Hayley

[thisismybar]

Ric was... happy. Being able to sleep with Hayley -and really just sleep, god knew the sex wasn't lacking- even with Damon acting as a guard dog, had been good for him. No new bodies turning up, not missing chunks of time, those were pretty good, too. They weren't quite enough for him to let his guard completely down, but he didn't think there was going to be a whole lot of sleeping going on tonight, anyway.

And if there was, well, tonight Hayley would be even more equipped to play guard dog and take care of him. Elijah's reassurance helped keep that one metaphorical and mildly amusing.

He dumped the last load of camping gear onto the ground, and looked up at the sky to check the weather. "I don't think we're going to have to worry about being rained on tonight, but we should probably set up the tent." Who knew what tomorrow would bring,and it would be easier to relax somewhere enclosed. And limit bugs.

Comments

[littlewolf_girl]

She breathed a sigh of relief and settled back against him, then squirmed a little to roll over and snuggle into him properly, before giving him a quizzical look? "...Herding?"

[thisismybar]

"Herding," he repeated, smiling. "You did a good job of herding me away from the direction he'd gone." He kissed the tip of her nose. "It was sweet."

[littlewolf_girl]

She wrinkled her nose, then buried her face in his neck. "Oh, god. That's mortifying."

[thisismybar]

He laughed and tangled his fingers into the hair at the back of her neck. "I'm sorry.... But it really was endearing."

[littlewolf_girl]

"I'm glad you thought so..." She was still buried in his neck.

"Everybody back on two legs?" Damon's voice came from...a respectable distance away, in case she hadn't turned back.

[thisismybar]

"Everyone is on two legs,," he called back, stroking Hayley's hair. "But if you don't have coffee, I might bite your head off. Give us a second, here." He was joking. Mostly. Full moon nights were a little bit killer for him in a totally different ways. "You need help getting dressed? Stay in the blankets? How do you want to handle this?"

Besides, you know, him lunging at coffee like a rabid weasle.

[littlewolf_girl]

"You go get your coffee," she said, amusement sparkling. "I'll be out in a second."

Damon might've already seen everything, but that didn't mean she was going to make a habit of putting on a show.

[thisismybar]

"Okay," he agreed, kissed her softly and then crawled out of the blankets - and out of the tent, before he stood up. "Seriously, man. Coffee...."

[littlewolf_girl]

Damon was holding a coffee carrier and a box of donuts and held the coffee out to him. "You think I'd be stupid enough to show up here without it?"

Hayley was a little horrified, still, that she'd almost bitten him, even if she barely remembered it, but she pulled her jeans on and grabbed a tank top and shirt to wear over it. Boots tugged on and she figured she was as ready as she was going to get to face the day, without food, and moved out to join them.

[thisismybar]

Ric put the donuts down on one of the chairs they'd used the night before, and grabbed the coffee. "I was thinking more sadistic than stupid...."

[littlewolf_girl]

Damon shook his head. "I know better."

He looked up when Hayley emerged and gave her a wry smile. "I brought a peace offering?"

She gave him an embarrassed looks she moved to take the coffee. "I think that should be my job."

[thisismybar]

"I don't think it needs to be anyone's job." He moved the donuts so he could sit down and drink his coffee. "Shit happened. None of it had lasting consequences, beyond being a decent lesson and kind of cute."

[littlewolf_girl]

Hayley gave him a grateful smile and settled in the other seat, taking her coffee and sipping it. "Thank you for bringing the coffee," she told Damon. "I think we packed some, but it's nice to have it already made..." She reached for the donuts with a happy sigh. "And this is perfect..."

'Cause, god, she's hungry, and Ric brought food, but instant gratification is win to hold it off.

"No problem," Damon said, looking around, and hauling a log over to sit on.

[thisismybar]

"Give me five minutes to get caffeinated, and I'll start cooking." And getting the fire together. In the meanwhile, he watched Damon pulling his log around and settling. "You ever call Elijah and set up your date?"

[littlewolf_girl]

Hayley was happy enough with a donut for the moment. Though she was eyeing a second as she nearly swallowed the first whole.

Damon gave her an amused look, then shot Ric a pained look. "Yes. We're having drinks at the Grill later this week." Nice, safe, on fucking display. But neither of them likely to try and kill the other, at least.

[thisismybar]

Ric was pretty amused, too, but he wasn't commenting. Any comment he would have made would have been... um, inappropriate, in Damon's presence.

Damon, on the other hand, he could and did comment on. "Are you nervous?"

[littlewolf_girl]

She wouldn't so much care, honestly. Appropriateness had flown out the window likely the night they'd all ended up in Damon's bed. But right now, she was focused on her donuts, though curious about the answer.

Damon shrugged. "No. I mean, why would I be nervous?"

He was fucking terrified.

[thisismybar]

"Because he's an original vampire who can turn your brain inside out, or tear your heart out of your chest, and wants to fuck you? Alternatively, because you've had some shitty relationship luck, and this is scary shit?"

Don't ask Ric questions you don't want answered, Damon.

[littlewolf_girl]

"Oh, is that all," Damon muttered.

Hayley smiled a little and reached over to pat his knee. "I think Elijah seems nice. He's always polite and tips well..."

[thisismybar]

Ric shot her a bit of a glance, but didn't comment. Of course working there meant seeing pretty much everyone in Mystic Falls. "He'd be less scary, if he were less polite." Not a doubt in his mind about that, at least to him. "There's only so much reserve and control one guy can project before he tips over into psycho territory."

Then he remembered the start of this conversation, and smiled at Damon. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Call in check in with me, though. Just so I know you're okay."

[littlewolf_girl]

"Well, I mean, his reputation is pretty terrifying in the supernatural community," she agreed. "I was worried the first time he walked in, but...he's been really nice." She shrugged, and she was still not used to people being nice to her, honestly. Not like that. "Whatever the scary in the reputation, though, he doesn't have one for fucking around with people's heads or hearts. If anything, the opposite. He plays it straight with people. If he says he's interested, it probably means he genuinely interested and likes you."

Damon gave her a little bit of a look, as if dying to ask whatever she'd heard out there in the community that those of them here seemed to be so out of the loop.

[thisismybar]

"I'm pretty sure fucking around with someone's heart's only likely if it's to tear it out. I'm not buying total honesty yet, though. Call me paranoid, but I still want a call back before morning, or I'm coming after you."

[littlewolf_girl]

Hayley couldn't really blame him for that, so she fell silent with a bit of a shrug.

Damon rolled his eyes a bit, but gave him a smile. "Yes, dad."

[thisismybar]

"As long as you don't start asking me for the car keys and an allowance.... I'll take it." He liked Damon alive, god dammit, and protective didn't begin to cover it. He might kill Damon, but no one else was allowed to. "Thanks for the reassurance on that front too, Hayley."

[littlewolf_girl]

"Like you'd ever give up the car keys," Damon retorted with a roll of his eyes. Really--he was touched and warm and fuzzy Ric cared, but he wasn't going to say it.

"No problem." Another little shrug, then a question. "Is there more food?"

Her body had just gone through hell and repaired itself--she was starving.