TVD/TO Oneshots

Overprotective (Elijah Mikaelson)

Written for Fictober 2021 on Tumblr and requested by Anon!

Prompt: "You keep me safe."

Summary: Y/N and Elijah have been dating for a while, and usually they're the perfect couple. Sometimes, however, they have their challenges, like when Y/N just wants to have a fun night on the town but her boyfriend can't stop worrying about all the dangers and enemies that come with New Orleans.

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"Yeah, I know, I'm coming. I'm just running a little late. Don't worry, I'll meet you there. Okay. Okay... bye!"

I hung up my phone and tossed it on the bed before checking my makeup in the mirror. Some of my friends from work had found a new bar they wanted to check out, and I was running late to meet them. I paused for one last second to fluff my hair, then grabbed my phone and purse and headed out of the room.

I strutted down the stairs of the Mikaelson compound feeling like a total badass. The heels combined with the house of vampires I lived in was the ultimate power trip, even though I was still a human.

I checked my phone as I headed for the door to make sure I had the right address, but a voice from behind me stopped me in my tracks.

"Y/N? Where are you going?"

I turned around to find Elijah Mikaelson, my boyfriend of the last year, staring at me curiously.

"I'm going out with some friends from work," I said, turning to continue on my way out the door. "They found this new bar that sounds cool, so we're gonna go check it out."

In a flash, Elijah was in front of me, blocking my way through the door. He had a familiar concerned look on his face, his eyebrows scrunched together on his forehead.

"The same friends from work who thought it would be a good idea to go camping in the bayou on a full moon?" he asked. I took a step back, a little indignantly, as I answered him.

"Yes, those friends. Also humans, who aren't generally threatened by werewolves anyway. Why?"

Elijah paused, probably clued in by my tone that he needed to choose his next words carefully. I loved my boyfriend dearly, but sometimes he got a little too overprotective. There was a line between caring about my safety and letting me make my own decisions that he often toed.

"...I don't think it's safe for you to go," he finally said. I nodded, genuinely taking a second to consider his words before answering.

"'Lij, I appreciate that you're trying to keep me safe, but I really don't see the problem. It's just a group of us, going out to have some fun on the town. You know, like normal people."

"Normal people in this town often end up dead."

I narrowed my eyes at my boyfriend, but he stared right back. Neither of us was willing to back down. After a few beats, I finally broke the silence without breaking eye contact.

"Elijah, I'm going out with my friends. I need you to move out of the way, please."

"...I can't let you go by yourself. Either I'm coming with you, or you're not going."

Elijah spoke calmly, but as soon as the words left his mouth, I saw red. I had a bit of a temper, and the number one way to trigger it was by trying to tell me what I could or couldn't do.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were in charge of me," I said, letting the sharp sarcasm in my voice fly. "I guess I just forgot that I'm not my own person, and I have to have my boyfriend babysit me wherever I go."

"That's not what I'm saying," Elijah responded, his voice infuriatingly even. "All I'm saying is, I don't want you going out to a seedy bar without protection. Especially with the number of enemies my family and I have in this city."

I sighed heavily and tried to get a grip on my anger. I covered my face with my hands and took a few steady breaths, then looked back at Elijah.

"Eli, I understand that it's a dangerous place to be associated with a Mikaelson. But I can't live my whole life with someone shadowing my every step. You know that. We've talked about that before."

"This is different than if I were following you to the supermarket," he insisted. "This time, I have a legitimate concern for your safety."

"Except no, you don't. You know nothing about this bar, so you have no reason to think it's a dangerous place for me to go."

"I know nothing about this bar," he repeated, taking a few steps closer to me. "That's exactly why it's dangerous."

I scoffed and shook my head. "Sorry, no. We're not doing this, and you're not coming with me. I'm not entertaining this argument anymore."

I started to move past him, but he quickly caught my arm and stopped me. I whirled around and glared at him with as much force as I could.

"Elijah Mikaelson. Let go of my arm. Now."

To his credit, he quickly obliged. But by the look in his eyes, I could tell he wasn't done fighting just yet.

"Y/N..."

"No. Elijah, you listen to me. I love you, dearly. But I'm not your pet. And I won't live with my boyfriend trying to tell me what I can and can't do. That is not a healthy relationship. I get that you're concerned for me, and I appreciate that you care about me, but I am my own person, and I will make my own decisions."

At least half of me expected Elijah to push back and keep fighting with me. And damn it, I was ready to walk right out that door forever if I had to.

I really shouldn't have underestimated my boyfriend.

Elijah sighed heavily, then looked back at me. He still didn't look happy, but it wasn't just anger anymore.

"I... I'm sorry, Y/N." I raised my eyebrows and crossed my arms, but waited patiently for him to continue. "I just worry. I've lost so, so many people... I'm terrified of losing you too. But that's no excuse for me to micromanage your life."

And just like that, my heart melted.

I sighed and took a few steps towards my boyfriend, wrapping him in a tight hug. He seemed surprised for a second, but then he quickly hugged me back. We stayed like that for a few minutes, and then I pulled back with a pause to kiss his cheek.

"I love you, Elijah. You keep me safe. And I promise you, you're not going to lose me. But you need to let me live my life."

"I know," he said, sighing through his nose. "I know. And I will."

I smiled and leaned in to kiss him again, this time on the mouth. He kissed me back, and when I went to pull away, he let me go. I took a few steps to the door and opened it before turning back to look at Elijah.

"I'll see you when I get home," I promised. "And I swear I'll call you if I even start to think I need you."

Elijah nodded and gave me a tight smile. He still looked worried, but he respected me enough to let me make my own choices and live my own life. And even though that should be the case everywhere, I really loved him for that.

"We'll do something fun when I get back!" I called over my shoulder as I slipped out of the house.

"Fun like some romantic time together or fun like one of your... Disney marathons?"

"I guess you'll just have to see when I get back," I said, shooting a wink at him. "Or hell, maybe we'll do both."

I caught Elijah shaking his head, and I just blew him a kiss before hopping in my car and heading out. We had our ups and downs sometimes, but at the end of the day, we were absolutely inseparable.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.