Maria Salvatore || The Vampire Diaries

twenty six

Maria's POV

I woke up to the spot on the bed beside me empty and cold, Klaus had been gone for awhile now it seems. Last night we had a early night, he still had been stressed about Stefan so he had more hybrids come down to the house, I'm not sure why, I guess he feels more safe with people who are willing to die for him around.

The door in his bedroom that lead to his own studio was slightly creaked open, I grabbed his shirt from the ground and threw it on my body. Quietly tip toeing to the door.

I peeked in to see his back towards me, he had a dry paint brush in his hand and he seemed to be in deep concentration, I quietly squeezed through the door and stood by the window, watching his every move. He hadn't noticed my presence yet, I was good at sneaking around when I wanted to be.

It's been quiet for a minute longer before he started moving again, finally tearing my eyes from him I looked around to find the art piece he was currently working on. Various large painting hung on the wall, some of them I remembered from Chicago.

"I kept most of them, whatever I could save. Moving around the world constantly, you tend to loose a few things over the years." Klaus suddenly spoke, huh, I guess I wasn't as quiet as I thought.

"What are you working on now?" I ask, taking a few steps forward so I'm standing directly behind him, I bring one hand up and trace his shoulder. "I was going to paint another portrait of you, but it seems I have too many."

I stop my hand from moving, "You've painted me before?" I question, he chuckles lightly and placed his paintbrush on the table in front of him.

He turns to face me, none of us touching each other. "Of course, would you like to see?" I nod at his question and he hums quietly before stepping around me and walking over to his shelves of paintings.

He moves a few paintings to the side before finally reaching for a further back shelf, he pulls out one larger canvas and looks it over before smiling to himself and pulling it out fully. I watch as he places the painting on a easel and I take a moment before looking it over.

The painting was of me, back in Chicago. I seemed to be sleeping, but the window was open and the moon reflected onto me. I looked peaceful, like I was the same 16 year old human from long ago.

"I have a few pieces from when we were together, the rest of them are from when we were apart. This one is my favourite though, do you remember why? What happened this night?"

I think about his words for a few seconds, trying to recall all my memories from back then. But then it hits me, Lexie brought it up a few weeks ago when I was chained up and emotionless, this was the same night he proposed to me. Many emotions run through me, this was the first night I was truly happy. I was on the road of being okay with my brothers again, I had a best friend, I was free from Katherine and I was in love.

When Klaus proposed to me all those years ago, I was in complete shock but I knew I wanted to spend forever with him. I know that now- even after everything we've been through, I still want that with him. I said yes that night and we celebrated with alcohol and sex, I had thought we fell asleep together but he must've stayed up and painted this.

I didn't realize I had zoned out until I felt myself tracing my ring finger, the golden ring I wore in the portrait gone, Klaus must've noticed my actions because the next thing I knew he was standing beside me, my hands in his.