This time it'll be forever.
The well of grief and hurt came bubbling up. Starting in his feet, through to the outside of his charcoal suit trousers, and out through his fingers. He touched his lips to quell the movement. Good! He had managed to keep his face impassive. What a horrific and pitiful creature he was. What must he look like to this 'Declan'?
He heard the words spoken but was lost in a sea of memories. Declan, was that the man's name? He was showing him an engagement ring. Modest, blazing with age and energy. If he wanted to, he could clasp the ring and 'see' Declan's memories. He didn't want to, he was lost in his own, he remembered seeing her, for the first time. Beautiful, scared and braving it out. It had taken him by surprise the surge of feeling.
When he touched her for the first time to share memories; oh god when he touched her, he couldn't think of that now. He hadn't needed to touch her to share memories, but he wanted to, he often kept that little piece of information about himself, to himself it made him smile. He admitted it to her later of course whilst they were lying in bed, she had smacked him playfully and asked what she was thinking now. It made him wistful, dredging up memories.
He remembered When he put his hand to her face that first time, she felt it too and tried to move her head back, quickly, too quickly. She was warm, her hair had curled round his hand like a living thing.
He jolted back to the present.
He shouldn't keep focusing on these things. She had astonishing power, even then, at the beginning.
'A smile to stop wars' is that what Declan had said?
Elijah repeated the phrase, tested it on his lips. He sometimes forgot to speak in his correct way, particularly if he was feeling overly emotional. Yeah, a smile to stop wars. That was right. What was Declan saying again? He had sought him out only to make sure that she had been happy; that she had gone back to her life and put the past in the past. All this meeting had served to do was make him lost in past regrets and love and feelings. He wished at this moment he could 'switch it off' but his great age and pride didn't allow that. He deserved to feel everything, he deserved everything he got.
He keeps hearing the word "ex'. She wasn't his 'Ex" not at all. She was his only. He remembered what she had said to him, so long ago in Manosque. He was waiting for that last dance. He cannot tell anyone, especially himself that he is waiting for the last dance. He hopes it comes very soon. Very soon indeed. He smiles at Declan and realises that he has been found out. He doesn't know what gave him away, nor care. He is just waiting for a dance. To hear her, to feel her again is his dearest wish, he can't tell this to anyone even Niklaus. He is lost on a sea of memories, they wash over him sometimes at speed and at others they catch him gently. They always make him want to scream, mostly her name.
Later, as he thinks about death and darkness and he see's the ashes of his long life floating away, his brothers face fades and he glimpses a red dress, and hears a laugh, he likes her in red when he sees her he must tell her this. He has been waiting, oh god he has been waiting for this, for forever, he hopes this time it is forever.
He smiles, as his essence floats up into the night sky on wispy ash trails and he thinks 'goodbye Elijah Mikaelson'.
641 words.