𝑺𝑨𝑽𝑰𝑶𝑹- 𝑲𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒔 𝑴𝒊𝒌𝒂𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒐𝒏

04

-Aurelia's Outfit-

Nik has been gone for a full two days. It's been extremely quiet, well, most of the time. Without Nik here to remind me, I forgot to take my Anti-sad pills and ended up blaring "You give love a bad name" by Bonjovi on the Apartment's speakers while hanging off the side of the bed in one of Nik's shirts and holding a glass of wine.

But, not to worry. After drunkenly calling him and telling him how much I missed him, he realized what was happening and now reminds me every day. So, after scrubbing my scalp clean and every other part of my body, I wrap a towel around myself and get dressed. Knit tops are my absolute favorite, I swear. Second best to Nik's many Henley's, but still my favorite. 

As I'm making my breakfast, a bowl of overly brown sugared oatmeal, the doorbell rings. I grab a towel and wipe my hands as I walk to the door. When I open it, a smile blooms on my face. "Hey Lijah." he looks a little surprised but hides it well. A skill I'm sure comes with his age. "Come in." he raises a brow, as if questioning my decision, but walks in anyways. 

I head back to the kitchen after closing the door behind him. "Are you hungry?" I ask. "I believe Nik left some blood bags behind." He smiles at my show of hospitality. "I'm alright, Thank you." I smile back and grab a spoon for my oatmeal. He and I sit opposite from each other at the countertop, and as I put some food in my mouth and swallow, Elijah asks, "Forgive me for asking, but are you human?" I grin at him. "No problem at all. And yes, I am. Nik and I are planning on going to an old 1920's themed speakeasy for my 18th birthday. Just so I can wear a flapper dress." 

Elijah lets out a chuckle at my obvious excitement, before prodding some more. "Do you know why I'm here, Artemis?" I shake my head as I walk to the fridge for some apple juice. "Nope." I reply, taking a sip. Just as I'm about to swallow it down, Elijah says something that may or may not have caused me to choke. "Your sister has sent me to retrieve you." He's kind enough to let me catch my breath, before continuing. 

"She wants you home, where she can keep you safe." He tells me, but I'm stuck on his earlier sentence. My sister? How does he know my sister? "How do you know my sister?" I ask him, and he waves a hand through the air, to brush off the question. "That's nothing to worry about." Hmm. Sounds pretty suspicious if you ask me. I drop my finished bowl in the sink, and walk back to my previous spot, taking a seat. 

"I've tried calling her multiple times over the past few months, ever since I left. She's declined every single one. Why reach out now? And what exactly would she be keeping me safe from?" I ask. He tilts his head. "Elena said you have been declining her attempts at reaching out for a considerable amount of time." He tells me, and I give a humorless laugh. "Typical Elena, trying and failing to manipulate an Original Vampire." I shake my head. "You seem to have an opinion..." Elijah trails off, and it sets me off.

 "Of course, I have an opinion! I've done nothing but try and reconnect, even when I was at my lowest. I call her, she declines. I call Jeremy, he picks up. It's her that's the problem. Not to mention, she practically blames me for our parent's death, and-" when I realize I'm ranting, I stop, and take a deep breath. "Sorry." I apologize. "Usually, Nik will just let me ramble until I run out of breath, but..." Elijah gives me a warm smile. "It's no need to apologize, Artemis. Niklaus is actually the reason I've come here today." 

I give him a knowing smile. "What has he done now?" Though I ask it in a friendly manner, teasing, I'm confused. Elijah and Nik have had supposedly no contact for years, and now Elijah is here talking to me about him? And he brings my sister into the convo? Something is obviously not right. Elijah frowns and readjusts his position on the barstool. "Pardon me for asking, but you seem familiar with my brother's antics." I tilt my head a bit, letting a warm smile grace itself onto my face as I remember my first encounter with Nik's vampire side. "Not so much familiar as I am aware." I tell him, and he nods, though I doubt he understands how fully aware I am.