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@deceptivemorals
welcome to deceptivemorals, an independent mutuals only rp blog for elijah mikaelson. written by cathy (21+ - she/her - cet). this blog has low activity! this elijah is tvd-based.
carrd // verses // memes // navigation // promo
my other blogs are survivingpierce (main) & touchedbydestiny
icon + mobile banner credit: ᴅʏɴᴀsᴛʏ
time passes so quickly and somehow there is never enough time for all the things you want to do. my presence here is therefore very sparse.
We've never spoken before, obviously, but one of your threads just came across my dash, given we share a mutual, and you should know that you are an absolutely fantastic writer. That's all.
thank you <3
𝓗ow this conversation got this out of hand has completely become lost on her, but unlike most people: Bonnie isn't going to cower or ask for apologies. It's been said and done and now all they can do is see what comes next. She's not going to fight Elijah, not when she needs his help, but it's evident that his ego was bruised at her dismissal of his loyalty to Klaus and her weariness of his intentions despite it all. Bonnie doesn't regret a thing she's said to him, and won't backtrack on her words. Instead, she blinks. Studies him as if she's never really looked at him before. "I'm proceeding with caution," Is what she lands on, slight correction to his statement as her shoulders remain slightly tense for only a few seconds before she forces them down, and forces herself not to get fired up because it isn't worth it. "Not yielding or trying to cause a fight with you, Elijah. But I needed you to know where I stood with what happened last time." There's no fighting words here, just honesty. Something she's been all along where he hasn't. "My loyalties to my friends aren't going to change, but I don't want to look like a fool when or if something goes wrong again. My hostility is to show you I'm serious about our deal together, and I'm not going to take anything that happens lightly." He can read it as a threat or something meaningful, her tone still remaining heavier, but her gaze softens soon after, taking a step closer.
Bonnie lets out a sigh, a hand moving out to him instead as she relaxes her defensive features, large green eyes wandering across his expression before she tilts her head slightly. "I give you my word that I'm here to work as a team and not enemies." A beat. She's not touching him, but she's offering a hand if he wanted to take it. "I'll even make the travel arrangements for us. Use my miles." The air felt a little too heavy. A little too much if he's going to be spending more time with her. Bonnie takes a breath, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Do you drink coffee?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀though the tension between them had not vanished entirely, elijah noticed the difference immediately. the defensiveness from before no longer struck quite so recklessly; there was intention behind her words now rather than simple resistance for resistance’s sake. that, at the very least, he could respect.
⠀⠀⠀⠀when she extended her hand toward him, his gaze lowered to it briefly before returning to her face. there was the faintest pause before he accepted it. his grip was precise in the way nearly everything about him tended to be; firm enough to convey certainty, restrained enough to avoid any impression of dominance.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"caution, is a far more reasonable approach than hostility." his tone lacked the earlier edge now, though the underlying expectation remained intact. "and for what it is worth, miss bennett, i do understand your position more than you perhaps realize. you have people you wish to protect. it is a good trait to not abandon that simply for the sake of convenience."
⠀⠀⠀⠀then came the matter of travel arrangements, and for the first time since their conversation had begun to deteriorate earlier, something faintly resembling amusement touched his features. "while i appreciate the gesture," he said smoothly, "i assure you, there is absolutely no need for you to finance my travel expenses." his brow lifted just slightly. "truthfully, i would find it rather improper to allow it." and perhaps mildly horrifying.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"i have a particular standard when it comes to travel arrangements," he added with effortless composure. "one which tends to involve privacy, efficiency, and a regrettable unwillingness to stand barefoot in airport security lines beside someone transporting emotional-support ferrets." the faintest trace of dry humor settled into his voice then.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"so long as we are capable of extending one another mutual respect, i have no issue covering the expense."
⠀⠀⠀⠀at her final question, elijah’s expression shifted again; subtle, but lighter than before. "i’m afraid i must disappoint you yet again. i have always preferred tea." || @bennettdiaries
@deceptivemorals
Tatia’s brows furrowed ever so slightly as his questioning intensified. She’d expected resistance, suspicion. One thing she hadn’t anticipated was his insistence on the subject of Katherine. Katerina…
For a moment she did not respond, just observed. Looking for any fracture in his expression. No longer looking for the man she’d known, nor at the indifference he now wore. Those as old as them had a tendency to hide beneath curated masks, and now her attention switched from protecting hers to trying to discern what could be hiding beneath his.
But her own mask could not slip away completely in the process. ❝You’d be surprised how much you can learn about a person without actually meeting them… simply because you share the same face.❞ and just as before, the lies she told were aided with a healthy dose of truth. After all, that was how she came to learn of Katherine's existence in the first place. Because of the shared looks.
A shiver threatened to go down her spine at the coldness of his tone. ❝What purpose would it serve for me to lie to you about where she is?❞ her words were spoken plainly, calm. Despite the effect his presence had on her.
She was not as immune to the threat of his posture as she would have hoped. Because for the first time in decades (maybe centuries) it was not just her own skin on the line, but a life of an innocent.
An innocent that was already exposed to more death and heartbreak than she should in her short life. Tatia had known of the death of Elena's parents, as well as the rise in supernatural activity in town. For someone who knew how to follow the news, the animal attacks that started plaguing the region were a clear sign. Death had already passed the threshold of the town. Now it was just a matter of controlling the damage.
So when he questioned her perspective, a new layer of irritation emerged. And as she turned, she didn’t even bother hiding it this time. ❝You’ve come to learn of my existence through what she told you of me no more than an hour ago, correct?❞ she asked, not even bothering to look at or motion towards the vampire. ❝Was that enough to brief you in on all the years that had been leading to this moment? On the experiences I’ve had, on the people I’ve known, the life I have led?❞ Of course, Tatia also could not claim to know to know exactly what Elena’s life was like. She worked with very limited information, but still more than what he appeared to know.
❝What can you know of my familiarity with your kind? Do you truly think they were the first ones I’ve come across?❞ Truth. The best basis for lies was to build them on truth. ❝I’ve known of vampires for a long time now. And I’ve seen what follows them at every step. Death.❞ The final word landed with frightening honesty. How easy it was to pour the pain behind her own experiences with his kind, behind what he’d done to her, into this performance. ❝I’ve seen enough of it for several lifetimes. Enough to stop fearing my own.❞
The frustration in her reached a new level once he began talking of the way he could force her into quiet submission. Had it not been for the sage, shadows would have already gathered in her veins, eyes turning the darkest shade of black in response. Instead, she had to grind her teeth and dismiss the rage. The mere fact he considered such an approach was enough to make her blood boil.
His darkened gaze might have been enough to instil a healthy dose of fear in her. But not when anger already steeled the expression of her own eyes. ❝Don’t insult my intelligence by claiming I have no right to the conclusions I’ve come to. Especially since it was your spectacle that filled in majority of the blanks.❞ If it was confidence he claimed to see in her, confidence he would get. Maybe even a dash of arrogance to sweeten the bait. Because if the subject of Katherine was of such importance to him... Tatia wondered what would he do with the answer that was given.
But arrogance too had to be kept on a tight leash while negotiating. Even if something rattled deep in her bones again as he described what would await her descendant had she proven… disobedient. Words had to be chosen carefully, and as she pondered an appropriate response, she was forced into stillness that was barely believable for a human being when he began listing the conditions.
Each word, each phrase, every condition. Analysed and picked apart.
It was not a perfect deal. But she was not likely to get anything better.
Tatia’s eyes dropped from his face then, to the hand that now extended towards her, like a pen with which she’d agree to a deal with devil himself. But the object of their focus lied beyond the current circumstances, far beyond current time.
These were still the same hands that once held her with a clear desire to protect, to shield from harm, the same arms that later held her still when life was drained from her veins. She remembered his skin as coarse from labour and wielding a sword, but the touch of it as one of the gentlest things her memory could produce.
Would the skin of his hand still feel familiar upon touch?
No. It couldn’t.
These were no longer the hands she’d known. Years may have softened the skin but hardened the heart behind them. There would be nothing gentle in them now. These were the hands of a killer, a man who had no qualms about sending an innocent life for slaughter.
Something stirred within her then, violently enough to cast a shadow on her features. For a second something in her eyes, in the curve of her lips, in the faintest movement of her brow threatened to betray the brew of conflicting emotions. Outrage was constant, anticipated — contained. But grief, guilt, regret? Those Tatia struggled to contain… because the true weight of them was not yet fully acknowledged.
Her eyes returned to him then, determination making its way back into her gaze. This was just the first step. The real challenge would be what comes next.
❝I will do as you instruct. I will make no attempts to flee.❞ she repeated after him, her gaze never straying from his. Her own hand, stained by just as much blood (if not more) rose to meet his. ❝I will not seek to alter nor interfere with the ritual. I will not plot against it…❞ a faintest narrowing of eyes. ❝…or you.❞ she finished, finally taking the hand he offered in hers, allowing that first touch in a thousand years.
Her grip was firm, cold. One of the side-effects of her curse, one that sage wasn't able to combat. ❝You can rest easy knowing I will do what it takes to protect those I care about.❞ The cruelty of the parallel darkened her expression then. One thousand years before, she gave her blood to a witch based on a promise that this would ensure protection. And now she promised the same blood to the witch's son.
Hoping that this time... the deal would result in less bloodshed.
⠀⠀⠀⠀elijah regarded her in silence for a long moment after her explanation, his expression remaining composed, though there was something increasingly scrutinizing in his gaze now. every answer she offered seemed to resolve one inconsistency only to create two more in its place. and he noticed it, meticulously. she was very contradictory. contradictory in a way that opened up many questions but at the same time aroused his suspicion.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"perhaps," he finally answered, "but were that truly the case, i suspect the circumstances of our meeting would be... considerably different." if she had been mistaken für katherine pierce more than this time, then he'd argue that the outcome would have been different.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"if someone had genuinely mistaken you for katherine pierce long before now, there are only two likely outcomes." a slight tilt of his head followed. "either you would have already been delivered to my family... or others would have attempted to use you themselves. a resemblance to miss pierce is not the sort of thing that leads to a peaceful existence." in short: elijah would have known sooner about her, or she would have been already dead for one reason or another. yet she was still alive despite there being countless individuals who would have viewed such a resemblance not as coincidence, but as opportunity. from what he had learned, katherine pierce did not have many friends, instead she had a lot of enemies or people who held a strange obsession for her; provided that they had survived her. she was reluctant to leave loose ends that could point to her, which also made it so difficult to determine where she was. another reason why elijah didn't believe katherine had actually died in a fire in 1864.
⠀⠀⠀⠀and yet this girl, this supposed human, stood before him not only alive, but composed. it did not fit.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"so yes," he continued evenly, "i can imagine several reasons why you might choose to lie regarding her whereabouts... or the extent of your knowledge." he did not elaborate further. he did not need to. the implication alone was sufficient.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his gaze lingered on her as she spoke of death again, of vampires, of familiarity with their kind. and once more that same dissonance settled beneath his composure. nothing about her reactions aligned with what experience had taught him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀a human in her position should have been terrified by now. overwhelmed. desperate. bargaining, trembling, pleading for assurances that would never come. most mortals broke long before reaching this point. some cried. some begged. others dissolved into denial so profound they could scarcely form coherent thoughts.
⠀⠀⠀⠀she did none of those things. instead, she challenged him. she negotiated. she observed. and she did so with a levelness that belonged far more to someone accustomed to surviving monsters than to someone recently introduced to them. again, it did not fit the expectations, and it made him suspicious; made him feel like something was profoundly wrong. made him doubt whether she was actually a mere human or not, even though she smelled like a human. a hunter, perhaps? unlikely, considering the fact that most vampires, especially in this area where katherine pierce seemed to have left a footprint, would recognize a doppelgänger. indulging with them wouldn't be smart.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"then should i take this to mean," he asked calmly, "that you were prepared for this moment?" there was no mockery in the question, only clinical precision. "because your composure suggests either remarkable adaptability... or prior expectation." his gaze narrowed almost imperceptibly. "and if your life has truly involved as much contact with the supernatural as you imply…i find myself wondering how you managed to survive it." if she had, perhaps, a supernatural protector, she wouldn't be here. she would have some support or would not be in the situation in the first place. unless it was what she had planned from the beginning.
⠀⠀⠀⠀humans did not simply brush shoulders with vampires for years and emerge untouched. not unless they were protected, extraordinarily fortunate... or far less human than they appeared.
⠀⠀⠀⠀something about this entire situation continued to feel fundamentally wrong to him. not visibly so. not enough to expose itself plainly. but enough for instinct to persist like a splinter beneath the skin.
⠀⠀⠀⠀when she referenced his spectacle, his gaze shifted briefly past her shoulder toward trevor's body. the blood spilled across the floorboards had already begun to darken and dry at the edges. the scent lingered heavily in the room still. then his eyes returned to her, unmoved.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"and what would this spectacle tell you?" he questioned, wanting to know to what conclusions she came when she apparently already knew everything.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his attention remained fixed not merely on her words, but on every subtle alteration in her demeanor. and when he extended his hand, he noticed it immediately: that moment. it was brief. nearly imperceptible but nonetheless present.
⠀⠀⠀⠀for the first time since this conversation began, her certainty appeared to fracture. not fully, not enough for a lesser observer to notice, but enough. a hesitation that did not align with the confidence she had displayed moments earlier. as though agreeing to his terms carried a weight beyond the obvious. as though something else lingered beneath the surface of her decision. however, he could no tell what it was.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his expression did not shift in response. it remained perfectly composed, masklike in its restraint, though his gaze sharpened almost imperceptibly as he studied her through that fleeting pause.
⠀⠀⠀⠀and then her hand met his; the coldness surprised him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀not because cold hands were unusual in themselves. humans often carried chilled skin from fear, poor circulation, winter air, illness. but none of those explanations felt appropriate here. not after the fire she had shown only moments ago. not with the steadiness of her posture or the controlled cadence of her voice. and yet her touch was unmistakably cold, colder than it should have been.
⠀⠀⠀⠀furthermore, there was something else. for the briefest instant something flickered through his eyes in response; something strange and wholly uninvited. not recognition exactly and not memory. merely the sharp and inexplicable sensation that the contact had stirred something buried impossibly deep beneath centuries. it vanished almost as quickly as it appeared.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his grip remained measured and precise; firm without aggression, controlled without softness. "then we have an agreement," he said at last.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his hand released hers smoothly thereafter, though his gaze lingered on her for another second before he stepped back.
⠀⠀⠀⠀originally, he had come here intending to retrieve katherine pierce. that had been the plan. instead, he now found himself leaving with a human (albeit questionable, suspicious) doppelgänger.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"come," he said calmly, turning slightly toward the exit at last. "you may accompany me to my vehicle." the phrasing itself carried finality. rose-marie was no longer required. whatever usefulness she had possessed ended the moment this agreement was secured, and she was free to go.
⠀⠀⠀⠀elijah adjusted the cuff of his sleeve with unhurried precision before his gaze settled briefly upon her once more. still watching and still assessing. because despite the agreement now standing between them, his suspicion had not diminished in the slightest. || @xnokturn
dg being more active on insta 🥰
♥ + touchedbydestiny
Send me a ♥ + a URL and I'll list 5 things I like about them. || 2/10 Also sent in by @ladamedemartel
Something I like about Cathy? Is there anything?
Jk I have a lot to say about Cathy.
1- She is probably my longest writing partner on this blog besides Maddie. I've followed Cathy for pretty much as long as I've been writing Katherine (for like 3.5 years now). I simply adore all the verses we've built together and the threads we've had (all 6 million of them.)
2- SPEAKING OF BUILDING TOGETHER, Katherine and Elijah have one of the best growth I've ever had in long term muse interactions. They've genuinely grown so MUCH and TOGETHER worked on their problems in a realistic way it's honestly one of my favourite dynamics I have ever had in my rp history.
3- Cathy, when I tell you that the above applies to NADIA TOO??? The up and down and happy and sad moments between them are actually some of my favourite ever. I am so genuinely invested in them you have no idea. Even when Katherine is being a brat, even when she's getting on Nadia's nerves she loves her to death, genuinely. Their dynamic is so special to me.
4- I have always adored seeing you interact with @lordofthestrix its such a compelling relationship and you two play your characters so fucking well that I just sit there like "damn I love them so much"
5- Cathy you are genuinely one of the most important people to me on tumblr. You're such an important writing partner for not just me but Katherine too and I am so glad that we crossed paths bc my experience is always made better by having you on the dash.
@deceptivemorals @touchedbydestiny
@deceptivemorals
The smile on her face faltered, when the mention of Viktor left his lips. It felt foreign to hear Elijah speak of Viktor, enough for the realisation to settle; she never shared that with him.
❝Everything was once unfamiliar territory,❞ was her initial response to his question. She went silent for a time, seemingly once again engrossed in making sure the terrain beneath their feet offered enough safety.
The knowledge settled somewhat heavily in her mind, her steps slowing down slightly as she pondered it. Viktor had been dead for years and there had been no actual reason yet to discuss him. Just like with all her losses, she preferred to keep them close to her heart, as if sharing those wounds, even in conversation, risked opening them again.
❝I still use the sun to find direction; trees are not that dense everywhere. I also try to follow streams and brooks if I decide to venture further.❞ her voice continued to quiet, mind preoccupied with something entirely different. ❝But I don’t do it as often anymore.❞
As they stepped deeper and deeper into the wild terrain, Tatia realised that subconsciously… she brought him here because she longed to let him in on that secret. To bare those most intimate parts of her soul. Because she’d chosen him. Made the conscious decision to place her heart in his hands, joy as well as the scars.
Though, perhaps, it would be easier to start with the joys.
❝There is also a trick that Viktor taught me,❞ she began speaking after a while, the tone of her voice quieter, but carrying a lightness she hadn’t expected. At some point, Tatia stopped to pick up a broken branch from the forest floor. Her steps continued, as she methodically began breaking off the smaller branches, until only the base remained. ❝Father didn’t like it when we disappeared for too long. He was the one who taught Viktor to keep to the water, so that’s where he usually began searching for us. So we had to resort to different methods.❞
The smile remained on her face, as she tapped the base of the branch onto the ground every couple of steps. ❝So instead, we looked for long sticks and branches. We’d tie them together with a string and stick them in the ground.❞ At last, she found where the ground was soft enough and the branch would be stable. With a hard thrust, she pierced the ground, leaving the branch standing upright.
Tatia’s steps continued onward. ❝We made more the further we went. As long as one was within viewing distance, it was easy to retrace our steps. We’d dismantle them as we walked back, so father wouldn’t catch on. Though occasionally we came close to being discovered and had to hide.❞
At that moment, they finally reached the creek she’d spoken of earlier. For now, there was no need to cross it, so she continued to guide them in the direction of the flowing water. ❝I was very good at it. Sometimes even Viktor couldn’t tell where I was hiding.❞ An unexpected laugh forced her to pause the story. ❝He sometimes joked that he wouldn’t let father marry me off unless my suitor could find me in the forest. That only someone truly worthy would manage such a feat.❞
Her steps came to a stop then and her eyes softened when they rested fully on him once again. Her smile widened ever so slightly, as she beheld how perfectly he fit among the greenery she’d always adored. The story, though simple and inconsequential, was an intimate section of her memory; but letting him in felt natural, it felt right.
❝I think he would have liked you…❞ she added, almost in a whisper, taking his hand and squeezing it gently.
⠀⠀⠀⠀elijah’s gaze lingered ahead of them for a moment after her first words, thoughtful, attentive. "that is true," he agreed. "every land once belonged to the unknown until someone chose to step beyond what was familiar." there was a faint shift in his expression then, something reflective settling beneath the calm composure he so naturally carried. "men speak often of conquest and discovery as though they are acts of strength alone, yet i suspect curiosity has guided far more journeys than pride ever did." his father mikael travelled far in his capacity as a viking warrior before meeting and settling with his mother, but ultimately, they landed here in the new world because of curiosity and hope of benefiting from the promised health that had been reported. and they haven't been the only one. for many in their settlement, it is still not truly home. merely a place where they have survived long enough to build walls and name rivers.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his attention shifted subtly toward her then, thoughtful in a a way. there was still so much he did not know about tatia. fragments offered carefully, sparingly, like pieces of herself revealed only when she chose them to be. a brother. a childhood spent wandering forests. memories that softened her voice in ways he rarely heard. and though curiosity lingered strongly within him, elijah restrained it with care. she did not owe him her past simply because he wished to understand it. instead, he listened.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his gaze followed the branch in her hands as she stripped away the smaller limbs with ease. when she demonstrated how they marked their path, his brows lifted faintly with genuine interest. "that would require an impressively long string," he observed smoothly, the faintest trace of amusement threading through his tone. "especially if you intended to disappear properly."
⠀⠀⠀⠀he noted the ease with which she spoke now compared to before. the softness that accompanied the mention of viktor. the fondness that survived within the memory despite the years that clearly separated them from it. and elijah realized, perhaps somewhat unexpectedly, that he had learned more about her & her past within these few moments than in all the time preceding them combined. he did not interrupt her again after that.
⠀⠀⠀⠀he simply followed beside her, careful to note the landscape himself as they moved. the curve of the creek. the direction of the water. the positioning of the trees and the subtle shifts in elevation beneath his feet. even while listening to her, he kept part of his awareness fixed upon their surroundings. not because he distrusted her guidance, but because he disliked the notion of becoming entirely dependent upon another for direction. and because he genuinely wished to learn.
⠀⠀⠀⠀when she laughed, the sound drew his attention immediately back to her. and when she took his hand, when her fingers curled gently around his, his expression softened in a way reserved solely for her. without hesitation, elijah lifted her hand carefully toward his lips, pressing a slow, lingering kiss against the back of it. it was delicate and reverent.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his gaze remained upon her afterward.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"i do not know whether i could triumph against a woman so clearly gifted in vanishing into the wilderness," he admitted, warmth threading beneath his words. "though i suspect i would refuse to surrender the search." the faintest hint of a smile touched his mouth then. "i imagine there are certain things one simply learns to recognize instinctively once they become important enough."
⠀⠀⠀⠀and he knew (even now, even amidst the overwhelming flood of heightened senses clawing constantly at his awareness) that he could distinguish her from everything else around him with impossible ease. her voice. her presence. even the subtle scent of her skin carried by the damp forest air. all of it anchored him with frightening precision.
⠀⠀⠀⠀his thumb brushed lightly against her knuckles before his expression gentled once more at the mention of her brother. "he must love you very dearly," elijah stated softly. "for a man to concern himself so greatly with who might prove worthy of you… i cannot say i fault his reasoning."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"and you speak of him with great affection as well." he observed, clearly noticing how fond she talked about him. "do you miss him often?" a small pause followed before he added more gently, "or perhaps… wish to see him again?" until now, elijah assumed the reason why she wasn't with the family she was born into was merely because of distance. || @xnokturn
i go on a trip & have a guided tour with my colleagues today. barely slept tonight, and it is supposed to rain, so i hope it still will be fun...
16.000 steps, 10,8 walked kilometers and 14 hours later i'm back home. the weather was unstable but the day was very interesting
i go on a trip & have a guided tour with my colleagues today. barely slept tonight, and it is supposed to rain, so i hope it still will be fun...
continued from here / @deceptivemorals
THE BLOW CAUGHT NIKLAUS CLEAN ACROSS THE FACE. His head cracked sideways, teeth slamming together, the taste of copper blooming fast. He spat. Rolled his neck once. Then turned back — eyes flat, jaw set, like the punch had only reminded him of something he'd forgotten.
❛❛ I would advise you, ❜❜ Niklaus said, low and quiet in the way that predators go quiet, ❛❛ to look at a man after you've struck him. ❜❜ He let that settle. ❛❛ Especially one who could kill you. ❜❜ He seized Elijah by the collar and hurled him back — effortless, like discarding something.
❛❛ You think leaving is an option, brother? ❜❜ He snarled, like the very idea itself defied physics. ❛❛ You think because father is dead — and no thanks to you — that I no longer exist? Where is this promised 'Always and Forever' you always harp on and on about ceaselessly? Now, is when you grant me the reprieve from such hysterics and torment? Don't tell me you've finally decided to grow a spine instead of mindlessly chasing a redemption story that was never yours to begin with. ❜❜
⠀⠀⠀⠀elijah barely reacted to the threat itself. if anything, the words seemed only to deepen the cold irritation already settling across his features. there was no fear in him, no hesitation, not even surprise. merely exhaustion sharpened into anger. his gaze dropped briefly toward the hand twisted into the fabric of his collar, toward the visible creases now dragged through an otherwise immaculate shirt. the displeasure that flickered across his expression at that alone was immediate and unmistakable.
⠀⠀⠀⠀slowly, his eyes lifted back toward his brother.
⠀⠀⠀⠀there was no fear in it. not even caution. merely exhaustion sharpened into something colder. "if killing me is truly the only conclusion your mind is capable of arriving at whenever conflict presents itself, then by all means, niklaus..." his voice remained impeccably level, almost insultingly calm against the volatility surrounding them. "do proceed."
⠀⠀⠀⠀a faint gesture followed; one hand lifting slightly outward in invitation before falling again at his side. "but we both know you will not." his expression hardened almost imperceptibly then, disappointment settling far deeper than anger ever could.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"because for all your incessant declarations of independence, your endless insistence that you require no one..." a slight tilt of his head accompanied the words, gaze never wavering from his brother now. "you are painfully aware that the moment i cease standing beside you, you will be utterly alone."
⠀⠀⠀⠀with firm precision, he seized niklaus’ wrist and tore the grip away from his collar, not violently, but with enough force to make the rejection unmistakable. immediately afterward, he straightened the front of his shirt with sharp, irritated motions of his hands, smoothing nonexistent imperfections from the fabric as though the disrespect of the gesture itself offended him more than the physical force behind it.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"kindly refrain from grabbing me like some common brute," he said coldly. "i find it profoundly tiresome." only then did he continue.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"what endlessly fascinates me," he continued, one hand lifting slightly in controlled emphasis, "is your remarkable tendency to interpret 'always and forever' as a principle that exists solely for your benefit." his brows drew together faintly. "you demand unwavering loyalty. unwavering forgiveness. unwavering devotion." another precise gesture accompanied the words. "and yet you speak as though you alone have sacrificed anything in service of this family."
⠀⠀⠀⠀the anger sharpened there, surfacing more visibly now beneath the elegance of his diction. "i have spent centuries cleaning the carnage left behind by your impulses, niklaus. centuries. who was it that kept mikael occupied throughout the twenties while you occupied yourself elsewhere?" he asked. "who was it that endured the bloodshed, the pursuit, the paranoia necessary to keep our father’s attention diverted?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀his jaw tightened subtly. "and for what, precisely?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"while i endured the burden of keeping our father occupied, you daggered rebekah and allowed me to believe for years that she still lived freely somewhere beyond his reach. you afforded yourself comfort while i handled the consequences. as i so often have."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"so do not stand before me and dare imply that i have failed you in my devotion." the last word carried particular weight. "i have given you more loyalty, more forgiveness, and more patience than anyone else on this earth ever would." || @devilfated
eurovision night tonight.
No vampires allowed.
The sight of Haylijah making Sophie sick.
𝐈'𝐌 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐗 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑, 𝐍𝐎𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐌𝐄 . . . Hope wasn't 100% positive on what Landon was allergic to, but she knew that if Hope set something in front of Landon that he didn't like, there was a good 90% change that he'd eat it anyway. Hope stared at her uncle, trying to decide what was the best way to go about it. Is introducing him to my boyfriend without warning a bad idea? Most likely. ❝Okay, here is the thing . . . I was plannin' on inviting you to dinner. However, I thought it best not to let Kol know about our guest ahead of time.❞ Giving Kol extra time to plan a murder sounds bad.
Hope takes a deep breath. Her gaze was unwavering, even though she wanted to crawl into a hole right now from embarrassment. It's foreign territory to bring a man home, even if she was an adult. ❝I'm bringing my boyfriend over to meet you guys. His name is Landon. Try not to kill him or worse, embarrass me.❞ Am I forgetting anything? Hope reaches out for a pen on her uncle's desk & a piece of printer paper. Her fingers find the pen first as her gaze shifts to her hands, so she doesn't knock the teacup over.
❝I don't know what he's allergic to, but I know what he'll eat, which is why ordering out seems easier.❞ Hope has been on a few dates with him to different places to eat. She has noticed the things he would order & planned to suggest to him somewhere theyhad been before, knowing there was at least ONE thing on the menu he'd eat. ❝I really like him. He's a good guy. Treats me wonderfully.❞ You will like him. He's musically gifted.
⠀⠀⠀⠀for a moment, elijah simply looked at her. the tea she had brought earlier remained untouched near the edge of the desk beside the biscuit she had all but insisted he take, and now, quite suddenly, the conversation had transformed into something he admittedly had not anticipated. slowly, he reached for the cup at last, the porcelain warm against his fingers as he lifted it and took a measured sip, allowing her words to settle properly.
⠀⠀⠀⠀it was strange, in a way he could not fully articulate.
⠀⠀⠀⠀time had always moved differently for him. centuries blurred together with alarming ease. entire decades can pass like brief interludes. and yet somehow, despite that, there were moments capable of catching him entirely off guard. hope discussing bringing home a boyfriend appeared to be one of them. it appeared not too long ago that she had started her first day at school. unfortunately, they met quite 'late' in her life, but he did wonder where the past few years went. it was hard to grasp that she wished to introduce her boyfriend to them.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"well, that is certainly an ambitious undertaking." a subtle raise of his brow followed. "introducing a young man to this family all at once requires a degree of courage i suspect he does not yet fully appreciate." depending on what he knew about hope's family.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"though i confess, i imagine the evening will provide no shortage of surprises for everyone involved."
⠀⠀⠀⠀his attention shifted briefly toward the paper and pen in her hands before something in her explanation seemed to settle into place within his memory.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"landon," he repeated thoughtfully, eyebrows knitting together. "would this happen to be the same young man who once served us drinks?" his tone remained calm, though there was unmistakable recognition now. "dark hair. polite. somewhat nervous in our presence, if memory serves." || @naturesloophole
she doesn't intend for the small scoff to actually be audible, but it is. and she usually wouldn't dare question elijah mikaelson --- mostly for fear that he might flick a wrist and kill her without blinking --- but she's also a firm believer that when people are being idiots, they should be told that they're being idiots. and what he's saying? it's idiotic.
"i don't concern myself with his wellbeing. i concern myself with the wellbeing of my friends and if something bad enough to mess with klaus shows up then the rest of us are screwed, so." caroline shrugs, suddenly finding the polish on her nails fascinating. because there are words simmering on her tongue and she's trying very desperately to swallow them down. but well, caroline forbes has never been all that good at holding her tongue.
"no. i haven't seen him. and no, he didn't tell me where he was going --- it's not like we're texting buddies who share locations. but also? you're his brother. shouldn't you be a little more worried that maybe even if he is remarkably difficult to extinguish, he could be in danger? --- or... we could all be in danger." caroline huffs and pushes her fingers through her hair before letting out a heavy exhale that tapers off into a disgruntled grumble. side-stepping elijah, she grabs her jean jacket that's hanging on a hook by the door. "where do we start looking?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀elijah remained seated despite the sudden burst of movement that overtook the room the moment she reached for her jacket. his gaze followed her calmly, attentive in that unnervingly steady way of his, as though he were observing not merely her actions but the thought process behind them. and for the briefest moment, something almost resembling amusement touched his expression again. not mockery – fascinated, perhaps, by the sheer enthusiasm with which caroline forbes approached a crisis.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"your reasoning is not entirely flawed," he admitted evenly. "if there truly exists something capable of overpowering my brother, then yes; it would constitute a rather significant problem."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"however," he continued, "i do not believe the solution to such a problem would realistically be found amongst the inhabitants of mystic falls." the statement was not meant as an insult (at least not this time), merely factual in tone. "your friends possess a remarkable tendency to involve themselves in matters far beyond their experience level. more often than not, that inclination escalates danger rather than contains it."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"and for the record, caroline, i am not concerned for niklaus' well-being." there was no hesitation in the statement. "if anything, i concern myself with whatever unfortunate consequences may follow wherever he has chosen to disappear to."
⠀⠀⠀⠀only then did his attention briefly shift toward the jacket in her hand before returning to her face.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"my visit here was not a request for your assistance," he clarified calmly. "i merely wished to know whether he had contacted you or whether you had observed something unusual. nothing more." a slight tilt of his head followed. "though your immediate willingness to involve yourself is… appreciated." and telling. nonetheless it truly had not been his intention to make her help him. and that kind of help was also not needed. || @seesgood
NCIS Season 8 Episode 4 : Royals and Loyal
Daniel Gillies as Elston Harkin, Undercover agent for MI6 posing as British Royal Marine Major Peter Malloy.
