#klaus sequel | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

wholoveseggs · 1 year ago

Note

Yo I’m back. Tbh half of your anon requests are me lol. Can you write something about Elijah and the reader having a family. Kids of any age maybe living in the compound with the rest of the mikaelsons? Still smut ofc but I love that episode where Elijah is with Cami at the safe house and he acts all family man fixing the fence n stuff that was hotttt

Family Man

18+ ---- {Masterlist} {Tag-List}

Life at the compound can be chaotic with kids and family running around, but Elijah wouldn't have it any other way.

♡♡ Thanks for the request wonderful @elijahstwink (everyone go check out his fics!) & anon!I Love domestic Elijah sooo much, I truly believe this would be his dream life. ♡♡

4.5k words - Warnings: smut, oral sex, unfortunately I didn't make this as kinky as requested...its just very sappy and sweet, this is just a day in the life of Elijah as a devoted father and husband, pregnant!reader, uncle Klaus being precious, toddlers, hot cocoa, kittens & so much flufffffff

ps, this is pretty much a sequel to devotion...

In the early hours of the morning you were awoken by a loud snore from your husband. You rolled over to face him, chuckling a little as you watched his peaceful sleeping form. It was the first time in a long time he was finally getting the rest he deserved.

You slowly turned, carefully sliding out of bed. You tiptoed out the room and decided to go down to the kitchen to make some tea.

You loved this time of night, being in the stillness of the house, just enjoying the calmness and being able to take in the beauty of it all.

When you reached the bottom step, you heard some sniffling and cries coming from one of the rooms down the hall. You rushed to the door and opened it, and a small figure ran into your arms, clinging onto you.

"What's wrong, little one?" you asked, scooping her up.

"I had a nightmare. There were these people with sharp teeth and they were chasing me. And then you were there but you were gone. It was scary, mommy," she sobbed, her head buried in your chest.

"It's okay, sweetheart, it was just a dream. Nothing bad will happen to you. You are safe," you said, kissing her head and stroking her hair, soothing her. "Come on, let's go get something warm to drink,"

You carried her down to the kitchen and began to prepare the hot cocoa, which was her favorite. As you stood over the stove, waiting for the milk to boil, you felt her little hands rubbing your stomach.

"Mommy, when is the baby going to come out?" she asked.

"Not for a while, sweetie. It needs to grow inside my belly for a little longer," you chuckled.

"Okay," she said, looking sad. "I can't wait to meet them. Is it a girl or a boy?" she asked, looking up at you with her big, brown eyes.

"We don't know yet," you replied.

"Oh," she replied, disappointed. "I hope it's a girl. I already have a brother, I want a sister," she said.

"We'll just have to wait and see," you smiled, placing the mug of hot cocoa down on the counter. "Here, drink up, before it gets cold," you said.

She hopped off the chair and held the mug with both her hands, sipping away. You sipped on your tea as well, feeling relaxed. You loved these quiet moments with her, and you would cherish every one of them, since she was growing up so fast.

"So, what was this dream about, princess?" you asked, wanting to know more.

"T-there were people with sharp teeth and they were after me," she said.

"And why do you think that was?" you asked, not wanting her to feel afraid, but curious about what caused this dream.

"I think I saw it in a movie or something," she said, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "An-and uncle Nik showed me his sharp teeth, but he promised he would never bite me, only use them to protect me," she said.

"Oh, did he now?" you laughed.

"Yeah, but then he bit my teddy bear," she said, giggling. "he said my teddy was a threat!"

"That sounds like something uncle Nik would do," you chuckled.

"Can I sleep with you and daddy tonight?" she asked, her eyes wide and pleading.

"Of course, sweetheart," you replied.

"Thank you, mommy," she said, smiling and hugging your legs.

"Come on, let's go to bed," you said, picking her up. She wrapped her arms around your neck and laid her head on your shoulder as you walked back up to your bedroom.

You placed her in the middle of the bed, and she quickly snuggled up against Elijah, her head on his chest. She loved having his attention. She was a daddy's girl through and through.

You slid back into bed, lying down on your side and Elijah instantly pulled you closer, wrapping his arms around you, holding you both.

"Is my little one alright?" he asked sleepily, his eyes still closed.

"I had a bad dream, daddy," she sniffled, curling up against him.

"It's alright, my love. Everything will be alright," he said, kissing her head and soothing her. "No bad dreams will get you while I'm here," he said, pulling the blanket up and tucking her in.

She smiled at him and kissed his cheek, cuddling him as she drifted off to sleep. He stroked her hair, and her eyes grew heavy. Soon she was sound asleep, and he placed his hand on your stomach, his precious family safe in his arms.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Exhausted. Our littlest one is keeping me up, constantly moving and kicking," you sighed, feeling drained.

"Let's hope it's not like this for the whole pregnancy," he chuckled.

"Don't even joke about that," you groaned.

He gave you a kiss on the head, your daughter snuggled in between the two of you, and you finally managed to get a few more hours of sleep.

Elijah was woken by the sunlight shining through the curtains, and he smiled at the sight of his beautiful family.

His daughter was still cuddled up to him, her head buried in his chest, she stirred slightly and yawned.

"Do you want breakfast?" he asked, his hand on her back.

"Yes," she mumbled.

"Hmmm what would you and your brother like? Gruel? Porridge?" he asked, teasing her.

"Eww no," she groaned, loudly.

"Alright, alright, pancakes it is, let's go wake your brother and the rest of the family," he said, chuckling.

"Can we get chocolate chips on the pancakes?" she asked as he carried her out the room.

"I don't know, maybe your brother wants blueberries, but we'll ask," he said, tickling her.

His son and his niece were both awake and running around, and Klaus was chasing him, laughing, the children giggling as they hid under the dining table.

"Oh, look who's here. Little Rebekah is up," Klaus teased.

"No! That's not my name!" she pouted, crossing her arms.

"Yes, it is," Elijah chuckled.

"Nooo," she whined. "It's just Bex," she said.

"Alright, alright, Bex it is," Klaus chuckled, patting his head.

"Pancakes for breakfast, anyone?" Elijah asked.

"Yes, yes, yes," the children yelled.

"Chocolate chips?" Klaus asked, grinning.

"Yes!!!" the kids screamed, all jumping up and down in excitement.

"Alright, I'll make them, the last one to the kitchen is a rotten egg," Klaus said, speeding off.

The kids squealed and ran after Klaus, and Elijah chuckled and went back upstairs to check on you.

You were sound asleep, your hair fanned across the pillow. He laid down next to you, placing his hand on the swell of your stomach, smiling and talking to the baby.

"How are you, littlest one? Have you been keeping mommy up all night?" he asked, his dimples on full display.

"Yes, they have," you sighed.

"That's my job," he smirked, leaning in and giving you a kiss. "Would you like some breakfast?" he asked.

"I'll go eat later. I just want to stay here for a little longer," you replied, holding his hand on your stomach.

Elijah hummed softly and pulled you close, kissing your head and rubbing your back. He loved the way you melted into his touch.

"How is Bex?" you asked.

"She's completely forgotten about her nightmare, Klaus is making breakfast for all the kids," he chuckled.

"They have him wrapped around their little fingers," you giggled.

"He has grown soft, it's true," Elijah said.

"Bex told me he bit her teddy bear," you laughed.

"Yes, well, that doesn't surprise me," he chuckled, his lips brushing against yours.

You sighed happily and wrapped your arms around him, feeling complete bliss in his embrace.

"What would you like to do today?" he asked.

"Stay right here with you," you replied, running your hand through his hair, making him hum in delight. You were feeling a bit needy this morning, the pregnancy hormones making you want him all the time.

"I think that can be arranged," he smirked.

You grinned and leaned in, kissing him slowly, deepening the kiss. He moaned, and rolled over, pressing you into the mattress, making sure not to put any weight on your stomach.

He loved your pregnant state, the way your skin glowed, your eyes sparkled and the way you moaned his name made him crazy. He couldn't keep his hands off you, he wanted to ravish you day and night.

He thought he knew all of his kinks, but this one took him by surprise. When you were first pregnant with Henry it was like something in his brain clicked. The possessiveness, the lust, the way his cock ached to be inside you, he was lost.

Henry was a miracle, he didn't quite know how the magic worked. You tried to explain it to him once, your witch ancestry, how the moon played a part, but all he could think about was fucking you senseless, filling you up, and breeding you.

You were the perfect partner, and an absolute warrior, but nothing turned him on more than seeing you in this submissive, almost docile state. You were his wife, his goddess, and his greatest treasure, and he wanted nothing more than to please you day and night.

His hands went to your soft, full breasts, squeezing and kneading them, making you whimper and moan. He captured your nipple between his lips, flicking his tongue over the sensitive bud, his other hand moving your nightdress up your thighs.

"Elijah," you sighed, his fingers brushing over your wet panties, making you gasp and moan.

"Is my beautiful wife needy this morning?" he smirked, his fingers slipping past the lace.

"Yes," you panted, the pad of his index finger teasing your clit, making your body tremble.

"Good," he hummed, his mouth on your neck, his fingers slowly pumping in and out of your wet heat.

You were both so lost in pleasure that neither of you heard the sound of Bex running up the stairs, Klaus not far behind her.

Luckily the door was locked, Elijah knew better than that with a house full of children.

"Daddy? Mommy?" she asked softly, knocking on the door.

"One minute, my love," Elijah called, his voice strained, trying to keep himself from ravishing you.

"Okay," she said, not leaving, but sitting down outside the door.

"Come back downstairs Bex, your mom and dad are a bit busy at the moment," Klaus chuckled, his voice low.

"Are they playing hide and seek?" she asked.

"Something like that," he replied.

"Can we play after?" she asked.

"Absolutely, sweetheart. Now come on, let's finish our pancakes, you don't want Henry to eat them all," he chuckled, lifting her up and taking her back downstairs.

Elijah looked down at your flushed face, laughing at the situation.

"You are so mean," you groaned, pushing him off you.

"Mean? I was just getting started," he chuckled.

"I think our daughter needs us, and Henry has probably eaten all the pancakes by now," you laughed, getting up and smoothing out your dress.

"I'll finish what I started tonight," he smirked.

"Don't get your hopes up," you chuckled, kissing his cheek and getting dressed.

Elijah watched your every move, the way you walked, the glow on your skin, and how the dress clung to the curve of your stomach. You looked ethereal. He was completely mesmerized, and completely smitten.

You were looking at yourself in the mirror, the dress a little too tight, the buttons straining against your swollen breasts.

"We are going to have to get you new dresses," he chuckled, walking up behind you and wrapping his arms around you.

"This was my favorite," you pouted.

"We'll find you something that fits, don't worry," he said, kissing your shoulder.

"My back is killing me," you groaned, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"Let me try something," he said, his hands dipping under your belly and lifting the bump, and you immediately felt relief. "Better?" he whispered against your skin.

You let out a happy groan and leaned into him, letting him hold you. His hands were gentle, his touch making the tension and aches melt away.

"Thank you," you sighed.

"You are very welcome," he hummed.

"Let's go eat, I'm absolutely starving," you laughed, kissing him and taking his hand.

"Let's," he smiled.

When the two of you entered the dining room, Bex squealed and jumped out of her seat, running towards Elijah.

"Daddy I saved you a pancake, see, here it is," she said, holding it up.

"That's very sweet of you, darling," he said, bending down and picking her up.

She fed him the pancake, giggling and laughing, and Klaus was grinning from ear to ear, and he handed you a plate filled with an assortment of fruit, knowing it was your favorite.

"Thank you," you smiled, sitting down at the table, feeling your stomach rumble.

Hope was sitting with Henry, and they were coloring on their plates, syrup and chocolate spread everywhere, their laughter filling the room.

Bex was still cuddled up to Elijah, and his hand was on your stomach, and he was feeding you pieces of fruit, smiling at you.

"Your birthday is coming up little Bekah, what do you want as a present?" Klaus asked, ruffling her hair.

"Hmmm I don't know," she replied, deep in thought.

"Anything you want, sweetheart," Elijah smiled.

"Can we get a puppy?" Henry asked, excitedly.

"Not until you're old enough to take care of it," Elijah replied, ruffling his hair.

"What about a kitten?" Klaus asked, raising his eyebrow.

"I love kitties!" Hope squealed.

"Yes, yes, yes!" the children yelled.

"I'll have to think about it," Elijah chuckled.

"Please dad! It's all I want for my birthday," Bex begged, her big brown eyes looking at him, her little lip pouting.

"Don't let her pull that face, Elijah, it's not fair," Klaus laughed.

"Alright, alright, you can have a kitten," he replied, smiling at his little girl.

She squealed and threw her arms around him, giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"I promise I'll take care of it, daddy," she smiled.

"I'm sure you will," he replied, smiling and looking at you.

Klaus could see the exhaustion on your face, and the way you rubbed your stomach. You were tired and he could sense it, he knew you needed a break and some alone time with Elijah.

"Why don't we go out and play, little ones," he said, scooping up the children. "Let's all go to the park, we can even invite uncle Kol and aunt Rebekah," he suggested.

"Yay, yay, yay," the kids cheered.

"That sounds like a good idea," you replied, yawning and stretching your arms.

"Let's go, let's go," he said, wrangling the kids out of the compound.

Once they were gone, Elijah got up and started cleaning up the mess everyone had made. The compound was bursting at the seams with his family, and it was never quiet, but he enjoyed it, seeing the children run around and play, their laughter and their love filling the rooms.

You leaned back in your chair, admiring the sight of your husband working, his sleeves rolled up, and his hair falling over his forehead.

"You are gorgeous," you sighed, making him look up from the sink.

"As are you," he smirked.

"I can't believe you agreed to get Bex a kitten," you laughed.

"She can be very persuasive," he chuckled, drying his hands and coming to sit next to you.

"She has you wrapped around her finger," you smiled, cupping his cheek.

"Like I am not the same with her mother," he laughed.

"You have a point there," you grinned, kissing him.

He smiled against your lips, his hand moving down your body, resting on your stomach, letting out a contented sigh.

You mind wandered to all the things that needed to be done for the kids and around the house, you also hadn't even started preparing the nursery. You felt overwhelmed and the hormones weren't helping. On top of all that you had a party coming up.

"Stop thinking out loud," Elijah chuckled, pulling you closer.

"I can't help it, there is just so much to do," you groaned, burying your head in the crook of his neck. "I'm already behind, the baby will be here soon and I still haven't gotten anything ready."

"We still have a few months, everything will be fine, love. We will get the nursery ready, and the party will be wonderful, I'm sure of it," he replied, kissing your forehead.

His reassurances didn't help your worries, and you knew you were being unreasonable, but the stress was starting to take its toll.

"And now we have to go find a kitten, I don't even know where to start," you sighed, shaking your head.

"We can look online, we can go to a shelter, there's plenty of options," he replied, stroking your hair.

He was always so patient, so understanding, and you had no idea how he stayed so calm. You felt like you were going crazy.

"Do you even want a kitten?" you asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I prefer them over dogs, although their hair does get everywhere," he chuckled, cupping your cheek. "They are excellent little predators, great for catching the mice that are running around this old place," he smirked.

"You're not wrong, the mice are awful," you laughed, remembering the time you were down in the wine cellar and one of them ran across your foot.

"Why don't you go rest, my love? I will clean up here and join you upstairs," he suggested.

You nodded and yawned, standing up and heading towards the stairs, Elijah's eyes on you the entire time.

The moment you got to the bed and laid down, your eyes closed and you were fast asleep.

When you woke up you heard soft hammering coming from the other room, and you went to investigate, finding Elijah, shirtless and sweaty, fixing the nursery.

"I told you not to start without me," you sighed, crossing your arms and leaning against the door.

He looked over his shoulder, smiling at the sight of you, the sunlight coming in through the window and making you glow.

"It needed to be done. I'm almost finished," he replied, standing up and putting the crib together.

"You've been busy," you laughed, walking over and running your hands over the white, wooden furniture. He hand painted the walls and assembled everything, and you felt tears prickle at your eyes.

"It's beautiful," you sighed, looking around.

"Are you crying? Don't cry, darling," he said, pulling you close, your face pressed against his chest.

"I can't help it, these stupid hormones," you sniffled.

"It's alright," he laughed, stroking your hair.

You sighed and pulled away, taking in the nursery. There was a rocking chair and a bookshelf, filled with all the children's books the two of you had collected over the years.

"It looks wonderful," you said, smiling and wiping away your tears.

"Now, what would my lovely wife like to do for the rest of the afternoon? We have the place to ourselves, so I was thinking we could make good use of that large tub in our bathroom," he smirked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"You read my mind," you grinned.

You followed him back into your room, watching him fill up the tub with warm water, pouring in some bubble bath.

"Get undressed, darling," he smiled, taking his pants off and getting in the tub, moaning at the sensation of the water against his skin.

You slowly peeled off your dress, feeling a little self-conscious about your changing body. Here was your husband, eternally chiseled, and there you were, round and swollen.

"Come, let me take care of you," he whispered, seeing your hesitation.

You slipped in next to him, the water and bubbles a nice contrast to the heat of the day.

He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you against his chest, placing his hands on the swell of your stomach.

"There, doesn't that feel nice?" he hummed.

"Very nice," you sighed, resting your head on his shoulder, closing your eyes and relaxing.

His hands roamed over your skin, his lips brushing over the curve of your neck.

"I've missed having you all to myself," he whispered, his voice low and seductive.

"Mmm," was all you could say, too relaxed and content to form words.

He gently cupped your breasts, the pads of his thumbs brushing over your nipples, making you whimper and moan.

"Eli," you sighed, his touch sending shivers through your body.

"You're so beautiful," he said, his voice breathy.

You turned your head and looked at him, his gaze filled with lust and desire.

"Do you want to continue this on our bed?" You asked, your voice sultry.

"I'd love to," he replied, the corners of his mouth turning up into a smirk.

He helped you out of the tub, wrapping a towel around your body. Before suddenly scooping you up in his arms, carrying you to the bedroom and laying you down.

"I can't wait until I'm not this enormous," you sighed, looking down at your swollen belly.

"You're not enormous, you're beautiful, and absolutely radiant," he replied, hovering over you, his hand gently resting on your stomach.

You couldn't help but smile, and the tears started rolling down your cheeks.

"Don't cry again, my love," he chuckled.

"I can't help it! Just ignore me," you said, wiping the tears away.

"As if that is possible," he laughed.

He kissed your forehead, moving his way down your body, placing his hands on your hips, his lips pressing soft kisses against the curve of your stomach.

"Elijah, you don't have to do that," you whispered, feeling a little shy.

"But I want to," he replied, kissing his way down, spreading your legs.

"Oh," was all you could say, his tongue swirling over your clit, one hand on your inner thigh, the other resting on your stomach.

He hummed and moaned, the vibrations making you gasp, and arch your back. He could tell you were sensitive, and he was gentle, taking his time.

You ran your fingers through his hair, tugging a little, making him moan and pick up the pace.

" 'lijah," you panted, feeling the pleasure coil in your core.

You couldn't even see him over the swell of your stomach, but you could feel him, and the noises he was making were sending you into overdrive.

"Fuck, don't stop," you gasped, the orgasm hitting you like a ton of bricks, leaving you dizzy and lightheaded.

Elijah was enjoying himself, the taste of you on his tongue, the noises you were making, and the sight of you coming apart, was driving him crazy.

You tugged on his hair, pulling his face away, the sensations becoming too much, and he crawled up your body, kissing your stomach as he moved.

"Did you enjoy that, darling?" He asked, kissing you and tasting yourself on his tongue.

"Mmm yes, very much," you hummed, pushing on his chest so he laid back.

He watched you move, a smirk on his face, his pupils blown. You sat on his thighs, stroking him, seeing his abs tense and relax, and he let out a long, deep moan.

"You are such a good father and husband, always going above and beyond for us," you said, leaning down and licking his length. "Let me show you how much I appreciate you,"

You leaned down and teased his head with your tongue, enjoying the string of curses that came tumbling from his mouth.

A soft hum escaped you as you slowly, and carefully, sucked on the head, teasing and tasting.

"Love, you are exquisite," he groaned, burying his fingers in your hair.

You took him deeper, hollowing your cheeks, letting him move at the pace he desired. All you wanted to do was please him, you loved when his voice would crack from pleasure and the way his fingers would tug on your hair.

"Come here," he said, cupping your cheek.

You pulled off of him with a pop, moving to sit on top of him, kissing him and grinding against his length.

"Mmm, I could do this forever," you hummed, biting his bottom lip and tugging.

He ran his hands up and down your back, nibbling at your shoulder, suckling marks into your skin.

Your swell was pressed against his abs, and he could feel every slight movement, enjoying the sight of you rolling your hips.

He guided you down onto his cock, the sheets bunched up around the two of you, and he rolled his hips, his hands gripping your ass.

"You are stunning," he murmured, kissing the valley between your breasts.

His lips brushed over your nipples, sucking, his teeth grazing them, his groans vibrating through your body.

"Eli- stop, they are too sensitive," you panted, running your nails over his skin, leaving bright red scratches.

"Sorry, love," he replied, grinning at the sting of your nails.

He did most of the work, gently rocking you in a steady rhythm, and the two of you moaned, the pleasure coursing through your bodies, his lips brushing your neck.

It was a slow, hot and steamy fuck, you felt like your body was on fire, the sweat and heat radiating off the two of you.

You leaned forward a little, allowing Elijah to get a little more friction, his hips moving faster, the both of you panting and moaning.

"Ah- Elijah, I'm-," you panted against his lips.

You buried your head in the crook of his neck as you came undone, clenching around him.

Elijah followed suit, the sensation of your orgasm bringing him to the edge.

He cupped the back of your neck, bringing you down for a kiss, and the two of you hummed, content and sated, basking in the afterglow.

"I wish we could stay like this," you sighed, nuzzling against him.

He laughed, and gently rolled you onto your side, pulling out of you and tucking you against his chest, both of you smiling like idiots.

"I love you," he said, stroking your hair.

"I love you too," you whispered, resting your head on his arm, letting the world melt away for just a few minutes.

Elijah watched you drift off to sleep, a small smile on his face. He kissed your forehead and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of being next to you.

It was days like these that made him wonder what he did to deserve it. That perhaps there was some sort of higher power that had guided him to you, that brought him such profound peace and happiness after centuries of darkness.

You mumbled and cuddled up against him, he placed his hand on your belly, rubbing it with his thumb, thinking about how lucky he was.

He was living a life he never thought he would have, a family of his own, one he created. He didn't know what was waiting for him after he was done with this life, but he hoped you would be there with him.

In the next life, and all the ones after that.

♡♡ Tag-List ♡♡

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I've gotten a few dm's about my tags not working (yay) so let me know if its still a problem, I just re-tagged all of you so hopefully that solved it ♡

Also! If you wish to be removed from the tag list just send me a dm, you won't hurt my feelings (it's okay if you got sick of me ~lol) I don't wish to hold you hostage ♡

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the-dynamic-duo · 1 year ago

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A brief recap of all recent Dick-related news ⏬

▶️ Announced Batman The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween, a ten parts sequel to both Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory, by writer Jeph Loeb and a cast of rotating artists such as Klaus Janson, Mark Chiarello and other unnamed ones.

Here’s the summary:

“Gotham City learns to fear Halloween once more as a terrible event threatens to destroy Jim Gordon’s life and puts Batman and Robin’s teamwork to the test more than ever before. In a city of liars, masked vigilantes, and criminals…can anyone be trusted?”

▶️ According to Mark Waid, Dick will be one of the major characters in the upcoming Absolute Power event and the leader of the resistance. Other characters confirmed to be prominent or have spotlight moments are the leaguers, Dreamer and Jon Kent. Less prominent characters are hinted to play important roles too, but have yet to be named. Absolute Power #1 will be released on July 2.

I highly recommend all Nightwing fans to give the event a chance, not only for Waid and Mora’s brilliant partnership and for potential big changes coming, but because of how good Waid is at writing Dick in particular; he has Dick’s voice to a T, and core knowledge of the character, on top of being a good writer.

Batfamily fans might want to check it out too, Bruce will obviously be an important character in the event. Tim, Damian and Jason have all been spotted in some of the covers, and while we don't know the extent of their involvement, Damian has been seen in the trailer of Absolute Power with Bruce and will have a team up with Diana in Wonder Woman #12, which ties into the event. Tim seems to be a part of Dick’s team in Absolute Power: Task Force VII #4 too.

#dc comics #dick grayson #nightwing #bruce wayne #batman #damian wayne #robin #tim drake #jason todd #batfamily #I’m tagging the other robins + bruce because of the absolute power part involving them

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xxwritemeastoryxx · 2 years ago

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Intertwined

Author: xxwritemeastoryxx

Pairings: Elijah Mikaelson x Fem!Reader - Soulmate Au!

Word Count: 6.1K

Warnings: Angst, arguments, Elijah being overly protective but denying himself happiness as always, canon typical violence, a bit of fluff at the end.

Author’s Note: Because I'm apparently on a sequel kick, here's another. I promise I'm getting to the requests that I have and all the things I still need to work on from last year. I'm going where the muse takes me in my writing flow. So there's that. Also please note that you need to read Hidden Marks before reading this one.

I do not and will not ever give permission for my fics to be copied and posted on other sites. Don’t do it. Don’t be that person that ruins it for me and everyone else.Feedback gives me life and motivation for future things. While likes are appreciated, reblogs are gold. Seriously, if you enjoyed this in the slightest, please reblog ♥

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It had been months since Elijah had seen the three intertwined circles on the middle of Y/N’s back that made up her soul mark. The first and only time he'd seen it, he'd been pulling a wooden bullet out from her back when she asked for his help. From the moment Elijah helped to remove the bullet, the mark haunted him.

Seeing her mark should have been a great thing. It should have brought him some peace and happiness to see her mark. That her mark matched the very one he had just below his left clavicle. A perfect pair that made sense for how close they had become as friends over the century. If anything, since seeing her mark he's been conflicted on his feelings.

Part of him wants and tries to be protective of her. His soulmate that had come into his life when he least expected it. The woman that had become his best friend over the century had been the one thing he never actively searched for. He now knew why she stepped into his life and never left. But it was the other part of him that caused him to fight daily with his feelings.

Y/N would be in danger because of him. She would soon become a target if even the slightest word had slipped about who his soulmate was. An endless cycle he'd force her into if an enemy ever came knocking. Threats and being captured for the sole purpose of being leveraged against him.

Not to mention if his brother had ever lost his temper with him. Klaus wasn't one to spare the women in Elijah's life before. What difference would it make this time? All it would take was one action that made Klaus feel the slightest ounce of betrayal and he'd take it out on her.

Elijah was willing to take on the devil himself if Y/N was in danger. He was reminded of it any time she recklessly put herself in harm's way. An argument he had with her plenty of times during their friendship, but held a deeper meaning as of recently.

He was also reminded daily how easily she could bend him to her will with a simple smile as she walked into the room. Or the occasional knowing look she'd give him when he or his siblings said something she didn't agree with that would almost instantly change his mind about the situation. Especially if she added in her details that would make it reckless on her part.

But no matter how many times that feeling of comfort and love started to grow for the woman he believed he could only care for platonically, he could never voice it. He could never bring himself to mention the details that he knew. And because he chose to keep it to himself, it began the yoyo effect of wanting to keep her at a distance and keep her close for his own sanity.

It hadn’t gone unnoticed by Y/N either. From the moment she offered him a night out to deal with the humans who had put the bullets into her back, she noticed something different. She noticed the way his demeanor changed around her. He grew worrisome over the smallest of things he never had before. And even fought with her longer over details of plans to help take down the threat the Mikaelsons had been faced with.

She found herself frustrated on the days that he brushed her off and all but ignored her. He had never once been cold to her in the time that she had known him. They had pushed each other’s buttons on occasion, but Elijah had never once pushed her away like he had been doing now. Every time he did, it hurt more than Y/N had ever expected it to.

They were close friends, she knew that. She knew there would always be moments that Elijah would pick his family over her. That there would be moments where he would keep his family safe and do anything he could to also keep her safe. She knew she was not the highest priority. But why did it feel like someone had staked her when he walked away from her when she felt she really needed him for a few moments?

That's when the thoughts of doubt had been planted in her head. Doubts that were formed and fueled to drive her insane for most of the night that made it almost impossible to sleep. What had she done to earn such coldness from someone that she was close with? Had she crossed a boundary that she had suddenly been unaware of?

The final straw that broke her had been moments ago when she offered to go with him to deal with the beginning of a threat. It was always something they had done together. A way to have Elijah’s calm and calculated approach and her glimmer of chaos that would always work out in their favor. But when he told her to stay behind, she could no longer keep anything at bay anymore.

The moment Elijah had told her to stay behind, her face fell at his words. And as he walked past her to leave his expression hadn’t changed. And as she turned to face him, she let it all out.

“What have I done?” She asked, causing him to stop in his tracks. “Have I wronged you in some way that makes you no longer want to be around me?”

Elijah heard the way her voice cracked towards the end. He had hoped that his actions wouldn’t hurt her. But here she was asking what she had done to him when in reality it had been him to do it. He turned to face her and shook his head slightly.

“No.” His voice was composed in comparison to hers. “You have done nothing at all.”

She shook her head as she crossed her arms. “I’ve known you for over a century, Elijah. I know well enough to know you are lying to me. If I’ve done nothing wrong there wouldn’t be this shift between us where it feels like you suddenly want nothing to do with me.”

“I assure you that if I had wanted nothing to do with you, you would not still be standing here.” It was as close to the truth he could go to without coming out right with it. “We are facing a potential threat that I feel as though I need to do this with my siblings. We have no idea what they are fully capable of and the last time I checked, you are not as indestructible as you believe.”

Elijah had no idea how this threat would continue to play in their lives. He had no idea what knowledge they planned to use against them in an attempt to try and take him and his family out. That was why Elijah wanted to do this without her. He wanted to make sure that she would remain safe.

He didn’t want to take Y/N with him with the possibility of allowing them to get an inkling that Y/N had now meant more to him than he let on. He didn’t want her in danger from something he didn’t fully understand. This was the part of him that was willing to do anything to protect her. He just had to slightly push her away in order to do so.

“That never stopped you before.” She noted as she took a step towards him. “I may not be an original, but I am still a whole lot older than a majority of the threats that walk into the city. I have proven myself over and over that I can handle my own. I’m even better by your side. But ever since you’ve seen my mark, it’s like you don’t want to be near me. All I want is the truth from you. Did I do something or did my mark tell you something that you haven’t told me?”

Elijah looked at the ground for a moment before looking back up to her. He could see the hurt in her eyes as she expressed everything. But he couldn’t bring himself to tell her even though every part of him wanted to. To bring some peace to her mind on his reasoning instead of making her feel as though she wasn’t wanted.

“I’m going to try to make this as clear as I can." His voice was still even, almost void of any emotion. "This threat is not to be taken lightly. While we do not have the full specifics on who they are or why they are here, I do know they have come close to harming the people I care about." His eyes met hers. "While our normal plan pairs perfectly with the riff raff we deal with, at this moment it does not. So no, you will not accompany me tonight. I need you here."

After taking in his words, all she could manage was a nod before he was gone from her sight. He didn’t even give her a chance to respond or fight him on what he was telling her. And it left Y/N feeling defeated.

Her mind still tried to make sense of the changes that had come over the last few months. Every push and pull that happened between the two being analyzed as if it had been some rather important document or experiment being worked on. She was trying to find something, anything, to show what caused Elijah’s sudden change. No matter how many ways she thought about it, it only came back to one starting point: the night Elijah saw her mark.

Had seeing it really thrown him off to not want to be near her like he had used to? Not showing them their marks had been a preference they decided on early in their friendships. If there was ever a day they felt comfortable in showing what it was, they would have. And that night, with a bullet in her back, it hadn’t mattered if Elijah had seen it or not.

She ran a hand along her face, trying to shake off the thoughts that had kept her pacing her room for hours after he had left. She no longer cared about the mark or who she may have possibly shared it with. Why did that change now that Elijah had seen it?

It made her wonder if he had seen the mark on someone else. If there was a possibility that he felt guilty in some way after seeing it. There had been plenty of enemies in his existence. At some point he could have easily come across it and not realized it until he saw it on her back.

Did it belong to someone who had betrayed him? Had he seen it on someone that he had taken their life out of necessity? Or had this person been a victim of the many spells he had endured?

Deep down she knew it was the fear of losing Elijah. Something she had thought about over the century and a half she had known him. Friendships can only last so long before one reason or another comes along. She knew plenty of people who had left her on the back burner after finding their soulmate, even during her human years.

She had grown used to having Elijah in her life. It would take her longer to find a memory that didn’t involve Elijah versus the ones with. Over the years she had become dependent on the fact that Elijah had always been there for her just as she was for him. He was a constant and part of her hated the thought of her ever losing that.

At the thought, Y/N had felt her heart sink. A simple thought putting everything into perspective to her. The idea may have been formed from past experiences, but it all made sense. Elijah must have found his soulmate. And if that was the case, she was sure this was the beginning of being put further back on the burner.

“Y/N?!” Rebekah’s panicked voice had broken her from her thoughts, causing her to move quickly to find Rebekah.

Upon reaching the courtyard, a gasp left her lips as she found Rebekah dragging a half standing Elijah towards the couch. The majority of his clothing had been covered in blood. Parts of the fabric had been torn in several places. It was as if Elijah had picked a battle he couldn’t win.

“What the hell happened?” Y/N asked as she moved to help get Elijah settled on the couch. Her eyes had still been taking him in, accessing his injuries.

“Witches.” Elijah breathed out as he tried to get a hold of reality. He had lost enough blood and his mind had been a distorted mess from the magic he had been subjected to.

“Everything had been going according to plan but whatever spell they used on him, it threw him off course.” Rebekah took the moment to leave the room to get items they needed to help Elijah for the time being until Freya could get back there. The moment she was back she continued. “The others are still there dealing with them.”

Seeing the items Rebekah had brought, Y/N reached for the towel that had been sitting in a bowl of water and began cleaning off the blood from Elijah’s face and neck. “I can understand the disorientation, but what the hell ripped into him?”

There was panic rising within Y/N. She hated that he had made her stay behind. She could have been there to help him in some way. Been there to help prevent him from being hurt as he was now.

"Between the spell and some of the wolves within the vicinity, he couldn't watch his back." Rebekah said as she picked up another towel and folded it before placing it on Elijah's forehead. Afterwards she began picking up little containers of what Y/N could only assume were herbs and salves that Freya had instructed her to use for the time being.

As Y/N ran the towel over his neck, Elijah lifted his hand to her hand, stilling her movements. It caused her to look up at him. His eyes had been looking over her face, before they settled on her eyes.

"You're safe." His voice was barely above a whisper.

She nodded her head. "I am safe. You made sure I was." She wasn't sure if that was what he needed to relax more as she attempted to help clean him. "Freya will be here soon."

With that, Elijah seemed to relax his hold and it allowed for her to continue wiping up the blood. So far it looked as though any of the injuries he sustained were healing. It may have been at a whole lot of a slower pace, but his wounds were healing. But the moment her hand moved to remove the shredded fabric stuck to his skin along his left shoulder and chest, his hand grabbed a hold of her wrist, not wanting her to continue.

"I need to make sure your wounds are healing Elijah." She said softly as she brought her eyes up to his once more. "Or to at least give me the peace of mind that this looks way worse than it is."

"For once let someone take care of you." Rebekah added and pulled his hand away from Y/N. It had been too easy to remove his hand. His strength is almost non-existent given what he'd been through.

Elijah hated that he couldn't get his mind to process the protest he wanted to give. He hated that he couldn't give a strong enough response to say he'd deal with it later. But the spell within his mind made it difficult to think clearly for more than a second or two at a time.

Elijah’s eyes never left Y/N’s face as she began to move the fabric away from his chest. He didn't care about the wounds he was facing. He didn't even care that Y/N and Rebekah were caring for him. It was what laid just under the layers of fabric she was removing, that had him worried.

Quickly dipping the towel into the bowl of water between her and Rebekah, Y/N brought it back up to his chest and began to rid him of the drying blood. There was a part of her that was relieved to not see some gaping wound that he was trying to prevent her from seeing.

That relief soon turned into curiosity as the blood was being wiped away. The beginning of Elijah's mark became clear as day. With each wipe of the towel the mark continued to grow. And as last of the reminisce of blood was removed from the mark, she all but dropped the towel.

Just below his left clavicle had been three intertwined circles. It ran horizontally across his skin in the exact same way it ran across the middle of her back. And for a moment she fought herself on reaching out just to run her fingers along the mark. A need to make sure it was really there.

Elijah had watched her the whole time. Even through his hazed mind he could see the way relief had flooded her eyes before her brows began to furrow. The curiosity in her eyes had been evident and there was nothing Elijah could do to fully protest in his current state. All he could do was watch her as she learned what he had months ago.

Her soulmate had been right there in front of her for over a century.

Her eyes snapped to him and Elijah could see several emotions flash through her eyes. He could see the way there was a sliver of excitement before hurt filled them as she tried to stop the tears from welling up.

"What is it?" Rebekah asked as she caught on that Y/N had stopped her movements.

Y/N shook her head slightly before looking away from Elijah. "Nothing worth noting." She said as she went back to wiping the blood.

She kept her eyes away from the mark and as best as she could from keeping them from looking up at Elijah. She could feel his eyes on her. But she refused to look his way.

All of her wild thoughts that had been going through her head earlier had only been partially right. She honestly never thought this was the case. And if she was being honest with herself, this felt worse.

He had found his soulmate like she thought. But she hadn't expected it to be herself. Not with the way he had pulled himself away from her during the course of the last few months. Not with the way she felt that she was losing her best friend.

Elijah knew that he was her soulmate and he didn't tell her. There wasn't an excitement at knowing that the person they spent decades with had been the one person they both chose not to actively look for. Their life had been great just as it was. Until Elijah saw her mark.

She tried to stop the spiral of thoughts that began to form. It was already too late to try to spare her heart the pain it was currently feeling. No matter how hard she tried to focus on helping Rebekah take care of him, one single thought played in her mind on a constant loop.

He knew they were soulmates and he tried pushing her away.

The moment Freya came running into the courtyard with Klaus and Kol behind her, Y/N pulled herself slowly away from the side of the couch. It was a way to not only keep the now unwanted attention of her facial expressions away but to give the necessary space Freya would need.

When she moved a little too far for Elijah’s liking, his hand grabbed a hold of hers. This time his grip was tighter in comparison to earlier. He was getting better, stronger. The venom from the wolf bites was leaving his system while the spell kept a tight hold over him.

Y/N's eyes met his one more time. She could tell he was pleading with her to stay there with his eyes. Almost to say that once Freya helped him he'd explain everything to her. That he needed her to stay there.

There was something in her eyes that changed a moment after his words had pierced the air. “Would you tell me if you saw the mark on someone else?”

“Of course.” He said even though it had been a lie. He knew he wasn’t going to speak of the very mark that was on his chest.

Her heart ached at the sudden memory that filled her mind. She wanted to break down. She wanted to run to get fresh air. Do anything that would allow her to process the information she had been given in the last few minutes.

Freya came over and knelt down beside Elijah, giving Y/N the chance to pull her hand away from Elijah. She took several back as she tried to decide if she wanted to stay or leave the area. But a heartbeat later she was mumbling some excuse and left the courtyard.

It was only when she was safely behind the door of her room, she felt more clarity than she had downstairs. The wave of emotions she felt calmed in comparison. While silent tears had begun falling, it hadn't felt like her world had come crashing to a halt as it had.

"For as many times as I've come here to hide away, there's never been another person here." Y/N said as she took in the stranger. "Might have to find a new one if this one is compromised."

"I can assure you, I've known about this place for a lot longer than you." The stranger looked towards her. "I may have been out of the city for some time, but I will know more about the history than you ever will.”

A laugh passed her lips causing a smile to form on his lips. “What if I told you I watched that town in the distance be built?”

His eyebrow raised slightly before he looked towards the town she had been speaking of. “I’d then ask if you knew what was out there before the town was built.”

“A small village.“ She responded. “One that was destroyed just a few years after I was born. There are stories of a creature that roamed the woods that surrounded that village. A creature that was hunted but never killed.” She shrugged her shoulders before looking back towards the stranger. “Though I’d love to hear what you have that can top that.”

He laughed for a moment before he placed his hand out between them. “I’m Elijah. And I assure you, I can surpass any story you’ve been told about the area.”

“That’s a challenge I’m willing to take.” She said as she placed her hand in his. “I'm Y/N.”

That year Y/N needed to get away from the life she had found herself in after being a vampire for a few centuries already. The mountaintop just above the town she was born in had always been her go to place to reevaluate her life as a human and as a vampire. That night, Y/N had been debating on watching the sunrise for the last time.

But Elijah had been there to pull her thoughts away from the sunrise and into a life that she had now thrived in. Elijah had been there when she needed him the most. Her soulmate had been the one to pull her back from the edge and she never knew it until now.

Elijah had saved her that night. He saved her and it wasn't long after he paid off a witch to create a daylight ring for her. A friendship shouldn't be had just in the dark. Those had been his words as he held up the daylight ring for her to take a few minutes before sunrise a few weeks later.

Her heart picked up in pace as her mind continued to accept everything that happened. The details of their meeting to this current moment made sense from a soulmate perspective. No matter how many times the flashes of memories played through her mind, there was no changing the facts.

"What if I don't want to marry my soulmate?" A young Y/N asked as she kicked her shoe at the dirt.

Her mother's laugh filled the air. "You don't always have to marry your soulmate. Sometimes it depends on what best suits the both of you. Your soulmate can be a best friend or even a lover. Sometimes they're both." She knelt down to Y/N's height. "There's one thing I know though. Having them in your life in any form is a whole lot better than not having them in your life or losing them. So when you are able to meet the person that knows your soul without needing to try hard, fight as hard as you can. Fight with them, for them and alongside them as needed." She ran her hand along Y/N’s cheek. "I know this doesn't make a lot of sense right now, but I promise one day you'll understand. "

The sound of the knock on her door followed by the door slowly opening had pulled her out of her thoughts and memories. Without even looking she had already known it was Elijah. She quickly wiped at her cheeks before she turned towards the door.

The moment she had, Elijah could see that the whirlwind of emotions he saw earlier in her eyes had shifted. Even as her eyes welled up, he could see the hurt along with acceptance. And if he was being honest with himself, the acceptance is what scared him.

He took a few steps further into her room before he came to a stop. "What I've done was-"

"Cowardice?" She finished for him before he got the chance to even form the next word. It made him raise his brow. "Because whatever reasoning you have for not telling me was the worst decision you have ever made. And I know there have been plenty of questionable decisions you've made."

"I know I should have told you that night." He gave a slight nod. "For a brief moment I wanted to. But then I realized the danger you would be in because of me."

She had already begun shaking her head before he finished speaking. "Danger that I haven't already been in from just being close with you. Or to your siblings for that matter." She watched as he opened his mouth to speak but she quickly continued to stop him. "I know it's not the same. Putting it out there makes it more real and practically puts a target on both of us. I know what that target looks like. That just means we'll be better prepared for it."

She knew from experience how easy it was to use a soulmate as leverage. How easy it was to threaten them to get someone to bend to their will. There was a dark decade in Y/N's existence where she had once toyed with humans and their soulmates. A time where her humanity had been switched and she hadn't cared.

She knew the tricks that could be played. She knew how much damage someone could take before they snapped. The emotional torment that could be played on both parties to get the point across was something she lived for during that dark decade.

At least that was until her humanity had been forcefully switched on. She tormented herself afterwards on how she could carelessly manipulate people by using the one weakness they all had. It was part of the reason she found herself heading back to the mountaintop.

"If today has taught me anything it's that you were safer without me near." He watched as her eyebrow raised before he continued. "While having you by my side would have been beneficial for many reasons, I watched as my worst fear played through my mind because of a spell. A spell that provided sufficient reasons on why I was right on my decision to not say anything."

"A spell that was used to distract you.” She noted. It explained why he had seemed so relieved at seeing her safe. "And a fear that we could have worked out beforehand if you simply had told me. I spent the last several hours wondering how and when I had become the problem. Part of me knew that you had found your soulmate and that was why you were pushing me away. That maybe you were trying to distance yourself from me to make room for them." Her eyes began to well up. "I just never thought you'd be pushing me away because I am your soulmate."

Elijah shook his head slightly as guilt filled him. He could see in that moment how hurt she had been by it. The emotions she had displayed when he first came into the room broke down bit by bit. And the thought that she believed she was the problem stung him in ways he never believed it would.

"I don't know if I can be what you need me to be." He said a moment later. "It has been proven time and again that whenever I let an ounce of happiness into my life, it's quickly taken away. I refuse to have the same thing happen to you. And if that means keeping you at a distance or even you leaving the city-"

"Nothing has to change!" She cut him off as she shook her head. "We have been by each other's side for over a century without even knowing we were soulmates. We have been through hell and back together without even questioning how it was possible. I have fought by your side not caring if I died in the process." She wiped at her cheeks as more tears escaped. "I will continuously be by your side even after this. I don't care if it is as something more or keeping things as it has been. But don't you dare for one moment think that I would be safer with you pushing me away or even deciding that it's better without you in my life."

He sighed softly before taking a few steps to close the distance between them. "If anything were to ever happen to you because of me, I'd never be able to forgive myself." His hand came up to her cheek before using his thumb to wipe away more of her tears.

"It's going to happen with or without you in my life." Her eyes met his. "I am no stranger to being threatened by your family. I have had Klaus's hand on my heart and I'm still here in front of you." She placed her hand on top of his as she leaned into his touch slightly. A way to prove that she was there. "I am not even a stranger to having a witch use me as leverage or even used to fight against you. I can leave tonight and what's to stop anyone from coming after me once it's actually figured out?" She watched as he took in her words. "This isn't just one sided either. I am afraid of what each new threat could mean for you. I want and need you to be safe, maybe even for my own selfish reasons. But I will not let you push me away without at least fighting to stay. I will continue to be by your side no matter how much you push. I will stand there by your side and face the enemy with you and die there with you if it comes to it. I will continue to be your friend or more if that is what you need and you'll never have to worry that I'll leave you. But I will not let you try and push me out of your life for the fear of what could possibly happen to me just because you're afraid to let yourself be happy."

Elijah's eyes never left hers as she spoke. He couldn't bring himself to look away from her. Not when he was seeing everything play through her eyes. Every emotion, every piece of history and hopeful future had been displayed within them. And he could no longer ignore what he'd been trying to avoid.

He knew everything she said was right. He would hate himself if anything happened to her while she was gone. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how it would feel if he ever learned the news that something had happened to her. He couldn't ignore the fact that throughout the years and even now she was fighting for her place to stay no matter how hard he tried to keep her at bay and safe in his eyes.

The same safety that he had been trying to provide her since the night they met. How broken her eyes had looked from the moment she took a seat next to him on that mountain top. And how everything within him had told him to protect her from anything. Even himself if it ever came to it.

But as he looked into her eyes now, he could see the woman that had become his best friend. The woman that stood there beside him as threat after threat came. How she cared for him in his moments of need even though he fought her on it. The one person he couldn’t go more than a few days without speaking with. It was why the thought of losing her scared him even more than he ever believed.

After a moment, Elijah nodded his head. “I give you my word that I will not push you away or ask you to leave.” His thumb gently moved along her cheek. He watched as something changed within her eyes. “I don't believe I could actually watch you leave, let alone be alone out there in the world. Nor can I picture a day where you are not in my life in some form or another. You have your selfish reasons and I have mine. But I have never wished for you to look so hurt as you have today and I will spend as much time as needed to make up for it. ” He looked elsewhere for a moment before looking back at her. “I just don’t know how things will change from here.”

The part of Y/N’s heart that expected the worst had felt relief. Relief that he wasn’t going to continue to push her away. Relief that he was willing to accept that they were soulmates and that she wasn’t going to go down or leave without a fight. And if anything, there was a small tug of a smile at her lips at his words.

“We continue as friends, just as we have.” She offered. “If in the future things change, we’ll go from there.”

A hum of agreement passed his lips as he pulled his hand away from her. As he did, He maneuvered his hand to take a hold of her’s, finding comfort in just holding her hand within his. Her offer of nothing needing to change played in his ears.

There was something within him that agreed with that. Mixed within the agreement was the hope that things would change for the better. But for now this was a step in the right direction. A step that meant he wasn’t going to push her away as he had planned to. It was in a direction that he strongly believed he’d never lose her in the way that he feared.

“We’ll handle things as we always have.” He nodded his head, a small smile pulling at his lips.

“Together?” She asked as a small hopeful smile pulled at her lips.

She could joke about how they would work together as she always had in the past. She could have added in how reckless they could be. How the calm and chaosbetween them would keep things interesting. But at that moment, she only needed the confirmation that it would continually be them against everything else that came at them.

“Together.” He promised with no intention of ever breaking that promise. Even when the world learned of the mark they share, he’d keep his promise and keep each other close to their sides. As a friend, as a potential lover, but most importantly as soulmates that would never have to live without the other.

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its-to-the-death · 1 year ago

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Welt Yang (Honkai Star Rail): Daddy in both senses of the word. I don’t know his Honkai Impact 3rd lore because I only play HSR.

Yuamu Ohdo (Yugioh Go Rush): Absolute girlboss. Her high tech dragons are so cool. Her cunning makes her so interesting especially since Yuhi and Yudias don’t always have all the braincells.

Klaus Lunettes (Black Clover): Glasses in a fantasy world is always a bold move.

Some characters I wish got submitted to the Glasses Swag Tournament. (Who knows maybe we’ll do another)

Gowther (Seven Deadly Sins): Despite being a magical doll, he stills needs glasses to see.

Yukimiya Kenyu (Blue Lock): He’s so so so pretty. And he has two pairs of glasses, one for on the field and one off the field. Eyesight is literally his whole struggle.

Klaus Baudelaire (A Series of Unfortunate Events): One of my favorite characters as a kid. I named one of my stuffed bears after him. His brain is literally a library of information from how much he reads.

Louisa May Alcott and Ango Sakaguchi (Bungou Stray Dogs): Ranpo and Kunikida were submitted but I am BSD trash and will talk about this show at any desired point. These two are both incredibly smart and work super hard for their respective organizations. I love them.

Dr. Teeth (The Muppets): I did get submissions for Scooter and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew whose glasses are probably more corrective but Dr. Teeth’s glasses have a lot of swag. Also, he manages to have both glasses and eyes while the other two basically have glasses as eyes.

Tony Stark (Marvel): He only wears glasses sometimes but the thing he has going for him is that he created an AI to occupy his glasses which make them extra cool.

#*gently pushes this within your line of sight*#Klaus has been submitted this time around so I can't complain #glasses swag sequel #extra glasses swag

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countrymusiclover · 1 year ago

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59 - The Most Reckless Plan Ever Imagined

Part 60

Family is More than Blood

@melvia-ito @vavafaure1994 @kmc1989 @tallrock35

“I’m surprised you aren’t dying to talk with your daughter or more so yell at her for what she did by not telling her son about you and Klaus.” My brother saw me standing out by the lake view they had outside their cabin.

Keeping my back to him I crossed my arms over my chest with a huff. “I’ll talk with her later. I’m here to talk with you first unless you’d rather go back to magical sparring against one another.”

“It still baffles me that you’ve come to help me after all these years. What on earth could have changed your mind over these five years?” Jacob asked me with anger clear in his tone.

“Maybe it is still true that I care for my twin brother. That I want you in my life, you and your family. The Mikaelson’s and Lane’s together like we used to be when it was all of us against Marcel, or Aurora or even the Hollow.”

My brother sighed in some relief. “I take comfort in knowing there’s no more threats to me and my girls while we live out here in what your husband calls the degrading forest.”

“I know Hayley’s pack is fiercely loyal to you. But we are as well, brother?”

Jacob asked me, leaning his back against a tree nearby. “It doesn’t seem like it sometimes with the Mikaelson’s.”

“If you want a fight I’ll give you a fight!” Spinning around on my feet I clutched my hands into fists at my sides, raising my right hand and launching him into a different tree. “Ascendo phasmatos motus!”

Jacob growled showing me his fangs vamping me down onto my back, choking me by the throat. I gasped underneath his grip until I moved my knee and kicked him in between his legs. “You know that’s wrong -“ He moaned in pain rolling over into a fetal position allowing time to get to my feet.

“You never said the fight had to be fair. Otun adnarvet estnavit atim.” Waving my hand in front of him he vamped up to his feet smacking directly into the barrier spell I’d just done.

He chuckled holding the bridge of his nose snapping his fingers undoing the spell. “Merabas hic libatal. If we’re going to fight for real, stop using the baby spells on me.”

“Why should I? I get entertainment from watching you smack into barrier spells and trees.” I chuckled with my hands on my hips.

Jacob shot his hands up blasting electric blasts at me where I barely barrel rolled under them. “Lecutio maxima.”

“Phasmatos motus incendiamos!” Remaining down on one knee I raised my hands blasting him with a ball of fire into the nearest tree where I heard some of his bones break just a bit.

My twin brother held his head for a minute making me think I had bested him and he was done fighting yet he raised his wrist snapping his fingers a second time. “Crescere arbor.”

“Dissulta!” Closing my eyes the vines that he had wrapped my entire body suddenly busted into a million little pieces. Vamping up to him I lifted him up in the air by his throat, siphoning his power knowing it should knock him out instantly. “Magia tollux de terras.”

He winced underneath the red glow of my right hand where he closed his eyes dropping his hands to his sides but caught me off guard pressing his hand directly against my heart. “Corum spiritus prohibera. Sorry to burst your ego Rae Rae. Like I said, I've been practicing.” I gasped clutching my chest collapsing down onto the dirt ground feeling a burning agony inside of my heart.

“I never thought you’d stoop low enough to try and kill your own sister, Jacob!” Jacob suddenly got thrown against by someone causing the end of the horrible spell he was performing on me.

Coughing out his name I held myself up on my left elbow blinking through some painful tears that had formed in my eyes. “Klaus.”

“Get the hell off me.” My brother raised his hand upward.

My lover grabbed his head in agony releasing my brother until he stopped his spell then he pushed him against another tree with a hand wrapped around his throat. “I can snap your neck like a twig in case you’ve forgotten without blinking and walk away. I’d suggest you be nicer to your sister before I contemplate skinning you alive!”

“Klaus, it’s not worth it. If he wants my help with having another baby he’ll have to be nicer to me otherwise we’ll leave him and Hayley to simply watch Andrea grow up and have no more children.” Pushing myself to my feet I dusted my hands off on my jeans, crossing my arms over my chest.

Jacob gulped after my husband released his death grip off from around his neck allowing him to speak to me. “I thought you said you only are fertile because of some black magic. If that’s the case, how are you going to help me without using it?”

“I’m going to have to use black magic, you’re right. Except what you don’t know is that I have a much better handle on a certain part of myself compared to the last time you saw me.”

Klaus steps towards me whispering in disbelief. “Rae, you can’t mean what I think you mean.”

“I do, Nik. But it wouldn’t be just me, I'd need Dark Josie and the remaining members of our family in the prison world.”

My brother tilted his head to the side. “So you wouldn’t need our children to be involved to do a massive spell like that?”

“Unfortunately I would need our daughters and Lizzie to create a boundary spell just to be on the safe side if our dark sides were to become too powerful and try to escape on Josie and myself. With that in mind are you still sure you want another baby so badly, brother?” Raising a brow at my twin brother I challenged his desires.

My brother stepped around my husband brushing messy hair behind his ear. “I wanna have another baby or at least be able to have the opportunity to try for one.”

“Okay then. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to see my daughter and talk about the information she refused to tell me.” I began stomping around him until Nik called my attention.

“What’s happened to Alina?”

Slightly turning my body to face him I sighed heavily, dropping my shoulders. “Nothing bad has happened to our daughter, don't worry. But she didn’t tell Xavier about us at all. Plus she had another baby and didn’t tell us.”

“I’m going to have a chat with our daughter and her werewolf husband!” Klaus revealed his fangs and werewolf golden eyes before vamping off in the distance of the cabin up on the hill.

Jacob nervously asked me. “Raelyn, is he going to kill Jackson?”

“You’re lucky he didn’t kill you.” I vamped away from him and up onto the wooden porch. Leaning my back against the wooden feeling my phone vibrates inside my back pocket. Drawing my phone out it was a text from Missy so I opened the text message reading it out loud to myself. “Hey Mom, can me, Ethan and the gang spend the weekend at the Gilbert house? - Hmm at least the whole merging of humans and the supernatural has been going good for these last five years.”

I certainly had my girls and Lizzie to thank for the success.

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noobiestnoober · 1 month ago

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Masterpiece Ruined — Klaus Mikaelson x F!Reader

🖌️ "Masterpiece Ruined" — Klaus Mikaelson x Reader 🖤🔥 (Sequel to "Art of Seduction")

Genre: Devastatingly Dark, Possessive, Addictively Steamy Smut Summary: The brush was only the beginning. Now, under flickering candlelight, Klaus shatters every last boundary, claiming you with brutal reverence until nothing remains but him. You are his masterpiece—ruined, worshipped, and forever lost to the dark. Warnings: Dark possessiveness, rough intimacy, primal claiming, emotional/physical domination, explicit smut. Author’s Note: Sequel to "Art of Seduction." This chapter dives deeper into Klaus’s addictive hunger and the reader’s complete, willing undoing. 🥀

SMUT WARNING. READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.

The air between you burned hotter than the flickering candles scattered across the studio, their flames guttering under the force of the hunger now unchained. Every shadow on the walls danced like specters bearing witness to your surrender. The velvet beneath your back felt sinful against your bare skin, a throne of temptation, as Klaus hovered above you like a dark god about to consume his offering, savoring every shiver, every tremble you couldn't contain.

Your robe was long forgotten, puddled somewhere on the floor like the last remnants of your defenses. His shirt soon followed, ripped open by desperate hands—your hands—revealing planes of hard muscle marred by old scars and ancient wars, each mark telling a story of conquest and survival. You traced them with your fingertips, reverent, greedy, branding him back with your touch, claiming him even as he claimed you.

Klaus growled, the sound rumbling from deep within his chest, vibrating against your skin like a warning—or a promise. "Look at you, love," he rasped, voice roughened to something unholy, almost reverent. "So willing. So eager to be broken open for me."

His hands pinned your wrists above your head, an unyielding grip that blurred the line between mercy and ownership. His fingers curled tight enough to bruise, to mark you inside and out, to remind you that you belonged to him—heart, body, and soul.

Yet.

He trailed his mouth down your throat, sharp teeth scraping a burning path before soothing it with the wet heat of his tongue, each pass igniting your nerve endings until you trembled like a violin string stretched to the breaking point. Every inch he conquered felt marked, seared, owned. You writhed beneath him, the friction between your bodies almost maddening, but Klaus only chuckled darkly, savoring your desperation as if it were the finest wine.

"Patience, sweetheart," he murmured against your pulse, voice dripping with wicked amusement. "True masterpieces are carved, not hastily splattered."

You whimpered, a sound raw and pleading, your whole body thrumming with unbearable need. Tears of frustration welled in your eyes, blurring your vision—and Klaus watched them fall with a glint of savage satisfaction.

With a growl, Klaus released your wrists only to grip your hips, keeping you pinned, helpless, trembling as he descended lower. His mouth worshipped every inch of you with a punishing tenderness that felt more like possession than affection. His kisses were searing brands; his teeth left invisible scars of devotion.

When his mouth finally found the place you ached for him most, your back arched in a desperate offering. You cried out—a sound of raw surrender—your hands tangling in his curls, your hips bucking wildly against his unyielding grasp. Klaus growled against your flesh, the vibration ripping another sob of pleasure from your throat.

"Mine," he snarled, voice feral, primal, unrelenting. His teeth grazed your thigh in warning—not gentle, but claiming. "Every shiver. Every tear. Every shattered piece of you—belongs. To. Me."

Your release tore through you violently, a cataclysmic storm that left you wrecked and gasping, sobbing his name into the heavy, candle-scorched air. But Klaus wasn’t finished. Not even close. He rose over you, his body caging yours, his chest heaving with restrained hunger. His eyes were endless black now, stripped of humanity, stripped of mercy—a monster who worshipped only you.

"Open for me," he commanded, voice like gravel, his hand trailing down your thigh, parting you without hesitation. "Let me ruin you properly."

He slid into you with one slow, brutal thrust—possessing, branding, owning. Your cry broke the silence like a shattering mirror, and Klaus swallowed the sound with a vicious, claiming kiss. You shattered. And he rebuilt you in his image—savage, desperate, unrecognizable even to yourself.

He set a relentless pace, thrusting deep, forcing you to feel every inch of him, every ruthless claim etched into your bones. He drank your cries, your sobs, your broken pleas, his hands bruising your hips, his mouth mapping a trail of destruction over your neck, your breasts, your soul.

Through it all—through the ruin and the worship, the brutality and the reverence—he never once looked away. He needed you to see who owned you now. Who had reduced you to this trembling, pleading, beautiful wreck.

"Say it," he growled, teeth scraping your ear. "Say who you belong to."

"You," you sobbed, lost, undone. "Yours—only yours."

Klaus growled in satisfaction, the sound vibrating deep inside you. He wanted you to remember. Exactly who had undone you. Exactly who had turned you into his masterpiece—ruined, ravished, worshipped, and possessed beyond reason. And who would drag you into the dark with him.

Again.

And again.

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helaintoloki · 11 months ago

Note

heyy can you do a continuation of the umbrella ben story and how ben asks klaus to use his powers so that reader can see him so that he can talk to her and tell her about how sparrow ben is only using her and that she should move on or something like that(: thank you

a/n: surprisingly got a lot of requests asking for a sequel to this previous piece so here it is

warnings: language, angst, somewhat happy ending

“No.”

“No?” Ben repeats abhorrently, features scrunched in annoyance as he stares down his brother who nonchalantly flips through the pages of a magazine.

“I’m not going to be the bridge between you and your childhood crush,” Klaus reiterates calmly, not even bothering to give his ghostly brother his full attention. “You couldn’t even admit you liked her when you were alive, so what difference does it make to say it when you’re already dead?”

“You asshole,” Ben scoffs with an indignant shake of his head. Snatching the magazine out of Klaus’s hands, the spirit tosses it across the room so that the Seance is forced with no other option but to pay attention to him. “It’s not about that! Y/n deserves to know she’s being used by that jerk. Don’t you think she deserves better?”

Offended at the notion, Klaus rises from his seat to stand face to face with the Horror before poking a firm finger against his chest. “Of course I do! That sweet little angel deserves the world, but I’m not going to be responsible for breaking her heart by telling her that her second chance of happiness is a complete bust.”

“Then let me tell her!” Ben insists desperately. “No matter how hard I try she can’t hear me or feel me, at least not when I’m like this. How many times have I helped you out?”

“Last time I let you use my body you wouldn’t give it back,” the Seance reminds him pointedly. “How do I know you won’t do it again?”

“Klaus,” Ben utters desperately, prompting his brother to let out a defeated sigh. How could he say no when his ghostly brother looked so pathetically sad and hopeless? He knew Ben was right about telling you the truth, but Klaus wasn’t one for confrontation, and he especially didn’t look forward to what would come out of crushing your dream of finally being happy with “Ben.”

“Alright, alright,” he relents with a whine, “don’t get your ghost panties in a twist. You can talk to her, but I am not responsible for the outcome.”

“Responsible for what outcome?” Your voice prompts, startling both men who turn to see your figure standing before them in the doorway.

“Y/n!” Klaus exclaims in surprise as he nervously glances towards Ben. “My sweet, I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Sorry,” you utter sheepishly, nervously tucking and untucking your hair from your ear. “I’m going to dinner with Ben and I just wanted to ask for your opinion on my outfit. Do you think he’ll like it?”

Your meek smile as you do a slow spin to showcase your clothing makes Klaus’s heart ache. Your naivety and trusting nature are almost painful, and he doesn’t look forward to what’s to come. Sharing a hesitant glance with Ben, Klaus sighs before stepping forward and taking your hands in his own.

“Sweetheart, you are absolutely breathtaking,” he professes with utter sincerity, though his solemn features fail to match his words and prompt a slight frown to form on your lips.

“But?” You press anxiously.

“But I can’t let you go on this date. At least not without letting you speak to someone first.”

“I don’t understand…” you trail quietly, your hands already begin to clam up with nerves as you wait with bated breath for him to continue.

“This is going to sound hard to believe, but Ben, our Ben, made his way back to us after being lost in Vanya’s mind. He’s here, and he needs to speak to you.”

A heavy pause follows his words, and his heart drops to his stomach when you pull your hands away and take a step back from his form.

“Klaus, that’s… that’s not funny,” you scold him, your tone defensive and hostile as if you’re a scared animal being threatened. “I know you guys don’t approve of what I’m doing, but you don’t have to lie to trick me out of going.”

“I’m not lying!” He exclaims with an oversensitive laugh. “I’m telling the truth! Just-Just give me a second, okay?”

Your brows furrow in confusion and slight panic as his body begins to convulse, his eyes almost rolling to the back of his head as his powers begin to activate. You’re not sure if you should call for help or let this play out, but you’re not given time to decide as his head and shoulders suddenly slump down limply.

“Klaus?” You utter gently as you cautiously reach towards his figure. Almost immediately his body stands back upright, prompting you to jump back in alarm at his sudden change in demeanor. “Are you okay?”

“Y/n,” he breathes gently. A tender smile spreads across his features as he steps forward and carefully cups your face in his hands. You look up at him unsurely as he studies your features and runs his thumb across the surface of your cheek. “God, I… I can’t believe I finally get to talk to you after all this time.”

“Klaus, you’re scaring me.”

“I’m not Klaus. It’s me, Ben,” he insists only for you to immediately try and push him away.

“You’re being so mean!” You chide sensitively. Ben feels guilty for causing tears to immediately spring to your eyes, but he can’t help to tighten his grip on you to keep you from leaving. He desperately needs you to believe him, and he desperately needs to stop you from going on this date.

“Y/n, I swear I’m not lying to you! Klaus let me possess his body to speak to you. Ask me anything only I would know to prove it.”

You hesitate, sniffling away your tears and regaining your composure as you think of the perfect question. You, Ben, and Klaus had always been so close growing up; it was hard to think of something that Klaus wouldn’t also already know.

“What was the last thing you told me before you died?” You breathe out in trepidation. Klaus gives you a kind smile in response.

“Your shoe’s untied,” he utters with a gentle laugh. Your stomach drops as if you’re on a roller coaster when he speaks. Your eyes are blown wide and your hand reaches to cover your mouth and muffle the sob that leaves you. Ben is quick to use Klaus’s arms to pull you tightly against his chest and hold you as you sob into his shirt.

“It-It really is you!” You cry in astonishment, squeezing Klaus’s body tight and refusing to let go. “I never thought I’d get to speak to you again.”

“You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to talk to you, to hold you like this,” Ben professes earnestly while carefully cradling the back of your head in his hand. “Using Klaus isn’t exactly ideal, but I’ll take what I can get.”

“I’ve missed you,” you sniffle quietly, peering up at him with tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes. He’s never thought you looked more beautiful than now.

“I’ve missed you too,” he assures you gently before carefully wiping away your tears. “And I love you. I always will love you. That’s why I can’t let you go on this date.”

Your face flushes with embarrassment at the realization that Ben has been able to watch over you all this time and is completely aware of your pathetic attempt to latch onto his lookalike. Your eyes immediately dart to the floor, too ashamed to look at him and confident that he probably thinks poorly of you now.

“I… I just don’t want to be alone anymore,” you profess quietly despite the way your bottom lip begins to tremble. “I know he isn’t you, but I thought maybe he could be if I gave it time.”

Gently grabbing your chin between his fingers, Ben tilts your head up so that you meet his devout and understanding gaze. He hopes his expression conveys that he isn’t disappointed in you, that he doesn’t blame you for the choices you’ve made in his absence, that he understands.

“You deserve so much better than that asshole,” he says earnestly. “He doesn’t care about you or about my siblings. All he cares about is inflating that massive ego of his, and I don’t want you to get hurt in the process. It’s okay to move on, to be happy, but you don’t need to cling to the past to do that.”

“I wish he was you,” you whisper as another tear slides down your cheek. Ben can only offer you a weak smile in return before pulling you flush against his chest once more.

“I know,” he consoles gently as he uses a firm hand to rub comforting circles onto your back. “I wish things could be different, and I wish I could be here for you the way you need me to be, but all I can do is love you from a distance while you move on with your life. That’s what’s best.”

With a gentle press of his lips to your forehead, Ben takes one last look at your features. He commits to memory the feel of your skin against his palms, the warmth of your embrace in his arms, the scent of your perfume, and the loving look in your eyes as you peer up at him through your lashes.

He can never be with you the way you both had always envisioned, but he will do everything in his power to ensure you live a long and happy life in spite of his absence because he loves you.

You won’t be going on that date, and you won’t be able to live out the life you had once dreamed for yourself with Ben, but you can live with that knowing even in the afterlife his love for you is still as strong as ever.

#request #the umbrella academy #tua #ben hargreeves #ben hargreeves x reader #ben hargreeves imagine #tua x reader #tua imagine #klaus hargreeves

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reina-petrova · 7 months ago

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With My Blood, I Vow・❥・Elejah

(Part 2 of You Have My Word)

"Okay, don't hate me." "Bonnie, what is it?" "I may have overlooked a second part of the ritual spell..." "You mean there's something else Elijah and I have to do?" "Impurity of body and blood, Elena... It needs you to bloodshare with Elijah."

↳AU where Elena discovers that Klaus’s hybrid ritual requires a virgin doppelgänger sacrifice and her virgin blood. Now her only hope is a certain Original. ↳Set around season 3 during ripper!stefan and pining!Damon, post Elijah!haircut and post Elena's 18th birthday. ↳11.5k words ↳Smut, blood sharing/blood drinkingvirgin kink, dirty talk, angst, fluff.

(A/N: Merry Christmas to all my lovely, kind readers! Here is the sequel as promised. Quick disclaimer per usual, this is merely a vehicle for smut and an AU so canon details/timeline may be off. Enjoy!)

・❥・

Elena stared at the rose between Damon's fingers. He twirled it casually, the petals a soft blur as they spun around. She huffed in annoyance as she glanced up at his triumphant grin, frustration bubbling beneath for not remembering that small but glaring detail. I thought I was so careful.

She extended her hand to reach for it, but Damon pulled back easily, his fingers touching the petals lightly, tauntingly.

"Very pretty, Elena. Secret admirer?"

She stuck her hand out insistently. "It's nothing, Damon."

"If it's nothing, then you can tell me who it's from." He pointed out, using the stem to point the flower towards Elena's face. She raised her hand to snatch it back, but his fingers were faster.

"Damon!"

"Spill, Elena. I don't think Stefan's out buying gas station roses during his murder tour of the US of A." He raised his eye brows, a smirk tracing his lips, but she could tell from his eyes: he really wanted to know.

"It's from a friend." She settled, but the moment it left her lips, it felt hollow. Damon would latch onto that immediately.

"Of course it is. And does this unnamed friend have anything to do with your recent plan?"

"I'll tell you who doesn't have anything to do with it."

Damon chuckled, lowering his hand slightly, and Elena took her chance to snatch the flower back. As she replaced it onto the dresser, perhaps more carefully than she meant to, she turned around to face Damon again, who suddenly appeared much closer than she'd realized.

She took a half step back at the surprise, bumping her spine back against the dresser. He wore his signature smirk for when he was scheming something, and she felt a small ball of anxiety in her chest as she thought about any other loose ends she'd forgotten about. It took some effort to resist glancing around the room and stay focused on his eyes. He already had her on the back foot, literally, but she couldn't give him any other clues.

"Fine, don't tell me. But you know I'll find out. I always do."

Elena fought the urge to push her hair over the crown of her head, a tell-tale sign of unease that Damon was sure to recognize. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, as if he half-expected her to crack right then and there. She breathed out her best exasperated sigh.

"Goodbye, Damon."

Elena pressed her back against her bedroom door, hearing Damon's steps fade away down the stairs and out the front door. Knowing she'd won the battle but not the war, her thoughts should've been focused on keeping Damon at bay, but...

All she could think about was what she'd done.

What they'd done.

Elena absentmindedly lifted her hand and gingerly traced her lips with her fingertips, remembering how intently his lips met hers, how sure his fingers felt against her ribs. In that moment, it was no longer about what parts they had to play in the ritual. It was the deep, dark need that neither had truly recognized before. The telltale pang of desire echoed in her lower stomach as she remembered where else his fingers had traced along her skin, with his mouth mirroring each gentle gesture.

She remembered the way it felt just moments before he slid himself inside of her for the first time, how his soft gaze darkened as she parted her legs, and the way he sounded as he pressed his hips between her thighs until their stomachs met.

Elena hummed quietly, dazedly getting ready for school as the warmth of the memories swirled around in her head. The morning sun's rays had begun to break through her window.

・❥・

The morning passed quickly, most of her classes over and done with before she'd even noticed. She'd spent most of them lost in her own thoughts, and there was no shortage of them. The ritual, Damon finding out, Stefan finding out. Even Caroline, who up until this point, was never the last to know anything - and Klaus. If Klaus found out... they were all done for.

Tried as she might to worry about the literal life and death consequences of her actions, she couldn't ignore how Elijah's face continued to appear in front of her eyes. Questions seem to swarm her mind like the inside of a hive. Would she hear from Elijah again? If he'd heard anything about Klaus, would he tell her? After all, how sure could they be any of it worked?

A sudden buzz in her pocket broke her out of her thoughts. With deft fingers and a cursory glance to make sure the teacher wasn't looking, Elena quickly pulled the phone out as it buzzed persistently a second time in her hand.

Bonnie's name flash across the screen.

[Bonnie: 10:12am] - We need to talk.

[Bonnie: 10:12am] - Parking lot @ lunch.

Elena's brow furrowed as she looked over her shoulder at Bonnie's seat. The witch's eyes lifted from her own phone and she met Elena's gaze, unease painted over her features. Anxiety spiked inside of Elena's chest as she nodded, then glanced over at the clock on the wall. The memories didn't return for the rest of class.

・❥・

“Okay, don’t hate me.” The witch began rapidly, and Elena tilted her head to the side in confusion.

Tucked behind the wall connecting the school and the parking lot, Bonnie and Elena stood in the narrow spot of shade underneath the afternoon sun as other students passed by them unseeing. Bonnie's words sat anxiously in her chest.

“Bonnie, what is it?”

Bonnie slowly reached into her purse and pulled a book out from her bag. Elena instantly recognized it as the grimore that she’d read the virgin passage from and felt her heart begin to sink. Bonnie's face was apprehensive as she opened the ancient tome, the spine creaking with age. Elena glanced around their surroundings quickly, but none of the other students lingered closely enough to see.

“I was flipping through back through the grimoire because I've been copying out some of the older spells, and I realized that…. I missed something." She winced, glancing up to gauge Elena's reaction. "A second part of the failsafe that I didn’t see.”

“What do you mean, a second part? Like there’s something else to be done?”

Bonnie nodded slowly, pressing her lips into a line.

“So, the part about the ‘virginal doppelgänger’, all of that was true and necessary," Bonnie assured her, tracing her fingers over the first passage, then quickly flipping the page to begin reading the top of the next. The writing had been smudged and the page crinkled as though it had been dog-eared a hundred times before. Elena had to narrow her eyes to try and read the bleeding ink in the sun. As Bonnie's eyes flitted over the book, they flickered back up to meet Elena's as she spoke.

“I don't understand, what else could there possibly be? We kind of did the ‘loss of purity' thing." Elena shook her head incredulously, combing her hair back from her face over the crown of her head.

“Yeah, but your body isn’t the only component involved in this, Elena. The ritual Klaus wants to do is a blood ritual after all.” Bonnie's eyes returned to the grimoire as she read, smoothing out the creases to expose the hidden writing with the pad of her finger. "Virginalis corporis, her virginal body; et sanguinis virginalis... and her virginal blood."

"Virginal blood?"

Bonnie turned her body to Elena so she could see, pointing to the page in the grimoire as she repeated the lines. Elena's eyes followed her finger; it was difficult to make out, but once she saw it, there was no denying it. It was right there.

"Oh my god." Elena murmured. "So, my blood has to become… impure?”

“It means Elijah has to drink from you, but also, that you have to drink from him. It's called bloodsharing.” The witch explained.

“Bloodsharing?”

“It creates a sort of loop. If you have Mikaelson blood in your system, your doppelgänger blood is considered tainted. Corrupted, even."

"But not regular vampire blood?"

"No. For the same reason why it had to be an Original for the.... first part," Bonnie dropped her eyes momentarily. "The Originals are the first vampires, the most abominable creatures as far as nature is concerned."

"But won't his blood leave my system anyway?"

"It's different because it's happening in conjunction with the body component, and because of his nature as an Original and yours as a doppelgänger. It'll be like a permanent marker in your blood and your soul. You need both for it to work."

Elena sighed quietly, readjusting her bag on her shoulder. Like there wasn't enough pressure the first time.

The witch slowly reached her hand over and clasped Elena’s as it hung by her side. She returned the squeeze, feeling her friend’s concern in each of her fingers. She herself felt the concern rising up in her chest, but she couldn’t deny one other feeling… a flurry of anticipation that seemed to spark deep in her stomach.

“I’m sorry I missed reading it the first time, Elena.”

“No, Bonnie, it’s not your fault. It doesn’t change anything... I just wonder if I'm pushing my luck."

“So, you think you're going to do it?"

“I mean, we've come this far, right? Text me a picture of the grimoire so I can show him and I'll see if he'll meet with me today. Maybe he'll know how this whole bloodsharing thing works."

“I guess so.” Bonnie hummed as she pulled out her phone to snap a quick photo of the yellowed page. A small smirk slowly spread over her lips as she hit send, and her tone became coy and knowing. “Sooo- how was it?”

Elena felt a flush creep up over her neck, and she cleared her throat, bending her neck so her hair would cover most of the redness. She busied herself with checking that the photo came in from Bonnie's phone. “He was very… considerate.”

“Oh, considerate! Now that’s sexy.” Bonnie giggled. Elena laughed, scrolling through her phone to find Elijah's texts.

“Okay! Okay, he…” Elena clicked her tongue against her teeth as her words continued to evade her. She could feel Bonnie waiting expectantly beside her as she scrolled in her texts until she saw his name.

How to describe it? Involuntarily, she saw glimpses of their bodies tangled between the sheets, and the hot feeling of his hands on her body seemed to sear her skin even at the memory of it.

Truly, only one word came to mind, but it weighed on Elena's heart to even think on it. When she and Stefan spoke at the party at the Falls the year before about how she and Matt loved each other but ultimately broke up, and Stefan seemed to understand why. She could hear his voice so clearly though it felt like a lifetime ago.

"Anyway, me and Matt, I don't know, it wasn't...." "- Passionate". "No. No, it wasn't passionate."

She looked up at Bonnie from her phone, and gave a soft smile.

"He showed me what passionate meant."

Bonnie gave Elena's hand another squeeze as the night of the Falls played back in their minds. As their fingers unlaced, Bonnie placed the grimoire back in her bag while Elena finished typing a quick text to Elijah asking if they could talk. She ignored the little jolt of excitement followed by the quickening of her guilt as she pressed send, then slipped her phone back into her pocket. It seemed she was firmly in the business of asking increasingly intimate favours from Elijah.

“Stefan will understand, Elena.” Bonnie murmured as she pulled her back back onto the shoulder.

Elena stilled for a moment at the sound of his name, then shook her head.

“Will he? When he and Damon find out-"

“Damon doesn't know?“ Bonnie lifted her head from Elena's shoulder. Elena shook her head.

"Not yet, I think I've managed to cover most of my tracks, except one." Elena admitted, picturing the rose on her dresser. "But it won't take him long, you know how he is when he's left out."

"Do I ever." Bonnie muttered. "Don't worry about Damon, Elena. With Klaus on the loose, he's the least of your problems."

"Not if he puts the failsafe into jeopardy. I might've told him before, but now he'd go insane if he knew I was basically giving my blood up to a Mikaelson. For now, it's between us. You, me, and Matt- Oh, god, Matt."

・❥・

Damon was already sitting in her living room when Elena arrived home. Her ceaseless anxiety had actually been right, and she spent the rest of the lunch hour looking for Matt all over the school. Everybody that she'd talked to said they hadn't seen him since that morning, until she'd asked one of his football teammates who said he'd left for an earlier shift at the Grill. By then, she knew she was too late.

Elena stepped into her house, tossing her keys and bag aside as she spotted Damon's shaggy black hair peeking overtop the couch. Damon was reclining comfortably, boots crossed on the coffee table. His head lifted from the couch and turned towards her. Her eyes met his, his gaze stoic, but she could feel the scolding that was simmering beneath his cool facade. She crossed her arms over her torso as she took a step towards him, preparing for his cutting words.

"Well, well, look who it is. The martyr of Mystic Falls." Damon grunted quietly as he got up from the couch and languidly walked over to where Elena was standing, that same triumphant smirk reappearing on his lips, but it didn't reach his eyes. She could easily see what he was really masking - anger, fear.

When Elena didn't give into his quip, he continued.

"So, a little birdie told me about your plan."

"What did you do to Matt, Damon?"

Damon feigned surprise, lifting his hands in mock defence. "Hey, I didn't do a single thing. He sang like a canary the second I showed up, all about your little rendezvous with Elijah at the Grill. Guess he knew it's best to cooperate." Damon threw in a smug smile, and Elena resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Alright, I might've threatened to hang him from the rafters by his thumbs. Now - he told me his half, so it's your turn. Spill."

Damon inclined his head to the side pointedly, and Elena groaned in frustration.

"Yes, okay! Bonnie found a grimoire where Klaus' ritual was mentioned."

Damon gestured impatiently. “And this grimoire said…?”

“We had to… sleep together.” Elena murmured.

“Oh! The grimoire told you to sleep with Elijah. I see." Damon clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Was it by chance co-written by him four centuries ago?”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“And I had to find out from Donovan! Thank god he didn’t get one more football to the cranium and he was able to string the sentence together.”

“Damon-“

His eyes fixed on her in a flash of blue.

“I said not to do anything stupid, Elena. This redefines the word stupid. What were you thinking?”

“That I had an opportunity, and I took it! I appreciate everything you and Stefan are doing to protect me but ultimately, it’s my choice.”

“Ah, yes. Speaking of Stefan,” Damon’s eyes narrowed, and his usual facade of a smirk grew on his lips. “My equally martyred younger brother. How do you think he’ll take it?”

Elena's eyes fell, and she shrugged a shoulder at the question. She could tell her deception bothered him too, but this was how he always deflected. Pushing the hurt and pain on someone else. She didn't want to think about Stefan.

“That…” She trailed off, uncertainty clear in her voice. The question was more complicated than Damon could’ve ever guessed; he had no idea that the attraction she’d felt to Elijah that night was the real thing she’d have to face one day. That that was what she was truly afraid would come out.

“That I did it for the greater good. To save everybody I love, especially him. He’s done questionable things to protect me too.”

“Not sure any of them included jumping into bed with a Mikaelson, but I suppose the twenties were a bit of a blur for him.”

“Just-" Elena took a step towards him, feeling the fear begin to rise inside of her. "Promise me you won’t do anything to Elijah. At least until we find out if it worked.”

The one assurance she had was that Damon knew nothing of the second part of the failsafe; nobody knew except her and Bonnie. It felt wrong to keep it hidden, but it felt like an intimate secret she wanted to hold onto a little longer, regardless of the ritual. As far as Damon was concerned, the damage was done and this was the end of it. There was no reason it couldn't seem like that.

“I'm sorry, I think I missed the part where I agreed to play a part in this plan. I think that usually comes at the beginning."

“It was my plan, Damon. All he did was agree to it - not to mention agree to help us kill Klaus in the process!"

“Yes, I’m sure he was very torn up about his decision when he learned what part he had to play in this little plan of yours. The rose was certainly a gesture of lamentation.” He responded sardonically, rolling his blue eyes at her.

Elena shook her head. “I don’t regret it, Damon.”

His eyes locked on hers again sharply.

“Let’s find out if it worked first, hm? Then we can talk about regrets.”

Elena stared up at Damon's face, resisting the urge to tell him what had just occurred to her. I don't care if it works.

・❥・

Elijah texted back a few hours later, explaining that he'd left town to take care of some business, and that he would call her that evening on his way back to Mystic Falls.

Elena tried not to get too in her head about it, but still managed to spend the evening glancing at her phone, even whilst cooking dinner, towelling off after showering, and preparing for bed. His call came at 9:03pm, his name flashing across the screen insistently. She felt her heart skip at the sight of it.

"Hello?" Elena pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello, Elena." His voice was as soft as satin through the phone, though he sounded a bit distant, and she realized he must've been calling her through his car's bluetooth.

"Thanks for calling me, Elijah." Elena turned over onto her back on her bed, staring up at her ceiling. It felt strange to be chatting so casually with an Original like this, as though she were talking to a high school sweetheart. A small smile appeared on her lips at the thought.

"I must confess, Elena, I would not have expected to speak to you again so soon after our encounter."

Elena cleared her throat quietly. "Actually, that's what I need to talk to you about, Elijah."

There was a pause. She heard the car's engine thrumming over the line, broken by the deep timbre of his voice. "Yes?"

"It turns out that Bonnie and I had overlooked something. The plan will still work-" She added quickly. "It's just that there's... something else to be done."

Elijah's voice was genuinely curious on the other end. "Something else? I had thought I was quite thorough."

Elena felt herself flush at his words.

"You were- I mean, you did-" Elena shook her head, shutting her eyes for a moment as she tried again. She placed her fingers between her brows as she regained her words. "It's just that - that was only part of it. It turns out there's a second component to the whole thing."

She took a small breath into her lungs, hoping he would once more ascertain her meaning before she said it. When he was silent on the other end once more, her voice came through nearly as a whisper.

"Body and blood."

Another pause. Elena swallowed dryly.

"Mm." She heard him murmur on the other end of the line as though he were tasting the very idea of it. "Body and blood. Witches do love their symmetry."

"Yes, symmetry. You drink from me... and I drink from you."

"Bloodsharing?" Came his immediate response as he clarified. "It requires us to bloodshare?"

Elena hesitated at first, uncertain as to his reaction towards the information. "Yes."

But then she heard his low chuckle echo through the phone line. She also heard his turn signal and the click of the steering wheel on the other end.

"What's funny about that?" Elena sat up in the bed, her brows furrowing gently.

"In truth, nothing, but I think perhaps the gravity of the request may be lost on you, Elena, as a human. If the Salvatores have not yet explained it to you, it proves my point indeed."

Elena raised her brows quizzically as she waited for him to continue. He elaborated without prompting.

"Bloodsharing is the most sacred gesture for a vampire, whether between vampire and vampire or vampire and human. More so than sex. It's intentional, and intimate. Symbolic. In truth, it makes perfect sense that the ritual would require it.”

"Oh."

“Though," Came his velvety voice, "I do suppose one intimate act begets another, doesn't it?"

Elena felt herself flush at the insinuation. “You mean… you agree? You haven’t changed your mind?”

Elena's heart began to beat steadily in her chest, and she noticed her palms had become clammy against the soft fabric of her duvet during their call.

Though she knew how she felt about the plan, there was still a purpose to why they'd even begun enacting this failsafe in the first place. Without this last part of the plan, it would all amount to nothing.

The problem was, she couldn't seem to ignore her selfish motives of seeing him again.

His words were soft but came through clearly on the line. “Yes, Elena. It would be my privilege.”

Elena’s blood roared in her ears after that. It was as though she could hear every drop as it flowed through her veins, awakened and begging to be devoured by the Original.

She swallowed thickly, regaining control of her voice.

“How will we do it?”

“Come to my home tonight. We won’t have to worry about prying eyes or relying on others' discretion.”

“You have a home now?”

“I am still in the process of constructing something more permanent, but in the meantime, I’ve taken over a large foreclosure on Covington street. I'm almost back in Mystic Falls, can you be there in thirty minutes?”

Elena nodded, then realized he couldn't see her. "Y-yes. I'll be there."

"I'll be waiting, Elena."

・❥・

Thirty minutes later and a hasty excuse given to Jenna about forgetting homework at Bonnie's, Elena stared up at the large house on Covington. It was stately to say the least, similar to her own home in its build: a two storey with a wrap-around porch, painted a light grey and covered with a black roof. The major difference was the large turret on the side of it jutting into the sky with its matching pointed roof, the sheer size of the house itself, and the seemingly endless freshly tarred driveway where her car was parked. It was nothing short of royal, as befitting an Original.

A large brass knocker hanging on the front door met her as she walked up shaped like a cherub. The one giveaway that the house wasn't his. She lifted the ring of the brass knocker and knocked two times, pulling her jacket closer around her shoulders as a cool breeze wafted by.

After a few moments, the door opened slowly, and Elena couldn't help but smile at the sight of Elijah in front of her, dressed in a black suit jacket that was buttoned at his waist, a grey button down dress shirt and black trousers with a black belt with a silver buckle. She saw a smile flicker across his lips in turn, and the warmth in his eyes at seeing her. He stepped to the side, gesturing into the warmly lit house.

"Elena. Always a pleasure. Come in."

She couldn't help but wonder about the intentional irony of his word choice considering it seemed the latest of their run-ins involved pleasure, and once she stepped inside, it was a difficult thought to shake.

Anticipation thrummed in her veins. Snippets of what was to come - or what she realized she'd hoped to come, flickered in her mind. Brief glimpses of desperate fingers embedded in hair, hot kisses and the redness of their blood as it swam together in twin crimson rivulets along sweaty skin.

She tried to hide her flush so as not to betray exactly how explicit they were, but her blood seemingly wanted nothing more than to be devoured by the vampire in front of her. It suddenly didn't feel like a sacrifice to do this. It felt indulgent.

"Allow me." Elijah appeared behind her and gently pulled her jacket from her shoulders. Elena relaxed her shoulders and allowed it to fall off her frame. He carefully hung it on a nearby hook which was notably empty. Vampires didn't really feel the cold.

"Would you like to sit?" Elijah asked, extending a gallant arm as he walked through the foyer towards the living room. Elena swallowed.

"Here?" Elena realized how forward the question sounded the second it left her mouth. "I mean-"

Elijah chuckled softly. "What about a drink?"

"Yes, let's do that."

Elijah went ahead and uncorked a bottle of red (again, claiming he meant no such innuendo), and poured a generous amount for both of them in the kitchen. Elena delicately picked hers up by the stem of the glass and tipped the wine into her mouth, savouring the dryness of it. Elijah watched her drink, enjoying the way the ruby liquid disappeared between her pink lips.

"I saw the photo you sent of the grimoire. Tell me, how did the Bennett witch overlook such a detail?"

Elena ran her tongue along her bottom lip as she rolled the wine in her glass gently. "Bonnie was the one who realized she missed something; the ink had bled and faded so much, it was easy to not see it."

"And you decided to finish what you started."

"Well, I think you have a part to play in this as well." Elena teased. Elijah laughed softly.

"I suppose I do."

After they drank the first pours, chatting lightly around the marble island, he refilled his glass and hers and went into the living room. Two small lamps were lit but their lights were soft and warm, and easily gave way to the darkness in the room. In fact, the darkness seemed to overtake everything that night.

"Shall we?"

Elena followed, lingering awkwardly with her glass as Elijah sat down on the armchair, using one hand to unbutton his jacket with ease. He looked up at her as he smoothly pushed aside the right side of his jacket.

Elijah's hand tapped his thigh lightly. Elena raised a brow.

"Come now, Elena. Surely you've done worse with me." A small smile appeared on Elijah's lips.

Biting her lip shyly, she took another drink of her wine before setting it on the table nearby, then closed the distance between them. Elena perched herself onto Elijah's thigh, silently marvelling at how steady and hard the muscles felt beneath her. Elijah experimentally lifted one of his hands to brush her hair away from her neck, exposing the gentle column of her throat. Her skin was illuminated from the moonlight that shined through the windows above.

The gravity of what was to happen next seemed to settle over her, sobering her as she turned her head to meet his eyes.

"Will it hurt?" She heard herself ask quietly. His fingers trailed through the length of her hair gently.

"No more than our night together."

Elena nodded, angling her head once more as he'd positioned her, at the most vulnerable angle. She wondered if he could see her pulse beneath her skin, or if he could feel the way her breath seemed to catch every time he touched her hair.

Elijah hummed under his breath as he took in the sight of her, then flicked his wrist to pull up the sleeve of his shirt to expose the strong width of his forearm. He brought his wrist to his mouth, and within a single moment, his vampiric features came to life before her eyes.

His teeth tore into the delicate skin of his wrist, shredding through the blue and purple veins marbling beneath. Bright red blood instantly pooled in the wound, staining his lips as he pulled away. Wordlessly, he offered his wrist to her, and Elena tentatively reached forward for it, staring at the gash in his otherwise unmarred skin. Heavy drops of blood slowly dripped from it. There were only a few moments left before the wound closed.

She drank from Stefan before, and she'd even drank from Damon before - though that time was less than intentional on her end - but not from an Original. She wondered if it would taste differently, if it would feel differently swimming in her veins. She thought about the impurity that the grimoire spoke of, if she would feel once she had become 'fully' corrupted. All she knew was that she desperately wanted to find out.

Elena placed her mouth against the gash, the coppery blood instantly filling her mouth, coating her teeth. It was metallic and warm against her tongue, but there was something else in the taste of it. Something addictive. Elena pressed Elijah's wrist intently against her lips, each swallow deeper and longer than the last.

Elijah watched as she drank for a moment or two, and once he was sure she was handling it well, he took it as a sign to proceed. With gentle hands, he brushed the hair that had fallen over her neck back once more, and leaned his head down, his fangs bared. Elena felt a chill invade her skin.

The very tip of his fangs traced against her olive skin for barely a moment before they sank in smoothly. Elena shuddered at the feeling against his wrist, allowing a quiet wince to pass through her lips as the sharpness of his teeth broke through her skin. Blood filled Elijah's mouth, but he controlled the flow easily, expertly, so as not to drink faster from her than she was from him.

The moment their blood was shared, she saw it happening. Like ink on paper, every crimson drop stained another part of her soul. Like the way fire consumed the forest, she felt the edges of her soul singe. Each swallow marred her irreparably.

The flow of his blood in her, and hers in his... It was what was missing all along. She knew now what Elijah had been describing before. Intimate, symbolic. A perfectly symbiotic relationship, joined together in perpetuity. As Elena found herself selfishly enjoying the moment, not a single thought was spared for Klaus, the ritual, or why they were doing this.

A moan escaped her lips as he adjusted his bite, greedily sinking deeper in as he relished in the feeling of her pure blood on his tongue.

Desire began to pool between her thighs as his hand skimmed over her waist, then lifted itself to press against her neck, pulling her closer against his mouth. Elena released another groan as she felt his hand on her, moving her to position her exactly how he pleased. The feeling of him pulling her blood from her body was nothing short of bliss, bordering on a high as she felt the vampire blood instantaneously healing her at the same time. Elena swallowed another mouthful of his addicting blood.

Elijah's hand left her neck and slowly slipped down the length of her body until it met the warmth between her thighs. Elena's legs slowly parted as his emboldened hand reached for her core, his fingers gently pressing against the material of her jeans. He knew exactly when to keep his touch featherlight, at times so discreet she could barely feel it, and when to press the pads of his fingers against her warmth insistently. With his fangs still buried in her neck, Elena was kept in place, unable to squirm under his touch as she might've before.

Elijah's hand disappeared from between her thighs and moments later, she felt his fangs begin to dislodge from her neck. She gasped at the feeling, her head instantly lifting from his wrist, the blood connection between them severed as the wound began to close in front of her eyes. Elijah gripped her waist to reposition her so that she was straddling his hips, her core now pressed against the bulge that had formed in his trousers. Elena hummed quietly in her throat the the feeling, then instinctively lifted her hand to touch the bite marks on her neck.

His hand clasped her wrist, stopping her, and instead, he pulled her down towards him to press his tongue against the length of her throat, licking the dripping beads of crimson that stained her neck.

Elena groaned at the feeling, her fingers pressing into his neck as she allowed him to guide her hips downwards in the process, fitting against his hips more perfectly.

She felt his fangs trace over the healed skin once more, as much of a promise as it was a threat.

"I left no mark behind. Though I wish I could."

Elena pushed herself up using the arms of the chair, delighting in the friction it caused as her pelvis brushed against his. Her skin was flushed with desire, her eyes dark and wanting as she stared down at him. Though he was seemingly as collected as ever, she knew he wanted her just as badly. His pupils were dilated, his breathing became deeper as she moved atop him. Plus, there was...

Elena crossed her arms and pulled her shirt up over her head, leaving her only clad in her bra. Elijah's eyes raked over her body appreciatively, and Elena, emboldened under his gaze, rolled her hips against his. Elijah growled quietly beneath his breath.

"I want you to." She challenged. "Mark me where no one can see."

"Elena." Elijah's voice was low, a warning. "Are you quite certain you know what you're asking for?"

"Yes. For once." She admitted with a small smirk. Elijah chuckled in response, sitting up abruptly to capture her lips with his. Elena met his lips with equal force.

Any lingering uncertainty between them was gone. Even the delicacy with which he handled her seemed to burn away with each desperate touch. For every time Elijah's hands gripped her body, Elena's returned the favour, and their touches growing desperate and rough as they quickly rid each other of their clothes, tearing seams in the process. Elijah made good on his promise, intent on leaving love bites on every new inch of skin that Elena unveiled. Where he could not bite or kiss in the moment, his fingers left behind imprints on her skin, ones that Elena knew she would feel even days later. She revelled in in it; the thought that only they would know what lingered beneath her clothes.

Once they were both unclothed, Elijah stayed sitting in the armchair and Elena was on her feet. He stared up at her in wonder, admiring the curves of her perfect breasts and the swell of her hips and thighs. A gestured perfectly mirrored, he lightly pat the skin of his thigh once more. Elena smirked and moved to straddle him, sitting atop his hips once more.

"You're a vision, Elena. I can't decide if I like the sight of you on top of me or underneath me more."

"I know which one I like best." Elena returned.

Elijah raised a brow. "Oh? Then we'll see if you can't earn it."

Elena moved to position him towards her entrance, but he pushed her hand away, and instead pressed two fingers against her slick entrance, his thumb ghosting delicately over her clit. Elena instantly felt her strength leave her as pleasure cascaded over her body, her nerve endings immediately catching fire at the heat of his touch.

"You're already so wet for me, darling. Did you like me drinking from you that much?"

Elena nodded, her eyes fluttering closed as she gripped the arms of the armchair. She swallowed thickly as one of his fingers slipped inside of her with ease, the wetness beginning to collect between her thighs, and threatening to drip down onto his skin underneath her. His eyes glanced down, seemingly amused at how wet she'd become.

"Answer me, Elena." Elijah's finger pressed against her clit, slowly, teasingly rubbing it in circles. Elena's breath hitched in her throat as she lowered her head to meet his eyes. She loved how powerful he looked beneath her, his muscled chest on display for her, the broad expanse of his frame and the strength of his forearm as it flexed between her thighs.

"Yes, Elijah, I loved it," She whined quietly as a second finger slipped inside, and she felt herself stretch to accommodate the digit.

"How much?" He asked tauntingly, as though he didn't have the damn answer literally in the palm of his hand.

"I thought about you all day. I wanted to know what your fangs- ah!" Elijah's fingers curled inside of her, rubbing against that sweet spot deep inside of her. Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember her train of thought, and simultaneously tried to ignore how smug he looked in that moment.

"-What your fangs would feel like inside of me. What your blood would feel like inside of me."

Elijah hummed beneath her, seemingly content with the answer. Elena could feel her muscles in her stomach tighten, the pleasure becoming tightly coiled inside of her. She could feel her orgasm coming, and it seemed, so did Elijah as he cruelly pulled his fingers out from inside her. Elena whined at the loss, until she felt him pull her towards him, pressing a kiss to her lips, and his cock rubbing at her entrance.

"You wanted me inside of you, hm?"

Elena felt her thighs squeezing his hips as she silently begged for him. Her eyes were blown out with desire, and his with darkness, as though he wanted nothing more than to devour her wholly.

"In every way." She whispered.

Elijah positioned himself perfectly at her entrance, but it was Elena who took the lead this time. She adjusted her hips and sank down onto his length, both of them groaning in pleasure. Elijah, at the feeling of her so warm and wet, stretching to accommodate his length, and Elena at the feeling of him filling her completely to the very hilt.

Once more, all thoughts of gentleness disappeared as Elena set the pace. Her hips rolled over his, slowly at first, then faster as she rode him, his cock slipping in and out of her as quickly as she could manage.

Her hands gripped his shoulders and neck, her fingers toying with the hair at the nape of his neck as she bounced over his hips, with Elijah bucking his hips upwards in response. She groaned at the feeling of him taking control even beneath her, and half-wondered if she'd earned what she really wanted just yet.

"I know what you want, Elena." Elijah murmured as his hands gripped her hips, sitting up so that his chest was pressed against hers. His head dipped down to press a kiss to her neck, her clavicle, and down to her breasts. She shuddered at the feeling of his lips clasping her nipple, his tongue flicking against it teasingly. His other hand gently cupped her other breast, his thumb and index finger rolling over her other nipple in tandem.

"What is it I want, Elijah?" She asked breathily. In this close position, she was unable to ride him as quickly, but she bucked her hips against his periodically, involuntarily, desperate to feel the friction of his cock inside of her again. Elijah noticed her impatience but kept her in place atop his hips, continuing to kiss and roll her nipples between his fingers, the left, then the right, then the left again.

"You said it yourself, darling, you want to be underneath me. Trapped, writhing, squirming from my cock and my fingers inside of you. Desperately, don't you? Even now, you can't stop yourself."

Elena stopped rolling her hips against his, and he chuckled against her skin. She glanced down to find her sternum and chest littered with pink-purple marks.

"You're nothing if not a man of his word." Elena remarked.

"And it will be my downfall where you're concerned."

Elijah stood from the chair, collecting her in his arms in the process, and moved towards the couch, lying her down delicately. Elena noted the gentleness because it had seemingly been absent tonight; it seemed he couldn't help himself either when it came to her.

He brushed her hair away from her face, pressing another kiss to her lips, then peppering several more down along her throat as his cock slipped back inside of her with ease. Elena moaned at the feeling, his teeth nipping against her skin gently at the same moment. Her legs wrapped around his waist as their bodies met once more, Elijah giving her just what she'd been promised.

Pleasure rocked through from her hips all the way up to the tips of her fingers as his hips set a brutal pace against her, his fingers digging into her waist. Elena's head fell back against the cushions, her back arching as her orgasm threatened to spill itself over once more. Elijah held her in place as best he could, so she was indeed trapped, and could only take the pleasure he gave her.

She looked up in time to see him swipe his fingers along his tongue before reaching between her thighs to where she needed him most. His fingers met her clit and she keened in pleasure, her moans slipping from between her lips involuntarily. "Elijah, please, I'm so close."

Elijah grunted above her, feeling her pussy clench around him as his fingers rubbed against her clit in an equally fast past.

It was getting to be too much - his cock pounding in and out of her, the sight of him coming undone above her, and the feeling of his fingers expertly circling and toying with her clit - she felt her orgasm coming, and quickly.

"Elijah, I can't- I can't, I'm going to cum-" She prayed he'd hear the desperation in her voice, as she knew she wouldn't be able to hold her orgasm back, not even for him.

He leaned down to bite the soft skin of her breast, and Elena yelped in surprise. "Cum for me, Elena. I want you to cum for me like a good girl."

The sharp sear of pain from his bite lingered on her skin as she came. Her pussy and thighs became soaked from her release, as did his as he continued pounding in and out of her, riding her through her orgasm. Elena whined and panted as he hit her g-spot deep inside of her over and over again, his fingers tweaking her clit until it became too much, and she tried to pull away. Mercifully, his hand pulled away, but his hands gripped her body to pull her up towards him.

"Come on, darling. Over the couch for me."

Elena's body felt shattered and weak from the orgasm still radiating through her nerves, but she acquiesced, with his help. Elijah stood her up, then gently bent her over the armrest of the couch, with her elbows resting against one of the cushions. Greedy to feel him inside of her once more, she wiggled her hips teasingly.

Elijah slid back in, and Elena instinctively pushed her hips back against him at the feeling, panting at the feeling of being so full once more. He wasn't far off either; the feeling of her so soaked on his cock, bent over and so desperate, it was enough to finish him.

He thrust inside of her a few more times, his hips pressing hers harshly against the armrest, and Elena hissing in pleasure at the sting, before he came inside of her. The last few stuttering thrusts of his hips, he leaned over her, covering her back with his chest.

Elena's chest was heavy with pants, and she gingerly collected her arms beneath herself to try and push herself up off the couch as Elijah stood, pulling out from inside her. Elena hummed at the feeling, turning around to lean against the armrest as she collected herself.

Elijah’s chest rose and fell with equal deep breaths, and Elena couldn’t help but be impressed with the state of themselves. Skin streaked with sweat and dried blood, bite marks and finger imprints all over their bodies.

Elena stood from the armrest and collapsed onto the couch. Elijah followed suit, draping his arm over the back of the couch and her shoulders. Elena leaned into his touch, sighing at the feeling.

“Is that really the end of it?” Elena whispered.

“Do you feel any different?” He asked, his fingers tracing through the locks of her hair. “Thoroughly corrupted?” He leaned down to press another kiss to her shoulder. “Fully impure?”

“Whatever I feel, I know I'll feel it even more so in the morning.”

Elena smiled softly as Elijah raised his hand to thread his fingers softly through Elena's hair. His voice was light as a feather when he spoke, though his words reverberated deeply in her chest.

"I wonder how many more rituals we could use as a pretence for us to see each other again."

Elena raised her head from the back of the couch, with Elijah's hand lingering in her hair before it slowly fell away as well. They looked at each other in the dark of the room, their chests rising and falling softly.

"You'll see me around town." Elena murmured quietly, suddenly overtaken with the emotion in his words. She placed a hand over her breasts and pressed her legs together, trying to ignore the slickness between her thighs that lingered.

"You know what I mean." Elijah said quietly.

"How can we truly, Elijah? I-I did this to save my town, my friends' lives, not to mention Ste-" Elena stopped speaking, but Elijah had caught enough. Elena couldn't look him in the eye after that, and stood slowly from the couch, her legs wavering slightly in the process.

She began to collect her clothes from the ground. She pulled on her underwear and bra, while Elijah replaced his own undergarments and trousers, though they remained undone. She didn't see his face fall slightly while she dressed, his eyes growing stoic in the evening.

"I did it to get Stefan back." She repeated softly. "I can't forget that."

"Are you telling me or reminding yourself?" Elijah nodded solemnly when Elena didn't respond. "I suppose that was clear from the start."

"I'm sorry-"

"No, I apologize. For complicating what should've been straightforward."

"Straightforward? Nothing about this is straightforward, Elijah! Look at what we're doing - nullifying an ancient blood ritual by sleeping together. Not even the instructions were straightforward." Elena ran her fingers over the crown of her head as she shook out her shirt, found the right way up, then pulled it over her head.

"I disagree. It is straightforward, Elena, because it's now done with." Elijah said curtly. His eyes glinted like steel in the moonlight, and Elena felt a chill pass through her bones at his tone.

She lifted her head to look him in the eye again after pulling on and buttoning her jeans again. There was a heavy pause in the air before either spoke again. A muscle worked in Elijah's jaw, and Elena's chest felt heavy with everything she didn't have the courage to say.

"Yes, it's done. I guess we'll see if it was worth it, won't we?" She grabbed her jacket from the hook. "Goodnight, Elijah."

She pulled open the door and closed it shut behind her. Her car's lights flickered in the darkness, with the outdoor lights triggering at her movements as she walked each silent step to her car.

She spared a glance towards the house, to the living room window, but he wasn't there. She knew he wouldn't be.

But even as she sat herself into the car and shut the door behind her, she felt him around her. She ignored the way her muscles seemed to resist her putting the car into park, the way her body still ached deliciously from his hands on her, and instead focused on backing the car out of the driveway and into the night.

・❥・

It was still true; she didn't regret it.

Neither the first time nor the second time. Not the bloodsharing either. What she regretted was everything that came after that.

Elena sat cross-legged on her bed staring down at her diary. The blank pages stared back at her, mocking her. It wasn't any easier to write what she would've wanted to say to Elijah rather than telling him last night. There was no simple way to put how she felt, nor how torn about it she felt.

Her phone buzzed on the bed next to her leg.

“Hello?”

"Elena, where are you?" Bonnie's hurried voice sounded on the other line. A crease immediately appeared between Elena's thin brows.

"I'm at home, why? What's going on?"

"I just ran into Caroline at the Grill, she asked me what was going on with you lately, and she wore me down. I told her, I'm sorry-"

"Bonnie, it's okay. Caroline was bound to find out anyway."

"No, Elena, listen. I told Caroline everything, about the first part of the grimoire's instructions and the second part - the bloodsharing." Bonnie's voice lowered to a whisper, and Elena could hear the din of the Grill behind her, but she felt the panic in her voice. "He was drinking at the bar, I-I didn't see him there."

"Who, Bonnie?"

"Damon! He's going after Elijah!"

Elena's blood ran cold. Elijah was a patient man but even he had his limits. After what she said to him that evening, there was a chance he wouldn't feel so forgiving. Elena jolted out of bed and quickly reached for her jeans and a jacket, transferring her phone to her shoulder, pinned by her cheek, as she quickly changed her clothes.

"I'm heading over there right now."

Elena snapped the phone shut and grabbed her car keys, taking the stairs down two at a time as she bounded out of the house, nearly slamming the door behind her.

The drive to the foreclosure on Covington felt as much like an eternity as it did a blink. Her thoughts swam with panic and fear, and a hard pit of dread in her stomach. Damon had warned her. He would find out in the end. She naively thought she could get away with only telling him half the story. Even Elijah had warned her. The bloodsharing was the final straw, and she knew it.

Elena's eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness of the night, but it wasn't long before she spotted the first glint of the outdoor lights leading up Elijah's driveway. There was Damon's car, parked proudly among them.

Elena quickly pulled into park, then hopped out of the car and jogged her way up to the front door. There was no need to knock, as the door had been left ajar, and she could hear the two men's voices echoing inside.

"Are you certain you've thought this through?" Elijah's voice was the first she heard - dignified, curt, powerful. "Though I suppose the Salvatores are know for being impulsive."

Damon's voice came second - sardonic, smooth and blunt. "Don't play coy, it doesn't suit a man of your advanced age. I asked you a question." He repeated it slowly, patronizing the Original. "What. did. you do. to. Elena?"

There was a pause, and as Elena placed her hand on the door, she heard Elijah's response.

"Nothing she didn't ask of me."

By the time she pushed the door open, she saw the two figures collide, and she screamed at the fray.

"Stop!"

Damon swung recklessly and missed, with Elijah's hand immediately wrapping around Damon's throat, and effectively throwing his body across the room as though he weighed nothing. Elena winced as his body crashed into the china cabinet, the glass doors shattering into a thousand pieces. The glittering fragments seemed to hang in the air like tiny icicles.

Elijah's eyes met hers, and she could see the displeasure in his eyes at this debacle. Though he took no great pride in hurting someone she cared for, she'd also hurt him more than she thought she had the power to. Elena's eyes snapped back towards Damon as she heard him grunt in pain.

"Damon!"

Elena's sneakers crushed the glass beneath her feet as she stepped towards the younger vampire, but he waved away her help. Some shards were embedded in clothes, the smaller ones having pricked tiny trails of blood on his pale skin. The finer dust coated his hair.

"Don't, Elena." Damon coughed from the impact. "This is between me and him."

"No, Damon, it's between me and him!" Elena insisted, raising her hands to try and stop the man from regaining his feet. She wasn't certain how far Damon was willing to go, nor how much Elijah wanted to destroy his new home.

The glass continued to crunch under Damon's body as he pushed himself from the floor, blood trickling and smearing on the floor as he stood. The cuts had already healed, but the mess remained.

"You have zero idea what he's done to you, Elena." Damon bit through his teeth, his eyes flickering hatefully towards Elijah.

"You're the one who has no regard for her knowing her own mind, Damon."

Elena glanced over her shoulder at Elijah who stood coolly in the midst of the disarray. His eyes stayed focused on Damon, ascertaining whether the Salvatore meant to attack again.

"Oh, spare me with what you think you know of her."

"Damon, please, just stop."

"He took advantage of you, Elena. Don't you think it's an awful coincidental that a grimoire turns up out of the blue with very specific instructions just weeks after he blows into town?"

"You must hold a high opinion of my influence, Damon. I don't know where the grimoire came from nor who wrote it, but the idea that I planted it centuries ago is absurd even for you. All I did was help her. Perhaps that's what's making you so angry. The fact that you couldn't."

"I'll help her right now by running you out of town. Then you can personally go tell your psychotic brother to go to hell."

Elijah chucked softly. "After all the trouble I went through?"

"Elijah- Damon!"

Damon's form blinked in front of her eyes as he shot towards Elijah. He managed a hit to Elijah's jaw, but the Original quickly recovered, landing a solid blow to Damon's abdomen. He folded in half, grunting at the pain, but managed to stay on his feet. Elijah sighed in annoyance at his perseverance, placing his fingers to his jaw where Damon's fist had landed. Elena stood firmly between the two before either could move again.

"Damon, listen to me! I know exactly what I did. I told you before, I don't regret it, and you can regret it for me all you want, but it won't change anything!"

Damon's eyes finally fell from Elijah to Elena, and she gripped the material of his leather jacket if at least to get him to focus.

"I know you don't want to hear it, but he's right. You're angry with me because it couldn't be you... and it couldn't have been Stefan. It had to be him. This wouldn't have worked without him."

After centuries of perfecting it, Damon's true feelings were nearly impossible to read on his face, but with the misunderstood connection that she and Damon had always shared, she saw the hurt roil in his blue eyes as easily as the ocean waves in a storm.

"The only reason he's still breathing is because he might have saved your life." Damon's eyes flickered back up to Elijah, and Elena saw the hate seethe. Elijah was right; was it truly jealousy?

Elena released her grip on Damon's jacket, ignoring the tiny stings from the shards that remained embedded in the leather. Both vampires noticed but pointedly ignored the rising smell of her blood as it smeared on her fingertips.

"Then let it be enough, Damon. Let my life be enough - and let me be."

The tension in the room hung thick with anticipation, but with a curt nod from Damon, Elena released a shaky breath of relief. She wasn't naive enough to think that Damon wouldn't try something again, but at least seeing if the failsafe worked was enough to keep the vampires at bay.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Damon murmured quietly, before turning away. The crackling of the glass faded underneath his shoes as he disappeared through the door, and his Camaro rumbled to life before also disappearing into the night.

"You fight your battles valiantly." Elijah mused. "And with compassion."

"Someone once told me it's a gift of mine."

"That person sounds very wise."

"He is."

Elena shifted her weight from one foot to the other, pushing her hair over the crown of head.

"I tried not to get Damon involved. I knew he would do something like this."

"The Salvatores care for you, Elena. I cannot fault them for it, however recklessly they show it. Nor can anybody fault you for your good intentions. Remember that."

Elena frowned. "My good intentions?"

Elijah gave a soft smile, but Elena could see the reservation in his face. "Good night, Elena."

・❥・

Elena turned over Elijah's words like a ragged rock being smoothed into a precious gem. She knew from the beginning what her intended intentions were, as he did he. It was somewhere in the middle when things started to get cloudy, to the point where sometimes it felt like she could no longer clearly point to her destination. Elijah was the dark cloud, the sudden twist that obfuscated everything she'd planned in a thrilling darkness. The way every part of her wanted him, craved him... she'd never felt it before.

I did it for Stefan.

The guilt seared through her heart like a thunderbolt as her own words came back to her. Elijah couldn't fault her good intentions, but she could. She knew the pain came from the knowledge that she'd somehow lost her good intentions along the way. Of course she was happy in knowing that the failsafe could save Stefan's life - and all of their lives, it was why she agreed to the ridiculous plan in the first place. But... what if she dared to want more? Elijah was a discovery she could not hope to forget, and an experience she never could.

Are you telling me or reminding yourself?

・❥・

The week finished, and Saturday came and went. She did not hear from Elijah. It was late, or early Sunday morning, days after her 'encounter' with him, and she'd been lying around in bed, pondering the state of her soul. Caroline had finally gotten the full picture explained to her, and Bonnie reviewed the grimoire for a third time to ensure no other details were missed. For all intents and purposes, the failsafe was fulfilled, and she could rest peacefully. So why is it that peace evaded her?

Elena sighed quietly, glancing over at her nightstand to read the clock. 10:17pm. Perhaps she’d feel better after a hot shower. She pulled her body from the warmth of the bed and walked towards her en suite bathroom, turning on the shower to allow it to warm up. As she turned back and headed towards her room to grab fresh pajamas, she heard the buzzing of her phone on the dresser.

She reached for it slowly, half-expecting to see Bonnie's or Caroline's name. Instead, Unknown Caller flashed across the screen. Her brow furrowed slightly as she swiped to accept the call, and put the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?"

No one answered, except for the crackle of the line on the other end. She took in a deep breath, pressing the phone tighter to her cheek.

"Stefan?" The silence answered her, and hope flooded her chest. "Stefan, if this is you... you'll be okay. I promise."

She lingered on the call, feeling his quiet presence through the phone. Her teeth caught her bottom lip gently. Perhaps this was her chance.

"I just hope you can forgive me."

The line started to crackle more then, and perhaps she wanted to hear it above anything else, but she could have sworn she heard a very gentle, very low word.

"Always."

・❥・

Elena drove to the foreclosure on Covington that night. Her heart at once unburdened and hopeful, she felt elated at the thought of seeing Elijah again. After all the second-guessing and guilt and uncertainty, she had never felt more confident than when she 'heard' Stefan on the other line that night. He would always have her love, and her his... perhaps that would be her redemption.

As she pulled up the lengthy driveway for the third time, her nervousness began to take over instead. With fumbling fingers, she pulled the key out of the car and pushed them into her pocket as she stepped back up to the house. The door was closed this time, and she gave a quiet knock.

It was late, and the neighbourhood silent. Elena swallowed, digging her fingernails in her palm as Elijah appeared in the doorway.

Still clad in the same clothes, Elena couldn't help but notice the grey shirt remained unbuttoned at his throat and his silver belt missing from his trousers. She thought of him unbuckling it just hours before...

He genuinely looked surprised to see her.

"Elena. What brings you here? Is there a tertiary component to the failsafe?" Elijah's smooth voice murmured with a touch of irony. Elena couldn't help but choke out a small laugh at his unexpected humour.

"I'm not sure there are any other ways you could corrupt me, Elijah."

"I'm sure I could think of a few."

Her breath caught in her throat before she could respond, and he gallantly moved aside to invite her inside, seemingly satisfied with having left her speechless. "Come in."

Elena stepped into the warm home, noting the immediate embrace of his cologne. It was delicate but spiced, a heady scent that seemed to overtake her senses. She glanced over to where the glass cabinet shattered, but every shard was meticulously cleaned, and all that was left was an empty space of where it once stood. If she hadn't witnessed it herself, she could never have guessed the damage that had occurred earlier that night.

"You continue to surprise me, Elena, but I cannot dare to guess what brings you here."

"I needed to ask you something." Elena dropped her arms to her side, her eyes clear with childlike hope as she stared up at him. "Do you believe in it? The corruption of a soul?"

A muscle worked in Elijah's jaw, and he nodded slowly. His hands slipped into the pockets of his trousers, a gesture almost too casual for him. She wondered if he was having as much trouble keeping his hands to himself as she was.

"In a sense. I believe anything can be corrupted. But after so many centuries, I am not sure how much I believe in redemption."

"I think I did become corrupted that night, in every possible manner, and I can only hope to be forgiven. But what if I'm just fooling myself into thinking I will be?"

Elijah nodded soberly.

"I told you I cannot fault you for your good intentions, and it's because I myself never had any. I agreed to help you dismantle a ritual to weaken and ultimately kill my brother, and in doing so, I destroyed your virtue and your soul. One cannot argue the faultlessness of my intentions simple because it is not possible. In any of them."

"There was more than one?" Elena stepped forward in the foyer.

Elijah's jaw lifted slightly, and his eyes glinted in the light as they regarded her. "There was. I wanted you."

She'd known that, but to hear it... She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Elijah dropped his head fully, stepping back further into the house towards the living room. Like a moth to a flame, she followed him, refusing to glance towards the chair where they had been together earlier.

He continued, his voice soft as satin, but his words full of fire.

"The worst of it is how much I relished in it. I devoured every innocent piece of you, Elena, and I would gladly do it again." He half leaned against the arm of the armchair, his body long and lean as he reclined. His arms strained the fabric of the shirt slightly, the pose accentuating the slope of his strong shoulders. Elena's eyes drank him in as he spoke, the pool of desire her lower belly growing with every word.

"Perhaps my one vindication for redemption was the fact that, for a moment, I was torn when you asked for my help. I could not bear to think of the moments Niklaus and I had as brothers. As humans, as vampires. For all his faults, he is still my brother, and we have been through a thousand lifetimes together. But that kind of power cannot exist in one man, but I did not yet know what I could do to stop him. Then you were there in front of me, innocence personified. Untouched and wanting. Naked like a vision, and I wanted so badly to ruin you."

Elena could barely breathe. Elijah seemed to notice, watching her with amusement in his eyes. She wondered if he could read how badly she wanted to relive those moments.

"So, Elena, do you think I could be forgiven?"

Elena thought for a moment, but no other answer truly came to mind. He was the most noble man she knew, her soul never truly felt forfeited in his arms.

“Yes.”

Elijah chuckled lowly. “You may be the first to think so.”

His expression sobered slightly, and he stood from the armchair to close the distance between them. Elena gasped quietly as his hands came upon her cheeks softly, and he lifted her face to look into her eyes. She saw nothing but desire and tenderness in the depths of them. Passion.

Elena placed her hands atop his, curling her fingers around his.

"I want you, Elijah. I've tried to guilt everything inside of me to cooperate, but I realized it doesn't work like that. I can't hate myself into loving Stefan the way I used to any more than I can forget the way I feel about you."

"There's love for you, Elena, never doubt that. From all those around you, including Stefan, I know. I am merely offering you mine among them.”

She thought back to that day in the Mystic Grill, when she stood from the table, ready to bolt from the restaurant, when he caught her hand gently and with warmth flooding from his eyes and his lips, he gave her his word. She knew all along.

“I will never doubt any of it again, Elijah.”

Elijah's eyes searched hers, teasing out every vulnerability he could. She felt herself opening up to him in his arms, the strength of them as they wrapped around her body.

Elena's hands skimmed over his chest, feeling the soft fabric of the suit jacket he wore. Her fingers gently touched the lapels of the coat, her knuckles bending into the fabric to lightly pull him closer.

"Nor I. For with my blood, I vowed."

She felt the certainty of his words, as certain as she was that her heart would keep pumping his blood within her veins. As each drop flowed through her, the solemness of his promise spread through each and every vein. She pressed her lips to his in a deep kiss, savouring the feeling of his body against hers. She felt the flames of desire stoking in her stomach as his hands slid over her hips and back.

"As did I."

Never before had she been so sure.

・❥・

Fin.

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