❝icarus, meet sun❞
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"CHARLIE, I NEED YOU TO COME WITH ME SO I CAN KISS STEFAN."

Charlotte raised a brow at her sister's entrance, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forward towards Elena. "Did you get into Jeremy's stash? Because I thought we agreed that we wouldn't do drugs without one another."

Elena huffed, rolling her eyes as she drug her sister up from the park bench and towards her car. "Caroline got into my head about Stefan, and I think I need to make a move on him before he finds someone better, but I psyched myself out and I need your moral support."

Charlotte laughed, allowing Elena to pull her along. "Okay, so what's the plan? I know we're technically best friends, but that does not mean I have any interest in your physical relationships."

"Just– just come with me and be nearby, and I will channel some of your confidence through our super-special twin powers, okay?"

"I thought we stopped telling people we had twin powers in sixth grade."

"Well, they're back." Elena slumped into the passenger seat as Charlotte pulled away from the curb, her eyes watchful of the many pedestrians on the street.

It didn't take long for the twins to end up at the Salvatore Boarding House, and Charlotte found herself in awe at the sight of its grand structures. Parking the car in the driveway, Charlotte pocketed her keys and turned to look at Elena sympathetically.

"Hey, Elena?"

Her twin raised a thin brow, silently urging her on.

"Stefan won't find better than you." Charlotte flicked her sister's arm softly, smiling at the gratitude that shone in her eyes. "You're a catch, okay? I mean it, seriously. If you weren't, you wouldn't have Matt and Stefan pining after you, you know? And I mean this with the utmost respect for you, but if he was my type, I wouldn't hesitate to pounce on Stefan. It's too bad I like them tall, dark, and emotionally unstable."

Elena huffed a slightly miserable laugh at the mention of her ex-boyfriend, and the dig at Charlotte's own ex-boyfriend. "Yeah, I guess,"

"I don't guess, I know. And everything I say is right because I'm a total genius."

"You're an academic genius, Charlotte," Elena laughed at her sister as they got out of the car, approaching the extravagant looking front door. "And that's only in the state of Virginia."

"Well, I am changing the parameters of my genius card, okay? What I say goes."

Elena shook her head as she rang the doorbell, brows furrowing slightly at the old-timey mechanics of the house.

Charlotte's brown eyes lit up as she heard the musical sound, and her eyes darted to the semi-open front door. Pushing it forward slightly, she heard Elena gasp scandalously behind her.

"Charlotte, we can't just barge into people's houses!"

"Oh, come on, Elena," Charlotte shrugged, looking over her shoulder at her twin. "I'm taking advantage of Stefan's obvious desire to let you rule his world. What's yours is mine, you know?"

Elena shook her head, looking at her sister helplessly. "Charlotte, I don't think–"

"The architecture of this place is stunning, Lena, seriously." Charlotte ran her hand up and down an oak column, examining the intricate carvings in its surface. "It's got to be at least 1914, this is the original crown moulding!"

"You have a good eye."

The voice comes from behind them, and Charlotte and Elena both gasp in unison, spinning around to face the sudden presence.

Charlotte's brows furrow and she watches the man's do the same as he takes her in, and she almost swears that he steps towards her before stopping himself.

Straightening her spine, she steps back beside Elena, interlocking their arms as her sister attempts to stutter out an excuse.

"Sorry for barging in like this, the door was open and I'm too nosey for my own good." Charlotte tilts her head slightly, her curls bouncing with the movement. She doesn't miss the way the handsome man watches her every movement, his eyes barely shifting to Elena despite their identical appearance.

She takes the moment of unwavering attention to look him over the same as he's doing to her, and she huffs a mental, sardonic laugh at her words from moments ago in the car. Tall, dark and emotionally unstable– this dude seemed to fit the bill even at first glance.

His hair was black and shiny, like a raven's coat, and his jaw was sharp, even unclenched. But his eyes– they almost took her breath away. Polaric irises scrutinized her, but she stood tall, even if it felt like he was peering into her soul.

Seemingly snapping himself from whatever had halted his initial confident approach, he offered the twins a smirk and walked towards them, his eyes finally on Elena.

"You must be Elena. I'm Damon, Stefan's brother." His blue eyes drifted to Charlotte, who lifted a brow at him.

"He didn't tell me he had a brother."

Charlotte frowns slightly. "He said he had siblings, just ones he didn't talk to."

"Well, Stefan's not one to brag." Damon's bright eyes went to her again, this time his gaze lasting like it had when they first locked eyes. "He never mentioned that Elena had a sister, let alone a particularly gorgeous one."

Charlotte smiled wide, her cheeks straining as she flushed and offered Damon her hand. "Charlotte. Or Charlie, if you prefer."

Instead of shaking her hand, Damon turned it and pressed a chaste kiss to the top of it, making the pink on her cheeks deepen. She felt Elena tense against her side and she leaned into her sister slightly to reassure her.

"Charlotte." He echoed, a glimmer of something passing through his icy eyes. Suddenly remembering Elena's presence beside her, Damon straightened and gestured to the grand living room before them. "Please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be here, soon."

The twins walked into the living room and Charlotte felt her jaw drop as she turned, releasing her arm from Elena's as she looked at the stunning room. "Holy shit,"

"Wow," Elena echoed her sentiment, looking up at the ceilings. "This is your living room?"

"Living room, parlor. Sotheby's Auction." He shrugged a shoulder, feigning nonchalance as he examined Charlotte closely. "It's a little kitschy for my taste."

"It's amazing," Charlotte breathed, her doe eyes still shining with awe. "It's like living history."

Elena chuckled slightly, glancing at her sister. "Charlie's a huge history nerd."

"I have an appreciation for the aesthetics of the past, not the politics." Charlotte corrected her sister, missing the twinge of amusement that passed on Damon's face as he watched the two of them.

"I see why my brother's so smitten." Damon was obviously speaking to Elena, but his eyes lingered on Charlotte before he tore them away. "It's about time. For a while there, I never thought he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."

Charlotte narrowed her eyes at his poorly feigned concern, and she walked towards her sister as she watched Elena tense at the mention of Stefan's apparent ex.

"Yeah, well," Charlotte hummed, her posture going stiff in defensiveness. "Sometimes we have to realize how good the future can be before we truly move on from the past."

Something akin to sadness flickered in Damon's eyes and he smiled, the action less smug than it had been the entire time they'd been there. "Wise words."

"What was her name?"

"Elena, don't–"

"His last girlfriend? Katherine." Damon faked a wince, interrupting Charlotte. "Oh, you two haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet."

Damon looked away, ignoring the burn of Charlotte's glare on his profile. "Oops. Well, I'm sure it'll come up now. Or, maybe he didn't want to tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end."

Charlotte clenched her jaw, looking at Damon irritatedly. "Everybody's rebounding from something, Damon. That's just life."

Elena spares a glance at her irritated sister, wishing she could push away her insecurities long enough to be amused at her obvious disdain for Damon. Clearing her throat, she looks back at Stefan's brother. "You say it like every relationship is doomed to end."

Damon smirked, shrugging a shoulder. "I'm a fatalist."

Charlotte grabbed Elena's hand, beginning to pull the girl away from the hubristic man, but she stopped at the sound of Damon's voice again.

"Hello, Stefan."

"Elena, Charlotte." The boy's green eyes drifted to the twins momentarily before they hardened on Damon once more. "I didn't know you were coming over."

Elena steps toward Stefan, an apologetic glint in her eyes. "I know, I should've called, I just–"

"Oh, don't be silly. You're welcome here any time," Damon turned, giving Stefan an all too smug look that made Charlotte look between them curiously.

Charlotte was beginning to see with every second that passed just why Stefan no longer spoke to his brother.

"Both of you."

Charlotte glanced back at Damon, finding his eyes on her in a pointed way that made her raise a daring brow back at him.

"You know, I should break out the family photo albums, or some home movies. But I have to warn you, he wasn't always such a looker."

"Thank you for stopping by," Stefan spoke before Damon could continue, his tone more and more hostile. "It was nice seeing you both."

Both twins sensed the tension between the siblings and Charlotte quickly grabbed Elena's hand in her own, her jaw clenching irritatedly at both of the Salvatore's.

"We should get going anyways." Charlotte turned to look at Damon, feigning a smile. "It was nice to meet you, Damon."

He took her hand in his again, forgoing a chivalrous peck this time around. "It was great meeting you, Charlotte. You as well, Elena."

The twins went to leave the living room, but Stefan stood stock still, glaring holes into Damon much like Charlotte had been doing minutes prior.

"Stefan," Elena furrowed her brows at the boy's unwavering stare. "Stefan."

Charlotte frowned. "Stefan, move. Now."

He seemed to blink from his anger-induced haze at Charlotte's stern tone, and he blinked himself from the revelry when he saw the protective glint in her eye as she pulled Elena close behind her, towards the front door.

"God," Charlotte muttered under her breath as she and Elena stepped out of the house. "Scummy men. It must run in the family. God! You know, this just further proves every single evolutionary theory of men being the inferior species is true."

Elena said nothing as they walked to the car, Charlotte's angry muttering filling the silence easily as she jabbed the buttons on her key fob.

"I haven't felt that much palpable hatred since Matt and Tyler were on opposite teams in flag football."

Elena shook her head, looking downtrodden and confused as she pulled her seatbelt over her chest. "Can we just go home, Charlotte? I'm tired."

Her sister's tone immediately had her softening and she sighed, glancing at the girl before she drove around the circular driveway and back onto the pavement. "Of course. There's a pint of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer with your name written all over it, Elena."

At her sister's silence, Charlotte shook her head. "No, seriously, I had to write your name on it because I was afraid that Jeremy would get stoned and eat it."

Elena chuckled, the sound barely audible but enough to make Charlotte relieved. As long as she could put a smile on her sister's face, everything would be alright.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"He's on the rebound and has raging family issues,"

"Well, at least it's an ex-girlfriend. Wait till you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues." Jenna stopped, looking at the apple in her hand with a frown. "Or amphetamine issues."

Charlotte tilted her head back over the back of the couch, looking at the two girls. "Or mommy and daddy issues, and anger issues, too." She grimaced, shaking her head fearfully. "Tyler's temper, ugh,"

Charlotte's head snapped over as the front door opened and she sat up at the sight of her little brother walking through the door. "Jeremy."

Jenna snapped to attention, her eyes narrowing determinately as Jeremy tried to escape upstairs. "Jeremy, where were you?"

Jeremy groaned, turning around to face Jenna as she came to a stop at the base of the stairs. "More stoner stories? Look, Jenna, I get it. You were cool once and that's– that's so cool."

He gave her a passive aggressive thumbs-up and Charlotte frowned at his tone as he turned to walk up the stairs once more.

"Oh, no, no, no!" Jenna drew her arm back, chucking her apple at the back of Jeremy's head.

Charlotte laughed as Jeremy audibly exclaimed, turning around to look at Jenna incredulously.

"Ow, ow! Why would you do that?"

"Listen up. Quit ditching class, or you're grounded. No discussion."

Jeremy smirked. "Parental authority, I like it. Sleep tight."

Charlotte sighed as Jenna turned away, shaking her head exasperatedly. She stood from the couch, giving her aunt an understanding look. "I'll go talk to him. Don't worry, Jenna, you're doing great."

Jenna smiled, but Charlotte could tell it was forced even as she passed her by and hurried up the stairs after Jeremy.

Knocking lightly on his door, Charlotte heard him yell out his permission from behind the door and she sighed softly as she opened the door, keeping it cracked behind her.

"Jer? It's me,"

He looked up from his lap where he had a sketchbook resting, quickly noticing Charlotte's curious look he closed the book and shoved it in his nightstand drawer. "What's up?"

Charlotte sits on the end of his bed, rolling her lips nervously before speaking. "How was Vicki?"

Jeremy sits up, his eyes wide. "Wh– what? How did you–"

"I know everything." Charlotte smirked slightly, but kept the sympathy clear in her gaze. "How was she?"

He sighed, relaxing against his pillows again as he fumbled nervously with his hands in his lap. "She looked so weak, just laying there. I didn't stay long."

"Yeah," She whispers, her fingers pulling at a thread in his comforter. "Hospitals are gross anyways. I think this family has had enough of them to last a lifetime,"

He nods, eyes softening as his hands begin to tremble. "Do you–" He cleared his throat, swallowing around the lump in his throat. "Do you think she's gonna be alright?"

Charlotte sighed, tilting her head slightly. "I don't know. But I know that you will be, no matter what. You're strong, Jer, a lot more than any of us."

He shakes his head, looking up at the ceiling helplessly. "I don't feel like it."

She huffs, and punches his leg. "Accept my comfort, or I'll raid your stash and sell it,"

He chuckles, holding his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, I accept."

Standing from his bed, Charlotte leans down and hits his leg again, making him smack her hand away with an irritated grunt. "I made you a sundae, it's in the freezer. And don't forget, you're doing my chores for a week!"

Jeremy's resounding groan made her smile, and she shuffled into her bedroom, the expression falling as she shut her door tight behind her.

She drug herself over to her bed where it sat against her bay of windows and kneeled by her pillows, looking out the windows that overlooked the street. Charlotte let out a long, tired sigh, and the street light outside their house flickered.

For a moment, she thought she saw a man standing there, but the silhouette was gone when she blinked and opened her eyes again. Chalking it up to her exhaustion, Charlotte shuffled beneath her covers and tucked her arm beneath her pillow, getting comfortable.

She drifted off to sleep, knowing her family was safe in the house, yet the strange shadow in her vision lingered in her mind. All she could think about was how much it looked like Damon.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

author's note; just a forewarning, this book is from charlotte's perspective (obviously) so she's going to see her family as her anchor, her tether to life. elena is her twin, jeremy is her baby brother, and charlotte's got a lot of trauma from losing their parents so she clings to them and is basically their mother, okay?? charlotte as a character is very forgiving and kind, and protective of the people she loves.

i know that hating elena is a common theme in my books, and there will be some moments in this book that you might not like elena, and that you might not even like charlotte, but try to keep the elena hate to a minimum because it gets boring after a while lmao.

and even though it might be obvious as this is a damon book, damon hate is not accepted here. remember, people, these are fictional characters that have absolutely no effect on the real world. save the soapbox talks for somewhere other than a wattpad comment section.

published; 10.12.21.

- liz