✔ The Way We Burn || Kol Mikaelson (Complete)

Chapter 42

New Orleans, 1914.

Mary-Alice Clair and her friend Astrid were two gifted witches who desired nothing more than to put an end to Niklaus' tyranny. The only problem was... that Mary-Alice had this very nasty habit of blushing in front of Kol and casting jealous glares at Nora.

Even though Kol never did anything to encourage to witch's flirting, Nora's mood when they came back from Lafayette Cemetery where their laboratory - and 'playhouse' - was located, was never good. Which Kol understood, of course. No one appreciated having someone lust after their significant other, day after day.

Every once in a while, Nora would snap at him and Kol would use his many centuries of expertise in coaxing and loving his dear wife to calm her down.

Sometimes, however, they were both exhausted and angry and Kol just couldn't stop himself from getting irritated with Nora and everything in general.

"You aren't doing a fucking single thing to discourage her!" Nora reproached him for the umpteenth time of the week. "She's this close to jumping your bones and you don't do anything at all! If you are that interested, you could at least tell me!"

"And what do you want me to do?! Tell her to clear off? We still need her help!"

"Oh, so now my husband needs that idiot?"

He suddenly got off the couch, rage all but plastered on his face.

"You know very well I don't mean that! Whether you admit it or not, we do need her! It's not like you can be useful and create the dagger yourself since all you can do is putting everything around you on fire!"

Nora's eyes instantly welled up after he finished talking. The sight of her tears only made him angrier.

"Don't try to fool me with your tears! It won't work this time. I don't have 'stupid' written on my forehead."

"No, but it certainly looks like 'jerk' is carved all over your face! Just go find her since I'm so useless."

Inwardly, Kol knew he should stop there instead of letting the situation get worse. But the walls of the small apartment seemed to close on him and he couldn't calm down no matter what he did.

Without a word, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Outside the building, the fresh air of the night helped to clear his mind and he drew a slow breath, already regretting what happened.

He really hated quarreling with Nora.

Especially when his 'wonderful' vampire hearing didn't know what privacy meant and Nora's sobs were painfully loud to his ears. He wanted to go back inside, wipe off her tears and comfort her, make sure to hear her beautiful laughter, and see her bright smile again. But she needed some time alone, that much he knew all too well.

That, and a few snacks in an hour or two.

Kol rubbed his face, feeling utterly worn-out. Light glowed through the windows of Nora's apartment and Kol took one last glance at them before walking away, hands inside the pockets of his pants.

He wandered the streets of New Orleans at random. There were few people outside at this hour of the night but Kol could still hear them talking, laughing, crying, and yelling inside their home. All this noise around him yet his heart felt empty and the weight on his shoulders became heavier with each step he took.

Truth was, Kol hated New Orleans. His siblings made the city their home but it could never become his. Like Nora, he longed for days when he and Nora could live far away from this place. Together, without the need to sleep elsewhere every few days to pretend Nora was only one of his many imaginary lovers. He also wanted to go with her when she visited Sage outside the city.