Top 11 Delena Fics I Wish I'd Written, in no particular order...
1] Out of My Mind | Setting: AU S3, diverges @ 3x18 when Rebekah is torturing Damon | You have to buy this one, as it's a Kindlebook, but it's awesome and worth the $1.99. The premise is that once Beks gets Damon vervain-free, she compels him to hurt Elena. Not kill, just HURT, and so the way Damon fights the compulsion, the solutions he finds to his problem, and the immeasurable messed up setting of his compelled mind make for an unforgettable read. It's simply brilliantly written, and one of the most original ideas of any fic I've ever come across. I thought about it incessantly while it was a WIP and I can never forget it; when I went to find it for this list, I found it was no longer available at ff.net, so I immediately purchased it. Just, FYI, I do not know the author personally.
2] Hot Mess | Setting: Post S3/pre S4 canon | I do know this author personally, and all eight of her fics are great, enjoyable reads for Damon/Elena fans; however Hot Mess is the one I would pluck from all of them to put in my own LJ if I could. It's all from Elena's POV, the scattered, frazzled mind of a newly-turned vampire, who is going crazy because of how much she needs Damon. The fic culminates in the physical expression of their needs, but it's really the emotional and mental aspect that sucks you in. Elena's inability to no longer be without Damon is conveyed so well that sex is the only way to properly cover how BIG the need is, but it really has very little to do with sex, which is what makes it so magical. Also, they have sex in the Camaro, which is something we NEED on this show so badly; Damon is at turns snarky, vulnerable, tortured, and of course, sexy as hell. Just the way everyone likes him.
3] Catch Her | Setting: Early S4 | Another author I know fairly well, with a large library of Damon and Elena to choose from. The reason I love this one so much is because it addresses Damon's deep fear of Elena dying--of Elena's desire to die--and the pure joy that comes to both of them when they realize she doesn't want to anymore. It fits right in with canon up through 4x07 and plays beautifully with everything that happens in 4x06 when Elena finally embraces her real self.
4] For a Little While | Setting: mid-S4 | Another friend author, and perhaps the hardest for me to choose, simply because I envy her style so much--no matter how much I write, I cannot do it like she does, so usually I'm wishing I wrote whatever she posts; however, in an effort to choose only one fic per author (and possibly lead you to things you have not yet read), this is the one I picked. It's another Damon and Elena in the Camaro fic, but set during the sirebond time period when neither Damon nor Elena are sure how their relationship works. It's from Damon's POV, so the snark is perfect, and his lamentations of Elena's texts are things of magic, because remember, he's 170 years old, and Elena's 18. The dichotomy between their very different generations is delightful. I also picked this one because it's not AS angsty as most of her other pieces, so it lures you in but doesn't rip your heart from its ventricles. ;-) Also, Damon calls himself and Elena "wackadoodles" and I have a loop in my head of that in Ian's voice. It's totally awesome.
5] Breaking Point | Setting: AU mid-S3 | This is the fic where Elena asks Damon to compel her so she can learn to resist it, and that's how she learns to accept that she loves him. It's just beautifully messed up, like the most divine OTP of all time. So emotionally resonant that just the thought of it makes my heart start angsting instantly. And it's hot and sexy, too.
6] Laughing All the Way | Setting: AU mid S3 | So this used to my go-to Christmas fic (it was displaced recently as I stumbled over something new, but it's still A-MAZING), because of this line: I am so fucking drunk I feel like I have muppet fingers. I mean, the whole thing is glorious, but that line is LOL funny to me every time. And Elena makes Damon wassail. Nuff said.
7] the truth which will refresh my broken mind | Setting: mid S3 | This fic is just the rightness of Damon and Elena, especially during this period of time when their friendship solidified into something unbreakable. The author is a friend of mine who uses True Blood to illustrate how great our own vampire boy and human girl bring balance to one another.
8] Darling, I Want To Destroy You | Setting: AU mid-S2 | This is the first fic I ever read in TVD fandom, and is really what inspired me to start writing Damon. It's a great internal monologue for him, an interesting plot, and ultimately, in a lot of ways, just what happened emotionally to our dear anti-hero as he waited for Elena to be ready for him.
9] Bourbon Before Breakfast | Setting: mostly S4, with periodic trips to earlier seasons | This fic is just...augh. Beautiful. So much great character stuff, not just Damon and Elena, though the Damon and Elena stuff is UNBEARABLE in places. Particular kudos goes to Chapters 10 (GUH) and 14 (*moment of silence for Ric*), but all in all, if there were any multi-chapter behemoth besides my own that I could lay claim to, this would be it. I could never have written it based solely on the chapters after Elena's switch is flipped, but a girl can dream, right?
10] 'Tis the Season To Be Dishonest | Setting: AU mid-S5 | I almost didn't read this when I found it yesterday because I'm currently writing my own post-break-up fic, but there is so little new fic that is good of late, that I just couldn't make myself wait, and then I was totally pleasantly THRILLED with this because it's not like my fic at all, but I still love it SO MUCH. I've read it twice already and am sure to read it again shortly. It's so realistic of how someone feels when they break up for noble if also stupid reasons, and I think my new D/E kink is texting, for reals. Sheer perfection, and a Christmas Miracle.
ETA (2/1/14): 11] I Carry Your Heart With Me | Setting: mid S5, post 5x12 | This delightful fic takes the hug that happens here:
and makes it amazing more significant than it already is. Just, such a clever, beautiful piece of writing. Love it so much!
So, maybe these are fics you've already read, nothing new to see here type stuff--a re-read is NEVER a bad thing, though, when it's good fic. It's also fun for me just to keep the Spirit of Damon and Elena alive with great fics and the deep love that went into the composition of these fics. Some authors have moved on (obviously from so many of these being S3 fics), but when they were written, the universe was full of shipper love and that's what matters.
And one more, for the road:
2] Hot Mess | Setting: Post S3/pre S4 canon | I do know this author personally, and all eight of her fics are great, enjoyable reads for Damon/Elena fans; however Hot Mess is the one I would pluck from all of them to put in my own LJ if I could. It's all from Elena's POV, the scattered, frazzled mind of a newly-turned vampire, who is going crazy because of how much she needs Damon. The fic culminates in the physical expression of their needs, but it's really the emotional and mental aspect that sucks you in. Elena's inability to no longer be without Damon is conveyed so well that sex is the only way to properly cover how BIG the need is, but it really has very little to do with sex, which is what makes it so magical. Also, they have sex in the Camaro, which is something we NEED on this show so badly; Damon is at turns snarky, vulnerable, tortured, and of course, sexy as hell. Just the way everyone likes him.
3] Catch Her | Setting: Early S4 | Another author I know fairly well, with a large library of Damon and Elena to choose from. The reason I love this one so much is because it addresses Damon's deep fear of Elena dying--of Elena's desire to die--and the pure joy that comes to both of them when they realize she doesn't want to anymore. It fits right in with canon up through 4x07 and plays beautifully with everything that happens in 4x06 when Elena finally embraces her real self.
4] For a Little While | Setting: mid-S4 | Another friend author, and perhaps the hardest for me to choose, simply because I envy her style so much--no matter how much I write, I cannot do it like she does, so usually I'm wishing I wrote whatever she posts; however, in an effort to choose only one fic per author (and possibly lead you to things you have not yet read), this is the one I picked. It's another Damon and Elena in the Camaro fic, but set during the sirebond time period when neither Damon nor Elena are sure how their relationship works. It's from Damon's POV, so the snark is perfect, and his lamentations of Elena's texts are things of magic, because remember, he's 170 years old, and Elena's 18. The dichotomy between their very different generations is delightful. I also picked this one because it's not AS angsty as most of her other pieces, so it lures you in but doesn't rip your heart from its ventricles. ;-) Also, Damon calls himself and Elena "wackadoodles" and I have a loop in my head of that in Ian's voice. It's totally awesome.
5] Breaking Point | Setting: AU mid-S3 | This is the fic where Elena asks Damon to compel her so she can learn to resist it, and that's how she learns to accept that she loves him. It's just beautifully messed up, like the most divine OTP of all time. So emotionally resonant that just the thought of it makes my heart start angsting instantly. And it's hot and sexy, too.
6] Laughing All the Way | Setting: AU mid S3 | So this used to my go-to Christmas fic (it was displaced recently as I stumbled over something new, but it's still A-MAZING), because of this line: I am so fucking drunk I feel like I have muppet fingers. I mean, the whole thing is glorious, but that line is LOL funny to me every time. And Elena makes Damon wassail. Nuff said.
7] the truth which will refresh my broken mind | Setting: mid S3 | This fic is just the rightness of Damon and Elena, especially during this period of time when their friendship solidified into something unbreakable. The author is a friend of mine who uses True Blood to illustrate how great our own vampire boy and human girl bring balance to one another.
8] Darling, I Want To Destroy You | Setting: AU mid-S2 | This is the first fic I ever read in TVD fandom, and is really what inspired me to start writing Damon. It's a great internal monologue for him, an interesting plot, and ultimately, in a lot of ways, just what happened emotionally to our dear anti-hero as he waited for Elena to be ready for him.
9] Bourbon Before Breakfast | Setting: mostly S4, with periodic trips to earlier seasons | This fic is just...augh. Beautiful. So much great character stuff, not just Damon and Elena, though the Damon and Elena stuff is UNBEARABLE in places. Particular kudos goes to Chapters 10 (GUH) and 14 (*moment of silence for Ric*), but all in all, if there were any multi-chapter behemoth besides my own that I could lay claim to, this would be it. I could never have written it based solely on the chapters after Elena's switch is flipped, but a girl can dream, right?
10] 'Tis the Season To Be Dishonest | Setting: AU mid-S5 | I almost didn't read this when I found it yesterday because I'm currently writing my own post-break-up fic, but there is so little new fic that is good of late, that I just couldn't make myself wait, and then I was totally pleasantly THRILLED with this because it's not like my fic at all, but I still love it SO MUCH. I've read it twice already and am sure to read it again shortly. It's so realistic of how someone feels when they break up for noble if also stupid reasons, and I think my new D/E kink is texting, for reals. Sheer perfection, and a Christmas Miracle.
ETA (2/1/14): 11] I Carry Your Heart With Me | Setting: mid S5, post 5x12 | This delightful fic takes the hug that happens here:
and makes it amazing more significant than it already is. Just, such a clever, beautiful piece of writing. Love it so much!
So, maybe these are fics you've already read, nothing new to see here type stuff--a re-read is NEVER a bad thing, though, when it's good fic. It's also fun for me just to keep the Spirit of Damon and Elena alive with great fics and the deep love that went into the composition of these fics. Some authors have moved on (obviously from so many of these being S3 fics), but when they were written, the universe was full of shipper love and that's what matters.
And one more, for the road:
