"Y/N?"
Heavy breaths filled Y/N's room as she clutched the bed sheets, laying on her right side. The door was behind her, scaring her even more. "Who knows what lurks in the dark." Her eyes were pressed closed so tight her head almost hurt. No crying, please, no crying.
"Y/N, hey," came the voice of Kol Mikaelson. "Your heart's beating so fast I would think you were indecent." He chuckled lowly, leaning on the door's frame. When she didn't answer, remaining still - she was desperately trying not to sob - he moved slowly towards the bed. "Oh, come on, Y/N/N. Everyone else is gone and you're just being boring."
"Go away," she croaked, her throat tighter than it ever had been. "Please."
The bed dipped next to her, his arms pressing on her waist, shaking her back and forth. "Y/N," he whined loudly. "Why aren't you paying attention to me?"
Just then the lights flickered, when thunder clapped through the sky, a whimper escaped Y/N's mouth, clutching the sheets even tighter - her hands had started turning white - and her body tensed. Kol felt it.
"Y/N," he said softly. "Hey." He gently un-clutched her hands from the sheets and threaded her fingers on her right hand through his. He cautiously pulled her body so that she was facing him.
When the lightning flashed through the sky, casting shadows through the room, she whimpered, crawling into a ball and sitting against the headboard.
"Hey, Darling, look at me," Kol said softly. She simply shook her head, wrenching her hand from his to press them dangerously hard into her eyes. "Hey, no, no, Darling, I need you to look at me." He took both her hands in his and grabbed them by the wrist in one hand, the other cupping her face.
"No," she whispered.
"I'm right here, Darling. Just look at me," he assured. She cracked her eyes open, black dots swimming in front of her eyes but she blinked a couple of times and could see a blurry version of the "Annoying Mikaelson", as she had called him. "Need you to breathe with me, yeah? Think you can do that with me?"
"Y-yeah," her voice cracked. He took her body gently and pressed her against his chest, arms around her waist so she could feel his breathing.
"That's a girl," he smiled. "Now, breathe like I am, yeah?" His breathing was calm and she tried copying, her breathing faster than his at first but slowing down after a while to match his. "That's a girl."
There was something calming about the way his hands held her and even through the thunder and the darkness where shadows that represented monstrous things, she felt safe in his arms.
Kol Mikaelson and and Y/N Y/L/N were never truly close. Yes, he would bother her when he wanted something - memories of 'do something with me' when he had been left alone by his brothers or sister and was bored - but thinking back now, Y/N could see him there. Whether it be at her graduation or at her parents' funeral, he was there. Even in the back of the restaurant at her most recent date. But that was something that was difficult to forget.
"So," Y/N smiled at the man in front of her, taking a sip of her cocktail. They had been conversing back and forth for a few minutes now and she thought that he, Brad, was a nice guy. "What do you do for a living? Or in general, I suppose," she chuckled.
"Oh, I'm a personal assistant," he said proudly. The bar around them was loud, shouts of laughter coming from everywhere. In the corner sat Kol Mikaelson, his eyes downcast and listening.
"Damn, this guy is boring," he murmured under his breath.
"Oh, cool!" Y/N smiled at the man. "Think you can get me another drink? I don't really think I should drink this...pink thing."
"Yeah, sure, be right back," he gushed.
When he stood and walked away from the table, she pulled out her phone, calling the very girl who set her up.
"Hey, Beks," she smiled awkwardly and waved when he, Brad, grinned at her from the bar counter.
"Hey, sweets, how's the date?"
"Um, Beks, listen, he's a really nice guy-"
"No! No, you have to like him, I'm tired of your moping," she whined into the phone.
"But, Rebekah, he was telling me about himself and his job and my only thought was 'fuck, I'm so bored'!" Her voice was quiet enough that only Kol could hear her with his supernatural hearing. A smile grew on his face. "Beks, please get me out of here, anything will do, please."
"No, now get back to your date."
"Rebekah-"
The phone cut off and she was left frowning at her phone. "Hey, is everything good?"
"Yeah, I just-"
"Go home. You had a nice date with Y/N, she was sweet, you won't call her again," compelled Kol, seemingly coming from nowhere. As Brad left the bar in a haze, Y/N stood from her seat, smacking Kol in the chest.
"What the Hell, dude?"
Hours later, they were in the same position. It was now around ten at night and they were now just talking about life. "Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Yeah, of course, dumbass," Y/N laughed out.
"Why did you go out with that Brent guy?"
"Brad-"
"Whatever."
"And I guess I just wanted someone? It doesn't really make sense, I just feel lonely and wanted to feel... wanted?" A nervous laugh escaped her mouth. "I don't know."
"You are wanted."
"Maybe."
"You are," he insisted, turning her body around to face him. Her face turned red when she realized she was straddling him, but she simply rested her head on his shoulder. "By me."
"Yeah, sure," she mumbled against his shoulder. "I just meant a different way, you know?"
He gently cupped her face and brought them eye to eye. "I know, Darling."
Silence. Staring in silence. Peace. They weren't doing anything. Simply existing. Being.
"Kol," she said after a few minutes.
"Hm," he hummed.
"Think you'd be okay if I kissed you?" Her body felt tense as he hummed, thinking.
"Yeah." He grinned now.
"Quit playing me," she laughed, smacking his shoulder.
"Quit playing me," he mocked in a high-pitched voice.
"Fuck, you're the most annoying Mikaelson," she grumbled, sitting as far back as she could in his lap.
"Yeah? Am I that annoying? 'S that why you wanted to kiss this annoying Mikaelson?"
"Fuck you," she pouted.
"Okay."
He kissed her pout, chuckling when she smiled immediately. Her hand pressed against his chest, the other on the back of his neck. Kol's hand was on her waist whilst the other was wound in her hair, pressing her closer.
"You know, I could get used to storms," she hummed against his lips.
He laughed, moving down to her neck, pressing soft kisses on her jaw down to her collarbone. "Yeah? Thought you were terrified."
"Yeah, now I'm stuck kissing you, dickhead."
