semele

Damon can love Elena pretty much unconditionally, because what he really loves is the idea of loving Elena. For everything to make sense, he needs to love Elena.

OMG YES. Because being loyal no matter what is Damon's #1 principle. (It's weird to say that Damon is a principled guy, but there you go. He has his own beliefs~) And haha, total word to Damon being pathetic like that. /pets the psycho

Elena probably loves to be loved in such a way. Hell, who wouldn't? It's like being someone's God, the most tempting thing in the world. But now that she gets darker and darker, she will also start hating the lack of expectations.

YES, THIS. We are seeing the former already in abundance. Elena doesn't want to commit in any way to Damon, but she absolutely values the emotional power she has over him. She counts on being #1 to him even though he is not #1 for her. But the more disillusioned she becomes with herself, the more she will resent him for loving her anyway. SHE WILL PROBABLY LONG FOR STEFAN'S ELENA. omg this could be super juicy.

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This is an interesting fic we're plotting here. And the fun part is that it fits both vamp!Elena and human!Elena scenario.

Hey, Damon totally has priciples! It's like, you know, thieves never steal in their own neighborhood and murderers bully paedophiles in prisions. Our boy follows RULES. Just don't tell him, he's shy about it.

Elena doesn't want to commit in any way to Damon, but she absolutely values the emotional power she has over him.

Yes! And he kind of values this power as well? I've just re-watched 2x09, and when Rose kicked Damon's ass in Richmond (you know, pinning him to the car, "I'm older and stronger than you" talk), his face was all: "Ok, NOW I'M INTRIGUED!". So Elena's emotional power - big turn-on. He might've fallen in love with sweet, compassionate Elena in s1, but it never sank really deep; he was ready to go back to Katherine the minute she showed her face. But when Elena started coming with the package of emotional blackmail and unreasonable demands? Suddenly he's doing all the stupid things for her: he goes werewolf-hunting, he promises Elena he will never leave her etc. I see what you do here, Damon!

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WORD. Damon likes people who slap him around (lol). He is contemptuous of people who treat him as superior (to the point of punishing them for it), and he grows attached to people who treat him as inferior. It's 100% compatible with your theory that he's a natural submissive. IN CONCLUSION. The quickest way to Damon's heart: Treat him like shit. :)

Also agreed about Damon's love for Elena. I honestly don't think there's any point in S1 where he's truly in love with her. He feels love for her as a friend (plus he's attracted to her, obviously). But he's completely unused to feeling pure affection for women in that way, so his poor brain warps it into something sexual. HOWEVER, IN S2. Elena totally falls off that pedestal to him. She starts displaying Katherine-like manipulativeness towards him, as well as suicidal ideation reminiscent of his own self-destructive tendencies. Because Damon is a weirdo, the more disillusioned he grows with Elena, the more he loves her. You were totally right when you described their relationship as being one of consistent disillusionment and true friendship simultaneously. Damon is disillusioned with Elena for the entirety of S2, and that is what cements his love for her.

I'd even go so far as to say that also applies for Elena's feelings for Damon. I believe she was being completely honest in 2x01 when she insisted she had no romantic feelings for him. (An attraction, sure, but nothing out of her control.) But the more she sees how truly damaged he is, the stronger her feelings for him grow. Of course, this is completely fucked up no matter which way you look at it, because it essentially means that she didn't fall for him until after he'd done a number of horribly abusive things to her. But on the flip-side, there is something very honest about the progression of their feelings. In essence, the more they've gotten to know each other (in the ugliest of ways), the more they care.

TL;DR Elena and Damon are in love with each other's damage. This is the "something" that binds them together. IT'S AS PLAIN AS THAT.

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I'm having an "Oh fuck, do I really ship this???" moment XD.

Also: I caught a flu or something, so I'm stuck at home and I can finally do my re-watch properly! And I've just finished 2x10, where an interesting thing happens. When Damon catches Elena in Richmond and tries to bully her into going back to Mystic Falls, there is some weirdly sexualized body language going on, and when I was watching it for the first time, I sort of waved it off as gratuitious. Well, it's not. Damon is consciously using sexual innuendos to make Elena feel uneasy, to put her off-guard and make it easier for himself to make her do whatever he wants. I'm going to pay attention to this scheme, because it looks very similar to the "Buffy training session" in s3: Damon consciously tries to make Elena feel uncomfortable. I wonder how often he does it in s2. This was the only way he could manipulate her, and he lost it in 3x08, when Elena was comfortabe enough around him that the bed scene could happen. Up to 3x08 manipulation could go both ways, but now it seems that Damon's lost his leverage. Damon is generally off-guard, don't you think? The way he acted out in Disturbing Behavior? He's done things like that before, but he was always very careful for Elena not to see. In s3 Damon is getting sloppy (because he worries about Stefan so much he has too much on his plate? Because he got used to work with his brother as a team, and now that he's alone again he starts making mistakes?) and he lets Elena see things he'd never let her see before (feeding on Caroline's dad, angry outburst in 3x09). Looks like someone is giving up A LOT OF POWER over here.

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I'm having an "Oh fuck, do I really ship this???" moment XD.

HAHAHA that is LITERALLY what I was thinking while typing all that. Like, self, what is even up with your brain that you enjoy this shit. #no amount of therapy will fix my issues

Sorry about your flu! But YAY for re-watch thoughts! GREAT point about Damon's behaviour in 2x10. I actually caught this on first viewing, but like you I waved it off as gratuitous. Interestingly, I saw A LOT of blah blah over the ~sexual tension~ in the D/E scenes in that episode (which was inappropriate considering Damon's behaviour), and I waved that off too as "shippers gonna ship", but--what you're saying makes complete sense. I can absolutely buy that the weird sexual vibe in those scenes is deliberate. There's really no need for Damon to move in so close to Elena and stare at her mouth and whatnot. He's absolutely using his sexuality as a form of intimidation.

I think that's the only significant instance in S2, but there are A LOT of examples in S3. The nudity scene in 3x01, the scene in 3x03 where he suggests she was having wet dreams (lol) about him, the kitchen scene in 3x04 about the necklace, and the obvious ~"this is the way to a vampire's heart"~ moment in direct response to Elena asking him to do it for~ her. It's a bizarre manifestation of insecurity. Fairly desperate way to hold on to a semblance of power, really. But you're right--that's done with after 3x08. Because Elena gave in, she let him stay and turned off the light and then fell asleep beside him, which displayed a lot of trust without strings. And then she made it clear that HE can trust HER in 3x09. So... Now I don't know where they'll go from here. Will they continue to play games? I sadistically hope so, because 1) I ENJOY TRAINWRECKS OKAY; 2) there is too much that is fucked up in their relationship for the writers not to explore. They are playing with fire. I will be mad if we don't get to see the full force of that explosion. :)

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Like, self, what is even up with your brain that you enjoy this shit.

I like your brain. #what is therapy?

I got to the part of s2 I don't know by heart, and I'm super-excited. I liked it very much when I was watching it for the first time, but now that I know a part of s3, s2 is even better!

He's absolutely using his sexuality as a form of intimidation.

And he did the same with Isobel in s1! Made out with her before he started threatening her! Damon Salvatore, I adore your playing with gender roles. You know you're sexy, and you're using it.

It's a bizarre manifestation of insecurity. Fairly desperate way to hold on to a semblance of power, really.

Well, he has a bit of power here, because Elena is uncomfortable with her own sexuality. Or rather she used to be, because I believe that the bed scene was a game changer, and from now on when Damon tries to provoke Elena, she'll provoke him back just to show him that he's lost his leverage.

Now I'm wondering how much Damon is really comfortable with his sexuality. Is it real, or is it just an act? He might've been born like that, some people just have no shame, and there is nothing in flashbacks (at least nothing I remember) that would indicate one thing or another. But if it's a part of his performance and a manipulative technique he's learned (in our culture it's relatively easy to intimidate women with this kind of behavior, and it's even easier to intimidate men if you're a man yourself. So Damon usually doesn't need to go far with his provocation, a little is enough to make his opponent feel uneasy), then it leaves an interesting opening here if Elena does as I want her to do and starts using his own weapon against him. It might turn out that Damon is not that comfortable with his own sexuality after all.

Actually it's not that impossible, you know? When Katherine flashes him in s2 (the shower scene after she got out of the tomb), he has this FML facial expression and he is a bit nervous. It might be that he's just surprised that she broke free, but if it's not?

God, I'm reading too much into a teen vampire show again...

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And he did the same with Isobel in s1! Made out with her before he started threatening her! Damon Salvatore, I adore your playing with gender roles. You know you're sexy, and you're using it.

LMFAO. Now I'm reminded of that "I'm sexy and I know it" song. Anyway. YES. Indeed. Damon wields his sexual appeal like a weapon. Just like Katherine does. It's fascinating to me that this is the primary way by which he defines himself--by how desirable he is to others. It's not the same as Katherine undermining the system by bending its rules (i.e. taking advantage of the fact that women are expected to be desirable for men in order to manipulate men); Damon shouldn't need to objectify himself to such a degree, and yet he does... And now I'm thinking of that hilarious moment where Elena and Alaric essentially whore Damon out to Rebekah, not even asking his opinion on the matter. XD

I agree that Elena's not so comfortable with the less heteronormative parts of her sexuality (she's only a teenager still), but one thing I appreciated about Elena/Stefan was how sexually assertive she was with him. That's obviously in contrast to her not-relationship with Damon. Scenes like their last one in 3x02 and their "training" in 3x08 are interesting to me in that she seems to be waiting for HIM to make a ~move. So fucked. PLAYING WITH FIRE, CHILDREN.

I can't believe Damon is that secure in his sexuality. He flaunts himself ALL. THE. TIME. That's overcompensating. It's gender performance. He's absorbed the idea that he's good mostly to LOOK GOOD, and he uses that to get by. And I'm glad that you mentioned that he uses it against men too, because HE TOTALLY DOES, lol. Like in mid-S2 when he's threatening John at one point, and he leans in~ and whispers in John's ear. I laughed out loud.

ITA about that shower scene. You're not the only one who picked up on that FML expression. XD I SO WANT ELENA TO PWN DAMON IN SUCH A WAY. I mean. Not just for the hot, but for the character development~ lmao. I AIN'T EVEN MAD.

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Btw, you know I'm practically using this discussion as a notepad for the meta? XD

I can't believe Damon is that secure in his sexuality.

Neither can I, mostly because Damon + 100% secure = DOES NOT COMPUTE. As you said, it's a performance and it only goes skin-deep. It's based on an assumption that in the heteronormative world, sexual provocation form a man makes people back off. He never tries this trick with Katherine (he does provoke her sexually, but only to lure her out and give himself an opening to reject her again; he doesn't try to intimidate her, because he knows it wouldn't work), and if a woman he's provoking actually started playing along, he would be completely lost. ~~And then he would beg her to have sex with him, because if a girl can intimidate him like this, he is sure to be head over heels for her.~~

Now I kind of want a fic in which Elena tries to intimidate Damon with her sexualized behavior, and he is caught off-guard. I want him to be shy and in awe. Damon, my boy, you know you would.

And now I'm thinking of that hilarious moment where Elena and Alaric essentially whore Damon out to Rebekah, not even asking his opinion on the matter. XD

He wouldn't object anyway XD. He has an act to keep up, so he can't refuse to be whored out. It would ruin the entire "Damon is a sexual predator" image.

You're right with Elena being sexually assertive with Stefan, but waiting for Damon to make a move. It makes sense, I guess: Stefan is her boyfriend and she loves him, but she doesn't feel comfortable enough to even tell Caroline that she is attracted to Damon. She is ok with the fact that she has sexual needs, but being attracted to Damon still feels wrong. I guess we talked about it already? It's ok for Elena to be assertive with Stefan, but not with Damon, because she feels it's not ok for her to just want to fuck him senseless, no cozy feelings attached?

It's fascinating to me that this is the primary way by which he defines himself--by how desirable he is to others.

Well, Stefan might be about a struggle for self control, but Damon is all about power play. Which might be one of the reasons I like him so much.

And I'm glad that you mentioned that he uses it against men too, because HE TOTALLY DOES, lol.

He also tries it with Alaric, only it doesn't work at all XD. Hey, now that I think about it, Alaric must feel pretty secure in his own body. He just gracefully ignores Damon's innuendos.

Not just for the hot, but for the character development~ lmao.

OF COURSE IT'S FOR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!!!

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I AM SO PUMPED FOR YOUR FUCKING META. It is the meaning of my life for the next two weeks. :D

and if a woman he's provoking actually started playing along, he would be completely lost. And then he would beg her to have sex with him, because if a girl can intimidate him like this, he is sure to be head over heels for her.

TRUTH.

Now I kind of want a fic in which Elena tries to intimidate Damon with her sexualized behavior, and he is caught off-guard. I want him to be shy and in awe. Damon, my boy, you know you would.

I giggled uncontrollably at this sentence. Not even gonna front.

It's ok for Elena to be assertive with Stefan, but not with Damon, because she feels it's not ok for her to just want to fuck him senseless, no cozy feelings attached?

Yes, indeed. Though it might work the other way around too. Elena does strike me as a romantic-romantic. I think that the stronger her feelings (in general) for Damon grow, the more physically attracted she is to him. Nina plays it that way too. Compare their early S1 scenes to their veritable smorgasbord of UST moments this season. I think Elena is so hesitant to admit an attraction because even a purely physical attraction might open the floodgates to a tidal wave of ~other feelings.

Well, Stefan might be about a struggle for self control, but Damon is all about power play. Which might be one of the reasons I like him so much.

Huh. Elaborate?

Hey, now that I think about it, Alaric must feel pretty secure in his own body. He just gracefully ignores Damon's innuendos.

BAHAHA. And this is what leads to scenes like in 3x02 when he opens the door to "Damon" while shirtless and unzipped. :D

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Must pitch in on this amazingness:

SHE WILL PROBABLY LONG FOR STEFAN'S ELENA.

OMG YES YES YES SO MUCH. This is exactly what will/should happen. Because as much as Stefan and Elena make more sense as a couple, I've always felt that at a point she's going to outgrow him. Their relationship is so based upon a specific need for each other, one that may cease to be necessary. Elena needed Stefan to get her out of her post-orphan-ing haze, and he did that for her, and they were great for each other for a while. But as Elena's life continues to change, and as Elena herself continues to change, that niche that Stefan fills in her life will lose its importance. That's not to say that she won't still need him, but their relationship HAS to change - is already changing - and maybe whatever Stefan ends up as after this current mess will be what the new Elena needs. But maybe the crazy psychopath older brother will fit the bill more. Who knows.

Whatever happens, I think Elena will always want to be the girl that just needed to see a little more light in life. She's always going to crave the days when her dead parents were her biggest problem (and she's probably going to hate herself for that too). I just want her to be so messed up and confused and glorious. Just for a while. BE TWISTED, ELENA. Instant way to my heart.

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EVERYTHING WHAT YOU SAY

This has always been my "but" in debates about Stefan and Elena being more compatible as a couple. They're very well-suited in S1-2. But Elena was in a holding pattern for the entirety of those two seasons. She hasn't grown~ into who she's gonna be. (I guess this is my main reservation with Elena/Stefan. It seems like for them to really develop as characters, they have to be apart from each other. So far. We'll see.) I think their relationship worked so well last season because Elena had a strong need for comfort/shelter in the crazy of her life, and Stefan could be that for her. But what happens when she starts needing other things? She's gonna get harder, and more cynical, and she's gonna start wanting to be challenged rather than protected. It might be that whoever Elena ~ends up being will be someone more compatible with Damon after all. WE'LL SEE. I can say nothing for sure now.

BE TWISTED, ELENA. Instant way to my heart.

PREACH.

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It might be that whoever Elena ~ends up being will be someone more compatible with Damon after all.

How do you imagine it? I mean, as a relationship that can actually work, or this weird "thing" we've been talking about, when neither of them can have a functional relationship with anyone, but they can sort of comfort each other?

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Yes. That. The latter.

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But Elena was in a holding pattern for the entirety of those two seasons. She hasn't grown~ into who she's gonna be.

I just love you. Anyway. You are ABSOLUTELY right. I see Stefan and Elena as sort of security blankets for each other. As long as they stay together, they can mutually pretend to be normal and happy and ok, because that's what they both so desperately want. But they're NOT normal or happy or ok, and the longer they keep enabling each other the longer it'll take to either embrace or get over whatever darkness is within them (I vote embrace, obviously). Elena NEEDS to lose the coddling and face up to not only what's happened but what it's made her into. She didn't really make any progress as far as growing up is concerned until after Stefan was gone. This season, she's been getting stronger, getting darker, getting smarter (sometimes...), because no one's holding her hand and telling her it's ok for her to ignore all the bad things in her life (and her soul). Stefan can't stand to see Elena turn into Katherine. Damon's ok with the fact that in many ways, she already is (and always has been) Katherine.

But oddly enough, I actually think the mutual coddling relationship is more destructive for Stefan. But that's a whole other tangent.

There is no for sure about who or what will be right for Elena in the long run. For now, I'm just glad she's grown beyond the kind, caring, compassionate, supportive girl. That's lovely and all that, but I am more than ready for badass, bitter, vengeful, functioning-brain-activity Elena. Your icon says everything.

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But oddly enough, I actually think the mutual coddling relationship is more destructive for Stefan. But that's a whole other tangent.

Of course it is! I'm watching 2x14 right now, and I feel all awkward, because Stefan is totally directing everything towards Elena. Whatever you want, whatever you are comfortable with, whatever is ok for you. Ok, he's being supportive, but... it seems like he has no expectations at all; whatever Elena decides to do with their relationship will be fine with him. It's not healthy for him. Hell, it's not healthy for neither of them.

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(Man, didn't we only meet like, a few weeks ago? I FEEL AS THOUGH WE HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER MUCH LONGER~)

Heh, I feel kind of bad about labelling Stefan as Elena's "security blanket" tho. "Parachute" seems more apt to me. (SHE DON'T NEED A PARACHUTE, BABY, IF SHE GOT -- Yeah.) She knows that he will catch her if she falls~~ In contrast, being with Damon is like falling without a net. Just like in that excellent "Big Top" fic by

unoshot. :) Any way you look at it, Damon scares the shit out of Elena. Because he can reach that dark, scary place inside of her that she kind of hates about herself. Elena isn't very good at letting people in anymore. She made a choice to let herself be vulnerable to Stefan, because she sincerely believed he'd never hurt her. But Damon. Damon knows ALL THE WAYS to hurt her. Imagine if she let herself fall in love with him. That would entail a drop off a precipice from which she may never recover. Stefan made her feel safe; Damon makes her feel out of control. She must run from this feeling.

But this: Stefan can't stand to see Elena turn into Katherine. Damon's ok with the fact that in many ways, she already is (and always has been) Katherine. -- AMEN. Elena would never be able to grow and learn to embrace the darkness~ inside herself while being with Stefan. I think she'd feel terrible about disappointing him, just as he feels terrible now about disappointing her. And agreed that it's more destructive for Stefan! Because he has a whole HEAP OF ISH that he basically brushed under the rug while he was with Elena. NOW THE DUST BUNNIES HAVE COME OUT TO PLAY. (or something)

I am more than ready for badass, bitter, vengeful, functioning-brain-activity Elena. Your icon says everything.

PREACH.

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Oh dear, I'm having a love fest on my journal. WHICH IS A GOOD THING. I feel like I've known you guys for ages myself :).

The thing is, Stefan did hurt her. So she tried to make Damon more "secure", but Damon acted out. And now it's kind of time for Elena to act out herself and to figure out that there is no secure option. Not because she is a doppelganger and she is screwed, but because this is generally how it works for people. And no, Damon won't make her safe. He is not supposed to. He is her friend, and he will help her out in most cases, but it's not his job to shield her from the world.

Elena refusing to be damsel in distress in s2 was already a step in the good direction. Btw - I'm still rewatching, and even though all the characters keep yelling at Elena that she's being suicidal, I'm just crazy in love with this girl. She calls them out on everything - that what she does is no different from what they're willing to do in order to save her. And she doesn't do it to OMG NOT BE KATHERINE, because it's stated very clearly that Katherine didn't expect Klaus to find her all family. She sacrificed Rose and Trevor, and Elena was well aware that more than one person dies in the ritual. She didn't even blink for Jules.

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And no, Damon won't make her safe. He is not supposed to. He is her friend, and he will help her out in most cases, but it's not his job to shield her from the world.

PREACH. I respect that part of their friendship a lot.

Yes, S2!Elena is excellent, HATERS TO THE LEFT. I really love how much she chafes against the pedestal everyone puts her on.

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(Fandom does that to people. And when it's real, you can't walk away. ~~Why yes, I do in fact have a TVD quote for everything.~~)

"Security blanket" does sound a bit harsh, and I don't mean to undermine their relationship completely. I just think that they keep each other locked in this static position of what they think they should be, because if the other believes in the act, they can believe it themselves (the pronouns got a bit messy there, but hopefully you get the idea). But parachute is absolutely true too (Big Top is glorious, and ridiculously accurate). Because Stefan is safe and normal and totally acceptable to her friends and family, but Damon is terrifying. Elena doesn't resist her attraction to him out of guilt or loyalty (that's not the driving reason, at least) - it's because she can't handle what loving him might do to her. What it would make her admit about herself, how it would change her - I think Elena's petrified of how much she might actually be suited to Damon. Because Damon is clearly deranged, so if she matches him, well...

I think it's worse for Stefan because Elena's only being held back temporarily. She's stalling, but she's eventually going to figure it out and grow up. But Stefan is repressing, and has been denying himself for the better part of a century. That's not stalling, that's SERIOUS self-denial, but he never thought it was temporary. It wasn't like he figured he'd try this animal-blood, almost-human lifestyle for a while and then try to work up to being a functioning vampire. He NEVER intended to learn control. It's all or nothing with him, and Elena doesn't know any better, so she thinks encouraging him is what he needs, when it's sort of the opposite of what he needs. Damon was actually absolutely right about what Stefan needed to do, but because he's Damon, and he presents even his most rational thought processes like Damon, his path was never taken into consideration. This is SUCH a tangent. I'll stop.

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~~I actually hate that quote b/c this fandom overuses it SO MUCH. And both the S/E and D/E sides seem to believe that that quote belongs to them exclusively. It's hilarious.~~

I just think that they keep each other locked in this static position of what they think they should be, because if the other believes in the act, they can believe it themselves (the pronouns got a bit messy there, but hopefully you get the idea).

Yessss, I do indeed. To expand on this--I don't think Elena chooses Stefan because he's necessarily the "safe" option. (He is safe, but in a different way.) I think Elena's insta-attraction back in S1 was dependent on the fact that he was an outsider, like her. He harboured a lot of guilt and pain and capacity for darkness, but he tried to be good. Elena's life was marked with Death, and then Death walked into her life again, but this time, Death was Good. That was the key. That was inspiring to Elena. They were both seeking the same thing (a new start, a place to belong), and they found it with each other, a way out of the darkness. BUT, of course, that only works insofar as the both of them remain free of darkness themselves.

So, yeah. What you said. I guess when I think of S/E and D/E, I have two completely different mental images. With S/E, it's the image of one person holding another's hand and leading them out of a dark room. With D/E, it's of two people sitting in that dark room together. I think you get the idea. Also, LOL @ this: Because Damon is clearly deranged, so if she matches him, well... -- Yes. Whichever way you look at it, Damon throws her off. WHICH IS WHY I LIKE THEM SO.

But Stefan is repressing, and has been denying himself for the better part of a century. That's not stalling, that's SERIOUS self-denial, but he never thought it was temporary.

WORD. It was seriously questionable for this 150+ vampire to put his life-endangering addiction in the hands of a teenage girl. Elena is boss, but she had NO CONCEPT of what it was like for him. How could she? Let's not buy into The Power of Love, dude.

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~~But the overused quotes are so much easier to remember! I'll try harder next time.~~

I like how you describe the genesis of S/E. I REALLY like the idea that the death in Stefan is what appeals to Elena. It makes sense - she's looking around at this world she used to belong in, where no one understands how lost and angry and guilty she feels, and here comes this guy who gets it, even feels it to a greater extent. To be clear, I have zero problem with Elena and her views of her relationship with Stefan for most of season 1. Stefan, I have more problems with, but again, neither here nor there.

BUT, of course, that only works insofar as the both of them remain free of darkness themselves.

This is SO key for me. Because I think the relationship starts to get really unhealthy right around when Stefan has his human blood relapse. Because Elena takes it all upon herself to get him through this, to be there for him, to be strong, and as much as she's wonderful for caring and trying and supporting him through anything, she is in WAY over her head (I still don't think she entirely realizes this, even after everything). She can't fix Stefan, much like she can't fix Damon. The problem is that, Stefan thinks she can. He believes in The Power of Love, poor guy, and he lets her take on his battle. And then the ship gets really problematic for me, because if these issues had been dealt with it would have been fascinating, but instead they carried on the charade of functional for another whole season.

I know your dark room image well, and it pleases me. I always liked dark rooms myself. :)

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She can't fix Stefan, much like she can't fix Damon. The problem is that, Stefan thinks she can.

I don't think Stefan actually believes that. Stefan is not delusional about himself. He stays with Elena, because it brings him so much comfort it's hard for him to break up with her, but he knows it won't fix him. He lets her try to fix him, because it works for the time being, and that's enough for him.

Btw, when Stefan started drinking Elena's blood, it was SO disturbing for me. I honestly thought they'd go really dark from there.

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I completely agree that Stefan isn't delusional. I don't think he actually believes Elena can cure his blood addiction for him. Let me rephrase. What I DO think is that he believes she can keep him in the 'human' side of his personality. That as long as she loves him and sticks with him, he will be inspired enough to keep going with his diet and his rules and his justifications. His best chance to not be tempted is to stay with her, because she sees the good in him that he needs to believe he has. So no, Stefan doesn't think she can cure him of being a vampire (with a serious problem). But he thinks she can help him forget, for the most part. Which is why, once he slips, he thinks he can have nothing to do with her - because this whole illusion of normalcy was so tenuously balanced, and once one thing falls out of place he thinks the entire thing will fall apart.

To be honest, I'm a little confused about the blood-drinking plotline in S2. Where was that going? Yes, we had a moment reminding us that Elena will support Stefan, no matter what. But then what? It never really got mentioned again, and we never saw Stefan dealing with the tolerance build-up, and what was the point? I just don't get it.

(no subject)

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upupa-epops.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-12-03 06:49 pm (UTC) - Expand

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