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Several weeks had passed since the Papa Tunde incident, and just as he'd promised, Klaus had enthusiastically served her Papa Tunde's head on a silver platter.
The grin on her husband's face had almost been as delightful as the sight of Papa Tunde's gouged out eye sockets. Klaus had been like an excited child, showing off his crafty work proudly.
It was comforting knowing Eve was avenged, and though she still missed the quirky brunette dearly, she was fortunate to have Marcel back.
Her relationship with Rebekah had also flourished into what it had once been. The blonde original had even begun volunteering at the fluer-de-lis sanatorium with Astrid, much to her relief.
If Rebekah hadn't willingly accompanied Astrid, she probably would have simply quit. It wasn't the same without Eve, but at least with Rebekah by her side, she wasn't lonely.
Surprisingly enough, Rebekah had developed a rather close relationship with Genevieve, much to Astrid's astonishment.
The redhead wasn't usually the company Rebekah would keep, unless she was trying to manipulate the situation to gain something in her favour. Regardless, their friendship wasn't any of Astrid's business.
Astrid, however, was more pleased how Rebekah was acting around Marcel, her previous frosty reception melted away.
Though the two were visibly getting along, it was obvious the two were trying to hide this from the rest of them.
But Astrid knew her baby like the back of her hand, the toothy smiles that reached his eyes, the sparkle in his eyes as he spoke to Rebekah.
Perhaps they were rekindling their relationship and if that brought the two of them happiness, then Astrid was happy for them.
Coarse fingertips ran up and down her bare spine before Nik shifted his weight behind her. Leaning forwards, he pressed a kiss to her shoulder, making her smile warmly as his hand gently splayed over her hip.
"What are you thinking about, love?" Nik questioned as she pulled her lower lip between her teeth, hesitating before she tugged the covers further up their naked bodies.
Turning on her side, Astrid shifted so she was facing Niklaus, her hand cupping his cheek as his azure eyes, filled with so much love and light, stared back at her.
Nik's gaze flickered down to her swollen rosy lips as he took in how truly natural she looked before him.
She was naked as the day she was born, her body glistening, covered in a sheen layer of sweat from their rendezvous'.
Her cheeks were still flushed pink, pupils dilated whilst the faded purple hickeys that danced along the slope of her neck slowly healed.
His fingers tapped against her hipbone as he felt his cells knit the wounds on his shoulder blades back together.
Large, bloodied gashes ran down his back, along with the imprints from her sharp fingernails, much to his amusement. His wife had always been a wildcat.
"Marcel." She admitted with a hum as a golden curl briefly eclipsed her vision, falling forwards.
Gently pushing the curl behind her ear, Nik raised his brows. "What about him?"
Anticipation swirled within her stomach, fingers tightening against the silk sheets as Nik's gaze never left her own. "I've been thinking about him and Rebekah." She admitted warily, unsure of how her husband would react.
He was unpredictable, especially about Marcel and Rebekah's relationship. He hadn't accepted it, just as she hadn't, but perhaps he'd come around to the idea, just as she had.
When Nik didn't respond, Astrid took that as her que to continue. "It's come clear to me the past couple of weeks that they still have feelings for each other."
Nik's fingers continued to caress her hipbone beneath the covers as he calmly listened to her, much to her astonishment. "After all this time, I believe if they still feel so strongly for each other, then perhaps we should give them a chance to be happy."
"They'll get hurt." Niklaus replied simply.
Astrid nodded in agreement, a soft sigh falling from her lips. "Perhaps, but they must discover this themselves. You've got to fall to fly."
Her husband was momentarily quiet, concentration laced on his handsome features as his hand fell from her hip. Astrid could only stare at her husband with hopeful eyes.
After a brief minute of hesitation, Niklaus sighed. "I've never been able to say no to you." He huffed, lips lifting into a teasing smirk as she smiled in response.
Hand resting against his chest, she allowed him to pull her close. She'd never grow tired of the warmth he radiated, something that not even Esther's curse could make dormant from his werewolf genes.
"That's not true." She teased as Niklaus snorted.
Running his hand along her back as she pressed her head to his chest, golden curls spreading across his torso, he chuckled. "Whatever you say, love. We both know you've got me wrapped around that little finger of yours."
Astrid snorted, peering up at him briefly. "Just as I'm wrapped around your little finger, husband." She hummed before pressing a kiss to the plane of his chest.
Nik just chuckled, glancing towards the bedside, reaching over to grasp something, whilst ensuring Astrid was still comfortably settled leaned against him.
"I've got a present for you, by the way." He purred, hiding whatever was in his hand beneath the sheets.
Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Astrid pushed herself off his chest, propping herself up against her elbow.
"What have you been plotting?" She chuckled as Nik sent her what was probably supposed to be an innocent smile. Yet he still had the remnants of the devil in his eyes.
Smirking, he pulled his hand from under the cover, revealing two tickets, pushing them into her hands. Astrid raised her brows curiously, taking the tickets, sitting up.
"The opera?" She asked, trying to fight the cheesy grin that was threatening to rise.
She'd been pleading for Nik to take her to the opera for ages. She had become rather fond of attending the opera with Eve, but Nik hadn't been interested, rejecting the proposal whenever it was brought up.
"Of course, love. About time I took you out." He shrugged, as she grinned.
After placing the tickets on her bedside table, she practically lunged at him, making him chuckle as she pressed kisses across his face. "I love you, Nik."
Arms wrapping around her waist, he chuckled. "I love you too, Astrid, always and forever."
