descent | 𝐊𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐒 [HIATUS]

𝟎𝟕

𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓
﹙ 𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒘𝒐, 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 ﹚
࿐ ࿔ ✧˖*°
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Rory doesn't even know where she's going, but all she knows is that she wants to get the hell away from Aurora de Martel. She hobbles in her step, barely realising the piece of wood still stuck through her thigh when Aurora catapulted them both onto the ground after Rory's hasty decision to spit in her face. Rory ingests a huge gulp of air, leaning against the wall of the alley she had unknowingly wandered into. She runs a hand through her hair, forcing herself to calm down.

"Rory," Klaus' voice sounds over her shoulder. She doesn't register the hands on her shoulders, on her back, on her arms—his hands were searching for any injury other than the most prominent one on her leg. "Sweetheart, it's me."

Rory slouches against his chest, Klaus' arms enveloping her middle as he holds her up. Klaus ends up slouching against the wall, sitting on the ground. Rory wants to comment that it would most probably dirty his expensive coat, but she realises that he probably has a hundred more in his closet, some more expensive than the last.

Rory buries her head into the crook of his neck, fingers curling around the fabric of his t-shirt. He presses his lips against the side of her head, shushing her fast breaths, willing her to calm down. "You're alright, lovely," he whispers softly. "I've got you. You're with me."

It takes a while for her to regain her senses and calm herself after the unexpected panic attack. She hadn't realised how frightened she was until she witnessed both Dean and Cami being used as pawns in an attempt to rouse a rush of emotion from her. She was never frightened for herself—she was frightened for her friends. Her innocent friends that had nothing to do with anything. Even Dean. Even Dean who she hurt and in turn hurt her.

"Nik," Rory whispers against his neck; soft and shaky. "I'm terrified," she confesses. Her trembling fingers curl around the collar of his shirt. "I don't know... I don't know how much of this I can take."

"I'm so sorry," Klaus whispers against the crown of her head. "I'm so sorry about what I said. I had no idea what Aurora was going to do to you," he closes his eyes, tightening his grip around Rory. "I wouldn't know what to do with myself if she..."

He can't say it.

Rory pulls away from the crook of his neck, wiping her tears. She cups his face in her hand, brushing a hair from his forehead. "I do love you," she says. "I love you so much. I love you so much that it hurts. But I'm just so terrified, because everyone I love ends up hurt."

Klaus' hand curls around Rory's wrist, keeping her hand against his cheek. "Nothing can hurt me," he responds. "Nothing will hurt me," he presses his forehead against hers. "No one has the power to do anything that could hurt me... besides you," he presses a gentle kiss to her cheek. "There isn't a dull day with you, is there, Rory Gilbert?"