Bite-Sized

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except these words.

"Have you ever painted me?"

She can't help but ask him as she flicks through a cache of Klaus's work. Some of the paintings are so old that the linen canvas underneath has begun to rot away, the varnish cracked and yellowed like parched earth too long without water. Their age is hardly noticeable, though, against the arresting faces of beautiful women, and occasionally men, that stare back at her across time. Klaus's lovers, gathered here so he can look back on them from time to time.

"No."

"No?" She clamps down hard on the hurt and the jealousy his curt refusal stirs up. She glances down again at the paintings in their crate. A few of the faces are even familiar. Caroline. That werewolf girl Tyler used to hang out with. She'd thought this thing between them meant something.

Klaus comes up behind her, drawing her away from his past. Into the circle of his arms. He tips her face up, and considers her seriously.

"Your face holds too much power over me to ever commit it to posterity. It already haunts me. I fear what would happen were I ever to set it down to canvas as well."

A/N: Thanks for reading! I'm taking prompts over on my tumblr at livlepretre through the end of the weekend if anyone has anything they'd like to submit!