Force of Gravity • NM

•11•

As Niklaus, Rebekah, Naira and Stefan arrive at Klaus's expansive, darkly furnished mansion, the air is thick with unspoken tension. Rebekah, somewhat curious about Naira, took her to a room down the hallway to help her settle in. Klaus, meanwhile, guided Stefan into the main sitting room. Klaus casually poured two glasses of aged bourbon, his gaze more curious than usual, and sat back on the leather couch across from Stefan.

After a quiet sip, Klaus finally asks the question: "So, Stefan, how exactly did the so-called 'Rippah' find his humanity again?"

Stefan gave a soft chuckle, looking down at his drink, and then glanced up, his expression a mix of nostalgia and pride. "It's Naira," he begins, a subtle warmth in his eyes. "She's been Damon's and my anchor, our humanity, for as long as I can remember. Even as a kid."

Stefan leans back, eyes distant as he recalls a memory that feels like a lifetime ago. "There was this time, years ago, when my ripper side...let's just say it got the best of me. I'd gone to help out Lexi - a friend, and things spiraled. Lexi had to call Damon, who brought Naira along because she was just a kid—seven, maybe. 

While they argued outside my room, Naira slipped inside. By the time I got out of the shower, I saw her, all curled up on my bed with her toy bunny, just waiting. Just...there, like nothing was wrong."

Klaus listens intently, his usual smirk softened, replaced by something closer to curiosity and quiet introspection."I panicked. Thought I'd lose control just having her there," Stefan continues, his tone growing more reflective. "But she looked at me, calm as ever, and just told me she missed me. Said she wanted me to cuddle with her." He chuckles softly, as if he's still surprised by it.

 "So, I went to her, cautiously. And as I sat there, I felt my humanity start to seep back in, just by being near her. She wrapped herself around me like I was her safe place, told me she loved me for who I was, even the dark parts."

Klaus's gaze sharpens, something stirring behind his eyes—a small, rare glimmer of hope breaking through the centuries-old walls of mistrust and cynicism.

"She fell asleep like that, and when I stepped out to talk to Damon and Lexi, I realized something: my humanity hadn't just 'come back on' like some switch. It was Naira. Her unconditional love was enough to keep my darkness at bay, even when the thirst for blood was still there."

Silence settles between them. Klaus, ever the strategist, finds himself uncharacteristically moved. This was a side of family he barely remembers—a bond untainted by power or fear, purely tethered by love.

 A warmth, faint and unexpected, surfaces. In the quiet of his mansion, Klaus lets himself consider, for the briefest moment, the possibility that maybe, just maybe, even he could find solace, understanding, and acceptance in someone like Naira.

After a pause, Klaus clears his throat, brushing off the emotion that momentarily softened his features. "You're telling me," he murmured, attempting to mask his intrigue, "that this girl... this sister of yours, could keep you anchored without needing to break you?"Stefan gives a faint nod. "She's family, Klaus. Real family. Maybe something you should give a chance."