Friday. Blood. Klaus. Mikaelson Manor- whatever, everyone knows the drill.
Something about this week is different, though. Klaus isn't aggressive and snappish as usual, nor is he disturbingly caring. When he first opens the door to let me in, he assesses in that possessive, my doppelganger, way, but when he lingers too long, I begin to snap.
"What is it?" I say with confused irritation. "And step aside. It's hot as balls outside."
He purses his lips in the way he does when I've said something that resounded wrong with him, which is why I do as often as I can.
Finally, he opens the wider, but he doesn't move away. I'm forced to walk by him, close enough to catch his cologne or whatever smells so good, and the hint of a devilish smirk on his face.
"What?" I demand, halting in the middle of the giant, delightfully sunlit living area. Fuck. I hate how much I love this room.
"Nothing," he says meekly, his dimples making an appearance. He clasped his hand behind his back, looking like the cat that got the canary, or the werewolf who got to bite their vampire enemy on a full moon. Just gleeful.
"What?" I lengthen the word. I hate that he looks like he knows something that I don't.
"Nothing." He sounds delighted. Oh God, did he figure out a way to kill me and still have hybrids? "In, Elena. I don't have all day. Elijah made you breakfast before he left. You're to eat it first."
"Do you ever ask questions?" I say, pushing past him on my way to the kitchen. "Like, Elena, will please come in? How are you? Would you like to eat?"
When he didn't snark back, I stopped and looked at him. Dammit, he still looked happy.
"Oh my God, what?"
"Did you and the Salvatores break up?"
My heart does a ridiculous stutter in my chest, audibly and suicidedly launching itself against my ribcage in an attempt to get free. "H-how did you-"
"So it's true," Klaus concludes. Then for the cherry on top, he adds, "So much for epic love, huh?"
"You're such an asshole," I snap. "Jesus, Klaus."
"What?" he asks innocently. "I just thought-"
"I will leave," I threaten. "And next time you want my blood, you'll come to me. Who knows, maybe I'll put pig's blood instead in a bag and see how long it will take for you to notice the difference."
Klaus tilts his head in a curious, predator-like movement. "Was it that bad?"
I scoff and walk out of the room. Despite what I said, I have no intention of having my blood drawn in my house. Knowing Klaus, he'll insist on being there and force an invitation in. My house is probably the one house that Klaus hasn't been invited in. Inviting him in would take away the little sense of security I need to be able to sleep the night.
So I go to the kitchen, and find a plate under a transparent cover. Are these quesadillas? There's an elegant stationery paper next to it, weighed down by an upside down glass.
In Elijah's artful handwriting, it says, Good morning, Elena. I offer you my sincerest apologies, for I've been called out away on business. Breakfast will be on the counter. Please have a glass of the freshly squeezed orange juice in the fridge. It's healthier than the one you usually have. Contact me if you need anything.
Dearest wishes, Elijah.
"What does it say?" Klaus asks from behind me.
I snort. "Like you haven't read it."
He shrugs, like he has read it, and nods his head towards the plate, urging me to eat.
Once I have the plate and said orange juice in front of me, Klaus takes a stance on the opposite side of the counter, his expression challenging. "Why did you break up? Who left who?"
"Why does it matter?" Meaning: they left me. "Why do you care anyway? Don't tell me even thousand year old vampires are interested in gossip."
"I'm concerned," he says, "because I believe you may be the first doppelganger to get broken up with, not the opposite way."
My eyes widen. Am I?
"You are such an asshole," I bite out. He laughs.
I've just finished eating, sipping on my second glass of the orange juice- Klaus left pretty soon, demandingly telling me not to leave until Elijah gets here. And I couldn't even leave if I wanted to because Elijah forbade Klaus and the nurse who comes to collect my blood not to do anything unless he was here himself.
About an hour later, Klaus comes back, and Elijah enters the kitchen behind him cautiously. He looks handsome as ever. Seriously. Has anyone ever rocked a suit as elegantly as him? He looks hesitant, which he never does.
"Elena," he says. A flash of a smile. "Hello."
I exchange a look with Klaus. "Hey, Elijah," I greet. I smile because I'm genuinely glad to see him. "Thank you for breakfast. It was delicious."
"The orange juice?"
"Best I've had," I reply. He nods, pleased with himself. I smile, happy that he's pleased. Elijah's just one of those men who you just crave to earn their approval.
Elijah's smile then lessens. I recognize his expression for what it is, and I groan. "Not you, too, Elijah."
"What?" he says, eerily sounding like Klaus did when he said it. These men don't have an ounce of innocence in their bones.
Klaus barks a laugh, causing me to glare at him. His smile widens into a wolfish grin.
The first time Caroline Facetimed Elena when Elena was at the Mikaelson Manor, and saw her childhood best friend with a needle in her arm that drew her blood into a bag that wasn't completely out of sight, goosebumps stayed on her arms the entire time.
But it became clear that Elena wasn't affected. The doppelganger's situation may have been awful for some people, but Elena acted like it was just an inconvenience.
And over time, Elena got more and more visibly comfortable whenever they happened to Facetime while she was over there. Caroline realized she'd never really thought about what Elena's interactions with the Mikaelson might be like until one day when they were chatting, and Caroline noticed- "You look pale, Elena. Are you okay?"
Elena lifted her hand to her face, as if to check. "I-" her doe-like eyes flitted somewhere beyond the phone's camera. 'I- Yeah, I'm fine."
She sounded fine, and having your blood taken did affect a person's body, so they continued chatting.
A few times, Elena's gaze would wander to somewhere else in the room. And Caroline never thought anything of it until a clearly male hand set down a tall glass of what looked like fresh lemon and mint juice with an environmental-friendly straw.
"Thank you," Elena says sweetly, smiling beautifully at whoever it was.
Caroline tries to see anything beyond the chair and wallpaper background behind Elena, but she's confined by the camera's view. "Lena, what was that?"
Mid-sip, Elena pauses. "Just a drink," she says, "To keep my blood pressure up."
Another week, and another phone call. Caroline's mid-story about a date Tyler took her on- they're both in a fit of giggles, and Elena throws her head back in laughter, her body slacked against the sofa she's reclined on, when Elena's head jerks slightly.
"Whoa," she mumbles, daintily touching her forehead. "Dizzy."
Caroline's eyes widen. She's thousands of miles away and helpless. "Elena?" she panics, but someone's already there to help.
"I'm fine." Elena waves off, talking to both Caroline and someone with her in the room. The doppelganger's eyes are still not fully clear. Due to Caroline's enhanced hearing, she could hear a male voice speaking.
"I think you've taken enough." Elijah Mikaelson's very distinct, cultured voice is sharp. He's offscreen though.
"Ugh." Elena groans. "I'm fine. No need to hover. Caroline, you were saying?"
"Holy shit, are you okay?" Caroline asks urgently. Her eyes narrow with anger. "Klaus?" she demands.
The phone is taken out of Elena's hands and placed on what Caroline knows to be a phone stand on a side table by the side. From the point of view, she could see Elijah and Klaus. Elijah's easing the vial and needle out of Elena's arm, and Klaus is scowling.
Elena's expression is carefully neutral as Elijah retrieved an alcohol wipe from somewhere off camera. The Original takes a seat next to Elena and gestures for her to give him her arm. Elena barely even thinks before obeying. Her eyes drift up to meet Klaus, and even though Caroline can't see since it's mostly his back turned towards her, she guesses it's a fierce scowl he's projecting. Why would Elena otherwise turn away?
Hi, everyone! This chapter might be a little different. So, if you remember from the first chapter, I mentioned that An Act that Brought You Joy was meant to be a one shot, then it turned into 40-something pages of one shots, so it's not all connected. So the scenes are a little short.
To put it into other words, I'm trying out something different. A lot of what's happening happens "beyond the scenes," like Elijah becoming attached to Elena, planning to cook for her, Klaus getting used to her around that he leaves her unattended in his home- Klaus teasing her without malicious intent.
So, that's the subtext behind everything. I'm thinking maybe next chapter or Ch. 5 Kol will finally appear! I'm very excited for that. I have a lot of plans for their interactions.
Lastly, thank you for those who favored, followed, or left a very kind review!
