There was a level of pain that was the price of friendship with Damon. Ric was apparently an emotional masochist, because he'd take that for all the benefit that came from it. It outweighed the hell out of the stupid moments, anyway. "I know. Come on. Let's get everyone home and then we can collapse into a big pile of happy, sappy, trust." Since, honest to god, that was about what this was amounting to.

And while he was feeling relieved at having Hayley be okay with him having offered, and Damon not thinking he'd lost his mind and taking it in the spirit it had been given, and was more than okay with the warm glow of happiness around them all, he could only take so much sap before he had to start reasserting a little practicality and gruffness.

Just a little.