Do I watch The Originals? No. But I follow so many people that do that I feel like I do. I have ships and favorite characters, but I refuse to watch because I just know CWs shows work. It always ends in tears of frustration.

But I couldn't shake this fic from my head so I thought I would write and post it. This is probably OOC, and it's been a while since I wrote anything, but I sincerely hope you like it. Also, English is not my first language so I'm sorry if anything sounds weird.

The song at the end is Wanna be Yours, by The Arctic Monkeys, whichkept listening to as I wrote and was also the source for the title.


Secrets Held in My Heart

Hayley is a child when she falls in love with his smile.

Their parents had thrown the kids into a room with, hopefully, enough food and distractions to stop them from bothering the adults at the beneficent party. Tyler Lockwood spills grapefruit juice on her new dress so, naturally, Hayley punches him. A boy with dirty blond hair and gold sprinkled in the blue of his eyes starts laughing at the scene and Hayley is about to ask him what is so funny when the woman who should be taking care of them enters the room.

"What happened here?" She asks, horrified at the sight of Tyler laying on the floor nursing a bleeding lip.

Hayley hides her hands behind her back and tries to think of any explanation that won't embarrass her family when the boy who laughed speaks up.

"Tyler was mean to the girl. He spilled his juice on her on purpose, so I punched him." His accent makes his words sound like music and he is impressively eloquent for a boy who can't be more than ten years old.

"Is that true?" The woman asks, looking at Tyler.

Hayley holds her breath waiting for the moment where Tyler will deny, but it never comes. Two curt nods and she is free. The woman takes the little brat away and the blond boy turns to her with a smug look. "He's too much of a pampered prick to admit he's been beaten by a girl." He shrugs "Nice punch by the way."

"Your parents won't be mad?"

"Oh they will. My father especially. But he is always mad regardless of what I do. At least you gave me something fun to remember."

He offers her a dimpled smile that will become her kryptonite over the years and Hayley returns the favor with a kiss on one of those dimples.

"I'm Hayley Marshall."

He eyes her curiously for moment "I'm Niklaus Mikaelson. It's a pleasure to meet you, Hayley."


Klaus is a teenager when he realizes his favorite shade is the color of her eyes.

He is in his studio, trying to paint, and she is watching him work. His mother had conceded him the small mercy of a space where he wouldn't be bothered by his father and, from time to time, Hayley would claim the place as a shelter for her as well. As Klaus had come to learn, functional families had their bad days as well.

"Will you come to my recital? It's my first time dancing in front of so many people and I need some support."

"You don't need me, I'm sure you will do great. You always do, little wolf."

"You're right, I don't need you. I'm asking, please, for my friend to be there."

He finally looks at her and is caught by surprise at how the honey in her eyes sparkles even brighter under the yellow lights of the studio. Suddenly, his chest filled with a kind of affection that leaves him mesmerized for a second too long. It dawns on him that enough time has passed for the child he had met years ago to grow into a beautiful woman, one he could fall in love with if he wasn't careful.

Idly, he starts to mix the paints on his pallet – hazel with just the right amount of green to recreate the right hue.

Perhaps he paid attention too late, didn't see the warning sights.

Perhaps he's already a little bit in love.


Hayley is in her first year at the Ballet Company when she realizes that maybe, just maybe, she's jealous of her best friend.

It's a sunny day and she is practicing her moves on one of the open stages mounted for their next free presentation when Klaus makes a surprise appearance, followed very closely by a girl. Hayley stops to give him an inquisitive look and he offers her a dimpled smile that she has no option but to reciprocate before resuming her movements.

Klaus' girlfriend is a blond little thing that probably has her hair braided by singing birds every morning; just his type. Hayley knows he craves their purity, wishing that some would rub up on him and fix the things Mikael broke. And for the longest time that's the reason she gives herself to keep her distance every time he is in a relationship.

The girls are sweet, but they fall in love for the idea of fixing someone the same way he falls for the idea of being fixed.

This is not love, she wants to tell him. Love should inspire, not dictate. It's not a reward for good behavior, it's a feeling that takes your over heart and makes it not your own anymore. You become a better person with those you love because you're happy with them. Because even in your worst moments, even when you want to, there's no place for hate to stay inside of you, not for long. You should find someone who would kiss your scars too. You should love–

Hayley stops herself, surprised by her own thoughts.

She looks over at Klaus, who has a sketchbook in hand, drawing even as the girl clings to his arm. For a moment, Hayley imagines herself in that place.

-you should love me.

She is so fucked.


Klaus in his second year studying Business when he punches one Hayley's boyfriends.

Jackson is his name. A poor boy dating a rich girl. Klaus calls them a cliché and tries to convince himself he is not projecting – the best friend bearing complicated feelings for a girl who will never be his.

If the boy limited himself to loving Hayley there wouldn't really be a problem, but he also hates Klaus. Jackson takes his reserved manners and smug looks as some sort of insult to his ego and tries to pick up a fight with the rich kid.

"Rich kid with three brothers and a bad temper, mutt." He says, standing over the bloodied fool "And if you think I'm smug, you're lucky you've never met my older brother." He adds before going away.

Hayley finds him later in his studio, looking just as pissed as he expected her to.

"Why did you do that?" She almost screams pointing a finger at his nose.

Klaus holds her wrist to bring her hand down and their faces come so close together that he can feel her warm breath on his lips.

"Your lapdog has attitude problems." He replies, voice lower than he predicted.

"You–"

Something in her face is making him so confused. For the briefest moment, he could swear she looked disappointed at his answer.

What did she expect?

He tells himself he is only investigating the question when he touches her face, but the poor excuses lose all importance when she leans into his hand. Her perfume is everywhere and her hair brushes softly at the tips of his fingers.

One move and he could, they could–

Her cellphone rings and takes them from this almost moment that will haunt them both for a while yet.

"Listen." Hayley sighs "Just don't hit my boyfriends."

He shrugs. "Don't date assholes."

He could swear there's something wicked in the smile she gives him in response to that.


Hayley has just returned from her first tour when the constant almost that is her relationship with Klaus finally becomes something.

They're celebrating her success at his studio when his older brother decides to visit and looks at her like he's been waiting for her all his life. Hayley isn't sure why she accepts it when he asks to have dinner with her. Maybe something petty inside of her expected Klaus to stop her.

She isn't sure if what she feels is surprise or relief when he actually does.

Hayley is about to leave her newly bought apartment when someone knocks on her door and she opens it to find Klaus with a pleading look on his face. "Please" He says "Don't go, little wolf."

Her "God damn it! Finally" is half muffled by their first kiss. And maybe it's the wait that makes it taste so good, like a fine wine that has to mature long enough, or maybe they've waited more than they should. But what matters is that it is happening, he is there and they are together.

Klaus lays her on her bed, rips her dress and her underwear. Later she may be mad at him for it, but now she reaches down to stroke his cock and guide him inside of her where he belongs. She traces his jaw with her mouth and Klaus groans, pulling her hair.

The constant ringing of her phone is ignored over their moans, he holds her hands above her head as he thrusts into her and it feels right. Oh god, so right.


They've been dating for a little more than 14 hours when Klaus realizes his place has always been by her side.

He is arriving home from his first night with her when sees Elijah and can't bring himself to feel sorry or to apologize. Not after he finally got the thing he wanted for so long – what a strange feeling. He merely nods at Elijah who seems to understand before leaving.


They're together for two years when something very important happens.

They had just made love on his studio floor and she is letting him use her body a canvas, painting her skin in a multitude of colors. The sun is bathing his hair, making it look like his naked chest is covered in golden dust, and his eyes shine more than usual. Hayley is fascinated by the view as he plays with one of her nipples between his thumb and index finger, both coated with green paint.

His hand slides down between her breasts and over to her belly where he suddenly stops, eyes wide in realization.

Hayley holds her breath. She didn't expect him to notice so soon.

"Are you–?" He finally asks.

She simply nods, unsure of what happens next.

"It's a good thing I have been planning to make an honest woman out of you for a while now." He says, and there is the dimpled smile that makes her heart melt since they were children again. "Your ring will only be ready next week, but I love you, Hayley. I'm yours if you will have me."

She wraps her arms around him in a passionate kiss that ruins yet another body painting he tried to do on her. "I love you, you asshole. You know that?"

He frowns in mock disapproval.

"What did I tell you about dating assholes?"

She smiles "Too late, I will have a baby with one."

He brushes the hair off her face, painting it the same shade as the hand imprint on her belly. "Thank you, for everything."

Hayley kisses him, pushing his shoulders to make him lay on his back on the studio floor. "You're welcome." She whispers against his lips, positioning herself over his reawakened cock.

And the mess they make that afternoon is the celebration of the beginning of another lifetime they will spend together.

Secrets I have held in my heart
Are harder to hide than I thought
Maybe I just wanna be yours