ephemeral || stiles and the originals

chapter fourteen

me: i stg i don't have adhd-
my boss:...
my therapist:...
my friend:...

sunday, february 20
new orleans, louisiana
third person pov

Mieczyslaw did not rest. Sleep was a strange concept to a vampire, and while it was not impossible, some nights proved to suggest it might be. On nights like that, Mieczyslaw would be left to ruminate in the thousands of years of memories.

Annoyed, Mieczyslaw flicked away the burning butt of a cigarette, another rabbit habit he once used to pass the time. The glowing end fell down to the damp grass below and he watched a small spark fight to survive before it was drowned out by dew droplets of the morning.

"I didn't know bloodsuckers could smoke."

Ah. Niklaus' human. The not pet dog.

Flashing a sardonic smile to his right, Mieczyslaw replied as Hayley joined him at the balcony. "We can do anything, can't we?"

"Can-" She struggled for a moment, trying to ask the right question, "Can you...get...?" She trailed off, but the youngest original was already shaking his head, "High? No. I'm dead, darling. This is simply a way to pass the time."

Hayley nodded, pursing her lips at the sudden awkward silence. Mieczyslaw fought a smile as he was involuntarily reminded of Malia and her inability to sit through silence.

"Klaus said that I shouldn't be around you."

Mieczyslaw tilted his head in a decisive non-answer. "Is that all Klaus said about me?"

"He said that you keep human pets," her voice held thinly veiled disdain.

A part of him, the perhaps the one the pack knew, wanted to say that they weren't pets, but friends, but Mieczyslaw knew that any affection shown toward them would paint targets on their backs.

He had to answer as Mieczyslaw, so he laughed. "Niklaus was always the jealous sort. I had a whole pack of pets, and he only has you. Poor Klaus, stuck with one dog. How many tricks can you do?"

Hurt bled through Hayley's expression and before she could defend herself from his merciless attack, Mieczyslaw continued. "Apparently not enough. My advice, Hayley, run far far away from this family and don't have that bab-"

A hand grabbed Mieczyslaw's throat and threw him into the wall. The plaster broke and shambles of the wall fell down around Mieczyslaw's head. He grinned at his snarling brother.

"Niklaus!"

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Elijah watching the spat with cool detachment and his usual disapproval. Tipping an imaginary hat to his eldest brother, Mieczyslaw greeted, "Elijah. Why so glum?"

Nails dug into Mieczyslaw's neck and he was being lifted out of the debris by Niklaus whose deranged anger shone in his eyes.

"You dare threaten my child!"

Wincing at the volume of his brother's shout, Mieczyslaw rolled his eyes, "I was offering her some common sense since she obviously doesn't have enough to stay away from this family."