Severed Heaven (Niklaus and Elijah Mikaelson)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Heartbreak, Love and Raw Emotions

               It was the setting of the sun that pleased me, and made me feel unexpectedly well. It was the stillness in the streets that calmed me down enough to realise what I had just done— what Elijah and I had just done. However, for the first time in a long time, I found myself able to deal with it, with something that may or may not have been the right thing, but I wasn't going to scold myself, neither was I going to argue back and forth inside my head, no, I was going to let it go for once.

And what pleased me the most was the content feel inside of my chest. Happy. One might have labelled it as happy.

Without a single scratch on my body, I arrived at my apartment, fumbling for my keys in the messiest parts of my bag. A thought suddenly struck me like lightening. I couldn't have left them at the compound now, could I? No, I couldn't go back there. I couldn't face Elijah again. Not so soon. My heart was racing at the thought of it. Fortunately, then, the tips of my fingers grasped something cool, and my composure restored. There they were.

I let myself inside, and the instant question to myself from myself was whether I'd forgotten to turn off the light off again last time I was here, but then it all made perfect sense when I was suddenly looking into his eyes; those exquisite blue eyes that I'd been hoping to avoid.

He looked relieved to see me when I closed the door with hesitation. It was the same look that his brother had given me, but his hadn't made me feel tempered unlike Niklaus', though, I loved those eyes nonetheless, perhaps they were my favourite on this entire planet. "What are you doing here?" I asked him. My voice balanced perfectly between tolerable annoyance and accepted endurance. I didn't need to convince myself that I should give him a chance to explain myself, because after everything I couldn't just rebuke.

He was seated on the sofa, watching me as I relieved myself of my coat. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

I would be lying if I said that didn't make me melt on the outside and inside. As I knew exactly what to say, but pretended like I didn't, I tried to dodge his eyes as much as possible. Me and my emotions were conflicted on how to feel, on how to present myself towards him— grateful, or indifferent? I was feeling so much more beyond those two options, which only made it harder. "Well." I let him catch my gaze with his own to show him my appreciation for the past hours. "You can't just keep showing up uninvited."

It appeared he'd seen that coming, because he released a deep exhale along with a nod, and then carefully approached me with quiet footsteps, never nearing me too closely, though.

I decided to portray myself as unapproachable, not mad, but unapproachable. It seemed the better option, so I crossed my arms over my chest, not once giving into that handsome face, which I knew I would be able to read perfectly if I stared for long enough. I couldn't let myself get lost when all I wanted was to stand my ground, to show him that I wasn't fragile, and never was.

Slowly, but surely, I was letting my guard down. When I looked back at him long enough, I was feeling as though he carried my heart in his hands, bruising it whenever he pleased. I blindly authorised him to take my breath away.

We fell into a sudden uneasiness. I let him get away with the painful silence, and it led me to feeling defenceless.

And whenever I felt that way, I tended to grow cold, distant, and provoked.

It looked like the truth was hanging from his lips, and for the first time today I did want to hear it. "I knew you wouldn't want to stay at the compound." He knew me all too well, didn't he? His faultless guess made my heart skip. "But it didn't feel right to leave you alone after everything." His words were out in the open now. I could do with them whatever the hell I pleased, and out of everything, I decided to let them trigger my anger.