Claudia Lockwood-Mikaelson

Chapter 12 - Let me clear up any confusion

"You see, I told you," Jannah squeals with excitement as I tell her about the night Nik and I ran into Marcel. She was particularly happy about Nik kissing me and our agreement to let him help me on my first full moon.

"It doesn't mean anything. We were just teasing Marcel," I say to her.

"Oh you are either blind or stupid if you think Nik isn't interested in you. He literally told you he fancies you. What more do you want?" She retorts.

"Um, maybe for him to be clear about what he wants?" I suggest to her. Obviously she doesn't understand my confusion. "He says that and then we just act like friends until he wants to make Marcel jealous. I don't understand."

"Talk to him, Claudia. I can't tell you what he wants, you need to talk to him."

When she leaves, I finally gain the courage to knock on his door to speak to him. There is no answer and I sigh about to turn to leave when the door opens and Nik stands right in front of me.

"Claudia," he says with a smile. "This is unexpected, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Can I talk to you?" I ask him apprehensively. He nods stepping back allowing me to enter his room. I look around taking it all in and I am hit with his familiar smell. It surrounds me, calming my nerves. I take a seat in a chair next to his bed and he sits on it in facing me.

"I'm going home today. If you were serious about coming with me..." I trail off feeling unsure of myself.

"Yes," he affirms without a second thought. "Yes I was, I still am."

We discuss the logistics of travelling home, arranging everything we need before I hesitate again. "Why did you kiss me in front of Marcel?"

"You're beautiful and smart Claudia, do you really need me to explain more?" Nik asks me seriously.

"Yes, I'm getting mixed signals," I honestly tell him and he frowns at me.

"I don't believe you are love, I told you I fancy you. I thought I was very clear about that."

"But I don't know what you want from me, Nik. You only kissed me because he was there," I clarify trying to hide my emotions.

"Ah, so that's what this is all about," he looks at me knowingly. "Let me clear up any confusion." He leans down and softly places his lips over mine. I close my eyes and lean into him bringing my hands up to cup his face in my palms before he pulls away from me too soon.

"I didn't want to scare you off, you're not on the best of terms with Maeve or Elijah right now. The last thing I wanted was for us to be at odds too if I misread the situation," he says, his face inches from mine.

"Well you assumed wrong." My response makes him chuckle.

"You have corrected my oversight wonderfully love. I won't make the same mistake again."

"Good," I say and press my lips onto his. He groans and takes control of the kiss before I pull away to take a deep breath. His lips find mine again forcefully and we crash to the floor with a loud bang and I can't help but let out a giggle.

Not a second later, the door flies open revealing Elijah standing there wearing a worried expression on his face. "Niklaus, is everything alright?" he questions. His worry vanishes when he realises what the loud racket was, observing us on the floor.

"It was more than alright until you interrupted us brother," Nik scowls at him. I hide my face in his shoulder, embarrassed to be caught on the ground with him on top of me. Elijah says nothing and leaves, closing the door behind him as I push Nik off me feeling flustered.