A/N: Happy Enigma Day!
~Klaus POV~
Klaus and Amelia were painting side by side as they were prone to doing since his return from the war. The two had turned out to be kindred spirits, they both loved painting and were both determined to tear down her father's legacy in New Orleans. When they weren't painting, they were working on dismantling his empire piece by piece so naturally they spent much time together.
"Goodness Nik, that is sloppy work," she said as she glanced over at his work. "You should be ashamed of those brushstrokes."
He laughed, "And I suppose you can do better? Or are you too busy being the most derivative artist alive?"
"How dare you?" She said with an exaggerated gasp. "My work is completely my own. Besides, imitation is the highest form of flattery, everyone knows that."
He was about to retort but then the door flung open. In walked, or more appropriately stumbled, Fiore and a male companion Klaus did not recognise. Or like.
"Oh sorry, Victor," she said with slurred words as she hung onto him for dear life. "Wrong room. This is just Klaus and Amelia painting together. Again. Come on let's go to the bedroom."
His jaw clenched, "Bedroom?"
"Yes, bedroom," she confirmed. "Victor here was so kind to take me home, I promised he could stay the night."
"Fiore—"
"Focus on your friend Nik, I'll focus on mine."
Her eyes ran up and down Victor in a way that set Klaus's every inch ablaze. The door closed behind her, and Klaus was left fuming in her stead.
"She's trying to make you jealous."
"I know that."
"Then why are you letting it work?" She asked him. His eyes were still fixed to the door, and she turned him to face him. "Nik, the best thing to do is not give into her. Then she wins. You just have to wait her out."
"But—"
"But nothing. You have nothing to apologise for because she has nothing to be jealous about. We aren't doing anything wrong, are we?"
He shook his head no, but as her fingers ran softly across his cheek, he knew he wasn't doing something right either.
"Exactly, so let's just go back to having fun. Just the two of us, no interruptions."
Her smile brought comfort and her logic was sound, so he took a deep breath and returned to his art. Only his hold on the paintbrush was far stronger than before and he couldn't help but use his vampire hearing to listen in on their conversation. He dove in and out, hearing forced giggles and soft but inappropriate touches.
Then he heard something that would forever burn into his brain.
"Thank you so much for helping me out of dress, Victor, I feel so #much better."
In seconds Klaus had raced to the scene of the crime, ready to pounce on the fox I his henhouse but Fiore had anticipated this. She was already shielding Victor from him, in her barely there underdress.
"You will not hurt him," she told him.
"Oh wont I?" He snarled. "Why is he helping you out of your dress?"
Fiore smirked, "Well you certainly weren't going to do it."
"Fiore, I swear—"
"Why are you so bothered about what Victor and I do?" She asked him. "I thought you were with Amelia now?"
"So that's what this is?" He said bitterly. "You are still jealous of Amelia, despite me telling you numerous times we are only friends."
"Yes, yes, I've heard it before," she rolled her eyes. "You are my jealous wife and Amelia is my angelic new best friend who hangs onto every word I say, and I let her because I am an egomaniac. How did I do?"
"Say what you will about her and me, but at least we aren't helping each other take off our clothes," he spat back.
"Well, I know you are just dying for the chance; I thought I would give you permission," she said with a twisted smile. "Besides Victor has only helped me and I have yet to return the favour thanks to your rude arrival. Victor, arms up!"
He obliged and Fiore helped Victor take off his shirt, ignoring the fact that her husband was standing right there.
"Oh yes Victor, we will be the very best of friends," she murmured as she took in his bared chest.
Klaus was beyond livid as he turned his wife to face him, hands cupping her cheeks even with his sinister glare.
"That is enough Fiore," he told her. His lips dived into meet hers, but she turned at the last second, weaving her way out of his arms.
"It is not enough until your new friend is a thing of the past," she warned him. "So for as long as Amelia stays, so does Victor. And you and Amelia might not do anything but I promise Victor and I will."
Against his better instincts, Klaus was troubled. He had liked the relationship he had built with Amelia, even though he knew Fiore hated it. He had been honest, nothing had ever happened between the two of them, but he knew how close he was to the fine line.
But no one was worth Fiore. If she fell into the arms of another, he risked her never returning and that was not an option for him.
"Fine. She's gone."
"Good. I'll let Victor go and then—"
But Klaus had no interest in letting Victor go. The man had spoken nary a word but the way his eyes leered over his wife's body warranted punishment in and of itself. He leapt at his prey and bit at his neck, relishing in the screams that reverberated through the halls. He pulled away when he was still alive, on the brink of coherence.
"I'll let you leave today, Victor," Klaus told him. "Fiore is a beautiful woman, many are taken with her, I'll chalk it up to that. But if I ever see you with her again, you will like me even less than you do now."
Victor nodded feverishly before scrambling out of the compound, sue to take Klaus' threat very seriously. He turned to face Fiore who was shaking her head at him.
"What?" Said Klaus. "I didn't kill him."
"Congratulations."
He pulled his Blossom towards him and wrapped her in his care, "Are you really going to miss him?"
"That depends, are you really going to miss Amelia?"
He stilled for a second before burying his face in her neck, "I have you in my arms, Blossom. I don't want to talk about her. I just want you."
He leaned into kiss her and this time, she did not resist and let his lips meet hers. The kiss had him tumbling through the air and he was reminded why she was the love of his life#. No one else made him feel like she did. She brought him to life.
She pulled away and held a finger between their lips, "I mean it Nik. I want Amelia gone. Immediately."
He nodded hesitantly as the dreaded thought of having to send Amelia away struck his heart, "But that can wait for tomorrow. Right now, I think this is where I put my arms up."
She laughed and helped him remove his shirt before the two went tumbling onto the bed, the playful laughter being replaced by the sound of desperate kisses.
Klaus only opened his eyes for a second, where he swore he saw Amelia standing outside the door with a forlorn look on her face. But he didn't let himself dwell on that. He had Fiore and that was who he wanted.
That was who he always wanted.
"You know Nik, I am really looking forward to this surprise," Amelia said as he led he through the compound.
"Surprise?"
"Uhhh, hello?" She replied in disbelief. "The surprise you made me wait a week to see."
Klaus was quick to keep composure as he plastered on a confident smile, "Of course, I was only joking. The surprise is the new flowers in the courtyard."
He stopped in front of the recently planted flowers with a grandiose wave. Amelia frowned but still huffed a laugh.
"Well, they're nice I guess," she said. "I was kinda hoping for something a little bigger considering you shut me out for a whole week."
"What's bigger than redecorating?"
"A key."
"A key? We don't have a front door."
"Oh my gosh, Klaus, I didn't mean—like metaphorically."
"A metaphorical key?"
"Like as a—" She sighed and ran her hands through her messy red locks. "You know what? It doesn't matter. I'm happy to be with you again."
She leaned in to kiss him and all talks of a difficult discussion were put to bed. He wrapped his arms around her and tried to give her his all, but thoughts of Fiore were harder to put aside now that she had returned. But Fiore had made it very clear that they were done, so he wasn't sure what he was fighting for. Whether they were still worth fighting for.
They had both changed significantly since they last saw each other and as much as Klaus wanted them to fit back together, maybe they never could.
Amelia fit into his life now. Things weren't perfect, but maybe he was wrong to try and hold her to the standard of Fiore. It was impossible for her to meet. Perhaps it was time to be happy in what he and Amelia had.
"I missed you too," he told her.
Enter Elijah.
"Yes, her absence these last few days was all anyone could talk about."
Amelia was already blushing with laughter, "Elijah, your charm continues to have no bounds."
"You might just change your tune, as I am about to steal my brother from you," said Elijah, his severe eyes locked onto his younger brother. "Your reunion will have to wait."
"It's nothing, I have to put my bags down anyhow." She kissed Klaus on the cheek before taking to the stairs, leaving Elijah free reign to express his disappointment.
"I suppose this means you haven't told her about Fiore," Elijah said through gritted teeth.
"When was I supposed to do that? She just got here!"
"And if you cared about her like you say you do, you would have told her the minute she did!" Elijah snapped. "You need to put this girl out of her misery. Fiore is back now and—"
"AND SHE DOESN'T WANT ME!" Klaus roared. "Elijah I have tried, and every time ends with her saying the same thing—she doesn't want me, and she doesn't want to be with me. Maybe I should listen to her."
Elijah scoffed, "If Fiore gave up on you as quickly as you have done her, Lord knows where you would be. She needs you to fight for her, so fight for her Niklaus. The way she has fought for you every time. But I am only saying the words your heart already knows, because if Fiore walked back in here you would fold. Because she is who you want to be with, who you love. She erased herself from your mind and you still could not forget her."
Klaus only folded his arms across his chest in displeasure, "Is there a point to this berating Elijah? Because if your words are as true as you say, then surely this is better heard by Fiore."
"Why? So she can come back here and see you still playing house with Amelia?"
Before he even knew what he was doing, Klaus had grabbed his brother by his immaculate collar and pinned him against the wall.
"Fiore is not to hear a word about Amelia."
Elijah's eyes widened in disbelief, "You haven't told her?"
"How was I supposed to—"
Klaus didn't finish his sentence as his brother broke his hold and flung him to the ground. He tumbled across the courtyard before finding his footing and glaring straight up at his brother.
"You insolent fool," Elijah spat out. "Do you think she won't find out? How long did you really think you could keep this a secret? Right now, she is on a trip with your daughter who—"
"Grace won't say anything," Klaus said in defiance as he got to his feet and dusted himself off.
"Oh, so you've brought your daughter into this charade?" Elijah huffed a humourless laugh. "When this implodes in your face—as we both know it will—know that it will not be your side I'll be taking."
"Why would I expect that?" Klaus said as he barked out a humourless laugh of his own. "The Fiore and Elijah alliance sees to take precedence over everything these days."
"I lied to protect this family, you lie because you are a coward," Elijah said, his voice dripping with disappointment. "I want better for you Niklaus, if only you wanted better for yourself."
"How dare you—"
"I would figure out this Amelia-Fiore triangle soon," Elijah said as he made his exit. "Unless you would like a repeat of what happened last time."
A/N: Seven years in the game, oh damn!
I am so happy that there are still people who want to read the chaotic ups and downs of my Mikaelson household! Writing is only a hobby for me but I am so glad that I get to share my passion with you guys.
When I first started this, I did not think I would get even one thousand reads and now The Enigma has almost 170K that is insane to me! Enigmatic Finales isn't even 50 chapters deep and we just hit 3k, you guys are so amazing and so special to me.
I love reading your comments, but I am also grateful for those of you who just read in silence, cuz let's be real, that's me too lol. Special shoutout to @HoMo_SaPiEn321 who is always the firs to read and comment, I see you every time!!!!
I can't believe I'm on the final book, like I am not ready to let Fiore go at all omgggggg.
Thankfully (for me anyway) I am writing at a snail's pace so lord knows it might take me 7 more years to complete it!
However, this Enigma Month, I am signing myself up for the challenge of writing one chapter a week, so you can have a weekly update like in the ye olde times of the E1.
So until next time, where we find out how the Klaus-Amelia-Fiore saga ended the first time around - spoiler alert, it wasn't great!
Love you as always and thanks so much for seven years, looking forward to the future of this story! X