Royals and Rule-breakers

Drunkards and Dreams

TW // mild cursing, alcohol (not with Klaus or the reader), alluding to abuse- feel free to skip this chapter if you wish, it's not too important to the plot, just experimenting.

***

Y/N grumbled as she opened her eyes, hearing a door being thrown open-

Her door.

"Oh! Look at you, little lamb."

Her eyes widened as she bolted upright, watching D'Angelo's swaying figure staggered to her bed, his words slurred and uncomfortably loud.

"All nice n' cozy in bed, huh? Instead of gettin' your ass out there n' finishing your job..."

Run, run, run, she knew she had to run, but sat paralyzed as he swiped his hand at her, thankfully missing; his breath was hot and smelled of alcohol.

"You want me out of a job, huh? You little brat-" He swung his arm again, and Y/N's brain finally jolted awake, adrenaline pumping through her veins as she stumbled out of bed and ran to the door.

"Trying to run again, huh? Remember the last time? You can't run from me, little lamb..."

Her head was pounding painfully with each step, and the hallway began to fade and distort as she turned a corner.

Door.

There was a door.

She flung it open and stumbled into the room, shutting the door behind her and trying to watch her breath.

"Y/N!" A startled Klaus sat up in his own bed. "W-What are you..." his voice trailed off as he adjusted his glasses and got a better look at the terrified artist, and he got up and cautiously made his way to her. "Are you alright? What happened?"

Y/N struggled to breathe for a minute before choking out, "D'Angelo-" and sinking to the ground as coughs racked her body.

Klaus raised his eyebrows as he knelt beside her, carefully resting his hand on her back. "Hey, hey, you're alright, just take a minute to calm down..."

Once Y/N's breathing had somewhat slowed down, she stood up with a grimace. "I'm sorry... your room was the first place I... I'm sorry... good night Klaus."

"What-? Y/N-" Klaus shook his head as she opened the door and peered out into the hallway.

"It's fine. I think he's gone. I'm sorry for waking you."

He took her hand and gently pulled her back into his room, closing the door. "Tell me what happened." He insisted kindly, setting his hand on her arm as she coughed and swayed a bit. "Here, sit down first." He gestured to the nearby couch, upon which Y/N collapsed, coughing more aggressively this time as Klaus sat beside her. "Now, what about D'Angelo?"

"Did- did you talk to him about... about me..."

"Yes, Mr. Poe and I had a talk with him. We just told him you were ill and would be unable to assist him for a bit." Klaus creased his brow with concern. "Why do you ask?"

Y/N shook her head, staring at the ground. "He just... he just got back from town, I think. He was probably at a pub again." She pulled her knees to her chest, tucking her head in her arms. "He was just drunk, and not very happy." Lifting her head, she shrugged a bit. "Happens a lot."

"Y/N... that's..." Klaus sighed, shaking his head. "Did he come into your room?"

Y/N nodded nonchalantly. "It's alright. He'll be fine once he sleeps it off."

"No, Y/N, it's not fine." Klaus frowned a bit, standing up. "We're going to tell the guards."

"Right now-?"

"Yes, right now. Who knows what on Earth he could do in the state that he's in, and you won't be safe until we do something about it-" he turned around to see Y/N's exhausted face gazing back up at him as her fingers wrapped around his wrist to stop him from leaving. She didn't say anything, but the tired, pleading look in her eyes was enough to make Klaus sit back down. "I'm sorry," his face and voice softened as he shook his head, echoing, "I'm sorry, I know you're tired, but... alright." He sighed. "We'll worry about it first thing tomorrow morning. For now... you can stay here for the rest of the night, if you'd like."

"Klaus..."

"I just don't want you to get hurt."

Y/N hesitated, but nodded slightly. "Thank you."

"Of course," Klaus stood up, "Just let me know if you need anything, okay? Water, blankets... just don't go out alone."

"Really, Klaus, you worry too-"

"I told you, I just don't want you to-"

"You don't have to worry about it!"

"Well, perhaps I wouldn't worry as much if you just treated yourself better!"

"I'm-"

"You can't go around with no regard for your own safety! Sometimes when people get hurt, there's nothing you can do about it- but you- if you just stop- you wouldn't get hurt anymore if you just let me-" Klaus struggled with his words, and Y/N went quiet, lowering her head.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I know you're just trying to help."

"No, no, I'm sorry." Klaus sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm not blaming you, I'm sorry. That's not what I meant to say, and I know I'm being overbearing."

"It's alright." Y/N glanced back up at him. "I know why you're like that. Concerned all the time. I suppose I'd be as over protective as you are too if... if..." her voice trailed off, unwilling to bring up the event.

"I suppose." Klaus echoed faintly, then shook his head. "Alright, I think we just need to get some sleep. You, especially, if you want to get better."

"Yeah..." Y/N smiled a little, reaching out and giving Klaus' hand a quick squeeze. "Thank you."

Klaus nodded a bit and smiled back as Y/N lay across the couch, burrowing herself in the pillows. "Goodnight Y/N."

"Goodnight your Highness."

***

There Klaus was again- the gunshots, the screams... it seemed it always get worse the more he was worried...

Except this time, there was a voice.

Soft and quiet, just barely audible over the panicked confusion of the crowd around him, calling his name, almost as if an angel was speaking to him.

There was a hand on his shoulder for a moment as the voice continued, less concerned this time, soothing him, and for the first time the nightmare began to fade away.

***

Klaus rolled over in bed and opened his eyes slightly, then widened them as he spotted someone on the floor beside his bed. Grabbing his glasses, he got up and gently shook the person's shoulder.

"Y/N?"

"Hm...?" She drowsily sat up, brushing her hair out of her face and squinting at Klaus through the glaring sunlight.

"Why are you on the floor?"

"Oh..." she frowned a little, then remembered, "Oh! I think you were having a bad dream."

"What?"

"I was making sure you were alright, and then I guess I just never made it back to the couch." She giggled sheepishly before coughing a bit, still seeming a bit disoriented.

Klaus raised his eyebrows a bit. "Well, you look like you could do with a bit more rest. Why don't you move somewhere a bit more comfortable than the floor?"

"Hm... oh, yes, I should be in bed."

Klaus watched her shakily get to her feet before collapsing onto his bed, figuring she wasn't awake enough to realize who's room it was. She immediately fell back asleep, and Klaus quietly informed her even though she couldn't hear, "I'm going to go talk to the guards now, alright? You're going to be safe from D'Angelo while you're here."

As he quietly left the room, he smiled a bit to himself- the angel voice hadn't been too far away.