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

Epilogue

Many years later - New York

Nora stretched her arms out, her back arching deliciously against the back of her seat. A few creaks echoed in the cockpit and her co-pilot grimaced in disgust, causing Nora to chuckle.

"No matter how much I hear it, it still sounds disgusting."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you say that every single time," Nora mocked her colleague good-naturedly before proceeding to check the instrument panel one last time. After making sure everything was in order, she got out of her seat and stretched one more time, rolling her shoulders and rubbing her aching neck. "Alright, we're done here, Tommy. My weekend is calling me so damn loudly people in Paris must hear it."

The man in uniform next to her snorted. "You're sure it's not your husband who's calling you for another one of your month-long holidays? Ah, it must be so nice to be filthy rich. Why do you even work? I'd kill for just a week doing nothing but sleeping and-"

"...eating pizzas, yeah, I know that too, Tommy," Nora cut him off with a smirk.

She gave him a playful wink and a wave of her hand, and dragged herself out of the cockpit, making her way out of the plane and into the cloakroom reserved for the female airline employees inside the airport as fast as her aching muscles allowed her to. There were already several stewardesses taking off their elegant uniforms and getting dressed in their everyday clothes. Their crew had done five domestic flights just this day and everyone was dead on their feet, wanting nothing more than to go home and sleep till next year. Or century, Nora's case. There was only so much that energy drinks could do. Once the job was done, so was the adrenaline coursing through her body. All that was left was a tired invertebrate that vaguely looked like a human being.

Still, she forced herself to undo her shirt, tugging at the collar to get more air into her lungs when she struggled to under the top buttons. After a long fight that the shirt almost won, she managed to get out of her shirt and pants and hopped into a pair of baggy pants and an old, large t-shirt of Kol. The original color had once been blue but it had long since faded to a dull grey. She hastily pulled up her hair in a loose bun and grabbed her bag before stumbling out of the damn room which smelt of perfumes, sweat, and makeup. Not the best combination if she were to be honest.

Kol was waiting for her at the entrance of the airport, standing still in spite of the crowd. Unlike her unkempt self, he looked dashing with his hair brushed back and his black pants fitting just right enough that she kind of wanted him to turn around so that she could ogle his ass like the two old ladies behind him. Not that the front wasn't a nice view too, especially with the way his sweater hugged the muscles of his arms that were crossed in front of his chest.

There was a smile on his face and his eyes instantly lit up when they met hers. Her pace quickened and she quickly found herself in his arms, pulling his head down for a peck on his lips.

"Hello there," Kol greeted her in a soft voice after she pulled back. Not caring about the people's stares, he scooped her in his arms, startling a squeal out of her. "Difficult day?"

"Exhausting," she said after hooking an arm around his shoulders and resting the side of her face against his neck, nuzzling him. She could feel his pulse against her cheek and the comfort it brought her was just enough to make her forget her tiredness. "We got one hell of an asshole on the flight back. Mr. Moody and Drunk Bastard tried to get into the cockpit because he thought he could fly the plane better. I swear global warming and pollution are making people crazier by the day."

"You only realize that now?" he chuckled, and Nora's tired mind linked the sound to dark, velvet, and delicious chocolate. She nipped at the skin of his neck, enjoying the way his breath caught as he walked them out of the airport, to the parking lot where their car was parked. The vehicle was nothing fancy to look at but it worked just fine and was both low-key and of high quality. Kol opened the door of the passenger seat and helped her into the seat before he rummaged through the glove compartment. A beat later, a chocolate bar of her favorite brand appeared in front of her bleary eyes. "Here you are, darling. Let's get the monster in your stomach fed."