed Zavi by placing a hand on his chest."Give him this one; it's his birthday."

"You heard her."Damon scoldingly tutted at his friend with a nod of approval directed at Feyona."Leave the birthday boy alone."

Rolling his eyes heavenward at how complacent Damon looked, Zavi slowly but surely allowed himself to be soothed as Feyona continued her ministrations.

"As you wish."

Situation forgotten, Feyona turned to Damon, quirking her eyebrow at him before grinning hungrily at the women who were still dancing around.

Feyona beckoned one of the women closer, peering over at Damon with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Don't you fancy a good bash?"Snatching the woman's hand, Feyona tugged her down beside herself and Zavi."Just like the good old days?"

Damon pursed his lips as he slumped back against the cushion of his chair, making a mental list of the pros and cons. He was supposed to be on the righteous path to redemption. The pros outweighed the cons the moment one of his presents plopped down onto his lap.

"Hi."

Damon's gaze gravitated up to the woman's lustful smile before he met her eyes. His pupils dilated as her giggles resounded in his ears, her eyes glazed over with sheer compulsion.

"Please."The woman tilted her head, sweeping aside her hair before baring her neck to him."It's your birthday."

Lips parting and his head imitating the woman's head tilt, Zavi's gaze fixated on Damon's features as he watched his friend struggle. He could envision the cogs turning in his head as he swayed between what he wanted to be and what he was.

Leg jostling impatiently, Zavi patted Feyona's thigh with a bellow of encouragement, a hearty chuckle ripping from his throat.

"Come on; it's your birthday."

Damon's eyes flitted between the couple and the woman perched in his lap, her heartbeat echoing in his ears. He bowed his head with a slow blink, eyes turning blood red and his fangs extracting from his gums.

"Yeah. You're right."

A wicked grin twitched at his lips as he turned to face his friends, arm promptly extending as he grabbed his soon to be victim by the throat.

"It's my birthday and I can bash if I want to, right?"

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