Sackcloth and ashes

CH.6

"So I conclude moving out will have to wait"

"This conversation will also have to wait, help me fold these"

He laughs,

"What? your royal highness is too pretentious to fold clothes?"

"That's not it actually"

He takes a seat beside her on the bed as she hands him the laundry basket

A definitely strange sight to anyone who's familiar with the notorious Klaus Mikaelson

"So are we to pretend today is not your birthday"

She scoffs,"i don't really care about celebrating my birthday anymore"

He can empathize, after everything she's been going through for the past years, such celebrations might appear tedious

"Alright then miss Marshall, i can respect your wishes to not make a big fuss over this but you shall expect a humble gift"

She smiles when she sees the determination in his eyes, so she reluctantly agrees

"Fine, but nothing too expensive"

He sighs,
"fine,if i must"

"I can't believe you're a thousand years old and this is how you fold"

She yanks the shirt he was just holding out of his hands

"You don't really fold many bras while you're busy ruling empires love"

She laughs,
the kind of laugh that reaches her sparkling eyes,

And for a moment he feels truly alive, he's always been after her absurd laughter, the way she continuously hits his shoulder when she laughs and tells him to shut up

"Maybe we can go out for dinner tonight, the three of us"

He hesitatingly asks, looking away

She takes a good look at him,at how uncertain he looks

She smiles,

"Yeah,Sure, why not"

He lightly squeezes her hand

"It's settled then, I'll leave the folding to you and go get hope"

Once he leaves she rushes to the window to watch him ,
And when he looks back at her smirking she quickly turns around, cursing under her breath

_______

After running a few errands Hayley goes back to her room, intending to get some rest before the inevitably chaotic dinner she's up for,

She can't help but smile when she remembers the way he held her hand earlier, she hates herself for how weak in the knees he gets her with one touch

How he manges to subdue all her anger with one look

The wrapped up gift laying on her bed catches her attention,

It's noticeably big, she gets more and more curious as she struggles to remove the pesky wrapping

She Finds herself completely enraptured by the painting

But also sick to her stomach

She recognizes the caffé,the dress she wore that summer, and the necklace

This was three years ago, she vividly remembers this day with all its details, it's the day she could have sworn she saw him somewhere in the shadows

Tears smear the painting when she hears his car pull up

He's placing his keys on the kitchen counter when she throws the drawing on the table

His smile fades noticing her watery eyes

"Is something wrong?"

She purses her lips, pointing at the painting

"How long have you been stalking me?"

He opens his mouth to speak but no words come out

"Right...of course you did"

"Hayley-"

He reaches for her hand but she takes a step back

"Get out"

"Love, if you can just calm down and le-"

"I said,take your shit and get the fuck out of my house"

He nods, takes his keys and leaves

She instantly throws the painting on the floor at full force

"Fucking bastard" she mutters hysterically

It's a fool's dream to believe he could ever change, still she feels that familiar body ache watching him leave

Part of her wants to chase after him, beg him not to leave again

Instead she holds the damned painting and cries