𝐇𝐎𝐀𝐗 | tvd & reign oneshots

- 𝗶 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁.

"You looked out for me when I had no one. You're giving me a second chance now when no one will. I love you."
- Katerina Petrova to Elijah Mikaelson, 4x18, "American Gothic" - what would've happened had Elijah had stayed for Katherine in 4x20, The Originals. THE WAY DANIEL GILLIES HAS CHEMISTRY WITH EVERYONE I CANNOT — also i thought i'd play something along the lines of "friends with benefits" that Katherine mentioned

...

Katherine has arrived at his doorstep once again.

This is a familiar arrangement they have found themselves in before. Every time, he tells himself; it is only fornication, fucking, a means to an end. It is nothing more, just a much-needed release of pent-up emotions from old acquaintances whose paths continuously meet. Whether it is their curse, the universe's way of tempting them with what they can never have, whether it is purely coincidence, he does not wish to know.

Today, however, brings a wave of change; unfamiliar yet melancholy. For the first time in months, they are not engaged in a battle for dominance as soon as her feet step through that door. Instead, he is standing in the living room, hands tucked into his pockets. It is a look Katherine has seen on him more and more lately as their... indiscretions continue. What it means, she does not know, but she does eventually wish to find out.

"What's up with the mood here?" she remarks snidely in true Katherine fashion. Turning around to face her, he manages a small smile; no matter how many times she sneaks up on him, he never sees her coming. "I heard the entire conversation, if you're wondering. I'm a vampire, remember?"

"You do realize — I always know when you're coming?" He struts over to her, hands still deeply tucked into his pockets. It is a little white lie made in an effort to lighten the mood; nonetheless, Katherine sees right through the facade. "She's right, you know. Klaus is stark raving mad, not to mention, completely irredeemable. Allow him to set off on this new adventure, and let's you and I venture off on one of our own."

He says nothing and only looks at her as she continues. "I have lost so much of my life to Klaus. So have you."

Her hands run up his arms as they speak, a move she's used often to seduce him. It is nothing. "It's our turn, Elijah, please."

He is not able to look her in the eye as he takes one of her hands, placing a delicate kiss on it. "Katerina..."

Cupping her cheek gently, Elijah first decides to aim for her lips, then changes his mind instead and moves to her forehead, placing one indelible, lingering tattoo kiss there. He feels as if he could stay there forever, closing his eyes to embrace and take in as much of this moment as he could possible. When he feels her leaning into his touch, it snaps him back to reality, a reminder that he has already stayed here long enough. "...goodbye."

As he begins to leave, her small hand reaches out to grab his wrist, and Elijah could've so easily pulled away at that moment. He is not willing himself to look back, yet his traitorous eyes betray him regardless. He has never seen Katherine like this; it was a look he thought had been lost along with Katerina nearly half a millennium ago.

"I want you to stay," she says.

Five words. Fourteen letters. They are just words, he tells himself. They are nothing more than mere words, a tactic she surely has used upon many a man. Yet, there is something about the way she says it; this tone is pure desperation and tenderness, no cunning or malice behind it. It is not Katherine who is standing before him; it is Katerina. His Katerina. For a moment, just one, fleeting moment, he sees her. Beneath Katherine, beneath this kingdom of hers built upon lies and deception, there is Katerina, her humanity.

It is a beautiful mess, what they have created. Their desperation reveals itself as they slowly come undone, then, just as languidly, fit themselves back together once more.

Lately, either one of them have been waking up to an empty bed. It is not the first time he falls asleep next to her, but certainly the most meaningful. Tangled in his bedsheets under the pale moonlight peeking through the blinds, Elijah wants nothing more than to capture this moment forever.

Threading his fingers through her hair, he leans over and places a kiss near her temple. "Sweet dreams, Katerina. I love you."

And for once, he decides to stay.

...

AUTHOR'S NOTE | no i am not crying to adele at 12 am while writing a kalijah fanfic who the fuck do you think i am. i wrote this in the span of fifteen minutes so all errors are mine