Warning: Use of language in this story.
As soon as he heard that she was in danger, Klaus acted. He didn't spare another thought to the red-headed temptress he had so fallen for all those years ago, didn't even wait to hear the end of her sentence before rushing into St. Anne's and obliterating those vampires on the spot, a tempest of rage surging through him at the sight of them trying to hurt her.
It seemed she'd put up quite the fight -of course she had- as she clambered out from under an already graying vampire, shaft of wood protruding through his stomach. Good girl. Blood flowed down the side of her face, and it sparked a hunger in him -not to take from her, but to go after Aurora and not stop until he knew she could never hurt Camille again. It was his own fault, of that he understood perfectly. He'd revealed a weakness, and his adversaries had exploited it with relish. This week alone, she'd been kidnapped twice, forced to defend herself against creatures such as himself, all the while never losing the courageous spirit that he adored so very much. But Cami looked at him with no blame in her eyes, only a deep-seated relief and gratitude and a thousand other unnameable emotions swirling about in those green depths of hers, all of them ripping his heart from his chest while simultaneously making it come alive.
He reached out his hand to her, as he had to so few in his life, to help and not to harm, and she took it readily, as if it was perfectly acceptable, perfectly normal, for a monster such as he to aid her in her time of need. Before he could ask her if she was alright -a stupid question, really, but important nonetheless- Camille did what few humans had ever had the capability to do in all his long life: she surprised him. For there was no hesitation, no shred of doubt when she put her arms around him and held on to him as if he was the only thing keeping her upright, keeping her tethered in a sea of uncertainty and obscene cruelty. Instinct, and want -oh, yes, there was a great deal of want- had his own arms cradling her to his chest, smoothing out the tangled strands of her hair. And, in that moment, a thought struck him with the intensity of Heaven's most fierce lightning bolts, that one hug from her was worth more than a millennium's worth of kisses he could have ever possibly shared with that bitch Aurora. Being with Cami, right then, knowing that she could take comfort from his presence, that she trusted him to keep her safe and never let any harm befall her, in spite of all his transgressions and treacheries...
It was one of the sweetest, most pure, most perfect feelings he had ever had the privilege to know. It was like holding Hope for the first time, watching as her tiny fist clung to him with such strength, yet incalculable tenderness too, and understanding that the being in his arms was far better than him in all ways imaginable, and always would be. As would Camille.
The both of them, always and forever, would always be the good, the light, he himself would never grasp. But that was okay: he'd simply ensure they never lost theirs. Maybe it was selfish, maybe it was wrong, but Klaus found a part of himself wishing, praying, that he could stay like this for all time, taking and giving comfort in equal measure in her embrace.
Yes, that would be his wish this Christmas. And wouldn't it be nice if, just this one time, it might actually come true?
Author's Note: Hello, fellow Klamille shippers! Welcome to my first Klamille fic -and my first Originals fic as well. After watching 3×08, I couldn't resist writing a little something about their hug from Klaus' perspective, and I hope I did the ship justice.
Anyways, thank you so much for reading my little one-shot. If you feel so inclined, please leave a review and share your thoughts with me!
All my love, Temperance Cain.