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heartbreakgrill · 1 year

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‘violent delights…’: elijah mikaelson pt. 1.

a/n: forced to make this into two parts cuz i broke tumblr…and the second will be up tomorrow :)

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description: take romeo and juliet, but romeo is elijah mikaelson, juliet is a lounge singer, and the thing dividing them is the sexist owner named fred. playlist.

request: @theoriginalariamonroe ty for letting me have creative freedom xoxo

warnings: lots of blood, violence, injuries, cursing, misogyny, cringey romeo and juliet references. allusions to an ab*sive relationship, mentions of death, etc.

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"ladies, gentleman, creatures of the night-"

a soft roll of laughter rumbled through the crowd as the club announcer's voice dropped low, with the tease of horror.

then, the renowned owner, fred lavigne, continued, his figure outlined in the dim, lavender stage lights, "please put your hands together for the one and only...juliette dupont!"

every body filling the walls of the club jumped to their feet, whoops and hollers filling the space between the music. it sung out from the speakers surrounding the stage, curling into the air sweetly, soulfully.

juliette dupont, dressed in her infamous purple evening gown, stepped into the same-shade spot light, the smoky air around her creating a hazey vision of beauty. she reached a gloved hand out before her, and wrapped it around the microphone displayed on its stand. the lights grew brighter as the music raised in volume. the club attendees were still glued on their feet, though their cheering quieted slightly. they anticipated her voice to cut through the night, ears practically perked like dog's.

then, she started singing...

"he left no time to regret-"

juliette's hip popped, hand poised perfectly on her waist, as the band intruded the rhythm of the song with a rehearsed beat, loud, teasing. the band held the note, juliette sayed still. the crowd cheered again in the intermittent silence.

juliette's lips curled into a smirk, anticipating her next phrase- "kept his dick wet-"

another pop from the drums. another pose. another cheer.

the tease continued, until they reached the 4th line of the song, "me and my head high...and my tears dry...get on without my guy!" by that line, the band was in full swing. juliette was commanding the entire room, swaying and swooning with ease, like she was the director of the room. everyone moved to her accord. she said jump, and they flung themselves.

juliette couldn't see much beyond the front row, due to the stage lights blinding her from above. but, the door to the establishment opened, drawing her gaze for a split second from the blaze of streetlights through the threshold. a figure stood in the door, emblazoned by the street lights. then, as the door shut, she lost sight of the tall, slender man. she continued on with her song, moving her eyes over the blackened crowd, gracefully. others came, but very few left the building- they were all entranced.

said man stood just inside the building for a moment, taking in the smokey club before him. he'd never been here before. he usually frequented his own part of town- but his family was starting to find him in even the tiniest nooks and crannies, so he was adventuring out, looking for a night cap.

he was happy he had picked this establishment. because, standing here, with this angelic voice singing softly through the speakers, he felt somewhat peaceful. though the music banged in his ear drums, and bodies pushed past him, the singer made the environment heavenly. his eyes lingered on her face, watching her glossy lips caress the crowd with gentle notes, words so carefully falling from her throat. she was absolutely beautiful.

and, her name was in big, purple LED lights beside the stage. juliette dupont. in all his years on this earth, he'd never met a juliette before. it was almost shakespearean, literally and figuratively. he was encapsulated by the singer, like romeo. may these violent delights have but violent ends.

the man took a seat at the end of the bar. he ordered one bourbon, on the rocks. and he curled into the dark corner, like a practiced star fixated in the night sky, like he belonged to the darkness. he planted a palm against his chin, and continued watching intently at the performance before him. he examined juliette's curves, shortly, before focusing on her face. she had soft, delicate features, but they were cut somewhat sharply by the makeup she wore.

juliette's eyes, a color the stranger could not recognize beneath the lights, scanned the audience. the dark figure was there, sitting just at the edge of the glowing round of the splot light. she swore they met eyes, and she played into it. that was her job- demand the audience, seduce them with her voice. she leaned forward slightly, one heeled foot dug into the stage before her. her manicured fingers wrapped around the mic, shoulders wriggling rhythmically. draw in the customers, rig their money. she was the siren, the club was a vast ocean. and she sung.

he smiled lightly at her, pleased at their interaction. she sent a wink towards the handsome stranger. he tipped his glass towards her, before she averted her attention again. it was nothing special for her, though he was attractive as he was. but, she couldn't focus on one person.

elijah reveled in the moment.

fred had moved back to his alloted seat behind the bar, slouched on a stool, coaxing back a glass of whiskey. he didn't pay attention as his employee sang- he never really did. he concerned himself, mostly, with alcohol, and bills. green ones. within the next few moments, like a hamster on a wheel, he'd start counting the drawers again, hastily checking to ensure every single penny was correct- only to end up in his pocket later that night.

but, before he could greedily count his coins, a fist rapped on the counter, just once, loud enough to make fred flinch. he glanced over his shoulder. the server was at the other end of the bar, mixing some drinks. so, fred turned back to his money. he licked his pointer finger and went to flip through some bills. but the same knock resounded.

"bar tender'll help you out, buddy," fred's real voice, not his practiced stage-play one, was gruff, southern drawled, and slurred. he tossed it over his shoulder.

the figure shook his head, a curt no. "no, thank you, sir. i'm not looking for a drink."

the club owner stood and faced the man. fred, many feet shorter than his overly-confident presence, shuffled about. he planted his hands on his hips, jutted out his beer belly, as if it made him taller. stiffly, "what are you looking for, huh?"

elijah mikaelson stepped forward, splayed his palms against the counter, looming, "a name."

fred's eyes searched the man's face, sharp edges and all. he thought elijah was scary looking. off-putting. "whose?"

elijah turned his head, locking his eyes on juliette dupont, who was now finishing up that opening song. she stood, breathing heavily in the bright spotlight, one hand poised against her waist, the other straight in the air, with the wrist limp and fingers curved up at the tips. powerfully feminine.

elijah beamed at her pose and, as the music for the next song wound up, he switched his eyes back to fred. "hers."

the club owner scoffed, lifted his depleting cigarette butt to his lips. "yeah, right, buddy. get in line."

fred turned back to his whiskey and went to take a drink of it, when that same fist knocked the counter again. he turned around, examined elijah's annoying smile. he knew his intentions. they were all the same. besides, fred didn't like trouble- and this creature of the night reeked of cautionary tales.

because he didn't like elijah's demeanor, he rambled off, growly, "listen, buddy, i know you're looking for more than just a name. i'm here to tell you to get in line. it'll never happen. and before you ask, she's not up for sale. we're a professional establishment, thank you very much." that was a lie. fred sold- somewhat innocently- her and the other's singer's companies constantly. the crowd work frequently extended beyond the stage. any regular at the establishment knew that. but, fred knew this man wasn't a regular.

elijah lowered his gaze as he laughed, "i don't want to buy her company." silly suggestion on fred's part.

he couldn't help but feel slightly relieved. elijah was good looking. attractive men always disrupted business with fred's singers. the club owner flicked his cigarette onto the counter carelessly. a fleck of ash landed on elijah's wrist. fred watched it burn his skin with a satisfied smirk. elijah, whose eyes were still downcast, slowly looked up. fred's eyes lingered on the burn that disappeared within seconds.

fred, off-put, met the man's eyes. they were dark, stormy. fred took a step back, fearful. elijah smirked, "i just want to buy her a drink."

the club-owner waved two frivolous hands, denying any and all possibilities. another lie. and his hands were shaking a little bit. "that's not going to happen, buddy. this ain't no strip club-" it had been, before fred was shut down, and he evolved the terms of his establishment under legal circumstances, just over 4 years ago.

elijah tilted his chin, smoldering down at the powerless man. "no?"

"no," fred took his turn to smolder. he slammed his palms onto the counter, "if you keep bugging me, i'll get security to throw you out. so you either sit down and shut up, or we can handle this outside."

elijah was, slightly, taken aback by the little man. fred was full of anger, and it amused elijah, to a point. he worried, though, for her- juliette. for her, and the other women who worked with her. for their safety. surely an angry little boss like fred caused problems quite freqeutnly. especially when he doesn't get what he wants.

elijah moved back to his seat at the end of the bar, frowning now. he ordered another drink and sipped infrequently as her set continued. when it came to a slow-burning end, elijah rose to his feet, clapping his palms together with everyone else. the lights rose slightly, allowing juliette to get a better look at the crowd. she blew kisses, red lips smudging on her fingers. a few people tossed flowers onto the stage.

fred eyed elijah, suspiciously, wandering if the creep would try anything. fred downed his liquor, and braced himself. he looked away for a moment, back towards his money. when he looked up, elijah was gone, his empty glass the only sign he'd ever been there. the owner looked around, wide eyed, and freaked out by the man's quick departure. he looked around the building, but didn't see him anywhere. fred shook his head of the worry thoughts. he had more important things to concern himself with, like his money, and his bourbon.

juliette continued thanking the crowd, joyous from the praise. she delighted as roses were thrown on the stage. the singer reached down to grab one, eyes still burning from the bright stage lights. her hand landed on another. she drug her gaze up from the ground, meeting the deep, midnight glance of the man before her. he held a purple rose between his pointer finger and thumb, a sweet smile on his face. elijah offered the flower to the singer. she smiled- a real, genuine grin- and took it from him. he quickly caught her other hand in his, holding her gaze as he placed a single, butterfly-awakening kiss against the back of juliette's hand.

and elijah thought to himself– "what's in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

a few weeks passed sine elijah's first appearance. since then, he'd only frequented the club once or twice. he knew fred was suspicious of him. so he needed to keep some distance.

the performer looked for him every night. it was a pleasant surprise each time she spotted him at the end of the bar, in his self-proclaimed 'spot.' she would toss him a wink, a sweet smile. he would bring a single purple rose, kiss her hand, swoon her at the end of her set.

but he never tried for a conversation.

until tonight.

"thank you all for being so kind. all my love, new orleans! goodnight!" juliette sunk into her practiced bow, and she picked up a bouquet of red roses from the edge of the stage.

as she departed the stage, she stuck her nose into their silky embrace, inhaling the scent gratefully. it was one of her favorite parts about performing- soaking in the applause, the adoration. and the crowd's praise. the validation made her heart alight with valuation.

she thanked her band members in passing, on her way to her dressing room. and, when she finally shut the door behind her, her grin dropped. she was stone-faced. the singer slipped off her heels, shimmied out of her evening gown. she changed into a sweatshirt, leggings, fuzzy, socks. next, she sat before her vanity and began washing her face free from the makeup caked there. when she was finally finished getting undone, she tugged her bag over her shoulder, headed out the door.

the singer didn't have to stay tonight, didn't have to continue her painted smile. it was a rotated schedule between her and the other girls and tonight, luckily- if that's what luck was- she got to go home to the comfort of her bed and her cat. though she loved the crowd, she didn't like the individuals within it. many tourists saw the club as an attraction. but, maybe half of the club-goers were regulars- slimy, creepy men, with too much, time, and hormones on their hands.

fred was behind the counter, pouring over his money, as per usual. she pushed the divider up and back down to reach him. she splayed an empty palm in his line of vision once she was stopped at his side.

fred grunted in greeting, "next time, doll."

she took a deep breath, urging patience to find her. her fingers clasped shut, empty hand falling beside her. "you promised i'd get it tonight. i need groceries, fred."

he stood from his stool, barely an inch taller than her.. but, his attitude made him a dark tower, a controlling presence above her. "next time. we're short tonight."

she crossed her arms over her chest, "whatever." she pushed her way out from behind the counter and headed for the door. just as she exited the building, out onto the bustling streets of new orleans, she met eyes with a familiar figure.

elijah pushed off of the wall where he had been waiting, smile poised so sweetly on his face. if fred wouldn't tell him, he would find out for himself. "good evening."

she shifted slightly, arms loosening around her stomach. "hello." those dark eyes met hers again. they shone slightly under the streetlights, but the crevices of his pupils were dark. it was sweetly enticing- these stormy clouds he carried around. familiar butterflies tickled the girl's stomach. and she smiled.

he stepped towards her and held out his hand hand, "we haven't had a chance to meet. my name is elijah."

she lay her hand in his, watching as he bent forwards by his waist and kissed her knuckles. she liked when he did that; a responsive blush heated her face, "i'm y/n."

"ah?" he begrudgingly dropped her hand. her skin was warm, soft. "no juliette?"

y/n shook her head as she shrugged. "juliette's my stage name."

elijah's head nodded curtly, "ah, of course. well, y/n, i wanted to tell you that i thoroughly enjoyed your performance tonight. you are a fantastic singer."

y/n was used to compliments. when she'd go into the audience after shows, drinking with strangers, faux flirts dripping off her cherry lips, that's all she'd here. and she had to pretend like everyone's words were original. then, they tipped her- fred would take most of the money- and it drew back their business. she was more than used to people shoving their adoration down her throat with repetitive phrases.

for some reason, some strange twist of fate, those words on elijah's tongue sounded like a unique penmanship, like he was the first man to create words, syllables. he was the first human to see her standing there.

additionally, she'd never even told anybody her name before. she was never supposed to- it took away the appeal of her stage persona. and fred would have a cow if he knew she was talking to a customer, sharing explicit details of her life. she felt that elijah deserved to know, like he was worthy.

besides- she couldn't think about fred when elijah was talking to her, looking at her like he was.

"thank you," she brushed her hair behind her ear, perfectly done curls that were patted down with hair spray beginning to loosen on her shoulders, "it's nice to meet you, elijah."

a crowd of tourists pushed between them. y/n laughed loudly as she and elijah locked eyes, forced to back away to make room for the stomping escapade of people. she waved slightly, an assurance that she was good, and she wanted to come back in front of him once the group passed. elijah tilted his chin, grinning. y/n then glanced around and spotted an open spot against the wall to the shop next door, free of bodies. she met elijah's eyes again and pointed towards the gap. he nodded.

"sometimes i forget how busy it gets," y/n laughed as she pressed her back into the wall.

elijah stood beside her, shoving his hands into his pockets. "it's a busy city."

"yeah," she breathed out. the moment made her dizzy.

y/n looked up at the man, still chewing on her lip. she was sheepish, especially when elijah tilted his chin back down to take her in. "how long have you been performing?" his dark orbs searched her vision.

y/n blew out a raspberry, cheeks puffing out cutely from the expression. elijah beamed as her personality started to shine through. she thought, "'bout 4 or 5 years now. since i was 18."

he nodded encouragingly, intrigued, "that's a long time to be doing this. especially so young. you must be exhausted."

"oh, you wouldn't believe," she rolled her eyes with a short laugh, "but it can be rewarding." plus, i don't have a choice, y/n thought to herself. she bit back the notions- she couldn't go trauma dumping on this stranger just because he was attractive. and kind.

beats passed, as elijah ventured through her eyes again. he noticed a hesitation there, a loneliness, twisted within the exhaustion. she was lying, just a bit. so pushed past her uncomforted feelings and boldly asked, "i know this is...sudden, but may i take you out for something to eat? you must be famished after such a night. and i want to continue our conversation."

y/n glanced behind her shoulder, lips parted in a wanted response. she bit down on her bottom lip, pained, as she spotted fred through the window in the front door. his face made her remember her place. "i'm sorry," y/n turned back to elijah, "i can't. i've gotta get home. feed my cat."

elijah smiled, tight-lipped, "that's alright. another time." he couldn't lie- the rejection stung. but, he wondered if her look towards fred was the actual reason.

she couldn't help but grin at the handsome man before her. "another time."

elijah's smile opened up. so, it was because of fred. he was going to have be careful. more than he already was being.

after y/n bid farewell to her new friend, she watched him walk away, moving carefully, elegantly, through the crowded streets. her chest pattered, heart skipping a beat, her stomach whirling. elijah heard the rhythm of her navel, he nearly laughed at himself. don't get too hopeful, he thought.

y/n knew it would never happen. it couldn't. fred had eyes everywhere, all over new orleans. and fred liked to think that y/n- juliette, whomever- belonged to him. it was a star-crossed affair, and she should jsut let it go before it grew into conflictual belonging.

y/n made herself remember on her walk home what was at stake. a singular, fleeting moment couldn't be worth all the money she owed fred. no, it was probably worth her life.

–

another night, another crowd.

y/n stood backstage, feet aching in her 4 inch heels, toes crushed by the pressure of the deep arch. she swayed from foot to foot, the length of her dress balled up in her fist. she fanned herself generously, as sweat formed on her upper lip, between her armpits.

fred stood in front of y/n, peering around the curtain of the small stage, like a giddy child. "i think this is our biggest night, yet, baby."

she stood beside him, nearly coughing in the air of his cheap cologne, and followed his gaze to the crowd. the club was full to the brim, bodies lining every chair, every inch of wall. a small smile painted her cherry lips. the nerves vanished. this was what really made her stay- her debts be damned. this was what kept her alive sometimes. the rush of the room, the spike of adrenaline in her veins.

"that's so exc-"

"listen," fred turned back to her, grabbing either of her biceps as an interruption of her excitement, "you better give your best tonight, kay? stick to the music and the script. no funny business between sets."

y/n's face fell slightly. she tugged herself out of his hands, let her dress fall back around the dirty floor. last night, she had ad-libbed a few lines, told a joke to the crowd. she had forgotten she was juliette, and laughed a little too loudly. like y/n did. fred chewed her out after the show, threatened to hit her with a raised hand. she was a cog in his frivulous machine.

"okay."

fred patted her cheek with his palm. she flinched hard at the familiar positon. he ignored it. "alright, dolly," he flashed a thumbs up, and stepped out onto the stage.

she listened intently as he spoke to the audience, her heart aching from the interaction. ee never wished her good luck anymore- so she should just get over it. but, she missed when the magic was shared with someone- when she had support, a fan who knew her heart beyond the stage. fred used to be that person for her. he really did used to be more loving towards her, too. things changed, she supposed. stress, money, owning clubs like he did- it changed him. or perhaps the more obvious excuse she tried not to focus too much on was that he was just a manipulative ass-

"juliette dupont!"

she painted on her smile, strutting onto to the stage and into the lights. her body went numb with presence, dissociating from any nerves she could've felt, any sense of identity she had offstage. she shed her old skin and filled out the mannequin onstage. juliette began singing her signature song, moving along to the beat of the band.

towards the end of her song, the front door popped open, and in moved a tall, familiar figure. y/n's heart skipped a beat, and she missed a pose as the song moved faster. she caught herself, smile never faltering as she performed the song. nobody even noticed the mistake.

she couldn't see elijah anymore, as the spotlight arched over her body, binding her vision. but her eyes wandered the shadowy, smokey figures of the crowd, trying to find him. to find his comforting presence.

it was no use.

by the end of the set, y/n was feeling jittery. she wanted to speak to this familiar stranger again. she wanted him to be outside the club, leaning against the wall, with kind words lingering in the fleeting air between them. the way he looked at her- the way his brown shimmered in the moonlight. it all made her giddy with anticipation.

but she knew she couldn't.

so, she stopped herself in her tracks. y/n had gotten in her head. she took deep breaths, eyes fluttered close, caged her thoughts back to work, her job, her money, and fred.

y/n bee-lined for her dressing room, peeling off her heels. fred appeared through the stage door, though, cigarette in the corner of his lips, whiskey glass spilling as he hobbled to her. "uhuh, doll," he wiggled a finger. "you're on the floor tonight." he was wasted.

she wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, brows furrowed, disappointed. did she read the schedule wrong? "i thought it was fiona and delaney."

"delaney did last night. it's your turn, baby. get out there and make daddy some money," fred moved closer, and wrapped an arm around her waist.

y/n shuddered a deep breath, trying not to focus too much on his grip, his reek of cologne and alcohol. "okay."

fred squeezed her hip, "that's my girl."

y/n slipped her heels back on, raising her nearly half a foot taller than fred. he really was weak- tiny. yet he made her feel so small. he winked, finally took his hand from her waist. fred hobbled, back out the door to the club. y/n rolled her shoulders back, taking a deep breath, before following his blazoned path.

a few club-goers cheered as she stepped out of the door, painted grin greeting them. juliette blew kisses and waved delicately. a few men crowded around her, drinks offers being thrown around like paper confetti; careless, insubstantial offerings. she let them touch her, her waist, caress her cheek. juliette took pictures with a few tourists, signed some of the photos fred sold up at the bar. he was right there beside her, plucking cash from people's hands like a bird pecking at seeds on the ground. juliette let two men guide her to the bar.regulars. fred shambled after them, demanding sums of moneyto touch her.

elijah was watching from the other end of the bar. "ironic," he mumbled to himself. so, fred did like to sell juliette's time when the men weren't 6'0 tall and intimidating like elijah was.

elijah coaxed some bourbon down his throat, and as he swallowed, his eyes focused in on juliette. y/n. he didn't care about the men showering her, or fred. just her. she slid upon a stool, tilted her head back to laugh at something one of the slimy men said. she carried herself so wonderfully- like a gust of wind, controlled yet somehow free-flowing. her hair shone under the dim lights of the club, ringlets caressing the curve of her neck like a kiss. he couldn't see her eyes very well, but he knew they were probably still full of life, so wondrously bright and warm.

god, she was beautiful.

he turned his head forward and waved a finger at the bar tender. the server strutted over, leaned upon the counter, "another bourbon, sir?"

elijah curtly shook his head, pressing his chin into the palm of his hand. "no, thank you. would you send a cosmopolitan, for the beauty at the end of the bar. and, could you somehow make it purple?"

the bar tender followed elijah's gaze as it focused on y/n. he chortled, and pointed to fred, "the owner charges $10 extra on drinks for the performers."

elijah leaned back in his stool, and tapped his fingers against the counter. "purple cosmo, please."

so, the bar tender went to work, mixing the lavender-hued drink quickly. elijah continued to watch juliette. who grinned, accepting a drink offered to her from the man on her left. it was a shot of tequila. she cheers-ed with the club goers, before tapping the shot glass onto the counter, and tilted her head back to slide it down her throat- no! she tossed it over her shoulder, emptying the liquid onto the floor behind her. elijah saw fred roll his eyes at her antics. the former man bit both his lips, holding in a pleased laugh. that was y/n.

then, the bar tender moved down the counter, setting the drink before juliette. she pressed a hand over her heart, thanking him graciously. elijah watched her cherry lips form the question, "who's it from?"

the bar tender pointed to elijah. then, fred, the two men, and juliette followed his finger. elijah dipped his chin, raised his glass in a short wave, grinning. fred rolled his eyes, again, and the two men beside juliette looked between each other grimly. oh, did elijah feel pleased with himself.

y/n's smile brightened, her hand raising and waving wildly with excitement. fred reached a hand forward and pinched her side. she seemed to remember herself and her hand dropped to her lap. her smile stayed.

elijah watched as the two men went back to stuffing her ears with their voices. his face was a little warm with anger at fred's balls.

but, as she admired her drink, absentmindedly nodding along to the men, elijah could care less about anybody but her. she wrapped her pretty red lips around the straw, and took a sip of the liquor. it left a red lip print on the straw.

she looked over, again, towards elijah, and her heart sunk when she saw his seat was empty.

fred followed her gaze, glaring. he added this second disappearance to the list of reasons why he ought to watch out for the strange customer.

he had suspicions- and god forbid he be right. elijah would have more to worry about then catching y/n's affections.

–

elijah was there every night from then on. he watched from the same stool, nursing the same glass of whiskey, wearing the same, glowing grin. almost every night, too, he gifted y/n with a purple cosmopolitan. she was always grateful for the drink. it was just enough alcohol to get her through the conversations with the men who crowded her. and it was beautiful. purple was her favorite color. that was the only part of her character that was true to y/n- the color scheme. lavender, the hazey color of tender romance.

and she couldn't help but admit that she enjoyed his presence. it was growing ever-friendlier. comforting. consistent. when she felt anxious on stage, rigid during her visitations, she simply found his gaze. and his sweet smile would coax her down. she barely knew anything about him- but you could always tell the type of person based on their eyes.

and his were like a golden-brow ray of sunshine, piercing her with homeliness.

elijah always left after sending her the drink, though. she would look for him, down at the end of the bar, after taking a sip. and his seat would be empty. it was touch and go- a gentle routine, one that tickled y/n. he wasn't demanding her attention, her time. he wasn't flashing his money and stealing her company with dollar bills.

elijah was just there- a fixture. a fly on the wall.

it was strange, to say the least. but she enjoyed their game of cat and mouse. y/n anticipated the day they would speak against, the day she'd walk out of the club, and he'd be waiting for her, leant against the wall. to hear his voice was to be seen. she wanted him to ask her out- even if she'd have to reject him. she wanted to know that elijah craved her like y/n yearned for him.

she'd catch these lights before they flew away from her. at night, she'd scribble them all down in the journal. try to be mindful throughout the day, and and ignore them as they pecked at her skull.

however, one night, when he ordered her drink, he slipped a note to the bartender. a napkin, filled with messy, scrawled handwriting. elijah knew he was on thin ice. he knew fred was watching him carefully. he kept telling himself he would lay off, stop coming around so much. but, then he'd see on that stage, sitting at that bar. and he'd forget danger. forget about anything but her.

the bartender, a friendly coworker to y/n, made sure fred was looking away when he slipped it to her. "parting is such sweet sorrow that i shall say goodnight till it be morrow."

y/n grinned wider than she ever thought possible. it was a passage from romeo and juliet. so, elijah seemed to be a hopeless romantic. it only made the thoughts stronger, her affection fonder. it made it much more difficult for her.

fred peered over shoulder. luckily, y/n heard his breathing before he could peek a glance at the note. she stuffed it down her bra. when she got home, she pinned it on the white board stuck to the front of her fridge.

the next day, before the show, she started rereading romeo and juliet.

a month had passed since he first introduced himself. since he first began viewing her shows. and that day, that non-existent, yet treasured anniversary, was going to prove to be the day y/n had been waiting for.

y/n walked out of the club, a little giddy because fred had given her a bigger pay out than usual. she had planned on it using it to buy a new book she'd been eyeing. and tomorrow was her day. her focus was pointed down, at her purse, as she shoved the wad of cash into her wallet. the door pushed open at impact to her shoulder, and it swung shut with a soft click.

a throat cleared to her left, and y/n flinched harshly at the sound. she looked up from her bag, jaw clenched with fear. her gaze met elijah's, warm from his smile, and her shoulders relaxed.

"you scared me," she grinned, busy hands dropping to her sides.

elijah stepped forward, arms crossed behind his back, suit pristine and sharp. "my apologies, y/n."

her name, her actual name- not some stupid stage-name- sounded so beautiful. it shivered her heart. "it's okay."

elijah hesitated before continuing, "how are you?"

y/n thought for a second or two. it wasn't often that anybody asked how she was. club goers wanted to know only a handful of things- if she would do a shot, what she was wearing beneath her evening gown, or if she would sing their favorite song. nobody ever asked how she was. not fred, not the other girls, who were jealous of her spotlight. her cat couldn't speak much. and the cashier at the super market didn't count.

nobody but elijah had asked her this in weeks. maybe months.

"i'm...okay," she answered, honestly. a deep breath trembled off her elbows. "you?"

"i am doing well, thank you," elijah dipped chin. "i don't mean to be rude, and pester you...but i was wondering..."

y/n's smile widened as he trailed off. she'd been thinking about him for weeks, about this specific possibility. the fact that he was standing here, asking her out again- she just had to say yes. fred be damned. she wanted to be known, to know him. so what if fred cursed her out, if he hit her. the good was always worth the bad.

"im starving," y/n admitted. "there's a diner down the road. do you like breakfast food?"

elijah furrowed his brows, "i love waffles." y/n giggled in response. he was so...serious. stiff. the fact that he loved waffles was extremely adorable.

elijah stepped to the side and gestured with his hand, "after you."

they fell into step on the sidewalk, pushing through the crowds carefully. each time someone bumped into y/n, he pressed a steady hand onto her back, ensuring her steps weren't interrupted. she'd look up at him, skin scorching under his touch. and they would share this adoring smile. it was indescribable. you just had to be there.

when they finally reached the diner, y/n's stomach was growling. she was grateful he couldn't hear it. and he tried not to laugh out loud each time his super hearing picked up on it.

she chose a booth towards the back of the diner, one where the light bulb above was nearly burnt out. she ordered a water and an oreo milkshake. elijah asked for a coffee.

y/n laughed after he ordered his drink. he looked to her and rose a brow, "what?"

y/n tucked her hair behind her ears, "a coffee? this late? are you going to be able to sleep?"

elijah shrugged, "i don't sleep very often."

y/n crinkled her nose, "insomnia?"

elijah shook his head. "i just...don't like to."

she giggled again, "o...kay. well, tomorrows monday. so, don't you have work? you need sleep to work."

elijah shook his head again. "i don't work."

"you're very strange. and cryptic. you're not a serial killer, are you?" she pointed to him accusingly, a smile on her face. she knew he had to be rich, rich if he could afford those drinks he bought her every night and not work. not that she cared much about money- she was just trying to know him better.

elijah swallowed another laugh, "no, no. i promise i'm not. and; i know i'm strange. i apologize for that."

"you don't have to apologize. im strange, too."

the waitress set their drinks down upon the table. y/n reached for a straw, opened it, and took a big swig of her milkshake. her real personality was forming, tried and true before him. it was so pleasant.

elijah stirred some creamer into his coffee as the waitress asked, "y'all ready to order?"

y/n laughed, quickly opening her menu. "i forgot to even look."

elijah watched her face as she scanned her eyes down the pages of the menu. she felt his gaze and glanced up, "look at your menu, weirdo. she's waiting."

elijah looked to the waitress, who popped a hip and crossed her arms. she was very annoyed, even though the diner wasn't busy. elijah quickly dipped his head and flickered his eyes across the menu's pages. he sneakily peeked over the top at y/n, whose menu was already folded in front of her. she blushed as they met eyes.

"i'll just have two chocolate chip pancakes. and a couple chicken strips. please?" y/n handed her menu to the waitress, averting her eyes from elijah's. "thanks."

the two women looked back to elijah, who was still flicking through the menu. he looked a little stressed by the pressure their gaze enforced. y/n reached forward, tugging the menu out from beneath his gaze. he looked at her, a little stunned. she handed it off to the waitress, "he'll just have three waffles. yeah?"

elijah stared blankly, "s-sure."

"cool. thank you, ma'am," y/n called after the waitress, her southern accent bleeding through more noticeably. the latter woman flicked her wrist back at them.

y/n crossed her arms over the table in front of her. she propped a chin up on her fists, gazing curiously, "so...elijah."

he tilted his head, a grin creeping up on his face. she looked so beautiful in this faded lighting. "y/n?"

"tell me about yourself!" she raised her hands. "you're, like...my stalker. and i don't know anything about you."

elijah chortled, "there's not much to know."

"don't be cryptic or else i'll leave," y/n warned with a pointed finger.

elijah sat back, leaning his wrists on the edge of the table. "might i ask why you agreed to this?"

y/n shrugged, resting her arms again. "i'm intrigued by you. you come in every single night, and you never speak to me. you just buy me a drink...like what kinda game is that?"

he replied, "i enjoy your singing. and...i don't want to be non-gentlemanly by hovering like those people do."

y/n drug her eyes over his face, squinting slightly. "...are you, like, one of those self-proclaimed nice guys?"

elijah furrowed his brows, taking a sip of coffee despite his confusion. "a...what?"

"you know," y/n crossed her arms, "guys who think basic social expectations deserve to be rewarded with sexual favors. like, if you're nice to be during this conversation, and you pay for dinner, you're gonna expect me to send you a picture of my boobs later."

elijah's bottom lip fell from his top, brows drawing tighter together, wink king his forehead. "people like that exist?"

y/n widened her eyes, smiling at the exchange. "what century are you from?"

she scanned his face as his eyes flickered. her smile faltered- wait- why did he look like he was actually from a different century?

"are you- nevermind." y/n began to sarcastically inquire before cutting herself off with a laugh. he was weird, and she loved it. "just look it up online."

"what is the online?" he cleared his throat, hoping she would move past her suspicious looks.

y/n simply burst out laughing, bent forward over the table, her shoulders shaking. elijah couldn't help but grin. her laugh was ridiculously cute.

"the online?" y/n emphasized. "no, it's just online. the internet. the web. you can look stuff up there."

elijah oh'ed, pink lips parted. then, the waitress interrupted the moment by placing their before them. hungry silence filled the space between them as they settled in with their food. y/n took a big bite, and elijah started cutting up his waffles."

"so...anyways-" y/n started,

elijah matched her words, "anyways-"

their eyes latched onto one another. they laughed.

"go ahead," elijah waved at her with his fork.

y/n chewed, covering her mouth with her hand, and swallowed before continuing, "so...now that i know you're a time traveler, i'm completely sold. tell me about yourself. full name, age, why you are weirdly rich but don't go to work...go!"

elijah looked thoughtful. he wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin, and answered, "my full name is elijah mikaelson. i am 30 years old. i have...investments that don't require my full attention. so, i spend my time trying to live a fulfilling life. literature, film, music. i enjoy it all. plus, this city is full of culture. and i am but a consumer."

y/n smiled, watching him speak. he was just...ethereal. interesting. then, elijah motioned to her with his coffee cup before taking a sip.

"oh," y/n cleared her throat, "mine's not as fun; i'm y/n y/l/n...uh, i'm 22. i unfortunately do not have the luxury to explore the city. in fact, since i moved here four years ago, i've not once stepped outside of my district. i go to work, sometimes the bookshop below my apartment, and home. that's all. though, i'd like to use your time travel powers sometime to slow the world down for me. i need a day to myself, ha."

elijah frowned as she finished rambling. "so, you've never explored the city?"

y/n shrugged, "nope. i don't have the time. or money."

"do you get any days off from the club?" elijah inquired.

"usually sundays. just that one day, though."

elijah set his fork down, wiped his mouth with the napkin again, and dropped his hands to his laps. he looked...annoyed? "how much do you even get paid?"

conventionally, that was a rude question. but elijah wasn't offensive. y/n could tell. "enough for rent. fred takes the rest," y/n's throat tightened a little. she looked down at her plate.

"and why does he do that? that's money that you obviously work very hard to earn. he can't just...take it," elijah demanded. he was starting to hate this fred guy.

y/n clutched her fork, "uh, he can, actually. it's just...complicated." she went silent.

elijah didn't press. he could tell that y/n was uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. so he laid off. he asked her a question about this bookshop, and enjoyed the shift as her face lightened up with a bright, beautiful grin.

but, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. he wondered if he should actually start hanging around more, and make sure that this fred character wouldn't lay a finger on her.

he would simply not be able to live with himself if anything happened to y/n, he decided within that moment. his own safety didn't matter anymore.

–

they were risking everything.

fred would not be happy with her for going to a diner with a customer- a man, someone who wasn't him. and he definitely would not be happy to learn that their friendship did not stop there. he would be furious to know that she saw him again and again.

but they couldn't stop it, the snowball.

the second of many was on another night like before. he asked her on another diner date. y/n, rightfully worried about fred, told him no.

"but you can walk me home?" she counter-offered, after an anxious glance over her shoulder. fred's body guards were littered by the door, the bar, and the stage. fred himself was counting money furiously.

they could stick to the edge of the sidewalk, against the buildings, in the dark. no one could see them if they kept moving. yeah, that could work. she could have her cake and eat it, too. this could be okay.

elijah pursed his lips, the small smile on his face tugging one onto y/n's. "as long as you'll let me carry your bag."

y/n giggled, holding up her purse. "you can handle the strange looks from tourists?"

oh, if only she knew what elijah had been through. carrying a woman's purse was nothing compared to all he'd done and all he'd seen. it was a walk in the park, almost literally.

and, so he walked her home, carrying her pink purse confidently over his shoulder.

they talked and talked and talked. so much so, that, at certain points, y/n would run out of breath. elijah would chuckle as she'd interrupt herself with an, "oh, my gosh, hang on-" and take deep breaths. and, then, she'd jump back into a story from her childhood.elijah chimed in, here and there, but she devoured the conversation.

and he could not mind it. becauae elijah was qucikly convinced she could read him the bible and he would become a devout christian just because she had religion on her lips.

"this is me," y/n interrupted herself once she noticed her apartment was right there in front of them.

she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket, a blush rolling over her face. she always hated saying goodbye- it was corny, and awkward.

elijah stood, holding onto the strap of her purse, admiring the bookstore before him. "this is a beautiful building."

y/n grinned. he appreciated ordinary things. "i think so, too. im very lucky to have landed it."

elijah turned to her, handing off her purse. "i'll have to stop by sometime and meander the bookstore."

y/n nodded, "you should! it's a hole in the wall. but, they are closed on sundays. and that's usually my day off- not that you were at all suggesting you wanted to come with me. sorry, that was-" y/n blushed deeper, annoyed at her own suggestive thoughts.

"i was," elijah interrupted. of course that's what he meant.

she looked to the cheeky smile on his face. "well, maybe i'll talk to fred and see if he'll let me get a different day off."

"you should. he really should give you more days off anyways. it's unethical," elijah replied, letting his own thoughtful opinions spill. he noticed that comment made y/n uncomfortable. she bit her lips and looked, uncomfortably, down at the sidewalk. elijah made a note to never mention fred, and picked back up the conversation's original subject, "i am interested in knowing what books you enjoy."

"you can always tell the type of person by the type of book they like," y/n finished his probable thought. "well, i know you like romeo and juliet. but, what is your favorite book?"

elijah appreciated that she was dragging this out. he stepped to the side as a person came running down the sidewalk, bright neon pants suggesting he was exercising. he touched y/n's shoulder, reflexively protecting her. his fingers lingered for a second, basking in the warmth bleeding through her jacket from her skin.

he sheepishly dropped his hand, "the stand. stephen king."

"you're so hot," y/n slipped out. she shocked herself, and her jaw fell open for a moment. then she saw the blush paint over elijah's cheeks, and the goofy smile he wore in response. she grinned widely, giggling at her own foolishness. "sorry. that is just a really good choice."

elijah chuckled, too, shaking his head. he rubbed a hand against his cheek, willing away the red there. "thank you?"

they continued to laugh for a moment or so, before y/n continued, "mine is little women."

elijah nodded approvingly, "a classic. so are you of the belief that jo and laurie should have ended up together?"

y/n frowned deeply, scrunching her nose, and shaking her head slowly. "if they ended up together, it would have ruined the entire premise of the story."

then, she watched his eyes for a moment, and her face slowly fell as she recognized the shame swimming within his dark pupils. "no...elijah- no!"

he grinned cheekily and shrugged. "what can i say? im a sucker for friends who become lovers!"

"yeah, me, too- but- but- no! no, you can't!"

their argument didn't end there, not by a longshot. they spent a minutes- probably closer to about 20- just countering each other's points for their personal beliefs. though he thought she beautiful, she just could not sway him.

then, y/n happened to look down at her phone screen and she was shocked by the time. they bid farewell. she rushed upstairs after closing the door to her steps. he had waited until he heard the lock to her door click to. she watched him from the window. he lingered on the sidewalk with that handsome grin on his face. he kicked a rock across the concrete, before shoving his hands in his pockets, and beginning to walk away.

y/n smiled brightly, and let out a soft sigh. elijah's ears pricked up at the sound. he turned back towards her apartment, and spotted her in the window. y/n gasped as he met her eyes. she fell to her knees, praying to whatever god that he hadn't seen her.

he simply bit back a wider smile, and continued on his way home.

–

a week had passed since the walk home. elijah, begrudingly, stayed away from the club. he didn't want to risk y/n's safety too much. it pained him to not see her face, though.

so, he finally started coming back. the week without his face was awful for her. she was hopeful each time she went on stage, and that hope got diminsihed by his absence. when she spotted him there, in his spot, she couldn't help but grin.

he beamed back, raising his glass to her.

then, they saw each other throughout the week, at the club. elijah continued to buy her drinks, and y/n continued to exchange longing gazes across the bar. he'd always leave too soon, and although y/n wished he would stay, she knew that it was for the best. fred would grumble in annoyance elijah's deserted seat every night. he was suspicious of elijah, though she didn't know why. probably because he was handsome and made y/n shine through juliette's demeanor. y/n just hoped nothing would happen to elijah. though it would be her fault if it did. fred was...territorial. and she was practically dangling meat in front of the dog.

on saturday evening, after y/n was finished entertaining club-goers, she retired to her dressing room. she changed her clothes, washed off her makeup, and was ready to leave, go home, and enjoy her day off. elijah had not shown that night, which was probably for the best. fred was in a particularly bad mood.

a knock came from her dressing room door just as y/n was tugging her purse strap over her shoulder. her posture slumped when she turned her head and saw fred pushing through the door frame. "you're coming in tomorrow," he stated, matter of factly, with his pudgy hands on his hips.

y/n frowned, already sunken stomach even more panged, "what? no, tomorrow is my day off."

fred raised a pointed finger, and y/n flinched, taking a step back. he squinted his eyes at her, angry at her defiance, "you're coming in tomorrow. 9pm. i won't make you stay after, but i need you to perform. delaney's sick."

"well-" y/n stuttered, face red hot, "well, can i get monday off or something? i can't work this many days in a row. i-i'll get sick, too."

fred lowered his hand and thought for a moment. he sighed, as if he actually felt guilty. "fine. monday. but, you better come in tomorrow with a better attitude."

y/n tried to smile sweetly at him, though there were exhausted tears brimming her eyes. "thank you so much, freddie."

she stepped past him, ready to go home and pass out before she had to be back here. fred grabbed her wrist, halting her to a firm stop. "cmon, baby, give me some sugar."

y/n trembled under his hand, as it snaked around her waist, pulling her firmly against his side. she took a deep, shaky breath, before leaning her head over towards his and kissing his cheek.

fred hummed as she displayed the forced affection. he squeezed her hip and said, "alright, doll. get outta here."

how gracious of him.

she rushed out of the club, nearly running home, with tears streaming down her face. y/n was just so, so tired. and fred was pushing her to a limit she didn't want to reach. she wouldn't be able to come back from that.

y/n jammed her key into the door knob that opened to her stairwell, shaking still. a voice appeared over her shoulder, calm, yet laced with gentle worry.

"are you alright?"

y/n twisted her head, hair whipping across her shoulder in a frenzied fear. she let out a huff when she met elijah's eyes, relieved, "you scared me."

he flashed a small smile, "my apologies. a-are you alright? you're shaking."

y/n looked down at her hands and saw them doing exactly as he said. she laughed at herself, sniffling, "oh, god. i just- i'm tired. i'm okay. just-just tired, yeah."

elijah nodded, though a piercing in his eyes showed he didn't fully believe her. "i was going to wait outside the club, but...i think i should stay away from that place for a while. fred doesn't particularly seem to like me. i hope it's okay, i've met you here."

y/n nodded and tried to smile, "yeah, yeah, it's fine. i was actually...looking forward to see you. i-i have some decent news." a breeze whipped through the street, and y/n shivered. she tugged her jacket tighter across her body.

elijah stepped forward, waving towards the apartment, "would you like to go inside?"

she turned back to the door, where the key was hanging from the lock. "uh, no. i'm sorry. you're a friend, but i still don't know you so well. it's probably best we stay out here."

lie. her apartment was messy, and she was afraid if they were alone, within a closed confinement, she may do something she'd regret. in public it was fine, easy to remind herself that he was a million miles out of reach. but behind closed doors- there would be no way to keep her thoughts from racing, to keep her fingers still at her side.

elijah tilted his head down as if to say he understood. "no apology is necessary. so, what's this good news?"

"oh, yes!" y/n grinned and clasped her hands together excitedly, "so, unfortunately, i now have to work tomorrow-"

"what?" elijah scoffed. "but it is supposed to be your off-day."

"i know, i know," y/n waved him away, her incessant positivity bleeding through any complaints she could have, "i'm not happy about it. but, i'm gonna have monday off. so, i was thinking- maybe we could go to the bookstore. you could show me around the city a little, all the stuff i've been missing out on? o-only if you'd want to."

elijah nodded encouragingly, brushing off her hesitance, "that sounds absolutely lovely! i am very excited for monday, then. in the meantime, would you like me to stop by the club tomorrow? maybe seeing a warm face will make the unexpected night less terrible for you."

"that's okay," she replied. "fred probably knows you don't go there on sundays, so if he sees you, he might get suspicious about whether or not we see each other outside of the club..."

"remind me again why it matters what he thinks?" elijah bluntly let spill. hands sunk into his pockets.

y/n swallowed thickly, averting her eyes from elijah to her manicured nails. it was a distraction so she didn't have to let him see her shame. "elijah, you have to understand something. fred is...very powerful. and dangerous. he can do things..." she gulped and she finally looked to him, hoping it would be impactful enough for him to lay off, "just, trust me when i tell you. you don't want to screw around and find out what might happen. okay?'

elijah didn't press. his eyes lingered on her fearful expression for a moment, before he sighed and said, "okay. i won't come." he had to give this up right now so that she wouldn't feel uncomfortable. stick it in the back of his mind and pick it up later. later, when he'd earn more of her trust, and figure out a way around this bridge between what he knew they both really, truly wanted.

"so, what are you gonna show me monday?" y/n wrapped her arms around her stomach, still shivering.

elijah stared at the goosebumps on her arms. he wanted to give her his jacket, but he didn't. "the french quarter, maybe. i know you're stage name is french, so you must be intrigued by the culture."

"oh, yes!" she scrunched up her nose, "oh, i can't wait! i'm going to buy some macarons, some cheese. ooooo, wine! ugh!"

elijah was delighted by her excitement, "it pleases me very much how much joy just discussing this brings you."

y/n simply grinned back, "i'm just happy to finally have a friend, despite the circumstances."

oh, ouch. elijah couldn't deny that the word stung a bit. obviously, he knew they weren't explicitly seeing each other. but he knew it was more romantic than acquaintances. and he knew she felt it, too. her heart rate, her pheromones, her longing gazes and lost-smiles; all signs led to a sure-fire mystique. though he felt a little self-conscious by the words, he tried not to linger on it too much. but his heightened emotions made him sensitive.

"you know what i want to see?" y/n continued on.

elijah looked up from the dirty ground, met her eyes. "what's that?"

"your house," she flicked her brows up, a devious smirk on her face. "i wanna see just how wealthy you actually are."

elijah made a humourously surprised face, "really? out of everything in this city, my house? you're a strange girl."

"says you! the old weirdo with inexplicable amounts of random money." she giggled, waving her hands wildly, "besides, i always love seeing people's houses. especially in this city. the architectures really cool."

elijah nodded yes, "alright. we can do that. so long as you let me buy you dinner."

y/n rolled her eyes playfully, "are you gonna pretty woman me?"

he furrowed his brows, pursing his lips i. a confused frown. "pretty what?"

"pretty woman me..." she quirked a brow as if he should know, "oh...right. forgot you're like a thousand years old and modern references don't connect. think of it, like...cinderella. in the movie, a wealthy guy helps out a poor stripper and makes her an established members of society. are you gonna make me go from rags to riches?"

elijah shook his head, head tilted downwards. then, he peered up through his lashes, a boyish grin on his face, "my dear, i think you'd look just as beautiful to me in a ball gown as in a garbage bag."

y/n sucked both lips in between her teeth, biting back the biggest grin she'd ever felt prickling at her cheeks. a swell rose in her chest and her heart sped off. "well...i don't either of us could say anything better than that, so...goodnight, elijah."

prideful shoulders rolled back, he bid adieu. he watched her walk inside, and waited to hear the lock click on her door before leaving. y/n let out the breath she was holding.

nothing can come of nothing. but, god, this was becoming everything.

–

y/n managed to get out of the club by 3am. she raced home, showered quickly, and popped a melatonin. usually, she'd settle in for the night, let sleep overcome here. but she knew she wouldn't be able to do so. her veins rattled with excitement. at 10am, she woke up, a little groggy and very sore from the night before, as per usual. but she was too anticipation-ridden to worry about her messed up sleep schedule.

she quickly made her bed- a rarity- fed flo, and brewed a cup of coffee. as it finished it's slow drips into her favorite mug, y/n turned on some music. it was the first time in a very long time that she had woken up in such a good mood. she usually cursed the sunlight since she'd become a forced night- inhabitant.

when she was done getting ready, it was nearing 11:00. they agreed, during their sidewalk-lingering conversation the other night, that that time was perfect. the bookstore opened at that time, too. so they'd manage to get there before rush hour. and most other tourist locations opened up late, too. new orleans was a star-studded city meant for nocturnal animals.

elijah knocked on her door at exactly 11:00am. she had left the bottom door unlocked just for him. she wanted him to be able to look into her apartment, know he couldn't come in. he'd see her couch, her fridge- her things. and he wouldn't be able to touch. silly as it was, the thought of what he might be conceiving made her skin crawl.

y/n was anxiously waiting on the edge of her couch. flo perked up at the sound of the knocks and hopped down. the cat approached the door with a curious curl in her ears. y/n followed the swift cat, at a much slower pace, and lay a nervous hand on the door knob. she took a gut-deep breath, prior to opening the door.

elijah stood there, smiling brightly, in yet another suit of his. y/n noticed his tie was a different shade, though still deep and dark in color. it was a plum- an intentional purple. she bit her lip as a grin grew across her face.

"good morning," y/n spoke.

"good morning. it's lovely to see you in the daylight," he poked fun.

y/n rolled her eyes with a breathy laugh as she took her purse from the hook on the wall behind her. "oh, i know. sometimes i wonder if i'm becoming a vampire because of how little i see the sun."

elijah's face flickered, and y/n raised a brow at him. he forced a laugh, lightening her features. she blew air through her nose, as if to say, "ooookay, then. elijah pushed off the prickly feeling, the worry that she might find out, and stepped aside so y/n could join him on the landing.

still with that curious expression, y/n locked her apartment door. she turned back to him, an smile easily converting her gaze. "ready?"

he simply nodded. they trotted down the steps, and stepped out into the busy streets of new orleans. y/n sometimes forgot that new orleans was still crowded during the day. sometimes, it felt like everyone waited to come out until the night, when it was the busiest. and, oh, my gosh, was it warm! the sun felt cleansing on her face. she loved the moon, but solar power did wonders for the humab body, which was like a flower in the dirt.

elijah noticed her close her eyes, tilt her chin towards the sunlight, like a plant, and bask in it's embrace. he looked away when she opened her eyes, matching his pupils with her own. he was sheepish.

"i love the sun," y/n remarked, leading him towards the bookstore. when she caught him staring, she got giddy. it felt good to be known.

the entrance was but 50 feet from her apartment and he held the door open. "i couldn't tell," elijah sarcastically replied. she laughed over her shoulder at him.

the door jingled above them, and the cashier looked up from some papers she was shuffling. "y/n?" that lady behind the counter questioned, a surprised smile encasing her wrinkled features.

"hi, trudy!" y/n cheered, taking a few quick steps to go behind the counter and hug the older woman.

"oh, it's wonderful to see you finally! it's been months!" trudy's accent was thick, thicker than y/n's. she was shorter than either of the visitors, with silvery hair and piercing blue eyes.

so, they were close, he thought to himself. elijah easily fell into the back ground, something he was used to. he wanted to give them space. looking around at the display at the front of the store, an autobiography about some local figurine caught his eye. he flicked through it's smooth pages.

y/n and trudy continued their greetings, "i know! i'm sorry. i've been working a lot."

trudy tsked, "you know how i feel about that."

"oh, come on," y/n lowered her voice slightly, whispering to trudy. she didn't want elijah to hear. but he could, of course. "you know there's nothing i can do."

"i still don't like it, y/n," trudy scolded.

this gained more of his attention. at first, he was hesitant to eavesdrop- but, now, his senses perked up. trudy was angry, "that fred needs be locked up-"

"trudy, you know that's not gonna happen. best thing i can do is just deal with it until it's over-"

"what if it never ends? you know i still think he's lying to you..." trudy trailed off, accent deepened by her annoyance and accusations.

"i know, i know," y/n agreed, patting the woman's hand, "but i can't think like that. i have to try to be positive about my situation."

elijah held is breath. he was angrier now. these were details that y/n had never given him. he only thought the man was a misconceived threat, an overly confident gremlin with no actual power. but, this changed his opinion. he held over fear over more than just y/n. besides, he had already had bad feelings about fred- and his intuition was rarely wrong. that was a gift enhanced by his vampirism. he was a good guesser at how many candies were in a jar. he knew there was more to fred than y/n let on. maybe he should look further into the man...

he took slow, deep breaths as his hands started to shake. anger overcame his emotions, but he needed to be mindful. then, her voice broke through his focus, like a beam of sunlight on a rainy day, "that's my friend, elijah! lijah, come here and meet trudy!"

he set the book down, knuckles white from gripping its pages. as he stepped towards the women, trudy grinned brightly and rounded the counter to hug him. he held her tiny frame gently in his hands, exchanging a cheeky smile with y/n over trudy's shoulders.

"sorry," y/n mouthed, laughing.

elijah shook his head and pulled back from the lady. trudy pinched his cheeks in her fingers, admiring his... "handsome face! did you say friend, y/n? gosh, if you don't snatch him up i think i will!"

the poke at the nature of their relationship made elijah and y/n blush. they avoided each other's eyes. and trudy's. the older lady made a sigh, as if she knew something they didn't. "okay, okay. i'll lay off. what are you kids doing today?"

elijah looked to y/n, who was always more talkative than he. "we're going to do some shopping here- actual shopping, trudes. no discounts, no freebies, okay? and, then, we're going to do some exploring."

"how'd you manage the day off?" trudy inquired. she took a seat on her stool behind the counter. "was fred actually nice for once?"

y/n made a face, wide eyes with bitten lips, as if to say, 'stop it, trudy.' the older lady raised her hands defensively. y/n replied, still frowning, "he needed me to switch shifts with someone."

"i wish you worked someone else," trudy bluntly said.

y/n huffed, and began pacing the aisle behind the counter, sarcasm on her tongue, "and why's that?"

"i want to watch you sing, lovie," trudy busied herself with some paperwork on the counter.

elijah took his cue and followed y/n down the aisle. the girl hesitated on a random section, fingers rested gently on the spines of a shelf of novels. her look was downcast, like trudy's wish made her question her existence. elijah, minding his business though he had many opinions, found a world war 2 section and peered through of books lined before his fingertips.

"you can come to the club, trudes. i'll get you a little section, roped off in the corner. elijah could chaperone you, so you don't get tied up with all those younger fellas," y/n tossed her head back to wink at elijah, sinking any negative feelings she'd had.

he grinned back at her.

trudy groaned, "you know i go to bed at 8pm, y/n. that'll never happen. i wish you worked somewhere else where you could sing songs you actually want to sing, at a time of day where more respectable people can watch."

elijah hummed in agreement. he didn't notice, but y/n shot him an exasperated look. she sighed, "i'll let you know if it ever happens, trudy."

the older lady grumbled, but y/n ignored it. she got lost in the aisles of the bookstore. and they both continued wandering the aisles for an hour or so. they didn't speak to each other much, just once or twice when y/n would find something she thought elijah would like, or vice versa. it was peaceful. even when trudy would shoot them knowing, devious looks from the counter.

when they were done, they each plopped their piles of books on the counter. y/n had a stack of three, and elijah found 7 novels he liked.

"i cannot stand here and believe that you are willingly leaving this bookstore with three books. there is no way that you walked through these aisles for an hour and only picked three," elijah stuffed his hands in his pockets, peering down at her.

y/n, sheepishly, tugged at the spines of one of the books. she avoided his eyes. it was innocuous. "i-i did. i have so many books already, and money is-"

"y/n," elijah interrupted, with the shake of his head, "go get them." she stared up at him with these doe eyes, affection pouring from her gaze, radiating off her shoulders. he nodded his head once. she simply turned on her heel and went to collect the other books she'd put back. trudy started scanning the stacks on the counter while y/n ventured to the back of the store.

"i like you," trudy remarked.

elijah chuckled in response, "thank you."

"you're good for her, i think," she continued and bagged some of the books. "from what i saw today."

he didn't respond. he didn't know what to say. y/n, thankfully, came back, a stack of 7 other books in her hands. elijah took them from her since she struggled to put them on the counter. y/n thanked elijah breathily.

"i'll pay you back," y/n said once elijah pulled his credit card from his wallet.

"no, you won't," he disagreed.

she went to interrupt, but trudy cleared her throat. the two looked up at her. trudy had her arms crossed over her chest, pursed lips, raised brows. "when a man, when a handsome man, offers to buy you something, you never say you'll pay him back."

trudy went back to scanning and bagging books. elijah and y/n looked at each other, smiles and wide eyes soon turning into busted out laughter. trudy didn't mind them, bent at their waists, faces red from the breathless humor.

when they left the bookstore, elijah carrying their bags, y/n had this bright grin on her face. they were both filled to the brim with joy. she held open the door for him this time, since his hands were full. he thanked her with a smile. she watched the back of his head as he stepped into the street. the dark curls looping throughout his hair made her stomach flutter.

then, a voice pricked at elijah's ears, whispering his name out into the stale air.

he turned his head, trying to find a face amongst the crowds. that's when he noticed trudy at the counter, an innocently intended smile on her face. "come here, please."

elijah's lips parted slightly, shock glazing over his smile. he carefully looked to y/n, who was reaching for one of the bags in his hands. "i am just so excited, elijah. thank you so-"

"i left my wallet."

y/n looked up, brows furrowed, as she slipped her wrists through the bags. he let her take them from him. "oh?"

elijah relaxed his stiff shoulders, trying to look natural. "on the counter. i'll be right back."

y/n replied before he could walk back inside, "well, i'll run these up real quick, yeah?"

elijah hesitated feeling guilty for his white lies, before matching her eyes. "okay."

he rushed into the store. trudy was leaned forward, splaying her hands on the counter. she pursed her lips, tilted her head. elijah stopped a few feet before her, confusion written all over his face.

"how did you know i would hear you?" he cautiously spoke.

trudy replied with a shrug, "i know of your family. i once knew your brother, klaus."

elijah licked his bottom lip, as if answers would bleed onto his tongue, "how?"

"i've been in this city for 70 years, elijah mikaelson. i know things. i know things most people don't. i know about you."

anxiety coursed through his veins. usually, when people knew his family, it meant his life was threatened. surely this little old lady wouldn't harm him...

"help her," trudy blankly continued, confusing the fear he felt. "protect y/n."

elijah stuffed his hands in his pockets, almost humorously relieved, "from what?"

"from who," she corrected him. "from fred. i know she's tried to convince you, like she's tried to convince me, that he's too powerful, that we can't do anything about it. that she's somehow safe. just...protect her, please. i know you can."

elijah nodded once, stern, "with my life." he meant it.

trudy finally smiled again. "okay. thank you. go enjoy yourself."

that was it? asking him to protect y/n was like asking a seed to root.

he hesitated before smiling. he turned towards the door and took a few steps. then, trudy's voice cut through the stale air. "oh, and elijah?"

he looked over his shoulder, "yes?"

"tell her," trudy flicked her brows at him.

"i'm going to, i'm just worried she'll look at me differently."

"no," trudy rolled her eyes, "tell her how you feel. i think she feels the same."

–

by the end of the day, they'd travelled across half of the city.

elijah showed her the st. louis cemetery, told her of its history, and some of the people buried there. he pretended, while they walked through and y/n admired the coping grave buildings, that he didn't recognize any of the names beyond the stone.

they went to the french market, an immediate and obvious favorite for y/n, who spent loads of money on cheeses, wine, and a loaf of bread. not to mention about a billion macarons. she'd made him try one, considering, though he'd been alive for a thousand years, he'd never tasted the pastry. he quickly fell in love with the taste, while she fell in love with him. the way he walked, the way he talked her through the history. he used his hands a lot, kept his head stiff, his expressions minimal. mostly he just let his words speak for themselves. his charisma held her on the tips of her toes.

they even walked past his house, as promised. she wanted to go inside, but elijah could hear his siblings fighting about something within the compound. he made an excuse that they were running out of time to see the buckner mansion- they weren't- and drug her away.

they ended the evening with dinner from a food truck. he had planned to take her to a fancier dinner, at a sit-down restaurant, with candlelight. but, when y/n learned where he was taking her, she insisted they not go because she was underdressed. the real reason was that fred frequented the french restaurant. they were already risking so much of their skin just walking out in the daylight. if they ran into the man...hell fire would rain down in them.

they grabbed ice cream on the way back to y/n's apartment, taking slow, full steps. neither wanted the night to end.

y/n licked her tongue along the edge of her cone as the frozen treat began to melt. "thank you so much for today," she gratuitously nudged him with her elbow.

elijah spooned some of his ice cream between his lips. when he swallowed, her replied, "no thanks needed."

"no, seriously," she rejected, "i am so grateful. i haven't a day so full of...life and fun and joy since i was a little girl. this was just...i'm happy."

he felt really good. moving the conversation along, he asked, humorously, "what did you do as a little girl that my wonderfully planned day has to compete with?"

she chuckled, and thought for a moment. "my mom used to take me out to local performances. concerts, plays, musicals, talent showcases, whatever it was, we were there. she didn't have much money, but she knew it made me happy. she was...thoughtful. reminds me of you."

the underhanded compliment caused elijah's heart rate to spike. though, he wondered, from her use of language and sad smile, "what happened to here?"

their voices hushed lightly, in the way that people's tones always did when they discussed something that was sad. "she died when i was 18. liver infection."

"oh," he didn't know what to say. "i'm so sorry."

"that's okay," y/n shrugged, "i mourned her. it's over. i live with it."

"mourning is not something you just live with. it's something you live through. you will always carry the grief in a small corner of your heart. and that's okay. you don't just have to let it go, and move on. it's not black and white like that. it's...true blue."

y/n stopped in her tracks, nearly dropping her ice cream from the way her body slowed. "who did you lose?"

elijah smiled briefly, a frown growing from his breathy chortle. "how can you tell?"

"just the way you talked about it," she bit her lip. "you know what it feels like. who was it?"

elijah had lost so many people. over and over again. like the only true twist of fate for his life was that he was to know and lose, a practiced game, a true blue clockwork. "my father. mother.

my sister, a girlfriend, friends, my brothers more time than i could count...he thought to himself.

y/n took his hand. she slid her soft fingers through his, squeezed his palm against hers. "i'm sorry."

they held eyes for a moment. just staring at each other. then, elijah stepped forward, head tilting down towards hers. y/n hesitated, nearly taking a step away from him. but, then he came closer, and she could see the depths of his eyes, the edge of his soul. she stepped off the cliff.

y/n let her body arch forward towards him, let her arms go slack at her sides. she dropped her ice cream cone on the ground and she didn't care.

elijah wrapped an arm around her back, fingers spread across her spine. his touch was warm, shooting sparks off in y/n's stomach. she knew this was wrong, dangerous. no good could come of it and she needed to refocus her thoughts, step away, but...

he was kissing her.

when two people, different in mind and body, who share fragments of a soul scattered across the universe happen to find each other amongst thousands of years, in one small moment, on one sidewalk, during one arbitrary night and seek solace in the other's arms...something in the earth's core shifts, something in the stars.

something in their fates.

–

"juliette!"

y/n flinched, striking a thick black line of mascara across her cheek. she groaned and quickly reached for a q-tip to clean it off. the door to her dressing room was thrown open, and fred appeared in her vanity mirror. of course. she could recognize his villainous voice from anywhere. his reflection was angry, hands popped on hips, mustache pushed into a deep, dark frown.

"yes?" y/n rose a perfectly arched brow at his reflection. remain calm. pretend to be somebody else- his muse. his idol. his juliet.

fred crossed his arms, "you're a stupid fucking bitch!" his chest heaved up and down, anger bleeding off his red hot skin.

he had done some questionable things. but he had never called her that. y/n lowered her mascara wand, the shaking in her body lighting afire in her core, and eating away the rest of her stability.

"wh-what?" maybe she had heard him wrong. his voice was deep, gruff, and he slurred sometimes-

fred planted a hand on the vanity beside her, and closed a fist around the back of her chair. she was trapped between his arms, her back to the wall of her dressing room. she had nowhere to go. he lowered his body, hovering his face directly in front of hers. her lips were parted, wobbling in fear. she had never seen his eyes to stormy. his breath fanned across her cheeks, cigars and bourbon.

"you heard me."

y/n felt a tear slide down her cheek, like she had been pinched in the gut. "i-i'm sor-sorry."

"remember a few years ago, when you were stuck in that hostel, infested with rats and lice? remember when you used to collect trash off the streets, and drag your feet to the recycling center, 8 miles away, everyday, just for a few quarters? remember when you used to go weeks without a shower? when you wore the same underwear everyday and wore one shoe for a week straight because the other was ripped through? remember that?" he held her eyes in his own, his voice a trepidation between them.

if he was going to hit her, she just wished he would do it already.

"i said, remember that?!" he spat into her face because she took too long to reply.

y/n flinched harshly, eyes squeezed shut. "y-yes. yes. i do. i remember."

"and do you remember what i did for you? i practically dug you out of the trash. no one wanted you- no clubs would hire you, and your own father hung up when you called him on my cellphone. i took you in. i gave you a roof over your head. i cleaned the dirt from your fingernails. and i made you into a fucking star! now, everyone in this goddamned city wants a piece of juliette dupont...AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME? BY WHORING AROUND BEHIND MY BACK?"

his spittle littered her face as his words cut deep beneath her skin. y/n was visibly trembling and fred got high off of that fear. he pushed in closer, moving his hand from the back of her chair to her shoulder. he squeezed, tightly, and she whimpered.

"i don't know what you're talking about..." she stammered out. it was probably not a good idea to lie, but stupid women were fred's ideal image of femininity. so she played into it.

fred brandished an envelope. he pushed it against her chest, and y/n's back hit the wall. "look..."

y/n managed to open the envelope's teeth, and tugged out a thick stack of photos from its confines. photographs of her and elijah...months and months worth of pictures. outside the club the first time he introduced himself, again when he asked her to dinner. a billion shots of them at the diner, laughing and chatting over pancakes. at the bookstore, outside her apartment, by the food truck.

kissing outside of her apartment.

"do you know what i'm talking about now?" fred pressed, seemingly satisfied with his cinema-reveal.

y/n's eyes were blurry as the tears streamed down her face. she ground her teeth together, willing words, miraculous, healing words to come to her memory. her mind was blank, yet simultaneously racing.

she drug her eyes up from the photos, to fred. "i-i'm so-"

"you disobeyed me. i saved your fucking life and asked one thing of you. one tiny, fucking request- to be mine. to give me your devotion, your loyalty. and you're so weak, so...fucking weak," his voice dropped in volume, as if he was simply disappointed by this. it was somehow scarier.

y/n went to speak again, and fred held up a hand. he closed his eyes, tight-lipped. he peeled his hands away from her and turned towards the door. y/n, in a haze, stood after him. she gripped his bicep, pleading through her sobs for forgiveness.

fred turned back around, adrenaline strengthening his fist as it landed on her cheek. he let out a guttural groan as he hit her, as if it took all of his energy. y/n landed in a heap on the floor, nearly knocking her head against the vanity counter. she was somehow grateful it hadn't been worse.

until,

"get up!" fred boomed, shaking out his pained fist. "get up, you stupid bitch!"

y/n lifted her head slowly, shoulders racked with her cries. fred didn't like how long it took her. so, he reached down, fisted her hair in his clutches, and drug her to her knees.

y/n screamed in pain. her scalp burned. her lip was bleeding, a tooth was probably broken inside her mouth. and her left eye was blurry from the ever-swelling bruise he left.

fred got in her face again, still fisting her hair. y/n grabbed at his wrist, trying to get his hold off of her. fred shook her side to side, "why do you make me hurt you?!"

y/n simply whimpered in response.

"beg! beg for my forgiveness, you stupid whore! beg for my mercy!" he demanded.

y/n couldn't get the words out, "i-i-i-i"

fred, annoyed by her stutters, threw her head to the ground. she fell into another ball, curling into herself. he reared back a leg and kicked her in the thigh. she screamed at the impact. he went to kick her again, when a knock came from the door.

fred grumbled about, "come in."

as if it were just another average day, one of the guards opened the door, peeping a head in to say, "we're starting."

fred planted his hands on his hips. he glanced to y/n, as did the guard. fred looked back to his man, "tell delaney she's starting. and call fiona. she's coming tonight."

the guard shut the door without any further words. y/n felt even more terrified knowing any help she could've gotten had completely abandoned her. fred leaned down to her. he gripped the back of her neck, pulling her head back to face him. he wrapped his other hand around her throat, squeezing both together palms towards each other.

y/n gurgled, her screams unable to come out. fred leaned into her ear, menacingly, "get the fuck out of my club. i don't want to see your ugly fucking face anymore. i don't want you here. jesus- your life was fucking perfect because of me, and you've thrown it all away now. you're dead without me."

fred slammed the door shut. y/n spluttered, trying to catch her disrupted breaths. she carefully touched her throat. her voice was surely hoarse by now. he had even taken that from her. he had taken everything from her. gave her nothing. made nothing perfect. he was the reason for every negative fucking thing that had happened to her since she moved to this damned city.

so, somehow, with dignity and grace, y/n lifted herself off the floor. she wrapped a coat around her robe, slid her sneakers on over her bare feet, and slung her purse over her aching shoulder. and she limped out of the club, deadpanned face staring straight ahead. she ignored every whisper, every look, every glare from fred.

she walked herself home.

elijah had been running late that night. he had problems to fix with his siblings back at home that required his unpaid attention. he glanced at his watch relentlessly, hoping for a break in the issue so he could escape and see her.

eventually, klaus stoppered accusing, rebekah stopped whining, finn stopped smoldering, and kol ceased his incessant comments. as soon as they all escaped to their bedrooms, elijah sped out of the house, vamping his way across town, to the club.

he stepped into the club, hopeful, only to see delaney on the stage. her peachy stagelights lit up her name, in place of where hers should have been. elijah furrowed his brows and glanced at his watch. y/n was supposed to be up there. it was saturday evening. and she was the main event. this was her stage.

elijah glanced around. he spotted fred by the cash register, whipping through stacks of bills. and the bartender, wiping down some spots by elijah's usual seat. he sped over, apathetic to any wandering eyes. the bartender jumped at elijah's quick appearance, and he humorously wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

"where is juliette this evening?" elijah pointed to the stage.

the bartender followed his finger, "oh. uh, i'm not sure. must be sick or something."

that wasn't good enough. elijah slammed a hand on the counter. the bartender met his eyes, raised a defensive posture with his palms. "woah, buddy. let's be cool, okay?"

elijah maintained eye contact and compelled a question out of him, "where is she?"

the bartender shrugged, "i don't know."

fred had heard elijah's outburst. he lifted his reluctant gaze from the money he counted, fingers slowly stopping, brows furrowing in response. he watched elijah stun the bartender, watched as he demanded a question from him.

he watched him compel the bartender. fred knew what that was.

and it all made sense.

the quick healing, the speedy departures. the menacingly dark facade. this stranger was a vampire. his name, which he had learned from his spy, was elijah. elijah mikaelson. of the family fred's ancestors had warned him of. he had probably been manipulating y/n, taking advantage of her. using her for their devilish affairs. how could he do that? it was evil. but he expected no less from a vampire.

fred stomped down the walkway, chest puffed out. he was mighty brave for being weaponless against an original.

the bartender moved away, sensing that fred would handle this. the owner stopped in front of elijah, who had to tilt his head down to match his eyes.

elijah and fred star at each other for a few moments. the originals eyes were squinted, threatening. fred just looked stupid.

"i know what you are..." the owner practically whispered.

elijah let himself smirk a little. oh, this was always fun. when they got cocky, like they could easily take him down by just saying what he was. "and what's that?" he challenged, anticipating the embarrassment when fred would fail.

"a vampire," fred seared.

"hm...interesting. and what are you going to do with this information?" elijah tilted his head to the side, like a curious child.

fred planted his hands on the counter, "i'm going to kill you."

elijah glanced down to his knuckles. he didn't pay any mind and looked back up to the little man below him. then, it registered in his mind, the black and blue bruises and red lines of blood lightening across fred's fist.

elijah's jaw clenched. he sucked in a deep breath. he needed to control his anger. fred would die- but it would have to wait.

because, somewhere out there, y/n was hurt. badly. and that's all that mattered right now.

elijah leaned across the counter, seething red hot anger, "you have made a grave mistake...one that will cost you your life. so, no, you will not kill me. i am going to kill you. it will be slow, and painful, and you will wish that you had never even spoke her name. so, enjoy your final hours on this earth, enjoy the fact that you are able to breathe right now, that you are able to look at me. sit down, have a drink, count your precious money. and wait for me to come knocking down your door."

elijah left a gust of wind in his absence. fred was silent, staring after his ghost. the bartender came back over, lay a comforting hand on his boss' shoulder. "you alright, dude? you're shaking."

fred couldn't speak.

he had pissed himself.

———————————————————————————

tagging some people hehe: @fitzs-trained-monkey @space-princess-charming @theoriginalariamonroe