Niklaus Mikaelson | Vampire Diaries/The Originals (hybridoriginal) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2022-03-20 16:20:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !completed gdoc, !log, ~2022 march, ~~~camille o'connell (orginalshrink), ~~~~niklausmikaelson (hybridoriginal) |
WHO: Niklaus Mikaelson and Cami O’Connell
WHAT: A date
WHEN: Tonight
WHERE: At Cami's, on the way to Hayley's Cajun Restaurant
WARNINGS: Talk of vampire stuff
STATUS: Closed/Completed Gdoc
Honestly, he couldn’t believe it had taken him this long to take Cami out on a date. He’d been here nearly a month, and while that month had been weird, it certainly wasn’t an excuse. She was one of the most amazing things about being here (she was alive!) and he thoroughly intended to take advantage of that as long as he was here. Hopefully, he would be able to make up for lost time.
It wouldn’t be accurate to say that Klaus was dressed up - he wasn’t wearing a suit or a tie or anything like that - but he certainly looked nice. He arrived at her place an few minutes before the intended time, and rapped on the door, waiting for her to answer.
***
Cami wasn’t sure why she was nervous and yet she still managed to be startled when Klaus knocked on her door. This wasn’t their first date and she was thrilled that he returned to town so they could have another chance, but she still nervously smoothed down her skirt before opening the door and greeting Klaus with a smile.
“Do you want to come in for a drink before we head out?” she asked, knowing that Hayley’s restaurant didn’t serve alcohol. Neither of them could get drunk, however alcohol could still potentially calm her nerves.
***
When she opened the door, Klaus actually smiled. It didn’t happen very often, but it was one of the ones that reached his eyes and brightened his whole face. She was beautiful, and alive, and he was determined to keep her that way.
“Yes, of course,” he nodded. He wasn’t nervous, or anything of the sort, but he did like the idea of spending a little time with Cami and talking about things they perhaps would not wish to speak about in public.
“It is so good to see you.”
***
Stepping aside to allow him to enter, Cami closed the door behind him and walked over to the counter where she had a few bottles of liquor. “Whiskey? Or I have a bottle of white wine in the fridge,” she offered.
She’d been debating how much she should tell him about the last time he was in town. They had just been getting to a good place when he was sent home and part of her didn’t want to risk a backslide if he knew everything. On the other hand, she wanted to make sure he understood why some people in town might be hesitant around him and relay the importance of not being a huge dick this time around.
***
Klaus had already noticed how people reacted to him. Half of him liked it, the other half wondered just how terrible he’d been. Surely he hadn’t gone on a killing spree, or anything like that. He couldn’t see himself doing that in such close quarters where there was no hope of escape. He might be invincible in this place, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t suffer pain.
“Whiskey,” he said with a nod. He preferred bourbon but it was close enough. That might be an advantage of living so close to the Kentucky border, though. He’d have to check it out next time he was in a liquor store.
“My reputation here precedes me,” he stated. “I suppose you wish to tell me the same thing Hayley and the others have?”
***
“Did they tell you to behave?” she asked as she dropped ice cubes in a couple of glasses and then poured in a few inches of whiskey. “I know it’s largely futile to tell you that.” Her tone was wry and she was smirking a little as she spoke.
Cami handed him one of the glasses and then held hers up in a toast. “To whatever the night holds,” she said.
***
“They did,” he scowled. “And I am perfectly capable of behaving when I want to. There have simply been times I haven’t wanted to.” It felt better to indulge his feelings instead of having to face them. He much preferred not facing them most of the time.
“Hayley practically gave me a lecture on how not to be an asshole.”
He rolled his eyes.
“I am who I am, and nothing they say is going to change that.”
***
Cami knew better than most what Klaus was capable of and she couldn’t help that the corners of her mouth turned up in a small smirk at his words. “We all know who you are, Klaus,” she said. “And we’re all stuck here under this dome so we have to get along as best we can without causing trouble.”
Should she tell him what happened last time he was here? How he’d made enemies? She honestly wasn’t sure if it would make him more cautious or more prone to do something else that could potentially put all of them at risk.
“For Hope’s sake, I assume you will be on your best behavior.” Maybe it was low to use his daughter to keep him in line, but she was definitely the best way to get through to him.
***
“Lydia Martin is still alive,” he said darkly. “So clearly I am on my best behavior.” In his world, he would have killed her for the way she insulted him. Would he have if Hope hadn’t been there? Honestly, he didn’t know for sure. He certainly wanted to, but he hadn’t wanted to look like a monster to his little girl.
Of course, he wasn’t always a monster. He loved as deeply as he hated, and with the same passion. Those few in his life who had seen that side of him - Hope, Caroline, Cami…well, they knew that he was more complex than others believed.
“I don’t want Hope - “ What, to be embarrassed of him? To hate him? To feel the same way towards him as he felt towards his own father? Any of the above, perhaps.
***
Hearing Lydia’s name surprised Cami and she wondered exactly how much he’d been told. She decided not to ask though because it was a slippery slope that could ruin their date and she didn’t want that to happen.
“Hope loves you,” she said. “And I know she’s glad to have the extra time with you and Hayley here.” The poor girl had gone through so much in her short life, it really wasn’t fair.
She took a drink from her glass and reached over with her free hand to touch his. “I’m glad to have more time with you too.”
***
“And I love her,” he said softly. He’d never try to deny what he felt for Hope. It had made him a better person, he knew that. He had always known that he was capable of love, even if other people hadn’t. He’d do anything for Hope, including die. And he’d proved that to everyone.
“As am I,” he said, eyes softening further as he smiled at her. “We were not given enough time.”
Was there ever enough time with the people you loved?
***
“No, we weren’t,” Cami agreed. After a moment’s pause, she added, “Maybe we can make the most of this opportunity.”
Given their history, she honestly had no idea if they would have managed to make something work between them back in New Orleans if she hadn’t been poisoned. There was so much violence and bloodshed and the Mikaelsons always seemed to be smack in the middle of it. Things were different here though and she was hopeful.
***
“For as long as we’re here,” he said softly. He wasn’t fond of the fact that this place could send you home at a moment’s notice, with no warning. He liked having more control over his life than that. But if he got more time with Cami, he’d take it.
“I wish it were New Orleans,” he said regretfully. “But this place will have to do.”
He wasn’t a fan of redneck Indiana, but he supposed it wasn’t as bad as the Bayou.
***
Cami smiled. “We should probably head out now,” she said. Otherwise, there was a possibility that they’d end up in bed instead of eating dinner and as much fun as that sounded, she knew they would regret not eating first.
“Maybe you can stay over though?” she suggested.
***
He cocked an eyebrow, his eyes glinting mischievously. He would mind staying in, but they’d agreed upon dinner, so he was glad to go ahead.
“Oh, indeed I can,” he smiled. “I look forward to it.”
Even if it was only a few hours away.
***
Things were off to a much better start this time around. Cami was glad that she was still here when Klaus returned and had hope that things would continue to be positive. It might be naive, but she’d prefer that than dwelling on the many possible ways everything could go wrong.
“So do I,” she said, grabbing her jacket and pulling it on as she flashed him a grin.
***
Klaus returned that grin and offered her his arm. Some might have considered it an old-fashioned gesture, but it had actually become a popular thing rather late in Klaus’s life.
“Let us take advantage of this place as best we can,” he said, nodding slightly.
And then they were out the door, headed in the direction of the restaurant.