Little moments
Summary: Everyone knows that Klaus took in Marcel when he was a child, now after surrendering Marcel can't seem to stop thinking about the old days, the little moments when he didn't use to think Klaus was so bad.
Note: More flashbacks then anything else.
Warning: SPANKING or rather mention of spanking don't like, don't read!
Marcel stood on the balcony staring at the dead bodies below, he heard Klaus come up behind him. He didn't always understand how he could love and hate a man so much. And it was true, he loved Klaus, he was the only father he'd ever known. But he also hated him. A deep rage filled him. His friends were dead because of his own foolishness, their lives were the price for his pride. He should have known better. He had grown confident, cocky in the absence of Klaus, and now suddenly he felt like he'd been put in his place. And it hurt him deeply. Suddenly he couldn't help but think of another time, the first time he'd had a friend.
"Tell me you don't still think of him." Klaus smirked knowing that look in Marcel's eyes.
Marcel turned those haunted eyes to Klaus now "Of course I still think about him. "
He was thrown into the flashback hard.
It was the year he had turned 15, and Klaus had taken a nap. Marcel grew bored, he needed some fresh air. He wondered out into the hall there were a few vampires there, though none would dare touch him. He hadn't meant to wonder off the property. He knew it was against the rules...but he saw them in the distance playing a game and he wanted to go watch. Marcel went over to stand next to one of the other boys watching.
The boy turned to him "Hi, I'm Anthony."
"Marcel." he introduced himself then glanced at the kids playing "What is this game?" he asked
"Its a race, they run to see who's the fastest. God I'm hungry, want to come with me to get some food?" Anthony asked.
He agreed and followed Anthony who bought some food with a few coins and they sat down at a table. Marcel insisted he wasn't hungry, and he wasn't. Klaus kept him well fed and he'd already had lunch.
He simply sat and enjoyed the company of the other boy.
Anthony told him all about where he lived, what his family was like and what he wished to do when he was old enough to be considered a man.
Then he asked about Marcel.
"Well actually I wasn't named til I was 12. A man who became a father to me saved me from slavery, He named me Marcellous. But I go by Marcel." Marcel said.
"You were a slave? That's awful. Why haven't I seen you around before if you've lived here for a while?" Anthony asked
This was where he'd probably lose his friend. "The man that saved me is a nobleman. Niklaus Mikaelson."
Anthony eyes widened "Mikaelson? They say he's not human. That he's a monster."
Marcel laughed and nodded "Sometimes it seems that way, but he has a good side too."
Marcel's actions put him at ease, maybe it was meant in another way.
"When my papa used to get drunk my mother said the same things about him. That he acted like a monster. Does he hurt you?" Anthony asked
Marcel shook his head "No, never. There used to be a man around when I was a slave, his job was to carry the whip and he liked to use it too. Even for small things, I tripped one day and he started whipping me, that's the day I met Klaus."
Anthony smiled then he saw the time "Oh no, I've got to go, I hope to see you again soon. How about tomorrow?" Anthony asked.
"I...I don't know. I'll try." Marcel said he didn't know if Klaus would sleep tomorrow or not.
Once Anthony left Marcel slowly headed back home the closer he got the more nervous he was.
He went in and saw Rebekah sitting looking sad like she had just lost a fight and then she saw him.
"Marcel run!" she tried to warn him and he wondered what she meant but then someone was in the way...Klaus now stood there and he looked displeased, but it was the switch the made Marcel cringe.
"And where have you been all day?" Klaus demanded.
"I...I couldn't have been gone too long, it seemed only an hour or two..." he pleaded with his eyes Klaus had taken a switch to him before and it stung like the dickens. He hated it, plus hated to see Klaus disappointed or unhappy with him.
"I woke to find you gone, according to my sister and the guards you left an hour before I woke, you've been gone for four hours Marcellous. Do not make me repeat my earlier question." Klaus warned.
Marcel gulped "I...I wondered off, I didn't mean to be so long. I made a friend and we got to talking."
"I'm glad you made a new friend, its not my intention to imprison you here. But you disobeyed me. If you wished to go out and meet other children you know all you had to do was ask, I would have bent the rules. But instead you chose another path, the path to make me cross with you."
Marcel nearly whimpered "I'm sorry. I am. I won't do it again. I promise."
"Oh I'll be seeing to that." Klaus said twirling the switch in his hand "Bend over." he instructed.
Marcel was too afraid so instead he turned and ran, it was a waste of time though, he barely took three steps down the hall before Klaus had him trapped at his side, bent over.
And then he began to mercilessly pepper Marcel's behind laying the lashes on hot and heavy lighting his ass on fire quickly so that it would be over faster. Klaus took no joy in this. He loved Marcel like a son,
Klaus paused wanting to make something else clear. Marcel though tears were falling down his face heard Klaus perfectly.
"If you ever run off and worry me like that again, I'll bare your backside and give you such a sound lashing you'll not sit for a week." he promised and then continued with the last few lashes driving home the point.
He was sent to bed after supper and that night Klaus found the family and compelled them to leave town that night.
The next morning he told Marcel his friend was gone from town and wouldn't be back.
Marcel was crushed but he knew why Klaus had done it. To discourage him from making the same mistake twice.
End of flashback
"You know what I thought that night?" Marcel said randomly.
Klaus raised a brow "Tell me."
"I had myself convinced that you had lied, that you had killed them."
Klaus smirked "I didn't. You know I didn't. If I had I'd have told you. You know that."
It was true Klaus would have been up front about it if he had killed them.
"I wonder what happened to him. I meant to look him up again when I became a man, I never really got around to it." Marcel said
"If only things were as easy as they were back then." Klaus said
Marcel looked to him curiously and Klaus snickered "Back then all it took was a lashing and you'd step right back in line. Too bad that wouldn't work now."
Marcel had a sick feeling that Klaus was actually thinking about it.
"Yeah, what a shame." he said and turned to walk off.
When Marcel started heading down Klaus realized that Marcel still feared the threat of the switch, perhaps things could be that easy again. The last time he'd thrashed him was about a week before he found him kissing Rebekah.
Klaus still remembered that argument and how it ended.
Flashback :
"Do you not understand what I'm offering you my friend? I offer you immortality." Klaus was saying. He had given Marcel the choice, asked if he wanted to be a vampire or remain a human, Marcel had said he wanted to be human. They had became more like friends then father and son in the past year.
But Klaus still felt that nagging protectiveness towards Marcel.
Marcel was adamant about his choice "I understand fine, and I don't want it. I'm happy with who I am."
"Someday you might not be." Klaus said with a frown.
"Never. I'll never want to be like you." Marcel was getting annoyed then looked away ashamed he hadn't meant that to sound so...disrespectful.
"My apologies..." Marcel looked him in the eye then. "But this isn't what I want. You gave me a choice. You've given me more then enough Klaus. You raised me, named me, but this? I don't want this and I won't accept it. Please can't you just respect my choice as a man?"
Klaus sighed looking away many thoughts ran through is head "And what if something happens to you?" he looked back to Marcel now "What if I leave and you get killed? Or die of old age?"
"I'd rather die like that then to die and come back as a vampire." Marcel said stubbornly.
"You feel that strongly about this?" Klaus asked and Marcel nodded "I do."
"Fine, I take it back." Klaus said.
That confused Marcel "Take what back?"
"The choice. I take it back. Before I leave this town I will turn you." Klaus said informatively.
"You'd do that against my wishes?" Marcel asked "I thought we were friends."
"We were. Past tense. I had thought you'd matured enough to make the wise decision here. I was wrong." Klaus said.
"You can't do that." Marcel said feeling hurt "You can't take back your word just because you don't like the choice I made."
Klaus smirked and tilted his head "I can do whatever I want Marcel. I thought you'd have learned that by now."
"Yeah, I respect that. Now Respect this. You can't make my decisions for me." Marcel dared to say and he meant it.
Problem is that Klaus knew he meant it, he saw the rebellion, the stubbornness that refused to yield. And he walked off in a fury.
Marcel for a slit second thought he had actually won. And then Klaus was back, a switch in his hand.
The sight of a switch in Klaus's hand never failed to intimidate Marcel.
"You can't be serious." Marcel said.
"If you fight me on this you'll not sit for a week." Klaus warned.
"But you...I'm a man now. I'm too old for that." Marcel took a step back
"Oh but your not. You see your never too old to pay the consequences of your actions. And you know well the consequences for disrespecting me." Klaus said
It had happened fast, Marcel ran, he always ran, he could never stop the urge when it came, that switch just had a really bad effect on him and he tended to run first and cooperate later.
Klaus caught him easily and had him pinned over the table and then the lashing started. It went on til Marcel was brought to tears, at his age it was humiliating that such a thing could still hurt so badly.
Klaus only paused to removed Marcel's pants til his bottom was bare and he tried to brace himself, but he'd only received a bare bottom switching once before now and that was after he'd been rude to a guest he had been 16 and he had screamed before Klaus was done with his sorry behind.
He knew this would be no different. Klaus brought the switch down in rapid succession lighting Marcel's ass on fire and causing the mortal man to go beyond tears, he was crying hard but had tried bravely not to.
And after Klaus stopped he had laid a comforting hand on is back rubbing til he calmed some.
"I will turn you, hate me for it if you wish, think me selfish. Because I am. But I'll not lose you." Klaus told him and let him up.
He allowed Marcel to storm out with his wounded pride.
An hour later he caught Marcel kissing his sister and lost his temper but as Rebekah spoke he saw reason, no, he couldn't kill Marcel. Its probably want Marcel wanted. He'd said he'd rather die then become a vampire.
He staked his sister, put her to rest and vowed to Marcel that he was sorry, he wouldn't force him to be a vampire.
Marcel got only a small amount of joy from hearing that.
That of course was stolen the week before Klaus left, it happened to fast for Marcel to comprehend. One minute he'd thought he was drinking whine, the next he found out it was blood and the look of horror was the last thing on his face before Klaus snapped his neck.
Marcel woke and at first wasn't sure what had happened then Klaus was in his face, and was compelling him "Drink...Drink from her." he turned Marcel to the girl in the room and Marcel lunged forced to drink and Klaus just grinned as he watched, he'd waited for this moment, timed it perfectly.
He'd lied to Marcel yes, but he didn't want Marcel dreading each night wondering if it were his last.
So instead he chose a surprise attack.
Marcel was a full vampire after that. Heartbroken, betrayed by the one man he'd seen as his father, and he felt so stupid. He should have known.
End of flashback
Today he was still kicking himself for that. He should have known. Why had he been so stupid? Why had he trusted Klaus to not turn him? Why had he wanted so badly to believe him that he let his guard down? Why?
And the most important question...why had Klaus been so reluctant to let him live out the rest of his life and die?
As Marcel finished burying what were was his friends he couldn't help but look up to the balcony.
He was still there. Watching him like a wolf watching its pup play too near to the water and ready to jump in a rescue it if need be. Or at least that's what impression he got from the look Klaus had on his face. It was a mix of annoyance and something paternal lingered there too.
He had pledged his allegiance, but he'd also tried to kill him. He couldn't blame Klaus for not wanting to let him out of sight.
"I'd say I feel like a child, but even as a child you trusted me more then this." Marcel said
"As a child you never stood against me the way you do now." Klaus gazed down at him.
"I was too small, and too scared." Marcel scoffed.
Klaus snorted "Not of me. The only time you showed fear was when I carried a switch and you were due punishment, and even then it wasn't me you feared, but the punishment itself."
Marcel couldn't deny that. And instead went back to organizing things.
"Life with me couldn't have been all bad, you'd have run away if it were." Klaus said
"I never said it was bad. You treated me like a prince most of the time. I don't hold the punishments against you, I was a child, I needed a firm hand sometimes and you were always there for that."
Klaus frowned looking away with a sigh.
"But you know what day I remember the most?" Marcel asked
Klaus looked to him waiting.
"I remember getting sick, I remember that more then anything else, what was it? Three days? You never left my side. You stayed there, talking to me. On the last day I remember you told me you were gonna make me better because the doctor's couldn't. I remember you gave me your blood and I drank it, and I remember that I got better and you spent the whole day doing nothing but chasing me, I was so full of energy, you let me run it out. We had fun that that, or at least I did. " Marcel recalled
Klaus remembered too.
"We never played like that again." Marcel added.
Klaus smirked "no, the outdoors and the days of playing in yard no longer amused you once you turned 13. "
Marcel remembered that. That was when he pretty much got in everyone's way and wanted to be in everyone's business. Snooping around or just plan hanging around Klaus. Sometimes the mere presence of the man had comforted him. He would never admit these things out loud though. He tried to pretend like he hated Klaus and sometimes due to his anger and things Klaus did it was easy to just follow that rage. But deep down Klaus still meant a lot to him. How could he not?
As Klaus stood there watching Marcel moving around he was having similar thoughts. He had a soft spot for Marcel.
TBC...
Next time: more flashbacks and someone targets Marcel to get to Klaus.