Force of Gravity • NM

•59•

The second Naira collapsed in the clearing, Klaus's stillness shattered.

"Naira!"

He was at her side in a flash, falling to his knees, his hand immediately checking her pulse — steady, but faint. Her skin was cold, her lips slightly parted, her chest rising and falling too shallow for his liking.

For a moment , just a moment panic surged in his chest. Not the rage, not the warlord's fury he was used to — something far more fragile.

Fear.

He scooped her up into his arms, cradling her easily, her head resting against his shoulder, her scent tangled with earth and magic. He didn't even stop to grumble about how reckless she was. Not yet.

Kicking open the door of the safehouse with his foot, he strode in and took her straight to her room, placing her gently on the bed. Her curls fanned over the pillow, her hands still marked from spellwork, a line of blood where she'd bitten her lip too hard.

"Bloody stubborn woman..." he muttered, brushing a damp strand of hair from her cheek. She didn't stir. He crouched beside the bed, fingers hovering over her wrist, and just as he opened his mouth to call her name—

His phone rang. Rebekah.

With a growl of frustration, Klaus stood, answering sharply.
"What is it, Bekah?"

"Relax, Nik." Her voice was calm, steady — annoyingly perceptive.
"Stefan, Caroline, Kai and I are coming to the safehouse." Klaus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Absolutely not. I have enough chaos here already, I don't need—"

"We're not there to disturb you. We just want to see Henry......I want to spend time with my baby Nik!...also check on Naira...just be useful while the others go get Freya."

He was quiet for a beat too long.

Rebekah softened her voice.

"Nik... you're scared. That's all this is. You're not angry. You're terrified. And you don't know how to protect everyone all at once."

That touched a nerve.  His jaw clenched, voice low and cutting: "Thank you for the diagnosis, sister. Do bring your therapy couch when you arrive."

Click. He had hung up. Still irritated mostly with himself , he turned back to Naira. She hadn't moved. Her brow was still furrowed in her sleep.

He sighed heavily, dropping onto the edge of the bed.
With surprising gentleness, he reached for her shoes, tugging them off one by one. Her socks next. Her feet were freezing.

"Honestly," he muttered under his breath, rubbing them between his hands.
"Did you have a death wish? Out there on forest floor hexes, what are you, a bloody druid?"

Still no response. He frowned and pressed his thumb into the arch of her foot, rubbing small, careful circles. "I'm going to have to start carrying you in a baby sling like we did Henry."

He shook his head.
"It's your brothers fault. They turned you into this insufferable martyr. Stefan and his irritating, hero-complex nonsense, and the stubbornness totally Damon— Of course you'd inherit that... Damon's stray pup."

His tone was dry but not cruel. His hands, meanwhile, had turned almost... tender.

Just then— A small yawn behind him. "Uncle Nik?"

He turned. There stood Henry, in slightly oversized pajamas with tiny wolves on them, rubbing his eyes and dragging a blanket behind him like a cape.

"Why you pulling Aunty Ni's legs?" Klaus blinked. Then scoffed.

"I am not pulling her legs, I'm—"
He looked down at Naira's foot still in his hand.
"Oh for—go back to bed, little wolf."

But Henry had already toddled over, climbing onto the mattress with zero hesitation and curling up beside Naira, one small hand resting on her arm.

"Can I sleep here?" he  asked....and Klaus sighed, defeated. "Alright...Let's hope she doesn't wake up thinking I've gone soft." He stood, pulled the blankets over both of them, then dimmed the lights with a flick of his fingers. As he stood in the doorway, watching them — Henry nestled against Naira's side, her face peaceful despite the ordeal — something tugged inside his chest.

He exhaled slowly.

"Love...You're going to wake up," he said softly, mostly to himself.
"And you'll find us both here. And you'll smile...then roll your eyes. And insult my so called brooding."

A faint, reluctant smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "And you'll be insufferable again by breakfast." And for once... he couldn't wait.