The Originals One-Shots

Love and Loss

 Los Angeles, California 
Summer of 1956

 "And this is my dear brother Elijah."
 
 Elijah Mikaelson looked up at the man his brother was introducing him to. "Hello. I don't believe we met."
 
 "It seems we haven't." There was an unmistakable trace of a Southern accent in the newcomer's voice. "Name's Andy Matthews. Friend of your brother here."
 
 Elijah listened to them both talk with very little interest. If this man was friends with Niklaus Mikaelson, then he had to be just as bad as him, and Elijah did not need another Klaus in his life.
 
 Unfortunately, Andy seemed very interested in Elijah. 

~~~~~~

 In the next few weeks, Elijah did see Andy again several times after that. He did find the other man attractive, but he tried to act as disinterested as possible, not wanting to enter another potentially doomed romance. 
 
 So when the door knocked on an evening when Klaus was out, Elijah was surprised to see Andy standing there.

 "Hello, Andrew," Elijah said. "My brother is out."
 
 Andy looked surprised. "No one's called me Andrew in years. I know Klaus isn't here. I saw him leave. I wanted to see you. Can I come in?" 
 
 And that was the beginning. They sat by the fireplace and talked for ages. Andy wasn't the horrible creature Elijah had originally thought he was. When Klaus returned home, he seemed pleased that his brother and his new friend enjoying each other's company. 

 Before Andy left, when Klaus wasn't looking, he gave Elijah a quick kiss on the cheek and pressed a note into his hand.

 Meet me in the old warehouse down the street tomorrow night.
 Please come, Elijah. I like you a lot.

~~~~~~

 When Elijah arrived the next night, Andy was already there waiting for him.
 
 "Why did you kiss me last night?" Elijah asked.
 
 "Because I like you. Sure, I liked your brother at first, but when I met you and looked into your eyes, I fell hard. I've been hanging around because of you." 
 
 Before Elijah could respond, Andy pulled into a passionate kiss. When Elijah kissed him back, he got the response he had hoped for.

~~~~~~
 
 Elijah and Andy spent an entire summer entangled in their secret romance. Klaus didn't seem to have any idea. Whenever he was around the two acted as if they were merely friendly with each other. The few times Elijah did worry about Klaus's reaction, should he ever discover their relationship, Andy would take his hand and assure him everything would be okay. And then Elijah believed it. 

 They believed their love was safe, because they had no idea just how observant Klaus had been. 
 
 On one late August afternoon, there was a knock on the door to Andy's apartment. He thought perhaps Elijah had come early. Instead it was Klaus.
 "Hello, Andy," he said. "May I come in?"

~~~~~~
 
 When Elijah arrived a few hours later, he found the door was slightly ajar. "Andy?" He pushed the door open-to find his lover's bloody, lifeless body on the floor.
 
 "NO!" Elijah bent down over Andy's body. "Andy." 
 
 "It had to be done, Elijah." Klaus stepped into the room.
 
 Elijah looked up at his brother. "You did this."
 
 "I had to. He wasn't good enough for you. You can have much better. You deserve better."
 
 "Is that your excuse?" Elijah demanded. "I fell in love with a man who loved me. Isn't that good enough? You didn't murder him because you thought he wasn't good enough for me. You're afraid of being left alone." With that, Elijah stormed out without looking back, leaving Klaus alone. 

~~~~~~

  Elijah refused to speak to Klaus for the next few weeks, and barely even looked at him. Klaus knew better than to push him.
 
 Eventually, they began to speak again, but it took a long time for the iciness to disappear, for them to be at ease with each other again.
 
 One thing kept them together: they were both afraid of being alone.