Moments in Time
Rumpled
A/N: In which Hayley leaves Elijah looking less than his usual immaculate self.
It wasn't that he was obsessed with making lists; it was just that they helped him feel in control and if there was one thing that Elijah Mikaelson needed, it was to feel in control. There wasn't a lot of control in his life at the moment, however – hence the list. His brother's plan to aid the wolves and bring order to the French Quarter was, Elijah admitted, brilliant. It was audacious, however, and risky and Elijah was all about minimizing risk. He placed his pen back in its holder and studied the document before him. The plan was sound; he knew that, although there were a few holes here and there. Niklaus was a brilliant strategist but he was not a details man and Elijah knew that his brother relied upon him to analyse the minutiae. He sighed. War was coming, indeed it could be argued that it had already arrived and things needed to be put in place before everything erupted. He was disappointed that the treaty that he had forged between the factions had not held up but he was a pragmatic man, a realist and if battle lines were drawn then it was imperative to him that he was on the winning side. Elijah Mikaelson never lost.
He rose from his seat and crossed to the chair on the other side of the desk to retrieve his jacket. He slipped it on, doing up the buttons and then straightening his cuffs. He hardly needed to don business formal for a meeting with his brother but for Elijah his suits were his armour. He took refuge in their formality and the sense of superiority they conveyed. Control. It was always about control.
Of course, Niklaus and his grandiose plans for New Orleans wasn't the only area of his life where his control was slipping. Indeed, the woman who commanded much of his thoughts these days was undermining it faster than Niklaus ever had. Since their first kiss a few days before Hayley had been…determined in her efforts to pursue him and although he wasn't objecting, it was always at the back of his mind that he probably should not be…what was the vulgar term? Carrying on with her behind his brother's back. She was, after all, pregnant with Niklaus's child. With the battle for New Orleans about to commence, he needed his brother to be operating with all his faculties intact which would not be the case if his and Hayley's…interactions caused Niklaus to take umbrage.
Putting his personal life to the back of his mind, Elijah left his study and made his way to the courtyard of the compound in search of his brother. He was just entering the open area when a whispered, "Hey" caused his steps to falter. He turned slowly and there she was. Hayley. She was looking at him in that way that made him want to kiss her until they were both breathless. A smirk crossed her lovely features as she slowly let her eyes travel from the tips of his polished shoes to the top of his head. He resisted the urge to reach out and touch her, placing his hands in his pockets to keep them by his side. "Going to another funeral?" she questioned. He winced slightly. The memories of her near-death were still painful. "Sorry," she said. "Too soon?"
"Much too soon," he replied, leaning on one of the courtyard's many pillars. "What are you doing here? Did you need anything?" She raised an eyebrow, edging closer to him.
"You have to ask?" she replied. She placed her hand to the front of his suit and slowly unbuttoned the lowest button trailing her hand up to undo the other two in turn. Obviously satisfied with her work she reached for his tie. Tugging, she loosened it a little before tracing her finger around the edge of the collar of his shirt. Elijah swallowed hard, endeavouring to stay still. Hayley smiled. "Much better", she breathed. "You need to loosen up Elijah. No-one's going to die if you don't wear a suit once in a while!" Her finger retraced its steps coming to the front of his collar where it slid the top button open above his loosened tie.
Elijah felt his control slipping away. Grabbing her arms he swiftly reversed their positions so she stood pinned to the column, his weight holding her in place. Planting his hands on the column either side of her head he bent and kissed her. The taste of her made his head swim. He deepened the kiss, sending his tongue swirling into her mouth. He felt her arms twine around his neck. A shiver wracked his body as her fingers threaded themselves into his hair, tugging, and pulling him even closer. She kissed him like the world was ending and again Elijah wondered how this woman had snuck so effectively under his armour…indeed, under his skin.
As they parted, Hayley sighed. "Do I have to keep waylaying you in dark corners?" she asked.
"I think that it would be best if we kept our…involvement to a minimum at present" Elijah returned. "As you know Niklaus is on the warpath and I would rather his wrath was directed at the proper channels and not at you. In fact, I was on my way to meet with him when you…intercepted me in this delightful way."
Hayley grinned. "Well. If I were you, I'd put off going to see Klaus now if you want to avoid aggravating him. You look, well, less than your usual immaculate self. Catch you later?" She slipped out from underneath his arm and headed towards the kitchen as Elijah slowly put a hand up to his mangled tie.
Back in his bedroom, Elijah approached the mirror. She was right. He looked….rumpled. His hair, usually so neat was a mess of tangles where Hayley's fingers had run through it. His tie was askew and his shirt creased. His suit jacket was open and the picture he presented was definitely dishevelled. He put a hand to his lips. He could still feel her there and he smiled. Maybe it was worth getting rumpled…once in a while.