He pulled her in briefly. The specific hug of an alpha releasing someone he trusted into something good.
Damon was off the sofa before Damian had fully stepped back...less formal about it, arms around Elena with the energy of someone who expressed everything through contact rather than words.
"Don't let him be too serious," Damon said into her hair. "He needs someone to make him drink his tea and occasionally laugh at himself."
Elena made a sound that was almost a laugh. "I know."
"We know you know." He stepped back. Looked at her face. "Take care of him. Take care of yourself."
"Both," she said.
"Both," he agreed.
Eve crossed the room and took Elena's hands.
No speech. No formal words.
Just....held them. Felt the warmth of her, the steadiness she'd brought to impossible weeks, the quiet competence that had made everything around it easier without drawing attention to itself.
"Thank you," Eve said. "For everything you were this week. And before this week."
