1. Seraphic

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚-𝒐𝒏𝒆. a dark and stormy night

s e r a p h i n a

☽ ☾

Seraphina was pacing back and forth in a parlour Kol had taken her to, Malachai attempting to stop her. He'd drawn the curtains, but that did nothing to stop the sounds of lightning and thunder that sent shocks to her body every time the bright light flashed.

"Hey." Malachai. "Hey, hey, hey, slow down." He gripped her by the shoulders, making her meet his gaze. "I know it is a storm and I know how you get around them, but sitting down is a better place to start managing your fear than walking around and scaring yourself more. Sit down. Please."

"I want to go home," she said desperately, tears welling in her eyes. "I want to go home."

She wanted to be wrapped in her bedcovers and hidden underneath all that darkness with her eyes closed and Diana beside her, hiding underneath with her to keep her company.

She wanted darkness, not that light. For once, she needed the darkness over the light.

"It is too late. You are going to have to stay here. I refuse to let you go out in this weather, and stars know it will not end for another few hours. It is pouring out there."

"I cannot stay and trouble them."

"You will not be troubling us," Kol said, walking over from the window, where he'd been peeking out under the curtain. "There is a rooming issue, though. All the rooms are filled, and the rest of us are doubled up or unable to share."

"I can stay on the sofa," she offered. "I left my shawl in the war room, but—"

"You are not sleeping on the sofa," Salvatore's voice cut in. She looked up at him as he walked inside. "I will get you somewhere. Come with me."

"You make sure to come to me if you need anything," Malachai said, pressing a kiss to her head. "Even if it is at the deadest hour of the night. Please."

"I will," she said, giving his hand a squeeze before she followed out after Salvatore.

Out in the hallway, the sounds were more distant, muffled by all the walls and the lack of windows, and she was grateful for it, but that didn't stop her from running up to Salvatore's side and walking alongside him.

"Is a grey shirt going to be okay on you?" She looked up at him in confusion, brows furrowing lightly. "To sleep in. Surely you do not want to sleep in that."

"Oh. Oh. Yes, grey is fine. But where am I supposed to be staying? Kol said there was no space."

"My bed is large enough for you and me to spread out and hardly even touch. You can stay there."

The two of them, in one bed? Again?

"You... do not mind?"

"We have already shared a bed." He shrugged.

Her heart fluttered then sank.

When they made their way to his chambers, and he'd locked the doors behind him, he instructed for her to stay put. She did, watching him out of curiosity to see where he went off to while keeping her back to the windows to avoid any surprise.