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[poppycock]

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[cosmicmistake]

[ a day after this ]

---

[ it takes hope a full day to process the hurt and the pain she'd felt when her dad had, once again, gone to threats rather than simply asked her. she'd thought that, after their reunion, he'd just know he could come to her... with anything.

i should have known better, she thinks, and not in any kind of terrible, sarcastic way. i should have known better because he's a mikaelson and we lead with temper and thoughtlessness and our heart.

the urge to protect the ones they care about has led hope to more than one consequence in the city that her dad wouldn't want to know about, but she's resolved to tell him anyway. he has to know the hard parts to understand the reasons why she hasn't been as forthcoming as she might have been. it's not his fault, but it's not hers, either. and she doesn't want to spend what time they might have together fighting.

so, she shows up at his assigned apartment door and knocks. ]

[poppycock]

( it has only been the wanting and the waiting that has sustained him. the worry for the pain in his daughter's silence and the constant reliving of their conversation have frayed at his edges, but the imperative to be here when she needs him; when she's ready...

it has kept him put, and sober enough, if not entirely sane. the thought of tearing open a few vulnerable, unknown necks has occurred to him, as has stalking to her residence to see her himself. instead, he has nursed a few drinks, painted and destroyed a few canvases, and is quite close to reconsidering the idea of giving hope space.

in fact, he has just showered, dressed, and decided to head out for the day, perhaps ending it at subversion. or her front door.

should he give her space? he wonders. what would hayley do?

anticipation overtakes him when he hears her steps and the knock at the door. he would know her presence anywhere. the tight ball of anxiety in his heart begins to unfurl, leaving space for relief. he is at the door in no time at all, pulling it open.

his eyes round at the sight of her. his lips part, wordlessly for a moment. klaus exhales, attempting to regulate himself. he is her father, and she deserves that he act like one. his voice is gentle, even. ) Come in. ( he steps aside. ) Let's talk.

an invitation 💐 a bridgerton birthday ball (complete with optional accidental orgy)

[sheening]

[ a sturdy ivory envelope addressed to / MR. KLAUS MIKAELSON / with a periwinkle wax seal arrives at your home address on june fifteenth.



attached is a handwritten note -- ]

Dear Mr. Mikaelson,
The evening shall be sure to more radiant with your presence. Please bring a guest as it pleases you.
Yours,
Daphne Basset ]

💐 PARTY LOG LOCATED HERE 💐

fibber overflow

[alwayspullsout]

[ From here! ]

Traditionally, no. Though one manages to adapt.

[ The women of the ton have a saying, something about how "reformed rakes make the best husbands." It seems, to Simon, a load of bullshit. Expecting a man to change his ways over a marriage seems ridiculous. Sure, in his case, he's quite taken with Daphne (and her brother,) but he hasn't gone through the song and dance of courtship, nor has he actually lived through his own marriage. The certainty he offers Daphne is because he cares for her, it's as simple as that. (It's a mess in his head, really.) But he says none of that.

In one fashion or another, is after all, quite complicated. ]

I am glad to hear they have left a positive impression upon you. It seems we are both fortunate for their acquaintance, and their tenure here. For all that it has been unpleasant, at times.

[poppycock]

( the duke does seem to lean towards adaptation, despite whatever complications have made themselves plain. klaus smiles to himself, sensing more beyond the repeated sentiment. ) It is both a blessing and a difficulty to have the women in our lives here. Though by all accounts, they've barely needed us to get by.

Independence is an important lesson. ( he's thinking, obviously, of hope. )

fibber overflow

[mattersofscience]

[ooc: Continued from here.]

That's quite a personal question to ask so straightforwardly. [He's not totally against answering, but he is a little wary of handing a pearl of a personal truth like this to simply anyone.]

[poppycock]

( it is. klaus is not one for small talk and he has little scruples against asking deeper questions, where and when he likes. such pearls are more interesting. ) Well, you've already admitted to the affliction.

text; un: c.snow

[trigeminalheadache]

Have I told you how wonderful and amazing you are recently?

— action.

[poppycock]

( a text like that from caitlin inspires both pleasure and anticipation. no doubt she wants something, and what she wants often satisfies him lavishly. he smiles as he pauses to read it, ensconced in his room with a half-finished painting. her breath and heartbeat are a constant familiarity to him now. he's heard both, and the padding of her footsteps, since she arrived home a short time ago.

he leaves his phone in his room.

there is naught but a whisper of sound, the air shifting, before his arm coils around her waist to pull her back flush against him. he presses his lingering smile to her hair. ) Go on.

fibber meme continuation

[cleptes]

I believe you have said it multiple times, darling. Though I would never tire of your compliments.

[ The next photo she sends is of her bare breasts, the angle of the photo showing them off fully. ]

[poppycock]

Never?

Well in that case: These images are equally alluring and tormenting.

fibber

[flatfeet]

For a long time, I never really thought about it. But after I saw a real moon - yeah, it was.
In Barbie Land.

[poppycock]

( and here he thought he's heard everything ) How did you move to California then? Seems quite the dramatic change.

@nate

[guylining]

klaus

i can't find hope anywhere

[poppycock]

( klaus has been calling the disconnected line nonstop. he's checked her homes, her places of work, the woods, the beach. that there is no sign of methos doesn't escape his notice either.

he's at the beach when he receives nate's message. a part of him does not want to have this conversation, for it means what is plain becomes a reality he must face. but klaus has never been one to cling to such denials. )

She's gone.

action

[interpersonally]

( it's not as if stefan and klaus' lives were ever intertwined enough to expect him to check in more than he has, but klaus has always had a particular interest in stefan when he is in his proximity. and, with family and sireline stakes not on the line, and stefan assumes, years after him, he figured klaus would actually check in.

he's too old (and doesn't know how he feels about this sub-finder business), that he's not going to send a 'are you avoiding me' text.

because for one, if klaus is avoiding him, then so be it.

stefan was the one drinking from the cups. he assumes it was tainted beer. it didn't change his life. it wasn't his first time -- partaking. he more than assumed it wouldn't be klaus'. but after belabored small-talk after the deed, there's been nothing.

because stefan salvatore is himself, he doesn't dwell on it. he moves forward. he finds a contract partner. he settles an already set ceasefire with a vampire slayer, because apparently there are such things here. from what he gathers, it doesn't work like rayna cruz and their worlds are different. cold comforts, sometimes.

he knows he needs to ingratiate himself, to meet more people, to meet quota. but he has another month, doesn't he. and the contract was most important.

he's not seeking out Klaus directly, because Hope once invited him to Subversion. and other than his first day and not coming face to face with her ever, he hasn't been back. he has new eyes and better clothes, and a bit of a new lease on his 'runaway' life. fucking finder.

he didn't pay too much attention the first time he'd arrived. he was only after the drink. and the possible company. in this case, he will check in on her if he can. he's not basic enough to ask about her father through her, at least not at first. if he's honest with himself, that is the point being here. check in. eventually check in.

he strides through the front doors not knowing what he'll find. )

[poppycock]

( what he'll find is a very empty bar; nearly deserted so early in the evening, actually — and klaus mikaelson pouring over a bankers box of files at one of the leather couches. speaking of pours, there's also a well-loved bottle of scotch and a tumbler, nearly empty, stationed beside him.

it's fair to say he's been skating on the razor's edge of sobriety for quite some time now.

he heard stefan arriving — obviously. as he walks inside and begins to approach him, klaus picks up his glass, leans back into the cushions, and takes a sip, all without glancing over.

were stefan needy enough to send that "are you avoiding me?" text, klaus wouldn't have replied, though not for any juvenile reason such as how they got their rocks off semi-recently. he rather enjoyed that. )

There are glasses behind the bar. Be a dear and bring over another bottle.

text; un: protofeminist

[aspirers]

My brother has gone home, the one who I have always been close with. So it seems we share in that.

Not that I am any stranger to grief.

[poppycock]

( he does not have room for much else besides his own grief, but eloise's loss matters, and he understands her desire to reach out. there is comfort in that. ) No. I suppose in this, neither of us are.

Which brother? ( he met benedict only briefly. anthony, on the other hand, he has felt some fondness for: he would hate to hear he is gone.

he hates too, thinking of elijah, kol, and even finn. he knows intimately this loss. )

a housewarming party invitation 💐 open to +1s

[sheening]

[ a sturdy blue envelope addressed to / TO MR. KLAUS MIKAELSON / with a periwinkle wax seal arrives at your home address on october twelfth.



attached is a handwritten note -- ]

Dear Klaus,
It should be an honor to us all if you are able to attend. Please do bring a friend if you should like.
With regards,
Daphne ]

💙 PARTY LOG LOCATED HERE 💙

text | s salvatore

[interpersonally]

has anyone ever called you daddy?
or asked to?

[poppycock]

Many a time, unfortunately.

It may not be a surprise to you I've not the taste for it.

text | salvatore

[interpersonally]

( this is not him calling you out on the violence, or the sex. that was the fog. he knows that was the fog.

nor is he going to talk about their roaring time they've been having. he's no longer masked in bejeweled green. and something has been neglected for days, hasn't it been? )

I'm bringing Nate in to see what wards might be possible. I think it's a good idea to prevent any and all other altercations if possible. If only because we can't keep repairing what's broken and still open.

[poppycock]

( the fog or their natural inclinations? klaus is certain it was both, but more importantly, it was fun. )

Nate has already attended to wards months ago. Though clearly they could use a sprucing up. ( you know, everything considered. )

Delivery

[guylining]

[ this delivery comes via a little origami bird, which flies angrily around people's heads until it locates the correct one, klaus.

then it drops down in front of him, bursts like a violet firework, and in its place is a box. inside the box is a perfect glass sphere, with a note underneath. ]

Klaus,

This is a memory ball. Hold it in your hands and think of a memory, play it back in your head. The ball will make a copy of it for you, and hold it for as long as you'd like. It will play it back, and you can watch it like a movie, or make it hold images still like photographs.

I know you haven't many photographs of Hope. This way you can see her face any time.

Or any other faces actually. It can hold as many as you like.

I know your tradition is to burn things at the holidays. I thought I might host a bonfire, at new year, on the beach. It's a time for renewal. Join us if you'd like. You'll be welcome at my table, always.

Nate Hawthorne.

text. un: klausmikaelson

[poppycock]

( klaus holds the memory ball for a long moment, tears pricking his eyes, but does not use it. not yet; he gently places somewhere soft and cushioned, and pulls out his phone to text nate. )

I could not possibly convey even a fraction of what this means to me, but I know you understand regardless. Thank you.

Subversion will be reopening New Year's Eve. You shall receive a personal invitation in the next few days. Whether or not you are able to attend, I will gladly to slip away and join you at the beach.

Backdated to Christmas

[breakfastattiffanys]

[On Christmas day, a beautifully wrapped present in red paper and gold ribbons arrive, hand delivered. Attached is an elegant card:]



𝓢𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓵𝔂, 𝓑𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓵𝓭𝓸𝓻𝓯

[Inside is a boutique box with several shirts in Klaus's preferred style. Let that explain why she might have been staring at him for a bit. After all, her boss needs to look elegant.]

[poppycock]

( well, klaus is used to all eyes on him. if blair was staring, he would have assumed the obvious.

this conclusion is just as fine.

she'll receive a handwritten thank you card a few days later. )

Dear Blair,

I appreciate the gift. You have a good eye.

Klaus