scars ran too deep

his words are purely honest, she knows that. Well, perhaps they’re a touch off. If he was being absolutely honest with her he would tell her that he isn’t happy, he can’t be happy. Not when he’s looking at his past when he’s supposed to be looking at his present. Only New Orleans isn’t truly his past, is it? It’ll always be his constant. The kingdom that was, the crown that slipped from his hands as easily as it had landed there.

There’s a feeling of fear that echoes just underneath the surface. A fear that he’ll end up resenting her since he had lost his city because he had chosen to come and be with her, to take Hope with her and away from the throttle of the Hollow that has caught them all in their web. Will he ever forgive her or her family for taking him with them all over again? This mess has ruined everything and Rebekah isn’t sure if Marcel will ever recover again.

She wonders that sometimes when they’re alone. When the two of them are laying together and she watches him sleeping. The night time whispering its shadows across his features. She reaches her hand out, fingertips whispering over the side of his face, over his brow and sometimes she feels distanced. She tries to look for differences in the way he kisses her, the way he touches her. Years upon years lets you know someone and she believes that she knows Marcel and his inner pieces. But she worried about asking him, what his answer might be. So she resolves to letting things happen, staying beside him and hoping that this moment in time they’ve captured for one another.

Reaching out towards him she settles her hand on his arm, fingers brushing a caress slowly along his skin as she holds his eyes. “ Trying works. ” she agrees, taking down a hard swallow of nerves. “ But after everything, Marcel - you don’t have to stay. ” He doesn’t have to. Is he staying because he wants to or he feels he has to after all the time they’ve lost?

 after everything? he felt this strange tug inside of him, something that tells him this is his chance to go. that he can leave. run out. that he could do whatever he wanted. that he could go back to his city and leave all this behind. the mikaelsons as far as anyone knew were gone for good from that place. and he could run it as long as he could, he could make it great again. it’d be even better than those five years. it’d be like before the originals ever came back.

 and he was lying to himself if he said that he didn’t miss the city. that he didn’t miss running things, taking control. sometimes he’d call josh to hear how things were back there. new orleans had always been his home. it run deep in his veins. and he knew he couldn’t quite get it out of himself. but there was something in rebekah’s eyes, something almost asking him. she needed him to stay. her and hope both did.

 he can’t tell her he’s staying without regrets. even if he might. he will regret it. he’ll tell her that he loves her, this is where he wants to be. but it’s a half way there lie. and he feels bad about it. he feels like he owes her more. he knows he does. after all this warring, all this fighting.

He doesn’t answer right away because he can’t fully imagine what must be going through Marcel’s mind but the moment he comes towards him Klaus lets out a low breath. “ It wasn’t like that. ” his gaze then shifts towards Davina, every part of him softening and he has to allow himself to breathe, to relax, to ease himself into the moment. “ You know it wasn’t like that. I love her. “ and it sounds odd coming from him as he lowers his eyes. @everflaming​

“ well that’s quite the revelation. “ she says in regards to Nik’s confession before she turns her attention to Marcel. gently she touches her hand to his arm, carefully as though attempting to ease him back. “ Davina is quite the grown woman, Marcel, she can make her own decisions. “ and witches couldn’t be compelled - no that she assumed nik would sink that low. “ This…is something you want? “ she asks Davina quietly. - @girlsacrificed​

   this all seemed overwhelming at first  ,  the way that Marcels anger flared  ,  Klaus’ confession to his love for her but Rebekahs words seemed to soothe her slightly  .  the way she had regarded her in such a soft tone  ,  with no trace of judgement laced with her words but a genuine curiosity on whether she had wanted to be with her brother  .  ‘  yes  .  ‘  her words were final  ,  steady and sturdy  .  there was nothing she wanted more than to be with him  .  to be loved by him  .  ‘  it happened  ,  and i don’t regret a single moment of being with him  .  ‘

 loved him. he stands there, looking between the two of them. and he feels something heavy inside of him. his voice is filled with disbelief. he looks at davina but he means it for klaus to hear. means it for him to get crushed when he hears it. “he destroys anything that he claims to love. he says he cares, that’s the worst thing he can say.”

He hadn’t expected Marcel. After all the trails were put there but they weren’t really meant to be taken. No, they were meant to be looked over and then taken lightly. Just Klaus acting out. Just Klaus without his family. Just Klaus attempting to right himself in spite of everything. Why should it be addressed? Why should someone come find him and change his mind? After all everyone’s seen this before, lasting decades, a couple centuries at most. And the only one that would even bat an eyelash in his direction regarding saving was Elijah and it turns out he’s completely lost every memory he’s ever had.

Marcel looks right at home sitting there, nursing a drink in his hands as though he belonged here. It wasn’t dangerous for them to be around one another. But things seemed fit into one easy box. Marcel would remain with Rebekah, Davina with Kol and Keelin remained witih Freya. and while they had someone beside them Hayley had Hope. And why shoudl he possibly be with someone else as well?

Yet here he stands.  A million answers rummaging in his mind. Why would Marcel seek him out? For what purpose? Had something gone downhill and with it they also needed his help?

“ What can I say? There’s something about missing your son that really gets you on edge. ” he chuckles lightly, pouring himself another drink before he heads  on towards him, settling across from him as he looks into Marcel’s eyes calmly - no whisper of anger coming from him. They had settled up one too many times before but he was looking for this one to be permanent.

A smile fits to his features, lifting his glass to drink some before resetting his gaze on the other. “ tell me then, Marcel - ” he begins, thoughtful look filling his eyes, fingertips tapping lightly against the glass in his hold. “ What brings you to Russia? The history? The snow? Or were you just feeling nostalgic? ”

 there’s something hollow in all of this. something telling him there should be more to say than this easy banter. he feels heavy in all his movements. he feels like he should be reaching out to him a little more. but he can’t. he knows that he can’t. because he’s almost sick with the feeling. with the rush of everything inside of him. he wants to tell him that he wanted to make sure he was okay. but since when did klaus mikaelson need to be looked after? and when did he ever play the part of babysitter. he wasn’t very good at it. he knew that.

 he lets out a small laugh at that though. finding that easier than saying what he had rehearsed in his head. it had been something like them being there for each other finally after all this time. after everything that they had been through they could finally act like a family. especially since he had lost so much.

family was supposed to matter a lot more than it had during all this war. during all the fighting and the turmoil. family had had a thick dividing line between blood and the others. and most of the time he felt like he was on the outside looking in. there was never any way to hold onto anything.

 “the reports are spreading pretty far out. i’m here to slow you down.”

 his voice is so unsteady, a little shaky. he looks at him for a long moment. his hand coming out to rest gently on his shoulder. his eyes search his face for a moment. his heart sinks for a moment. he swallows harshly. he wonders if klaus has any idea about what this all means. their good standing is something new.

He smiles at Hope and then to Marcel, both equate the softness that he feels towards them. Each of them have a place inside of him that lasts and matters. He loves them both, embraces them both as his children - no matter if Marcel feels differently after all these lifetimes there between them. And to find them here on this bridge, the pathway between the past and the brimming future for their family, it’s almost cathartic. It’s almost a further catalyst for whatever more softness he harbors there inside of him.

“ Nonsense. No one tires of fairy tales. ” he chuckles lightly which earns him a smile from Hope as she tucks her hair behind her ear. Even though he regarded Marcel so much as his son, as his family, his blood - he had never done him right. He had never shielded him enough from the blood and blackness that he wrought on so many lives. He meant to change that for his little girl. “ they simply wish to move onto the next one. ”

Klaus moves from where he’s standing, running his hand along the railing of the bridge, looking out at the water before turning with a glance towards the two of them. “ I’m assuming you’ve been telling stories. ” he begins, smile touching more fully across his features then. “ I’m sure that Marcel has painted himself as quite the hero in his day. ”

 “you saying i’m not a hero?” he asks with a small smirk on his face. he might have fancied himself up just a little. he liked the wide eyed look hope got sometimes when the stories were really good. would he ever guess that he had talked well about him as well. in some ways when he was hope’s age he would have considered klaus his hero, the one person to look up to. especially after elijah had rebuffed him. he only had klaus. and that had grown to be enough.

 he can remember watching him. in everything, even the parts he wasn’t supposed to see. the violence that wasn’t apart of the lessons. the violence that he hadn’t wanted him to see. all of it became apart of him, dangerously burning under his skin. he wanted to follow in his footsteps. he wanted to follow every shadow and become.

He knows exactly how long it’s been just like he knows the exact year that Hope would be this coming month. The exact year, the exact month and each time he thinks of it he feels a greater hole created in him. He feels afraid that he’s never going to see her again. He’s afraid that Marcel will always loathe him as he does now and it grates there under his skin as he looks Marcel in the eyes, a lingering look before he takes down a breath “ My mind is perfectly in tact, Marcellus. “

She wants to believe that. In every sense she wants to hang everything on those words that he lets out. There’s something that strikes her as completely genuine but she knows better. How can she not know? Family was everything. Family and blood and the bonds that came along with that. That was everything, how many times had Elijah determined that? How many times had he told her and Nik both that no matter what their bond was what kept them alive? Countless times. But here she sits, staring into the eyes of the man she loves and she wants this to be enough. She wants this to be what kept her alive.

Her eyes close on his touch, on the warmth of his breath that washes over her face when he draws himself closer. She can breathe him in from here, that familiarity that comes with his nearness. All those times sneaking away for however long it’s been between them. It feels like eternity - but, no, this right here was forever. Every single bloody mistake aside this was their forever and Rebekah would be damned if it didn’t last.

Finally she looks at him again. Into those dark eyes of his, sweeping her gaze over the features of his face. She finds herself a touch breathless with this unfamiliar feeling of being breathless. She finds herself alive being this close. Her hand comes up, covers his and she softly lets in abreath. It feels like relief as it sets there in her chest.

“ Well then Marcel Gerard - ” she begins, smile touching to her lips softly, taking his hand from off her face so she can walk her fingertips along his palm. “ - now that you’ve properly assured me, enough with this seriousness. I’d like to know what you have in mind for a good time tonight. We’ve had a lovely dinner - what next? A show? Dancing? A night in? Dessert? ”

 he wants things to be this nice, so easy. as they were right now. they felt nice, safe even. he feels like he’s consumed with worry though. something ending or coming around to crash down on them. to destroy what they have built here. as unsettled as he feels about it all. peace was never really the suit he ever thought about trying on. but rebekah seems happy. and he wanted so badly to make rebekah happy. he had for a long time. and things were always getting in the way.

 he smiles down at her, against the thoughts in his head. he reaches his hand out to lightly touch the side of her face. gentle. sometimes he likes to be gentle. make her feel better. he wants her to settle in here, have some comfort despite everything going on around them.

 and yet there is something inside of him that tells him that he can’t mourn it. not entirely. not anymore. he can’t tell her that exactly. that nothing is in the way, nothing can go wrong. he feels heavy with guilt about that one. her family gone? that was what he had wanted for a long time now. and now that it was finally here what would he do with it? newly crowned king and with the woman he loved. there was so much he could do.

Should he be feeling the level of betrayal that he’s feeling right then? As it crawls straight through him, his eyes boring into Marcel’s the moment he recognizes the challenge that’s emanating from him. he intends on going through with this, he intends on severing the last part of his strength regarding the other vampires that he had left. This would leave him open to anyone who thought it a good idea to gather any white oak. He’s not backing down and Klaus feels his insides caving in on themselves. He’s crippled with the idea that his sireline would no longer be around to make sure they don’t go down with him.

“ You would enjoy that, wouldn’t you, Marcellus? ” he grins darkly then as he regards the man before. No longer even the haughty child he’d left behind in the fire of the New Orleans opera house. No he was far more arrogant, it practically spilled from his very eyes. Gone was the boy he had raised, the one who had looked to him as a mentor, a father - more than just a sire. But this was different, he was a king and kings often took out the greatest pieces on all the boards surrounding them.

His hands clasp behind his back as he moves away from Marcel to break the direct confrontation that he was posing. A small breath of a laugh echoes from him as he shakes his head, his eyes trailing towards Caroline this time with a sort of hesitant but thoughtfully hurt look in his eyes. “ How quickly you lower your moral standings when it means being on the side that’s against me. ” he states, tone dripping with a bit of mockery. “ This dying threat is honestly beginning to get a touch old. ”

@seesgood​

She finds herself silently pleading with him not to look at her. But he does. And she almost breaks right then and there. She can’t look at him. Instead she just stares at a chip in the hardwood floor, curls her fingers in tighter to her sweater and swallows. Yeah, she’s been in this position before. But it was always as distraction. It was always as a way of keeping him off the trail of whatever they were really doing. But she’s never been this involved before. He has that familiar bravado in his voice, but when he looks at her, she sees pain. Betrayal. Because on some level, as twisted as it might have been, he thinks that he can trust her. 

Part of her wants to reason with the both of them, convince them that there’s some way they can find a common ground. But Marcel wants the same thing Klaus does, and neither of them will step down. She just wants her friends safety ensured. Wants to have the reassurance that Elena will be able to live a long and happy life, that Bonnie will get to go to college and find a nice guy and have some kids. Teach a new generation of witches how to use their powers. 

He won’t willingly give up the only piece of leverage he has over all of them. The only thing that keeps people like Damon from coming after him with a stake. When she finally looks up, her eyes hold more of an apology than she can ever say aloud. “No one’s talking about killing you,” Her tone is slightly exasperated, glancing over at Marcel for reassurance that she’s not sure he can give. They’ve never discussed what happens after the spell. And she realizes, with a tightening in her stomach, that maybe he isn’t looking at this the same way she is. Their interests seemed to be aligned, up until now. “You ruined Tyler. You killed the last family that Elena had left, you…you hurt everyone who has ever shown you a shred of decency or kindness what makes you think that you can sire our loyalty?” 

@ofthcdamned​

no one had mentioned killing, she was right about that. but that doesn’t mean that it hadn’t crossed his mind. Burned through his mind and stayed there. like something he knew he couldn’t get rid of. No matter how hard he tried. The thought was a living thing, manifesting itself violently at the back of his mind. And he couldn’t fight against it. he wasn’t sure if he could really kill Klaus or not. He hadn’t exactly really been in a situation where he could kill him without killing himself. but now that the possibility was there? he felt restless, uneasy. And even a little sad. It was always just a thought. But now it was something that could be. honestly his hands felt tied more than anything. His vampires would be expecting something like that, wouldn’t they? They’d want him to kill Klaus mikaleson and once again be an unchallenged king.

Yet he couldn’t. he knew that he couldn’t. it was almost impossible to think of anything else. he feels heavy, like something in him is going to simply crack off. He would miss his maker, his father, his mentor. Everything he was he owed to Klaus, didn’t he? Even his kingdom. In fact they all in some way owed their lives to Klaus in some way. And that was the problem. That was the reason why they had to do this. Whether they killed him or not. He wondered if caroline wanted to kill him or not.

He takes a step towards Klaus, another one. Just to post another challenge. Just to push something out there that’s going to make him take a stand. And a strong one. He never liked being the lesser version of his father. Never liked the way it felt to be pushed to the ground. He could have everything he built and yet his life would still be all tied up in his. And without any power.

“we don’t want to kill you, Klaus. Just bring you down here with the rest of us.”

Wichita sighed. “Listen, Marcel–” She said waiving her hand at him. “I’m not here to get in the middle of whatever part of the centuries long fight you two are in the middle of. If you would believe me, I’m actually here to help.”

She grinned at him, showing her teeth. “So who are we killing and when can I kill them?”

     it’s a risky move, telling him what to do in his city. she knew that and there was a part of her that knew she should care more about that than she does. comments like those have a tendency of coming back to bite her in the ass later. she’s only a guest for however long he allows her to be one and getting on his bad side wouldn’t be the best idea. she already has too many enemies as it is to make another by failing to keep a civil tongue in her mouth. if he wanted to know why she was here then she has no problem with telling him if she has his undivided attention. something tells her it’s the only way he’ll believe her if she admitted to him she has no ulterior motives aside from nostalgia. just this once she’ll give him a straight answer if he asks for it. 

      he agrees to her alternative and she’s a little surprised by that, watching him with the same close scrutiny he’s subjecting her to. he’s too interested and she didn’t like it but that’s an issue for another day, same as this talk they were currently placing on hold. the smile she gives him is a practiced one, her drink untouched. ❝I think I’ve had about enough socializing as I can stand for one night anyway so I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.❞ she lingers for another moment longer as she’s pulling her jacket on, casting a quick glance around at the rest of his guests. ❝hell of a party by the way, I like your style.❞ while it may not be her scene, that didn’t mean she has no appreciation for it and maybe the compliment would soothe any feathers she might have ruffled.

he tilts his drink in her direction, offering her a hint of a smile. he feels somewhat unsure, suspicious, too. Because everything is always coming at him unexpected. He knows he has enemies in the quarter, outside of it, too. He can’t be too sure of any one or anything. So he watches her still with some heaviness in his chest. “what can I say I know how to have a good time. shame you ain’t going to stay. Usually starts to get a lot more interesting once it’s later.”

 the worst. he knows what the worst that could happen. one of them could get sick. one of them could fall into something really bad. and the thought of it makes him feel heavy. he hates to admit to it but he’s afraid. he hates fear. everything gets cloudy when you’re scared.

 he hesitates, looks down at her hand on his shoulder. he doesn’t know what he would do if something happened to rebekah. couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t do something to stop it. he looks back at her face, letting out a breath. he gives a small nod of his head.

 “sure, we’ll make it out.” he says, more like he’s trying to assure himself more than her. and he hopes that she doesn’t see that part. he’s got a good grip on this. on himself.

Stefan can’t help the chuckle that leaves his lips at Marcel’s clear anger and he arches his brows in his direction before cracking a grin. “Oh, did you want to hang out? Get a few photos together for People Magazine. Might want to hop into hair and make up first.” He adds, throwing his costar a wink before the assistant returns with his water. “Thank youuuuu.” He emphasizes the word, flashing her a cheeky grin before her cheeks flush with color and she scampers off. “How was that for polite?”

It has a white fence and Rebekah finds that when Hope stands near it watching the birds flutter around, her hair a startling contrast to the white of the wood, there’s a sort of peace to her face. She’s dealt with far too much in her short life and it’s entirely uncalled for. She deserved better. Nik always told her that in their phone calls that were becoming more and more rare as time went on. She deserved better. This was the life that they were trying to fix for Hope. A nice home, time to play with children her own age, and love. So much love. Rebekah was intent on making her feel like the most loved girl in the whole world, remind her that her parents were always thinking of her and that this was all for her. She was her family’s most prized piece and everyone just wanted her to be safe. So she cut off her crusts and packed her fresh fruit and a chocolate milk which happened to be her favorite before sending her off on the bus. Marcel had been wonderful. He had looked at the world they were meant to create and he had carved it out himself, his own two hands. Just as he’d done his empire back in New Orleans. She knew that he missed it, missed the crown of being king. He missed Nik too, Rebekah could see it in the way he treated Hope. His sister, it was the softness in his eyes, the way he played her jazz records from Thierry. He talked Nik up, told her that her father was a king when he figured Rebekah wasn’t in ear shot. He would tell her that he was simply doing it for Hope, should Rebekah ever ask but she knew better than that. Things between them were settled, without war nestling like a barrier there on either side. But then that robbed Marcel of his natural leadership tendencies. He loved her, she didn’t doubted that, had never doubted that but like Nik he loved being king and taking that from him seemed like robbery. But this was the sacrifice they had to make. Much like the sacrifice Hayley and Nik had made. Like Kol and Elijah had also made. She hears him coming and doesn’t start when he touches her. His touches had become like an anchor in an otherwise faulty world. She sought him out so often she wondered if he felt sorry for her. But she also sought for Hope, looked for her where she needed her. Right in the space inside of her chest that felt whole but breaking at the same time. Her family taken from her forever - could she do this forever? Her eyes look up at him, a slow breath parting from her lips as she looks out at the road that the bus with Hope on it had taken. “ I could. We could be happy. She is happy. ” she replies softly, unsure if she really could live her entire life without her siblings. She pauses however before looking up at him. She could do this forever however, be with him, have him look at her the way he’s been looking at her since he’d come to join her. “ Could you? ”

Could he? The house was nice. It was all done up in almost the way he had planned on doing for her before. The area around was quiet and relaxing, it seemed to settle something in Hope to live here. Even though he knew nothing would ever be like having her dad and mom. But he likes to think that the atmosphere works. Kids like that sort of thing. It might have been a couple centuries but he knew what it felt like to be a kid still. To want some sort of peace after so much chaos.

Rebekah looks happy. Content even. She looks like she’s at peace with everything. But he knows better. He knows that the hollow is rattling around in her head. He knows that as time wears on she’s going to start missing her siblings like crazy. He knows that all this isn’t going to actually be enough for her even if she wants to.

But she’s asking about him. She wants to know the truth. And he’s not sure what to tell her. Because he thinks that he could. On the face of it, the surface. He thinks that he could actually be something like happy. But then his mind is racing a little. A little unsure of what he would do just in this house. With nothing under his rule. Nothing but this house and a small family to call his own.

Contentment is possible. But happiness? The idea of actually being happy sounds a little crazy. He’s wondering if there’s a time he was ever actually happy but there aren’t any memories coming up. There’s just this small little hole in his chest telling him remembering is only going to make it harder.

New Orleans is a long way from this. It’s lost to him as long as he stays here. And there are some times he wants to leave, go back. But he wants to be here for Bekah. For all that time he knew he wasn’t. When they should have been together.

Even his touch feels different at this point. The way his hand fits so perfectly over hers and the feel of his skin moving along hers. It’s almost a surprise how content she feels just then. It wasn’t that she hadn’t expected to be happy but she hadn’t expected the level of completion of sorts that was now flooding through her. It was as though now that they had a touch of breathing room she felt like she loved him more.

She doesn’t break composure for a brief moment, just stares at him, watching the way his eyes go over her face and she has to take in a breath to calm herself. She doesn’t think she has or could ever love someone the way that she loves him. And if this was the price to pay to have this feeling than how could she possibly ever regret it?

Turning her hand over beneath his so she can lace their fingers together she finally breaks a smile across her lips. “ I suppose it’s a start. “ she tells him, chin tipping up slightly as though warning him that she’s going to make sure he makes it all up to her. But tonight was about dinner and drinks and everything in between. “ I can do with simple and good but eternity is never simple, Marcel. “ but she’s  still softly smiling even if there’s something behind those words that said she’s going to end up regretting all of it. “ Please tell me you think this was worth it. “

Of course he thinks it’s worth it. He has everything he could have ever possibly wanted. Like the world had laid itself down at his feet. It was all his for the taking. It was worth it. He’ll tell himself that every day. Waking up next to Rebekah in his city, knowing that there’s nothing and no one who will tell him what to do. It’s just him, her, and New Orleans. And there’s something about that that feels real good. Better than good. It feels better than he could have ever imagined.

Will regret come? Eternity is a long and hard road. But he had it all to figure himself out. To figure them out. And he feels like he should feel guilty. But after everything he knows he has to enjoy this. He knows he has to hold onto all of this while it lasts. Somethings end. But he feels like he’ll love Rebekah for the rest of his life. And in spite of that fire Mikael set New Orleans had stood. It had stood and it would remain standing.

While gone it had been as though he and Davina were in their own world and they hadn’t gotten to a conversation regarding this.Yet, here they were, first day back and put to the bloody rack for having been gone for awhile. He rolls his eyes at what Rebekah says before he notes Marcel’s getting closer. “ calm down a little, mate and we can sort through this. “ he responds, private look back towards Davina before looking back to Marcel. “ i didn’t do anything to her - honestly. “

@everflaming​

Anyone who knew anything would guess just what had happened between these two. They were giving each other private looks of someone trying to hide something and Rebekah found it somewhat amusing that Klaus was at the center of this after everything. While she was definitely, and positively, in the running for Davina to get exactly what she wanted and to do whatever she liked this was just - beyond what she could have imagined. “ Marcel, perhaps we ought to let her explain herself before we jump to anything rash, don’t you think? ” she turns her gaze towards Davina, looking to see whether or not she’d changed very much or not. “ Now what do you have to say for yourself? ”

@girlsacrificed​

     ‘  nothing happened  .  ‘  annoyance rolled off her tongue as her eyes rolled heavily  ,  arms crossed over her chest in an obvious stance of discomfort but also wanting to stand her ground  .  she could tell that they would find out soon  ,  the way that the mikaelsons male had completely taken over her in such a way that she had never felt before  .  how his hands had become to accustomed to her body  &  she could feel her cheeks burn up slightly  ,  lips pressed hard together as fingers raked through brunette tresses  .  ‘  we left  ,  took care of some business  &  we found ourselves back home  .  what we did is between us  .  ‘  gaze fell back on Klaus as she allowed it to linger  ,  pulling away to look between Marcel  &  Rebekah  .  ‘  can’t you just be glad that i’m back  ?  ‘

[  @ofthcdamned  ]

Her finger traced the rim of her glass as she smirked back at him, licking her lips before she too a sip of her drink. “I didn’t think you’d LIKE rules very much?” she crossed her legs as he looked him over, pretending to give it a bit of thought before she shrugged. “Okay, FINE. Let’s hang out. Where are you taking me?”

she’d never put much stock in rumors. the way news travels from one mouth to another’s ear is too unreliable and facts get lost or distorted too easily. she could only imagine how many rumors there were regarding demons and none of them were close to the truth. and besides, she’s not here for that. her history with the Mikaelson family wasn’t bad enough where she’d want to see any of them suffer. especially not if it was meant to be some power play. ❝I don’t care about rumors, whether they’re true or not. how you run New Orleans is your business and how you came to be in charge of it is a story I would rather hear another time.❞ she casts a glance around to make her point. ❝preferably where we wouldn’t be interrupted.❞ perhaps informally, when it wasn’t a setup to lure everyone into one place where he can keep an eye on them. she’s not a fan of crowds and if he wants to know what her intentions are, he’ll have to change tactics. ❝I’m only here to fulfill my obligation as a guest in your city, that’s all. after I finish my drink I’ll be retiring for the evening and if you want to have an actual conversation, I can come back tomorrow.❞