this is where i'll be waiting for you ➳ klaus mikaelson [ the vampire diaries ]

1.1 | never give up

question of the chapter: who is your favourite tvdu character?

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Astoria winced at the sound of the branch breaking beneath her feet, even though she knew that it was her that caused the snapping sound. At any other time, it wouldn't bother her, but alone in the night with trees much taller than her blocking any light coming from the moon, every whistle of the wind or rustle of the leaves was enough to send shivers down her spine. Astoria liked to think that she wasn't afraid of being alone at night. When she was in the safety of her home or knew one of her older brothers, she wasn't. Even though they weren't here now, she wouldn't admit that she was afraid. They always told her how strong she was and Astoria wasn't going to disappoint them. Not today.

She usually listened to what they said. Stefan and Damon always looked out for her. Astoria never knew her mother, Lily Salvatore had passed away a few months after she was born. Their father didn't fill the maternal hole in her life that was left behind, he hardly even fit the role of a father. Astoria never knew how to make him proud. He seemed bothered by the fact that she was a girl. She was seen as weak and frail. Stefan and Damon did their best to tell her that wasn't true and Astoria tried to be strong for them, even if it was only a front to hide how terrified or sad she was sometimes. Even that didn't seem to ease her father's distaste for her. If she tried to be strong, is she tried to be like her brothers, he would chastise her for not being "ladylike".

Astoria didn't quite know what that meant. She had no guidance on what a lady was supposed to be like. That was until a few months ago when a young woman by the name of Katherine Pierce joined their household. Astoria loved Katherine. She was fun, she told Astoria interesting stories, and always made time for her. Katherine helped her with her hair and her outfits, something she never had before. Stefan tried to learn how to do her hair, but he wasn't the best. Damon was good, but until recently, he had been off at war. Astoria didn't quite know what that meant, but she did know that whenever Damon left, she would worry that would be the last time he would see him, but he always came back home.

She had that sinking feeling in her chest again when he rushed out of the house late at night. Astoria shouldn't have seen him, she should've been asleep in her room, but when she heard the commotion, she had to come out. All she saw was Katherine being carried away with her father holding Damon back. When Damon saw her, he told her that everything would be okay and that she needed to go back to her room and go to sleep. He would check on her later. Astoria listened to him at first, but after a little while had passed and the house was silent, Astoria knew that something was wrong. Katherine was being hunted.

Stefan and Damon didn't know that Astoria knew. Katherine made her promise not to say a word or else Katherine would be taken away. She had come in one night to comfort the youngest Salvatore after having experienced a nightmare. Astoria could hardly remember it, she was terrified by fictional monsters in her dreams. She never told anyone, not wanting her brothers or father to think that she was weak, but Katherine found out.

Just because something is different from what you are does not mean that it is a monster. Someone becomes a monster by their own choices, not by what they are, and I would never choose to hurt you.

That is what Katherine had told her before she showed Astoria what she was. Astoria still remembered the red eyes and the dark lines on Katherine's once clear porcelain skin. But just as quick as Katherine had changed her face, everything had gone back to normal and Astoria found herself unable to say anything. She was shocked. All Katherine did was remind her that she would never hurt her and she would keep her safe from whatever monsters came her way. That it would just be their secret. No one else could know or else those who didn't understand what she was, like Astoria's father, would try to harm her. Then she leaned forward and kissed Astoria's forehead, telling her to go back to sleep before she left the room. Astoria foolishly trusted Katherine, though they never spoke of it again.