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storkmuffin · 10 days ago

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Yunho's Way of the Live #5 (Ekangmo)

The Yeosang Influence (Part 1 of 2- well probably 2, no promises)

TLDR: Yunho and Yeosang as a duo are extremely delightful - they enhance in each other everything I like about each of them.

In Praise of Yeosang

Let's just wax poetic about Yeosang for just a moment, shall we? And it's permitted, because Yeosang is the only one of all eight super good-looking Ateez boys that Yunho would rank above himself as being the best looking. (To be fair, I think each of them thinks that they would be No 1 but for Yeosang.) (And for clarity, I approve of this vanity. You should not be in the business of showing your face to millions if you don't believe in it. )

Yeosang looks like he could be Sleeping Beauty and the Fairy Prince both at the same time. He also has chosen a 'princely' persona for himself, which in the Korean context is someone who is given so much by fate and luck that he has all the time and energy in the world to be kind and caring to other people. Recent example: On a live in early May 2025, when asked what he wanted for his upcoming birthday Yeosang answered that he would be most pleased if when he asked the Yeodoongie if everyone had taken their vitamins and eaten healthfully that day, everyone would be able to answer Yes! without reservation. Did I almost pass out? Yes, I did.

There's an interesting duality there though, a tiny little bit of a roughness. He's a prince you see, so he might also judge you, openly, and you need to accept that as just desserts if he does that to you. He'll openly side-eye a bitch. He'll be visibly appalled if you scream too loud or lose it too badly while holding up a Yeosang sign. Girl, get it together x I don't know her. And his reaction times are instantaneous by the way, when it comes to things like this, which means that all the not-paying-attention he does to the detailed instructions from HongJoong happen because he's deliberately not listening.

This duality is present in the physique too. Yeosang's developed a very masculine, muscular body that holds up the prettiest, sweetest face you ever saw. The slight lisp with the expensively polished-sounding voice is another aspect of that Maybe He's Royal but Maybe He's a Pretender tension that he brings.

Back to Yunho, Your (My) Regularly Scheduled Programming

Yunho for his part has made himself embody the Ideal Boyfriend, East Asia edition. Maybe he's Ideal Exchange Student Boyfriend to those abroad? You can tell me in the comments. Yunho has kept extremely consistent to that code in his Pop Lives. Because of these traits, Yunho's synergy with Yeosang is unbeatable. They're basically two scoops of vanilla ice cream. The difference - Yeosang has sprinkles on top, Yunho has crunchy bits hidden inside.

Why do I say Yeosang has sprinkles on top? Because he's a natural born courtesan. I've come to think that there's an extent to which Yunho is honing his already existing coquetry and good boy traits and skills using the example set by Yeosang.

What I mean when I use these words: coquette is a (wo)man who flirts or plays with (wo)men's affections while courtesan is a (wo)man of a royal or noble court... and flirts or plays with (wo)men's affections.

Yunho was born a coquette, by the by. Look at him during this extremely early Logbook, being sexy babies (Taylor Swift is a genius sometimes) together with Yeosang.

Sidebar about Yeosang: Yeosang's beauty is really so otherworldly, but there's something so (deceptively) gentle about his initial presence next to visually louder people, he isn't as visible, but if you look, really look? Boy glows like a perfect pearl without having to more than just breathing.

This is Logbook 15 (Airdate 2019.3.27) when the 99z were 19 going on 20 (Yunho would've just turned 20). At the start, Yeosang talks about how everyone is getting ready for the upcoming American tour. Yeosang already had his persona down. He's kind about his teammates ("Even though everyone is likely tired from our workload, they're all packing with excited hearts because we're all looking forward to the tour in America.") and he's kind to the Korean Atiny ("It's a little sad to think that we won't be able to see the Korean Atiny for a bit but -" ). We never discover what else he was going to be kind about because here comes Yunho peeking around the corner.

Yunho's making the CUTEST FACE and he's so fucking HUNGRY for the attention of the camera, like he can actually feel the lens licking his face, and I -

excuse me i need to go kick a certain dog-faced cushion

-OK I am back.

Very naturally, like he's a 40 year old business man, Yeosang very politely addresses Yunho as Yunho-ssi like he does it all the time, and asks, "Yunho ssi, is it all right to film you right now?" To which Yunho replies, "No, you can't." But HE DOESN'T MOVE AWAY. He keeps making flirty eyes at the camera. Yeosang drops out of his formal tv anchor, to say like a more or less normal 20 year old guy, "If it's not all right then why- ?? Fine - I understand but -" (The Yeosang tendency to just halt sentences in the middle if the concluding words are going to be too sharp is so interesting.)

The coin of the realm between these two is on-camera time. Yeosang is not a greedy camera hog, surely, but it's mostly because Yunho keeps not moving out of sight of the camera that Yeosang extends a kindness to him as well.

"It looks like it might be all right," Yeosang says, and says, "You check for yourself if it's all right." And he steps closer.

This is when Yunho shows some state of nakedness that he already knew would be unacceptable and that Yeosang, in the moment, and the editors, post-facto, agree is unacceptable. The giggling that Yunho does, is 100% proof high octane coquettery.

And yet Yoesang was always a touch better at this whole coquette game than Yunho. Yunho is at heart a shameless (admiring) theater kid, a major weirdo, and also an openly aggressive side to his personality (which I would posit are the reasons he is so soulmates with Mingi, who has all these as well). But Yeosang brings a certain imperturbable implacable impenetrability that Yunho just doesn't have, which is why he wins this early round of the 'I Love You Game' against Yunho (Yeosang handily taking out Yunho starts at 4:06). This is what makes Yeosang a courtesan as opposed to a coquette to me.

youtube

It's my theory that Yunho recognizes this about Yeosang, that he has a superior way of being a giseng/geisha, and he's deliberately set about learning and adapting what he can from Yeosang (because he does everything with aforethought, my frenemy Yunho). This explains the extra polish and control that Yunho's been able to bring to his Lives, specifically since he started rooming with Yeosang. He's biting off from Yeosang's skillset, which Yeosang doesn't need to try for by the way. Yeosang just has it. It's inborn.

Of course, the bonus for me is that apparently the tendency - desire??? - to get naked when it's the two of them started really, very, truly, extremely, early. (I've already written about this).

#ekangmo #yeosang meta #yunho meta #jeong yunho #yunho ateez #ateez meta #kang yeosang #yeosang ateez #kpop meta

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inks-writing-space · 2 days ago

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The Anti-Wedding- Klamille

My Masterlist <3

6.5k words: Klaus and Cami are getting married, but while loving a Mikaelson is already no easy feat, marrying one might be the cherry on top. Between Hope's magic juice boxes, a jealous ex-girlfriend and a double booked venue the day leads to a supernatural disaster. Will they be able to fix all their problems, before the catering arrives or Klaus loses it and rips someone's head off?

Warnings: nothing it‘s just fluff and my attempt to be funny

A/N: This is my response to all the Cami vs. Caroline Tiktoks I have seen on my fyp recently. Because in my mind they would be besties, and Caroline would be the biggest Klamille shipper. I'm also absolutely ignoring any Originals plotline, because Hayley and Elijah are together, Klaus raised Hope and everyone's alive and loves each other. I'm also ignoring the last episode of The Vampire Diaries because Caroline and Stefan came together. In my mind The Originals is a romcom, and EVERYONE IS HAPPY. Because I say so. Uhm yes also apologies to the girl I made the antagonist (I swear I love you) , but I needed someone (I'm not gonna spoiler). Also I passed all my written finals for anyone who wondered because I kept complaining about them in every. single. author's note. (Also my country just won the ESC 2025- which has absoloutely nothing to do with the story)

~~~~~~~

The morning sunlight poured through the tall windows of the apartment above Rousseau’s. The breeze from the French Quarter was thick with the smell of spring and music, floating in from the street below where a brass band was warming up for someone else's celebration. The bird's were singing, and a dove was watching the first flight tests of her children. The day was perfect.

Not said apartment tho. An annoyed groan broke through the may-sun and windows were quickly closed. Camille sat at the vanity, half-dressed, half-ready, entirely overwhelmed in the worst way. Her makeup was perfect and a hairdresser should have curled her blonde her into soft locks and do an updo hairstyle with flowers knitted into them about twenty minutes ago. She should have looked perfect. Excluding the shirt and leggings she was still wearing, since there was a lot she had to take care of before the wedding. But the hair dresser had not shown up, and Camille had to do it on her own. Cami, a normally not very nervous person, was freaking out.

Caroline stood behind her, curling iron in hand, her expression a mixture of concentration and careful neutrality. She hadn’t volunteered to help with the hair, but when she saw the nervous way Cami had dropped her comb three times in a row, she'd quietly stepped in. It wasn’t weird. Okay, maybe it was a little weird. But Caroline couldn't help it, she was the Queen of organising and would never ever let a woman cry on her wedding day.

While Caroline worked, neither of them mentioned the years of comparison that had sat like ghosts between them.

“I'm not going to panic anymore, quick please tell me a reason not to panic anymore,” Camille murmured, watching Caroline’s reflection in the mirror.

Caroline gave a tiny smile, brushing one last curl into place before stepping back. “You’ve dated Klaus. Nothing about today could possibly top that.”

That earned a genuine laugh from Camille. The sound echoed lightly in the quiet room, chasing away some of the tension.

“Fair point,” she said, "But on the other hand, both of my bridemaids are missing, my hairdresser did not even send an apology text, and I'm pretty sure that my fiancé is draining a blood bag right now."

Caroline set the curling iron aside and looked down at her own hands. For a moment, she hesitated. Then she started to braid Cami's hair carefully.

“Don't worry. Hayley and Davina will show up soon. And you look beautiful,” she said. “Not vampire prom beautiful. Actually beautiful.”

Cami blinked, caught off guard. “Thank you.”

Caroline nodded, a bit awkwardly, then busied herself with straightening a tiny strand that didn’t need fixing. Complimenting Klaus’s fiancée wasn’t something she’d expected to do when she agreed to attend this wedding, but here they were. And to her own surprise it didn’t sting. She was here with Stefan and when she thought about it, she really was happy. Not just for herself but also for Klaus and Cami.

The door was slammed open and in ran an excited Hope with a flower basket in her hand, followed by her mother and Davina, both a little out of breath.

All started to talk at the same time, "Cami we are so..." "...picked flowers..." "Uncle Elijah and Mom...." "...waited for Hayley..." "...Kol..." When they were done they were all still breathing heavily. Cami blinked a little.

"Could you all please repeat that?," Caroline asked. Hope was the first to talk, "Okay so basically Mom was late and she had forgotten that Uncle Elijah had already driven to Dad, and then we had to have Davina pick us up, and everyone's phone was empty, and Uncle Kol forgot juice boxes at home and we just had to return. And I went to pick flowers" Hope held up the basket filled with flowers very proudly

There was a short silence, before Caroline interrupted it, "So...you all look like you could use a charger and a drink." She unpacked her bag and gave a charger to Hayley before pouring them all champagne with Orange juice.

"Do you want orange juice only?," Caroline asked Hope. "No I'll drink Uncle Kol's juice boxes," Hope said. Davina walked to Cami.

"Are you okay?," she asked softly. Cami nodded as she emptied her glass. "Give me three more of this and maybe then I can say it like I mean it."

A knock at the door interrupted them before the silence could stretch too long. Rebekah waltzed in, flawless in navy satin and already wearing her dress looking stunning as always

“I come bearing earrings and passive-aggressive remarks,” she announced, brandishing a small velvet box. “Try not to cry. They’re vintage.”

She placed the box gently in Cami's hand. Inside were delicate pearl drop earrings with gold filigree so fine it almost shimmered.

“They were our mother’s,” Rebekah said more softly, "I'll give them to you now, because you belong to the family.”

Camille’s breath caught, she hadn't expected Rebekah to declare her family so openly. “Oh… Rebekah, I...”

“No tears,” Rebekah interrupted quickly, though her smile had softened. “You’ll ruin the work of at least two makeup artists and a supernatural setting spray.”

Camille smiled, grateful, overwhelmed, and beginning to feel the soft ache of what today truly meant.

"Actually the make-up artists were shit, she did it all on her own," Caroline mumbled and Hayley had to hide her laughter.

Downstairs, music swelled, something too formal, too grand for the rustic charm of Rousseau’s and then stopped abruptly.

“Odd,” Caroline murmured.

Suddenly there came a voice from behind the door, it was Stefan, "Hey ladies maybe you should get downstairs we have a situation here and I think someone should stop Klaus from killing people."

The women shared a look. Hope was meanwhile standing on a stool putting the flowers she picked into Cami's hair.

“Of course we have a situation,” Rebekah muttered.

Caroline rolled her eyes and grabbed her clutch. “If he’s already killed someone, I swear I am not helping to clean up body parts.”

Camille stood slowly, looking into the mirror, the shimmer of nerves now alive in her chest. She knew what this day meant. She looked and appreciated her beautiful hair and Make Up, ignoring the pants and shirt she was still wearing.

“Let’s go see what kind of situation it is.”

As they descended the stairs together, sunlight trailing behind them and the weight of the Mikaelson name hanging in the air, Camille had one thought:

It was her wedding day. Nothing could ruin it.

(The universe took that as a challenge.)

---

Camille descended the stairs like a woman on a mission, still in her slippers, her T-shirt, her hair perfectly styled with fresh-picked flowers tucked into soft braids, and the delicate pearl earrings dangling from her ears. Her bridesmaids flanked her, and Caroline brought up the rear with the poise of a battle-seasoned woman who had already organised hundreds of weddings, ready to throw hands or fix centerpieces as needed.

The moment they stepped into the main room of Rousseau’s, the tension hit like humidity thick, choking, and unmistakably Klaus.

He stood in the center of the bar, radiating fury in a tailored black suit, his jaw clenched so tightly it looked like it might snap. Stefan stood beside him he had tried to offer him a scotch for five minutes straight, he was now just hoping to escape with his limbs intact.

Two strangers in matching khaki polos stood near the back, nervously flipping through a clipboard and whispering. One of them looked like she might cry. All of them were drinking from the same juice boxes as Hope had before. There were hundreds of them standing in the room.

“What is going on?” Camille asked, the edge in her voice only partially softened by the fact that she looked like a woodland fairy halfway through a costume change.

Stefan raised a hand. “Before Klaus rips someone’s throat out, can we all agree this was probably a clerical error?”

“Clerical error?” Klaus spat. “They double-booked the venue, Camille. On our wedding day. I told you we should have married in the compound and not in a bar!"

"A pretty bar," Hope said and leaned against her father who picked her up.

“I didn’t book Rousseau’s,” Camille said quickly. “I would’ve triple-checked. This screams tourist wedding."

The clipboard woman stepped forward, trembling. “We- we were told this was available at noon. It- it’s for the Johnson-Richardson wedding-"

“-which no longer exists,” Klaus snapped, fangs flashing just briefly. “Congratulations, your ceremony is now a bloodbath.”

“Klaus,” Caroline said, stepping forward, her voice low and calm, “Let’s not eat anyone before the cake arrives.” Cami looked like she was about to cry. Klaus looked at her as Caroline nodded into her direction, this time he really looked, hair perfect, eyes tired, shirt mismatched with the rest of her, and yet somehow still the most breathtaking thing he’d ever seen. His anger dimmed slightly.

“You look beautiful. But you should be in white, love,” he said quietly.

“I will be. As soon as we have a place to actually get married," Camille said and Klaus sat Hope down to hug his bride.

Klaus turned to the event staff again, fury rekindling. “Unless these idiots plan to move, I’ll-”

“Wait,” Hope interrupted, suddenly tugging on her dad’s sleeve. “They can’t be compelled.”

Klaus blinked, thrown off. “What?”

Hope looked very guilty. “Um... they all drank from Uncle Kol's juice boxes, don't you see? He left them there and, um...there is...vervain in them.”

Everyone stared at her.

“I didn't know he'd leave the juice boxes here I swear!," Hope exclaimed.

"Hope, love," Klaus said his voice too calm to actually be peaceful, "Why did Uncle Kol bring vervain juice boxes?"

Hope's eyes lit up, "That's actually really cool, so they were normal juice boxes and he taught me a spell and we put vervain next to them and then the vervain was in the juice boxes. But he didn't want them at home so he brought them all here for me to drink."

Caroline pinched the bridge of her nose. “Why does this family make weddings feel like end-of-the-world events?”

Rebekah wandered in, holding an aperol and looking completely unbothered. “Because they usually are.”

Cami let out a sharp breath and rubbed her temples. “Okay. We can’t compel the staff, we have no venue, the caterer’s arriving in half an hour, and Klaus is going to make someone cry tonight. And why is everyone drinking?”

Hayley, always one for solutions, glanced at Davina. “Could you magic us a new venue?”

Davina winced. “Only if someone wants to get married in an abandoned church with suspicious demon energy.”

“Hard pass,” Cami and Caroline said in unison.

Klaus took a long breath through his nose and stepped closer to Cami, gently brushing one of the flowers from her braid back into place. “I am sorry. This was supposed to be your day,” he murmured. “Perfect and peaceful, without all the drama. You deserve that.”

“I deserve us,” Camille said firmly. “Not a Pinterest-worthy background.”

Caroline snorted. “Okay but we still need a background.”

“I might have a solution,” Marcel said as he walked in, the bar slowly getting fuller “There’s a gallery not far from here, my friend owns it. Long story. It’s closed today, but if I promise her lifetime access to vampire-proof security systems...”

“We’ll take it,” Cami said immediately.

“I haven’t even called yet-," Marcel said

“I said we’ll take it. Klaus, no murdering anyone in the meantime.”

He raised a brow. “No promises.”

Camille looked at him pointedly.

“…Fine. For you love, one bite. Maximum.”

She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “You get none. You get juice box energy only.”

Hope lit up. “I have juice boxes!”

Caroline clapped her hands. “Okay! Klaus, Marcel, fix the venue. Stefan watch them so they don't make someone bleed or drink themselves to death. Hope, find Uncle Kol and make him get the juice out of the way. Everyone else, let’s get this bride into a dress.”

---

The upstairs room buzzed again, this time with dress zippers, phone calls, and the sound of a seven-year-old trying to get her uncle to help her pick up juice boxes.

Cami stood barefoot in front of the mirror now, the soft white of her dress pooling around her feet like a sigh. It wasn’t extravagant, nothing in her life ever really had been, but it was beautiful. She had picked it out together with Davina and Hayley when her wedding day hadn't seemed like the most stressfull day in her life yet. Clean lines, delicate lace, a shape that made her feel like herself and someone new all at once.

Caroline was at her side, straightening the straps and smoothing the back, and for a moment, the world was still. No stolen venues. No vampire temper tantrums. Just two women, both of them once thrown into the chaos of Klaus Mikaelson. Hayley and Davina were making sure everything else was ready.

Then the phone rang. Camille answered, holding the phone with the kind of composure that only someone deeply exhausted could manage. “Klaus?”

She listened. Her posture stiffened and her hand trembled, just slightly.

“What do you mean, gone?” she asked her voice dangerously low. Caroline looked up immediately. Camille’s voice dropped even lower, now barely a whisper.

“They were in your office. In the box I gave you. No, I know it was locked, Klaus. That’s not what I- no, I’m not saying it’s your fault, I’m just well how?” There was a pause.

Camille blinked rapidly and turned away from the mirror, shoulders hunching. “No, no- don’t come back. Just… just fix the venue. We’ll deal with it. Okay?”

She hung up. For a second, she stood still. Then she let out a shaky exhale and pressed her palms to her face. Her voice cracked.

“He says the rings are gone.”

Caroline’s eyes widened. “Gone how?”

“He doesn’t know. The office was locked. He left this morning to a bloodbath or something, and now the whole drawer is empty. The box, everything.”

Hayley looked up from the corner, phone pressed to her ear. “I’ll call Elijah,” she said sharply. “He was at the compound this morning.”

Davina was already typing on her phone. “And I’m texting Kol. I swear, if this is another one of his ‘tests of love’ things...”

But Camille barely heard them as they left the room. She moved to the vanity chair and sat down, carefully, like her knees might give out if she didn’t. She was silent for a beat too long, and when she finally spoke, her voice was quieter than before.

“I know this is stupid. They’re just rings. But they were ours. They were part of this. Of making this feel real," she whispered. Caroline knelt beside her, gently, folding herself into that moment of soft panic and heartbreak without trying to fix it too fast.

“It’s not stupid,” she said. “You’ve spent all day trying to hold it together while everyone around you was one chaotic supernatural meltdown away from disaster. You’re allowed to care. You’re allowed to want it to go right. And honestly you are allowed to be mad. At...well I don't know at whom but honestly at everyone.”

Cami gave a wobbly laugh and looked at her hands. “I used to think weddings were just romanticized nonsense. But now that I’m here? All I wanted was one perfect moment.”

Caroline tilted her head. “Klaus is not a ‘perfect moment’ kind of guy.”

“I know,” Cami said with a soft smile. “But he tries. And when he does, it feels like... the rest of the world could fall apart and I wouldn’t care, because he’s standing next to me.”

Caroline exhaled. Her voice was quieter now too. “Yeah. I know what that’s like with Stefan.”

Their eyes met. The silence between them didn’t feel tense this time. It felt shared.

“I used to think we were... supposed to hate each other,” Cami said, "When Klaus told me he invited his ex-girlfriend, I was throwing hands. But he wanted to invite his friend Stefan."

“I think we were just supposed to survive each other,” Caroline replied. Then, a smirk. “But honestly? I don’t hate you. He is lucky to have you.”

“Thanks. I don’t hate you either.” Cami wiped her eyes carefully with the edge of a tissue and gestured to her reflection. “Thanks for the hair. And the calm. And the mimosas.”

Caroline stood and offered her a hand. “Anytime. Now come on. We’ve got a gallery to fill and rings to steal back. Let’s go ruin someone’s day.”

Hope popped her head in at just the right moment, holding a juice box triumphantly. “Aunty Cami? Uncle Kol says if the rings are missing it’s probably a ‘redhead thing.’”

Both women froze.

“Redhead?” Caroline repeated.

Hope nodded, very serious. “He said, and I quote, ‘If the rings are gone, check the psycho with a grudge and fabulous cheekbones.’”

Cami took a deep breath.

“Aurora,” she said with a smile on her lips that could have killed someone.

---

Caroline jingled the keys as she and Cami slid into the front seats of a sleek black car borrowed from Marcel, because of course his emergency wedding fleet included vampire-safe vehicles. None of them had changed into their normal clothes and only as Cami started the car Caroline realized that, that might have been a dumb idea.

“I swear if this day throws one more twist at us, I'm going to need some blood or I'm going to drain the city dry,” Caroline stated and Cami just nodded a little absently.

"Where are we even going?," Cami asked. Caroline shrugged, "Maybe some creepy old church. From all you have told me about that Aurora girl she seems like the type for that."

Suddenly a quiet thump came from the back seat. Both women turned slowly, afraid of what they were going to see.

Hope popped her head up from behind the passenger seat, eyes wide, juice box straw halfway to her mouth.

“Hi,” she said, voice small.

“Hope Mikaelson,” Cami groaned, turning in her seat. “What are you doing in the car?”

“I just..." Hope fiddled with the straw. “I wanted to help. I didn’t mean to mess things up with the vervain boxes. Uncle Kol said it was funny, and then he left, and I thought I cleaned them up, but-” she paused for a breath, cheeks flushing “-I thought if I helped get the rings back, maybe it’d make things better.”

Caroline rubbed her temple. “We’re bringing a child into battle. Fantastic. This wedding officially qualifies as a supernatural disaster.”

“I’m not just a kid,” Hope said, straightening. “Dad taught me to track psychic residue. Aurora leaves a trail like cheap perfume. And... I have magic juice boxes.”

Caroline blinked. “What exactly makes them magical?”

Hope grinned. “They explode if you throw them really hard.”

Camille gave her a long look. “That… should not make me feel better. And yet, here we are.”

“Besides,” Hope added quickly, “Aurora hates you. She’ll come out if I can get us close enough. Then boom. Wedding rings, back where they belong.”

Caroline exhaled slowly, pressing her fingers to her temples. “We’re letting an emotionally unstable ten-year-old help us fight a psychotic ex with unresolved jealousy issues and possible access to explosives.”

“Seven and three-quarters,” Hope corrected.

“Right," Caroline said, "You know what, I have two witchy girls at home who'd love to meet you."

"You have children?," Cami asked.

"Long story. Hope how about you tell us where our beloved Aurora might be?"

---

They followed Hope’s direction down twisted side streets and through a locked iron gate into a crumbling old church that looked like it had been dying for centuries. The stained glass windows were shattered but catching the last light of day just enough to throw shards of color across the dusty floor. Caroline huffed, "Can't believe that I was right."

They entered the church, after a long discussion with Hope if she should stay in the car (of course she didn't) and in the middle of the ruin stood Aurora de Martel.

In a blood-red gown that looked as if she had stolen it from an opera house, she stood before a rusted altar. Behind her, were multiple people dressed in wedding clothes and facing each other. The "groom" wore a paper mask with Klaus's face taped on. Everyone seemed compelled, but they could also see some of the people being mannequins. A compelled human was playing “Here Comes the Bride” off-key on an organ.

The three of them stared for a full second before Aurora turned.

"Is that creepy or is that funny?," Caroline asked Cami who just starred not believing what she saw. Even Hope was quite.

Aurora's smile spread slowly, “Aww,” she purred. “Camille. And... another blonde. I was hoping for Klaus.”

Caroline folded her arms. “Sorry, he’s a little busy not marrying you.”

Aurora tilted her head and looked her up and down. “And you are? Let me guess you are ex-girlfriend number four? Five? He has a type.”

“And you’re not it,” Camille said tightly, stepping forward.

Aurora mock-gasped. “You wound me! And here I was, about to exchange vows with your little ring.” She held it up, glittering between two fingers. “Stole it right from his drawer. A locked box? I thought you were smarter. Besides I think Klaus' and my past speaks for itself, so yes, I think I'm his type.”

Hope narrowed her eyes. “You stole the rings and you’re talking to mannequins. You are creepy."

Aurora smiled, unbothered by the child's comment. “Better company than most of the Mikaelson's. Present company included, darling.”

Caroline raised a brow. “Okay. So how do we want to do this? Magic juice boxes or girlfight in the pews?”

“I vote girlfight,” Aurora said, lifting the hem of her dress as if preparing to curtsey. “But only because I’ve been dying to slap someone since the 1800s. Especially little Cami here."

Hope pulled a juice box out of her bag and whispered, “I can make it explode near the altar and distract her.”

Camille, eyes fixed on the rings, replied calmly, “Only if you can aim. She’s not worth the fire hazard.”

Aurora giggled, completely deranged. “Oh, Camille you are always so pragmatic. It’s no wonder Klaus chose you. But don't you worry it won't last anyway, nothing with Klaus ever lasts. And you little Hope Mikaelson? Do you think your daddy will love you forever? He will soon lose interest. He looses interest in everyone."

Cami stared her down, jaw tight. “Shut up." Hope looked at Cami, "She lies."

Cami, "Aurora you are not Klaus' beginning, you are nothing to him."

Aurora stepped off the altar with a grace that felt more like a snake than a human (vampire). Her red dress whispered across the dusty church floor as she twirled the rings between her fingers like it was nothing more than a pretty toy.

“Well then,” she said, voice syrupy and cracked at the edges. “Let’s not drag this out. I really don’t like being upstaged on my wedding day."

Hope narrowed her eyes. “Yeah? Well, I don’t like kidnappers who throw fake weddings with mannequins. And with my dad. Like how creepy do you want to be??”

Aurora smiled sweetly. “Your father never disciplined you properly, did he?”

Hope didn’t answer. She just dropped her juice box, stomped on it, and whispered a sharp incantation under her breath.

The air snapped.

Wind roared through the church like it had come screaming out of the grave. Pews shattered. Candles blew out. The stained glass above them rattled dangerously. The fake groom's paper Klaus mask blew clean off. Hope screamed, the guy beneath the mask was a sceleton that immediately fell down.

Aurora’s smile faltered for a second, eyes flicking to the altar. “Brat.” At that Caroline lunged. She could watch Aurora throwing a fake wedding with the guy who she had once slept with, but not her insulting a child.

She moved faster than most could see, knocking Aurora off-balance with a full-body slam. They crashed into the side of the altar, Caroline grabbing for the ring as Aurora hissed and threw her back with vampire strength. The two vampire's were fighting, but Aurora was older and stronger and whipped Caroline off with ease. Camille ducked just in time as Caroline flew past her and slammed into a pew.

“Rude,” Caroline muttered, flipping to her feet. “But expected.”

Aurora stalked forward, all elegance and menace. “You want these rings so badly? Fine. Come take them.”

Cami didn’t hesitate. She launched her bouquet of half-dead flowers at Aurora’s face. It was ridiculous. It worked.

As Aurora staggered, Cami charged in, bare feet slapping the floor, and punched her straight in the face. Not elegant, but it felt amazing.

Aurora reeled back with a snarl. “Oh Camille,” she spat, wiping blood from her lip, “you always pretend to be above it all, but deep down you like the violence, don’t you? That’s why Klaus chose you. You’re as broken as he is. He will turn you into a vampire soon, won't he? To go kill with you.”

Cami’s fists trembled. “No,” she said quietly. “He chose me because I make him want to be better. And for the record, you make him want to jump out of a window.”

Then she raised a heel and stabbed it straight toward Aurora’s eye.

Aurora grabbed her wrist, twisting it, they struggled, heel inches from flesh, until Caroline tackled Aurora from the side, sending all three women tumbling to the floor in a flurry of blond hair, red silk, and pure chaos.

Meanwhile, Hope whispered another spell. This one sparked, quite literally. A glowing circle spread under the altar, then burst upward in a column of shimmering light. One of the mannequins caught fire. The possessed organ player screamed and fled.

“Oops,” Hope muttered. “Okay. That was too much. In my defense I have only tried that once, with Freya”

Cami finally landed the heel. It didn’t hit Aurora’s eye, it slammed into her shoulder, hard enough to sink through fabric and skin.

Aurora screamed.

Caroline grabbed the ring mid-fall, rolled to her feet, and tossed the box to Hope.

“Got them!”

Aurora flailed, ripping the heel from her shoulder and hurling it across the church. Blood ran down her arm.

“You bitches!” she shrieked.

“Correct,” Caroline said. “And we’re the ones leaving with the rings.”

Aurora lunged, teeth bared, hair wild, fury unhinged.

Hope threw another juice box. It hit the altar and detonated in a spectacular splat-spark combo, knocking Aurora off her feet and into one of the fake Klaus mannequin's, which toppled dramatically on top of her.

The church fell silent except for the sound of flames slowly eating the edge of a pew. "I...I guess she wanted him on top of her?," Caroline said, her voice a little unsteady as she smoothed her clothes.

Cami stood up, breath ragged. “Okay. That was unnecessarily satisfying.”

Caroline nodded, brushing ash off her shoulder. “Definitely ruined my hair. Worth it.”

Hope strolled up, holding the ring box proudly. “Got them both! They’re sticky but they still sparkle.”

Aurora groaned under the fake Klaus.

Cami turned to her and said, voice low, cold, and utterly triumphant: “You can keep the church. We’ll take the future.”

She stepped over the torn hem of Aurora’s dress and looked at her friends. “Let’s go get married.”

---

The gallery doors burst open.

Hope marched in first, chin high, carrying the ring box like it was the Olympic torch. Behind her came Caroline and Camille, both covered in soot, hair windblown, dresses ripped at the hems, but their eyes were blazing.

The crowd fell silent. Even the jazz band stopped playing mid-note.

Klaus stood slowly, walking towards his soon to be bride. “Camille?”

She pointed at the ringbox, smirking. “We got them.”

Klaus crossed the room in a blur, cupping her face in his hands, eyes scanning her like he couldn’t quite believe she was real. “Are you hurt?”

“Not really. One heel short. Might have bruised my pride a little.”

“You look perfect,” he said, voice lowly, kissing her “I’d marry you like this. Dirt, blood, vengeance and all.”

Caroline groaned. “Absolutely not.”

Klaus blinked. “Pardon?”

“No offense, but she just ripped out a possessed wedding crasher’s soul with a stiletto. That deserves an actual gown.” She spun on her heel and pointed dramatically. “Rebekah, I bet you know were to get wedding dresses quickly.”

Rebekah perked up. “Say no more.”

Cami opened her mouth to protest but got steamrolled by Caroline who already had her by the wrist. “Let me have this. I’ve seen way too many terrible dresses not to be your fairy godmother right now.”

Klaus chuckled, "Caroline, when can I have my bride back?"

"Give us an hour. Maybe two, the hair might be worse than I thought."

---

Meanwhile Klaus took Hope up to the rooms were the guests had gotten ready. Hayley crouched in front of Hope with a wet cloth, gently scrubbing dirt off the girl’s cheeks. “You smell like cementary and fireworks. What exactly did you do?”

Hope grinned. “Nothing Freya hasn’t done. I only slightly exploded a church, but it was really cool. By the way dad's ex-girlfriend should go eat shit. Not my words, Caroline'"

Hayley narrowed her eyes. “We’re going to talk about that later.”

On the couch beside them, Elijah sat with quiet focus, braiding Hope’s hair. Each section was precise, smooth, and almost meditative. He was smirking at Hayley as he heard the conversation.

“Is it weird that Uncle Elijah braids better than Aunty Bex?” Hope asked.

Hayley smirked. “Nope. Not even a little.”

Hope turned to Elijah, "Can you make me look like a fairy princess who likes to blow up things?" "Already at it," Elijah said with a smile, placing a kiss on Hope's forehead.

---

Klaus waited at the end of the aisle, hands folded behind his back, expression unreadable, he was worried for Cami, but know he was just happy to marry her, to finally make her his.

Caroline leaned toward Stefan and whispered, “If he cries, I’m getting it on camera.”

Stefan placed a kiss on Caroline's forehead, "You owe me one. He would have almost blown up that bar."

Caroline rolled her eyes, "I fought his psychotic girlfriend. Who had mannequin's with his face."

"Okay you win," Stefan said with a smile.

The crowd hushed as the music changed to something gentle, not the classic "Here Comes The Bride" like planned (Caroline had made sure to change that in case Cami would still have PTSD from Aurora) The sunlight, stretching through the high windows of the restored gallery, caught the edge of the white runner now rolled out across the floor. Hope's flower petals littered it like soft confetti, and the air buzzed with the ghost of the battle they had just fought and the magic of something new beginning.

At the end of the aisle, Klaus waited.

He was still in his suit from earlier, though his jacket had been replaced with a dark vest, and someone, Rebekah, no doubt, had pressed a white rose into his lapel. His expression was unreadable, but his hands twitched at his sides like he didn’t know what to do with them.

He'd waited a thousand years for many things. Power. Family. Revenge.

But this? This was the first time he looked like he was waiting for something that made him truly nervous.

Hope appeared first, in a pretty yellow dress, her eyes sparkling with joy. She tossed flower petals with both hands and a grin so big it nearly split her face. She hugged her father before sitting in between Hayley and Elijah.

Then the music changed again and the room turned.

Caroline had done the impossible. In less than an hour, she and Rebekah had scrubbed, glamoured, sewn, and whipped together a dress that looked like it had been stitched by Calvin Klein heimself.

Camille O’Connell stood at the top of the aisle in a gown that shimmered with every breath she took. It was off-the-shoulder, elegant without being flashy, with a hint of silver embroidery at the waist. Her hair had been braided back loosely, a few strands falling free. She wore no veil, she hadn't wanted one.

She was beautiful. A little bruised, slightly limping, but more radiant than any bride had a right to be, in Klaus' eyes. Klaus forgot how to breathe.

Caroline leaned toward Stefan. “Told you. Actual fairy godmother.”

Davina and Hayley stepped forward slowly, the ring box in their hand, but now held like something sacred. They were Cami's bridesmaid's and for Klaus it were Kol and Marcel.

When Cami reached him, he took the box from Hayley, gently, like he was afraid it would break and gave it to Elijah.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I know,” she said, smiling softly. “You’re not that hard to read.”

Elijah stepped forward as officiant, composed and still, dressed immaculately, a quiet pride in his eyes. “We are gathered here today,” he began, “in a moment hard-earned, long-fought, and against every conceivable odd, to witness the union of two souls who... probably should’ve eloped.”

Laughter rippled through the room, but Elijah’s eyes turned solemn again. “Camille. Niklaus. You’ve walked through blood and ash to find each other. If that doesn’t qualify you for love, I don’t know what does. We all have watched your ups and downs and are glad to find you here today. To your vows.”

Camille turned to Klaus and took both of his hands. She inhaled once, deeply. And began.

“I don't believe in fate. Or soulmates. Or any of that crap. But then you walked into my life. And wrecked everything. I met you close after my brother's death and I thought...I don't know what I thought or expected but...not that.”

Klaus looked faintly offended. She squeezed his hands.

“You ruined my quiet. You tore open every door I had locked. You made me question what kind of person I was. And then you did something I never saw coming, because you made me want to stay. I never understood people trying to reason with me. Because from that moment on, when you carried me home from that church, I somehow knew it was going to be you.”

She paused, voice trembling just slightly.

“You’re not perfect. God, you’re not even close. But you’re honest with me. You love me without rules. And you let me love you back and you don't close down. You trust me and I trust you. Around you everything is easy. And I love you for that."

She smiled, a tear running down her face.

“So yeah. I’m going to marry you, Niklaus Mikaelson. And if you ever forget why I'll be by your side forever to remind you why you are a good person and the love of my life. And I hope you don't have more jealous ex-girlfriend's I need to fight.”

There was silence, Klaus stared at her like he wanted to burn the moment into his memory forever.

Elijah spoke, "Klaus?"

He took her hands tighter before he spoke.

“Camille O’Connell. You once told me the world is not as cruel as I believe it to be.”

His voice was low, rough with emotion just peak Klaus.

“You were wrong. The world is still cruel. But you... you are the proof that it doesn’t have to be. You have been my mirror. My mercy. I stood before you, blood on my shirt, no mercy in my eyes and you told me that everything is going to be alright. Do I deserve you? I don't know. But now, today, here I promise you that I'll love you forever.”

His voice cracked. But Camille heard it.

Elijah gave a nod. “Then, with the powers vested in me by questionable vampire authority, who happen to be me, because we have an urgent need for something good in this family’s story... I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

Klaus didn’t wait.

He pulled Cami into his arms and kissed her like she was breath itself like the world might end if he stopped. There was nothing chaste about it. It was fire meeting fire, stubbornness meeting stubbornness, and two broken people who had decided to live anyway.

The crowd erupted. Hope jumped up and clapped, starting to throw petals at everyone indiscriminately.

Caroline sniffled and muttered, “Damn it, it was romantic.” Stefan wrapped an arm around her and kissed her.

Camille pulled back, laughing against Klaus’s lips. “You’re crying,” she whispered.

He blinked once. “No. I’m merely... overwhelmed by pollen.”

“Sure,” she teased. “You’re adorable.”

And then he kissed her again. Because finally they had nothing left to run from. Only everything to run toward.

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