Bloom || HOPE MIKAELSON x RYAN CLARKE

13] BOUNDARIES

The coronation will bring carnage,

As there is only one king,

The heir may pretend,

But he who rules knows the enemy,

Lupines, by their nutritious seeds, enrich the soils,

But the Columbine remains the key to the heart.

Ryan groaned and pushed himself in a sitting position.
Leaning his back on the headboard, he sucked in an unsteady breath. His hair was wet with sweat and his thoughts frantic -more frantic than they'd ever been. He could feel the steady throb of his heart hammering in his ears as the words closed behind his eyelids. Haunting, was what they were.

The first thing that made way through his fogged brain were hints of white and pink -the silky petals he'd picked himself, resting atop Hope's nightstand. So that she could keep them close to her heart, she'd said, but their smell was starting to make him dizzy.

There was movement beside him but his heavy breathing alone wasn't nearly enough to tear Hope from her peaceful sleep. During the past week, she'd slept a lot, never alert for any looming danger. Instead, he kept watch over her most of every night, when her father wasn't by her side. Sometimes, as in this moment, he happened to be watching over them both.

''Bad dreams?'' Klaus asked, his eyes never once straying from his daughter. She slept on her back but her tank top revealed the dark veins coating her bare arms. They continued to spread, unaffected by the original's glare.

''I'm fine.'' Ryan answered and spread his arms. After taking off a layer, he lay back under the covers and turned on his side so that he could watch Hope, ''She's been very tired lately.'' he murmured, reaching out to brush her hair out of her face.

''The magic has taken its toll on her. If it keeps working this way...'' Klaus trailed off, shifting in his chair. He didn't even want to think about it. His ears suddenly twitched and Ryan moved closer to the small body he'd sworn to protect.

''What is it?'' he whispered over her head and she leaned closer instinctively.

''Elijah and Marcel...'' the original trailed off again, his eyes staring at the wall. Suddenly he left his seat, a most villainous idea brewing in his mind, ''Once she's awake, start packing.'' he commanded and walked to the door.
Before he could cross the threshold, Ryan called him back.

''Where are we going?'' If Hope went, then so did he.

''Mystic Falls.''

''You really think going back to school will help her?'' By the time he'd groaned, Klaus had already fled the scene. Ryan sighed, feeling Hope stir beside him. She smiled up at him, her eyes still laced with sleep.

''You're not wearing a shirt,'' she finally noticed, her face turning red, ''Why aren't you wearing a shirt?''

''It's hot in here.''

She hummed, slowly bringing her eyes back to his face. She'd never seen a boy shirtless so close before. The sight alone stirred up a lot of unwanted emotions in her and she had to swallow thickly. Reaching up, she cradled his cheek and kissed him lightly on the lips.