ᎻᎬᏚᎢᏆᎪ

CHAPTER TWO

nodding in greeting to him, she says, "hello. thank you for the welcome, but may i ask what you're doing here?"

he seemed surprised by the genuine smile she gave him, but continued on. "can't someone just come over and greet the new person in town?"

hestia nods, but her eyes glint knowingly. "they can, but you seem a bit interested in something else. what brings you over here, really?"

the man sighs in fake dejection, but his smile turns a little more real as he looks back at her.

"i'm klaus. it's nice to meet someone else who's new in town."

her eyes widen in slight surprise, asking, "you're not a local? with the way you were talking, i almost would've considered it so. the accent kind of gives you away, though." klaus chuckles a little, nodding in agreement. hestia takes her drink and takes a sip of it, watching the man as he watches her right back.

"what brings you to mystic falls, miss?"

she adopts a look of slight disdain at the term. "please don't say that, it makes me feel old. just call me hestia."

klaus raises an eyebrow, asking, "like the goddess?"

she smiles in amusement. "yes, like the goddess. since you're asking, what brings you to mystic falls?"

the man frowns darkly, as if the question was something to be angry at itself, and hestia immediately tried to retract it.

"sorry, i didn't mean to pry. it's just that you asked me, so i-"

his frown changed in seconds, becoming strained as he says, "no, it's alright, it's alright. i apologize for getting so defensive, i didn't mean it. it's just that, my sister is missing in this town, and there are some people here... that have taken somethings that are very precious to me. if it weren't for them, i wouldn't stay in this bloody town any longer than i have to."

sending klaus a genuine, understanding smile, hestia gently placed her hand over his. he tenses at the gesture, looking between her eyes and her hand covering his own. they stared at each other for a few minutes, the man contemplating if he should let himself soften for this woman who appeared to be nothing but kind; or if he should walk away and ignore her very existence during her stay in mystic falls.

her voice broke him out of his thoughts, though.

"i'm sorry to cut this short, klaus, but i need to be going. i'll see you around, yes?"

he smiles in return, standing up with her and holding his hand out for her to shake. hestia, smiling wider, takes his hand and shakes it firmly. she takes out some money and places it on the table, waving at klaus as she walks out of the grill.

klaus watched her leave, eyes observing her every movement with predatory interest. hestia's honest kindness towards him, an unusual stranger, had him wondering if maybe he'd actually be able to make a true friend in this town. he went to go back to the bar, but a smirk replaced the smile on his lips when he sees the blond teenager approach the table that he'd waited on previously.

"klaus," the boy grits out, and the man nods in acknowledgement of the teenager.

"what can i do for you, matt?" he questions, amusement and taunting obvious in his voice. the boy glowers at him, taking hestia's plate and drink off the table as well as the money she'd left behind.