A/N Thank you all for reviewing!

"Are you sure you don't fancy a sip of the maid, brother?"

"It doesn't matter how many times you ask, Niklaus, my response will remain the same."The sharp sound of Finn turning another page of his book—a sound that had almost become associate to Finn's presence—made Klaus roll his eyes as his brother firmly repeated."No."

"It would only be fair."Klaus lazily continued, crossing his arms and resting against Finn's doorframe as he tried to provoke interest within the older Original."I'm sure she's been eyeing your priceless collections..."

Klaus trailed off by gesturing to the mountains of books Finn had stacked around his room despite the many shelves he'd had installed. Most were history books and others his siblings had given to him in an attempt to 'broaden his horizon'. He'd missed out on quite a lot, nine hundred years would do that.

"Yes, I am sure. I want no part of your games."Finn calmly responded without looking up from the book Rebekah had given to him, eyes glued to the worn out pages."And I will not tell you again. Leave me be or-"

The rise in Finn's voice eerily reminding the hybrid of Elijah's tone whenever he was about to lecture one of his siblings indicated it was time to give up and, reluctantly, that was what Klaus chose to do.

"All right, all right, Finn."Klaus cut in with a sign, holding up his hands in surrender as he retreated out of his brother's bedroom."I'll leave you to your brooding."

"It's much appreciated."Finn plainly replied, eyes flickering over the last paragraph of his page and Klaus, taking that as his cue to leave, made a move to turn on his heels."Niklaus?"

Klaus stopped mid-turn, rooting his feet back on the ground, a sign that he was listening.

"Since you seem intent on bothering me tonight, i wouldn't refuse one of Rebekah's baked goods you've gone to fetch for Skylar."

"Is that so?"The hybrid fully turned around to face his brother once more, crossing his arms over his chest as mouth downturned into a false, perturbed frown."Should I be offended that the pair of you are completely fine in putting me in harm's way?"

"Nonsense, we're simply confident you'll prevail."Finn glanced up at his brother for the first time during their conversation as he turned pages, the corners of his mouth quirking upward into a small, almost playful smile."You are invincible, yes? You yourself have proclaimed so more than once."

"Precisely."Klaus almost instantly confirmed with a roughish smirk, more than happy to welcome flattery despite it being obviously being said just to indulge him."I assume you'd want a glass of Bourbon instead of a glass of Gladys?"

Grabbing the door handle, Klaus took a step backward as he started to retreat from the bedroom slowly, lingering for Finn's response.

"You assume correctly."The eldest Original nodded, watching Klaus as his hybrid brother made a move to leave, small smile still in place."Thank you, brother."

Klaus looked back over his shoulder, returning Finn's smile for a brief second before he shut the door behind him. He lingered for a moment, listening in as the sound of another page being turned as Finn contently returned to his book, savoring himself in his silence now as a choice, not because he had to.

Stepping away from Finn's door with a smile, Klaus turned on his heels and sauntered towards the top of the grand staircase, hands meeting behind his back.

"Gladys, love?"He called out for the maid while slowly making his way down the staircase step by step, tone friendly and welcoming."I have some-"

The Original suddenly came to a sharp halt, and he stilled, smile falling and expression turning stolid and eyes clouding. The hybrid stared ahead, his eyes narrowing as he listened to silence. It was far too silent; there was a change in the air, he could feel it.

He turned his head a little to the left as he came down from the last step, side glancing before doing the same to his right.

Klaus took a step back before he spun around on his heels, tongue clicking in a chiding manner as he shook his head.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are."

Klaus ambled forward until he was in the middle of the foyer, hands behind his back, his mouth curving up into a half-amused smile.

"Nothing gets passed the big bad wolf, does it?"

"Very brave of you to come wandering in here."Klaus drawled as he raised his head, a crooked grin on his face as he looked up at the Salvatore brother who was standing on the staircase balcony."Or idiotic. Let's go with idiotic."

"What can I say?"Damon shrugged with a shake of his head, holding out his arms, no fear in his eyes and if he was fearful, he didn't show it."I'm a thrill seeker."

Klaus false friendly grin broadened but also become somewhat derisive, as if he wanted to see fear in Damon's eyes or pain.

"I could say the same for Skylar but, unlike with you, the monsters in this home are quite dotty about her."

"Yeah, well, she's charming."Damon laughed, nodding in agreement with Klaus before he pointed to himself with a smirk."Gets that from yours truly."

The younger male's smirk widened as he let himself descend from the grand staircase balcony. Klaus raised his eyebrows, looking bored as Damon landed at the bottom of the staircase. The hybrid raised both eyebrows, watching the Salvatore offered him a false friendly smile, no sign of worry on his face.

"Are you going to tell me what you want before I tear you limb from limb for having the audacity to enter my home?"

"Now, now, before you grow fur, get on all fours and drool, how about you just hear me out?"Damon quickly said, taking a step back when Klaus snarled."Also keep in mind that if you kill me you might end up in the doghouse with my sister."

Damon fought to keep a smug smile from appearing when Klaus' jaw clenched and forced himself to remain poker-faced. He glanced up the staircase where Klaus had come from, swallowing as he thought of how his sister called the Mikaelson family mansion home instead of the Salvatore boarding house. His smugness quickly faded and was replaced with a doleful feeling in his chest.

Seeing Damon's expression, The Original clicked his tongue as he pulled back, smiling.

"Ah, that's the reason."Klaus drawled, glancing to where Damon had been staring."Come to beg for your sister's forgiveness, have you? Well, I think that ship has sailed."

"That's right. Sister. As in my little sister. My family."Damon replied, tone harsh as he pointed to himself, eyes wide with sincerity."She can play house with you all you want but, in the end, she's a Salvatore. Her family is with Stefan and me."

Damon then gave a half smirk, gesturing to Klaus with a flourish."And, no offence, but I really don't want you as a brother-in-law."

"Family isn't always determined by blood, mate. It's who gives a damn about you and, given your recent behaviour, you and Stefan haven't been much of a family to her."Klaus replied with a one shouldered shrug, patting Damon's forearm with far too much strength."That's probably why she's come to see us as family and a place she can call home."

Damon turned back to Klaus with a sardonic smile, eyes darkening when he saw how complacent Klaus looked.

"Yeah, well, my sister also has thing of being impulsive. Also something she got from her big bro."

Feigning a curious expression, Klaus' eyebrows raised at the younger male who casually ambled around the foyer.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Sky doesn't make the best choices, especially if she's super pissed as she is now."Damon rolled his eyes in a light-hearted manner, shaking his head at himself as he took a step closer to the hybrid."You see, my sister needs someone to have her back, to help her make the right choices when she's like this, and that's usually me. Shocker, I know, but she tries to keep me on the right path, and I do the same for her."

Jaw clenching as he began to foresee where Damon's ramblings were going, Klaus' fingers curled into his palm in a last attempt at the hybrid trying to control his temper.

"As you can see, we've steered away from that path. We're in traffic right now; we're this close to getting run over by a massive truck."Damon's eyes widened as he imitated an explosion and he tutted, wagging a finger as if scolding Klaus."If Sky doesn't remain on the right road, she crashes into trees, she kind of spirals, and she doesn't think right."

Klaus hummed in response, crossing his arms over his chest as he pretended to ponder Damon's words. The Original was unreadable as he fell into a calm, eyes blank and expression impassive as he studied Damon. He tapped his fingers against his chin as he thought.

"Correct me if i'm wrong, but are you saying that your sister needs your guidance?"The Original inquired, emphasising the words addressing Damon with an almost surprised head shake."Hmm?"

"Uh, yeah."Damon breathily and slowly answered, lip curling as he gave Klaus an insulted look. With a tight smile on his face, he gestured to Klaus."She's sleeping with you, right? That's not my sister."

Studying Damon for a long while, The Original suddenly laughed a dark, menacing yet amusing laugh that made Damon straighten.

"I think it's time to cut this unwelcomed visit short, don't you?"Klaus continued to laugh as he took a threatening step forward, eyes set on the Salvatore brother.

"Okay, okay okay!"Damon held up his hands, shaking his head, taking a step back."Look, I just came to have a talk about Skylar! No violence needed...yet."

The hybrid narrowed his eyes, laugh suddenly coming to a halt as his stare returned to Damon. Klaus was silent for a long moment, noticing Damon was alert then shook his head.

"I am going to be courteous and grace you with one free pass."Klaus brought his hands up in surrender before his palms met in an almost prayer pose."I'll give you three minutes of my time as a gift from me to you, and when those three minutes are up, i'll have come to a decision to either tear your head off or throw you out with the trash."

Klaus then paused for a moment to look at the white marble floor before he shook his head."Not here, though, Elijah does hate a bloody floor."

"Thank you for not tearing my head off in your foyer."Damon gave a false smile, a hand over his heart as he feigned an emotional sigh."I'm feeling the bittersweetness."

"Of course!"Klaus' smile widened into a pleased smile, obviously enjoying Damon's bitterness as he made his way over to his home bar, chuckling smugly."We are almost family, after all, considering your sister shares my bed."

"Ugh, not cool!"

As Damon scrunched up his face in disgust, Klaus turned and prepared himself a drink without even thinking to offer Damon. The Original hummed to himself as he dropped in a few squares of ice before pouring in the Bourbon.

"But make no mistake, mate..."Turning around, Klaus pointed at Damon with a playfully mischievous grin, cocking his head."I am not above punishing family. Just ask my mother and father. You may need a little help from your witch friend, but i'm sure they'll be more than happy to tell you the stories."

"Yeah, yeah, that sounds fun and all, but I don't care, and I don't like you so..."

Klaus smirk darkened, it obvious he was growing more annoyed, but Damon gave another shrug."I don't need three minutes. Let's just get down to business, shall we?"

"I don't like you; you don't like me. We clear on that?"Damon held his arms open, humming when Klaus gave a one-shouldered shrug, and he clapped, rubbing his hands together."You're with my sister, I don't like that 'cause you're, you know, evil."

"You say evil; I say lionhearted."

Damon forced a cheery laugh, it coming to an abrupt end just as it happened. The Salvatore brother wiped a hand down his face as he attempted to hold onto the last piece of willpower he was hanging onto by a thread.

"You and I both know that you and my sister are using each-other. She's using you for sex—"Damon cut himself off once more, nose scrunching up and he tapped his temple as if to get rid of the mental image."Eww, by the way. Yeah, she's taken a page out of my revenge sex handbook and you, you're using her for-"

Klaus' eyebrow raised as he impatiently patiently waited for Damon to finish his sentence. He gave a half smile as Damon trailed off, his brows furrowing as he slowly began to realize that he had nothing up his sleeve. Klaus had no reason to use his sister, he already had his family in one place, and he could easily steal Elena away for her blood without much effort.

"For...for..."

Klaus rocked on his heels, his smile growing wider."Cat got your tongue, mate?"

Damon's hands flailed around as he tried to come up with a reason only to come up with nothing and he gave a frustrated, petulant breath.

"All right, I don't know what you could be using her for, but it's just not right! She's my sister! My pain in the ass sister who should know better than to get involved with you."

Klaus rolled his eyes, jaw tightening before he forced a laugh."Yes, well, i'm sure Sky no longer cares about what y-"

"Don't call her that! She isn't Sky to you. You are not-This isn't right!"

Damon hit the air, his smile fading and turning into a frown as he began to pace back and forth, his voice rising with each word he hissed."Her being with you, with your f-family, having family dinner, creating family memories at your family dinner table and living in your family mansion-"

Damon spun around in a small circle, gesturing to the mansion around them with a bitter laugh.

"-which is far too big, by the way! Seriously, do you have four siblings or forty?!"Damon carried on with his rant, words spilling from his mouth so quickly that Klaus was almost sure that his mind wasn't connected with his mouth anymore."Yeah, you've already got your family, why do you feel the need to take mine? First Stefan—who is still kinda messed up, thanks for that—and now Sky."

Klaus didn't react, but there was a glimpse of something in his eyes that Damon didn't seem to catch. The Mikaelson brother, fingers laced together in front of him, thumbs tapping against the side of his fingers, shut his eyes for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

"Are you finished?"

"Oh, i'm finished all right. I'm finished with you. You wanna kill me? Do it. Rip my heart out, bite me, drive a stake through my heart but leave my family out of this!"

"I couldn't possibly do more damage than you have."Klaus calmly, far too calmly, responded with a shake of his head, gesturing to Damon with a tut."Your family is fractured because your idea of brotherly-"

Damon let out a frustrated cry of anger, hands shaking beside him as he sneered at Klaus with so much anger that it made Klaus give a curious head tilt.

"And you're a devoted, loving family man! Tell me, how long have you carried your family around in coffins more than you've had them sat around your family table? Hmm?"Damon gave a small smile as Klaus' eyes widened at his audacity but before the Original could warn him, he carried on."You're the perfect big brother, aren't ya? How many of sexy Bex's boyfriend's have you killed? How about her mother? Or how many times have you broken her heart?"

"And you expect her forgiveness every single time!"Damon shouted, pointing at Klaus with an accusing scowl."What makes you so different from me?"

"You, Damon, are grasping at straws."Klaus ground out, waving a hand at Damon with a chuckle that sounded false, even to Klaus."It's quite pathetic, almost pitiful if you weren't so absurd. You and I are not alike."

"Oh, I think we are, and that's what has me so pissed off. Yeah, i'm a dick who doesn't make the best choices but you are the hybrid mutt who tortured his supposedly beloved sister for centuries, who kept her in a coffin when she showed any sign of loving a guy more than him but I make a few bad choices and i'm irredeemable?"

Damon bravely took a step closer to Klaus, seemingly not noticing his eyes turning amber and, if he did, he didn't seem fazed by it. His blue eyes were almost black with rage, his fingers curling into his palm and his snarky attitude was no longer.

"What makes you, a guy who is just as selfish, impulsive and also makes stupid decisions—something that sounds just like me—worthy of their sister's forgiveness but i'm not worthy of mine?"Damon's voice lowered to a whisper as he peered at Klaus."Huh?"

We're family. From womb to tomb.

Klaus didn't reply.

Instead, he remained silent; eyes narrowed as he studied Damon with a curious look, as if he were confused with Damon's emotional outburst. He blinked several times and slowly shook his head, seemingly annoyed with Damon's question as well as the entire situation.

Annoyed with Damon's intrusion, annoyed with his questions, annoyed with Damon and Stefan's attempt to reach out to their sister.

Damon saw that, he saw the glimmer of annoyance and instantly connected the dots.

The Salvatore brother pulled back, the bitter smile returning and he nodded to himself. He stepped back, wagging a scolding finger at Klaus and clicking his tongue.

"Maybe you don't want her to forgive us, Klaus. Maybe you like how it is."Damon's voice rose as realisation sunk in, his desperate tone switching to something almost sinister."I mean, you've got it made here in your happy home!"

"Yes. My family home. You aren't family."The Original blinked, the annoyance quickly turning to anger and he nodded to the door."Your three minutes are up. Take that as your cue to sod off."

"Yes, yes, yes, your family home."Damon's laugh bounced off of the walls as he raised his arms in the air, feigning relief as he finally turned to look at Klaus."You, Sky and your whole Addams family playing house, making sure that she remains upset with us. You make sure she remains upset with us."

Klaus let out a warning growl, eyes flashing amber."Stop talking."

"That way you get to play hero, you remind her that she has a new family with her all-powerful boyfriend who's always there to comfort her whenever she's reminded of how much we hurt her, yeah?"

Damon laughed again, leaning forward in Klaus' direction, holding his index finger over his lips before pointing upwards at where the bedrooms were.

"You mention that when you're whispering sweet nothings to each-other at night? Or when you're having family breakfast?"

There was a glimmer of something in Klaus' eyes, something sinister that caught Damon's attention. Klaus opened his mouth to speak but, as if deciding against it, he snapped his mouth shut with a dark frown. He remained quiet for a drawn-out moment, seemingly pondering what he was about to say.

"Are you quite finished?"

Damon didn't respond, he just remained quiet, observing the other man. There was a glimmer of puzzlement in Damon's eyes, as if he were shocked his head was still intact after he'd pushed the buttons that would've usually hit close to home with Klaus.

He felt a petulant pang as the Original gave him a once-over with a frown, giving no sign of retaliation or even acknowledging Damon's ramblings. Instead, Klaus looked almost amused by Damon's words as well as annoyed, mirroring how an irritated parent would look concerning their bratty child.

It made Damon feel belittled.

"Good, because, once again-"Klaus tone was dull, his words didn't have the meaning behind them, the underlying threat as they preciously had. It was as if he were detached from the situation. Not there."You've overstayed your welcome."

Klaus ambled over to Damon, his pace relaxed and slow but with heavy steps that were almost intimidating. His arms that had been behind his back came into sight, giving Damon a view of his hands that showed that, while he seemed unfazed by Damon's words, they had made an affect.

His fists were clenched at his sides so tight that his knuckles were ghostly white. His body language was stiff, and it was obvious why. He'd been restraining himself.

"As i've already expressed, i'd love nothing more than to pluck your disrespectful tongue from your mouth-"Klaus paused for a moment, quietly laughing to himself as imagined doing just that before he stopped himself, suddenly solemn."But, considering you seem desperate to rile me up, i'm betting you'd enjoy that so..."

Trailing off as he came to a stop in front of the younger male, Klaus offered Damon a benign smile, but the dangerous flicker in his eyes made it clear he felt anything but familiar with Damon.

There was a fire in Klaus' eyes, flickers of amber and a darkness that said his self-control wasn't going to last much longer.

"Perhaps you could call next time, yes?"Klaus' tone lowered, sounding almost threatening, smile faltering into a dangerous smirk as he read the dejection in Damon's eyes."That way we'd make good use of the answering machine Elijah insists on. Leave."

Gesturing to the exit after he finished, Damon stared back at Klaus, his once baby blue orbs now almost black with sheer resentment and abhorrence and Klaus' own eyes mirrored that.

The hate between them was palpable, one would be able to feel it.

But, out of nowhere, the corners of Damon's mouth quirked upwards into a broad, beaming smile.

"Of course, of course."Damon whispered, tone void of any amiable feeling no matter how false his beaming smile was."Your castle is reserved for family only, right?"

Holding up his hands in surrender, Damon slowly nodded as if in agreement with the Original as he took a step back towards the exit. Eyes carefully following the other man, Klaus straightened as he watched Damon lazily make his way over to the door.

"Right."The Original couldn't help but say, words dripping with their usual complacency Klaus carried himself."Family above all."

Damon came to a sharp halt the second the words left Klaus' mouth, arm falling back by his side after he let go of the door handle. The Salvatore brother laughed to himself a hearty laugh that made his shoulders shake before it abruptly cut off.

"You know what?"Damon murmured, wiping a hand down his face as his eyes clouded over with bitter indignation, his false smile fading."I tried, I really did. I tried Stefan's way. To talk it out but..."

Trailing off with a small laugh, Damon suddenly spun on his heels, raising his fist and, with all the strength he had, he struck Klaus in the jaw with his fist.

He caught a quick wave of shock flickered over Klaus' features as the Original realized, at the last second, what was about to happen before Damon's fist met his face.

There was no cry of pain or anger as Klaus' head snapped to the side which Damon seemingly didn't notice because the satisfying crack that followed the punch was music to the Salvatore's ears.

"I'm not much of a talker."

Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it!

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