[ He takes the bottle from her, glancing it over before turning his attention to her. He follows her inside, placing it on a table before straightening back up, glancing at his unfinished painting. ]
You're welcome. [ Such a sincere show of gratitude has him glancing away from her for a moment, looking a tiny bit awkward before turning his attention to the necklace. His promise to tell her what it meant is genuine, but amazingly enough, there's the smallest amount of nerves bundled inside him. It's rare that he should feel such a thing, but for all his claims to Elijah that he turned his humanity off centuries ago, it's been switched back for a long time now. This meant it came with all the emotions he would rather not experience. ] It's a rune - that's what we learned to write in when we were human.
[ His mother gathering them all around her, patient with them all as they practiced the shapes. She wanted them to be educated, even if education hadn't been the most important thing at the time. He'd had a little trouble himself, but he won't say that. ]
It's called 'Kenaz'. It means - well, it means several things. [ A little like ancient tarot cards in a way. He steps closer to her, glancing at the box. ] For this, it's a symbol of intellect. Knowledge, tied to your studies, and intuition. You've always been very intuitive.
[For someone who typically exudes confidence—or arrogance, to be more blunt about it—even small shows of nervousness can stand out. How he can’t quite look at her when she thanks him, or when he talks about the necklace is a pretty clear signal, one that’s probably older than Klaus himself. It’s strange to see on the hybrid, but not at all unwelcome; if anything, Cami finds it cute.
And she’ll do Klaus the favor of keeping that thought to herself for now. You’re welcome.
When he starts to make good on her word, Cami gives in to the temptation and pulls the lid off her jewelry box. A symbol learned in Klaus’s past, back during that brief time when he’d been happy. He doesn’t mention his mother, but Cami has little doubt that the woman is the one who taught him. Dancing, literacy, and who knows how many other things a parent should nurture in their child. For a moment Cami has to wonder just how everything had turned out so horribly, when it’s clear that Klaus has a deep fondness for this memory; another thought best left unsaid, for entirely different reasons.]
So you got me a necklace because I’m a good therapist? [The corner of her mouth twitches a bit, because of course he hasn’t. Cami knows there’s more to it; Klaus has even said as much. But she can’t help it when he adds tied to your studies to the list of meanings. It’s far too safe for the way he’s acting now, not to mention for the quality of the gift he’s given her.]
[ He isn't cute he is charming and eloquent. Except when he isn't, which happens whether he wants it to or not.
He watches her open the box, silent for the moment. It was a very personal gift to give, even more so than the painting. Klaus has no trouble with art, or bragging about it, but the necklace is another matter entirely. Her question gets a huff of laughter in answer, and he turns away in order to work on opening the bottle she'd brought with her. ] Among other things. More so for the reasons why you're such a good therapist - there are some traits people are just innately gifted with.
[ Finally opening the bottle, he's pulling open a cabinet nearby for some glasses. ]
[Notably, cute is not mutually exclusive from either charming or eloquent. Cami might be able to make a case for him being all three at once, in fact, which is certainly better than being none of those things at all.
Once the box is open and the lid set aside, Cami traces the shape of the rune with a fingertip. The sound of his laughter is nice—all of this is, in fact. Anyone from the outside looking in might actually think them two normal people getting ready to share a bottle of wine and toast the holiday. But of course they are anything but normal; certainly Klaus is. An ancient, immortal hybrid, very possibly the most powerful creature their world has ever known, unstoppable save for few limitations and killable by an even smaller number. He has in his time been vicious, unspeakably cruel, guilty of horrors that would no doubt haunt Cami to know of.
Maybe that same outsider, when given a little more detail, would tell Cami to set aside the necklace and go. Steve had said as much earlier: that this relationship would be a bad idea—and Cami had in fact agreed with him.]
Innately gifted with insight. Well, that just makes what I have to ask really ironic. [Because good idea or bad, Cami needs to know the truth about this, all of it. She can’t continue to deny her feelings, but she also can’t let them blind her. Klaus is a dangerous person, capable of things Cami would barely tolerate in anyone, much less a friend—much less someone who she saw as more. Whatever is developing, they need to take control of it, define it for themselves before either of them gets in too deeply. She doesn’t want to be hurt, of course, but Cami also doesn’t want to hurt him by letting things get out of control.]
I need to know what I am to you, Klaus. [Therapist, friend, something more. She asks gently, her words question rather than accusation.] What are you hoping is going to happen between us?
no subject
You're welcome. [ Such a sincere show of gratitude has him glancing away from her for a moment, looking a tiny bit awkward before turning his attention to the necklace. His promise to tell her what it meant is genuine, but amazingly enough, there's the smallest amount of nerves bundled inside him. It's rare that he should feel such a thing, but for all his claims to Elijah that he turned his humanity off centuries ago, it's been switched back for a long time now. This meant it came with all the emotions he would rather not experience. ] It's a rune - that's what we learned to write in when we were human.
[ His mother gathering them all around her, patient with them all as they practiced the shapes. She wanted them to be educated, even if education hadn't been the most important thing at the time. He'd had a little trouble himself, but he won't say that. ]
It's called 'Kenaz'. It means - well, it means several things. [ A little like ancient tarot cards in a way. He steps closer to her, glancing at the box. ] For this, it's a symbol of intellect. Knowledge, tied to your studies, and intuition. You've always been very intuitive.
no subject
And she’ll do Klaus the favor of keeping that thought to herself for now. You’re welcome.
When he starts to make good on her word, Cami gives in to the temptation and pulls the lid off her jewelry box. A symbol learned in Klaus’s past, back during that brief time when he’d been happy. He doesn’t mention his mother, but Cami has little doubt that the woman is the one who taught him. Dancing, literacy, and who knows how many other things a parent should nurture in their child. For a moment Cami has to wonder just how everything had turned out so horribly, when it’s clear that Klaus has a deep fondness for this memory; another thought best left unsaid, for entirely different reasons.]
So you got me a necklace because I’m a good therapist? [The corner of her mouth twitches a bit, because of course he hasn’t. Cami knows there’s more to it; Klaus has even said as much. But she can’t help it when he adds tied to your studies to the list of meanings. It’s far too safe for the way he’s acting now, not to mention for the quality of the gift he’s given her.]
no subject
He watches her open the box, silent for the moment. It was a very personal gift to give, even more so than the painting. Klaus has no trouble with art, or bragging about it, but the necklace is another matter entirely. Her question gets a huff of laughter in answer, and he turns away in order to work on opening the bottle she'd brought with her. ] Among other things. More so for the reasons why you're such a good therapist - there are some traits people are just innately gifted with.
[ Finally opening the bottle, he's pulling open a cabinet nearby for some glasses. ]
no subject
Once the box is open and the lid set aside, Cami traces the shape of the rune with a fingertip. The sound of his laughter is nice—all of this is, in fact. Anyone from the outside looking in might actually think them two normal people getting ready to share a bottle of wine and toast the holiday. But of course they are anything but normal; certainly Klaus is. An ancient, immortal hybrid, very possibly the most powerful creature their world has ever known, unstoppable save for few limitations and killable by an even smaller number. He has in his time been vicious, unspeakably cruel, guilty of horrors that would no doubt haunt Cami to know of.
Maybe that same outsider, when given a little more detail, would tell Cami to set aside the necklace and go. Steve had said as much earlier: that this relationship would be a bad idea—and Cami had in fact agreed with him.]
Innately gifted with insight. Well, that just makes what I have to ask really ironic. [Because good idea or bad, Cami needs to know the truth about this, all of it. She can’t continue to deny her feelings, but she also can’t let them blind her. Klaus is a dangerous person, capable of things Cami would barely tolerate in anyone, much less a friend—much less someone who she saw as more. Whatever is developing, they need to take control of it, define it for themselves before either of them gets in too deeply. She doesn’t want to be hurt, of course, but Cami also doesn’t want to hurt him by letting things get out of control.]
I need to know what I am to you, Klaus. [Therapist, friend, something more. She asks gently, her words question rather than accusation.] What are you hoping is going to happen between us?