Klaus stood at the party and Caroline walked away to get a drink. Klaus looked after her, a quiet spark in his eye. His eye immediately caught Stefan's who walked towards him slowly. Stefan was a terrible bluffer; he knew something was up, although Stefan was partly afraid of him.
"She doesn't like me much." Klaus said in a hard tone.
"Are you kidding? She talks about you all the time." Stefan replied
"Where've you been all day?" Klaus asked him, changing the subject
"I've been around." Stefan replied casually, looking at other people talking
"I'm not interested in vagaries, Stefan. You've been dodgy and Caroline's been lovely which I've come to recognize as a tool of distraction," Stefan looked down, which meant Klaus was right. But it didn't matter much to him right now what Caroline's motives were for being nice to him. "now; do you have something to share with me, or shall I compel it out of you?" Klaus asked. Stefan considered him and his confidence grew on his face. Then he looked around to see if anyone was watching.
"I broke into your safe to look for the sword." He simply replied. Klaus stared at him.
"Why?" He asked irritably
"Because I don't trust you." Stefan replied, looking him in the eye. Klaus felt surprised.
"I showed you the sword. I explained its value. I've been on your side the entire time, what do you want from me?" He commanded, his voice raising. "A secret brotherhood handshake?" He asked rhetorically. Klaus knew people would want to look at them and wonder what they're talking about. Stefan looked away again.
"I found the letters." Stefan prompted, Klaus smiled. "You've had a few pen pals over the centuries." He noted.
"Well, is keeping my victims' letters really so different from writing their names on a wall?" Klaus taunted him. "Like you did?" Klaus leaned in closer to him. "Ripper" He whispered. Stefan lost his footing and looked away, tears in his eyes. Klaus grinned and took a step back. Then he noticed. One of his hybrids was waiting for him. Klaus immediately walked past Stefan, leaving him with his thoughts. He turned back around.
"Lonliness, Stefan" Klaus said, prompting Stefan to turn around and look at him. "That's why we memorialize our dead." Stefan considered him. "There's the briefest of moments before we kill where we literally hold their life in our hands. And then we rip it away." Klaus told him. Stefan looked down. "And we're left with nothing." Klaus hissed. Stefan saw that like him, Klaus was beginning to collect tears in his eyes. "So gathering people's letters or writing their names on a wall is a reminder. That in the end, we are left infinitely, and utterly, alone." Klaus said.
They both heard the click of heels and Klaus turned around to see his blonde distraction again, holding a red cup. His eyes connected with Stefan's and he looked at the hybrid come to collect him with a genuine smile.
"I think you'll feel differently in a little bit." Stefan said. Klaus's eyebrow rose and he turned to Caroline and blinked in embarrassment, the tears having dried. Caroline smiled at him slightly and Klaus returned it with his eyes, and then went to follow his hybrid.
