The Unknown Doppelganger

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Back at the Boarding House

"Thank you boys." Dalia said with a smile as she placed her cutlery on her plate. "That was the best breakfast I've had in a long time." she complimented, as she pushed her chair out. "And they were the world's best pancakes," she added, smirking at Damon. Damon winked in response before taking a sip of his coffee.
Stefan smiled and shook his head at the pair, while Jeremy furrowed his eyebrows. "You guys have a weird relationship," he commented, light-heartedly. 
"I second that." Elena teased, raising her hand. Stefan glanced around before jokingly raising his too. 
"I think they're just jealous."
"I agree." Damon nodded and stood up from the table. 
"I'll help clean." Dalia offered, following Damon's actions. Damon and Dalia began to grab what items they could and headed for the sink. With some items left behind Elena lent a hand. As she reached the sink Dalia spun to take the things from her and both shared a smile, a genuine smile. They had started out on the wrong foot, but unlike their elder doppelganger, they had managed to patch things up and could actually call themselves friends... perhaps even family.
As Dalia began to fill the sink Elena, Jeremy, and Stefan left the kitchen. "You don't have to clean these," Damon assured her as he stood by her side. "Besides, I'll do it better."
Dalia rolled her eyes at him. "How 'bout you do them with me?" 
Damon raised his brows and nodded. Dalia took over washing since that was her preference, leaving Damon to dry and put away. Working on the cutlery she shifted her gaze when Damon spoke. His eyes fixed on the plate he was drying, "You know, I didn't expect you to actually be able to clean." he teased as he placed down the plate and threw the towel over his shoulder. 
Narrowing her eyes playfully, Dalia lifted her hand from the sink, cupping some bubbles before blowing them on the elder Salvatore. 
Turning his head, the bubbles landed on his jawline and shirt. Pressing his tongue against the inside of his teeth he looked down to the frothy bubbles that contrasted against his black shirt. Dalia let out a little chuckle. "You think that's funny?" Damon asked, raising his eyebrows at her. Dalia nodded, his expression causing her to laugh more. Before she had time to react, Damon used his speed to grab a hand full of bubbles and slid them down the side of her face.She gasped surprised by both his speed and actions before quickly retaliating and splashing him with water.
After that, the simple task that should have been doing the wishes turned into a game of splash and bubble chasing. Running around the island of the kitchen Dalia held a big smile on her face, glancing between Damon and the bubbles in his palm. About to head for the living room Damon sped in front of her and dolloped the bubbles onto her hair. Dalia's mouth was agape as the bubbles began to slide down her hair, Damon watching on with his infamous smirk. About to advance towards him Damon disappeared again, appearing behind Dalia as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Ah," he scolded her. Both were smiling when suddenly they heard someone clearing their throat. 
"Lockwood." Damon grinned seeing him first as he released his hold on Dalia.
"Ty," Dalia said happily as she took steps towards him. "I didn't hear you come in."
"Yeah, you were kinda shouting and laughing, I didn't think you would." he said with a nod. Dalia opened her arms to hug him, but Tyler took a step back, causing her to frown for a moment. Seeing her expression Tyler was quick to explain, "You're cover in soap and water."
Chuckling, Dalia nodded. "I'll go upstairs and get changed." She was about to walk away but first pointed at Damon. "This isn't over."
The vampire smirked, watching as the doppelganger exited the kitchen, leaving just him and Tyler behind. Grabbing the towel from his shoulder he rose an eyebrow. "You wanna help me clean up your girlfriend's mess, Lockwood?"
That was the last thing Dalia heard as she jogged up the stairs. Heading into her room she closed the door behind herself and began getting undressed. Once changed she grabbed a towel to use on her hair when suddenly there was a knock. She jumped and cursed instinctively before her eyes landed on the balcony doors, the curtains of which were drawn, allowing her to clearly see outside. "Kol," she said in a happy whisper, dropping the towel before rushing to the doors and opening them. 
"Hello, darling." 
"Come in," she happily urged him.
Kol's brow rose in surprise at her invitation. "Are you sure?"
Dalia reached her arms out and pulled him into a tight hug, simultaneously pulling him over the threshold of the house that he could no cross due to her invitation. Kol hugged her back, his chin resting on her shoulder as he took a deep breath. "I've missed you."
"Me too." After a moment both pulled from the hug and shared a smile before Dalia asked, "What're you doing here?"
"Oh right," Kol recalled. Stepping back out onto the balcony for a moment he grabbed the canvas he'd left resting against the railings and brought it into her room. "From Nik." he told, placing it on her bed. Luckily for them both, it was a "regular" size canvas, not one of the many massive ones Niklaus also owned. 
"What's on it?" Dalia asked noticing the canvas was covered.
Kol shrugged and stood back opposite her. "I don't know. Strict orders from by brother not to sneak a peek."
Moving her gaze away from the canvas she smiled at Kol. "Thank you." 
"Dalia?"
Tyler's voice on the other side of the door drew both Dalia and Kol's gaze quickly. The doppelganger hastily rose her hand, using her telekinesis to lock the door just as Tyler attempted to open in. "One second," she called.
"I must be off then." Looking back at Kol, she frowned slightly. "Don't worry, I have a feeling Nik will send me with more art," he assured her. Stepping towards her he placed a kiss on her forehead. "See you next time darling." And with those words, he disappeared again. 
Sighing Dalia closed the balcony doors and then quickly moved to the bed, hiding the canvas underneath it. Making her way towards the door she picked her towel off the floor, beginning to dry her hair again as she unlocked and opened the door. "Can I help you?" she teased, smirking at Tyler as if nothing had happened. 

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A new chapter, can you believe it?! Let me know what you guys think of the story! I've seen all the comments and love this story has been getting even with me being slow to continue it, so thank you to all my readers!
Let me know in the comments, which friendship do you like more: Dalia and Damon's, or Dalia and Kol's? Btw comments related to the story are my favorite thing to read! And I have two chapters written and ready to post, so definitely give some love to encourage me to publish those! <3