Chapter Text
—o0o—
“She’s courting danger, daring fate to do its worst.”
—o0o—
The soft and charming melody of a harp and flutes trails gracefully in Bonnie's wake as she briskly navigates the gleaming expanse of Klaus’ shiny marble floors.
Despite the bustling energy and candor of the ballroom, her hands stay interlocked in their mindless fidgeting, each step she takes in rhythm with the tangible beating of her nervous heart.
She manages to snatch another flute of champagne from a passing server's tray, the sparkling liquid disappearing in a series of deliberate, anxious sips.
It was an elegant chaos, she thinks, eyes darting around avidly.
A beautiful kind of danger that only the enemy who owns this very home could have been capable of creating.
Bonnie discards the now-empty glass onto a different nearby tray, pressing on in her quest as anticipation seems to cling to her every move.
Eyes on the prize.
With a gaze as dark and vivid as the leaves in spring, Bonnie sweeps her eyes across the face of each attendee currently populating the room, her focus keen and honed in on one singular purpose; to pinpoint a specific member of the Mikaelson family, the one she had been tasked by Rebekah to incapacitate.
Keep your eyes on the prize.
…
There he is.
Positioned adjacent to the doors that open out onto the outside terrace, stands her designated target.
Kol Mikaelson.
For a moment she just observes him, unable to deny that he looks impeccable standing there, his form effortlessly poised, one hand casually tucked into one of his pants pockets while the other cradles a flute of champagne at its rim.
As of now, his gaze seems transfixed upon a chance acquaintance, a youthful red-headed beauty whom Bonnie can't say she's familiar with.
Fixating in on the scene unfolding before her, she continues to move through the crowd silently, without the desire to look overly suspicious as she weaves gracefully between guests and works to pick up every detail of him that she can.
Her eyes are first drawn to the wide grin Kol sports, a resemblance to it that she would say is akin to that of a fox. He seems engaged in animated conversation with the woman before him, at one point tilting his head in a conspiratorial manner, his finger lightly touching his lips before delivering a suggestive wink.
Although their words remain distant whispers to Bonnie's ears, the response they evoke is clear. The young woman, unable to contain her delight, releases an excited giggle, her shoulders shaking a bit as she reaches up to cover her mouth with the back of her hand, swaying towards his side in mirth.
A resigned sigh escapes Bonnie as she finally begins making her way over to the pair, wondering how it is that she always seems to get herself into these situations.
She had just finished her meeting with Esther when she was cornered by Rebekah in an empty hallway, the usually brash and aloof Mikaelson looking every bit perturbed as she spoke to Bonnie in a hushed and harried tone.
“I need your help restraining one of my brothers."
Bonnie’s eyebrows had shot up to her hairline at the unexpected request, every bit of her poised and ready to reject it, or at least demand more answers before Rebekah continued speaking, shocking Bonnie’s mouth closed at the revelation the girl’s words brought.
“I know you don’t like me much, but your assistance would be the only thing standing in between my brother's trigger-happy attitude and Matt’s life.”
That had caught her attention easily—as any threat made to her friends would—any fleeting notions of evading the impending conversation swiftly dispelled.
When Bonnie had demanded answers, demanded clarity, she’d then had to watch as Rebekah’s lips twisted tellingly into a guilty frown, the blonde-haired original turning away from her accusing gaze as her eyebrows furrowed in consternation.
“I made a rather…nasty request of my brother, Kol, in the heat of the moment,” she'd reluctantly explained before moving to stand by the railing of the upstairs landing. “One that involved his help in liberating your friend Matt of his life.”
The absolute nerve of these vampires—
“—but obviously, I had a change of heart and told him to call it off.” Rebekah would hasten to add, clocking in on the expression that had begun rapidly souring Bonnie's face. “Not that my brother would easily listen much to what I nor anyone else wants really.”
She had walked over to join Rebekah at the railing then, following the vampire’s stare to that of a tall and handsome young man wandering around downstairs.
He looked so relaxed and carefree to her then—still even now—his movements deliberate as he moved gracefully across the floor.
“I know my brother. I know what it looks like when he’s planning to do something dangerous.” Rebekah spoke, tone unwavering—sure.
Bonnie also remembers the unkind brow she’d raised in turn, tone acerbic. “Planning something based on what you told him to do.”
Though Rebekah had only returned her attitude in kind with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Tell me, Bonnie, do the situation's specifics really matter more than your friend’s life?”
…
No, no they had not.
They still didn't.
Whatever Matt and Rebekah had gotten up to was none of her business, only keeping Matt safe from the original's rash actions was.
The two of them had quickly gone over possible plans of action after that, moving further into a hidden alcove to avoid being overheard.
“You witches have to have a spell that can trap someone in a room right?”
Bonnie had nodded along in response to the question, remembering the night she had trapped Kathrine, Damon, and Stefan in a room together on their quest to protect the moonstone.
“Then that’s all you need to do,” Rebekah had continued, shrugging her shoulders as if the situation could really be that simple. “Lure Kol into an empty room and trap him there for the remaining duration of the ball.”
Bonnie, however, wasn't so sure, forever wary of simplicity; and there had still been one other factor that had troubled her greatly at the time.
“How am I even supposed to get him to follow me there?” She'd asked, voicing the pressing concern.
Though Rebekah had only graced Bonnie with an almost devilish smile, eyes gravitating over her form appreciatively, speaking in a tone that was seductively coy.
“Oh c'mon now sweetheart you’re a smart one, and more importantly you’re very pretty."
Bonnie still feels the heat in her cheeks at the blatantly flirty comment tossed her way, the revealing trim of the dress she'd chosen along with Caroline making her feel all the more exposed.
"I don’t think it’ll take much for you to figure something out, and besides…I’ve heard that Kol rather likes his women a bit magical.” Rebekah had continued, her voice a low purr as she looked up at Bonnie through her lashes, pink lips curling upward at the witch's obvious disgruntlement, her gaze searing into the young woman as she leaned up off the wall to whisper, “Remember Bonnie, at the end of the day, vampire or human, men will always remain the most base of creatures.”
Then, Rebekah, in a dramatic flair that was unique to only her, tossed Bonnie a subtle wink and gracefully distanced herself from the witch, sashaying away without a care in the world for the disconcerted and slightly irritated feelings she'd left ignited in her wake.
…
Now only a couple of feet away from the original in question, Bonnie finds herself at another standstill, picking at her nails as she contemplates how to best approach him.
The dark-haired vampire is still held in lively conversation with the young redhead from earlier, and Bonnie observes, for a brief moment, the game he seems to be playing with her.
He touches the woman gently, like a phantom, and speaks to her in hushed, smooth tones, his grin going wide every time she blushes or emits an excited little sound.
Like a game of cat and mouse...with the mouse completely unaware of the fact that they'd already been caught.
She has to admit that it was almost morbidly fascinating to watch.
Kol seems to relish being a tease, provoking these reactions from her as if each response adds to what is already his considerably large ego. And Furthermore, now that she’s closer, Bonnie can also see that it is very clear that Kol is waiting for something or rather someone, as he keeps glancing up every few seconds to look around the room before returning his attention to the girl he’s charming.
Gotcha….but now how does she actually go about getting him?
…
“I’ve heard that Kol rather likes his women a bit magical...”
Bonnie closes her eyes in frustration.
To hell with it, she finally decides, marching up to the pair and catching Kol’s attention immediately, the original straightening up to put a hand on the other girl’s shoulder, a subtle gesture that means to shoo her away.
The redhead, most likely confused by his sudden change in demeanor, quickly turns to look at Bonnie with a frown, eyes narrowing in confusion as she watches her approach. However, Kol quickly captures her attention once more, leaning down to whisper something undoubtedly sultry as Bonnie finally reaches her destination, the woman nodding at Kol with a sly smile as she moves away from him, giving his arm one last squeeze and ignoring Bonnie completely as she passes.
The witch, however, only holds back a sigh at the ridiculous posturing.
It wasn't necessary.
Turning her head back around—after assuring herself that the woman is a safe distance away—Bonnie finds herself under Kol’s full focus, narrowing her eyes at the broad smile she sees him throwing down at her.
“Took you long enough to finally make your way over here..." the original begins in a breezy tone. “I was beginning to wonder just how much longer you were going to make me entertain Mrs. Harper and her many aversions to her fiance.”
Bonnie feels herself freeze, immediately gripping viciously onto every bit of her composure. “Yeah?” She responds slowly with raised brows. “And just how long have you been watching me watch you.”
Kol licks his lips, beckoning another sever over without moving his gaze from her, grabbing two more champagne flutes off the tray.
He offers her one with a small smile that immediately puts her on edge, though she takes the offered glass of bubbling peach anyway. This would be what? Her third glass of champagne?
Better to do this slightly tipsy than completely sober.
Kol waits until she takes her first sip to respond. “I’ve noticed you from the moment you and my sister stepped onto the landing of that staircase,” the vampire loftily responds, watching closely as Bonnie brings the glass away from her lips, blinking at him as the implication hits her almost suddenly.
When she'd noticed him looking out for someone...how had she not seen the way his eyes might've lingered on her as well?
...
Kol wasn't looking for Matt.
He’d been down here waiting for her.
The original tilts his head at her, grin widening at the discomforting look he probably sees appearing on her face. “Oh? You look worried. Just what were you two talking about up there?” He asks, twisting one of the silver rings on his finger as he takes a step towards her, eyelashes fluttering playfully. “Was it about me?”
Bonnie takes another sip of her champagne, refusing to be cowed as she instead focuses on the surrounding garble of talking guests, reminding herself that she is not alone with him yet. If Kol decided to approach this situation with the subtly of a bull in a china shop, then Bonnie would gladly match that energy with her own. “You seem like you know already,” Bonnie replies frankly, hand purposefully adjusting one of the many straps of her gown. “Why do you need to hear it from me?”
Kol’s brows jump up playfully at this, downing the rest of his champagne in a couple of gulps, right hand wiping at his mouth as uses the other to point the now empty glass at her teasingly. “But that’s just the thing darling, it's always so much better to hear such admitted from your own lips.” His mouth parts once more to show gleaming white teeth. "Won't you indulge me?"
Bonnie raises a brow at Kol and his lazy smirk, imagining all too well the cat’s tail swishing back and forth behind him in pleasure at her disquiet.
What game were they playing here? And more importantly...what were the rules?
The last thing Bonnie wanted to do was mess up her entire plan by losing to Kol in a game of did or didn’t I. She'd have to play this carefully, tactfully.
Besides, Bonnie thought, resting her glass against her bottom lip as she looks around the gaudy ballroom and its equally extravagant guests. If he knew, then he knew, and there was nothing she’d be able to do about that.
At the end of the day, her only goal was to keep Matt safe and rest assured she’d do so by any means necessary. Bonnie's eyes snap back to Kol’s, the original waiting her out as he twirls his empty champagne glass around.
Easing her posture, Bonnies mirrors Kol's head tilt, hair cascading across her bare shoulders, the dark curls a soft frame for her confidence. "Your sister might’ve been the messenger," she utters smoothly, ensuring her gaze meets his as she lifts her glass to her lips, taking a leisurely sip, the peachy flavor dancing down her throat and evoking a contented hum. "But my reasons for agreeing to her plea are entirely my own." Bonnie lowers her glass then, delicately clearing her throat as she notices the immodest gaze directed her way, satisfaction coiling through her like ivy.
"When it's all said and done, there's nothing I'm eager to confess," Bonnie retorts with a casual air, surprised by how well she's doing, a part of her unabashedly flattered at the way Kol seems to be arrested by her gaze.
“... remember Bonnie...vampire or human, men will always remain the most base of creatures...”
Kol’s smile stretches across his face like a Cheshire cat, his empty champagne flute no longer twirling in one hand. “Huh…nothing you’d like to confess?”
Bonnie shrugs nonchalantly, adopting an effortlessly stylish slouch in her posture, one arm tucked beneath her elbow while her glass rests languidly in her hand. “You heard me right.”
Suddenly Kol stands straight, a look of faux chastisement on his face. “Goodness, where are my manners? It seems we have yet to even introduce ourselves.” He gestures toward another server, handing both their empty glasses off.
The change in conversation throws Bonnie off a bit, the sudden change in atmosphere causing a look of puzzlement to cross her face.
“My name is Kol,” he says, another smile tilting his lips as he reaches out to place a kiss upon her now empty hand, Bonnie too stunned by the gesture to pull away before he can. “Kol Mikaleson…and I find it very unfortunate that we haven’t had the chance to meet before Miss…?”
She gets the feeling that he probably already knows. It seems on-brand for him to mess with her like that.
A man who enjoys his games...who was the mouse now?
Bonnie pulls her hand from his grasp quickly, a slight tingle lingering where his lips have touched her skin. “Bennett will be just fine,” she answers coolly, mind racing to get back to having the advantage.
Kol emits a thoughtful hum at her answer, his posture relaxed as he leans back slightly. “Bennett huh? You know...having the doppelganger invited here already raised a few brows, but a witch…and a Bennett one at that? I can see why my mother was just dying to meet you.”
…
Oh.
Oh, my...
She hadn't planned for this. For being questioned about her meeting with Esther. Though she knew there were a few of them that might be curious—read Klaus—she'd planned to avoid all things Mikaelson for the night.
Bonnie's brows knit together as she contemplates a response that wouldn't inadvertently implicate her further. “Trust me when I say that I’m not that interesting," she settles on. It seems the safest thing to do—downplaying her importance. "Not outside of being a witch and definitely not outside of being a Bennett.”
Kol studies her intently, his eyebrows twitching as he retorts, “Well now, I don’t think that’s exactly true. In fact, you’ve just stated the two very reasons why your being here is so noticeable and…intriguing to say the least." He raises a finger. "One being your magic of course,” and there’s that look in his eyes again, the one that makes Bonnie feel as if she’s being observed under a microscope. “And the other being your descent from a very well-known and impressive bloodline.”
The last part is said with an air of respect and recognition that Bonnie isn't used to, and now the witch feels as if she were at a crossroads—caught between bubbling curiosity and her desire to see this through as quickly as humanly possible.
She hadn't anticipated the possibility of Kol probing into her motives for attending his family's ball, specifically in relation to his mother's apparent interest in meeting with her, and she especially hadn't counted on whatever...personal interest he seemed to have in her as well.
This was getting dangerous.
Well, more than it already had been of course.
“Now it’s not unusual for my mother to court the attention of very powerful witches—” he continues, a flirtatious curl to his lips. “It’s a Mikaleson thing I guess, but I’ll have to wonder…why you? And more importantly…why tonight?”
Bonnie thinks fast, shifting through the very few compelling explanations her brain can come up with before she finally finds the most plausible one. “Your mother wanted to offer me her own personal apology for the actions your siblings took against me and my friends a while back." She takes a brief pause, letting the half-truth of her words linger in the air before proceeding. "Esther also made me a promise…most likely in hopes that it would endear me and what's left of my…bloodline to her.”
Or at least that's what it had sounded like when the Mikaleson matriarch had introduced herself upstairs, praising Bonnie for her bravery against her son Klaus, mentioning almost purposefully the sister-bond she'd formed with one of her ancestors, Ayna, singing praises left and right about Bennett witches and their unique light.
At the time it had been incredibly overwhelming, Bonnie still uncustomed to other supernatural beings knowing so much more than her about her own ancestry.
Raising a brow Kol asks curiously, “Really? How courteous of her.” Slipping his other hand into his dress pants he nods at her. “What did she promise you?”
Bonnie waits a moment before answering carefully. “She promised to keep my friends and me safe…to ensure Klaus and the rest of his…family would not be a problem for any of us anymore.”
Little lies and little truths… but what did it matter as long as no difference could be told?
Now Kol does laugh, a short and disbelieving thing that does nothing but put her more on edge. “That’s a very hefty promise there, Bennett. One I’m sure she’ll find difficult to keep knowing how our family is.”
Bonnie doesn't appreciate the implication she can decipher in his words. “She mentioned at one point that she used to be close with an ancestor of mine…she’d rather have us all be friends—allies at the very least instead of enemies.” Bonnie continues, tilting her head at him, green eyes flitting across his form thoughtfully as she adds, “Which is a bit overreaching but it’s the thought that counts I guess.”
Kol hums again, his tone dripping acerbity as he states, “Yes…vowing you such a thing was very thoughtful of her…I can only wonder what price the rest of us will be expected to pay in return for such weighty promises.”
Bonnie gives nothing away, face set as if it had been carved from stone.
Their lives would be a heft price indeed…
But he wouldn't know that.
He couldn't.
Thankfully, it appears Kol has chosen to halt his current line of inquiry, using one hand to deftly loosen his bow tie. "Well, then," he begins, taking a deliberate step closer, reducing the distance between them to mere inches. "Now that we both know each other a bit better...in the context of our prior topic of conversation. What's the key to coaxing the illustrious Miss Bennett," his dark eyes intently trace her features, "To confess to me?"
…
It makes her shiver, the way he looks at her, momentarily diverting her attention from the labyrinth of her thoughts. However, before Bonnie can offer a retort, the encircling crowd begins to congregate around the grand staircase, and with a simple glance upward, it becomes apparent why.
Esther Mikaelson has made her appearance, an imposing figure in her blue gown, her gaze piercing and astute as she looks down on them all.
Show time.
Catching sight of his mother, Kol's gaze momentarily shifts upward, only to return to Bonnie with an inquisitive brow. "I do believe that they’re beginning to gather for a toast…" he remarks, his tone tinged with suggestion. "Would you care to join me?"
A brief hesitation sweeps over Bonnie as uncertainty tugs at her thoughts. The notion flits through her mind—a fleeting consideration of whether she's ventured too far into unfamiliar waters or if she’s in over her head.
For once, she contemplates the possibility of making a strategic retreat, to run while she still can, pondering how wise it would be to find Rebekah and force her to deal with the mess she made herself.
Was this even about Matt anymore?
Her gaze skims across Kol's features.
…
Has it ever been?
A sly smile graces Kol’s face, his voice dripping with charming flattery as he attempts to entice her. “I mean, we're all trying to make up with each other aren't we?" His features soften, the gesture adding an extra layer to his coaxing "What better way to make peace than to share in a toast to my family's continued welfare and longevity? In the safety and prosperity of your friends?"
Safety and prosperity indeed...
Bonnie inhales a deep breath through her nostrils, a conscious effort to keep her agitation in check—to will the calm to return to her before she breaks character. With a dryness settling in her mouth, she eventually replies, "Sure, I could go for a drink."
Kol looks like the cat who caught the canary—no, scratch that—like the cat who caught the entire fucking aviary, and Bonnie finds herself helplessly arrested in his gaze.
"Wonderful,” he croons, offering her a hand that she reluctantly takes.
…
Immediately Bonnie feels that dark energy that accompanies a vampire's touch envelop her soundlessly. However…this time there is a little something extra that blankets her as well, a chaotic liveliness that seems intent on penetrating every inch of her senses, almost making her sway under the force of it all.
Bonnie looks up warily at Kol’s deceptively charming grin, his glance as conspiratorial as a wink, and fears what all of this could mean for her ensuing judgment.
They only have one shot...
…
She couldn’t mess this up.
—o0o—
Neither speaks as they move to join the rest of their group near the bottom of the grand staircase. Kol leads Bonnie to a spot that is not too far from where Elena and Elijah are—an interesting pair—Bonnie catching the brunette’s eye on her way. Her friend looks back at her confused, perhaps even a little concerned, but Bonnie only mouths the words ‘later’ and discreetly darts her eyes over to Kol and back again. Elena catches on immediately, giving her a barely noticeable nod before returning her attention to the original she has standing to the left of her.
Looking back up at Kol, Bonnie is relieved to see that he hasn’t noticed the exchange…hopefully, and tries to once again steady her racing heartbeat.
To help this Bonnie diverts her gaze back up toward Esther, Finn standing right next to her as waiters who seem to have appeared out of thin air begin to descend the stairs and pass out flutes of champagne to the gathered guests.
Esther’s voice is rich and captivating as she calls for their attention. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Waiters are coming around with champagne and I invite you all to join me in raising a glass.”
One of the servers walks over to them, and Bonnie knows by the slow and purposeful steps that one of the glasses on his tray is specifically for Kol—laced with Elena’s blood. Swallowing, Bonnie grabs the glass that is closest to her and lets Kol take the other one, knowing that the right choice has been made when the waiter swiftly turns away from them and disappears into the crowd without a single backward glance.
Turning back to look up toward Esther, Bonnie catches the older witch’s eye, a thin smile painted on the blonde woman’s lips. “It provides me with no greater joy than to see my family all back together…as one.” As Esther continues to speak, Bonnie chances another glance at Kol, nearly startled when she realizes that the dark-haired vampire is already staring down at her.
“My mother…always such a way with her words.” Kol muses, his tone mild as his eyes roll over her once before looking back up toward where his mother stands above them. “And it’s a bit of a wonder, isn’t it? How easily she forgave him—Klaus…how easily she’s forgiven us all really.”
Licking her lips Bonnie tosses Kol a swift but meaningful glance. “A mother’s love doesn’t always have to make sense,” she counters softly. Mothers in general hardly ever make sense, she doesn’t add.
They didn't know each other, it's not like her words would bring any sort of real comfort or reassurance. Besides she wasn't super keen on talking about the topics of mothers with a stranger she barely knew. Hell, she'd just only recently opened up more to Elena and Caroline about Abby.
Kol looks back down at her speculatively, a slight quirk on his lips. “No…I guess it doesn’t. I should be thankful that I have it.”
…
Except that he doesn’t…not really.
But Bonnie is the only one out of the two of them who knows this, and she wasn’t about to open her mouth and attempt to correct him.
They both look away from each other as Esther reaches the end of her speech, the Mikaelson matriarch raising her glass as she begins the toast. “I’d like to thank you all for being a part of this spectacular evening…” There’s a glint in her eye, one that has Bonnie’s hands feeling more clammy than they were before. She casts a quick survey across the room, noting the various Mikaelson siblings dispersed around, each clutching a similar glass of champagne in hand.
It was happening…oh god this was really happening.
“A great many cheers to all of you here tonight, and above that, a great many cheers to my family's continued joy and welfare...” The smile on Esther’s face is falsely enchanting, one that—if she didn’t know any better—would have had Bonnie fooled by the woman’s good intentions.
…
But she knows…and therefore can easily spot the sinister edge that cuts along Esther’s lips. It's a smile that shows too many teeth, a smile that seems almost unnaturally frozen in place—too static, too fixed. Beneath its surface, it's not just cruelty that lurks; but also a concealed melancholy, a subtle undercurrent of sorrow that further complicates the unsettling expression.
“Cheers!” Esther declares, taking a sip from her glass as the rest of the room follows.
“Cheers!”
One by one, Bonnie watches as each of the Mikaelson siblings seals their fate with a single taste of bubbling peach.
Cheers…
Bonnie turns her attention back toward Kol. “Cheers,” she mummers, looking up at him expectantly as she tilts back yet another glass of champagne.
For a moment he only watches her, and she’s almost afraid he won’t complete the circle—fearful that she might have overdone her own charm—but then he mirrors her, tipping his glass forward with a crooked smile on his face before tilting his head back and finishing off his champagne in a few big gulps. As soon as the liquid touches his lips Bonnie feels that she can breathe just a bit easier.
Looking back down at her, Kol licks his lips, chasing the taste of peach away as his gaze sweeps over her once more. "There is something especially delicious about this champagne tonight…” He muses. “The strawberries perhaps.
Bonnie hadn’t been able to taste anything beyond the peach…if there had been strawberries, she wouldn't have known. However, the glasses that they both sipped on were, of course, different from each other.
Did Elena’s blood make it taste like strawberries?
She’ll never know.
“Perhaps,” Bonnie responds in kind, finishing off the rest of her glass as Kol beckons a server over to take both their empty flutes.
Suddenly the music within the ballroom shifts, the cheery sound of harp strings and flute keys being exchanged for a more slow and elegant orchestra, the easily identifiable sound of a double bass reverbing hauntingly throughout the room.
Taking both their empty champagne flutes, Bonnie watches as Kol sets them down on a waiter's tray before looking around the room at the many guests beginning to pair up. "The music beckons…” He begins dramatically, looking back down at her with a quirked brow. “Shall we indulge in a dance Miss Bennett?"
The impulse to decline him is ready to spill from her lips. The desire to dismiss his request with a scoff and aloof ‘I don't dance’ almost overpowering. Yet, Bonnie finds that in that moment, she is unexpectedly swayed, her resistance eroding when what escapes her instead is a casual, "Why not?" Her tone trying for pleasant but nearly faltering under his brazen stare.
This scrutiny, this unapologetic gaze he levels upon her, is a brand new experience.
She doesn’t think any man has ever looked at her this way before...
Most guys in school didn’t look beyond her being another pretty face, another conquest to conquer, and Jeremy…Bonnie winces internally at the thought of her ex. Jeremy had only ever spared her momentary gazes of soft adoration, and these looks always seemed to lack any real immersion, like they were surface-level feelings with no hidden depth.
…
Kol, however…looks at her as if she’s some sort of temptress. Like he can’t wait to get her alone and take her down a notch or two. It's a look that suggests he not only acknowledges her existence but appreciates it, even if it's tinged with a mixture of sardonic amusement and fleeting curiosity.
No, Bonnie has never been looked at like this before.
Licking her lips, Bonnie tries for levity, anything to distract them both from very dangerous ideas. "I'll warn you now…I don't dance."
Laughing Kol grabs her right hand and sweeps her into his arms, drawing her close and guiding her other flailing limb to rest beneath his left shoulder blade. “Anyone can dance Bennett.” He drawls, taking the hand he’d grabbed into his left and supporting her as she steps forward with her left foot, the original taking a step backward with his right.
All the while, Kol's hand continues to rest gently at the small of Bonnie's back, guiding her with a firm but gentle touch, the warmth of his hand seeping through the thin fabric of her dress, and sending a shiver of anticipation up her spine.
They move slowly, their steps synchronized, and with Kol guiding her, it was as if they had danced this dance together countless times before.
“There’s no perfect art in the way bodies move together…” He continues casually as if only stating a simple fact. “Just in how they fit.”
Bonnie feels heat rise within her again at his suggestive words, clearing her throat as she attempts to focus on keeping to the rhythm of the music. However, Kol's touch continues to get bolder, his fingers eventually trailing light lines along the exposed skin of Bonnie's back, leaving a tingling sensation in their wake.
…
In the end, she doesn’t know what compels her to do it. What makes her look up at him, mouth opening to utter the words, “Know a lot about that do you? About how bodies are supposed to fit together?”
Kol lets out a merry laugh at her jibe, his hand sliding lower, fingertips now grazing the curve of Bonnie's hip in a manner that is much too obvious and not at all chaste. “Oh do I ever,” he winks at her, “You could probably stand to learn a thing or two from me.”
Bonnie can’t help laughing aloud at the absurdity of it all, following his steps as she states, “In your dreams Mikaelson, I’m not someone who’s easily charmed.”
Though Kol only smiles widely before spinning her in his arms, anything but undeterred. “Well that’s good for me then I’d say. My dreams tend to be a very accommodating place.”
Bonnie flushes at the implication, at the idea of him dreaming about her, most likely in situations that would be quite…compromising. Slightly flustered Bonnie steadies her feet and replies, “You’re forgetting yourself.”
She only gets a laugh in response. “No more than I usually do I assure you, Miss Bennett.”
…
Despite her earlier protests, Bonnie only steps on his feet a couple of times.
She had skipped out on the first dance that was held, completely uninterested in being shoved so close to some random stranger. But now…Bonnie can’t deny that there is an exhilaration and almost childlike giddiness that comes with being swayed and spun around on a glamorous ballroom floor, her gown floating and whirling around her like a cloud.
Almost like a princess, she thinks, like the dolls she used to play with when she was a little girl.
Twirling her again, Kol states blithely, “You should look up at me more darling, staring at our feet will make it harder to keep to the beats.”
Brought out of her thoughts, Bonnie furrows her brows at Kol’s suggestion, not even having noticed that her gaze had been lingering on their shoes until then. “I don’t think you’d like it if I accidentally stepped on your toes."
Though she can practically hear the eye roll that Kol gives in response, “Don’t worry over my toes Bonnie, eyes up.”
So stunned by his first use of her name—one that she had yet to give—Bonnie’s head jerks up to look at Kol with wide eyes, the original’s returning gaze very smug and self-satisfied.
Called it.
“Thank you,” he says, giving a quick squeeze to her hand. “Now, if you’d simply follow me…”
The dark melody of the orchestra flows serenely throughout the room, and the heaviness of the moment is heard in every bow that slides across the strings of a violin.
One by one the people within the ballroom disappear, and for a moment there is nobody else in that room but them, them and the orchestra still plucking to their dramatic tune.
She feels wrongfully enlightened and wonders how much truth really stands behind the claim that witches can't be compelled.
…
Though a true puppeteer knows how to hide the hand that pulls the strings, and Bonnie thinks Kol would be the type to know how.
They continue to dance together, Bonnie quickly picking up the beats and rhythms on her own, soon enough able to anticipate his movements and steps—matching them with her own. She wonders if any of her friends are watching her right now…what she must look like dancing with him here.
She is hyper-aware of his every touch. Can feel the individual press of each finger resting on her back.
His hand…it’s colder than hers, yet soft and sturdy against her own as he guides her, so fluid and effortless that Bonnie hardly needs to think.
Lips ghosting her ear Kol says, “Just a couple more steps, and then the song will come to an end.”
A shiver trails down Bonnie's spine in response to his velvety lilt, following his lead and understanding then at that moment what it is that makes him so dangerous.
He's a chameleon, she thinks. Adeptly assimilating into any surroundings, effortlessly molding his demeanor to fit the demands of the moment. He's a master at this art. Every word he utters, every action he takes, bears careful precision, a calculated selection meant to maintain a facade all while cloaking his true intentions behind a white veil.
Little intricate webs of deception…
You forget what he is when you spend too much time in his presence, falling under the easy allure of his glittering words.
Falling easy like prey.
…
But she is no one’s prey.
…
The orchestra reaches a crescendo as Bonnie returns to the real world, people re-entering her peripheral vision as their little private fantasy ends…
…and everything inside of her gets just a bit more obscure.
Kol spins her around one more time just as the music begins to fade, the young witch tripping just a bit on the last step and falling onto his chest.
Flushing Bonnie attempts to detangle herself from him, only to feel the hand on her back move to wrap around her once more.
“You okay there Bennett?” Kol asks wryly, amused as he looks down at her with twinkling eyes.
Huffing Bonnie looks away from him, maybe lingering in his hold for much longer than what would be deemed appropriate. “I’m just fine,” she replies breezily, straightening up once more.
Kol lets his arms fall. “On that, we both agree.”
…
That was another thing that seems effortless to him…the flirting.
With a strained smile, Bonnie pulls away from him, smoothing the front of her dress out as she tries to ignore the imprint his touch has left on her body—like the phantom grasp of a long-dead lover. Something that is both unsettling and strangely magnetic.
Stepping forward once more, Kol adjusts one of her fallen dress straps—and didn’t she warn Caroline that this dress was going to sit awkwardly on her shoulders?—and Bonnie figures that there’s no way he hasn’t yet noticed the heat underneath the naked skin he touches so presumedly.
…
She is no one's prey.
…
But he wants her to be his.
"It seems to me you've underestimated your own skills,” he compliments lightly, seeming none the wiser to the tornado of emotions Bonnie is attempting to keep a tight lid on. "That and the fact that you're a very quick learner."
Bonnie crosses her arms, fingers digging into soft flesh. “Thanks.”
Kol smirks at her, his hand falling from her shoulder as he steps away once more. The space between them affords Bonnie a moment of clarity, a reminder of the initial motivations that prompted her to accept an endeavor like this in the first place.
Eyes on the prize…
But it didn’t really feel much like a prize anymore.
Desperately wrenching herself away from her traitorous thoughts, Bonnie turns and begins walking towards the stairs. “Earlier, you asked what it would take to get me to confess,” she begins, knowing that despite the small distance between them, he’ll be able to hear her. She stops her trek momentarily, turning back to match his smoldering gaze with her steady one. “If you want to find out, then you’ll have to follow me,” she declares before adding almost impishly, “Willing to take a chance on me Mikaelson?”
It’s all ridiculously cliche, but it ends up working anyway, Kol taking off his suit jacket as he walks toward her, holding out a hand to her once more. Bonnie feels her heart stutter at the simple gesture, pausing for a moment before reaching her hand out to encircle his own.
“Lead the way, Miss Benne—”
“Bonnie.” The witch corrects, closing her eyes momentarily in dismay as she does. “You've already guessed it. My name is Bonnie.”
What’s one more line to cross when they've already crossed so many? One more boundary to leap over?
“Lead the way then, Bonnie.” Kol breathes, his hand tightening around her own as he gently prods her forward. Bonnie feels heat rise to the surface of her skin at the deeply intimate way that he speaks her name, like a yearning lover about to finally sate his thirst for the object of all his desires.
“Kol rather likes his women a bit magical..."
And while they walk up the steps, Bonnie catches Rebekah’s eyes on them, the blonde-haired vampire nodding toward her as she holds onto a smiling Matt’s arm, the other tall blonde—looking every bit smitten with the woman beside him—not noticing either of them at all.
Looking away Bonnie tries to focus on making sure she doesn’t trip over her dress. She doesn’t want to think about the fact that Kol’s hand wrapped around her own is the only thing grounding her at that moment, needs to distract herself from the burning memory of his assuming touches.
However, Bonnie knows that the truth she still so adamantly denies can be heard in the sound of her restless beating heart.
…
Cheers indeed…