Force of Gravity • NM

•17•

The next morning, the dining room of the Salvatore boarding house was unusually full as the smell of fresh coffee and pancakes filled the air. Damon, Stefan, Klaus, Rebekah, and Naira were seated around the table, a surprising sight in itself. Damon leaned back in his chair, holding his coffee mug with a smirk, watching Klaus, who seemed oddly relaxed as he poured himself a cup.

"So, Niklaus, still planning to rule the world with your army of hybrids?" Damon taunted, raising an eyebrow as he bit into his pancake.

Klaus chuckled, "Only when the world isn't this mundane, Damon."Stefan rolled his eyes. "I'll take a boring world any day if it means less bloodshed."

Rebekah, cutting into her breakfast with a dignified air, looked over at Naira and shared a knowing smile. "Our family isn't exactly known for peaceful breakfasts, you know. This is almost... cozy."

Naira giggled, feeling a warm sense of belonging. "Well, I think everyone deserves some peace every once in a while."Klaus's gaze softened at her words, but just as he was about to say something, the door opened, and in walked Elena, followed by Bonnie, Caroline, and Jeremy. The room quieted immediately. 

Klaus's face shifted from amusement to barely concealed irritation.

"Morning," Elena said, looking a little tense but resolved."What a surprise," Klaus drawled, his expression unreadable. "And what, pray tell, brings you here?"Elena took a deep breath, exchanging a look with Stefan before speaking. "I want a truce, Klaus. Between us and you. No more games, no more blood. If it means that I have to give you my blood in small stashes, fine."

Klaus's jaw tensed. The silence grew heavier, but slowly, he nodded. "I accept... for now. But remember, Elena, betrayal doesn't sit well with me."

There was a collective exhale, a silent understanding forming in the room. Then, Damon grinned and leaned toward Klaus. "Look at that. A truce over eggs and pancakes. Almost poetic."

The tension broke, and everyone returned to breakfast, though glances were exchanged with careful truce-like calm. Just then, the door opened, and Katherine strode in, her expression turning from composed to pure shock as her gaze landed on Klaus.

"Klaus" Katherine wishpered, her face a mixture of fear and surprise.Damon chuckled. "Aw, Katherine, I didn't know you could still be scared. But look! Klaus is just here for breakfast."

Klaus smirked at her reaction, while Katherine gave him a wary look and quickly moved to the side. "Funny, Damon. Hilarious, really," she shot back, eyeing Klaus cautiously.

Before anyone else could speak, Elijah walked through the doorway, carrying a set of coffins. His presence immediately quieted the room as he carefully placed the coffins against the wall, looking at Klaus with a meaningful gaze. "Our family is not complete without them."

Naira's curiosity got the better of her, and she looked up at Elijah. "How many siblings do you have?"

Klaus exchanged a look with Rebekah, who gave him a nod, and Elijah responded, "There were seven of us, though... not all are still with us. Finn, the eldest, then myself, Niklaus, Rebekah, Kol..." He paused. "And Henrik, the youngest, though he..." Elijah trailed off, a flicker of sadness in his eyes. "Henrik never made it to adulthood."

There was a somber silence, and Naira felt the weight of that loss. But she noticed Elijah looking at her a little more intently, as if recognizing something.

"You're the girl from the woods, aren't you?" Elijah said softly, recalling his memory of seeing Naira with the Klaus's wolf. "I never thought...Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am Elijah Mikealson" He glanced briefly at Klaus, who had a faint look of discomfort as if he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the memory being shared.

Damon's brow furrowed in confusion. "Hold on, Naira... you met Klaus?" he asked, looking stunned. Stefan's eyes also went wide with surprise, and he looked between Klaus and Naira, almost disbelieving.

Naira flushed a bit. "Well, yes... but I didn't know it was him at the time, just an injured wolf" she clarified, glancing at Klaus, whose gaze held a complicated mix of gratitude and something else.

Rebekah chuckled softly, glancing at Klaus with a sly grin. "Injured? weren't you supposed to be the almighty hybrid?"

Klaus gave her an exasperated look. "Hush Bekah."

Katherine, shaking her head, muttered, "So much for safety barrier spells. This is Mystic Falls, after all."

Naira looked back at Klaus, an amused smile on her lips as she thought of the wolf she had cuddled with, unaware of who he really was. "I can't believe that wolf was you... You could have told me"Klaus gave a small, almost sheepish smile, leaning back. " I've never been one to ignore kindness, even if it was... unintended, but thank you love"

There was a gentle silence, filled with understanding and a newfound sense of unity. As the group settled into an uneasy but shared truce, it was clear that this moment, this fragile peace, was something they all needed—if only for a little while.