OPEN TO ACCEPT OR REJECT

Wilona's P.O.V

I took the chance to let go of his face and hug him instead, burying my face into his chest as I wrapped my arms around his large torso. Needing to just feel him close, to bask in his warmth as much as he seemed to need my presence. I breathe him in and let out a shaky breath at his familiar scent, trying desperately to quiet my fears and words of doubt with the parts of him I knew to be so.

We breathed one another in, the simple touch calming both storms raging around us.

Damon hadn't changed, he was still my Damon. He was still kind and loving, he just was... a little broken, like me. I'd only just seen the fragile warning signs that were wrapped all around him, only visible now as he stood in his most vulnerable state. I just had to handle him with some care, that's all, give him the support he didn't seem to have.

He was still Damon.

Damon's arms slowly rose to hug me back, his touch was light at first as if he was afraid to hold me. I give him a small squeeze of assurance that seemed to give him the push he needs, because, within a heartbeat, he was clinging to me so tightly it took the air from my lungs. I coughed a little but didn't complain, holding him as securely as I could, wanting him to know that he still had me.

We stayed like that for what felt to be an hour, Damon keeping me pressed to him and me holding him just as tightly. When he finally pulled back, he looked like the man I'd come to know instead of the terrified, sad one I'd caught a glimpse of through all that rage.

"Are you okay?" I ask the worry to clear in my voice to hide. "Do you feel better now?"

"Yeah..." He mumbles quietly, sounding as dazed as he looked.

"Are you sure?" I ask again as I push up onto my toes to bring us closer. "Are you really okay Damon?"

Damon looks at me still seeming shellshocked as his heavy-lidded eyes stay glued to mine, I frown slightly as concern begins to build within me. I look around not sure what to do that would help, Blaze was nowhere to be seen so I couldn't even try to coax him back to happiness with the fluffy monster.

"You stayed," Damon whispers softly bringing my gaze back to him. I frown slightly at this. "You were scared just now, don't say you weren't because I know that you were," Damon says, adding the last part when I opened my mouth to protest. I shut it quickly. "You were terrified with what I said and what just happened, but you stayed with me."

"You needed me," I say, voicing the truth with a weak smile. "I couldn't leave you like that, even if I was a little scared."

"You thought I would hurt you?" He asks sadly and I immediately give him a smack to his head.

"Don't ask stupid questions." I scold but he doesn't have to dignity to even pretend it hurt, he just looked shocked again. "W-With everything that you said, I'm still.... yeah. And yes, I thought that you could hurt me and yeah that freaked me out, still fucking freaks me out if we're being transparent right now. But I knew that you wouldn't."

The staring began again and I had to pull away, needing water to try and tame the headache that was building with all this new information. If this was still a dream, this was the most fucked up one I ever had.

Damon follows behind me, watching me down the glass with rushed gulps while keeping an annoying distance between us. I turn to look at him after downing two glassfuls, eyes narrowing as I look at him.

"Why aren't you coming any closer?" I ask, an unnecessary level of frustration that I didn't really understand building at the space.

"Do you understand that I've done a lot of bad things, Will? Things that even my own people can't stand." Damon says suddenly, his voice becoming harsh again.

"I-I'm trying to," I promise after a moment. "I'm trying to understand you and all of this."

"You're not..." He starts before sighing deeply as he runs a hand through his hair. "You shouldn't be trying to understand."

I frown now, not understanding this response.

"Then why would you tell me all of this if you didn't want me to understand?" I ask slightly annoyed. "Most people don't just share their worst truths unless they want to be honest unless they're trying to do better or at the very least, they want to."

"I do," Damon says quickly, though a frown as he stares at me as if I were some complicated puzzle. He sighs again, his confused eyes darting around my face before it noticeably hardens. "I've slaughtered hundreds and when I get like that like I just did, I-I kill more. I'm not a good person Will."

"Why are you trying to make me hate you?" I snap angrily, my own fists clenching with rage as I look at him. "Why are you pressing this so hard and trying to make me run when I'm trying to stay?"

"Because I won't be able to handle it if you leave me later on," Damon replies sounded tortured with every breath. "I need you to understand what kind of person I am right now, to know all my faults now so you don't run later on. You need to know it all, so you can leave now if it's too much for you, because Goddess knows I won't be able to handle it if something in my past tears you from me. I'm trying to make you understand... so nothing can make you leave me after this."

Silence blankets the space around us as Damon stares at me, chest rising and falling with quick succession as he tried to keep himself stable.

He was scared. Completely and utterly terrified at this moment as he stood before me, allowing himself to be scrutinized after laying himself bare with his faults open for me to accept or reject.