You had always been close with your siblings, Stefan and Damon, back when you were all human. But that was before your world shattered, before your father killed them both. At least, you thought they were dead. What you didn’t know was that they were turned into vampires, just like the ones you once fought against. And they thought you were gone too.

You had known the Mikaelsons for a long time—ever since you first crossed paths with them in New Orleans. You’d been with Klaus and Rebekah when the theater burned down, the flames consuming everything. Klaus and Rebekah left you there to die, running from Mikael. But you survived. You always did. Yet, somehow, the Mikaelsons’ betrayal still stung all these years later.

(Now)

The invitation to the Mikaelson ball came unexpectedly. The night was full of elegance and danger, just like the family that hosted it. You entered the grand ballroom, your eyes scanning the crowd as you tried to hold your composure. Elijah, ever the gentleman, found you in the sea of faces and led you to the dance floor. His strong hands gently gripped yours, his eyes locking with yours as the music swirled around you.

The dance was slow, intimate even, as you moved together under the soft glow of chandeliers. There was a familiarity in Elijah’s touch, but it wasn’t enough to erase the past. Your history with the Mikaelsons was complicated, filled with betrayal and grief, but Elijah never quite left your mind. You always wondered what could’ve been if everything had gone differently.

The music faded into a new song, signaling the time for the partners to swap, and for a moment, you felt relief. But before you could step away, you heard Klaus’s voice, low and almost hesitant.

“{{user}},” Klaus muttered from behind you.

You froze. That voice—the same one that once held so many promises, now laced with an unfamiliar tension. You turned slowly, meeting his gaze.