@ohhownoble

Anger. Rage. Resentment. To Klaus, these emotions were all the same. The natural, violent agency in which he operated day to day. And though, there were many people he aimed to seek retribution on, Elijah was at the tippy-top of that list. The brother who betrayed him. Who said nothing as Marcel condemned him to a fate worse than death for a crime he didn’t quite commit. Being stuck in a prison holding cell for hours, days, weeks alone really did a number on his psyche. And now that he was out, he wanted revenge. Which was precisely why Klaus scattered a series of clues to endless mind games meant purely for Elijah’s viewing pleasure over the course of his short time spent here in the City of Darkness.

The first encounter began in Elijah’s home. Just hours after his big brother had hit the hay, Klaus snuck in. Leaving a trail of evidence that only Elijah could or would understand. If he even bothered to sort out the riddle they equaled.

The second took place at his Art Gallery. Where Klaus arranged each painting on the wall in order of those he most treasured, down to his least favorite. Leaving a sticky note on the last one with scripture that read “Thinking of you.” Which, if Elijah had been as smart as he claimed, would gather it was more of an insult than a letter of endearment.

The last and most important, was a boxed up dead heart. Left on Elijah’s doorstep after a long day’s work. It didn’t matter who Klaus had killed to get it. Some hopeless fool who’s life was now nothing more than a pawn in one of the hybrid’s latest, twisted schemes. The heart, despite who it belonged to being insignificant, carried great impact on Klaus’s forthcoming arrival. It symbolized Klaus’s vexation and hatred for the man who viciously killed a vital member of their family. It didn’t matter if Marcel wasn’t bound to them by blood. Klaus had created him, Klaus protected him. He was like a son to him. And now two of Klaus’s potential offsprings were lost at sea. Metaphorically and literally speaking. Not to mention, Elijah sat by and said nothing as Marcel blamed him for a crime he did not commit. Marcel’s death, and his transformation from vampire to beast was a product of Elijah’s making. And Celeste’s. Though, she was still a weakness Elijah chose to trust the word over rather than his own brother.

It wasn’t easy for Klaus to stay hidden in the shadows this long. Not when he had so much pent up aggression that he needed to get out. Part of revealing himself now, meant unleashing it. Besides, Stefan had already discovered his presence and it wouldn’t be long before the others did as well. At least this way, Klaus could control it. He could control the way this face to face interaction went. Though, he suspected it wouldn’t be pretty. More like bloody. Feverishly bloody.

As Klaus mulled over what to say when Elijah finally walked in, he helped himself to his brother’s finest scotch. It was as he took his first few sips that he heard footsteps approaching. And then was greeted with the shadowy figure of a man he hardly recognized. Though, it was in fact, Elijah. “You know brother,” Klaus began idly. He gestured to the ceiling fan where the heart he gift-wrapped to Elijah was dangling on a single bed of rope, “I’m hurt you didn’t bother to unwrap or treasure my gift. Was choosing to ignore it’s existence a show of guilt perhaps? Or does it bring to light too many vile, fragmented memories? -- I, personally, feel it bodes well with the rest of the room.”