Last chapter guys…

Chapter 23 TDT

Stefan waited all morning, watching the sky change from blacks to reds as the sun rose and Damon didn't come home. At first he waited patiently, then a little nervously and now he was lost in full blown fear and anxiety. Damon had left without saying goodbye before, he could do it again. Stefan kept himself busy, not leaving the lower floor in case Damon came back in. He tidied the kitchen that neither of them really used, he did some laundry and moved some of Damon's blood bags from the basement up to the kitchen fridge. It was all he could do to stop himself exploding in misery. The hours ticked past and Stefan curled into himself on the sofa feeling sorry for himself. It wasn't fair to ask Damon just to jump right back into his arms. He'd really hurt him. They'd overcome so many barriers to being together including their own fears and human ties and once they'd finally been a couple, Stefan had walked away. Well, at least he understood why he'd suddenly begun to realise that Elena was the smarter choice. He had loved her and the compulsion added to that, but Damon had done nothing wrong but fall in love and trust him.

He sobbed to himself for a little while as the fire crackled and he watched the flames dance in the hearth. He'd never noticed how much it looked like the flames were dancing before. Even the shadows behind them were dancing. The longer he stared the more he thought they were alive and sentient and he had to close his eyes for a minute and refocus. He sat up and looked at his watch. Damon had been gone for 10 hours now. He sighed and stood up, dragging his feet up the stairs towards Damon's room. He opened the door and inhaled his scent. He walked inside and towards the window to look out across the woods. As he approached the window he tripped over some things lying on the ground and he reached down and lifted one in annoyance.

It was a pillar candle. He looked around his feet and noticed a whole group of them and remembered Damon's affection for them. It didn't seem right to bring Damon flowers – he wasn't a girl, but candles – they would be romantic and beautiful too. He quickly grabbed them all in his arms and moved back down the stairs. He wanted to make love in Damon's bed like always, but he needed a bigger gesture this time. It needed to be hugely inviting for Damon. He blurred around the house finding every candle he could and moved them all downstairs arranging them from the front door in towards the living room almost like they were to lead someone in. It didn't escape Stefan's notice just how it looked a little like an aisle but he didn't care. Once the trail brought you through to the lounge Stefan moved the sofa back to form a protective bubble around the fireplace where Stefan had lain a blanket and some cushions and two glasses filled with Damon's favourite bourbon – the one he'd been hiding now that Stefan had taken to drinking more of his bourbon now. Stefan stepped back and review it, it looked pretty. The only problem was the sunshine outside – it was mid day by now and would be too light for hours for the candles to have the full effect. He grunted and folded his arms in thought.

He moved to close the heavy drapes they had when he noticed the trees in the garden and had an idea. He ran out and collected his last piece of decoration and came back in and prepared himself, lighting candles and putting more logs onto the fire to keep it burning. He was ready. He took a last look around and ran up stairs to have a quick shower.

As Damon walked back towards the house he felt himself tense and nauseous. He'd made his decision and it wasn't going to go down well. They needed to stop this and be brothers again. It was too much strain keeping this up, justifying this love they had. It would wear them down. He could smell burning as he approached the door and moved inside quickly when he was startled by candlelight. He blinked in surprise and looked around, following the trail glowing and guiding him as he felt his heart squeeze. He could hear Stefan up in his room moving around and he paused as he got to the lounge and saw the rest of the room. The whole room was scented with Palmarosa and Geranium – Damon's favourite and was candlelit beautifully. There were even old fairy lights Damon had stuffed away from a party months before, glittering delicately around the mantel piece. Damon took a deep breath as he stepped towards the fire to look at them and saw the blanket. His eyes filled with tears and he bit his lip. He brought his hands to his face and sighed.

Stefan descended the stairs and Damon dropped his hands and tried to compose himself as Stefan paused at the foot of the stairs.

"You came back." Stefan whispered and Damon nodded in acknowledgement but didn't turn around. "Are you going to stand their all night?" Stefan voice was strained.

"It's day time." Damon mumbled and looked to the blanket and cushions again.

He could hear Stefan's breathing becoming more erratic and he closed his eyes and turned around to look at him finally. Stefan looked so prepared, so ready for heartbreak as Damon took in the sight of him. It looked like he hadn't slept or eaten. Then he noticed Stefan was holding something in his hand and he frowned at it. Stefan opened his hand and looked down at his palm giving a small smirk to himself.

"I thought this might be romantic." Stefan mumbled and looked to him sadly. Damon clenched his jaw and Stefan held his hand out for him to see. Damon's eyes widened and he gave a smile of delight. Stefan smiled too and threw it over to him. Damon caught it in his hand and admired it – a ripe plump cherry.

"I hoped there might be a cherry on the cake tonight." Stefan confessed and Damon's heart constricted as he looked at him.

He took a deep breath and blurred to him, grabbing him into his arms as Stefan gasped in surprise and desperation. Damon kissed him passionately as they fell back into wall and knocked things off of the side board. They didn't care, nothing matters but their mouths and their bodies touching. They both began to moan and pull at each others' clothes as they grabbed at each other, kissing furiously until they were both so excited they couldn't contain it anymore and Damon tore Stefan's jeans off and entered him. Stefan tilted his head back and cried out in rapture as they had the roughest sex they'd had for a long time, breaking mirrors and cabinets against walls as Damon's thrusting shook the ground beneath them. Stefan opened his mouth and screamed in pleasure. It didn't matter who heard now. Their fangs filled their mouths and they bit each other and growled like animals until they tired themselves out and collapsed beside each other.

Stefan groaned a little at the aches and pains in his body and Damon began to kiss every bruise or bite.

"Drink from me." He panted and Stefan looked at his neck in longing. "You can't hurt me and I want you to have this." Damon reassured and Stefan lost himself in heat and grabbed him, feeding noisily as Damon flopped on top of him.

Damon sagged a little and closed his eyes, happy to be rendered unconscious right now if it meant Stefan could have this, when Stefan pulled his mouth away and rolled them over. He held Damon tenderly and kissed him again gently this time.

"Make love to me." Stefan whispered and Damon smiled in surprise and pride in Stefan's control.

They pulled each other up for the floor and moved towards the fireplace, carefully avoiding the candles. They sat down and faced each other as they calmed. Stefan handed him a glass of bourbon and Damon chuckled and sipped at it as Stefan arranged the cushions behind Damon to make him comfortable.

"I thought maybe you were gone." Stefan said and Damon looked at him seriously again and stroked his cheek.

"I almost was."

"I wouldn't have blamed you." Stefan croaked and Damon pulled him forward for a gentle kiss again.

"I came back here to leave you." Damon whispered and Stefan's eyes filled with tears. "But then I knew that if I saw you, I'd lose my head. I wanted to sneak in and leave without you knowing. Old habits."

"And now?" Stefan blinked some tears down his face and Damon brought their foreheads together.

"Who will you complain about in your diary if I'm not here to annoy you?" Damon kissed his cheek and nuzzled his neck as Stefan began to relax. "Who'll let you have sex with them on the damn stairs? Who'll love you till it makes them want to tear their own hair out, it's so consuming and intense?" Damon pulled back and held his face as Stefan smiled and closed his eyes.

"Who'll kill you if you ever leave me again?" Damon whispered and bit into his neck as Stefan gasped in surprise and held Damon to steady himself. Damon drank slowly enjoying him as Stefan's own fangs ached. He panted and began to pump Damon until he was hard again and Damon pulled back, teeth still showing. Stefan licked his own blood from around Damon's lips as Damon breathed and enjoyed Stefan's hand movements. Stefan became more vampire again as he bit into Damon's shoulder and sped up his movements and Damon began to climax. He quickly grabbed Stefan's hands and pulled them away to stop himself from releasing and Stefan pulled back in surprise as Damon breathed down his need to climax.

"What's wrong?" Stefan panted and Damon shook his head.

"This is about us, not me." He said and Stefan smiled and pulled him on top of him onto the cushions comfortably as they kissed and stroked each other.

Everything felt so right, their bodies melted together, fit together perfectly as they made love and whispered words of love to each other until all of the candles burnt down. Stefan had always wanted to make love in front of a roaring fire and it was exactly what he'd wanted. He lay looking up at Damon's face as the light from the flames cast different colours on his skin. Every bead of sweat on Damon's neck and chest glittered and made him appear to glow as he moved inside of him and tilted his head back. Stefan lost count of how many times they climaxed together and napped in each others' arms, still to awake to the fire glowing and warming them.

He'd missed this so much and the feeding was so incredible. Perhaps they had always been made for each other. They gave each other what they both needed. Damon yearned for physical love to feel complete and accepted and Stefan yearned for blood to allow him to be who he really was and not hold back. Together they created symmetry so powerful they had their own flame, their own heat. They could give the fire a run for its money, especially when they made love like this. Damon snoozed comfortable in Stefan's arms, between his legs as Stefan stared up at the ceiling and sent thanks to the universe for his brother. His brother who'd cared for him since he was born, raised him better than their father, been his best friend, then his rival, then his enemy, now turned the love of his life. He closed his eyes and sighed, bringing his legs around Damon's back and squeezing him against him. Damon grunted sleepily and buried his head in Stefan's neck still sleeping.

This was the most real love he'd ever felt. It'd even managed to win out compulsion and Stefan didn't think that'd ever be possible. They had something special here and Stefan realised he'd give anything to keep that, even if it meant really leaving Mystic Falls. He brought his legs back down tiredly and Damon instinctively tried to move to his side, but Stefan held him with his arms and stroked his back gently and Damon sighed and melted into him again. He loved sleepy Damon the best, he was so huggy and gentle. Stefan closed his eyes and fell asleep in bliss.

When Stefan opened his eyes Damon was still snuggled into him and he smiled and wrapped his legs around his back again, keeping him as close as possible. Damon sighed and flexed his hips into him sleepily. Stefan stroked his hands down and held Damon's bottom squeezing it and Damon hummed. Damon had the smoothest most blemish free skin he'd ever seen. Damon lifted his head and kissed him, his eyes still closed and still groggy but evidently still relaxed and full of want for him. Stefan sighed into his mouth and began to rock upwards into him as he felt Damon's body respond.

"Stay with me forever." Stefan whispered as Damon kissed his neck and jaw and Damon hummed. "Promise me."

Damon growled in the back of his throat and brought his arms under Stefan's back to tilt him up and into his growing erection.

"Say it." Stefan sighed and Damon looked down at his face, studying him.

"Forever."

"I wish I could marry you." Stefan closed his eyes and Damon gave out a chuckle.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Marriage is for humans Stefan, plus I'm your brother."

"And my lover." Stefan opened his eyes again. "Not all human traditions are superfluous."

"Are you serious?" Damon searched his eyes and Stefan looked up at him innocently. "Stefan we don't need that. I'm yours."

"Yeah." Stefan said and gave a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Damon stroked his face and kissed him gently.

"I'm not the marrying kind, plus who'd be the girl?"

"This is 2013 brother. There doesn't have to be a girl."

"It'd have to be you Stef. I'm too manly and buff not to be in a tuxedo." Damon teased and Stefan gave a tight smile. Damon chuckled before realising that Stefan was being sincere. He sat up on his arms and searched his face again. Stefan looked up at him silently.

"Stefan, we can't do that. It's too weird. I love you, but no." Damon said a little nervous at Stefan's continuing silence.

Stefan nodded and reached up for him but Damon felt a little perturbed now and kissed him quickly before climbing off of him and standing up. Stefan sat up in confusion and Damon ran his hands through his hair.

"Don't pull away from me." Stefan said gently and Damon smirked and lifted one of the glasses of bourbon left over from last night.

"I'm not running." He said, taking a drink of the liquid and sighing in enjoyment. "How did you find my stash?" He raised an eyebrow and Stefan blinked not hearing him.

"Damon this is everything you've always wanted. Everything you've been denied, let me give it to you." Stefan said and Damon frowned at him, feeling vulnerable and exposed.

"You are everything I need Stefan." He said gently and Stefan smiled.

"I want to be able to vow to you how our life will be, how much I'll look after you and love you forever."

"Stefan…" Damon sighed and rubbed his eyes sounding slightly exasperated. "…I don't want to play human."

"Good because you suck at it." Stefan said back and Damon gave a smirk.

"Suck being the relative word."

"I love you. I'm going to protect you, make love to you, follow you anywhere you want to go and I'm going to give you the respect you deserve always." Stefan stood up. "I want to bathe you, feed you, take care of every need you'll ever have just like you've always done for me."

Damon felt a little overwhelmed and emotional as Stefan began to make his vows. He didn't know what to say, how to reciprocate. This wasn't his area, his expertise. No one had ever spoken like this to him before – even Katherine. He felt a little afraid and Stefan leaned into him and held him, whispering into his ear as he felt himself shiver. Stefan kissed his shoulder and neck and Damon let out a shaky breath.

"I don't know how to do this." He said unsure and flustered and Stefan stroked his back and kissed his shoulder again.

"It's ok, just make me one promise."

"What?"

"No Elena, no talking about it." Stefan whispered and Damon pulled him back and frowned at him feeling hurt. Was Stefan joking or was he trying to make this deal again? Stefan cupped his face in concern and confusion. "I don't want to talk about what happened with her. It's over. All there is, is you." Stefan explained and Damon softened in relief.

Stefan stroked through his hair tenderly and Damon closed his eyes and leaned into his fingers. Stefan kissed his cheeks down to his jaw and around to his neck and bit down, making Damon's eyelids flutter as his body hummed.

"We fix each other you and I." Damon sighed and squeezed him to his chest. Stefan hummed and got lost in feeding while Damon surrendered his will to him. He slid his ring off of his finger, flicking his eyes over to the drapes to make sure they were closed. Thankfully Stefan had come up with his insane candlelit sex session during the middle of a hot summer day plan, as otherwise the light would have posed a problem here. He held his ring tight in his hand and gave a small moan as Stefan licked his neck and pulled back to kiss him. Damon broke the kiss quickly and moved a step back grabbing Stefan's hand. Stefan raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"I can't do a wedding thing, but I can give you this." Damon said and slid his ring onto Stefan's finger. Stefan watched in amazement and glanced over to check the drapes worriedly, mercifully they were thick and secure. He brought his own hand up and removed his ring too, slipping it onto Damon's finger. They smiled at each other and clasped their hands. Their rings were very similar anyway but this act was still very powerful and meaningful. To Damon, it seemed a little unnecessary but he could see how much it meant to Stefan and that was motivation enough.

"Your fingers are big." Stefan scrunched up his nose in jest and Damon huffed in amusement and pulled him into him sharply.

"That's because I have a big appetite. We need to fatten you up brother." Damon grinned and showed his fangs and Stefan let his descend too. "Feel like being a vampire today?"

Stefan nodded and let veins protrude. Damon growled seductively and tilted his head towards the kitchen.

"Husband where is my dinner? I've got a hungry vampire groom to feed all night so I'm gonna need at least 4 blood bags." Damon growled and Stefan felt his body tingle.

Damon released him and he moved around the sofa heading towards the kitchen for blood before he realised how easily he'd succumbed to orders. He walked out to find Damon rearranging their cushions. He grinned to himself, placing the blood bags on the floor and jumped on top of Damon surprising him as they fell to the floor. He sat on top and pinned him down as Damon stared up at him.

"Husband shut your mouth and do as you're told or I might just drink your last drop like a 50s virgin in a Hammer movie." He growled and Damon grinned back at him challengingly and hummed in mirth.

"I think marriage is going to be interesting after all."

FIN