Happy Holidays, ellensmithee!
Title: A forever of now
Recipient: ellensmithee
Author: Anon
Rating: NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Klaus/Stefan, Elijah
Word Count: 3900
Warnings:blood-play, biting.
Summary: Klaus touches a mystical stone and finds himself transported to places unknown.
Author's Notes: Hope you enjoy.
As the last few guests left the party Klaus gravitated towards the table, even at several feet long it was still encompassed in its entirety by gifts; naïve attempts to curry favour with the new king of the city. This was only the beginning; he had big plans for the expansion of his empire. Klaus rummaged through the presents, tossing this and that aside, after one thousand years he knew to treat magic with respect, but these crystals and tokens were no magic, only charlatans’ imitations of such. His palm landed on a rock and his estimations of useless items were quashed, his surroundings seemed to blur and spin and when they stopped he was somewhere else.
*
Stefan and Elijah sat opposite each other, the coffee table between them holding the rock at the root of the problem. Black obsidian blinked at them as chandelier light danced off its sharp smooth surfaces. Elijah sat in his large old armchair still poised with dignified aloofness even amidst the pile of books they had spent the past several hours trawling through. It made Stefan, who was more ruffled, slightly agitated; Elijah’s hair even looked better than his own.
“We will get Klaus back,” Elijah stated simply while turning another sepia-coloured page, still not looking up.
“I know,” Stefan said, trying to reply with the same nonchalance and certainty, but unsure he managed it.
*
Klaus quickly tried to orient himself; he needed to find out where he was and how to get back. He moved cautiously, nothing could hurt him but there was no need to make whatever solution this predicament required difficult by killing those who might be of use to him. He internally damned and cursed the witches who were surely behind this. The room was unfamiliar but he liked the style, a décor he would be pleased to call his own. As soon as he stepped out the door, a short man--no a short vampire--was before him.
“My lord, they are waiting for you,” the vampire said deferentially.
“Of course,” Klaus replied, deciding to play along he followed shorty down the corridor and another one after it.
As they walked, Klaus carefully considered his words, carrying the mantle of a superior imparting a lesson he asked, “and you remember the importance of what we’re doing and why we’re here?”
“Yes my lord,” the vampire replied nodding eagerly, “to show your enemies and those who serve you that you are not one to be trifled with.”
“Close enough,” Klaus said, maintaining his façade. He was used to courting loyalty through shows of strength and he would have some fun figuring out this place as he went along. Just as he had thought of some ideas that were suitable, they stepped out onto a large balcony.
It was not what he had expected. For one he was several floors up, in an apparent palace, and surrounded by acres of fields. But it was the amount of people that had surprised him.
There were thousands standing on the ground and what appeared to be large television screens showing even more. He looked closer; the people gazed upon him as they should a master. This wasn’t about the show of strength he thought it was. No, this was something else. He switched his plans, letting words flow serpent-rich. As he spoke Klaus regarded the hordes below, they were his hordes, he held dominion of this land. This was his kingdom. He grinned, maybe he didn’t need to find a way back after all.
*
He walked into the ‘throne room’ of the palace with the short vampire whose name he had gathered from others was Rupert. A group of people who were supposed to be his inner circle were talking at a large map laid out on a round wide oak table, discussing some minor enemy scuffles within the region they had control over. Klaus had to stop his head from spinning at the realisation of the sheer size of his empire, not even the spectacle outside could have prepared him for this. He tuned out the words and took a moment to gaze at the map. This was it. This was everything he had longed for, for so many centuries, and he had it. This was all really his. He had his power, he had his army, he had loyalty. He allowed himself a moment to take it all in, to bask in the glory of it, then forced himself to listen to the conversation once more; there would be time for revelling later.
Once the meeting was over he decided to have a look around this new home of his and investigate just what had transpired. He had seen pictures of himself, so was reasonably certain there was no glamour masking his identity. He thought it was probably some sort of alternate dimension, clearly where his life had taken a more successful turn. Not that his standing in his own world was all that shabby. There was nothing too surprising in the rest of the place, elegant corridors lead to magnificent rooms, but luxury wasn’t something new to him. He did enjoy the people he came upon, bowing at him, speaking to him in humble tones, it had been a while since he last played a true member of royalty.
During his exploration of the place, just as he thought things couldn’t get any better, he found Stefan.
“Stefan,” he called, grabbing a hold of his former friend’s arm.
“Leave me alone,” Stefan stuttered with a fear-filled voice, not even daring to remove his limb from Klaus’s grasp.
Klaus quickly let go and had to stop himself from recoiling. Trying to ignore the fresh icy weight in his chest he held up his hand in a placating motion, shrugging and rolling his eyes at the dramatics.
“Calm down scaredy-cat, since when are you so jumpy,” Klaus mocked nonchalantly.
Stefan just gave him an odd look and remained silent.
“What, no scathing retort? You’re no fun,” Klaus taunted. Even as he acted as he would towards the Stefan in his own reality, the icy pit within him seemed to grow, he could not help the burgeoning understanding that this was worse, much worse, than he had assumed.
“Sorry my lord. Can I go now?” Stefan asked quietly.
“Of course,” Klaus replied in the most charming voice he could muster.
*
The situation with Stefan wasn’t ideal, but Klaus wasn’t going to let that stop him from taking pleasure in this land. Besides he had confidence that this time Stefan would be far easier to sway to his side; fear was a powerful motivator. He began his scheme the next day.
Klaus was already seated when Stefan entered and gestured to one of the chairs on the other side of the dining table. At the gesture Stefan nervously slid into his seat and even that small manoeuvre annoyed Klaus, this creature so unlike the Stefan he knew, he shoved down his useless feelings they would only hamper what he was trying to achieve, besides even Stefan of his present was so different from the ripper he knew back in the twenties. He ignored the inner malicious voice that told him this was so very different.
Tall fluted glasses were filled with blood and meaty plates were placed before them.
“The reason I invited you here was because I want us to have a fresh start, we are going to eat a meal together every day and get to know each other again,” Klaus spoke unusually gently, cautiously.
“Yes, my lord,” Stefan answered softly, voice slightly quivering.
Klaus gritted his teeth, mutating his expression into a tight grimace in an attempt to seem happy.
“Firstly, from now on you will call me Klaus.”
“Yes my lord, I mean, yes Klaus, I’m sorry,” Stefan pleaded.
“That’s fine,” Klaus said, managing to sound casual but only with immense effort at shutting out the urge to yell and rant. He wanted to know what had happened for them to end up here but knew that wasn’t the direction this conversation should be taken in, they were moving forward.
Klaus despised having to speak to Stefan this way, as though he was one of the delicate waifs Klaus was attempting to fool. But he carried on regardless.
“What would you like to talk about Stefan?” he asked. Klaus didn’t know what to say to this person. This wasn’t the Stefan he knew, whose tongue was sharp with wit and ever-ready with a barbed comment or insight. He couldn’t speak to him as he spoke to Stefan, this creature would probably start trembling into a pathetic mess.
“I would like to talk about whatever you would like to talk about Klaus,” Stefan stated with monotone inflection. Klaus sighed and tried to keep smiling.
The air was thick with awkwardness that lingered throughout the meal. The next day’s meal fared no better.
Several days passed and still there was no improvement, he scowled at those attempting to cheer him. Stefan’s reactions to him hurt more than he ever could admit. As the days drifted into weeks and any prospect of change seemed hopeless Klaus found this life increasingly unbearable. Having Stefan fear him was so much more abhorrent than merely having Stefan hate him. Though he was loathed to give up his empire he couldn’t stay in this world, not like this. He could not even enjoy his success any more, it felt pale and intangible as Stefan seemed to encompass and suffocate his mind.
*
Not wishing to expose his thoughts or plans he covertly looked into the black rock that had brought him here. After little progress he decided to just touch it again and see what happened, staying in this world no longer held his interest, he would rather be somewhere else even if it wasn’t home. Klaus placed his hand on the rock once again, the room around him spun just as it had before.
His relationship with Stefan in the next dimension was not much better and he dismissed it quickly and the one after that too. He continued, often returning to the rock again and again after only a few hours. The worlds had sparked once more his obsession with regaining Stefan’s friendship; this was in his mind an opportunity. He tore through jugulars and burned down domains. Reality after reality Klaus’s fervour grew more entrenched; he grew more crazed, he would have Stefan again, and yet at the same time he seemed ever further away. It appeared as though the witches were trying to show him that he could not have his empire if he also wanted the people who were his. This in itself made him suspicious of the reality of his position. He was not one to cow down to such simple manipulations.
*
Stefan looked sceptically at the black rock Elijah held.
“Are you sure that rock has something to do with all this?”
“I suspect it must, it appeared at around the same time you say the occurrences began, and we have no other leads,” Elijah said, placing the rock down on the coffee table, he eyed the growing piles of books surrounding it. Giving a pointed look to the additional pile in Stefan’s hands he continued, “I do hope you’re not planning on emptying our entire library onto this floor.”
“We have Klaus! Klaus is our best lead.”
*
Frustrated with the repetitive nature of the realities he was sent to, Klaus hurled the offending object at a wall. On impact no visible damage was done, but a mist was emitted and then coalesced into a woman.
She appeared old with long silver hair, a walking stereotype of a crone.
“Please, spare me your theatrics, I’m not one of your foolish human clientele,” Klaus said.
“Suit yourself,” she said, though her appearance stayed static.
“What is the rocks purpose, why does it keep sending me to different realities,” Klaus demanded.
“Not different realities, different nows.”
“It amounts to the same.”
“No, you are seeing different nows, different moments, in your future.”
“Fine, why exactly are you sending me to these moments?”
“You are on a path, this is where the path leads you, if you change your path it will lead you somewhere else.”
“I have no reason to believe or trust you. Explain what this treachery is and return me to my home. If you do not I will first hunt down all whom you love and kill them and then return and kill you.”
In retaliation to the threat the woman merely resumed her mist-like state, replying in a firm tone, “forever is made of nows.”
*
“Something is wrong with Klaus, he isn’t himself, he isn’t acting like himself, well he is, but different.”
“Stefan, I have known my brother for over a thousand years, this is how he is, this is what he does. For a while he will be on your side, work with you, make you feel there is hope for his behaviour, and then he will always, inevitably act out. I fear we may have reached the end of our happy time together this century,” Elijah imparts sombrely.
“No, that’s not it, I refuse to accept that, I know, I know Klaus’s history, but he wouldn’t do this, not now we have this life together.”
“I have said that to myself many times over the years Stefan.”
“This is different. You have to help me,” Stefan implores.
“Very well, show me, maybe I can be convinced.”
So he drags Elijah to where Klaus is and they hover out of sight beyond the door. The Original Hybrid is clearly chairing a meeting, giving a speech on the invasion they will be commencing.
“He’s starting a war!” Stefan exclaimed in a harsh whisper.
“That is not unlike Klaus,” Elijah pointed out.
“For no reason, he always has a reason.”
“Hmm, perhaps he is bored.”
“I know this sounds ridiculous but I can sense it, it’s the minutia. For the last three days, his expressions, his ideas, his actions, they’re his but they’re not his.”
“I agree you are likely correct, something is amiss. Considering your three day timeline, I may know of the charm that is to be blamed. I will procure it.”
*
When the mist dissipates Klaus is in yet another reality or rather future moment, this time in a bed amidst a plethora of goose down. And Stefan just happens to be beside him.
“So, what’s the deal here?” Klaus questioned tiredly, there’s always a deal, or scheme, or coercion, a reason Stefan’s with him. This is the part where he finds out how committed to the act Stefan is, how long he waits before dropping it.
“What deal?” Stefan asked.
“Why are you here, with me,” Klaus reiterated.
He watched closely as Stefan sighed.
“I love you Nik.”
Klaus rolled his eyes. But Stefan persisted, moving to straddle him, he continued,
“I thought we were over this?” Stefan said sadly.
“Yeah, well, clearly I’m not,” Klaus replied defensively.
“Hey, woah, it’s okay, I just hate that you have so much doubt and insecurity. It hurts me when you can’t genuinely believe in us. Because, this, what we have is so special and it’s unfair that you can’t feel the safety of it. It’s unfair that you’re in so much pain. But I will spend every moment I can showing you, reminding you, that you can trust in this. We will work through this together like always, what we have is important to me, I love you,” Stefan said earnestly, planting a kiss on his forehead as a footnote.
“Wait, this is really real?” Klaus asked with surprise, sitting up, not wanting to hope.
“Yes, silly,” Stefan laughed, clearly understanding that the red alert is over.
Klaus ran his lips down Stefan’s body, mouth wide and emitting a strong of gasps along the way, of oh god and fuck and love, the desperation, the waiting, all falls away into this glorious moment, where he’s allowed this, where he really has Stefan in a way he hasn’t for over ninety years.
*
Klaus woke in the night to the appearance of the woman from the stone.
“See this, this is a result of a different path.”
“Do you honestly think I haven’t heard this song before? I know, I know, I’m self-destructive, controlling and overly possessive. The thing is dear; I don’t care; I demand more from the world. Because I can.”
“I am not here to judge or lecture, merely to show you but a few of the many futures that may lie before you. It is for you to decide what to do with it.”
“I refuse to change.”
The woman returned to mist and stone and he held in his breath of relief as he remained where he was.
*
He watched with curiosity as Stefan wrapped a sheet around himself and walked across the room to the stool in front of the dressing table. Taking a seat he picked up a bottle of gel and began coolly applying it to his hair. Klaus loved observing the one he had so longed for.
“You should give Rebekah another chance,” Stefan said casually, as though this was a routine conversation of theirs, “Even if you’re in the right, all you have to do is say you’re sorry, you don’t have to actually be sorry.”
“She will come running back soon enough,” Klaus replied dismissively. Stefan shrugged but an odd questioning look darkened his face for an instant before it vanished and left casual neutrality in its place.
“So any plans for today?” Stefan inquired.
“I was thinking of starting to rebuild the empire.”
Stefan laughed, “that takes me back.”
“What’s so funny?” Klaus demands.
“What is up with you?” Stefan said curiously, earlier he had thought Klaus was just having one of his bad days, taking himself back to yester year when they were almost constantly plagued by his insecurities, possessiveness and fear of abandonment. But this was different, this was something else.
“You’re the one who once told me I was a king, I don’t know why you would think I wouldn’t want to create the empire I deserve,” Klaus replies.
“Because we’ve established what a bad idea it is, why are you bringing this whole thing up again?”
“Whatever happened to trusting in us and working together through things? What we have can’t be all that special if you’re unwilling to even consider my ambitions,” Klaus argued.
Stefan stared at him, gawping, “Okay I’m going to head out now, we can talk about this when I get back.”
*
“We will get Klaus back,” Elijah states simply while turning another page, still not looking up.
“I know,” Stefan tries to reply with the same nonchalance and certainty, but isn’t sure he manages it.
“Oh, is it that time already? It’s been years since I saw that thing,” Klaus says casually, strolling into the room.
“What are you talking about,” Stefan asks, immediately suspicious at ‘Klaus’s’ apparent knowledge of the stone.
“That, it took me on a wild trip to the future, this future. It was quite the revelation, we owe this little guy,” Klaus says, moving to pat the rock and then thinking better of it and pulling back.
“Wait, so you’re you again?”
“Definitely,” Klaus says, pulling Stefan in for a kiss. After pulling away Stefan scrutinises him for several moments, “yeah, you’re you again.”
“Well the other guy was still me, just me from a few years ago,” Klaus tells them.
“You knew about this whole thing and didn’t think it might be a good idea to give us a heads up?”
“Why ever would I do that?” Klaus asks with a faux innocent expression.
Stefan rolls his eyes, giving Klaus a playful whack on the arm, confesses,
“I missed you.”
“Come on, past me was cool, you liked past me.”
“Yeah, he was just so…insecure.”
“You like me insecure,” Klaus teases, pulling Stefan in, “remember the fun we had last time I got jealous.”
“I do enjoy your possessive side,” Stefan replies, swaying his hips slightly as he draws himself even closer to Klaus.
*
When they reach the bedroom the sultry smirk on Klaus’s face, transforms into an expression of firm intensity. Klaus knows what Stefan needs to unwind after the rock mess and he’s more than willing to give it to him.
“Strip and get on the bed,” he commands.
Stefan gazes at Klaus, strong and confident and in control, his Klaus, and does as he’s told, trusting Klaus to be in charge.
Klaus straddles him, their eyes looking hard into each other’s, not losing contact for a moment as Klaus binds Stefan’s hands to the headboard with slow deliberation and yet in a no nonsense manner. Stefan can feel Klaus’s arousal against him and flushes with heat at the continued slow motions and unyielding eye contact. Stefan sighs with delight as kisses are pressed against his sternum, quickly morphing into sharp bites, he lets out a moan of pleasure as Klaus drinks from him and hums as Klaus’s tongue trails over his naked torso collecting stray rivulets of blood. He pushes upwards into the contact.
“Nik,” he implores, tone raspy.
“And you say I’m the impatient one,” Klaus chuckles, grinning a red-mouthed smile.
But as Stefan lifts his lower body trying to get some friction Klaus’s smile is drawn into a line. Intense stare back in place.
“Behave,” Klaus orders in a low rumble. It sends a glorious shiver down Stefan’s spine, only making him more wanton, but he forces himself to still.
Stefan cries out at dual sensations as Klaus simultaneously places a hard bite on his hip whilst pushing a finger inside him. He finds himself almost keening at the agonisingly slow pace of preparation but withholds comment, knowing his lover will only prolong things as a result. Stefan gasps as Klaus finally pushes inside him, and yanks violently at the bindings, wanting to move, wanting to touch and taste and fuck for the first time in what feels like forever but was in reality only a few days.
“Stay,” Klaus orders, voice soft but firm. And like magic Stefan is able to let go of his frenzied state, giving in and enjoying Klaus take control.
*
Later, untied and lying on his back beside Klaus, his curiosity awakens. Turning onto his side towards his lover he asks,
“So you saw our future?”
“Yes and no I’m not telling you about it, it was this.”
“And what else? I know there’s something you don’t want to say.”
“Well you wouldn’t be you if you didn’t know,” Klaus says begrudgingly, “I saw some other things too…some other futures. I didn’t like them but I didn’t want to change myself.”
“Go on,” Stefan reassures in a tone he’s perfected just for Klaus; no encouragement that could be considered patronising, but a tone constituting some carefully enthusiastic indifference and a smidge of understanding.
“I realised I didn’t have to change. That changing my goals wasn’t the same as changing myself,” Klaus states, but at Stefan’s thoughtful expression, adds flippantly, “I didn’t like the idea of changing my goals either, so you should appreciate that I did.”
Stefan smirks, giving Klaus a suggestive look, “I think we can both agree to a mutual appreciation.”
Recipient: ellensmithee
Author: Anon
Rating: NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Klaus/Stefan, Elijah
Word Count: 3900
Warnings:blood-play, biting.
Summary: Klaus touches a mystical stone and finds himself transported to places unknown.
Author's Notes: Hope you enjoy.
As the last few guests left the party Klaus gravitated towards the table, even at several feet long it was still encompassed in its entirety by gifts; naïve attempts to curry favour with the new king of the city. This was only the beginning; he had big plans for the expansion of his empire. Klaus rummaged through the presents, tossing this and that aside, after one thousand years he knew to treat magic with respect, but these crystals and tokens were no magic, only charlatans’ imitations of such. His palm landed on a rock and his estimations of useless items were quashed, his surroundings seemed to blur and spin and when they stopped he was somewhere else.
*
Stefan and Elijah sat opposite each other, the coffee table between them holding the rock at the root of the problem. Black obsidian blinked at them as chandelier light danced off its sharp smooth surfaces. Elijah sat in his large old armchair still poised with dignified aloofness even amidst the pile of books they had spent the past several hours trawling through. It made Stefan, who was more ruffled, slightly agitated; Elijah’s hair even looked better than his own.
“We will get Klaus back,” Elijah stated simply while turning another sepia-coloured page, still not looking up.
“I know,” Stefan said, trying to reply with the same nonchalance and certainty, but unsure he managed it.
*
Klaus quickly tried to orient himself; he needed to find out where he was and how to get back. He moved cautiously, nothing could hurt him but there was no need to make whatever solution this predicament required difficult by killing those who might be of use to him. He internally damned and cursed the witches who were surely behind this. The room was unfamiliar but he liked the style, a décor he would be pleased to call his own. As soon as he stepped out the door, a short man--no a short vampire--was before him.
“My lord, they are waiting for you,” the vampire said deferentially.
“Of course,” Klaus replied, deciding to play along he followed shorty down the corridor and another one after it.
As they walked, Klaus carefully considered his words, carrying the mantle of a superior imparting a lesson he asked, “and you remember the importance of what we’re doing and why we’re here?”
“Yes my lord,” the vampire replied nodding eagerly, “to show your enemies and those who serve you that you are not one to be trifled with.”
“Close enough,” Klaus said, maintaining his façade. He was used to courting loyalty through shows of strength and he would have some fun figuring out this place as he went along. Just as he had thought of some ideas that were suitable, they stepped out onto a large balcony.
It was not what he had expected. For one he was several floors up, in an apparent palace, and surrounded by acres of fields. But it was the amount of people that had surprised him.
There were thousands standing on the ground and what appeared to be large television screens showing even more. He looked closer; the people gazed upon him as they should a master. This wasn’t about the show of strength he thought it was. No, this was something else. He switched his plans, letting words flow serpent-rich. As he spoke Klaus regarded the hordes below, they were his hordes, he held dominion of this land. This was his kingdom. He grinned, maybe he didn’t need to find a way back after all.
*
He walked into the ‘throne room’ of the palace with the short vampire whose name he had gathered from others was Rupert. A group of people who were supposed to be his inner circle were talking at a large map laid out on a round wide oak table, discussing some minor enemy scuffles within the region they had control over. Klaus had to stop his head from spinning at the realisation of the sheer size of his empire, not even the spectacle outside could have prepared him for this. He tuned out the words and took a moment to gaze at the map. This was it. This was everything he had longed for, for so many centuries, and he had it. This was all really his. He had his power, he had his army, he had loyalty. He allowed himself a moment to take it all in, to bask in the glory of it, then forced himself to listen to the conversation once more; there would be time for revelling later.
Once the meeting was over he decided to have a look around this new home of his and investigate just what had transpired. He had seen pictures of himself, so was reasonably certain there was no glamour masking his identity. He thought it was probably some sort of alternate dimension, clearly where his life had taken a more successful turn. Not that his standing in his own world was all that shabby. There was nothing too surprising in the rest of the place, elegant corridors lead to magnificent rooms, but luxury wasn’t something new to him. He did enjoy the people he came upon, bowing at him, speaking to him in humble tones, it had been a while since he last played a true member of royalty.
During his exploration of the place, just as he thought things couldn’t get any better, he found Stefan.
“Stefan,” he called, grabbing a hold of his former friend’s arm.
“Leave me alone,” Stefan stuttered with a fear-filled voice, not even daring to remove his limb from Klaus’s grasp.
Klaus quickly let go and had to stop himself from recoiling. Trying to ignore the fresh icy weight in his chest he held up his hand in a placating motion, shrugging and rolling his eyes at the dramatics.
“Calm down scaredy-cat, since when are you so jumpy,” Klaus mocked nonchalantly.
Stefan just gave him an odd look and remained silent.
“What, no scathing retort? You’re no fun,” Klaus taunted. Even as he acted as he would towards the Stefan in his own reality, the icy pit within him seemed to grow, he could not help the burgeoning understanding that this was worse, much worse, than he had assumed.
“Sorry my lord. Can I go now?” Stefan asked quietly.
“Of course,” Klaus replied in the most charming voice he could muster.
*
The situation with Stefan wasn’t ideal, but Klaus wasn’t going to let that stop him from taking pleasure in this land. Besides he had confidence that this time Stefan would be far easier to sway to his side; fear was a powerful motivator. He began his scheme the next day.
Klaus was already seated when Stefan entered and gestured to one of the chairs on the other side of the dining table. At the gesture Stefan nervously slid into his seat and even that small manoeuvre annoyed Klaus, this creature so unlike the Stefan he knew, he shoved down his useless feelings they would only hamper what he was trying to achieve, besides even Stefan of his present was so different from the ripper he knew back in the twenties. He ignored the inner malicious voice that told him this was so very different.
Tall fluted glasses were filled with blood and meaty plates were placed before them.
“The reason I invited you here was because I want us to have a fresh start, we are going to eat a meal together every day and get to know each other again,” Klaus spoke unusually gently, cautiously.
“Yes, my lord,” Stefan answered softly, voice slightly quivering.
Klaus gritted his teeth, mutating his expression into a tight grimace in an attempt to seem happy.
“Firstly, from now on you will call me Klaus.”
“Yes my lord, I mean, yes Klaus, I’m sorry,” Stefan pleaded.
“That’s fine,” Klaus said, managing to sound casual but only with immense effort at shutting out the urge to yell and rant. He wanted to know what had happened for them to end up here but knew that wasn’t the direction this conversation should be taken in, they were moving forward.
Klaus despised having to speak to Stefan this way, as though he was one of the delicate waifs Klaus was attempting to fool. But he carried on regardless.
“What would you like to talk about Stefan?” he asked. Klaus didn’t know what to say to this person. This wasn’t the Stefan he knew, whose tongue was sharp with wit and ever-ready with a barbed comment or insight. He couldn’t speak to him as he spoke to Stefan, this creature would probably start trembling into a pathetic mess.
“I would like to talk about whatever you would like to talk about Klaus,” Stefan stated with monotone inflection. Klaus sighed and tried to keep smiling.
The air was thick with awkwardness that lingered throughout the meal. The next day’s meal fared no better.
Several days passed and still there was no improvement, he scowled at those attempting to cheer him. Stefan’s reactions to him hurt more than he ever could admit. As the days drifted into weeks and any prospect of change seemed hopeless Klaus found this life increasingly unbearable. Having Stefan fear him was so much more abhorrent than merely having Stefan hate him. Though he was loathed to give up his empire he couldn’t stay in this world, not like this. He could not even enjoy his success any more, it felt pale and intangible as Stefan seemed to encompass and suffocate his mind.
*
Not wishing to expose his thoughts or plans he covertly looked into the black rock that had brought him here. After little progress he decided to just touch it again and see what happened, staying in this world no longer held his interest, he would rather be somewhere else even if it wasn’t home. Klaus placed his hand on the rock once again, the room around him spun just as it had before.
His relationship with Stefan in the next dimension was not much better and he dismissed it quickly and the one after that too. He continued, often returning to the rock again and again after only a few hours. The worlds had sparked once more his obsession with regaining Stefan’s friendship; this was in his mind an opportunity. He tore through jugulars and burned down domains. Reality after reality Klaus’s fervour grew more entrenched; he grew more crazed, he would have Stefan again, and yet at the same time he seemed ever further away. It appeared as though the witches were trying to show him that he could not have his empire if he also wanted the people who were his. This in itself made him suspicious of the reality of his position. He was not one to cow down to such simple manipulations.
*
Stefan looked sceptically at the black rock Elijah held.
“Are you sure that rock has something to do with all this?”
“I suspect it must, it appeared at around the same time you say the occurrences began, and we have no other leads,” Elijah said, placing the rock down on the coffee table, he eyed the growing piles of books surrounding it. Giving a pointed look to the additional pile in Stefan’s hands he continued, “I do hope you’re not planning on emptying our entire library onto this floor.”
“We have Klaus! Klaus is our best lead.”
*
Frustrated with the repetitive nature of the realities he was sent to, Klaus hurled the offending object at a wall. On impact no visible damage was done, but a mist was emitted and then coalesced into a woman.
She appeared old with long silver hair, a walking stereotype of a crone.
“Please, spare me your theatrics, I’m not one of your foolish human clientele,” Klaus said.
“Suit yourself,” she said, though her appearance stayed static.
“What is the rocks purpose, why does it keep sending me to different realities,” Klaus demanded.
“Not different realities, different nows.”
“It amounts to the same.”
“No, you are seeing different nows, different moments, in your future.”
“Fine, why exactly are you sending me to these moments?”
“You are on a path, this is where the path leads you, if you change your path it will lead you somewhere else.”
“I have no reason to believe or trust you. Explain what this treachery is and return me to my home. If you do not I will first hunt down all whom you love and kill them and then return and kill you.”
In retaliation to the threat the woman merely resumed her mist-like state, replying in a firm tone, “forever is made of nows.”
*
“Something is wrong with Klaus, he isn’t himself, he isn’t acting like himself, well he is, but different.”
“Stefan, I have known my brother for over a thousand years, this is how he is, this is what he does. For a while he will be on your side, work with you, make you feel there is hope for his behaviour, and then he will always, inevitably act out. I fear we may have reached the end of our happy time together this century,” Elijah imparts sombrely.
“No, that’s not it, I refuse to accept that, I know, I know Klaus’s history, but he wouldn’t do this, not now we have this life together.”
“I have said that to myself many times over the years Stefan.”
“This is different. You have to help me,” Stefan implores.
“Very well, show me, maybe I can be convinced.”
So he drags Elijah to where Klaus is and they hover out of sight beyond the door. The Original Hybrid is clearly chairing a meeting, giving a speech on the invasion they will be commencing.
“He’s starting a war!” Stefan exclaimed in a harsh whisper.
“That is not unlike Klaus,” Elijah pointed out.
“For no reason, he always has a reason.”
“Hmm, perhaps he is bored.”
“I know this sounds ridiculous but I can sense it, it’s the minutia. For the last three days, his expressions, his ideas, his actions, they’re his but they’re not his.”
“I agree you are likely correct, something is amiss. Considering your three day timeline, I may know of the charm that is to be blamed. I will procure it.”
*
When the mist dissipates Klaus is in yet another reality or rather future moment, this time in a bed amidst a plethora of goose down. And Stefan just happens to be beside him.
“So, what’s the deal here?” Klaus questioned tiredly, there’s always a deal, or scheme, or coercion, a reason Stefan’s with him. This is the part where he finds out how committed to the act Stefan is, how long he waits before dropping it.
“What deal?” Stefan asked.
“Why are you here, with me,” Klaus reiterated.
He watched closely as Stefan sighed.
“I love you Nik.”
Klaus rolled his eyes. But Stefan persisted, moving to straddle him, he continued,
“I thought we were over this?” Stefan said sadly.
“Yeah, well, clearly I’m not,” Klaus replied defensively.
“Hey, woah, it’s okay, I just hate that you have so much doubt and insecurity. It hurts me when you can’t genuinely believe in us. Because, this, what we have is so special and it’s unfair that you can’t feel the safety of it. It’s unfair that you’re in so much pain. But I will spend every moment I can showing you, reminding you, that you can trust in this. We will work through this together like always, what we have is important to me, I love you,” Stefan said earnestly, planting a kiss on his forehead as a footnote.
“Wait, this is really real?” Klaus asked with surprise, sitting up, not wanting to hope.
“Yes, silly,” Stefan laughed, clearly understanding that the red alert is over.
Klaus ran his lips down Stefan’s body, mouth wide and emitting a strong of gasps along the way, of oh god and fuck and love, the desperation, the waiting, all falls away into this glorious moment, where he’s allowed this, where he really has Stefan in a way he hasn’t for over ninety years.
*
Klaus woke in the night to the appearance of the woman from the stone.
“See this, this is a result of a different path.”
“Do you honestly think I haven’t heard this song before? I know, I know, I’m self-destructive, controlling and overly possessive. The thing is dear; I don’t care; I demand more from the world. Because I can.”
“I am not here to judge or lecture, merely to show you but a few of the many futures that may lie before you. It is for you to decide what to do with it.”
“I refuse to change.”
The woman returned to mist and stone and he held in his breath of relief as he remained where he was.
*
He watched with curiosity as Stefan wrapped a sheet around himself and walked across the room to the stool in front of the dressing table. Taking a seat he picked up a bottle of gel and began coolly applying it to his hair. Klaus loved observing the one he had so longed for.
“You should give Rebekah another chance,” Stefan said casually, as though this was a routine conversation of theirs, “Even if you’re in the right, all you have to do is say you’re sorry, you don’t have to actually be sorry.”
“She will come running back soon enough,” Klaus replied dismissively. Stefan shrugged but an odd questioning look darkened his face for an instant before it vanished and left casual neutrality in its place.
“So any plans for today?” Stefan inquired.
“I was thinking of starting to rebuild the empire.”
Stefan laughed, “that takes me back.”
“What’s so funny?” Klaus demands.
“What is up with you?” Stefan said curiously, earlier he had thought Klaus was just having one of his bad days, taking himself back to yester year when they were almost constantly plagued by his insecurities, possessiveness and fear of abandonment. But this was different, this was something else.
“You’re the one who once told me I was a king, I don’t know why you would think I wouldn’t want to create the empire I deserve,” Klaus replies.
“Because we’ve established what a bad idea it is, why are you bringing this whole thing up again?”
“Whatever happened to trusting in us and working together through things? What we have can’t be all that special if you’re unwilling to even consider my ambitions,” Klaus argued.
Stefan stared at him, gawping, “Okay I’m going to head out now, we can talk about this when I get back.”
*
“We will get Klaus back,” Elijah states simply while turning another page, still not looking up.
“I know,” Stefan tries to reply with the same nonchalance and certainty, but isn’t sure he manages it.
“Oh, is it that time already? It’s been years since I saw that thing,” Klaus says casually, strolling into the room.
“What are you talking about,” Stefan asks, immediately suspicious at ‘Klaus’s’ apparent knowledge of the stone.
“That, it took me on a wild trip to the future, this future. It was quite the revelation, we owe this little guy,” Klaus says, moving to pat the rock and then thinking better of it and pulling back.
“Wait, so you’re you again?”
“Definitely,” Klaus says, pulling Stefan in for a kiss. After pulling away Stefan scrutinises him for several moments, “yeah, you’re you again.”
“Well the other guy was still me, just me from a few years ago,” Klaus tells them.
“You knew about this whole thing and didn’t think it might be a good idea to give us a heads up?”
“Why ever would I do that?” Klaus asks with a faux innocent expression.
Stefan rolls his eyes, giving Klaus a playful whack on the arm, confesses,
“I missed you.”
“Come on, past me was cool, you liked past me.”
“Yeah, he was just so…insecure.”
“You like me insecure,” Klaus teases, pulling Stefan in, “remember the fun we had last time I got jealous.”
“I do enjoy your possessive side,” Stefan replies, swaying his hips slightly as he draws himself even closer to Klaus.
*
When they reach the bedroom the sultry smirk on Klaus’s face, transforms into an expression of firm intensity. Klaus knows what Stefan needs to unwind after the rock mess and he’s more than willing to give it to him.
“Strip and get on the bed,” he commands.
Stefan gazes at Klaus, strong and confident and in control, his Klaus, and does as he’s told, trusting Klaus to be in charge.
Klaus straddles him, their eyes looking hard into each other’s, not losing contact for a moment as Klaus binds Stefan’s hands to the headboard with slow deliberation and yet in a no nonsense manner. Stefan can feel Klaus’s arousal against him and flushes with heat at the continued slow motions and unyielding eye contact. Stefan sighs with delight as kisses are pressed against his sternum, quickly morphing into sharp bites, he lets out a moan of pleasure as Klaus drinks from him and hums as Klaus’s tongue trails over his naked torso collecting stray rivulets of blood. He pushes upwards into the contact.
“Nik,” he implores, tone raspy.
“And you say I’m the impatient one,” Klaus chuckles, grinning a red-mouthed smile.
But as Stefan lifts his lower body trying to get some friction Klaus’s smile is drawn into a line. Intense stare back in place.
“Behave,” Klaus orders in a low rumble. It sends a glorious shiver down Stefan’s spine, only making him more wanton, but he forces himself to still.
Stefan cries out at dual sensations as Klaus simultaneously places a hard bite on his hip whilst pushing a finger inside him. He finds himself almost keening at the agonisingly slow pace of preparation but withholds comment, knowing his lover will only prolong things as a result. Stefan gasps as Klaus finally pushes inside him, and yanks violently at the bindings, wanting to move, wanting to touch and taste and fuck for the first time in what feels like forever but was in reality only a few days.
“Stay,” Klaus orders, voice soft but firm. And like magic Stefan is able to let go of his frenzied state, giving in and enjoying Klaus take control.
*
Later, untied and lying on his back beside Klaus, his curiosity awakens. Turning onto his side towards his lover he asks,
“So you saw our future?”
“Yes and no I’m not telling you about it, it was this.”
“And what else? I know there’s something you don’t want to say.”
“Well you wouldn’t be you if you didn’t know,” Klaus says begrudgingly, “I saw some other things too…some other futures. I didn’t like them but I didn’t want to change myself.”
“Go on,” Stefan reassures in a tone he’s perfected just for Klaus; no encouragement that could be considered patronising, but a tone constituting some carefully enthusiastic indifference and a smidge of understanding.
“I realised I didn’t have to change. That changing my goals wasn’t the same as changing myself,” Klaus states, but at Stefan’s thoughtful expression, adds flippantly, “I didn’t like the idea of changing my goals either, so you should appreciate that I did.”
Stefan smirks, giving Klaus a suggestive look, “I think we can both agree to a mutual appreciation.”