Lights Flicker And Fade : Kol Mikaelson [3]

255: A Little Louisianan Parlour Trick

Cami's instinct was to barge right after Klaus, but she also couldn't bring herself to. She hadn't wanted to follow him. She hadn't wanted to feed into the tantrum – but she also hadn't been able to stop herself. They'd barely been in the same room since she stole the white oak, but now?

In the doorway to his art room.

She watched as he rooted through a side cupboard converted to hold canvases.

His hands moved quickly, eyes unable to still as he pulled different ones out, dropping them to the floor, face down, so she couldn't see what was on them. All except for one. One that wobbled slightly, giving her a flicker of a landscape. Houses and trees, and specs of red. Surprising her slightly.

"Here, I thought you were about to be burning your portraits of her."

Klaus stilled, staring into the cupboard.

Cami carefully stepped inside, letting the door close behind her – like that would do anything to keep ears out.

Klaus still not turning around.

"I..."

"I'm sorry."

Words spoken like an exhale.

"I should've killed her."

Cami swallowed.

"Aurora...that is."

Cami drifted slightly closer, "I assumed."

"I'm sorry I didn't listen in the Cemetery."

"I'm sorry I took the white oak."

"Kol had a point," Klaus slowly turned, "It was exactly what any of us would've done."

"I'm sorry I kept quiet about him."

Klaus just stared at her.

Taking her face in for the first time in what felt like years. The slight curls of her blonde hair weren't familiar, but appreciated, the green of her eyes so bright. Not at all branded undead or destroyed, but calm and worried. Worried for him. For her friend. For the situation, they were all in.

As active with thought as ever.

"Ryan's been begging to meet Kol's family for months," She admitted, "...Always has questions about you..."

Something in Klaus broke at that admission, shoving the final canvas aside to hit the cupboard with his back, staring at the ceiling while trying not to let anything escape his body.

He wasn't crying.

It was something else locked in his chest, craving contact.

"She thought I'd kill him?"

"You proved her right, Klaus."

His eyes snapped back to meet hers.

"They made you doubt her; you lashed out – "

Pushing off the cupboard, "It is not – "

"You thought she would hurt you," Cami spelt out, "Meaning they showed you something that could make her hate you."