Black Magic ▹ The Vampire Diaries [1]

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

"It's your sad reality. It's your messed up family tree."

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

     Ethan hadn't responded to Henrik's text, but he had ended up calling Henrik as their things were being bagged at the boutique. Henrik left Rebekah to pay for their things while he stepped outside to take the call. The sidewalk was brimming with people, so he ducked closer to the stores and sat down on a bench. They were in the main square where all the shops were, and he could see that multiple families were out shopping. He wondered idly how many people his family had invited to the ball. Probably every single family in the town that they could, or probably just the wealthy ones and the founding families. He huffed in mild amusement at the thought of the entire town turning up at the Mikaelson mansion and shook his head.

"Hey," he greeted, pressing his phone against his ear. Ethan didn't say anything immediately. He just breathed for a moment. Henrik tilted his head curiously, mouth pulling into a frown. "You there, love?"

"Yeah," Ethan said immediately, the term of endearment catching him off guard. "Yeah, I'm here. Um, do you mind explaining the text you just sent? Because I did get a personal invite from you. Personalized note on the back and everything." Henrik's eyebrows shot up. He briefly wondered who could have possibly sent it to Ethan, then quickly realized that the answer was obviously Elijah. Finn and Kol wouldn't have cared, Rebekah would have bragged about it, and Klaus was too busy sending dresses in his attempt to buy Caroline Forbes to bother. He didn't even consider Esther as an option. She had been gone from his life for so long that he briefly forgot she was part of it now, whether he liked it or not.

"You did?" Henrik asked, not bothering to hide his surprise or go along with it. He wasn't going to lie about it just to make it more convenient for himself. "I didn't even know about it until about an hour ago. I haven't even been home." He heard Ethan take in a breath to ask and simply said, "Family drama. No need to worry. Tell me, what does the note say?"

"Just that you're looking forward to seeing me." There was a pause, but when Ethan spoke again, Henrik could hear his smile. It made something jerk in Henrik's stomach, made a bit of giddiness and excitement climb up his throat. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but not an unwelcome one. His lips were already pulling into a smile when Ethan asked, "Since you obviously didn't write this, I have to ask. Are you looking forward to seeing me?"

"Of course I am," Henrik said, his smile splitting into a grin. He just couldn't help it. Trying to hold it back felt exhausting. "I hope you know how to waltz. My family loves dancing." Ethan grumbled a little at that, but it did nothing but make him endearing.

"Learning how to waltz was one of the worst things about my childhood," Ethan revealed, though Henrik could tell he was smiling, "but I'll do it for you. I don't really know how to lead, though. I mean, I was taught by stepping on top of my uncle Mason's feet, so." A laugh burst out of Henrik's mouth before he could stop it. Ethan immediately jumped on the laugh to tease him. "Oh, I'm so glad my misery amuses you!"

"Hush, the story was cute," Henrik said honestly, grinning. He quickly worked to hide it when he saw Rebekah working her way towards him, bags weighing down both of her arms. Henrik immediately stood from the bench. "I have to go. My sister needs my help. I'll see you tonight, yeah?"