royal_musings | OPEN POST - Snowed In / Winter Themed Post

she's here for the snow, the fuzzy socks, reading by the fire or fighting a demon.

Edited 2022-12-23 23:11 (UTC)

The coup has begun. Vampires are dead. The city is, for the time, in turmoil and he's okay with that. He's here to pick up the pieces and stir the pot and he's okay with waiting to see what will happen.

What he hasn't counted on is finding them trapped in the Abattoir with a raging storm of wind and sleet and snow turning New Orleans into a winter wonderland that no one wants. Including Kol.

There's a fire raging in the fireplace and the building it shut up tight. He's been pacing the building like a caged animal, pausing at the windows and making faces at the ice forming on the corners.

"If I had wanted miserable weather, I wouldn't have moved to New Orleans, now would I?"

He's not aware he's not alone. Not yet.

When she'd come to New Orleans, she'd expected to be there for a week or two at most. She'd meant to refamiliarize herself with the city, grieve a bit and start (and restart) the healing process - something she was told she was greatly overdue for. What she had found instead was something far greater to all of that and then some.

She'd found her love for New Orleans - a city that was as beautiful as it was corrupt and a city that was so full of life, food, and its robust supernatural community.

Piper had also found an Original vampire who had made his way through many of the walls that she had thrown up over the last decade and not to mention, given her a new purpose that she wanted to see through.

"One would argue that a hurricane is miserable weather," Piper said walking into the warm room. She'd meant to get back to her place before the storm hit but she'd lost track of time working on a potion. With the weather raging outside and knowing just how bad drivers were in this weather, she'd rather stay in place for the night.

Kol looks up at that statement, hiding his surprise of her coming in behind a snort and a smirk.

"One could argue that they're not cold and bitter," he points out, more than amused though both by her seemingly sneaking up on him as well as her commentary. "You're going to tell me that you're enjoying how cold it is?"

It's definitely a challenge and he can't help himself.

"And if you are, don't think you're venturing out into that."

Piper snorts at his response and walks over to him, staring out the window. She watches as the snow and ice mixture falls onto the New Orleans street and hums.

"Suppose not - just wet and windy," she muses, briefly wondering if she had caught him off guard by being here still. Surely not. But the Abattoir was large and she had effectively taken over a room (or two) for her purposes - such as the potion she'd been working on.

She glances at him at his challenging question. "I do, actually. Only wish I had brought warmer clothes with me." Not that she had warmer clothes here period - she really needed to go shopping soon.

Piper snorts at the tone he uses. "I would argue with you but I hardly trust New Orleans drivers on a good day, I'm not about to leave and trust them in this," she says, indicating the weather outside. "So, I think you're stuck with me for tonight."

Every day Kol expects to find himself alone. Every day he expects to wake and find himself alone in that massive building. Would it be different than his lack of thought and yet keening loneliness from being in a coffin?

He's not sure but he dreads that day, dreads knowing it's coming.

"For tonight," he repeats, knowing that she may well mean just that, just the single night.

He reaches out for her hand.

"Come on. There's clothes upstairs. Lets find something warmer for you," he says, knowing he needs to talk with her about it. He needs to try and plead his case, at the very least

She turned to face him when he repeated her and tilted her head a little. "Depending on the road conditions tomorrow, maybe another night," she said, watching his reaction.

Piper had since moved out of the hotel she'd been staying in and was currently in a little Airbnb. The truth was, she was likely here more often than she was there.

During the last decade, she'd grown used to being alone and primarily with her thoughts. She didn't like it but she never wanted to get someone else caught up in her drama. She had traveled often and met people who could be of help but she didn't get close to anyone. And now that she was here with Kol, who knew who she was and what she was capable of, she didn't want to go back to being by herself all the time.

Just because she could do it, didn't mean she wanted to.

She took his hand with a little smile.

"Sounds good. It's not Marcel's is it because while beggars can't be choosers... I feel like I should draw the line somewhere," she said, her tone teasing though and likely not at all serious.

That makes him smile. Perhaps she only means the two nights but ever day he gets is a start.

"Then we'll see tomorrow. I would hate for you to risk yourself to hurry away."

Which is being as honest as he can be, delighting in the play that could well become serious, he realizes. At least for him and his emotions.

"Least the storm might well keep my family away for a bit. So there's that."

He isn't sure how long before they learn the truth. They've avoided New Orleans for so long, what would happen when they tired of Virginia and returned? When his brother learned what Kol had done, and his sister learned he'd murdered her once love?

He was ready for that day, but it would be nicer with her by his side.

"No. It's not his. Likely items my sister left behind, or some of those that have lived here on and off. Is they're Rebekah's they might be a bit dated. I think the last time she was here was sometime in the Fifties maybe? So they might be a bit..." He turns to look at her and chuckles. "Different than what looks best on you. We'll find something," he says, heading for the stairs.

She could tell that he meant that too. "It's a good thing I heal quickly then, isn't it," she says with a little smile. "That said, going through an unnecessary wreck isn't my idea of a good time, so I agree."

Piper glances outside at the increasingly heavier snow and nods. "That is one positive about this weather, it will keep people you don't want away," she agrees before looking at him again.

"I'm surprised we haven't seen or heard from them. Well, that you haven't heard from them. I thought surely they'd have felt him gone?" She knew that Adonis had felt when David left them but was that a universal thing? She wasn't sure.

She grins. "What looks best on me, hm? What do you think looks best," she asks, genuinely curious about what he would say. Piper follows him to the stairs, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Well at least we agree on that," he says, as if they don't agree on a lot. He won't stop teasing her though, if only for the amusement of it all.

"Another week of not having my brother barge in. That's a nice start to things." And one he's thankful for. He wants it over with but the truth is, he's not ready to deal with Klaus either.

"Oh I think they have. I suspect they might even be close, but they're trying to find out who did it. The sad truth? He might not even know I'm out of my box."

He sighs at that, shaking his head. "It could be any day," he admits, something he's been thinking about a lot.

But he leads her upstairs, considering which room before pushing the door open.

"Don't tempt me to play dress up. You have no idea what I might do," he teases.

He wasn't the only one. She found herself amused by the things they did agree on, more than not.

She hums and nods in agreement. "Perhaps. For how you talked about their bond, I would be more surprised if he wasn't coming to see what happened to Marcel." She pauses before glancing at him. "You keep talking about this box and I want to burn it down."

Because honestly, what the hell. She was sure there were reasons, such as blood thirsty and deadly vampires to lock him in a box for centuries. Still, there had to be other ways.

"Well, we'll be prepared for them when they come back." Because to Piper, there was no other way. She's not so deluded to the fact that she would likely not win a fight against more than one Original vampire but that didn't mean she wouldn't fight.

Her mouth curls up at his worlds and shoots I'm a teasing look. "I don't know, now that's sort of tempting..."

"If not him, then Rebekah. She left him but I know she always loved him. Who knows. One day we might actually find out what happens when one of us turns on the other. Truly and not just in their games, or knowing that Klaus' hybrid ass is stronger than us because of mother's affair," he says, not caring if she knows the truth.

No, more than that, he wants her to know. She should know it all in his book given her position in his life right now.

He pauses at that, looking at her for a long moment. "No one has ever actually wanted to defend me. Not even them. I appreciate you would take out the coffin as a means of keeping me out of it."

And while he knows Klaus would just get him a new one, it still felt nice to have someone act this way. About him.

"You won't fight alone. Just like with Marcel, so long as you stay here, we're in this together."

Which was something else that felt new and interesting.

"Come on then. Dress up it is. Ever worn a corset?"

Piper filed all of the information about Kol's family away. If she was staying then she needed... wanted to know everything she could about them. She hated not knowing what she'd be getting herself into.

She looks at him with a tilt of her head. "I suppose I may understand that a little bit when you were bloodthirsty and kind of killing a bunch of witches but," she shrugs a shoulder. "It seems pretty hypocritical to me for your family who seems just as bloodthirsty to judge you."

"Sounds good. There may be occasions when I do have to leave but I would come back. So, you won't be fighting alone either," she says because she'd made a few agreements with people over the last decade who may call upon a favor or two. She was enjoying New Orleans again and couldn't see herself leaving for a long stretch of time.

Piper grins. "I haven't worn a corset in a very long time," she says, stepping into the room and looking around.

The truth was, for hundreds of years, they had kept the truth about their family secret. Yet Kol is tired of it. Tired of their stories and games. He has been mistreated after all he had taken from him, all they had stripped from him, and then punished him for being what they made him. He was sick of their games and all they used against him.

"You want to know what bothers me the most about that? I don't deny that I kill. I don't deny my nature. They do the same. They are murderous and bloodthirty and as deadly as I am, if not more, but because they pretend to act civilized and wear their expensive suits and flirt and tease and hide their fangs they think they're better than I am."

He snorts at that, rolling his eyes. "You get it though. And... you are not a prisoner here. Okay? Come and go when you want. Any time you want. Just know you are always welcome back."

And he means that. He's never said those words to another and while she might not know that, it means a lot to him to say it.

He turns on the lights, moving to open up a dusty cabinet. The room has been ignored for some time and he knows why. Marcel had left Rebekah's room alone.

He draws out a short beaded gown. "I kind of hate I missed the flapper and prohibition era. I bet I would have had a blast."

“Frankly, I think that’s the part that I understand the least,” she says with a shake of her head. “I assume being bloodthirsty and killing a ton of people is the right of passage or the fact of life for vampires and one shouldn’t judge or look down on someone else who doesn’t feel a need to hide that.”

Her mouth curls up as she nods. “I know I’m not but figure since we will be… roommates? That you should know. But, I’m glad that I’m always welcome back when I return.” Because she liked it here and liked getting to know him more.

She follows him into the room and looks around before turning her attention to Kol and the cabinet.

“I heard it was a decadent decade,” she says, walking over and picking up the beaded gown from him and holding it up against her, just to see. “He, I have no doubt you would have had an amazing time. If I ever find a way to travel through time and bring someone for the ride, we’ll go to the 20s. Somewhere more fun than rural Louisiana.”

"Have you ever heard the story of how we came to be? That we started as humans but we were cursed by our own family. That's how we came to be. Well, they like to pretend they aren't what we are. Mostly to prove to themselves our parents were wrong when they tried to kill us for being vampires. They lock it all away and mistreat one another and..."

He sighs, shaking his head. "They're not here though and they don't matter. Not right now."

They likely will be one day, but for now they don't have to worry about it. Not tonight at least.

"Maybe one day we can find a party like that here," he points out. "Not the same but we can enjoy it. Without it being rural Louisiana."

Piper listens and nods in understanding. She'd read some of how they came to be in her own research after she'd confirmed who and what he was but it was nothing on learning more of it directly from him.

"I had read a few things but we both know lore doesn't always get things correct. But, I get it and no, they're not here right now and they don't matter. Not right now."

She may not like her ancestors who are still kicking but they haven't shoved her in a box for decades. They have hardly even shown up over the last decade and perhaps she should feel some inkling of hurt by that but she wasn't going to think about it too much. Not now at least.

"Or maybe we throw our own roaring 20s party."

There were stories and legends and so many lies out there about the Mikaelsons. Mostly started by them to make it harder for hunters to know the truth and to know how to destroy them.

This was the truth though and he was telling her, giving her that advantage over them all.

"Ask and I'll tell you things, Piper. All you have to do is ask." Again, opening doors to her he hasn't to others. She's here though, and she helped put him here, and so he's willing to let her know those things.

A brow arches at that. "For Mardi Gras or make our own tradition another time of the year?"

In the time that they've spent together, Piper has been more forthright about herself with him than she has with anyone in a very long time. She got the feeling that it was similar for him, at least she hadn't sensed any outright lies or deception from him which made her trust him.

She smiles. "As I have questions, I will be sure to ask," she says with a nod and steps toward the ensuite bathroom to try the dress on. After all, they said they'd play dress up, did they not?

She walks back out, smoothing out the dress, and makes a turn. "Thoughts?"

"Not for Mardi Gras, I think we need to celebrate Mardi Gras the proper way. I think we can make our own tradition later in the year - perhaps start a proper Halloween / Samhain tradition?"

In truth, he's kind of glad she doesn't ask questions right now. Maybe it's just not wanting to think about that part of his life. Though part of it is not wanting to get that deep into his family until he gets to know her better.

Maybe then she won't be as likely to run screaming into the night as many others have done. Or would have if he had let them.

He smiles as she steps out, a genuine look in his eyes as he nods. "I think you look positively stunning. What do you think?"

Because even as locked up as he's been, he knows that matters more than what he thinks.

"Our own party in the fall? For just the supernatural forces in town?"

She grins and looks down at herself in the 1920s dress and turns again. "I love it and it makes me feel good. I may have to borrow it from the closet one day when we have that party."

Unless of course Rebekah ever showed up and took her clothes back which would be fair. They were hers after all.

"That's my initial thought, yeah. It could be fun. We could make it a masquerade ball," she shrugs a shoulder and walks over to him then looks at the closet.

She realizes after a moment, it insinuated that she was planning on staying until the fall. Other than Seattle, it was the first place she'd stayed in for any significant length of time since Jordan and David died and she didn't have that urge to run away. "Which, I suppose means I'm planning on staying until the Fall," she says, glancing over at him with a smile.

"That's what matters, right? How it makes you feel? So I guess I won't tell you that you're gorgeous and should wear it ever day," he teases, knowing it isn't suited for that but he wouldn't mind seeing her looking like this often either.

A brow arches then. "Might not be a bad idea. Then those that aren't out as supernatural creatures wouldn't have to worry about being outed to others either." As a Mikaelson he hasn't much hidden but he understands that many need to.

He had understood that was being said, but in truth he had been waiting for her to argue and say that wasn't possible. Instead she said the opposite.

He doesn't think about it as his hand slides along her arm. "I'd like it if you did," he admits, as if he hasn't made it clear but maybe not clear enough.

"It does but I like knowing what you think as well," she admits with a grin, looking at him. "So thank you," she sends him a little wink. "So long as your sister doesn't come and take her closet back, I may have to pull it out sometime when the weather turns nicer."

It had been a long time since she'd gotten dressed up. In the before times, she'd wear dresses for work or to go out with David, or to dance with Jordan. In the last decade, she'd never found a reason to. But life was different now, right? She was different.

She nods in agreement. "Exactly. Besides, who in New Orleans doesn't like putting on masks and getting dressed up? It's practically a revenue source around here." Much like Kol, after finding out who and what she was, there was never a reason to hide. During the last decade, even though she kept her abilities down, there was still the occasional person who saw through it. Saw through her.

It was interesting still that she didn't feel the need to run and in fact, instead of running, she wanted to stay. She wanted to know New Orleans and its families. And she wanted to stay with Kol. Which was... perhaps the first time she was finally acknowledging it to herself.

She glances down at where he's touching her arm then looks at him with a smile. "Good because you'll be stuck with me for a while longer," she says, leaning in and brushing a kiss over his cheek.

"If Rebekah comes here, then she's coming possibly for good since I can't imagine Klaus taking her back after what we've done. That said, she keeps her fashions but usually buys new ones. I think the last time she wore anything like this was a dance at Mystic Falls High so she could dance with that Lockwood boy," he says, rolling his eyes. "Never got the appeal of going back to their schools, even if I was technically of age for it when I was turned."

He never got it. Not in how to spend his days and not in dating others.

"I know they have technically turned Mardi Gras into a year round event but I'm surprised they haven't made it official. So we can help with that."

And why not start making what he's done official. Certainly people have heard, but now it's time to show them what he means to do and who he means to be in the city.

That kiss makes him smile but he can't help himself. Cupping her cheek and turning his head as he kisses her tenderly. "Good. I wouldn't have you leaving. Not yet."

He hasn't thought of it at all, but definitely not yet.

"That makes sense," she says, nodding. She cocks her head when he mentions Rebekah attending a dance at a high school. "I'm really glad that I didn't go to high school with David and Adonis. Not that either of them could have passed for high school students but... why do vampires go back to school? College classes again? Maybe, there's always something new. But being around hormonal teenagers? No thanks."

Piper grins. "I like it. I like making our mark on this town," she says and pulls out a blood red corseted dress and holds it in front of her to look at.

Her hand tightens on the hanger when he kisses her and she's a little shocked but not at all disappointed. "No, not yet," she says softly with a smile before leaning in and kissing him gently again, enjoying the way his mouth feels on hers.

He was not the first guy she's kissed since well... everything but he was perhaps the first that she felt she wanted to spend any length of time with.

"Attending college classes, I can see. If I hadn't had Elena's brother to teach me about computers, I likely would have taken a course in those. Klaus and Elijah haven't missed out on much but for myself there's large gaps in technology and growth that are missing and I could see filling those in. High school though?"

His nose wrinkles and he shakes his head. "Klaus fell for one of them and he's still cow eyed in her wake. Another reason I want out of his war and all of that. He enjoys the drama, and I think that's it," he admits.

He looks her over, imagining the dress on her. "Well, suppose we have an idea on theme and what you'll wear then, don't we?"

Whatever it took to get her into that dress, he was all for it.

"So... we have a plan then," he says, staying close to her and still holding her hand. "And we'll make this city ours."

It's thrilling to have a fantasy he's had for so many years become reality and yet here it is. He has New Orleans and now they're going to make it official. He's nearly free. Now if only they could finish off Klaus and make it a full reality.

Piper nods in agreement. "I can see myself eventually going back and learning something new years down the line. High school is a nightmare and I only need to live that once," she agrees with a laugh.

At the thought of Klaus falling for a teenager, she gives him a little grin. "I have absolutely no room to talk and for once, I'm not sure I can judge the monster for that... I was still a teenager when I got together with David." She pauses. "And I wouldn't have changed that for the world. But from what I've learned about him? It sounds like he thrives on the drama."

She feels him look her over then looks at the dress. "I think so. Perhaps I should go try it on and just make sure...," she says and gives his hand a squeeze before slipping away so she can change out of the flapper dress and into the said blood red corsetted dress. She steps out a few minutes later, holding the first dress on her arm.

"Yeah, I think we found our theme - I love this one. And we will absolutely make New Orleans ours," she says, walking towards him and hanging the other dress up.

She could still hear the ice and sleet hitting the window of the room. She wouldn't be able to stay in the dress for long because it was just getting colder but playing dress up was probably one of her favorite things to do before life went to hell.

She's glad she could do a little bit now... with him.

"Education when I was young came from your parents. In truth, in the area around Mystic Falls, there were no other families beyond ours and the pack. Which we didn't know was a pack at the time, but it was only the Mikaelsons and them. Education was different back then."

He gives her a look. "You and David... I suspect is different since you wouldn't change it for the world. Caroline is not nearly as interested in my brother as he is in her. Maybe she's the one, though I suspect it's her time with the Lockwood boy and his love for her more than anything. Even if he's convinced himself otherwise."

He waits for her to change, kind of glad he's figuring it out without his help since he's not sure he might be able to truly figure out how to help her. He hasn't had much experience with such garments.

But then she comments again that she's looking to stay, to take New Orleans with him and he can't help but smile as he reaches for her hand. "I'm really glad you're staying. I couldn't ask for more, if I'm honest."

"Considering the time period, it makes sense," she says with a little quirk of her mouth. "Was your family always here in the States? Or did you move over at some point?"

She snorts at the look he gave her. "Will we have to worry about her or any of her friends coming after us next once Klaus is no longer a problem?" Not that she's worried at all because, for the most part, the only beings who gave her a challenge were those like Kol or Adonis.

Piper was glad that she'd been so obsessed with dresses and corsets back... before. She could pretty well figure it out and use a little telekinetic assistance to lace it up properly.

She smiles when his hand reaches for hers again and lances their fingers together. "I am too, Kol," she says, leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek.

"For now, we get through this snow and sleet storm and then go from there. Think she has any pants in here? As much as I really like this dress, not sure I'll keep it on for too long."

voted most likely to start a snowball fight.

voted most likely to complain and find some way out of being cold or in the snow.

voted most likely to be here for only the spiked hot chocolate.

voted most likely to ask someone to bring her chocolate, more firewood, and fresh oranges.

voted most likely to go on a stroll and find something magical about the entire experience.

Edited 2022-12-23 23:09 (UTC)

OPEN POST - Snowed In / Winter Themed Post

Piper Allison / Alessandra De Luca

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Arthur

Sirius Black

Man-Wol

Les Morgan

Caroline Penvenen

Chuchu

Cassie Potter (AU!Harry)

Harry Potter