XX - 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢 𝔐𝔦𝔨𝔞𝔢𝔩𝔰𝔬𝔫 𝔟𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔰

(edited)

"WELL, LAST NIGHT WAS A SHÏTFEST," said Rebekah Mikaelson while she admired her newly painted nails.

Lilura sent her a glare.

"What? I'm speaking for everyone. We heard the argument."

"I tried to cover my ears out of respect," Kol grinned childishly, adjusting his cufflinks in front of the mirror. "But then I realized we're closer than close, Li. So it didn't matter if the conversation was meant for me to hear or not."

"I don't know if that's any better," Lilura chuckled.

"I second that statement," Elijah said from the ladder propped against the wall. He and Finn had been trying to get the chandelier to hang perfectly for over an hour.

"Li, darling? Tell me how handsome I am," Kol stared into his own eyes.

"If you're going to start jacking off, please have the decency to go into another room," Finn Mikaelson said monotonously.

Suddenly the doors opened and a prissy Klaus walked in, "You went after Elena? What is wrong with you?!"

"Here we go," The female Original snapped her magazine shut.

"Do you want another dagger in your heart?"

Kol stepped down and laughed dryly, "Again with the dagger threats? Don't you have any other tricks?"

"Oh, go back to staring at yourself," Klaus scoffed.

"And who are you, my father?"

"No, Kol, but you're in my house," Klaus frowned.

"Then perhaps we should go outside," The younger brother smirked.

"Enough!" Esther called, thoroughly fed up with the testosterone in the room, "Niklaus. Come."

He left the room without looking at Lilura once.

"Like I said," Rebekah hummed. "Complete shitfest."

"You don't have to rub it in," Lilura mumbled, sinking from embarrassment. Her curvaceous frame disappeared beneath the lavish pillows.

"I can rub something else in," Kol said sneakily, sitting very close to the siren.

"Kol, stop acting like the creepy uncle that lives across from your one bedroom apartment with stinky feet and a restraining order against several women."

"I don't think I will," He pouted.

Lilura then whistled and out jumped Sirius.

"What is this little thing?" Kol cooed. "Is it our lovechild, sister?"

Lilura mimicked throwing up with his question.

"Sirius?" She smiled. "You know what to do."

The mansion rang with Kol's screams of pain.

———— Δ ————

"Your brother is evil," Lilura laughed in anger. "Very evil, indeed. He put me here as an usher to punish me. As you know, I hate talking to people."

Kol Mikaelson shook hands with a couple before gesturing to the doors, all the while with the darkest smile on the planet.

"You know what's really evil, love? Your demonic possession of a dog," He glared at Sirius, who was stationed loyally at her feet.

"He's cute and you know it," She waved to Carol Lockwood, ignoring the Salvatore attached to her hip.

"Mayor Lockwood!" Kol smiled widely when the woman reached their steps. "We haven't formally met. Kol Mikaelson. I hope your lovely town embraces us just as much as we plan to embrace it."

"Damon Salvatore," The raven haired vampire smirked. "Have we met?"

Kol stared at the hand, most likely imagining it disintigrating. "I've met a lot of people. And you don't particularly stand out."

When Damon shouldered his way through, Lilura held up her hand for a high five.

Kol reciprocated.

———— Δ ————

Lilura was a vision in all white, but Klaus Mikaelson would never admit that.

Not out loud, at least.

The siren was holding her champagne glass as if it were a cloud — light and unbothered.

She was laughing at something Elijah had said, head thrown back and nightly black hair cascading down her back.

Klaus stayed at the base of the stairs, not yet ready to brace the arid gathering. He sipped his drink and narrowed his eyes, looking, observing.

He didn't know for what, but a stealthy figure disappearing behind the kitchen bend caught his wandering attention.

Klaus followed and was met with quite the sight. The culprit was dressed to the nines in all black, with a single strand of jet-black hair in his face.

Oh and not to mention, a bottle of tequila in his hand.

It seemed the young man had crowbared the Mikaelson safety open and was now on the floor, swigging down the alcohol like it was the last bottle of water on earth.

He really was his mother's son.

"You're out past your bedtime," Klaus said, coming to a slow stop in front of Judas.

"Oh, hey," The boy greeted monotonously. "I'm not drunk enough for this."

He raised the bottle again, but Klaus intercepted him swiftly before he could even taste a drop.

"Sorry. If I remember correctly, you're 17."

Judas glared up at Klaus, "Really?"

"Really."

"I've been 17 for a few decades," He deadpanned. "Thanks to you and her. Siren plus vampire really slows down my aging, and apparently, inhibits me from drinking when I very well can."

"And I've been alive for twice that amount, so you must trust what I say next : grudges are boring."

Judas flipped the hair out of his eyes and laughed loudly, "You? Giving me a lesson on grudges? No thanks."

Klaus let him go without a fight.

———— Δ ————

"It seems Niklaus is missing you more and more by the minute," Elijah remarked, nodding to the Original lengths away.

"That's a load of bullshït," Lilura said through her ladylike giggles from guest conversations.

"No, look." Elijah chuckled. "He's resorted to staring blankly out the window and drinking."

Klaus, indeed, was doing said things with a poorly concealed pout.

"Oh!" Elijah squinted. "I might know why he's a little miffed."

"Why?" Lilura crossed her arms, following Elijah's gaze.

"The only male who'll ever matter to Klaus has rejected him," Elijah gestured to Judas who was having a flowing conversation with Damon Salvatore.

"I see," Lilura said. "What would you like me to do about it?"

"I think you know," relied the noble Original. "But before you do that... "

Elijah clinked his glass and the entire mansion fell silent.

"Welcome, thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance."

"Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom," Elijah smiled brightly, before pushing Lilura, literally, into Klaus as the music started.

The Hybrid stared at her sheepish smile before walking down the steps to ask Caroline for a dance.

"That went well," Lilura muttered, resisting the urge to sock Klaus in the face and pin Caroline up like the taxidermized bear she had ordered from Amazon and placed near the fireplace.

Stop it! Don't be petty.

But then again, jealousy did look good on Lilura.

Everything did.

"Elijah?" She trilled, seeking him out in the sea of people. "Would you like to dance?"

Her brother-in-law let a rare smirk grace his features once he caught the gist of the situation, "It would be an honor."

Elijah offered his arm, and the pair glided on to the dance floor with such elegance and dignity one would mistaken them for royalty.

Rebekah cast Lilura a bewildered look, before shrugging and giving a quick thumbs up.

It seemed like the entire Mikaelson clan was currently pissed at Klaus.

"It's been centuries since I've had a dance with the famous Lilura Anthemoessa," Elijah chuckled, bringing in the enchantress close.

She took in his homely scent, "I've missed you too."

She suddenly placed her head on his shoulder. "Tell me he's staring," Lilura whispered.

Elijah bit his lip, trying very hard not to smile. His brown eyes danced over the other couples and landed on Klaus, who was staring holes into his head.

"He is," Elijah confirmed. "Is this what it feels like to sin?"

Lilura snorted, lifting her head up. "Shut up. I know you've had a few moments yourself."

"True, but I have never been part of a jealousy ploy."

Lilura smiled widely, "You look happy to be used."

Elijah returned her sentiments, "Anything for you, love."

He spun her around and then Lilura was in her ex-best friend's arms.

"Ugh," She rolled her eyes. "It was invite only."

"Well, I'm special," Damom retorted, sticking his tongue out.

"I'm curious. Do you usually jump from brother to brother?"

Lilura's eyes sparkled, "You should ask yourself that. I believe you have more experience in that department."

She teasingly cocked her head to Elena, who was dancing with Stefan.

"Kol seems to think you're hot," The Salvatore said. "The older one isn't that dismissive with you. Klaus is obviously in love. Mr. Morals over there —" He nodded to Elijah, "—is whipped."

"Your point?"

"Do you have sex with all of them?"

The siren gaped scandalously, looking around at the other couples before whispering in his ear, "Maybe. If I did, I'd have all of them at the same time, so no one feels left out."

She chuckled as Damon's entire persona stiffened in shock.

"Loosen up, Salvatore."

Suddenly, Lilura was in Klaus' arms.

"Enjoy my brother?" He asked bitterly, casting a dark look to Elijah all the way across the dance floor.

"Very much. Enjoy the baby?" She inquired sweetly, cursing Caroline out with her violent blue eyes.

"She is innocent and sweet, unlike some women I know."

"That's below the belt, sir!" Lilura exclaimed goofily, before snaking her arms around Klaus' neck.

"Speaking of things below the belt," She murmured slyly. "Does Klaus Jr. miss me?"

His eyes hardened, "Not in the slightest."

"The thing about lying, Nik," Lilura sighed dramatically. "Is that it's almost believe-able, until you feel it pressing up against you."

When she uttered her last statement, Lilura cleverly maneuvered her leg under her poofy dress to graze Klaus' upper thigh ... and a very attentive Klaus Jr.

"Don't you think?" She smiled sweetly.

His blue eyes flashed smoldering gold. "Let's go," Klaus said, pulling Lilura off the dance floor.

"Let's go??" She attempted to stop the Hybrid. "We haven't even finished the dance!"

Klaus finally smirked, bold and commandering, "We can in my room."

Lilura shook her head and laughed before quickly following him up the stairs.

———— Δ ————

Judas Mikaelson flipped the page of Oliver Twist, occasionally checking up on an unconscious Damon Salvatore.

Elena had come to him with a quick fix-it plan for her meeting with Esther: temporarily knock Damon out so she could talk to the Original witch in peace.

Judas had shrugged, merely doing what was expected. Stefan had snapped Damon's neck with Judas staring passively.

Damon gasped, sitting up.

"Easy, buddy," Judas coaxed. "Don't kill me. It was Elena and Stefan's idea. I'm just the babysitter."

Damon stood up and rushed to Judas, pining him against the wall.

"Where's Elena?" He seethed.

Stefan walked into the room, "Exactly where she belongs, talking with Esther."

Damon rushes over to his brother, putting him in the same position Judas was moments before.

"What did you do?"

"Ah, don't blame me. This was all her, right down to the broken neck," Stefan smiled diabolically.

"You know, maybe you should stop being such a controlling dick, Damon."

"Wait. Hang on. I'm the problem here?"

"Both of you are," Judas said, putting a hand on the brothers shoulders.

"You're a liability, brother," Stefan grinned.

"I'm trying to keep her alive, Stefan."

"Yeah, well, your emotions are getting in the way of our plan."

Judas pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think of something that would stop the ongoing argument.

"My emotions? How is this even happening right now?" Damon cried.

"Maybe because you care too damn much."

"That's totally okay in situations like these. You guys really shouldn't fight for this one girl. Really! It's pointless," Judas said.

They ignored him.

"Great!" He face palmed. "Just great."

———— Δ ————

"This was a mistake," Klaus said, retying his little white bow while avoiding Lilura's incredulous gaze.

"What?" She voiced. "You seemed pretty eager two seconds ago."

"I was horny, darling. That doesn't mean I forgive you for lying to me."

Lilura grabbed her shoes and started to put those on, "And I explained to you, precisely why I couldn't say anything. You're still going to throw a fit?"

"You betrayed my trust."

"I know," Lilura said. "I'm sorry. But I understand what it feels like to be left out, Klaus. I understand the pain of loneliness in immortality."

"No," He grinned through his pain, roughly jerking off his suit. "No. You don't understand. I'm not mad about the lying."

Lilura was taken aback by the emotion in his next words.

"It is the very fact that you chose to do it."

He continued, "All my life, people have let me down. Every single damned day! I thought you loved me, but it turns out you're like everyone else — waiting for my downfall, cheating the life out of me. Do you know how much it hurts to know that the person you love the most has secrets of their own? How can I believe what we have is real with all of these lies shrouding it?"

"It is, because I love you, you paranoid idiot!" She yelled, getting up. "I did everything to protect you. I would've become a brainless killing machine if I hadn't given up our son."

"I don't need protecting," Klaus spat. "I am the original hybrid! Nothing can kill me."

"You may very well be immortal and strong, but one day, when this is all over, you're going to realize that having someone who bloody cares about you in your life isn't a death sentence."

Lilura stepped closer to Klaus."Yes, and sometimes these people will make mistakes. I suppose that is a human trait we've never quite managed to brush away, but we can redeem ourselves. We have an eternity, Nik. Why waste it on hatred?"

"Mistakes. Human error," He was at the door now. "All the examples of why I chose to be me."

"Alone?" She questioned, watching his back stiffen. "Without Elijah, Rebekah, Kol, Finn, and I?"

"It shouldn't be too hard. I've always been alone," He smirked coldly before slamming the door shut.

———— Δ ————

"How did it go?" Judas whispered behind Elena.

"Gah!" The doppleganger screamed, quickly grabbing a lamp to fend off the intruder.

"That's cute," He smiled in amusement, "Now tell me what went on in there."

"Alright," Elena held up her hands. "You're more pushy than Damon."

"That's because I'm a top, and he's a certified bottom. Also, I'm concerned."

"You're not having second thought, are you?" Elena asked, staring up at his brilliant green eyes. "You need to remember what you came here for."

"Yeah. I know. I want Klaus dead. But he's a part of me. I feel like I should have a heart-to-heart with him before he drops like a fly."

"You will. The spell doesn't kill him immediately," Elena assured him, fixing her scarf. "Just follow my lead when we go downstairs, and don't smirk like that."

"Why, does it turn you on?" He smirked crookedly, getting within hands width of her face.

Elena couldn't move, stunned to say the very least.

He finally returned to his usual lean against the wall.

"Should I be worried about my drink?"

The Gilbert rolled her eyes at his expression. In any other circumstances, the scrunched up nose and frown would be unappealing to the eye. However, this was Judas Mikaelson, and like his parents, there was no way in hell he could look remotely unattractive.

———— Δ ————

"I know that face," Kol began shrilly. "You're sexually frustrated!"

Lilura made a move to hit his shoulder, to which the young Mikaelson dodged.

"No. It's my I'll-murder-the-next-wanker-who-annoys-me face." She smiled brightly, "You seem to fit the description perfectly."

"Aw, Li!" Kol fanned himself. "I know I'm perfect."

"That's all you heard?"

Esther's footsteps interrupted their conversation.

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentleman," The older woman smiled. "Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy then to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening."

Kol noticed Lilura, who had the champagne in her hands but was refusing to take part in the festive, pout.

"Now when has Lilura Mikaelson ever refused alcohol?"

"Right now," The enchantress said. "I'm not in the mood to be happy."

"Angsty," Kol returned. "You could piss him off with me."

"What?"

"My brother. He's doing it quite well, but a man knows what another man is thinking. He's a little uncomfortable with me around you," Kol confessed.

"Why, because you'll jump my bones if I let you?"

"Pretty much," Kol grinned. "What do you say? Let's toast to the Big Bad Wolf in the name of your crumbling marriage."

The look on Lilura's face made Kol almost want to take back his words. But it was too late now.

Then she burst out laughing, "To my marriage!" Lilura cackled in delight, clinking her glass of champagne. "May it last longer than you in bed."

"You imbecile," Kol gasped in outrage, though he kissed the top of her head. "I hate you."

"I hate you too."

And then they laughed, starting up a little game they liked to do in their past time — making fun of random strangers.

Too bad they could not feel Esther's devious eyes.

🌟 soooo, klaus is still being a little poop. Oh well! Thxs for reading. Feel free to leave any comments/ constructive criticism of my writing.