Black Magic ▹ The Vampire Diaries [1]

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
HOUSE INSURANCE

"Trust your instincts, and make judgments on what your heart tells you."

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

     "It's seven in the morning. Did you really have to wake me at seven in the morning?"

Even as Henrik complained, he continued to take the various art pieces off of the walls and lean them gently against the couch. He'd hardly gotten any sleep the night before, tossing and turning all night, his mind replaying the events of the dance over and over again until Ethan's horrified expression was all he saw when he closed his eyes. He had heard Klaus moving about all night as well, barking orders at compelled humans. He had started packing up the mansion as soon as they had arrived home—true to his word, Klaus had followed Henrik home once they left—but he hadn't forced Henrik to help. Not until that morning, when Henrik had sighed heavily into his pillow for the thousandth time that hour alone and Klaus had finally heard enough.

Henrik supposed he should feel grateful. Packing kept him busy. It gave him something to do, and besides, it wasn't like he had anyone to go see. His phone was on top of the entertainment center, which would be packed into a moving truck that would arrive in the afternoon. Aside from texts from Matt, asking if he was alright, it was relatively silent. For now, he was focusing on packing up the antique pieces in the sitting room. Klaus was in the next room over, placing lamps and other art pieces into a crate filled with shredded paper for protection.

"Would you rather stay in your room and mope?" Klaus demanded, sliding a painting carefully into a crate. That one specifically had dividers inside, which was precisely why Henrik was leaving the paintings alone once he took them off the walls. Klaus would just rearrange whatever art piece he packed anyway. "Have you packed all your potions and broomsticks and whatnot?" Henrik shot him an annoyed look, grumbling under his breath even as he took a break and went to pick up his cup of coffee. It was sitting by his phone, and he couldn't help picking that up as well, unlocking it.

"I wish I did have a broomstick. That way I could beat you over the head with it," Henrik muttered unkindly, taking a huge gulp of his coffee as he went to his text messages with Ethan. His thumb hovered over the screen. "And no, I haven't packed anything of mine yet. It's not like I'm going with you." He was so busy staring at his screen and debating over whether to message Ethan that he didn't even notice Klaus stop moving completely. He only noticed when he heard footsteps getting closer to him. He glanced up just in time to see Klaus pause in the threshold, a displeased look on his face.

"You're not coming?" Klaus asked quietly. It was only then that it occurred to Henrik that he had gotten too comfortable. He was a fool to think Klaus's behavior the night before would actually stick. He was the same person that he'd been for the past nine hundred years, and one rare night of kindness wouldn't change that. Henrik debated what to say next, still relaxed against the entertainment center, before he sighed softly. A moment later, he shook his head in a negative. He wasn't looking for a fight this time. Hopefully, Klaus wasn't either.

"No, Nik, I'm not coming with you," Henrik said gently, or as gently as he could considering it was Klaus and it was seven in the morning. Finishing off his coffee, he set his cup back down.

"Don't tell me you're staying in this godforsaken town?" Klaus asked next, disbelief coloring his tone. He didn't sound particularly angry just yet, just on the verge of getting annoyed.