Reborn As The Current Doppelganger (SI-Elena G. X Elijah M. X Niklaus M.)

Klaus

"I wanna go get Lays Wavy chip thinnngggs," I whined, my craving for snacks overpowering any sense of urgency Enzo was trying to convey. With a roll of his eyes, Enzo shook his head. "No, you have to go meet with Elijah and then Klaus," he reminded me firmly.

"I don't care. I want my chips," I insisted stubbornly, turning away from the gas station and starting to walk off.

"No, we gotta go. Now," Enzo's voice remained calm, but the urgency in his tone was unmistakable.

*15 minutes later*

I happily hummed to myself as I took a refreshing sip from my slushy, feeling a sense of satisfaction wash over me as I indulged in my impromptu snack.

Meanwhile, Enzo muttered to himself, clearly still bemused by my insistence on stopping for snacks before our meeting.

"Yellow, Suits. Is Klaus coming?" I asked casually, breaking the silence and directing my question to Elijah, who nodded in response.

"Yes. He'll be here. You must be Lorenzo St. John. Yelena's protector and older brother," Elijah acknowledged Enzo, prompting a brief stare-off between the two.

Caught between their intense gaze, I found myself growing bored and distracted, my attention wandering as I meandered a little away from the group. Spotting a small flower nearby, I impulsively plucked it from the ground, holding it delicately in the palm of my hand.

As Elijah's gaze flickered toward me, I couldn't resist the temptation to perform a small display of magic. With a flick of my wrist, I let the flower grow and bloom before raising it up toward him, the vibrant petals dancing in the air.

"I thought we had an understanding, little bird. No magic," Enzo's voice broke through my reverie, his tone tinged with a mixture of admonishment and concern. Sighing softly, I relented, allowing the flower to drift toward Elijah before turning back to Enzo.

"Just a couple more days. Then you don't have to worry anymore about your magic," Enzo reassured me, his words carrying a comforting warmth as I leaned my head against his shoulder, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me.

With the gentle rhythm of Enzo's breathing lulling me into a sense of peace, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, the worries of the day slowly fading away as I surrendered to the embrace of rest.

1.5 hours later

"Yelena, wake up," Enzo's voice roused me from my slumber, and I blinked groggily, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. As I yawned and stretched, a new voice greeted me from behind.

"Hello, love," the unfamiliar voice belonged to Klaus, and I turned to see him standing nearby. Despite the ominous reputation that preceded him, Klaus didn't seem as intimidating in person as the visions I had conjured in my mind.

"I have gone over your list of 'demands' and might I say it's adorable," Klaus remarked with a chuckle, his tone tinged with amusement. "Well, they are fairly simple," I responded, attempting to maintain a calm demeanor despite the tension in the air.

Klaus's gaze hardened slightly, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized me. "Yelena!" Enzo's sharp tone cut through the tension, and I glanced over at him, tilting my head in confusion.

"Sorry about her, she has a high IQ and a low EQ," Enzo interjected, his attempt at defusing the tension falling a bit flat.

"Sorry," I offered, but Enzo shot me a warning glance, silently urging me to remain silent. Confused by his reaction, I took a seat on a nearby rock, feeling somewhat out of place amidst the charged atmosphere.

As Klaus and Enzo continued their discussion, I found myself zoning out, the weight of exhaustion pulling at my eyelids as I struggled to keep up with the conversation.

15 minutes later

I was still lost in my thoughts, trying to decipher what I might have said wrong, when Enzo's voice broke through the haze. "Yelena, it's time to go," he urged, but my attention remained unfocused, my mind still grappling with the recent exchange.

"Yelena...?" Enzo's voice took on a note of concern as he called out to me again, but I couldn't muster a response.

"What's going on?" Elijah's inquiry drew my attention, and I blinked rapidly, trying to regain focus as I turned to face him.

Enzo's voice held a hint of resignation as he explained, "She's spiraling. The last time she did this, she sat still for 2 days straight. Didn't sleep, didn't eat, didn't drink, just stared."

Elijah's expression shifted to one of concern as he processed this information, his gaze turning to me with a mixture of worry and empathy. "When was the last time this happened? What happened? How long did it take for her to come back?" he inquired, stepping closer to me.

"Last ti-" Enzo began, but before he could finish, I found myself blurting out the exact duration of my previous episode without hesitation, my voice devoid of emotion as I recited the precise time elapsed.

"Come on, we can finish your breakdown later," Enzo's tone was gentle as he lifted me up, pulling me close to him. A solitary tear trickled down my cheek as I buried my head against his chest, seeking solace in his comforting embrace.

With a deep sigh, Enzo carried me towards our car, his steady steps echoing in the silence as we left the tension-filled atmosphere behind.

10 minutes later

"Something triggered her. She might get catatonic again," Enzo's announcement brought AJ and my younger brother rushing to my side. Concern etched their faces as they hovered around me, seeking answers.

"Do you know what triggered her?" AJ's voice was filled with worry as she directed the question at Enzo, who shook his head in response.

"Yelena, is everything okay?" AJ's gentle inquiry reached my ears, but my mind remained distant, lost in the tumult of my thoughts. I could feel their eyes on me, their concern palpable in the air, but I couldn't find the words to respond.

"Yelena..." AJ's voice trailed off, her words fading into the background as I continued to stare into the void, unable to break free from the grip of my spiraling thoughts.