He shouldn’t be surprised. She and Damon have gotten close for reasons that Matt doesn’t understand, but it’s her life, and he can’t stop her. He just wished sometimes that their friendship meant enough that Elena would stand up for him occasionally. He’s at his locker when she approaches him, books held tight against her chest as she waits for him to acknowledge her.
“Hey, Elena.” He closes the door to the locker before turning to face her. “What’s up?”
“Have you seen Damon? Caroline said that he was going to the Grille looking for you, and I haven’t heard from him all weekend. Did he get there?”
Buffy said that he didn’t have to lie, and he certainly didn’t want to lie to Elena. But the idea of telling her the truth when she’s only going to launch a rescue mission that he doesn’t think she should. Still, probably better to get this out of the way now and not keep secrets.
“Yeah, he did. Where he threatened me, threaten my friend and compel her to leave town and never come back.” Because maybe starting with the behavior might make things easier for her to understand. “Considering she can’t be compelled and doesn’t like it when vampires try, though, she took it a little personal.”
Elena’s eyes widen and he can see the panic about to start and he holds up his hands.
“He’s fine, Elena. Buffy and her team just needed some information out of him so they’ve…got him on house arrest.”
“Okay, but what do Buffy and her ‘team’ have to do with anything? Team of what?”
“Of vampire Slayers.”
They both turn to see Buffy standing behind Matt, probably just coming over to say hello and stumbling into that conversation instead. Elena doesn’t like that even more than she likes the first part.
“You just left Damon, a vampire, with a bunch of so-called vampire Slayers? How did you know they wouldn’t kill him?”
Buffy holds up her hands for a moment, trying to get between the two, almost as though she senses that one of them might say something they can’t take back. “He’s fine, Elena. Maybe a little ornery, but we’re not torturing him or anything—”
“Oh, because that’s such a low bar to meet after kidnapping.” Elena looks over at Matt, and he can see that she’s hurt by this. “Matt, what’s wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong with me?” Something in his patience snaps and he’s had enough. “Damon berates me constantly. He manipulated Caroline for months and almost killed her. He killed my sister. He’s killed so many people and you keep defending them, both of them, like they have done nothing wrong and aren’t dangerous people to be around. You’re pissed at me for wanting to get him under control. What’s wrong with you, Elena?”
Elena recoils like he slapped her. He seems to do a lot of that lately without meaning to. Then her eyes fall to the floor and he thinks that she just might be about to acknowledge that he’s right about the Salvatores when —
“What’s this about my brother and vampire Slayers?”
Buffy arches an eyebrow, turning to face Stefan with an appraising look. He doesn’t think she’ll start a fight with a vampire in the middle of a hallway, but if provoked, she’ll definitely finish it. “Hi. I’m Buffy. We haven’t been properly introduced, but I’m thinking you’re Stefan.”
“Buffy. Wow. I didn’t think there were Buffy’s anymore.” Stefan looks amused, and Matt isn’t sure if that’s good or bad. At least for this version of Stefan, anyway. “So tell me, Buffy, why did you decide to kidnap my brother? Just for fun, or is there something you want?”
Buffy takes a step closer, meeting his challenge head on. “I took your brother for information about the other vampires in town. Just trying to get the lay of the land.”
“Well, given that you’ve had him for a couple of days now, it’s probably time you give him back.”
She shakes her head. “No, I’m not going to do that. Because I can connect Damon to at least a dozen deaths between the time he came to town and now, never mind what I’ve connected to you. So until I get everything I’m looking for, Damon stays right where he is.”
“What are you going to do with him when you’re done?”
Buffy glances over at Elena, who asked, and her face softens. Matt almost reads something like understanding in her expression, for this girl who loves and is loved by vampires. But what she says isn’t comforting.
“That depends on Damon.” She shrugs. “But with a body count like his, there’d have to be a really exemplary case for letting him go.”
Stefan reaches out and takes Elena by the arm, preparing to drag her further down the hallway. Elena lets him take her and when she looks at Matt, he sees the pleading in her expression. To not have her lose someone she loves in the worst way all over again. He doesn’t have any reassurance for her, however, and by the time she’s gone, Buffy nudges him gently.
“I’m sorry to put you in the middle of that.”
“Don’t be,” he sighs. “I don’t think you’re wrong.” He closes the door to his locker and turns his attention to the surrounding school. Frustration churns in his stomach as he grits his teeth and then turns back to Buffy. “Do you want to get out of here?”
Buffy blinks, surprised, before the bell rings. “Before we go to the classes part?”
Matt shrugs. “I just…don’t really want to be here right now.”
Buffy nods slowly, before turning to follow his lead. “Yeah. Then let’s go.”
* * * * *
He drives them out to the trail, head for the path to the falls and breathes in the piney scent of the trees. This is one of Elena’s favorite places, he knows that, but he just needs to be the place where everyone will least expect him to be. Buffy falls into step next to him without a word, following his path up to the waterfalls, until they reach the overlook where there’s a place to sit. He settles on the bench and she goes to sit next to him, before finally breaking the silence.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“I don’t even know how to talk about it,” he admits, before glancing back to here. “Elena and I have known each other since we were babies. She was my first love. I know her better than I know anyone, and sometimes it feels like I can’t recognize her anymore.”
Buffy nods. “People change, sometimes. Because they have to, not necessarily because they want to.”
“And she’s lost a lot in the last year or so. Both her adopted and bio parents, her aunt, friends. She was in love with Stefan until he just left her, and I know that she’s clinging on to both him and Damon because she loves them, and she’s worried that there will be nothing left if she doesn’t save them, somehow. But—”
“You don’t think they’re good for her, either.” Buffy looks up at him with a smile. “I know what it’s like to care a little too much about people that aren’t good for you. People who are dangerous. Sometimes, it’s not really something you can control, and it’s hard to dig yourself out of. That’s the first step, getting yourself out. After that, you can try to make better choices, but that doesn’t mean that losing them won’t be hard.”
Matt nods, before glancing over at her with a sly smile. “So, am I a terrible choice or an attempt at a better choice?”
Buffy laughs, before shrugging. “Currently leaning more towards the latter, but we’re still figuring each other out, I think.”
“But so far, so good?”
“Definitely firmly planted in the good category.”
Matt nods as he turns his eyes back to the water again. “Good to know.”
They sit in silence for a moment, taking in the water's silence, when footsteps sound on the path nearby. They both turn towards the sound and find Elena standing there, and she holds her hands up in understanding. “It’s just me. No Stefan. Truce?”
Matt’s face softens. “I’m not angry with you, Elena. I get it.”
“I know. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t have the right to be angry.” Elena takes a deep breath before glancing over to Buffy. “And I’m sorry that we’re meeting this way. Usually I make a much better impression.”
Buffy offers her a small smile in return. “Being worried about a friend isn’t a bad way to meet. Trust me, I’ve had worse meetings.”
Elena nods before moving closer, sitting on the opposite side of Matt on the bench. “I get why you feel that way about Damon. Sometimes I wish I still could because it would make everything so much easier. And I know that he’s done terrible things to all of us. I just—if you kill Damon, I don’t know what Stefan will do. He’s the only thing keeping him somewhat balanced.”
“We’re not planning on killing him. Not right now,” Buffy admits. “Our priority is something a lot bigger.” Elena’s brow furrows and Buffy sighs. “We’re here for the Originals.”
“All of them?”
“Every one.” Buffy glances around. “Are you sure your guard dog isn’t around?”
Elena swallows before shaking her head. “I think I lost him, but you can never be sure.”
“Then better safe than sorry. But we’re here for Klaus and Elijah. Not small potatoes vampires, though the Ripper of Monterey, Mexico, isn’t exactly small potatoes.” She holds up her hands. “Point being, Damon isn’t dying soon. But he was an opportune distraction.”
Matt’s eyes widen. “Because if they think you’re here for the Salvatores, they don’t think you’d be prepared for the Originals.”
“Originals can’t be killed,” Elena points out. “What are you going to do? Dagger them all?”
Buffy licks her lips, glancing over her shoulder and shaking her head. “Now isn’t really the time or place. But trust me. We have a good plan. Or are building one?”
Elena exhales slowly, before nodding. “If Matt trusts you, I trust you. Just know that…Damon will not be nice when he gets out of wherever you’re holding him.”
“I can handle Mr. Nice Guy.” Buffy nods. “But are you okay with the Stefan of it all?”
Elena shrugs. “Not really? But…it’s what I have to deal with until we break Klaus’ compulsion. And he can’t be daggered.”
“I can look into it too. A humanity-less Stefan isn’t necessarily a controllable thing. We’d rather have the one that can be reasoned with.” Buffy smiles. “We’ll figure it out.”
“Thank you,” Elena sighs. “And I’m glad you were there to protect Matt. I know I haven’t been doing a great job of that lately—”
Matt lifts an arm and wraps it around her shoulders. “It’s okay, Elena.” Granted, it’s not okay, her feeling like she has to protect everyone and it constantly slipping through her fingers, but they’re okay. That matters. “We’re okay, alright? I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I think it’s already too late for that.” Elena takes a breath, returning his hug for a moment before pulling away. “But I’m interrupting your date. I should go.” Simultaneously, but he and Buffy went to protest that this isn’t a date, and Elena grins, before turning to walk away. “Sure, it’s not.”
As she disappears over the top of the hill, Matt turns to her with a confused look. “Is this a date?”
Buffy shrugs. “Do you want it to be a date?”
“I wouldn’t hate it if it was a date?”
She laughs. “That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.”
Matt nods, because she’s not wrong. “Then how about we make plans for an actual date? Is that a happy medium?”
“Plans sounds perfect,” she nods, before inching closer to rest her head against his shoulders. “What do you do for dates in Mystic Falls?”
Matt shrugs. “Get burgers at the Grille and try not to die?”
Buffy laughs again, before nodding. “Yeah, that sounds about right for most of mine, too.”
but it's not enough | buffyverse/tvdverse | 2,066
Elena catches on about the lack of Damon quickly.
He shouldn’t be surprised. She and Damon have gotten close for reasons that Matt doesn’t understand, but it’s her life, and he can’t stop her. He just wished sometimes that their friendship meant enough that Elena would stand up for him occasionally. He’s at his locker when she approaches him, books held tight against her chest as she waits for him to acknowledge her.
“Hey, Elena.” He closes the door to the locker before turning to face her. “What’s up?”
“Have you seen Damon? Caroline said that he was going to the Grille looking for you, and I haven’t heard from him all weekend. Did he get there?”
Buffy said that he didn’t have to lie, and he certainly didn’t want to lie to Elena. But the idea of telling her the truth when she’s only going to launch a rescue mission that he doesn’t think she should. Still, probably better to get this out of the way now and not keep secrets.
“Yeah, he did. Where he threatened me, threaten my friend and compel her to leave town and never come back.” Because maybe starting with the behavior might make things easier for her to understand. “Considering she can’t be compelled and doesn’t like it when vampires try, though, she took it a little personal.”
Elena’s eyes widen and he can see the panic about to start and he holds up his hands.
“He’s fine, Elena. Buffy and her team just needed some information out of him so they’ve…got him on house arrest.”
“Okay, but what do Buffy and her ‘team’ have to do with anything? Team of what?”
“Of vampire Slayers.”
They both turn to see Buffy standing behind Matt, probably just coming over to say hello and stumbling into that conversation instead. Elena doesn’t like that even more than she likes the first part.
“You just left Damon, a vampire, with a bunch of so-called vampire Slayers? How did you know they wouldn’t kill him?”
Buffy holds up her hands for a moment, trying to get between the two, almost as though she senses that one of them might say something they can’t take back. “He’s fine, Elena. Maybe a little ornery, but we’re not torturing him or anything—”
“Oh, because that’s such a low bar to meet after kidnapping.” Elena looks over at Matt, and he can see that she’s hurt by this. “Matt, what’s wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong with me?” Something in his patience snaps and he’s had enough. “Damon berates me constantly. He manipulated Caroline for months and almost killed her. He killed my sister. He’s killed so many people and you keep defending them, both of them, like they have done nothing wrong and aren’t dangerous people to be around. You’re pissed at me for wanting to get him under control. What’s wrong with you, Elena?”
Elena recoils like he slapped her. He seems to do a lot of that lately without meaning to. Then her eyes fall to the floor and he thinks that she just might be about to acknowledge that he’s right about the Salvatores when —
“What’s this about my brother and vampire Slayers?”
Buffy arches an eyebrow, turning to face Stefan with an appraising look. He doesn’t think she’ll start a fight with a vampire in the middle of a hallway, but if provoked, she’ll definitely finish it. “Hi. I’m Buffy. We haven’t been properly introduced, but I’m thinking you’re Stefan.”
“Buffy. Wow. I didn’t think there were Buffy’s anymore.” Stefan looks amused, and Matt isn’t sure if that’s good or bad. At least for this version of Stefan, anyway. “So tell me, Buffy, why did you decide to kidnap my brother? Just for fun, or is there something you want?”
Buffy takes a step closer, meeting his challenge head on. “I took your brother for information about the other vampires in town. Just trying to get the lay of the land.”
“Well, given that you’ve had him for a couple of days now, it’s probably time you give him back.”
She shakes her head. “No, I’m not going to do that. Because I can connect Damon to at least a dozen deaths between the time he came to town and now, never mind what I’ve connected to you. So until I get everything I’m looking for, Damon stays right where he is.”
“What are you going to do with him when you’re done?”
Buffy glances over at Elena, who asked, and her face softens. Matt almost reads something like understanding in her expression, for this girl who loves and is loved by vampires. But what she says isn’t comforting.
“That depends on Damon.” She shrugs. “But with a body count like his, there’d have to be a really exemplary case for letting him go.”
Stefan reaches out and takes Elena by the arm, preparing to drag her further down the hallway. Elena lets him take her and when she looks at Matt, he sees the pleading in her expression. To not have her lose someone she loves in the worst way all over again. He doesn’t have any reassurance for her, however, and by the time she’s gone, Buffy nudges him gently.
“I’m sorry to put you in the middle of that.”
“Don’t be,” he sighs. “I don’t think you’re wrong.” He closes the door to his locker and turns his attention to the surrounding school. Frustration churns in his stomach as he grits his teeth and then turns back to Buffy. “Do you want to get out of here?”
Buffy blinks, surprised, before the bell rings. “Before we go to the classes part?”
Matt shrugs. “I just…don’t really want to be here right now.”
Buffy nods slowly, before turning to follow his lead. “Yeah. Then let’s go.”
He drives them out to the trail, head for the path to the falls and breathes in the piney scent of the trees. This is one of Elena’s favorite places, he knows that, but he just needs to be the place where everyone will least expect him to be. Buffy falls into step next to him without a word, following his path up to the waterfalls, until they reach the overlook where there’s a place to sit. He settles on the bench and she goes to sit next to him, before finally breaking the silence.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“I don’t even know how to talk about it,” he admits, before glancing back to here. “Elena and I have known each other since we were babies. She was my first love. I know her better than I know anyone, and sometimes it feels like I can’t recognize her anymore.”
Buffy nods. “People change, sometimes. Because they have to, not necessarily because they want to.”
“And she’s lost a lot in the last year or so. Both her adopted and bio parents, her aunt, friends. She was in love with Stefan until he just left her, and I know that she’s clinging on to both him and Damon because she loves them, and she’s worried that there will be nothing left if she doesn’t save them, somehow. But—”
“You don’t think they’re good for her, either.” Buffy looks up at him with a smile. “I know what it’s like to care a little too much about people that aren’t good for you. People who are dangerous. Sometimes, it’s not really something you can control, and it’s hard to dig yourself out of. That’s the first step, getting yourself out. After that, you can try to make better choices, but that doesn’t mean that losing them won’t be hard.”
Matt nods, before glancing over at her with a sly smile. “So, am I a terrible choice or an attempt at a better choice?”
Buffy laughs, before shrugging. “Currently leaning more towards the latter, but we’re still figuring each other out, I think.”
“But so far, so good?”
“Definitely firmly planted in the good category.”
Matt nods as he turns his eyes back to the water again. “Good to know.”
They sit in silence for a moment, taking in the water's silence, when footsteps sound on the path nearby. They both turn towards the sound and find Elena standing there, and she holds her hands up in understanding. “It’s just me. No Stefan. Truce?”
Matt’s face softens. “I’m not angry with you, Elena. I get it.”
“I know. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t have the right to be angry.” Elena takes a deep breath before glancing over to Buffy. “And I’m sorry that we’re meeting this way. Usually I make a much better impression.”
Buffy offers her a small smile in return. “Being worried about a friend isn’t a bad way to meet. Trust me, I’ve had worse meetings.”
Elena nods before moving closer, sitting on the opposite side of Matt on the bench. “I get why you feel that way about Damon. Sometimes I wish I still could because it would make everything so much easier. And I know that he’s done terrible things to all of us. I just—if you kill Damon, I don’t know what Stefan will do. He’s the only thing keeping him somewhat balanced.”
“We’re not planning on killing him. Not right now,” Buffy admits. “Our priority is something a lot bigger.” Elena’s brow furrows and Buffy sighs. “We’re here for the Originals.”
“All of them?”
“Every one.” Buffy glances around. “Are you sure your guard dog isn’t around?”
Elena swallows before shaking her head. “I think I lost him, but you can never be sure.”
“Then better safe than sorry. But we’re here for Klaus and Elijah. Not small potatoes vampires, though the Ripper of Monterey, Mexico, isn’t exactly small potatoes.” She holds up her hands. “Point being, Damon isn’t dying soon. But he was an opportune distraction.”
Matt’s eyes widen. “Because if they think you’re here for the Salvatores, they don’t think you’d be prepared for the Originals.”
“Originals can’t be killed,” Elena points out. “What are you going to do? Dagger them all?”
Buffy licks her lips, glancing over her shoulder and shaking her head. “Now isn’t really the time or place. But trust me. We have a good plan. Or are building one?”
Elena exhales slowly, before nodding. “If Matt trusts you, I trust you. Just know that…Damon will not be nice when he gets out of wherever you’re holding him.”
“I can handle Mr. Nice Guy.” Buffy nods. “But are you okay with the Stefan of it all?”
Elena shrugs. “Not really? But…it’s what I have to deal with until we break Klaus’ compulsion. And he can’t be daggered.”
“I can look into it too. A humanity-less Stefan isn’t necessarily a controllable thing. We’d rather have the one that can be reasoned with.” Buffy smiles. “We’ll figure it out.”
“Thank you,” Elena sighs. “And I’m glad you were there to protect Matt. I know I haven’t been doing a great job of that lately—”
Matt lifts an arm and wraps it around her shoulders. “It’s okay, Elena.” Granted, it’s not okay, her feeling like she has to protect everyone and it constantly slipping through her fingers, but they’re okay. That matters. “We’re okay, alright? I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I think it’s already too late for that.” Elena takes a breath, returning his hug for a moment before pulling away. “But I’m interrupting your date. I should go.” Simultaneously, but he and Buffy went to protest that this isn’t a date, and Elena grins, before turning to walk away. “Sure, it’s not.”
As she disappears over the top of the hill, Matt turns to her with a confused look. “Is this a date?”
Buffy shrugs. “Do you want it to be a date?”
“I wouldn’t hate it if it was a date?”
She laughs. “That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.”
Matt nods, because she’s not wrong. “Then how about we make plans for an actual date? Is that a happy medium?”
“Plans sounds perfect,” she nods, before inching closer to rest her head against his shoulders. “What do you do for dates in Mystic Falls?”
Matt shrugs. “Get burgers at the Grille and try not to die?”
Buffy laughs again, before nodding. “Yeah, that sounds about right for most of mine, too.”