why i ship bamon; a thread

1. their development & slow burn:
there's just something about two characters who slowly learn to trust each other, care for each other & become closer over time that is completely unmatched. they don't have a romantic interest in one another from the beginning, +

+ so there's no pretence or facade that they put on. bonnie & damon never had any reason to pretend to be anything other than themselves around each other. that's why to me their connection seems much more organic, natural & authentic. +

+ they went from enemies, to allies with similar goals, to mutually respecting one another, and then to best friends. they grew on each other & earned each other's respect & admiration over time.

2. they're the only ones who truly know & understand each other:
bonnie & damon are both very misuderstood characters. they both hide their insecurities & vulnerabilities with defense mechanisms. they're also the only ones who are able to see through the other's facades. +

+ in their first ever interaction, damon knew that loyalty was one of bonnie's defining traits. he knew that she secretly blamed herself for caroline getting hurt after she pretended to disable the gilbert device ("speaking of YOUR guilt, how's caroline?"). +

+ also in s2, when bonnie was ready to sacrifice her life by taking on klaus all by herself, damon was the only one who questioned whether she was as strong as she claimed to be. he was the only one who noticed that she was hiding something. +

+ once again in s7, when bonnie was sick & it looked like she might not survive, damon knew that what she needed was someone to tell her to not give up. he knew this even when enzo, who was supposed to be the love of her life, was floundering & lost on what to do. +

+ bonnie is also the only one who was able to see through damon's facade from the beginning ("you might have everyone else fooled, but not me."). in the prison world, she recognized that he felt guilty for killing the pregnant lady. she read him like a book +

+ & understood that he feels remorse for his actions. she then told him that his hope for redemption isn't lost without excusing his actions or coddling him. we also know that damon & bonnie talked a lot when they were in the prison world. damon even told her his war stories.

3. their chemistry:
this one speaks for itself.

4. she helped him become a better man:
anyone who has paid any attention to tvd knows that it was bonnie's influence that helped damon become a better person. what's even more amazing is that she never had to push him or force him to be better. it wasn't not her responsibility. +

+ he just simply was a better person around her. he acted more responsibly & was more genuine around her. she just gave him hope for redemption & inspired him to be better.

5. they're equals:
around most people, damon usually has the upper hand or gets the last word. most people can't go toe-to-toe with him. but bonnie bounces off of him. she's the only one who doesn't take his shit lying down.

6. their banter:
i feel many things when bonnie & damon are on screen together. boredom is never one of them.

7. they're both what the other needs romantically:
damon's actions show us that, deep down, he craves redemption. that he yearns to love in an unselfish way. but we have seen time & time again that that's not the side of him DE brings out. but who has he fought for, saved +

+ & protected without wanting anything in return other than her well-being? who is the person that he loves selflessly, without even realizing it? who has shown him that redemption isn't some on-off switch, but something he has to earn over time by making hard choices? BONNIE. +

+ bonnie, on the other hand, has convinced herself of the ill-conceived notion that to love means to sacrifice. she, partly because of no one in her life ever prioritizing her, believes that sacrificing your own needs for someone is the ultimate act of love.+

+ as a result, she has build several emotional walls to hide her weaknesses & vulnerabilities & has hurt herself & has let others hurt her, all in the name of "love". but you know who does prioritize her?+

+ who is the only one to make it his mission to protect her & keep her safe? and does it so much & so nonchalantly that none of the other characters even question it anymore? DAMON.

8. his respect & admiration for her:
bonnie is the only person damon has ever admired. he has obsessed, he has yearned, he has loved, he has hated. but never before has he been so in awe of someone. he literally thinks the world of bonnie.

9. she holds him accountable:
it's a known fact that bonnie doesn't take damon's shit. she's always honest & open with him. she doesn't excuse his actions nor does she coddle him & she always gives him the reality check he needs.

10. his nicknames for her:
i mean, do i even need to say anything?

11. they're peas in a pod:
damon & bonnie have both never really been anyone's first choice. they're the underdogs of the show. i think it could be really interesting & fulfilling to see two people like that be each other's first choice.

now this is all obviously my personal take but, in conclusion, i think that bonnie & damon are very compatible. they have a connection that is profound & intimate enough that if it were to develop into a romantic relationship, it would only strengthen their bond.