Oof, three chapters in one day, yay!
Granted, two of them were already written, but still, I've been working so hard on updating this story that it feels like it's all new work.
Irregardless, as Gretchen Weiners would say, here's chapter 31 :)))). I missed this story so much! This is pure Klia, for those that missed them just as much as I did. A little bittersweet, but hopefully still good. Be GENTLE with me, I know it's been a while. I want to thank everyone who stuck around with this story and the people that are coming back now.
This is Work Song - by Hozier
I own nothing but my baby, Gia.
September 27th
She felt exhausted, almost as if she had been without rest for days. When she managed to open her eyes and look around, she was in an unfamiliar bed, comfortable with plush sheets and feathered pillows. Doing her best to move, she started to cough violently as soon as she took in the first sharp breath, voice strained as she tried to call for someone unsuccessfully, whimpering after she finished with another fit of coughs and barely hearing someone speed into the room.
"It's alright, love. I'm here, I'm right here. Drink".
He pressed a glass of water against her lips gently, Gia clutching it with both hands as she took in small gulps to her relief, looking around the unfamiliar room before her eyes settled back on Klaus. The puncture wound that Damon had done to his chest had healed in both of them, but apparently not enough so she didn't feel the pain, even if he seemed much better off than she currently was. "There it is, nice and slow." he soothed, her eyes closing as she allowed herself to relax slightly at the sound of his voice. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I was stabbed," she deadpanned, making him chuckle, her voice hoarse from the lack of water and the time gone without using it. She cleared her throat at the foreign sound, taking another long gulp until the glass was empty before she looked back up at him, taking in the unfamiliar room. "Where… Where am I? Whose house is this?"
"Mine. It's still under construction, pardon the mess, but I thought you'd be safer here," he answered, sitting up straighter as he looked around his bedroom, the most comfortable and organized one in the house, simply furnished with his spacious bed, a small dresser and the chair he sat on for now. "What's the last thing you remember?"
"Homecoming. I remember your dad, and Katherine…" she trailed off, eyebrows furrowing as she looked down at herself, the dress she had worn now replaced by an unfamiliar grey bodycon, grimacing at the sight of the color. "Why am I here, Klaus? What did you do?"
"Don't worry about that now, love. What you need is to rest. Heal. You gave me quite the fright, I've been searching for you relentlessly for a week," he explained, brushing the hair out of her forehead and watching her eyes widen at the new information, his voice harder when he next spoke, a hint of rage that he tried to control.
"Katerina made sure to lengthen your return to the land of the living, she kept you away from me, cursed you with a bloody sleeping spell. I could barely feel your energy, it was driving me insane," he sighed, the stress of it evident in his face and making her soften slightly, before his eyes settled back on her, taking her features in and relaxing as well.
"She's such a bitch sometimes," she sighed out, watching him chuckle at the oversimplification, nodding in agreement nonetheless before she repeated her question. "What did you do?"
"Nothing that I regret," he said, watching her eyebrows furrow, her gaze making it clear she would not be satisfied until he gave her a proper answer. "She wanted her freedom in exchange for your life, I granted her a head start before I tear her apart limb from limb for hurting you".
"A 'head start'. You let her go?" she asked in surprise, her voice gentle as she adjusted her position, wincing slightly before looking back up at him. "You've been chasing her for five hundred years"
"Your life is worth a thousand of hers," he explained, a hint of a smile on his lips as he looked at her, Gia taking her time to process the new information.
She had missed that look. How he looked at her in awe, as if she was the most beautiful being on the planet no matter the state she was in, a look so intense she could've fallen for it alone, now mixed with a hint of worry that almost made her give up completely and fall right back into his hold. And for a second she allowed it, let herself be transported back into all those days they had spent in each other's arms, her head on his chest, tracing delicate patterns over his bare skin; or the days they spent out under the sun, in which she would just listen as he shared stories about his travels and experiences during the centuries, and she thought she could hear him talk about them for the rest of her life. It only took her a second, and yet she wondered how much pain could there truly be in such a short amount of time, in the next already meeting his gaze as one look around seemed to be enough to bring herself back to reality.
"You truly have no concept of danger, do you? What were you thinking, throwing yourself in front of Mikael like that? He could've killed you with a snap of his fingers"
"I thought it'd be worth it. If it went well, you'd be alive. If it didn't, then…" she trailed off, her thoughts carrying her to a place she didn't want to go back to. 'Then I wouldn't have to feel like this anymore'. Gia had never been one for dramatics, but it was like she was only now processing what she hadn't given herself time to in their last meeting, so caught by the adrenaline that she had almost forgiven him too quickly.
"I acted on impulse, would've done it for anybody" she lied, her expression betraying her words as she looked at him, longing and sadness before she looked away, controlling herself.
Gia tried to sit up properly, but the dull pain in her abdomen made her have to hold back a scream, it coming out as a sharp gasp instead. He was next to her in a second, making a small cut on his hand as he watched it drip into the empty glass before handing it to her, watching her hesitate at the sight as she considered her options, thinking about the blood bond and everything he had kept from her before she pushed it away, watching him frown.
"No, I'll be ok, I don't need it".
"Don't be stubborn, love. You wouldn't be taking this long to heal if you kept yourself fed properly in the first place. You've been through quite an ordeal lately. Drink, you'll feel better".
"No. I just wanna go home."
"Not until you heal" he pressed, watching her frown, his voice a warning when he next spoke her name, watching her look away at the semblance of affection in his tone, jaw clenching. "Gia. You need to drink".
"No".
"You will".
"No, I won't".
"Gianna" he growled in warning, a hint of worried desperation in his voice. "Please drink it and heal or I will force it down your throat".
"Is this what you meant to do when you created the blood bond? To keep me dependent, keep me on a type of supernatural leash?"
He looked taken aback by her words, face falling slightly with disappointment. "It's not like that. I would never use it against you. It's not as bad as you think," he answered, though he couldn't tell if the sentence was as assuring as he had meant it to be.
Klaus gripped the glass tighter anxiously as he was met only with her angry, stubborn silence, sighing deeply as he looked down at her. He had a million things to say to her, most of them in the lines of apologies, things he hadn't been able to say the past month of them apart, not knowing quite well where they stood at the moment, only that he wouldn't let her go so easily.
"Gia, heal," he insisted with a tired sigh as she did her best to stand, leaning her hand on the headboard for support before she stumbled, falling back on the bed with a frustrated groan, pride completely shattered.
"No. I'll be fine, I said I don't need it. I don't want to make this any worse than it already is," she answered stubbornly, watching him roll his eyes, jaw clenching in anger, Klaus taking a moment to collect himself before he spoke.
"You let your friends turn you against me, I see".
"Nobody turned me against you but yourself. Just because I saved your life doesn't mean I'm suddenly not heartbroken, Klaus. You don't get to treat me like you did and then just come back pretending nothing has changed."
"I thought we had talked this through. We had a moment".
"Yeah, when I was delirious from the blood loss and your life was in danger, when I couldn't process my emotions because I didn't want my possibly last words to you to be hateful," she stated matter of factly, looking up at him before her eyes flickered away. Her voice was quieter when she next spoke, sad and hesitant as she kept her gaze on the ceiling, the framing of the bed, the lights... anything but those downcast eyes she was trying so desperately to avoid.
"Do you know how much it hurts to give yourself away to someone only to have them give it back? Like you're not worth keeping?"
He took in a barely noticeable breath as he braced himself for what he had known was bound to come one time or another, collecting his thoughts and pushing down the small part of him that had indeed thought he could walk out of this unscathed before he answered.
"You told me we needed time apart to sort things between us until we were both good for each other. Until I was good enough for you, that we'd find our way back to each other. That's what I'm trying to do".
"I didn't mean you should leave. That's the last thing I would ever want, and you know it," she glared. "My mother didn't want me, my dad left multiple times. Stefan, Bonnie... Every single person that I've ever opened up to has tossed me aside or betrayed me. I thought you'd be different, that you understood, and that at least you'd think this all through and had the decency not to get involved before you let me fall in love with you, if you knew you couldn't feel the same," she started, taking in a shaky breath before she continued.
"I don't know what's real anymore, what's part of the bond and how many of the promises you made to me were empty, but I've never doubted the way I feel about you, Klaus. You were always enough for me, I don't want you to ever think you weren't, because at the end of the day I can't pretend that I didn't spend all of the last month missing you, but god, if I knew you were going to break my heart I would've just let you rip it off when we met". She had fought right back before he could speak, his eyes widening at her last statement before his jaw set and he looked away, pride swallowing his own guilt, her voice growing quieter and insecure.
"I want to know why. Was it me? Did I hurt you in any way? Was it some twisted type of karma for waking your siblings up?"
"No, no sweetheart, it was never you," he assured, urging closer to her, calming himself down with a deep breath, her eyes meeting his as she searched for any doubts in his words. "You're right, I pushed you away believing it wouldn't work; That if you stopped caring for me, you would be better off. I couldn't say the words you wanted to hear then".
"Can you say them now?" Gia inquired, watching him tense and sit up straighter, eyes flickering back to the floor before she frowned, and he could swear he felt a pang of her pain in his own chest.
"Then nothing has changed."
"Gia…"
"No" she cut him off, jaw clenching as she pushed down the grief. Disappointment was a dangerous feeling, he knew. "I'm tired of this. I'm so tired of crying over you, of people using me and throwing me away when they're done. I don't know why you even bothered coming back, but I'm not going to let this cycle keep repeating itself. If you feel it, you tell me, and if you don't you can just let me go. It's that simple".
"Nothing is ever that simple, Gianna. You're so naïve sometimes," he sighed out in frustration.
"It's only not simple because you complicate everything so much. You know I come with my trauma Klaus, I understand you have your own and I'm not going to force you into anything you don't want, but you keep fucking with my head and I can't live like this anymore." she cried, looking back up at him pointedly. "You don't understand that when I said I loved you, I didn't mean just in those perfect moments we had together. I meant all of you, that I love you now and I will keep loving you until you break me enough to stop, and every day you were away it got sadder to think that you may never understand that because you don't think you deserve it, that I was willing to give it to you and you threw it away. You just threw me away like you swore you wouldn't do".
He heard her voice break, tears threatening to spill from her eyes before she pushed them away with an angry sniffle, almost annoyed at her own fragility; and all he wanted to do in that moment was to pull her to him, tell her everything was going to be ok.
"I didn't throw it away" he breathed out, voice quiet and deep, before he set the glass down, focusing his attention solely on her, his eyes begging her to understand. "Please don't cry, love. I would never…" he stopped, taking in a breath. "It was never my intention to hurt you, from the beginning. I meant to protect you when I left, to spare you from a life of unending torment. I have made many enemies over the years, and I never meant for you to be my weakness, yet in the past two weeks your life has been threatened more than ever, because of me. Katerina knew it, Mikael knew it, and they both used you against me, only to prove themselves right in their knowledge of my affections for you, to be certain that they have a weapon to procure against me."
"A 'weapon'?" she inquired with indignation, Klaus rushing to defend himself before she could make any more conclusions.
"I… It's not like that, Gia. I am the most powerful being on the planet, and yet I couldn't protect you. Why can't you see that I did this for your benefit? You think I would want to leave you?"
"What I think is that you didn't trust me, broke my neck multiple times and lied to me, only to almost flip Stefan's switch off and threaten my friends before you left. Are you trying to say that you did all this shit because you care about me?" He opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. She was right, he knew. "What I think is that your father didn't love you so you think nobody ever will. You ran away because you were scared of what you felt. It's why you didn't trust me".
"Careful, Gia," he warned with a growl, her eyes blazing with anger as she looked at him, knowing she had crossed a line, but unable to back down now. "We don't want you saying anything you'll regret".
"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do? Kill me? Please, go ahead. I fucking dare you".
"You don't know what you're saying".
"Yes I do. You wanted me gone, this is your shot. You could finally go back to being the cold hearted asshole you were before we met, and wouldn't have to worry about such trivial things like caring, or a stupid little girl holding you accountable for your actions".
"Stop it," he warned, anger flaring up in him at her tone.
"You-"
"Shut up." he growled, standing up and stepping closer to her, watching her finally obey, glaring up at him from her place in the bed. "You don't know how hard it was for me to leave in the first place, I did it to keep Mikael off your track, since your bloody family was planning on using him against me from the moment I stepped foot into this town. You spend so much time accusing me that you don't even think about that, do you? It has been driving me insane to think that one day your light may be stolen from this world because of me, one way or another, simply because I couldn't control myself around you, but don't think for a second that being away from you hasn't been tearing me apart too. There wasn't a day that went by when I didn't think of you, want you, need you with me, but I would put your life above every selfish desire I've ever had, and will continue to do so until I don't have to choose between them."
Her eyes widened at his words, anger and despair radiating off of him as he panted, eyes scouring her face. She managed to calm down then, running a hand through her hair and knowing in her heart that he had been honest, closing her eyes as she tried her best to force away the biggest part of her that pushed her to forgive him. He was scared, like she had never seen before. Scared of losing her, of hurting her, scared that he wouldn't be able to protect her, or of the two of them ending badly, and it was the most human she had ever seen him. It warmed her heart a little, and she knew she could never shame him for that no matter how angry she may be.
"God, you're so hard to read," she breathed out, shaking her head. "I don't know if you want me to stay or to leave".
"What I want doesn't come into question. It's not safe for you to be with me".
"So that's it then, if you can't control everyone around you, we're just not worth fighting for? You'd rather me be heartbroken and safe, and I'd rather be happy with you knowing we can fight off the dangers together, and you're saying you won't even risk it for me?" She looked up at him with her eyebrows furrowed, the distress evident in her voice.
The hybrid took his time with his words, leaning closer to her, elbows resting on his knees as she kept her ground, the battle in her mind evident from the expression on her face. He could see the way she gazed into his eyes with a hint of longing, still there despite their time apart, hair splayed across the white sheets in an all too familiar way and making his chest tighten.
She looked so fragile in that moment, vulnerable in a different way than she usually was around him. Cheeks hollowed and face pale, eyes sunken into the bottoms of desperation, he wondered how long she had felt this way. How long he had allowed her to suffer without even knowing it or meaning to. It would've broken him with pure guilt, had he allowed it, but her pain was his own, and he figured somehow he would have to be the one to lift her up this time, as she had done so many more times to him.
His voice was calmer when he next spoke, some of the admiration returning to his tone as he kept his eyes on her familiar form.
"I always liked to think of us as Hades and Persephone, you know," he started, taking his time with his thoughts as he struggled to find a way to phrase them properly.
"Talk about a god complex," she muttered, making him chuckle lightly.
"It helped me believe that a being of sunlight as divine as you could ever fall for a monster like myself. That it could ever last between us before you became disenchanted with me". Her eyes softened when she met his gaze again, confronted with all the pain in those beautiful blue eyes, and a feeling of unworthiness she was too familiar with, sitting up slowly to meet him and watching his movements follow hers as he extended a hand to help her up, watching her take it this time.
"Instead you're the one that doesn't feel the same".
"I do," he sighed, running a hand over his face before he looked back at her. "That's what makes it so hard to stay away from you, even when I know I should".
"Persephone wasn't all sunlight and flowers, you know. Her name literally means death bringer, she could handle herself. And Hades is the least monstrous of the three big gods, he just gets a bad rep for ruling the underworld". He looked at her with surprise, watching her shrug before she answered, making him smile slightly. "What? I like greek mythology too."
"She was his queen. He fell for her light, her kind and nurturing spirit; a goddess in her own right. Powerful and beautiful, strong and sweet just like you," he paused, eyes trained on her. "You know, there are versions of the myth in which Persephone was never captured. Where she found her way into the underworld willingly, with a lust for excitement and seeking her distance from an overbearing mother. That she stayed with him not out of obligation, but because he understood that she was more than a fragile little goddess, he saw the power and life in her that most did not value enough".
Her eyes shone with a smile as she looked at him, Klaus trailing a gentle hand over her cheek and feeling her lean into his touch, closing her eyes affectionately. His comparison rang clear, every word of him applying to her as he had gazed deeply into her eyes, speaking to her soul, his feelings for her implied as he disguised them under the story she had set for them.
"You see, this is why you feel unworthy. I don't know why you put me on a pedestal when you know damn well I'm not perfect."
"No, but you're as close as I'll ever get, my angel. The only piece of heaven I will ever know." He quoted the words he had said to her on their first date, breaking the heavy mood and managing to make her smile slightly at the nickname, his words now stronger as he kept her gaze.
"I saw how you fought, how you defeated Mikael swiftly while I've been running for a thousand years, with his torture of me as a motivation. You risked your life for me, killed for me, helped me destroy him". The hint of a smile played on his lips, the devotion of her actions still clear in her eyes. "People have been trying to kill me for a thousand years, and you were the only one that bothered to want to save me, I can't just let that go".
"And Elijah," she corrected, watching him chuckle, nodding in agreement and correcting his phrasing.
"The only one I've ever had feelings for." Her expression softened as she finally met his eyes. "My point is that yes, I would risk it. I would risk the whole world if I meant I got to earn your smile again, to hold you in my arms, to have you say you love me once more. I'm not the selfless type, I've barely been able to get by while you weren't with me, as much as I tried to erase your memory and set you free, I couldn't. You made me feel alive, brought me back from the pit of despair and boredom and darkness I was stuck in for centuries. My existence seems pointless now without you in it".
Klaus could hear her sharp intake of breath, her eyes conflicted as she chewed on her bottom lip, mind racing. She could tell he was trying, that he was working on himself, knowing he had meant every word, and yet part of her struggled to accept it, to let him back in after all the damage he had done.
"But…" she trailed off.
"But I had to keep you safe. I should still".
"We killed Mikael, I helped you fight him off, you know that I can protect myself".
"There will always be someone, sweetheart. Like Katerina, or any of the countless enemies I have made. I will end up being the death of you, and I could never live with that. I am bound to outlive you, I outlive everyone".
"You said it yourself, you're the most powerful being out there, you can protect me if it comes to that," she soothed, and he felt her hand reaching for him, felt the warmth of her touch even before it rested delicately on his cheek, her words barely above a whisper. "Why do you always have to doubt yourself so much? We could do this, together".
"Suddenly you changed your mind about wanting me to stay?" he asked, looking up to meet her eyes, their gaze lingering on each other.
"I always wanted you to stay," she breathed out. "That's part of the problem we have right now. Because if you leave again, you don't even have to bother coming back. I don't have a thousand years to wait for you to say that you love me back, I won't".
Klaus took her wrist in his own hand carefully, leaving a small kiss over her skin before his blue settled on her amber once more.
"I know. I meant it when I said I would fight for you, Gia. I've been waiting my whole life to find someone like you, I'm willing to wait a little longer if that's what it takes for you to forgive me. I want you to know that I'm serious about my feelings for you. All I ask is that you're patient with me too. I may not be ready to ssy it, but I will never hesitate to show it, I can promise you that".
Finally, she sighed, leaning her forehead against his and nodding in understanding, her sweet voice contradicting her words. "Stop being cute, I'm not supposed to forgive you this fast. I'm still mad at you".
"I don't believe I've ever seen an affectionate kind of rage such as this," he mumbled, pulling her closer and making it clear that it hadn't been a complaint. "I'm starting to believe I'm easier to forgive than I thought".
"You're really not," she deadpanned, hearing him chuckle, leaving a kiss over her cheek. Trust Gia to always choose blunt honesty over a scathing retort. "Make no mistake if you think I won't stand up for myself, even against you, because I will."
"I know that, love. I expect nothing less." He smiled slightly, his eyes trailing from her eyes to her lips as he leaned closer, leaving a kiss on her forehead before he started trailing them gently over her face. Gia pulled away slightly to meet his eyes as she wrapped an arm around his neck, moving to pull him to her lips before wincing as her muscles contracted painfully with the wound, the action not escaping his notice and making him hold her close in assurance, reminded suddenly of their situation.
"Let me help you heal, sweetheart. You're welcome to stay until you feel better, I'll take you home myself once you feel like you're ready". He tucked behind her ear a strand of her hair that had fallen onto her face, stopping it from brushing against his nose at their close proximity, only satisfied when he watched her nod in agreement. "And then you can make me suffer all you want," Klaus smirked.
"I meant that," Gia mumbled, resting a hand on his chest and feeling it rumble ever so slightly under her touch as he chuckled, looking back up at him with a smirk. "I want you to grovel. I'm not making it this easy for you".
"Of course you won't, love. You never do".
He pulled away, taking the glass back into his hands, handing it to her with an assuring nod, eyes trained on her attentively, loving and slightly possessive as she finally took the offer.
She closed her own eyes and downed the contents of the cup at once, licking her lips clean as she set the glass back down on her lap, breathing seeming deeper as her lungs thanked her for the action. He watched the color return to her skin with fascination, lips slightly reddened from the blood and those adorable, warm golden eyes he had gotten so used to staring up at him, a small smile still in them as she met his own. Not completely as bright as he had once seen her, but enough of a change to lift some of the weight off his chest.
…
September 28th
The next day, she woke up in his bed as she had done so many times before, having only had the energy to shower, eat dinner and brush her teeth last night before her body's demand for rest had gotten too strong, and he had insisted she could take the bed and would get her back home the next morning. Gia ended up sleeping as soon as her head hit the pillow, although she had not stopped tossing and turning until he gave in and laid beside her, their bodies like magnets as she searched for him in the vast bed. Her head had taken its usual place on his bare chest as soon as he laid down, and Klaus, in her arms, had finally given in to a proper night of sleep as he had not had in over a month away from her.
Her eyes struggled to open as the sunlight streamed in, taking notice of the empty bed and fumbling slightly with the covers before she rose, pain completely gone. The hybrid looked up at the ruffling of the covers, smiling slightly at the sight before her confused eyes settled upon him; just beside the biggest window illuminated by the morning sun, with a paintbrush in hand and a large easel and canvas in front of him.
"Good morning, my love," he spoke from his place, cleaning up his paintbrush as he made his way towards her, forsaking his work entirely as he wiped his hands in the rag he kept on the makeshift desk, his full attention devoted to her. He didn't miss the small smile that graced her features at the familiar words, or the way his black henley hung off her smaller body comfortably, fitting her as if she belonged in it.
"Good morning. Didn't you sleep?"
"Morning light is the best for painting. You just looked so good, so relaxed there that I allowed you to stay as much as you wanted. Last night I figured you would be more comfortable sleeping by yourself, and yet I could swear you mumbled my name once or twice in your sleep," he smirked, watching her look down in embarrassment before hearing him chuckle. "I've had breakfast prepared, and had some clothes brought for you. You can take your time getting ready and meet me outside once you're done, alright love?"
She nodded at his question, noticing the white, butterfly-patterned sundress strewn across the chair he had been sitting in last night paired with her lost caramel wedges, her eyebrows furrowing in recognition.
"That's one of the dresses I bought in Chicago. What is it doing here?"
"I kept it. Wanted to return it to the owner eventually. You were so adamant about getting those, I figured it would be truly a loss to let them go to waste. I had your things packed when we left abruptly, have been holding onto them for you since," he explained, watching one of her eyebrows raise.
"That's… sweet, and not at all creepy".
He chuckled at the taunt, his eyes running down her bare legs as she stood to her feet, before they quickly settled back on her face. By the look in her eyes, she had clearly noticed the action, yet chose not to speak of it as she took the dress and shoes in her hands, smiling up at him and leaning on her tip-toes to leave a small kiss on his cheek, earnest and grateful.
"Thank you for taking care of me".
"I will always take care of you".
He tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear, watching her smile. He stepped closer as she leaned in slightly, his arms wrapping around her, gaze locked on her own as he sighed, wanting nothing more than to take her in his arms and assure her of his feelings as he had not done last night.
"Those eyes will be the death of me," he mumbled.
His deep voice rose up the dormant butterflies in her stomach, and for a moment, it all seemed simple again, a smile on her face as her enchanting orbs seemed to gaze into his soul, the hybrid feeling the familiar need he always got around her, the scent of her clouding his senses. She leaned in slowly, Klaus awaiting for her move this time, resisting the deep craving for the taste of her lips as their faces stood an inch apart until she stopped, her whisper breaking the sea of silence and tension that had befallen them in the room.
"I told you it wouldn't be this easy".
She pulled away then, completely broken to the spell while he took a second to recompose, looking down in time to watch her bite her lip, fighting a smile, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Her closeness did not do him any favors, as if the sight of her like this hadn't been enough. In his distraction, she had almost managed to escape, his hand reaching for her arm and pulling her closer to crash against his chest, hearing her gasp at the rough action.
"What are you doing?"
"Making you suffer," she answered sweetly, watching his eyes narrow.
"Don't mistake my niceness for leniency, love. You know what I'm capable of," he spoke, voice deep and threatening, making goosebumps rise on her flesh even if his words were completely harmless. He noticed, looking down at her skin with a smirk, noticing she seemed to feel a sudden chill in every place his hands didn't touch.
"Yes, you're terrifying," she breathed out sarcastically, her expression betraying her words before she replied innocently. "I'm just gonna go get dressed. I can't be getting distracted in the middle of the way".
"Ah yes, god forbid you ended up naked in my bedroom. I wouldn't know what to do," he answered sarcastically, hearing her snicker before it turned into a giggle.
"You're skipping ahead of the game, that's the final boss. You're still in level one. Maybe when you're level ten you'll get a kiss, if I'm feeling… What was the word you used? Ah, lenient".
"I can always find ways to persuade you," he breathed out, stepping closer and watching her raise a hand to stop him from coming closer, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked down at her palm, now pressed flat against his chest.
"You said you'd play nice," she pointed out.
"It's not a fair fight if you aren't playing nice as well".
"Yeah, coming from the king of fair fights," she scoffed, watching him roll his eyes with a knowing smile, her frustration growing every second she remained closer to him, and he couldn't help but notice the way her eyes raked over his frame, making his ego only grow.
He took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers before taking a wide step closer to her, as he looked down at the smaller girl, licking his lips at the sight of her. "You look bloody delicious wearing my shirt".
"I know," she smiled, running a hand up his chest. "But I'd look better with it on the floor".
He groaned, eyes darkening before he leaned closer, watching her step away quickly and lock the door of the bathroom behind her, the sound of her laughter echoing in the adjoining room, followed by the sound of the water running.
"So the games have begun," he sighed out to himself, tempted to break down the door and join her, but removing himself from the situation as soon as he could.
...
When he met her again, she was fully dressed, wandering around the house and looking at the place in wonder. Klaus watched her turn, hands trailing over the wooden beams, gazing around at the imponent structure with a small smile on her face. Her eyes shifted from the open windows to the construction materials, his hybrids and construction workers alike passing by from time to time, looking at her curiously, but knowing better than to let their gaze linger on the stranger Klaus had seemed so fond of. She was stopped once she bumped into one, looking up to meet the face of a blonde man and smiling politely.
"Shit, sorry".
"No it was my bad, I-"
"Daniel?" Klaus called, cutting him off and making him look up. "Scamper off, will you?"
The hybrid listened, presenting him with a curt, nervous nod before leaving, Klaus turning back to her with worried eyes. "Did he..."
"He just bumped into me, Klaus. I'm not made of porcelain, I won't collapse."
"He should know better than to stand in your way," the hybrid grumbled, watching her roll her eyes with a small smile at his overprotectiveness, eyes deviating around the room. Noticing her curiosity, he spoke up, his voice gentler as he addressed her. "I did say I would move to be closer to you, didn't I?"
"So you bought a castle just to be close? This place is massive". He simply shrugged, smirking as he looked at her until she felt his gaze on her, turning away from the room and back towards him, flustering and smiling down at the floor at the sheer intensity of it. "The room I was in was your bedroom, right? What is this place supposed to be anyway?"
"Well, it's a mansion, if we're being technical about it," he corrected, motioning to the room they were in. "This is meant to be my study. I'll have plenty of natural light once I'm done, to be used for painting, writing, anything I wish. Would you like a tour?"
"Oh no, I have to get home, Damon's probably worried sick about me," she explained, taking a step forward near to what she assumed was the exit, only for him to take her by the hand and pull her back.
"Give me an hour of your time," he pressed, taking both her hands in his as he noticed her hesitance. "Or at least eat something, I'll have breakfast brought to you, if you wish".
She sighed, gazing up into his eyes, chewing on her bottom lip nervously as she considered the decision before shaking her head, sliding her hands away from his and taking a step back. "I can't. I have places to be, people to see. I need to let my dad know I'm safe, to call Kol and Bekah, talk to my friends, see if everyone is ok-"
"They're not your responsibility. You don't have to take care of everyone, Gia. I can assure you they're all alright. Let me spend some time with you. I missed you". His hand was gentle on her cheek, fingers trailing down to her jaw, lifting her chin up to earn her gaze again, repeating his words as he watched her gaze soften. "Please stay," he pressed, the girl finally nodding in agreement with a deep breath, raising a finger in warning, playfulness in her tone.
"Don't make me regret it".
He smirked, offering her his arm and watching her walk past it, urging a chuckle from him before he followed, walking her through the mansion. His hybrids didn't miss the looks they stole each other's way or the lingering tension that clouded the two of them, still there, although slowly dissipating the longer they spent together.
His hand had eventually found its way to the end of her back, guiding her through the vast halls without much concern, while she marvelled at every little thing in front of her, childlike wonder in her eyes. He explained every little detail of what was meant to be where, Gia urging him on with questions and suggestions, discovering room after room, wing after wing.
With her head full of ideas, she shared a few for the house, Klaus listening attentively the longer she spoke, rambling on excitedly about decorations and structures alike. They passed by what he explained would become a large swimming pool in the future, the pair passing through the draft of a huge open kitchen, through stables and ballrooms and everything her mind could think of until he ended the tour in a specific room: an open wall of windows to allow in the sunlight he knew she loved, hearing her gasp as a smile slowly lit up her face.
"Oh this is amazing. What's this room?"
"I thought it could perhaps be yours," he spoke softly, hands behind his back as he expected her reaction, watching her smile fall slightly.
"Are you asking me to move in with you?"
"Would it truly be that far-fetched? We spent an entire summer together," He shrugged. "I would love to have you close to me, and it's an extra way to keep you safe, make sure you're beside me. My room is just in front of it".
"Klaus, I have a room already. In my house, where I live" she explained gently, walking closer to him, meeting him in the middle. "This would make an amazing studio too, the lighting is stunning. Use it for that"
"It'll still be yours, love, whether you're ready to accept it or not. I want you with me, and hopefully one day you will want that too".
She leaned into his touch as he rested a hand on her cheek, looking back up at him with a small smile, sighing before she pulled him in a tight hug, arms wrapping around his torso, while he rested his chin above her head, reciprocating the gesture as he held onto her waist.
"You're sweet. A little overprotective, but I can appreciate the gesture".
"I can feel your stomach crying out for food," he mumbled in turn, chuckling as her stomach growled against him once more, almost as if acknowledging his comment.
"Shut up, you're ruining it".
He chuckled, leaving a small kiss over the crown of her head, the familiar scent of her hair bringing him the comfort he had missed dearly. "Let me take you out to dinner tonight, make up for lost time."
"No, there's probably food at home. If not I can just order something," she finally pulled away, her eyes deviating away from him, noticing how in their endeavour, the morning had turned into evening, signaling for her that it was past time for her to go.
"It's just dinner, sweetheart. I won't bite," he smirked, watching her laugh, giving him a pointed look.
"We both know that's not true. My family's probably worried about me, I have to go."
No matter his insistence on taking her to dinner, she would not comply, Klaus eventually giving in and offering to drive her home instead, doing everything in his power to keep her with him for as long as he could. The further away he drove from the house, the more her comfort with him seemed to mend into guilt, her answers shorter and quiet as he tried to keep the conversation, asking a few small questions of her even as the high of their contact dissipated. Pulling up into the driveway of the Salvatore boarding house, Klaus noticed how she seemed more anxious than usual, fidgeting with her hands and avoiding him. He reached for her hand to stop her just as she raised it to unlock the door, calling for her gaze with those deep ocean eyes, the sound of her name leaving his lips affectionately.
"Gia, wait".
"Hm?" she asked as she turned to face him, his tone honest and relaxed.
"Thank you for allowing me to spend last night and today with you. I can't express how good it has been just to be in your presence again."
"Uh… you're welcome," she mumbled awkwardly, casting a small smile towards him before taking in a deep breath, anxious to get out before she did something stupid, yet not knowing what would await her when she returned. "I have to go".
A few seconds went by of her just holding onto the door, his confusion growing the longer she stayed, almost as if weighing her options. "I won't hold you captive, you may go if you'd like".
"I know I just… need a minute," she mumbled, running a hand through her hair and sitting back on her seat.
"Alright, what's the problem, love? You can talk to me".
"I don't know if they'll hate me when I go back. Damon sorta had this iron-clad plan to kill you and I ruined it".
"I'm certain he's over it," he assured, to no avail.
"And Stefan helped you too, he probably feels so betrayed, he's gonna hate me forever-"
"Sweetheart, stop worrying." He chuckled, taking her hand in his, intertwining their fingers as he silently called for her gaze. "Stefan is in the wind. Damon was never my favorite person, you're aware, but I'm sure he has bigger problems with me than he could ever have with you, he won't hate you. They've been looking for you almost as vehemently as I have, I'm sure they'd welcome you with open arms".
"You think so?"
"I'm certain of it," he nodded, her shoulders slowly lowering as her body untensed, Gia nodding, inhaling a calming breath before she looked back up at him, his touch gentle on her cheek. "Will I see you again tomorrow?"
"I have to catch up on school. I don't even know what week day it is".
"On the weekend then. Let me take you out".
'What the hell are you doing, Gia?!' her mind yelled, shrouded in disappointment. 'You're not supposed to let him back in. He can't hurt you if you don't let him'.
"No."
"No?"
"I can't, Klaus. I… I don't know what I'm doing here".
"Is this a part of your plan to make me suffer? Because if you need some time-"
"It's not about time. I can't let you back in until I know we're right for each other, until I can trust you again, until I know that you won't hurt me like you did before". His face fell, the hybrid nodding nonetheless before sighing.
"I understand".
"No. No you don't. I won't let you hurt me again. I have to put myself first in this".
"And if I earn your trust back, when I can prove to you that I'm serious, that I won't do it again and that my intentions are pure, would you allow me another chance?"
"You forget I've had sex with you? I know your intentions are never pure," she suggested with a smirk, earning a chuckle from him, her comment breaking the heavy mood before her gaze softened again. "If and when are very different things".
"I will win you back, I'm certain of it" he said in determination, Gia lifting her hand off of the door handle, now fully turning to him. "Even if it takes me a hundred years. I told you I would fight for you, and I meant it".
"Good," she whispered with a small smile, leaning closer to him and leaving a soft kiss on his lips, pulling away before he could tug her closer, resting her forehead on his. "Don't let me down".
At last, she opened the door, stepping out of the car and closing it softly behind her, taking a deep breath before stepping forward, walking the few steps left until she reached her door. He rolled down his window, Gia looking back at him with a small smile at his assuring nod, waiting for an answer to her knock.
He stayed to make sure she was alright, Gia immediately enveloped in Damon's strong embrace, tense for a few seconds until she gave in, all her fears fading away despite the knowledge of the lecture she was probably about to receive. As soon as she was home again, she felt safe, clinging to the familiar smell of his cologne and the tight hug, feeling as if he was almost scared to let her go.
"Oh fucking hell Gia, what were you thinking?! Where were you? How did you get home?" the vampire questioned after breaking away, Gia simply smiling and pulling him back into a hug, closing the door with a small kick behind her.
"I missed you too, leech".
Klaus smiled slightly, turning his engine back on before driving off, leaving them to reconcile by themselves, with the events of the day lingering in his head.
Oh god, this one was tough. Tell me what you guys think in the comments below, I'll be getting back on track with this story as of now, I promise! I hope you guys don't hate me for taking this long.
Love,
Bela