Klaus stood at the doorway, arms spread wide in welcome as Elijah entered.
His smile was genuine, eyes bright with anticipation at seeing his brother after so long.
"Elijah! At last you grace us with your presence."
Elijah remained rigid, his gaze cold and assessing.
He made no move toward Klaus's offered embrace, his posture a stark contrast to his brother's open stance.
The servants who had been arranging flowers in crystal vases silently retreated, a practiced routine born of fear.
Klaus's arms slowly lowered, though his smile remained fixed. "Not one for reunions, I see. Some things never change."
"I'm not here for games, Niklaus." Elijah's voice cut through the tension, formal and clipped. "Your letter claimed our siblings aren't lost. After you led me to believe they were at the bottom of the ocean."
Klaus sighed dramatically, turning away to walk deeper into the elegantly appointed room. Crystal chandeliers cast dancing shadows across imported rugs and antique furniture - all evidence of Klaus's expensive taste and his need to surround himself with beautiful things.
"And here I thought we could enjoy a drink first, reminisce about old times." Klaus gestured toward a decanter of amber liquid on a side table.
Elijah's patience visibly thinned, his normally composed demeanor showing the first hairline cracks. "Where are they, Niklaus?"
Klaus paused, turned back with an enigmatic smile, and simply pointed downward.
A moment of confusion crossed Elijah's face, quickly replaced by realization.
Without warning, he lifted his fist and punched through the floor with great strength. Wood splintered, plaster fell, and the flooring collapsed into a hidden chamber below.
Elijah jumped down without hesitation, landing gracefully despite the violence of his entry. Klaus followed with casual ease, touching down softly in the darkness.
Katherine and Lucien looked at one for a moment before Lucien just shrugged and he jumped down, followed by Katherine.
"I just finished renovating," Klaus remarked dryly, gesturing at the destroyed ceiling above them. "Your timing is impeccable as always."
Elijah ignored him, focused solely on what lay within the hidden chamber. With a snap of his fingers, he conjured a floating orb of fire that illuminated the darkness, casting an orange glow across three coffins arranged in the center of the room.
For a brief moment, Elijah's composure faltered - his eyes widened almost imperceptibly, a slight tremor passing through his hand.
He approached the first coffin slowly, opening it to reveal Rebekah, perfectly preserved, the dagger still embedded in her chest.
His hand hesitantly reached out, gently stroking her face with the back of his finger. The complex emotions crossing his face - relief, sorrow, hope - were visible for just an instant before he schooled his features once more.
As Elijah reached for the dagger, Klaus instantly appeared beside him, grabbing his wrist.
"Perhaps we can awaken our dear little sister after we've had our chat," Klaus suggested, his tone light but his grip firm. "We could do without her... noise."
Elijah yanked his wrist free, though Klaus had already begun to release him. Their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills for a long moment before Elijah gave a curt nod.
"Lead the way."
Klaus pressed a hidden mechanism in the wall, revealing a staircase to a room different from the one who's hole Elijah had created. With mock gallantry, Klaus bowed slightly and extended his hand. "After you, brother."
Elijah ascended the stairs, his back straight and shoulders tense, never fully turning away from Klaus.
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Finally, all four were in an elegantly appointed dining room.
Klaus and Elijah sat opposite each other at a heavy mahogany table, like chess opponents waiting for the first move.
Lucien was seated also, positioned at Klaus's right - something not lost on Elijah, with how much it meant.
Katherine though simply stood behind Lucien.
The silence stretched between the brothers, heavy with tension. Klaus remained relaxed yet alert, while Elijah sat perfectly still, his gaze never wavering.
After what felt like hours, Lucien broke the silence, clearing his throat awkwardly. "So... how long are you two going to stare at each other? It's kind of getting uncomfortable."
Once more for a long moment there was just silence, before Klaus chuckled, surprising Elijah with his genuine amusement. "The boy has a point, brother. Perhaps we should get to the matter at hand."
Elijah's expression remained impassive, but internally he reassessed the situation.
Klaus's familiarity with the boy was unexpected.
"You called me here, Niklaus. You changed the status quo." Elijah's words were measured, precise. "The explanation should come from you. Why make me believe our siblings were lost at sea? Why make me stand against you? Why contact me only now?"
Klaus was silent for a moment before he spoke, "What's changed, brother, is this boy right here." Gesturing with his hand to Lucien. His voice softened slightly. "It is he who made it all possible." he said as he reached over and affectionately ruffled Lucien's hair.
"Don't do that," Lucien muttered, though his annoyance seemed performative rather than genuine - not truly caring much about his hair being ruffled, just not wanting to seem like he's giving in to the Hybrid. "I've told you not to do that."
Klaus simply ignored his protest.
"Made what possible?" Elijah asked, curiosity finally breaking through his controlled facade.
"Everything." Klaus leaned forward, his eyes suddenly changing from their normal blue to a brilliant gold, the veins beneath them darkening.
Elijah startled, his composure breaking completely. "Is that-"
"Indeed," Klaus interrupted with a triumphant grin. "Mother's curse is broken."
Elijah quickly regained control, his back straightening. "How?"
"Because of Lucien." Klaus gaze for a moment turned to the boy. "He has a rare... gift. The ability to erase things from existence. Particularly in this situation... magic."
Elijah's face remained carefully neutral, but his mind raced at what this meant.
Such an ability was only the stuff of myth and legends - even in their thousand years of existence, they had never encountered it - until now that is.
More concerning though... This boy could actually potentially kill them.
Elijah's eyes grew fractionally colder, Klaus seeing this placed his arm protectively around Lucien's shoulders and tightened his hold, drawing the boy slightly closer.
"Is he one of your many subjects you've taken in over the years?" Elijah asked carefully.
"No." Klaus's voice was firm, definitive. "This boy here is my son."
Silence fell over the room, heavy with the weight of Klaus's declaration.
Elijah's eyes went wide for a moment. Niklaus, has never, ever, called another verbally his son.
No matter who he took in - not even Marcellus, who he actually treated as a son.
As Elijah processed this information, he for the first time decided to truly look at the boy - not as a potential threat or pawn of his brother, but as someone...
As simply a person.
What he saw surprised him - a bone-deep tiredness in one so young, shoulders bearing the weight of sorrows beyond his years.
Yet beneath it all a... kindness that Elijah had only seen a few times over his long life.
"How did this come to be?" Elijah finally asked.
Klaus shrugged. "The boy is close with Katerina." he said, pointing with his thumb at Katherine behind Lucien.
"She was bitten with werewolf venom while protecting him. So the boy, against all advice, sought me out on his own. Found a way to communicate with me without anyone's help, made a deal, and broke my curse, in exchange for my blood, it being the cure as you know."
Lucien crossed his arms over his chest. "You forgot the part where you kidnapped me afterward and are using technicalities in our contract to keep me here."
His eyes narrowed. "A freaking hunter's son. Like, who the hell takes in a kid whose sole job is to hunt what they are?"
"Details," Klaus dismissed with a wave of his hand.
"You have the finest accommodations, the best tutor - me, and more freedom than most children your age. Hardly a prison, wouldn't you agree?"
"That's not the point and you know it," Lucien muttered, annoyed as he uncrossed his arms, and leaning his head and hands onto the table.
Elijah observed this exchange with growing interest.
He had never seen Klaus so at ease, so... peaceful.
In all their centuries together, his brother had always been coiled tight with paranoia and rage, ready to lash out at the slightest provocation.
Yet here he sat, calmly bantering with a child who spoke to him with a familiarity and lack of fear that was unprecedented.
And it was all because of... this boy?
Elijah's attention suddenly shifted as an unexpected scent reached him - blood.
But not ordinary blood.
This was rich, powerful in ways that forced even him to compose himself. His gaze darted to the source: the white tablecloth slowly turning red beneath Lucien's right palm.
Klaus's - also seeing it - expression instantly hardened, a flash of anger darkening his features.
Lucien simply looked up down at his bleeding palm, "Seriously?" he sighed, as he put his face back onto the table, murmering. "Not again..."
Katherine though instantly looked visibly ill, her face becoming paler. She forced her stance to straighten, trying t turn around and run when her eyes changed, veins darkening beneath her skin.
She suddenly lost control.
"Hraaah!" With a hungry roar, she launched herself toward Lucien.
Lucien himself - always the paranoid one, never letting the Force up - at that very instant was already turning around, palm instantly extended in Katherine's direction, ready to push her back with the Force, when suddenly at the last possible moment, her eyes widened as she realised what she was doing and diverted her trajectory, slamming herself against the wall with enough force to crack the plaster.
Klaus himself, moved with blinding speed, grabbing Katherine by the throat and pinning her face-first against the table. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he snarled.
"Let her go!" Lucien shouted immediately, jumping to his feet.
"She tried to attack you!" Klaus's grip tightened.
"Can't you fucking see it? She isn't herself!" Lucien countered fiercely. "She stopped herself! Let her go, Klaus!" the words just shooting out of his mouth.
The standoff between them was electric, neither willing to back down.
For a long moment there was only the sounds of Katherine's hisses of hunger and pain, as she was pinned onto the table, Klaus at her side, hand on her throat.
Finally, he released Katherine with obvious reluctance. Lucien immediately went to her side, helping her into his chair and hovering over her with concern.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly, but Katherine's gaze remained fixed on his bleeding palm.
Lucien's expression softened into something sad yet tender. He offered his palm to her. "Drink. It's okay." His smile was gentle. "I already told you it's okay."
Katherine hesitated, shame visible in her eyes, "No," she shook her head, grabbing it.
She closed her eyes, trying to force her teeth back in, but her vampire face, wasn't going away, no matter how much she tried to pull it back.
"No, no, no." she muttered as she dug her fingers into her head, causing it to bleed, shaking her head even more fiercly.
"Katherine stop," Lucien softly ordered her.
But she wasn't stopping.
She was constantly murmering no's, digging and even beginning to scratch her fingers into her head, shaking it also, causing blood to begin to fly everywhere.
She hastily tried to stand up, and run, but Lucien immediately caught her with the Force, and grabbed her wrists, "Katherine, look at me." he began again, still trying to be gentle.
"No, no, n-"
"Katherine," Lucien interrupted, this time his tone a bit firmer.
But it still didn't work, as she just wouldn't stop.
"Katerina!" Lucien finally yelled, enhancing his voice a bit with the Force, using her birth name, causing it to echo inside the entire mansion, immediately freezing her in shock.
"I said, stop." he gently continued after a moment of silence, finally pulling her hands off her head.
He uncaring for the two Originals watching, took her into a head into his chest, hugging her.
As her mouth was near his neck, her eyes widened, causing her to try and pull away, but in this frenzied, hungry state, Lucien simply was far more in control over his strength - stronger, and held her still.
"Shh, It's okay. It's okay. Drink. Just drink."
Katherine no longer able to resist, a tear - one unseen by both Originals, her face eyes hidden against Lucien's shoulder - slid down her eyes in shame at such a loss of control over herself, as she finally raised her head enough to bring her mouth to his neck and bite.
Finally, she drank.
The whole place was silent, the only sounds, Lucien's gently "Shh's" rubbing Katherine's back, and her drinking.
Finally, when Katherine finished, she looked around, her face burning with embarrassment. Lucien not wasting any time, quickly took her hand in both of his. "We're going to our room," he announced to Klaus, turning to face the Original Hybrid, his tone brooking no argument.
"You can't expect me to let you leave with a thirsty vampire alone, do you?" Klaus's voice was tight with concern. "Especially one who, for some reason, can't control herself?"
"I can take care of myself," Lucien stated firmly. "I've faced worse things than a slightly hungry vampire. Especially one who loves me and I love in turn."
Klaus's jaw clenched at the mention of "worse things," a shadow passing over his features that Elijah found curious.
Without another word, Lucien led Katherine from the room, their hands still linked.
Silence fell between the brothers after their departure. Elijah studied Klaus, noting the subtle changes in his demeanor - the protectiveness, the genuine concern, the flashes of paternal instinct that seemed so foreign on his brother's face.
"That boy..." Elijah began, then paused, unsure how to continue.
"Is being reckless," Klaus finished for him. His expression calmed slightly, as he forced composure. "Come, brother. Our siblings are waiting."
Klaus began walking toward the door without turning around.
Elijah hesitated briefly, processing all he had witnessed and learned.
His gaze for a moment lingered on the blood stain on the white tablecloth.
He rose and approached it, standing over it. He for a moment reached for it, touching it, his finger reddened as it became coated in blood.
He sniffed it, the smell was good.
Delicious even.
Intoxicating in ways he couldn't really describe.
He neared his finger near his mouth, opening it slightly, thinking to taste it.
"Elijah!" Klaus's voice echoed from the hallway. "Stop your brooding and come along already. My patience is wearing thin!" causing Elijah to immediately stop.
The elder Original picked out his handkerchief in his breast pocket, dug his finger into it, cleansing it of the blood, and pushed it slightly into the pool of blood into the table for it to etch into the cloth, and soon put it back into his pocket - one of his slant ones.
He'll think about whether to take a taste or not later.
Finally, he began walking towards where Klaus went off.
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all liked the chapter.
Do tell me how you found it.
Yeah, Katherine for a moment, kinda lost control. Lucien handled it though.
Do tell me how you found everyone's interactions.
Also... What do you think Elijah will do with Lucien's blood?
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)