Dark Moon | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 24

"Klaus," she greeted, clasping her hands together behind her back as she walked up shyly. "Elijah said you'd be here."

He was almost unsure what to say, even to such a simple statement. She looked beautiful, and it made him lose his train of thought, and if she had had the guts to look into his eyes, she would have seen his pupils dilate. He couldn't imagine how she could ever think herself to be ugly, but he did know how bad she had had it in her childhood, and understood exactly why she had no confidence when it came to her appearance.

"Hello, love," he said simply, walking over to her. "Enjoy the dance?"

"Your brother dragged me out to it, so I have to say no," she admitted.

Klaus raised a brow. "Which brother?"

"Finn. Apparently, he met my father, and saw my mother and I once, a long time ago, around the time when I was seven. He said he was eighteen, and I suppose I must have looked startled to hear this, because he made a point to talk about how he isn't trying to... court me or anything."

Klaus let out a dry laugh. He knew Finn must have been attracted to her, if he had asked her to dance. He was certain both Finn and Kol had seen it as a challenge when Klaus and Elijah had mentioned that they had already gotten to know her well enough. Klaus worried that Kol especially wouldn't be able to stop himself from pursuing her. "That's my brother for you, but I suppose you already knew him from the memories. He'll do anything for approval, especially from our mother."

Esmeray smiled lightly, looking around at the artwork, her eyes scanning over every canvas and piece of paper she could see. "So this is your life's work," she said quietly, careful not to touch things. "It's really nice."

"Think of it as a private art show," he said, coming to walk alongside her. "Which ones do you like?"

She took her time looking through each one she passed, before stopping and looking up at a particular scenery, her brows furrowed. "This one... I know this place. Those trees, the lake..."

"I was wondering if you'd recognize it," he said softly. "We saw the same forests and lakes in our youth." He pointed toward a particular area of the painting. "I believe your village was here. When I saw this scenery, I had traveled alongside Mikael, near where your settlement was, but not quite entering into it."

But she had already moved her gaze to the painting beside it, which made her breath hitch. It was the portrait Klaus had made of her, showing her curled up and sleeping. "Is that me?" she asked quietly, hoping she wasn't making a fool of herself if she was wrong.

Klaus ran his tongue slowly over his lips. "It is."

"I look almost ethereal there..."

He turned her to face him. "That's how I see you in real life," he said quietly. "You look... absolutely beautiful. Tonight and every night."

"I-I couldn't have looked that way without the dress," she said sheepishly.

He shook his head. "Whether you're in a fancy dress or in those ratty little gym clothes you wear, you look... stunning, love. You don't need my help to look good."

There was a moment when they just stared at each other. As he had done before, he was tempted to lean in. But he saw the way she gulped, and he understood that she wasn't comfortable with that. He refrained from making any move, and let her be the one who took his hand, staring down at it, her fingers drifting above it.

"I know what's happening," she said quietly. "I know what you feel and I know what I feel and as much as I would like to do something about it... it's complicated. Even with Damon, I'm not sure if I'm actually ready for a relationship."