reforget | 𝐊𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐒 ✓

𝟐𝟎

Hurt flashed in Elena's eyes at his dismissal, but the brunette quickly nodded and left the room. She shut the door behind her, letting a tense silence envelop Rory and Damon. Rory ended up standing up from her place on the bed, dragging the sheets from Damon's bed across the floor to make her way towards his closet.

"I'm borrowing your stuff," said Rory, barely giving him a chance to say anything before she had slid on a pair of his boxers and an over-sized t-shirt.

Rory turned to see Damon at the entrance of the closet. "You look good in my clothes," Damon smirked.

"You'd look good in your clothes too. Speaking of, please put some on," Rory pushed past him as she tossed her messy hair into a bun, making her way towards the door. "And, by the way—not a word about this to anyone. I don't want people to know how far my standards have dropped."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Says the girl that was dating Klaus the entire time,"

Rory gave him a scathing glare. "I didn't know it was him, okay?" she snapped. "I thought we made it perfectly clear that he was just fucking with my feelings until it was time for me to die."

"Sure," Damon muttered under his breath. 

The older vampire didn't buy it, though—if Klaus had everything he needed for the curse to be broken, he should've killed Rory sooner. He wouldn't have pretended to play her boyfriend for eight months. Clearly, the older male was more pathetic than he thought.

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ

Elijah Mikaelson approached Rory like he would an injured animal—carefully, as if the smallest movement would startle her. Rory was quiet, typing away on her laptop like her death wasn't oncoming; like there wasn't a sacrifice that hung over her head like a sledgehammer. Elijah placed a hand on her shoulder, scaring her the slightest bit. When her eyes flickered over to him, they were red-rimmed and swollen; a clear sign that the girl had been crying.

"Rory," he stated as he sat down next to her. "I would like to apologise. The way I told you about my brother was rather... unpleasant. It was done in a bout of anger; I should not have broken the news to you the way I did."

Rory gave him a hesitant smile. "It's okay. It's better that you told me now than me finding out right before the sacrifice," Rory swallowed thickly. Pain shone in her eyes clear as day. She tucked a hair behind her ear, lightly wiping the tear that threatened to roll down her cheek. "It just... took me by surprise is all. I wanted to believe that you were lying, you know? That you were just... I don't know, trying to make it easier for me to leave. But then I saw him," Rory let out a quiet laugh. "I saw him, the real him in front of me, and he didn't even bother to deny it."

"Are you sure you want to do this, Rory?" Elijah asked gently.

Rory nodded hastily, clearing her throat. She sniffled. "Yes, yes. Of course—there's no doubt about it, Elijah. I don't want Elena to bear the burden; I'm her big sister. It's... it's only right that I get sacrificed instead of her," Rory gave him a small smile, shutting her laptop. "Good thing about dying, I guess—I don't have to worry about finishing all the assignments I've procrastinated on."

"There is a way for you to live, you know," Elijah procured a small box from his jacket. He opened it to reveal a small vial. "This was an elixir I had made for Katerina before she fled."

Rory eyed the small thing warily. "It's been 500 years, Elijah. I'm pretty sure magic has an expiration date,"

"You won't know unless you try," Elijah urged.

"I don't want to get my hopes up," Rory pushed the vial away. Elijah nodded solemnly, placing it back in the small box. "I want to go in peace, Elijah. I've... I've accepted my fate. I want Elena to live her life the way she deserves."