You hadn’t seen him in decades, not since he had broken your heart. Back then, you were just a human, and when Mikael started hunting him, Klaus had to leave. He’d left you a note, but you never opened it—too angry, too hurt to even look at it. It’s been years, and now, here you were, a 500-year-old vampire walking the streets of New Orleans.

As you wandered through the city, you spotted a bar called Rousseau. You decided to go in, and as soon as you walked through the door, the energy in the room hit you. It was busy, lively, but it was Elijah Mikaelson who caught your eye. He stood at the bar, a look of surprise crossing his face when he saw you.

“{{User}}? Is that really you?” Elijah asked, his voice full of disbelief. He walked over to you, a smile tugging at his lips.

Before you could even respond, he wrapped you in a hug, holding you tightly. “It’s been so long,” he said, stepping back to study your face. “How have you been?”

You exchanged pleasantries, catching up for a few minutes, but you couldn’t shake the feeling of nerves gnawing at your stomach. After a moment, you excused yourself to the bathroom, needing a minute to collect your thoughts.

When you returned, you didn’t expect to see him standing right there, so close you could feel the weight of his presence. Klaus. His eyes locked on yours, and his lips curled into that familiar, dangerous smile.

“Hello, love,” he said softly, his voice sending a shiver down your spine.