this is where i'll be waiting for you ➳ klaus mikaelson [ the vampire diaries ]

1.23 | fated for misery

If asked to describe what she was feeling as she stood before the house she so desperately wanted to escape just the other day. From the outside, she didn't recognize it. She never got a chance to see it. When she was brought to it and when she left it she was unconscious. It was a small cabin in a wooded area, but there were a few nearby ones as well. She stood on the wooden porch as she waited for the door to open after knocking on it.

She curled her fingers into her palm as she waited anxiously. She could feel her heart racing in her chest. Part of her wanted to turn around and leave. Forget and put it all behind her. But she worried that if she did that, she would never move on. However, she didn't know how she would react to what she was about to do. Would it truly be helpful? Would it make her feel guilty for the rest of her life? She already felt guilty. And angry. Sad. Afraid. Every unpleasant emotion she could possibly feel was what flowed through her. But a dam was created in front of her river of emotions when the door was pulled open, revealing the face of the man that took her.

Astoria's eyes instantly trailed to his forehead, noticing a few scrapes and bruises that must've occurred when he fell to the floor. He had a bandage wrapped around his head, no doubt to help him to heal from Astoria hitting a log against the back of it.

Seeing him caused her to freeze. He was bruised yes, while Astoria was healed, but he wasn't the one that suffered memories of the night before. That was Astoria, who remembered the pain of every injury he caused her. She tried to remind herself that it was really Kol behind it, but she couldn't hurt Kol. At least not physically. Maybe if someone else suffered the consequences of his actions he would be the one to carry the guilt and not her. At least that is what she would later tell herself as an excuse to disperse of any guilt she was to feel.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was gruff and unpleasant, like Astoria was the one who to blame. She did hurt him, but only to defend herself.

"You have some nerve to even show your face here," He continued, taking Astoria by surprise. She wondered what he was thinking in that moment. Was he still under Kol's compulsion or was it all him?

"I for one do admire a woman with such tenacity," She heard Klaus speak up from behind her, placing his hand gently on her lower hip.

Astoria had forgotten about his presence momentarily. Klaus had offered to come with her, which Astoria was thankful for. She didn't know if she would be strong enough to go through with it. On her own.

"What are you doing here?" He narrowed his eyes at Klaus. He must've recognized the older vampire.

"Ensuring that my lady here is able to get what it is that she needs," Klaus answered.

Astoria didn't have to see him to know that there was a smirk forming on his lips as he spoke. He found situations like this amusing. She didn't get it. Astoria was no stranger to doing bad things to survive, but Klaus didn't do bad things for survival. He did them because he was bored, because he could, or because he wanted to show off. Then he would walk away like nothing ever happened. Astoria wondered what it was like to live without guilt or shame. She carried so much of it that it weighed her down and made it difficult for her to move on from anything. She admired that about him. His ability to not be burdened by emotions that she wished she could do the same, especially now. Maybe she could with his guidance.

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Astoria closed her eyes as she felt Klaus' fingers brush through her dark hair, pulling her hand up and resting it on his chest, right over his heart and next to where her head rested. Laying with Klaus felt strange once she thought about it. For so long all she ever thought about was running from the man whose arms she now laid in. Now his hands, the same hands that were responsible for so many and had only just been covered in blood, were now running through her hair.