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chapter one.

    THE roads were relatively clear as Naya drove. Rays of sunlight shone against the windshield, softly blinding her eyes before they adjusted. Two of the front windows alongside the sunroof were wide open, casting wind against Naya and Celeste's skin. The radio droned, loud and clear, Taylor Swift's Love Story blaring through the car and even outside of it. Somehow, Celeste's voice managed to be louder than the radio.

"Hun, I will change the radio if you don't stop—"

Celeste stopped singing for a moment. She pouted and glared at Naya. "Just let me finish this song!"

"You said that for the past five songs."

"Yes, but—"

"—Uh-uh, just because my hearing can regenerate doesn't mean I have to suffer for extended time periods."

Celeste groaned, rolling her eyes. "You've been spending too much time with him."

Naya chuckled, "As if you didn't get into Taylor after he complained about hearing her music."

"It was a timely coincidence," Celeste shrugged, light. "It's not as if I don't like her music."

"And it's definitely not as if you don't like toying with him either." Naya rolled her eyes as Celeste discretely held her laugh. "But, if you're going to sing, babe, sing without damaging my hearing."

"Spoilsport."

Celeste quieted down for the rest of the song before progressively getting louder as the next song played. Naya shook her head and sighed, resting her elbow against the rim of the door. She didn't have the heart to chastise Celeste again. Her singing was endearing as much as it was frustrating.

Naya's fingers tapped against the wheel, her mind rampant at the thought of meeting Damon. She wanted to see him—she missed him. But, there was a large feeling of discontent within her. The minute she would step foot in Mystic Falls, everything would come to light soon enough. She somewhat liked the idea of peace—of being able to go about her life and not wonder who would attack her throughout the day.

The life she had built with Celeste and even Damon has been shaky. But it was a comforting one.

Or maybe it was a lie she told herself as tried to meld the pieces of her life together.

She looked at the rear mirror, then glanced at Celeste, whose eyes were already on her, no longer singing.

"Do you want to go back?" Celeste asked, eyes already knowing.

A black sign, printed with bold letters written—'Welcome To Virginia'—began to enter their line of sight. Naya sighed under her breath. She tapped her thumb against the steering wheel as her eyes trained on the red light in front of them.

It should've been a sign.

Turn back. Tell Damon you're sorry and will see him soon.

Or—don't apologize. Stay and fight. See what happens.

The light was still red, taunting her every second of indecisiveness.

She turned her signal on, preparing to change lanes when possible. Her bottom lip caught in between her teeth as her eyes frequented from the red light, to the open lane beside her, and to the Virginia state sign. She wasn't sure what to do—if she was making the right choice, or rather, if there was a right choice.

Naya took a deep breath and turned off the lane change indicators.

The inevitable would find her anyway.

"I'm tired of running," she whispered.

Celeste nodded.

The light finally turned green, and Naya continued driving forward.

━━━━━━━━━━

    The Salvatore Boarding House loomed into view. It was darker than Naya last remembered—a rustic brownstone with ivy that crept up its walls, winding around windows and door frames. A handful of tall oak trees dotted their green yard, along with bushes and weeds that gave off a secluded look. The aesthetic contrasted against Naya and Celeste's soon-to-be home, which was much lighter and friendlier in comparison.

Celeste yawned and winded her shoulders back, stretching. She spared one glance at the Salvatore residence and gave Naya a dreadful look. "How long are we going to be...here?" She took another look at the house and shuddered. "I can't be in close quarters with him for that long."

Naya fixed Celeste with an exasperated stare—tired and very much amused. "Can you stop? We're gonna be here until they finish fixing up the house, so for like..." Naya pulled over a few feet from the driveway and counted silently to herself. "Two weeks, I think? Decorations and indoor plumbing are important."

Celeste stared at Naya with wide, horrified eyes at the counting of two weeks.

Naya glared. "You're acting as if I killed a puppy!"

"I would rather you kill a puppy than have me live with him for two weeks! Please, Naya—" Celeste grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking Naya roughly. "Drive me to our home so I can sleep on the floor."

Naya slapped Celeste's hands off her shoulders. "Jesus, Celeste! Relax. First things first, he has a name. And second—it's not the end of the world." She held Celeste's hands in her lap, gently mocking her. "You will make it through this, okay? I believe in you."

"Kill me."

Naya held onto her hands tighter, still mocking. "You're already dead."

Celeste yanked her hands away with a scowl, mumbling under her breath.

"Sorry—what was that?"

"I didn't think old age got to you already."

"I will kill—"

"—but I'm already dead!" Celeste gasped.

It was now Naya's turn to scowl as she turned away from Celeste and started the car again, driving them further into the driveway.

As the boarding house came closer into view, Naya felt an ounce of fear and anticipation. She was glad Damon was right—Zach was at work, and Stefan would be integrating into town as the 'mysterious, brooding teenage boy who longs to experience high school woes' or something dramatic and insulting along those lines.

She parked her car at the entrance and stepped out. The air was fresh and humid. It was just the thing she needed to calm herself down as she took a deep breath and steeled her nerves.

The sound of the trunk opening caught Naya's attention, and she turned to Celeste unloading their belongings. She immediately rushed to help her, lifting the biggest luggage as if it weighed nothing to her. Celeste took the moment to check again for items in the back seat before returning Naya's way.

"That should be everything," Celeste confirmed, wiping her hands on her denim skirt. She looked up at Naya, her eyes soft and full of concern. Naya could feel her heart tug when their eyes met. "Are you gonna be okay? We don't have to be here—"

Naya interrupted, shaking her head. "I'm fine. I have you after all, don't I? We'll manage."

A familiar voice cut through their conversation, wry and confident. "And what about me? Doesn't your sexy, irresistible boyfriend deserve a mention?"

Naya's eyes brightened as she saw Damon walking towards them. She also didn't have to look at Celeste to already know she was rolling her eyes at him.

In a flash, Damon was in front of Naya, taking the sight of her in like a meal. His hand cupped the side of her face, his voice smug as he brandished his go-to smirk. "Did you miss me?"

Naya leaned into his touch, peering through her lashes. Instantaneously, her energy matched Damon's, seductive and confident. "Hi, Damon."

"Mmm," he leaned in to kiss her, and Naya met him halfway. Her lips were soft against his, teeth tugging against his bottom lip. Damon melted against her and kissed her again, passionately—no doubt putting on even more of a show to upset Celeste. He pressed a sweet peck on her head, then pulled away and whispered, "Hi, honey."

Celeste was a few feet further from where she was standing last and pretended to gag—or actually was gagging. Naya couldn't differentiate between the two these days.

Damon rolled his eyes and smiled at Celeste, irritation ridden in his features. "Good day to you, too, Celeste."

"It was until you showed up."

Damon swiped a hand over his heart and gaped. So rude, he mouthed.

Celeste did not spare him a glance, instead opting to graze her feet against the rocks. Her posture became more rigid by the second. Naya looked at her, then Damon, again at Celeste, and sighed.

It was going to be a very long two weeks.

She reached for her luggage only to be intercepted by Damon's hand as he took the handle in his grasp.

"Please, let me," he said, kissing Naya's cheek.

Naya smiled. "Why, thank you."

"Are you gonna take my bags too?" Celeste asked, sardonic. Her eyes pierced into Damon.

Naya frowned as she saw Damon's jaw tightening. "Last I heard, feminism's the rage these days. I think a strong, independent woman like yourself could haul these bags without any issue—"

Celeste's eyes lightened up, a devious spark shining through. She tilted her head, crossed her arms, and blankly stared at Damon. "And are you implying that Naya isn't a strong, independent woman?"

Damon opened his mouth, glanced at Naya, who had her head cocked to the side, awaiting to hear his answer, then closed his mouth before turning back to Celeste with narrowed eyes.

"That's different! I'm her boyfriend," he said with emphasis. The corners of Damon's lips turned up as he slightly raised a brow. "Which is a term I'm sure you're not familiar with whatsoever, so let me enlighten—"

"—Damon," Naya cut off, scolding. She brushed past him and walked towards the entrance. "Shut up and take her bags."

"You hear that, Damon? Take my bags."

Damon sighed while Celeste made no effort to hide her smile. She watched as Naya made her way to the entrance and turned to Damon, lifting her bag and throwing it at him with great effort.

A loud grunt captured Naya's attention and she turned to see Damon on the ground with Celeste's suitcase on top of him, as Celeste, herself, pranced over to Naya with glee. She didn't have it in herself to berate Celeste—he did deserve it this time.

Once Celeste was close to Naya, she grasped Naya's arm and hurried them inside.

━━━━━━━━━━

    Naya lay on the bed. Her hair was sprayed against the pillows, and a throw blanket was draped over her legs. There was a ceiling fan that droned softly in the room. And as she stirred, the duvet was soft under her touch, comforting and steady, while light filtered through the ivory cotton blinds—a purchase she specifically got for this room.

Aside from the light dust coating the crevices, everything in the room was just as she had left it fifteen years ago.

For some reason, there wasn't any trepidation back then; Kaine wasn't a threat—he couldn't be because Naya made sure of that two centuries ago—but it was as if something was different this time. She could feel it in the air as she drove to Virginia—to Mystic Falls—to Elena.

There was a part of her that wished she didn't come back.

Her eyes moved from staring at the singular spot on the ceiling to the dark walls, tracing its outline and edges.

Every moment she spent idle would be an advantage to her enemies—known and unknown.

Naya sighed and turned back to stare at the ceiling. If she was going to get through this, she would have to talk with Celeste, find her journal, and start planning. There were so many people, so many problems, and so much to account for in such a short time frame.

The more restless Naya became, the more uncomfortable the bed became beneath her, and so she began tossing, desperate to find her ground.

A dark urge broke through her mind—similar to glass fracturing: the thought to massacre hundreds. She could feel—taste the blood on her skin. She could imagine herself giving into that pleasure—sitting upon the bones of all her victims, the magic thrumming against her veins, witnessing multitudes of people helplessly walking to their deaths, and in the midst of it all—she didn't have a care.

But a part of her did not want that. She wanted to be in control and live her life without fear of what she could become.

She wanted balance.

However, that balance would not come until she got herself together. A split, broken mind wouldn't do her any good. She had to try to overcome this. She could not run.

Naya sat up in the bed, her hands immediately cradling her head. A faint thrum began to echo through her, and she knew she was bound to have a migraine any moment.

Another fracture—

Take what is yours.

She gritted her teeth and enclosed her hands tighter around her head.

Take—

Shut up, Naya interjected.

The slight pounding in her head began to recede, and her body instantly eased up when she drew a small breath in.

The sound of footsteps approaching Naya's door caught her attention. She froze and immediately snapped her eyes up to see Damon, confused and concerned, at the frame of her entrance with a steaming mug in his hand, which she could smell was chamomile.

"Wow. Okay. I didn't even say anything yet," Damon quipped, walking further into Naya's room and closing the door behind him with his foot. He turned his attention back to Naya and tilted his head, giving her an inquisitive look. "Don't tell me you're becoming one of those girlfriends who nags their boyfriends for, like, breathing?"

Naya groaned, flopping back on the bed. "What are you talking about?"

Damon's brows furrowed deeper before he shot Naya a deadpan stare as if the answer was obvious. "You told me to shut up."

"I mean... yeah, but that was earlier?"

"No, I just heard you—like a second before I stepped into your room."

Her eyes widened as she shot up. "What—You heard that?"

"Pretty sure all of Virginia did."

Naya felt her heart drop at Damon's words. She didn't even realize she spoke aloud.

Damon scoffed at her mortified expression, "Relax, you weirdo. Can't testify to the entirety of Virginia hearing it, but I did hear you with my own ears." He motioned for Naya to scoot over, and without hesitation, she did. He sat next to her on the side of the bed and brought the mug closer to Naya's attention. "Here. Figured you might need it."

Naya's shoulders dropped, taking the mug. She murmured, "How'd you know?"

"My boyfriend senses started tingling," he shrugged.

Naya didn't pay much mind to his comment. She would ask about it later. Her hands were warm against the sides of the mug; the aroma of chamomile was strong under her nose, and she could sense hints of magic brewed in the tea. No doubt from the herbs. Damon wouldn't know of it, but yet he still kept some in stock whenever she was around.

She brought the tea to her lips and drank it slowly, careful to savor every drop. The effects of the magic flowed through her, instantly giving her relief. She felt her muscles become less tense and her head beginning to clear.

After a few more sips, she passed the cup to Damon and reclined back on the pillows, opting to stare at the ceiling.

"Thanks."

Damon hummed in reply, placing the mug on the stand adjacent to the bed. He hopped over Naya's lying form and settled in next to her. His eyes traced the side of her profile, searching for possible reasons behind her mood.

Seeing Naya so lost in her thoughts unsettled him. It's happened many times throughout the span of their relationship. If Damon didn't know Naya, he could've said it was simply how she was. But he knew her. He'd gotten used to her laughter in the morning when he was the last to wake between them, the rush she would get when she would buy plants to decorate their apartment with, and the patience she had with him, even when he acted on his worst impulses. Although he was chided by her on several occasions, she never left. It was as if she understood him—which also terrified him—but it was also something he knew he needed (deep inside). He didn't have to explain or change himself. She just got it.

For a moment, his mind traveled back fifteen years ago, when he was here with Naya, along with Stefan and Zach. There was an ounce of fear when he saw Naya and Stefan interacting. The thought of losing her terrorized him, yet Naya chose him without a second thought.

Damon shook his thoughts away and brought Naya closer to him. He could feel a part of his heart defrost when her body automatically responded to his touch. She turned and snuggled closer to him, draping her leg over both of his legs.

In a rare moment of vulnerability, he placed a kiss on her head and held her close to him.

"Did the tea help?"

"Mhm, like always. Thanks again."

"Don't mention it."

Naya propped her head on Damon's chest to find blue eyes already on her. "Seriously. How'd you know?"

Damon squinted at her. "I already told you—"

"Yeah, I heard what you said before. I'm not deaf."

"Then—"

"Damon."

He looked up at the ceiling, inwardly sighing. "Figured the moving, and all might be getting to you. Plus, I overheard your little minion checking in on you before I made my grand entrance."

Naya sat up, earning Damon's attention. "She's not a minion. She's my best friend."

"Psh," he rolled his eyes. "Minion. Best friend. Tomato—tomato."

Naya glared at him, then rested her head back against his chest.

"You're such a cunt," she said.

"Yes, also amongst the many other terrible things I've been called," he smiled. "All true, might I add."

Naya couldn't refrain from laughing. "Maybe I should start being creative and add more to the list."

"Please do. Once the list is long enough, I'll make a book out of it titled All of Damon Salvatore's Aliases: First Edition. It's gonna be a best-seller, I'm telling ya now."

"Ohh," Naya cooed. "Do I get the first book with your signature inside?" She looked up at him, batting her lashes. "Are you gonna write my name in the dedication?"

"All that and more, sweetheart."

"The Damon Salvatore has a heart," Naya swatted at his shoulder, playful. "I knew you loved me."

"Shh, keep it down. A man's gotta have some secrets," he shushed.

"Right... and definitely not because of your reputation."

"What?" Damon squeaked, his voice a higher pitch. He ran a hand through his hair. "I have no clue about this reputation you're alluding to."

"Uh-huh," Naya nodded.

It fell into a moment of comfortable silence afterward. Naya wanted to thank him again for bringing the tea, but she knew there was only so much gratitude Damon could take before he started getting antsy. Instead, she opted to straddle him, hiding her head in the crook of his neck. The scent of bergamot and bourbon filled Naya's olfactory. She was so used to it—so used to him. It eased her. When his arms wrapped against her, she felt herself melt against him even more.

There were only so many moments they could have liked this before it all came crashing down on them.

For a second, a flicker of guilt traipsed through Naya when she thought about the secrets she withheld from him—including the origin of her headaches.

But both of them agreed not to disclose anything from their past lives unless they truly wanted to, so she forced herself to let go of the guilt.

She mumbled into the crook of his neck. "Are you gonna be busy?"

"Aside from my plans of, you know, world domination and torturing my baby brother for eternity, I think my schedule is pretty open."

"Seems like a pretty busy schedule to me."

"It's always open for you."

"Careful," she pressed a kiss against his neck, feeling his body slightly stiffen at the contact of her lips against his skin. "You're gonna give me butterflies and make a girl feel special."

"Oh, gods. We wouldn't want that now, would we?" Damon remarked. He shifted himself to lean back enough to glance down at Naya, whose gaze was already upon him. One look at her was all it took for him to know that she needed to go out. "Let's get out of here."

"And go where?"

"Anywhere you'd like," Damon answered, shrugging to the best of his ability. "Later tonight, though, I'm gonna go to the bonfire, where I'm bound to see every frisky, hormonal teenager there is in this town trying to get it on the woods."

Naya grimaced at the thought. "Sex against a tree would be so uncomfortable."

"Don't tell them that. They think it's peak romance."

Naya mimed sealing her lips and then threw away the key. "My lips are sealed."

She could feel Damon's light chuckle reverberate through her as she laid on him.

The bonfire didn't seem like a bad idea. It would be entertaining enough not to bore Naya—if she convinced Celeste to come with her. Maybe they could explore even more of the town afterward. However, she wasn't exactly sure who she would meet there. If Damon was 'going,' she figured Stefan would be there, which also meant Elena would be present.

Naya figured her plan had to start from somewhere.

She sat up and stretched her arms toward the ceiling, Damon's eyes following her every move.

"I'm bringing Celeste with me," Naya stated, leaving no room for objection.

Damon rolled his eyes, emitting a loud groan that could most certainly be heard throughout the entire house.

"Kill me."

"Love you too."

━━━━━━━━━━

    Damon's directions for the bonfire weren't exactly clear. It was Somewhere in the woods, he said, but the town was practically surrounded by woods. If it weren't for the fact that there was a loud group of teens, and a large fire lighting up the area, Naya wasn't sure she would ever find it as fast as she did.

She parked her car near an open spot around the cemetery and turned to Celeste with a smile.

"I'm so glad you came with me."

Celeste frowned. "You didn't really leave me with a choice."

"What? Yes, I did!"

"You said you would lock me out of my room and force me to sleep in the closest room next to Damon if I didn't come with you!"

"Like I said..." Naya sauntered over, grabbing Celeste's hand. "I did give you a choice."

Celeste opened her mouth to oppose but changed her mind to engage when a good group of people, assumedly leaving the bonfire, started to walk to their respective vehicles. She nodded to them, whispering to Naya, "They can tell us where to go from here."

Naya nodded, agreeing. She walked to one of the groups, approaching a giggling blonde girl who seemed to be tipsy, leaning against her friend.

"Hey... I don't mean to intrude," Naya waved.

Another girl, a short brunette, turned to Naya and smiled. "Hey, no worries. What's up?"

"I was wondering—"

"Oh my god, you're so pretty." The tipsy blonde spoke up, her attention now on Naya. She pushed her two friends aside and grabbed Naya's shoulders, encroaching on her personal space. "We should be friends!"

Naya froze, partially because the girl was so close and because she could hear her pulse thrumming through the girl's veins, loud and inviting. The area was too open. She could be seen. It put her on edge—everything in her screaming not to lose control. Naya cleared her throat and pushed the blonde away gently. "I'm flattered, but—"

"Sarah!" The girl who was supporting Sarah spoke up, rushing to grab her. "I'm sorry about her. She drank more than she could handle."

Naya smiled tight. "No worries." She turned her attention back to the short brunette, "As I was saying—do you know where exactly the bonfire is?"

"Yeah, you just keep going down straight and make a right once you pass the drink stand. It's just a little deep into the woods."

"Thanks," Naya replied. It was awfully silent and empty near them now. A faint flutter of wings caught her attention, and there she saw it—a crow perched on a grave a few feet away from them. Naya knew it was Damon. She sighed and cast a wary glance at the woods, then over the three girls, beginning to turn away. "You all should get back home soon and make sure she's safe."

The girl absentmindedly nodded to her words. Naya turned entirely, hearing the sound of keys clacking and doors opening.

She spared a glance at Damon in his crow form. Naya subtly shook her head, annoyed. She didn't want to deal with the clean-up of three bodies.

Not them, she mouthed.

At that, Damon took off elsewhere.

Naya was internally grateful that he listened. His urges were too much to handle at times.

"I almost felt bad for you," Celeste said as she followed Naya's line of sight at the crow before turning to face the row of trees. She nudged Naya softly. "Let's go before another tipsy blonde starts thinking you're her new bestie."

Naya gasped. "Oh, are you jealous?"

"Shut up."

Naya laughed, her mind somewhat taken off Damon.

The two of them followed the directions that they were given, walking closer to the glowing flames.

━━━━━━━━━━

    The woods were packed. Naya couldn't remember the last time she was around this many people so close to her biological age.

A huge bonfire, built with a substantial amount of sticks, crackled in the center of the clearing. People chatted and danced, the shadows of the fire lingering on them. She could smell the cologne and perfume mixed with sweat, the loud, thumping music vibrating within her. Everything felt warm, like the friendly start of something new.

It made sure to cast away any doubts Naya had earlier in the day.

She spared a glance over her shoulder to look at Celeste before turning towards the crowd. Her eyes searched over everyone—man and woman—before they stopped at the sight of Elena.

She was the spitting image of Tatia—of Katherine—and yet so different. Her eyes were doe-like, a dark chestnut, just like her hair—a vivid contrast against her olive skin.

It made sense why Stefan was already by her side. He was just that predictable. Or somehow, it was an act of well-placed luck—but it only made Naya uneasy.

Damon fought for Katherine's affections, too, some time ago.

Her gut twisted as she wondered if Elena was partially a part of the reason Damon returned to this town. He would never admit it to Naya outright. It was always like him to have his games. But Naya wasn't an idiot. She's played her own games as well, even better. She'd figure it out and get answers soon enough.

"Celeste, I see—" Naya turned, her brows furrowing at the red solo cup in Celeste's hand. "When'd you get that?"

"I kinda rushed to get it while you were looking around." Celeste took a sip and grimaced. "This tastes awful." She poured the drink on the ground. "What were you saying though?"

"I was saying I saw Elena—the doppelgänger. We should go to them."

Celeste inclined her head and followed Naya as they weaved through the crowd to avoid being elbowed.

They stopped when they were only a foot or two away from Stefan, Elena, and two other girls.

"Stefan," Naya started with a knowing smile. "Long time no see!"

Stefan froze when he saw Naya, then looked at Celeste behind her, his conversation with Elena coming to a halt. He was dressed in a dark jacket and simple dark blue jeans, looking just as young as he did fifteen years ago—young, serious, and handsome.

"Naya...? Celeste? What—" Stefan sputtered. "I—I didn't think you would be in town."

Naya could see the fear hidden behind his eyes, and she'd be lying if she said it didn't make her smile.

She shrugged, smirking. "Figured I'd stop by. My boyfriend was here and insisted I should come." Naya gestured to the three girls beside him. "Aren't you gonna introduce us?"

Stefan's jaw tightened, his face turning stoic. If Naya was here, then he knew his brother would be here—if not already.

Elena watched their interaction with curious eyes. She noticed how Stefan's eyes lingered on Celeste, who unabashedly stared back at Stefan—almost as if there was something between them.

The blonde between the three broke the silence and sang, "Awkward. The vibes right now are so off." She took another drink from her cup, eyes peering over at Naya and Celeste as if she were weighing their appearances in her head. "I'm Caroline Forbes. Mystic Falls' head cheerleader. And I'm bored, so I'm gonna get another drink. See ya!"

"Caroline, c'mon!" The other girl reprimanded after Caroline's retreating form.

Naya turned her sight onto her.

She had tawny-brown skin and sleek, dark curly hair. When Naya looked at her eyes, they were a nice, light shade of green. She possessed the girl-next-door-neighbor beauty—effortless and striking.

"Sorry, that's just how she is. I'm Bonnie. It's nice to meet you both."

Celeste gave the girl, now known as Bonnie, a small smile.

Bonnie returned her smile, then turned to Naya, giving her an even bigger smile.

"It's nice to meet you too," Naya breathed, her eyes softening at Bonnie's smile.

"I'm Elena," she greeted, waving her hand to both Naya and Celeste. "Are you guys new here? I must've missed you in school today—"

"Oh, no." Naya waved off. "We're—"

"Just in the area," Stefan interrupted, giving Naya a pleading look to follow along with his story. She narrowed her eyes but gave him a nearly-susceptible nod. "They're long-time friends of mine. I just... wasn't expecting them to be here, so I apologize if I made things awkward."

"We wanted to surprise you," Naya smiled tight. "Sorry for not warning you in advance."

As Stefan and Naya continued their small conversation, Celeste sighed, and Elena pinned her eyes on her. She was so quiet and looked as if there was anywhere else she'd rather be than here. It was much harder for her to read Celeste than Naya—at least Naya seemed open and friendly.

Elena opened her mouth to say something, but her voice was lost in her throat when Celeste looked at her, cold and expecting, as if she was waiting for Elena to say something to her.

Elena blinked, unsure how to handle Celeste's intense gaze on her.

She liked it—but it was a lot. Very different from how Stefan and her first met.

"I, uh, like your nose ring." Elena gestured to Celeste's piercing, awkwardly smiling at her. "It really suits you."

"I know, right," joined Bonnie. "It definitely screams edgy-chic. I love it on you."

Celeste didn't entirely smile. She paused at Elena's words, her gaze lighting up as she fixed it on Bonnie. "I appreciate it. Thanks."

Elena tried not to frown when Celeste addressed Bonnie and not her too. She looked up at Stefan with a shy smile, who returned it to her.

They were already outside, but Elena felt as if she needed air. She could feel Celeste's gaze back on her—or maybe Stefan—and if it lingered any longer, she would become visibly bristled.

Someone had to say something to free Elena from this torment.

Naya eyed the two of them, Stefan and Elena. She wasn't sure what to think of Stefan's arrival solely due to the doppelganger. And Damon, himself, was even more of a wildcard.

Her eyes searched the party, coming to a stop on a crow resting atop a branch, before turning to Celeste, whispering low enough so Stefan wouldn't hear, "I'm gonna check on him. Wanna come with, or you're okay here?"

"I'm fine. Go," Celeste shooed.

Naya could tell that Celeste was tense—either because of Stefan or Elena or because of the party in general, she couldn't quite tell, but it was written all over her posture. However, she knew Celeste would've spoken up if she was at her limit, so Naya eyed her one last time and circled back to the other three.

"I think I'm going to look around and maybe grab myself a drink," Naya announced, mostly addressing Bonnie and Elena. "I'm not sure if you guys will still be here when I'm done, but it was really nice to see all of you."

Elena seemed to pick up at Naya's words, grateful for the tension relief, while Bonnie looked a bit downcasted at Naya's departure. However, they both gave her a warm smile as Stefan nodded politely, no doubt his mind being on his brother.

"It was nice meeting you too. Hopefully, we meet again sometime!" Elena waved, eyes shining.

God, she was so different from Katherine.

Bonnie rocked on the heels of her feet. Her eyes lingered on Naya before catching sight of Caroline's drunken form, sloppily flirting away with a random guy. She sighed, "It was nice meeting you also, but I think I'm gonna get going too. Caroline's exceeded her alcohol limit for the night."

"You're a good friend," Naya complimented.

Bonnie blushed at her words, shaking down the praise. "It's nothing. I—" she paused to herself, a surge of confidence coming over her. The night wasn't over yet. Bonnie turned to Celeste. "Would you like to come with me? We could get to know each other a bit more. I was gonna take Caroline to the grill. Make sure she sobers up before I drive her home."

Celeste froze. She didn't think Bonnie, or anyone, for that matter, would have invited her to go somewhere after this.

Her eyes found Naya's in silent panic. She knew Naya was going to encourage her to go, and Naya was already doing so—nodding at Celeste with enthusiasm—but still, it wasn't something she would have expected.

Yet, there was something so earnest and genuine about Bonnie that made it hard for her to refuse.

Celeste turned back to Bonnie, shoulders eased. "If you're okay with me tagging along, then sure. That'd be nice."

Bonnie beamed. "Perfect! We can start heading out now, and you—" she pivoted to Naya. "should come over too. I'm like 99 percent sure we'll still be there by the time you're done."

"Thanks for the invitation. I'll see you later then."

At that, Bonnie took her leave, beckoning Celeste to follow.

Celeste had stopped, saying goodbye to Naya before sparing a curt nod to Elena and Stefan. Naya had done the same also, giving them a warm parting before making her way around the bonfire.

There was a slight frown on Elena's face. She witnessed Celeste's retreating form and wondered if Celeste would have said yes if it had been her who asked and not Bonnie.

From the shadows, Damon watched over their conversations. He reverted into his human form, eyes trailing after Naya before speeding off deeper into the woods.

━━━━━━━━━━

    It didn't take long for Naya to find Damon deep in the woods, leaning against a tree in his usual leather jacket over a plain white shirt.

He perked up at the sight of her, smirking. "Took you long enough. Thought you were gonna leave me out here to dry."

She shrugged. "I wanted to see Stefan and the doppelgänger."

"And now that you have... thoughts? Opinions?"

Naya's mind wandered to Stefan's mortified face when she appeared, to Elena by his side, and then to Bonnie. "Intriguing, to say the least. He looked terrified to see me," she laughed. "Which means he knows you're here."

Damon sauntered toward her, cupping her face when he was close enough. "Oh, I'm very aware. You know how my little brother is—he doesn't connect the dots until they're practically drawn for him."

"So, what are you gonna do now?" Naya brushed his hand aside, teasing.

"Give him a little welcoming gift, duh."

"Of course. Why did I even ask?"

"Cheer up. I'll let you have first-bite privileges."

"You're incorrigible."

"I'm charming," Damon corrected, grinning. He gestured to a girl stumbling in the woods several feet away. "And that, right there, is dinner."

Naya turned, watching the girl navigate the dark woods. Even from a far distance, Naya could tell she was having a rough night, but it would only get worse from here.

Damon watched as Naya tilted her head, eyes low and calculating as she stared at their prey. He wasn't sure what was going through her head, but one thing was for certain—he was going to tear that stranger's throat apart—with or without her.

Naya looked back at Damon. She swept her gaze over him, head to toe. Dark veins began to protrude beneath his eyes; his impatience was palpable.

"You can't be that hungry," Naya scoffed, tilting her head.

"I wouldn't be if you hadn't gotten in the way of my appetizer earlier."

"An appetizer?" Naya asked, incredulous. "You would've had to kill all three of them."

"So?" Damon jeered. Footsteps came close to their location, and they both knew they had to wrap their conversation up. He shot Naya an exasperated look. "What's the plan, honey? Are you in, or am I flying solo?"

Naya rolled her eyes and sighed. "Go first. I don't want her to see me."

Damon struck Naya with a captivating smile—dark veins and brandished fangs—before dashing off with a blur of speed.

She couldn't say for certain where his goals lay. There were too many unknown variables that weren't revealed, and she hadn't even begun to plan for her own misfortunes.

But Naya knew torturing Stefan wasn't Damon's only objective.

She knew him a tad too well for that.

A sigh escaped her as she pushed past her thoughts. It would have to be dealt with another day.

In a blur, Naya ran through the woods. She paused to rest behind a tree, her eyes searching to catch sight of her latest victim.

Damon's presence could be felt throughout the area. He moved without being seen. Naya tracked him like a predator, his eyes never removing him from her sight.

The sounds of leaves and branches breaking underfoot caught their victim's attention.

They turned around, looking to pinpoint where the sounds came from through the heavy fog.

"Jeremy? Is that you? ... Jeremy?" she cried.

Naya prepared to sneak from behind as she watched Damon suddenly appear in front of the girl.

He stood in front of her, vampiric face showing. "Don't scream."

Naya took that as her cue. She grabbed the girl from behind, enclosing a gentle and strong grip around her neck as Naya sank her fangs into them.

The taste of blood on her lips—rich and sweet—nearly drove her into a frenzy. It was overwhelming and almost made it impossible for Naya to let go of the girl.

But the last thing Naya wanted to do was kill her, so she took another mouthful of blood before letting go.

Naya's eyes widened as the girl, held by her hand, dropped immediately—weak from the blood loss.

She cringed.

Damon was supposed to take his fill right after her.

"I didn't mean to—" Naya paused, glancing up at Damon, whose eyes were pinned on her, hungry. Just like that, the mood simmered into something else. The body between their feet became nonexistent and swept out of their minds. Naya smiled, innocent, shrugging her shoulders. "You can come get what's left of it though."

He sped over to her, and Naya let him pin her against a tree. Damon's eyes were burning, attached to the sight of blood on her lips. She could feel the heat of his body through her clothes.

It was always a good thing to know how badly she affected him.

Naya peered through her lashes. "What's your plan now?"

"Satiating my hunger," Damon said, his eyes-low lidded.

He closed the distance between them. His mouth was hot against hers as he moved, slow and sensual. She could feel his teeth tug against the bottom of her lip. The pain buzzed through Naya, quickly turning to pleasure as his tongue chased the bite. The taste of human and Naya's blood mixed together sat well.

Naya breathed, her hands tugging against Damon's hair before leaning away, pressing a finger against his lips when he tried to lean in again.

"Rain-check?"

"Ugh, you're killing me here, Naya."

"I thought you said sex against a tree wasn't peak romance?"

"I always take such good care of you, don't I? I let you have my dinner, bought you all your new luxuries..." Damon leaned in again, pressing into Naya's space. He kissed her jaw, then leaned back again. "I'll be the perfect gentleman—"

"No," Naya emphasized. "Besides, I thought you stole a good amount of those things."

"Only like one or two."

Naya shot him a look.

Damon conceded. "Okay. More like half of it, but that's beside the point—"

"We live together now," she laughed, pushing him off. "See me later tonight, and you can make it up to me."

"Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?"

Naya pretended to think, turning it back on Damon. "Oh, so you don't want me?"

"We both know that isn't—" Damon said flatly, cutting himself off when Naya gave him a peck. His eyes went soft before reverting back to its usual arrogance. "Fine. Rain check it is."

"I knew you'd come around," Naya smiled.

Though her thoughts lingered on Damon, Naya found herself shifting back to the others. Celeste. Bonnie. Caroline. The Mystic Grill.

She wondered if everything went well—if Celeste got along with Bonnie—if Bonnie was still around to chat.

Naya immediately began to turn, excited to leave the woods—to see Bonnie, until she felt Damon's hand grasp her wrist.

"Damon? What—?"

"Leaving so soon? And here I thought I'd earned a goodbye kiss."

Her eyes widened. She was so quick to leave and didn't realize how sudden that was. "Sorry, I completely forgot! I have to go see Celeste at the Mystic Grill, I think? New friends and whatnot."

Damon stared at Naya incredulously. "Celeste? With friends? You do realize what you just said, right?"

"Ha-ha. Very funny."

"I wasn't saying it to be funny. It was a grave matter of concern."

"Oh, really? And how many friends do you have?" She asked, crossing her arms. Damon shot Naya a semi-offended look but couldn't say anything in return. "That's what I thought, smart mouth. I'm leaving now."

"Wait—before you go," he called after Naya, earning her attention. "Think you could do a teensy, tiny favor for me?"

Naya's eyes narrowed.

This would definitely hint toward Damon's ambitions.

"Hm, sure. What kind of favor?"

━━━━━━━━━━

    The grill seemed to be a frequent spot in the town. Warm yellow lights bathed the space as many people talked inside. The television screened in the background, directing half of the customers' attention to it. The smell of alcohol was potent. Food served on the tables, hot and fresh—and all Naya could think about was the hot blood she tasted moments ago, warm down her throat—

She rubbed two fingers against her temple, trying to banish the memory.

This was not the time to lose control or to have a migraine. She couldn't afford to think of herself as anything but human, at least for the night.

With that, Naya shook her head and entered the grill. She searched for Celeste, Bonnie, and Caroline, who she found were all sitting in a booth near the back. One look at Celeste's face, guarded and tired, told Naya everything she needed to know.

She focused in on their conversation as she approached.

"...I'm never the one," Caroline whined.

"It's not a competition, Caroline," Bonnie tried to console.

"She's right," Celeste joined in. "That line of thinking won't get you anywhere."

"Easy for you to say, I'm sure—"

Celeste furrowed her brows. "And how the hell would you—?" Her eyes connected to Naya's approaching form, and she quickly sat up. "Naya!"

Caroline sulked while Bonnie whipped around at the sound of Naya's name being called.

"You finally made it!"

"I did, didn't I?" Naya laughed. She took a seat next to Celeste and smiled at them both before glancing at Caroline, concern laced on her face. "Are you okay?"

"Just peachy," Caroline huffed.

Naya turned to Bonnie, eyes wide.

"She's sobering up," Bonnie dismissed with a hand. "How was the bonfire? Did you have fun exploring around?"

Naya bit her lip, smiling. "It was pretty...nice. Didn't think I would enjoy it. If you stayed longer, though, I think I would've enjoyed myself more."

She watched as Bonnie softly blushed at her words.

"I doubt that. I think the bonfire just has that effect on people. You know, with it being the first day of school and all that."

Naya slowly nodded. "That's...definitely a possibility too."

Celeste rolled her eyes, watching the two of them.

Caroline was in her own world, which left Celeste third-wheeling. Bonnie was oblivious, and Naya was starting something Celeste was sure she wouldn't find a way out of.

However, anyone would be better than Damon, so Celeste bit her tongue and lazily picked at the tray of fries in front of her.

She perked up when she heard Naya say her name.

"—what did you guys talk about?" asked Naya, curious.

"Oh, nothing much. Just our hobbies and stuff we'd want to get into."

"I told Celeste this already, but I would seriously love it if she'd teach me how to play the guitar. I've always wanted to play," Bonnie gushed.

"Yeah, she's amazing. There's no better guitarist than her, and I've seen a bunch. Trust me."

"Great, another thing I'm not good at," Caroline muttered under her breath.

Bonnie didn't seem to have heard Caroline's comment. It was faint, something only Naya and Celeste could hear. They turned to each other, shooting a confused glance. Naya was ready to say something in hopes of assuaging Caroline's mood, but the blonde's head was down on the table, closed off for the remainder of the evening.

Celeste pursed her lips and focused back on Naya's praise. "I wouldn't really say I'm that good—"

Naya eyed her. "Don't start. Just take the compliment!"

"...Thank you," Celeste sighed. She pushed her hair behind her ear and glanced at Bonnie. "I'd be down to teach you. But I'm not sure how long we'll be in town for, though."

Upon hearing that, Bonnie's shoulders were dejected. It was evident that she grew to like them despite knowing them for less than a day.

Celeste and Naya gave each other a passing look. (Neither of them wanted to mention their soon-to-be home. It was way too soon.)

However, Naya tried to lift Bonnie's spirits.

"We'll definitely be here for some time, though. We should have more than enough time to hang out and for Celeste to give you guitar lessons."

At her words, Bonnie did seem to cheer up.

"I'm holding both of you to that. This can't be the last time I see either of you."

Both Naya and Celeste shook their heads.

"Definitely not," Naya answered.

"Good," Bonnie took her phone out and grimaced—most likely at the time. "Oh God, it's getting late, and I still have to take her home. Here," she gave her phone to Naya. "You should save your contact on my phone. You too, Celeste."

Naya took Bonnie's phone gingerly. She typed in her number and saved her contact information, passing it to Celeste, who did the same and gave it back to Bonnie.

Bonnie pocketed her phone away with a smile. She gently ushered a sleepy Caroline out of the booth, waving at Naya and Celeste one last time before disappearing into the night.

Naya dropped her head on Celeste's shoulders. "I missed you."

"No one told you to leave me for Damon."

"You're right. That was stupid of me. I'll never do that again."

Celeste rested her head on Naya's. "Liar."

"I'll let you drive."

"Can I speed?"

"The faster, the better."

"Okay, fine. I forgive you this time."

━━━━━━━━━━

    Once they got into the car, Naya flipped out her phone.

She did agree to do a favor for Damon.

Naya
on the way back now. how did stefan take ur welcoming gift

Damon
Not very well. He's sulking as we text

How was the grill?

Naya
very lovely

i made new friends. u could learn a thing or two from me

Damon
Ouch :(

Naya
sorry not sorry lol

since u asked for my opinion, i think the blonde is ur best bet. (caroline btw) i don't have much to go off of, but she seems shallow. although she did say she was the cheerleading captain, so she's def popular

make whatever u will with that

Damon
Ur the best

Love ya

(Seen.)

━━━━━━━━━━

author's note. the first chapter was long overdue but i wrote like 8k+ words so everyone cheer!!!! (it will never happen again)

i think i kinda got sloppy around the end bc i got tired but i was so close that i had to push through

happy early birthday bel!! ty for making me the sign-off gif 🫶 this ch was for uuu 🎂🎂🎂