Strange Fates

Chapter 12 - Can We Talk?

And so your life went for several weeks. A rotation of dates and coffee and days chatting in your shop while you worked. You saw all three of your soulmates often, but rarely together. Truth be told you were getting a bit tired of the endless loop. Everything you wanted to tell the brothers you had to say three times because you were never together with all of them at the same time. Even when you went to the house, which admittedly was rare and brief, the two you weren't scheduled to be with that day always made themselves scarce.

You'd recruited Marcel into helping you get the three of them together. After proclaiming that you needed a day to yourself and dealing with moping from all three of them, Marcel had requested a meeting. It was the only way to ensure they would be home at the same time with no one dodging out.

At seven o'clock you followed Marcel as he walked into the house without knocking.

"Marcel, good to see you my friend. Whatever can we do for you this time?" Klaus asked. You smiled at the happy tone to his voice. He had certainly mellowed out since the two of you met.

"Actually, I'm just here to drop something off." He stepped to the side to reveal you hiding behind him. "Call me if you need anything." He gave you a brief kiss on the cheek, chuckling when all three brothers made some sound of protest.

All of you were silent until Marcel left shutting the door behind him.

"Hello, boys," you greeted with a smile.

They smiled back before shifting their weight and putting more room between themselves. You sighed.

"What are you doing here, dear one? And why involve Marcel?" Elijah asked as he straightened his suitcoat.

"Because I need to talk to all of you and it was the only way to ensure the three of you would get together without me having to pitch a fit about it. So, sit because I have something to say. After I'm done you can leave if you wish."

The three of them exchanged a look before taking their seats. All of them shifted their weight, clearly nervous about whatever you wished to discuss. You chewed on the end of your thumb as you paced the floor trying to find the perfect words to convey your feelings.

"Whatever it is, we can take it, darling," Kol assures you. "Just tell us."

You sucked in a deep breath and nodded once as you turned to face them. "Fine. I can't keep doing this." You gestured between yourself and them.

"You're rejecting us?" The pain in Klaus's voice nearly brings tears to your eyes.

"No, of course not," you say with a shake of your head. "The last few weeks have been the happiest of my life. I wouldn't give them up for anything, but the truth is that I've fallen in love."

Silence stretched for a beat then Elijah cleared his throat. "With whom precisely?"

You shrugged and dropped into a nearby chair. "With all of you. Elijah, I love your calm, protective spirit. The quiet strength that infuses everything that you do. Klaus, I love the soft side of you that creates such beautiful art and I love the other side of you that furiously protects those you love. And Kol, I love your playful heart and the warmth you bring to my life." You twisted your hands together in your lap. "See, you each have a piece of me and there is no way I could ever pick one of you over the others."

"Nor would we ask you to," Elijah is quick to assure you.

"I know that. But I also can't keep doing what we're doing. What's the long-term plan here guys? Am I supposed to just live on my own in my house alternating the time I spend with you?" You shook your head. "I live my life in triplicate. I repeat stories and experiences so no one misses out but it's driving me mad."