Hey y'all. This is a 4am drop for me so seriously, if there are issues, I apologise in advance.
So a couple things, Kol hijacked this chapter. Very rude, I know, but what can you do. I do think it's primarily Klayley though, a couple whom I still can't stop writing as an old married couple so that's always fun. Also, I wrote most of this chapter listening to Kane Brown so like, go listen to him.
Anyway, read, review and enjoy!
Klaus would be the first to admit that he didn't often get along with his siblings and that he was used to being at odds with them and yet - he couldn't help the warmth that filled him when they got along. Couldn't help the thrill that ran through him whenever he saw his phone light up with Kol's name as his younger brother reached out to him and they slowly rebuilt their relationship. They started small, short texts asking about the other's day, a joke they found amusing, confirmation about a particular spell. Klaus wasn't quite sure who called who first - Kol maintains it was him while the hybrid insists that given that his phone rang for all of two seconds before Kol hung up, it shouldn't count - but it became natural to have his brother's smooth tones on the other end of the line, commenting on everything and nothing at all, describing some of his more explosive experiments with glee and chattering happily about his wife. Klaus and Davina may have been at odds for most of their shared time in the city but all of that faded away whenever the vampire would mention her, the happiness in his voice being far more important to Klaus than old rivalries.
Today, though, he was painting when Kol facetimed him and, therefore, completely unprepared for the frantic quality of his younger brother's voice when he answered. Barely able to make head or tail of the jumble of words that met him, the hybrid blinked dumbly before telling the other to calm down and repeat himself.
"Davina wants to adopt." The words tumbled out in a rush, Kol raising trembling hands to his mouth as if by doing so he would be able to take back what he had said.
"I suppose, judging by your reaction, that I'd be correct in assuming that you don't," Klaus sighed, setting down the phone to rest against his easel and picking up his paintbrush again.
"Yes, Nik, you'd be correct in assuming that, now tell me what I'm supposed to do!" Kol ran a hand through his already messy hair, frustration written into every movement.
"Why don't you want to adopt," the hybrid asked instead as he resumed painting, covering his canvas in broad brush strokes. His lips twitched in amusement as the vampire groaned loudly, shoulders slumping.
"Why do you think? Should I start with the fantastic example set by Mikael? Or how about our Mother? Or maybe even my five minutes of dealing with Marcel when he was a child? Oh wait," he exclaimed, sarcasm dripping from his voice, "those were all unmitigated disasters!"
"They were, weren't they," Klaus mused. "But, then again, you're forgetting Hope."
"What about Hope?" Kol asked, confused.
"Granted, you may not have had very much to do with her upbringing, but you have yet to traumatize my daughter. Also, despite what I tell Hayley, the Shakespeare plays you gave Hope were a good touch."
"You told me they were inappropriate." His brother's voice was flat and Klaus laughed delightedly.
"Oh, they were," he informed the vampire. "Few twelve year olds are expected to understand, let alone appreciate 'The Tempest'."
"And what part of that tells you I'm ready for raising a child of my own, Nik? Please, explain to me your thought process," Kol demanded, sarcasm dripping from his words. "Because all I'm hearing is a blaring alarm screaming that I'd be a terrible father and how I'm in no way ready for this."
The hybrid set down his paintbrush and picked up his phone to meet his brother's eyes, voice serious as he spoke. "No one is ready for raising a child, Kol. I certainly wasn't. Not with Marcellus, not with Hope. And I suggest that if you don't feel up to the task, you might want to inform your wife. Because once you bring a child into your life, there is nothing and no one more important."
"She really wants this, Nik," Kol whispered, almost pleading, and there was little Klaus wouldn't have given in that moment to be able to have his brother in front of him.
"But you don't," he confirmed with a sigh and the vampire bit his lip.
"I-" he swallowed harshly before admitting, "I'm scared."
"As well you should be. But," he grinned, "you do have a wonderful older brother who's willing to help however he can."
"Really? Where?" Kol teased as the hybrid rolled his eyes. Yeah, they'd be alright.
For all that things had calmed down in New Orleans, Hayley had to admit, it remained a busy city. There was always something or the other happening, and she often found herself in the Sanctuary with Vincent or the bayou with the pack and, truth be told, she loved it. She wasn't made for sitting idly and, when it wasn't life threatening, she embraced the tasks that came her way.
She was at the Sanctuary when Klaus found her, boyish grin on his face as he informed her he planned on stealing her for the day. There was an innocence to his happiness she had never seen before and it made her wish for once that she wasn't so busy.
Before she could say anything though, Vincent interjected, "I know it must come as a surprise to you, Klaus, but most people have these things called commitments and responsibilities."
"And somehow, I expected Hayley to speak for herself," the hybrid retorted turning to the brunette expectantly.
But Hayley met his gaze apologetically, "I'm sorry but Vincent's right. We do need to get this finished as soon as possible."
"And I suppose whatever it is, it has to be today?" Even though his voice was quiet, devoid of emotion, she could tell he was upset. She could see it on his face, written in the hard set of his jaw, in the way that innocent happiness had been wiped clear off. But her hands were tied and she told him so. A curt nod and he was walking away and something heavy settled into the bottom of her stomach, telling her she'd messed up.
She was able to stamp it down for the rest of the day, but it returned with a vengeance when she came back home that night. The she-wolf found a plate of sandwiches in the kitchen but no Klaus and figured she was getting spoilt for half expecting the hybrid to be waiting there for her with a kiss and a grin and maybe an insult for Vincent.
Grabbing two sandwiches, she decided she'd go find him this time, sighing happily as she bit into one of the sandwiches. While Hayley was a decent enough cook, it was by no means something she particularly enjoyed. Klaus, on the other hand, was damn good at cooking and had a tendency to show off, something she was secretly grateful for as it led to some interesting dishes. She may not have to eat anymore, but that never stopped her from enjoying his cooking.
Speaking of whom, she found the hybrid in his studio, painting. "Hey, you," she called out, Klaus turning as she entered and Hayley caught a glimpse of blue before the canvas was hidden behind him again and she wondered what he was painting before discarding the thought. He'd show her when he was ready. "Brought you a sandwich," she held it out to him and the shadow of a smile tugged at his lips, some of the clouds clearing from his eyes for a moment before he shook his head.
"I already ate," he told her, a hint of humour to it as he tilted his head, indicating to a wine glass on the table next to him, still half filled with blood.
Biting her lip, Hayley nodded. "So join me when you're done?" Klaus hummed noncommittally, absently pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth before turning back to his canvas.
She turned to leave and, just as she reached the door, Klaus spoke, his words leaving her feeling as if the floor had been yanked out from under her feet. "What is this, Hayley?"
"What do you mean?" she managed eventually. He still wasn't looking at her.
"Nothing, nevermind."
He didn't come to bed that night.
"Ok, what did I do?" Maybe barging into Klaus's studio to confront him wasn't the best idea, but he had kept himself cooped up inside for the past three days and she couldn't ignore the way he was distancing himself from her anymore. Besides, she missed her morning kisses. They were obviously the best part of her day and going without them was getting to her. "Was it something I said," she continued when he didn't reply, didn't even get up from his stool, just met her gaze evenly. "Klaus, you need to talk to me or we'll never get anywhere."
A bitter laugh fell from his lips. "That's a rather interesting statement, coming from you," he said, his eyes piercing and angry and she reeled as his words sunk in.
"What the hell does that mean, 'coming from me'?"
"Well, it's rather hypocritical, isn't it, considering I haven't the faintest idea what you're doing with Vincent day in and day out," he snapped and Hayley had had enough.
"Last time I checked, you were never in charge of who I met with or what I do!"
He finally rose from his stool, hands clenched into fists by his side. "No, but as your partner, I assumed I was allowed an interest in your activities. My mistake." Klaus began to leave, pausing only to press a kiss to her cheek, his touch heavy on her arm, barely restrained anger etched into the set of his shoulders.
She caught his hand as it fell from her arm, struggling to give voice to the emotions sticking in her throat. "I didn't mean to make you feel that way," she managed eventually and Klaus sighed.
"And yet, somehow, here we are." All that rage had turned to sorrow and her grip loosened immediately because that? That was so much worse and she had no idea how to even begin to respond. She could feel his gaze still on her until he nodded once, swallowing harshly as he turned and walked away and she let him.
Sinking down on the nearest flat surface in the studio, trying to get her emotions under control, she was drawn inadvertently to the unfinished painting that was resting on the easel in front of her. A study in blue and red, there was no obvious design that she could see, but the movement of the colours was clear even to her untrained eye. Ducking and weaving throughout the canvas, they met in clashes and collisions, forming beautiful whorls and unending patterns that almost flew off the canvas.
There was something about the painting that intensified the heavy feeling inside her and she knew she couldn't leave things with Klaus the way they were. Hayley took her phone out as she got up and left the room, the beginnings of a plan forming. She had a couple phone calls to make.
Klaus wasn't sure what he was expecting when he returned home later that evening, but it certainly wasn't the scene he was faced with. Hayley had transformed the courtyard entirely. The table and chairs had been pushed back, fairy lights twisted around the banisters, delicately swaying over the archway as soft music weaved through the air. Hayley was standing in the middle of the courtyard, biting her lip before stepping forward towards him, her hands coming up to grip his own as she leaned forward, softly kissing him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered against his lips. "I should've been there for you."
"And I should've talked to you." But he was smiling, fingers gently squeezing her own as he embraced her and Hayley felt better than she had in days, any remaining tension flowing away from her. Then Klaus grinned, pulling away slightly to motion towards the fairy lights. "What, did we run out of candles?"
Haley gasped theatrically and lightly smacked his arm before laughing. "Honestly? I was just afraid I'd burn the house down if I used candles."
"And what a shame that would be," the hybrid chuckled.
"Ass." But there was no heat behind the insult, Hayley threading their fingers together and sitting them both down on the sheet she had spread over the floor that Klaus had yet to notice, pulling a picnic basket out of seemingly nowhere. "I talked to Kol," she explained at his wondering look. "He said you'd planned a picnic for me."
"I thought you'd like it," he said simply.
"I would've loved it," was the quiet response, an apologetic smile tugging at her lips. She didn't allow herself to dwell on what might have been for too long, though, turning to the basket and pulling out a container of lasagna and a bottle of wine. "It's no five star dinner, I know, but…" she trailed off at the look on Klaus's face. "What?"
"I love you." He said it with a reverence that left her gaping.
"What?"
"I love you." It was said simply, and with a smile that he couldn't seem to hold back and Hayley found herself moving forward without realising it, a torrent of emotions coursing through her as she pulled the hybrid into a kiss.
"I love you too," she gasped when they pulled apart and he grinned that same boyish grin he'd worn that day in the Sanctuary, pulling her into a softer, no less passionate kiss. "You do know the food's getting cold," she couldn't help herself from remarking when they pulled apart again and Klaus roared with laughter.
Kol, Klaus was finding, made it a habit to call at the most inopportune times and, without the decency of prior notice. This time, the vampire called while he was in the middle of preparing dinner. He decided not to hold it against him when he answered the video call and realised that his younger brother looked to be seconds away from bouncing off the walls in excitement, a stark contrast to their conversation about three weeks ago.
"Davina and I went to the adoption agency today," he informed Klaus, not bothering with the typical formalities of greetings. It was another habit of his, the hybrid had found, and one he usually teased him for. This time though, face with Kol's exuberance, he couldn't bring himself to care, laughing as he told him to continue and went back to chopping vegetables. The younger took his cue and proceeded, telling Klaus of the large yard he and Davina had been led to, and the boy curled up high on a tree branch that had immediately caught his eye.
"What was he like?"
"Quiet," Kol said thoughtfully. "But I'm not sure if that was by choice or not. He has a stutter," the vampire explained.
"Oh?" Klaus remarked, raising an eyebrow as if to say 'elaborate please'.
"According to the case worker, he's had it ever since he arrived. But he's so incredibly intelligent, Nik. It's so obvious and he has so much potential, I just -" he broke off, taking a deep, steadying breath. "He was wonderful, Nik. I wish you could have met him."
"And if you do adopt him, I should be glad to do so," the elder told him warmly, smiling, And something in Kol calmed at his words, a warm feeling settling comfortably within him as a genuine smile touched his lips and he continued telling his brother of the little boy that had captured his heart.
Hiya! So a couple more things, I headcannon that Davina, after the childhood she's had, would probably go into some sort of social welfare as a job. Also, that would extend to wanting to adopt a kid rather than have one of her own through surrogacy. The kid is lowkey based off Diego from Umbrella Academy and I'm half in love with a figment of my own imagination, send help lol.
Also, yes, Klaus and Kol are mending their relationship, it's about damn time that they do. With Klaus and Hayley, well we can lowkey blame that on Kane Brown's songs which are all wonderful and inspiring and fantastic background music. Relationships are complicated and people make mistakes and Klaus keeps kissing Hayley even when he's pissed as that thing older/married couples do as a reminder that even though they're fighting right now, they still love each other and he's already lost too many people to let anyone else go without that reminder. Also, I been reading a couple books with married couples and Kane Brown's song 'Work' and 'Live Forever' really got to me. That said, let me know what you think, if this was ok, if it was realistic, if it wasn't.
For those wondering, Hope will probably make an appearance next chapter :)