I was staring at the ceiling, contemplating whether or not I was going to stay in bed all day, or potentially brave the weather for some food, when the phone rang on the side table next to me.

Reluctantly, I rolled over to view the caller I.D., noting that it was not who I wanted to hear from initially, however, I was intrigued. I scooped up the phone as I turned back over to relax comfortably on my disheveled bed, answering the call as I did.

"Tass speaking." I said casually.

"What a cold greeting." A voice laughed on the other end, the British accent ringing out clearly. "I suppose I deserve it."

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call, Elijah?" I chuckled slightly.

"Well... As I recall, I was to avoid you until I wasn't... 'Whatever it was', as you put it so eloquently." He mused.

"And has the misfortune been solved?" I raised an eyebrow, pulling my free arm behind my head and pillow and resting on it.

"I believe it has." He sighed. "Tassryn, I do hope you'll accept my apology. I have no excuse for unleashing those pointed comments on you."

"Hm..." I grinned, deciding to sit up as I thought for a moment. "I'll consider it... for a price." I mused. He snorted.

"Is this blackmail?" He inquired.

"No, just a few questions, more or less." I laughed. "Firstly, you can start by explaining what thoughts progressed such accusations."

"I suppose that's only fair." He chuckled. "...I was jealous."

"...Jealous?" I blinked. "Of... what, exactly?"

"Of..." He paused before sighing loudly. "I was jealous that Klaus holds your affections."

"Holds my- Now, hold on. That sort of brings me to my second question." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "And... several more questions I hadn't anticipated."

"Take your time." He laughed, almost as if he was wanting to push it off as well.

"You... Liked me?" I tucked my air behind my ears.

"Was I that obtuse?" He laughed. "You have many admirable qualities, Tassryn. I had a bit of a crush on you, yes."

"...I feel kinda bad for being so harsh on you." I smiled in defeat. He hummed a disagreement.

"Don't be. I had no right to act that way when I never made my intentions clear to you. For that, I apologize."

"Still. I'm sorry for snapping on you. I wasn't... having a great week. Not that that's an excuse."

"Emotions happen." It was his own way of accepting my apology, I realized, and I smiled, before moving onto the next portion of questions I wanted answers to, a flood of dread and excitement washing over me.

"So... you think... Klaus and I are..." I gulped slightly, trying to figure out how I wanted to word it, exactly.

"An item?" He seemed to finish. "...Are you not?"

"Bringing me to this: Did... Klaus give you any inclination that we are..?" I felt my heartbeat pick up its pace as the butterflies came back in full force.

They had been a dull throbbing in the back of my mind, but never quite disappeared. They only came back fully in emotional waves.

"...Hah!" Elijah suddenly spurted. "Gods, you're both incredible."

"...I don't understand."

"I know my Brother... What I didn't know was your inclination towards him." He laughed again. "Now I see."

"See what, Elijah!?" I growled, completely frustrated with his just vague enough answers to my questions.

"I know I was harsh when I first asked you, but... Please tell me. You are smitten with him?" He was much softer when he asked this time, rather inquiring than demanding me for an answer. I gulped before nodding.

"I think... More than that." Saying it aloud made it that much more real, that much closer to telling him, now that the two closest people to him knew about it, which made me nervous as hell.

"Good." He sighed in relief. "You see, beyond my jealousy... My intentions were good. My delivery was lacking."

"Clearly." I laughed.

"I am fearful that if Klaus falls into another rut as he did with Aurora, I will not be able to pull him back out of it a second time." He sounded worried, and I tried my best to come from a place of understanding, rather than be upset that I was compared to the red head. "While I don't believe you to be anything like her, I also care about my Brother deeply. The last thing I wanted to do, however, was force you to believe that I thought you a bad person, or give you any inclination that I mistrusted you."

"...I think I get it." I nodded to myself. "It wasn't me specifically, right? If -any- girl had been close to Klaus, you would've reacted the same way."

"Fundamentally." he agreed.

"But Elijah... You didn't answer my question. About the inclination." I waited a few seconds with his silence and my heartbeat in my ears.

"He has not said, specifically. However... As I mentioned, I know him well. He's transparent with me. Therefore... I'm inclined to believe he is holding himself back from acting on emotions he's not sure will be reciprocated."

A breath escaped my lips, one of which I did not realize I was holding. I found myself smiling and letting myself dare that this could really be happening. There was a chance Klaus -really- wanted me, the same way I found myself wanting him.

"You're quiet. Was that answer satisfactory?" Elijah interrupted my silent euphoria. I laughed.

"Sorry. Uhm... One more question."

"Go on."

"...Are you alright with this? All things considered..."

"...If it's you." He said quietly. I gulped slightly, feeling a pang of guilt well up in my throat. "...Perhaps I'm disappointed that I had not been the one you favor. However... I do not regret supporting you in this. And I will be fine, I promise." I could almost hear the grin in his voice, which made me smile in response. "When will you be conveying your feelings?"

"Well I- Hey, why do you assume it's me?" I chuckled.

"I don't mean to offend. It's just, my Brother tends to need a push towards these kind of things, which likely means you'd be confessing first."

"That's fair... Elijah, are you sure about this?"

"Positive." He said firmly. "If Klaus doesn't return your feelings, then he's the fool."

"I'm not sure that makes me feel better." I laughed nervously.

"Just trust yourself." Elijah said. "I'll let you be then. I assume I'll see you on Christmas Eve?"

"For the family Christmas?"

"I'm afraid not, dear." He chuckled darkly. "That's the charity, but I assumed you'd be attending with Klaus."

"He told me it was on Christmas..." I grumbled.

"Don't be cross with him, I believe he may have forgotten. It's been several years since he attended one."

"...Fair enough. I guess I will see you then."

"Until then." Click.

I flopped back into my bed with an audible sigh, my phone bouncing next to me as I let it slip from my hand. A slew of emotions came over me: Hope, fear, happiness, anxiety. I felt like I was going through all the stages, and yet... I was still certain.

I would keep my promise.

However, I needed a plan of attack.

I sat back up, picking up my phone as I did so, and dialed a number I was sure would answer.

"Hello?" An answer came within a few rings.

"Rebekah... I need a favor." I said as I grinned.