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When you meet Damon at the grill
Warnings none

Gracie
The moon hung high in the sky, casting a soft silver glow over the town of Mystic Falls. The streets were empty, quiet—deceptively so. The world always seemed to be moving around Gracie Atwood, but tonight, it was as though time had slowed to a standstill. She walked down the familiar path toward the Lockwood mansion, a sense of anticipation building with each step. Tonight felt different. Not in a bad way. Just... different. And for once, she wasn't afraid to feel it.

She had just finished a late study session at the library, but something inside her urged her to come here, to Tyler. She didn't quite know what she was looking for, but she knew Tyler needed her. There was a certain tension in the air tonight, a restlessness she couldn't quite shake. And when it came to Tyler, she had learned that the best way to deal with the chaos was to just show up.

Tyler had been distant lately. It was subtle, just little things—the way he would look through her but never quite meet her eyes, the way his jaw would tighten when someone mentioned his family, or when Klaus' name came up. It wasn't that he didn't care, it was that the burden of his dual nature—his wolf and his humanity—was becoming too much for him to carry alone.

Gracie had always known Tyler as someone who kept his feelings buried deep inside. But she also knew that, despite his anger, his pain, he was capable of love, of gentleness. And for some reason, she was the one he let in.

Tonight, she didn't want to push him. She simply wanted to be there, to give him a place to feel safe. A place to feel calm. For once, to take the weight of the world off his shoulders, even if just for a little while.

The mansion loomed ahead, a silent sentinel in the night. Gracie knocked on the door, her heart in her throat, and waited for the familiar sound of Tyler's footsteps as he approached. The door opened almost immediately.

Tyler stood there, looking like he hadn't slept in days. His hair was a bit wild, his shirt rumpled. But when he saw her, a soft light flickered in his eyes. His guard dropped, just a little.

"Hey," he said, his voice rough, but the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "What's up?"

Gracie felt her heart ease at the sight of him. "I thought I'd stop by," she said, her tone casual, but there was a softness in her eyes. "I thought you could use some company."

Tyler's expression flickered with something—guilt, maybe, or regret. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by a quiet, almost defeated look. "I don't know if that's a good idea right now," he said, stepping aside to let her in. "I'm... not exactly in the best headspace tonight."

Gracie gave him a knowing look as she stepped inside, sliding off her shoes and closing the door behind her. "You don't have to hide it, Tyler. You don't have to pretend to be okay all the time." She met his gaze, her voice soft but firm. "I know what it's like to be overwhelmed. To feel like you're carrying the weight of the world. And you don't have to do it alone."

Tyler let out a slow breath, his shoulders slumping slightly. He wanted to argue, to push her away—he always did when he felt like he was too much to handle. But something in Gracie's gaze, something in the steady warmth she radiated, kept him rooted in place.

"You don't know what it's like," Tyler murmured, the words barely audible. "The anger... the rage. It's like it takes over sometimes. I'm not sure I can control it anymore."

Gracie took a step toward him, her presence like a calm in the middle of a storm. She reached out and gently placed her hand on his arm. The contact was simple, but it grounded him in a way he hadn't realized he needed.

"You don't have to control it when you're with me," she said softly, her voice a whisper in the quiet room. "I'm not afraid of it, Tyler. I'm not afraid of you."

Tyler's eyes flickered with surprise, then something softer. Vulnerability. Gratitude. It was a look Gracie had come to know well, the one he gave her when he allowed himself to trust her. He didn't know why, but there was something about her that made everything seem... less chaotic. He could feel himself easing into her presence, the storm inside him dying down as she stood there, unwavering.

He exhaled shakily, a smile tugging at his lips, though it was faint. "I don't know what it is about you, Gracie," he murmured, the weight of his words hanging between them. "I can't explain it. I just... feel different when you're around. Better."

Gracie felt her chest tighten at his words. He was struggling, and she knew it. But she also knew that Tyler wasn't just a monster, wasn't just the anger that sometimes took over. He was human. He was someone who needed love, who needed to be held, to be understood.

"You don't have to explain anything," she said, her voice gentle, understanding. "I'm here. That's all that matters. You don't have to fight anything when I'm with you."

Tyler's gaze softened as he stepped closer to her, his arms opening slowly as though he wasn't sure whether he was allowed to reach out. But Gracie didn't wait for him to say anything. She simply walked into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him as he pulled her close.

In the quiet of his arms, the world felt still. The storm inside him, the rage that never seemed to fully dissipate, was nothing more than a faint rumble. He wasn't fighting it right now. He wasn't fighting her.

Tyler buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breath shaky as he closed his eyes. Gracie could feel his heart beating in the way he held her, like he was afraid if he let go, he'd fall apart. She didn't mind. She didn't mind being the one to hold him together, even if only for a little while.

For a long moment, they stood there, the warmth of their embrace the only thing that seemed to matter. Gracie could feel Tyler's body relax, the tension in his shoulders slowly melting away. He wasn't angry. He wasn't the wolf. He was just Tyler. Vulnerable. Human. Her.

"I don't know how you do it," Tyler whispered into her hair, his voice thick with emotion. "How you make everything seem... okay."

Gracie smiled softly, pulling back just enough to look up at him. "Because I believe in you, Tyler," she whispered. "I believe in the person you are underneath all of this. And you're not alone. Not with me."

Tyler's eyes softened as he leaned down, pressing his forehead gently to hers. For a moment, there were no words. Just the quiet rhythm of their breaths mingling, the steady beat of his heart against hers.

In this moment, nothing else mattered. Not the anger. Not the chaos. Just the simple, quiet peace of being with someone who truly understood.

And for once, Tyler felt like he could breathe.

Ava's notes
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New imagineeee
I hope your liking it so far my lovelies
Also I encourage you all to request whichever charachters you would love to see!
000000000 Which fandom fandom do you want to see me make an imagines/one-shot book about, lmkkkk bc I seriously love writing little stories for different characters so lmk!! 000000000
I published the wrong chapter before... oops, anyway here's another then

Lmk if you ever want part twos

Second oneshot is hereee... hope you love it
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