The stilleness in the room wrapped around them like thick blanket, muffling out everything. The tension is too thick. Times passes fleetingly. The noise from the festival below floats into the over the open patio door and it startled the two of them out their reverie and into continuing their conversation.
"What is it that you want, Elijah?" Niklaus says with a voice that is small and defeated.
Nothing like the proud hybrid, Klaus Mikaelson that everybody knows. It takes Elijah back to the past when they were still human and Klaus is a sweet little boy who likes to paint and carving wood rather than hunting.
Klaus worries his lips as he stares at Elijah who seems so far away at this moment. He feels cold anger toward the woman who gave birth to him. He hates her for what she had done to Elijah. Hates that she messes around with Elijah's mind. Bringing forth things that is better remain forgotten.
He never knew this side of him. His big brother had always been so strong and reliable.
"Brother." He says softly pulling Elijah from wherever his mind had gone to.
"What is it that you want?" Klaus asks earnestly. His face soften. His anger forgotten. Klaus exercise care and tact. Carefully minding about the fragile state of Elijah's mind.
He knows that Elijah wasn't really talking about the chairs. He wished it was something as simple as that. Something that he can give to Elijah.
Another voice reminds him that he is Klaus Mikaelson. He can give Elijah anything and everything.
Ha.Who is he is kidding. Him thinking Elijah's mind fragile while he himself is always warring with two sides inside of him. His snivelling human part and his all powerful hybrid self.
Regardless of that. He fears what Elijah asked is something he can't give him. Elijah's wanting to leave...that he can't let it happen. Nor his past human self or his current hybrid self will allowed that.
Elijah throws his arm open. The older vampire has always have a flair for dramatic.Klaid noted laziky. "The problem is..I don't even know what I want."Elijah says forlornly.
Klaus grimaces because he has nothing to say to that. What could he had to offers his brother in return to stay by his side. Will a promise of being good for a decade would be enough? A decade of good behavior for him is stretching a lot but he will try for Elijah's sake. He is willing to try at least that much.
He looks at Elijah and he saw the steely determination look on his face and he knew. It won't be enough. The words" I promise to be on my best behavior for a decade", dies on his lips.
Klaus clenched his fist. "Well, I thought you want my redemption but clearly I was mistaken." Klaus says bitterly.
Elijah head snaps to his brother and he stares at him. His emotion becomes close and body rigid. Any words he might say in his defense is stuck in his throats at his brother cold voice and harsh stare. Elijah swallowed and look away feeling lacking. Why bother? Niklaus has always been stubborn. He had already made his mind on where they stood now.
Klaus regrets it as soon as the words left his mouth. He cursed Mikael for raising him into this hateful person. He looks at the lost look in Elijah's eyes.
"Ah. I supposed you are quite right." Elijah says voice flat and devoid of emotion.
Elijah wonders if him wanting something for himself is selfish. Elijah casts away that thought immediately. It times to think about himself. Centuries worth of sacrifices are more than enough.
He owes no one. He doesn't owes Klaus a thing as much as he hurts and cause grievance to Klaus. Klaus equally hurts him as much and perhaps even more. Honestly, he is tired of all this. He just want to put all this behind him now and start anew.
He wonders if that even possible. He wanted to part with Klaus in good term today. He wishes that Klaus would part with him as he parted with Rebekah. Rebekah and Klaus parts with hugs and caring words. He wishes for that too.
"You have everything that you want right here." Elijah says as he look at his brother meaningfully. More like he hopes it gets through the hybrid's thick skull. It doesn't mean he was not speaking the truth.
Klaus has everything. He has his beloved kingdom. Now, that the threat had been neutralize. He has loyal subject that is more or less is grateful that Klaus has successfully thwarted the threat of hollow. He had Marcel's forgiveness and now the two of them is back together in good term and thick as thieves. Like Elijah said he has everything. Now, surely his presence are not needed nor wanted anymore.
"Rebekah out there searching for what she wants and why dont I get to do the same." He says.
If Klaus can let their precious little sister Rebekah go on her own. Surely he can let him go too. After all, they had spent centuries apart before while Elijah is plotting for ways to kill klaus. Well that was all in the past, still. The important thing here is they had gone there before. Klaus would be fine without him like he did in the past.
Of course. Klaus takes Elijah's words as slight against him. He likes to make everything about him. The self centered bastard he is.
"Don't turn this on me, brother. I am not the one who is turning my back on the oath I made. Always and forever, huh? What a bull." Klaus spits out. "You are always looking for a way out."
"What of the promise that you will be my brother that we will create home in New Orleans. All that are just lies to keep me placate and eating right out of your palm."
Klaus spits out the words with venom baring his teeth threateningly. He glowers at Elijah with distaste. "You are nothing but a deceitful-know it all." Klaus sneered.
Elijah stares at Klaus. His eyes widen as he watch how erractically Klaus behaving.
"It was all to keep me where you want. I should have known." Klaus rambles as he pace around the room aggressively.
"You always leave in the end." Klaus laughs sarcastically."You always leave." Klaus says staring at him pointedly. Klaus is not being childish or paranoid. This is what Elijah does. He always leave.He should have expected this.
"All this time I was thinking it was my fault. That I did this. I am the who drove you away."
Elijah frowned. He had enough. He will not be blame on something that Klaus brought upon himself.
"Stop deluding yourself. It was you every single time.You drove me away. With your betrayal. With your magical dagger. Your thirsts to murder the world. Your plot of raising hybrid army and many more through out the centuries.There are always something Klaus Mikaelson is after. Never satisfy to just had a place to call home and his family by his sides. We..."
Elijah swallowed the pain in his heart and look away. He continues. "You were never satisfy with a place that we can call as our home and we, your family at your side. In the end, we were never enough for you." "Hybrid army. The bayou werewolves."
"You know what I have never say anything against them despite how deep down I feel sadden. We are your family. Rebekah and I promised you always and forever. However, in the end we were never enough for you."
Kkaus stares at Elijah like he is looking at him for the first time. Elijah feels his face heats up. He have never share his feelings about that before today.
Klaus is render speechless. He has never thought that Elijah feels that way. "I. I didn't know."
Klaus says as he looks away from his brother. Shamed. Confused. clearly written on his face. Not that it is important anymore.
Elijah looks at him with sadness in his eyes. "Even though, we were never enough for you. My feelings had not change all this years. When I told you nothing change when we found out that Mikael is not your father. I meant it. Clearly, you didn't feel the same."
"No. Don't put words in my mouths." Klaus shouted. "I admit that I haven't been a good brother to you or Rebekah."
Klaus looks at him with unshed tears in his eyes. "Don't leave. Let me make it up to you. Don't go.Stay. So, I can fix this." Klaus gesture between the two of them.
Elijah sighs exasperately. No. He doesn't want to fix this. He has long accepted that Klaus seeks to be with his werewolves family. That he wants to honour his heritage or whatever it is that Niklaus wants. Elijah was upsets but he had learned to accept that long ago.
"No. Niklaus. Although it was hard for me to swallowed at first. I have already come to terms with that. Mikael is not your father. Your real father is a werewolf. It is not your fault if you feels a sense of belonging when you are with them. After all werewolves are pack animals."
"I am leaving and it was never up for a debate. I didn't come here in hope you will persuade me to change my mind or be consoled. I came to you to say goodbye."
Elijah says voice soften.
Goodbye. Goodbye. The word assaulted his mind. He feels the fears griped his heart.
"No, you can't." Niklaus said as he close the distance between the two of them using vampire speed and grabs Elijah wrist tightly. He is agitated. Alarmed. He feels like his heart going to bursts out any second now.
"Stop deluding yourself, Elijah." The hybrid says squeezing down on the wrist.
"It was never up for debate." Klaus repeats Elijah's word hysterically. "
He looks at him coldly. "It was never up to you, Elijah." I don't grant you permission to leave my side.
Elijah stares down at his wrists where Klaus is holding in death gripped. He frown at that and Klaus stares back at him boldly undeterred. Elijah pull his wrist away forcefully before putting a feet distance between them. Niklaus didn't look pleased but he didn't follow him.
Elijah feels uneasy. It was strange the way Klaus is acting. Too hostile. Too unhighed. Slightly bordering on overtly possesive but Elijah decides to not let it bother him.
"I am leaving."
" You can't." Klaus says staring at him challengingly.
If it is a promise Klaus need than he will give him that. He is a man of his word after all.
"I will return," Elijah says with conviction." I just need a break. I will return and Rebekah will too and our family will be whole again in no time. Then, we will fix this. I will give you chance to make it up to Rebekah and me . For all the troubles and grievance you put us through." Elijah says cordially with a small smile.
Klaus didn't return the smiled. He looks livid. "And I should just accept this willingly. All I have, Elijah.. is your word, your promise on this. Rebekah had always return sooner of later she always did. She can't stay away."
Klaus laugh maniacally, "That I can always count on her. Come on. Did you really think I would let her go that easily?" Klaus says mockingly.
"You. Elijah. You..," Klaus clicked his tongue.
"..when you leave you return after centuries past." Niklaus voice trembles.
He ran trembling finger through his hair. He heads hurts, he is sure his eyes is flashing. He can feel his gum tender signalling his fangs is threatening to show. His emotion is all jumbled up anger, fear and grief. Well if Elijah true motive is to drive him into madness by saying all this. Well he had succeeded. The hybrid glared at his older brother.
"That is.. if you return at all."
Klaus glared at him and spit out his next words viciously.
"Why don't you shove your words up you arse, Elijah. Don't think I'll be stupid and trust your words"
"Rebekah has always wanted to leave ever since stepping her foot in New Orleans. "She wasn't happy here", he said with a sneer. "Perhaps too bitter about the gabenor son and Marcel's betrayal and my indesquestion of daggering her." Klaus smirks evilly and rolls his eyes. "Probabaly too many bad memories associated with this place." Klaus pouts mockingly.
"Never you. What brought about this sudden need to leave?" He mulls over the possiblities and reason that could lead to this. Klaus frowned. He come to only one conclusion.
"Did our beloved dear little sister plant this ludicrous idea in your head?" Klaus asks lips pursed and nose flares angrily.
"No." Elijah rebuff the accusation swiftly. He makes sure he keeps his face blank and unreadable. He is not going to give away anything that would cause Rebekah to be in danger.
Klaus keep his face emotionless. He doesn't believe Elijah's words. He used to thought the world of Rebekah that is until he learnt about her plotting behind his back. To think that she would go as far as to called Mikael to New Orleans to destroy him. The betrayal still stings. It left him with a deep scar in his heart.
Klaus scoffs. They do this, his own family and people wonders why he has trusts issues. He can't even trust his own family. How ludicrous is that. He feels less guilty about the whole werewolves issues. No wonder he had tries to find a sense of family elsewhere.
Elijah rolls his eyes. He could see Klaus thoughts clearly. He will not let Klaus hunt down Rebekah.
"Niklaus, always thinking that someone is conspiring." He says in attempt to dissuade him. All bored and false nonchalant. Mind games. He excelled in them.
Klaus half glares at his brother. He wasn't in mood to muster a full glare. He still wondering whether Elijah is telling the truth. He can't tell the truth from the lies from the man heartbeat. Elijah has perfected his control over the centuries. He hates how impeccable control Elijah's have over his emotion.
You see the problem with this family. There is no trust. He is always constantly doubting their words. He puts the matter at the back of his mind for now.
"Then, why leave? What are you running from?" He worries more and Elijah is unreadable as ever while he tends to lashed out and voice his dissatisfaction. His brother Elijah is the opposite. He has the tendecies to burried his feelings and let them fester. Turning it into a disease and let it eats away his sanity. Klaus is being reasonable here. His worries are justifies. He will get to the bottom of this matter.
Elijah refuses to answer him. Klaus let the silent stews for awhile as he brain works hard to find the reason by replaying all the recent event in his mind.
"I will not accept this cowardly behavior of yours. Is this about Tatia?"
Elijah eyes widen. He didn't think he ready to speaks about her. Not yet. The wound is still so fresh. He had loved her deeply. He didn't even know he is the one that is responsible for her death until recently.
Niklaus watches Elijah face carefully. The stricken look on his brother face already tells him everything. No matter how his brother tries to hide his grievances. Niklaus knew how much Elijah had loved her. Elijah had even fall for Katherina the dopplegangger hundreds of years after.
Niklaus sighs when Elijah did not said a word.
Elijah's silence was no help at all, he wishes Elijah would just speaks his mind. He wants nothing more than for Elijah to tell him what he really wants. Tell him how to make things..right again between them.
Klaus sighs. Maybe a a different approach is needed. After all, Elijah did says he didn't think Klaus would forgave him.
Klaus pressed his forehead to Elijah's. Elijah look surprised for a minute before calmly look at him in the eye.
"I have forgiven you and you should forgives yourself too." It was a long time ago."He says placicatingly.
"So..really you have not reason to leave New Orleans." Klaus says looking into his brother eyes hoping that it is enough to change his mind.
Elijah was happy. He is thrilled even. He did not think Klaus forgiveness was real in Finn's chass le chambre. Now that he knew that Klaus meants it when he said he forgave him. He feel like a burden has been lifted from his shoulder. He is glad but still it changes nothing.
He needed to leave. He need to sort himself. He needs to learn who he is. Who he really is. Who is Elijah Mikaelson. Who he is without his responsibilities to his family.
