"Beneath the Surface of Broken Vows"

Prompt: The sounds of his brother's annual torment began in the early hours of the morning, from the moment everyone had exited their humble abode, and he waited five minutes, ten minutes, thirty minutes, sixty minutes until their father departed for a hunting expedition with some of the other village folk, emerging from their home like a thief in the night. Elijah waited for him to collect his supplies, his bow and his quiver of arrows, his axe that hung from his side, his leather satchel of rations, and when he finally saw his father's back retreat into a broad-shouldered speck in the distance did he push away from his hiding place and creep into their hut. It was easy enough to spot him, considering he wasn't exactly hiding. Niklaus was huddled in the corner, partially concealed by the stack of furs and leather he had knocked over in his haste to scuttle away from their father's wrath. Elijah let the folds of the entrance fall shut behind him, plunging the hut in dim light. Niklaus was curled in on himself, his head resting between his knees, and from his hunched-over and twisted poison, Elijah saw the blood on his back and arms, the red welts from his fathers switch, long bands that wrap around Niklaus's flesh and breaking the skin until blood dribbled sluggishly from the wounds. The newer ones stood out starkly against the older ones, which had turned the faint yellow-purple colour of old bruises. At his arrival, Niklaus seemed to sink further back, making himself smaller, despite knowing that Elijah would never do anything to hurt him. His eyes were red-rimmed, his face streaked with tears, his hair matted in tangled knots, tinged with blood. Elijah sighed and crossed the short distance to where his brother was cowering. "Oh, Niklaus," he said as he crouched down in front of him. "Just what am I going to do with you?" Instead of answering, Niklaus bowed his head in shame, snivelling. Elijah placed a finger under his chin and made him lift his head so he could look him in the eyes. Elijah smiled as comfortingly as he was able and waited until Niklaus forced a smile back before he began inspecting the damage. Thick ropey bands of swollen red skin crisscrossed from shoulder to hip. No inch of skin was spared. Elijah could only imagine how tender it must be. Resting a gentle hand on Niklaus's shoulder, Elijah crossed to the basin of water used for washing up and doused a clean rag in water. Under different circumstances, he would have preferred to heat the water over the fire for some time, but they would have to make do with cool water. Elijah twisted out the excess water and rejoined Nikaus in the corner. Niklaus flinched and shivered as Elijah allowed cool, soothing water to drip onto his fevered skin before he tenderly ran the rag over the worst of the split skin. "What did you do this time?" Elijah asked softly, not glancing away from his careful ministrations. Though Elijah couldn't see his face, he knew that Niklaus was scowling. "Must I require a reason to contract our father's wrath?" Unfortunately, Elijah knew he was right. Often, being in the same room with their father at times would send Mikael on the path of uncontrollable rage which he would often take out on Niklaus for being weaker than the rest of his kin. It was a rage and a punishment only reserved for Niklaus and Niklaus alone. "Sometimes, you push him," Elijah said as he wiped away the worst of the blood. He didn't really believe the words even as they left his mouth. He tutted in sympathy as Niklaus hissed as Elijah brought the wet cloth over a particularly raw and tender part. "It's alright, I'm sorry. I'm almost done here." "I sincerely wish that the explanation were as simple as a reaction to my poor attitude or my unsavoury expressions over breakfast," Niklaus said bitterly. Exhausted, he rested his entire weight against Elijah, who held his smaller brother easily, and he rested his head on Elijah's shoulder. "At least then I would have a tangible reason." Elijah hated how dejected and defeated Niklaus sounded. He hated the constant collection of red lines and swollen welts that crisscross his brother's back. He hated the way Niklaus would flinch and cower whenever their father entered or when he raised his voice. He hated how his brother was so kind and gentle and caring but wasn't strong and vicious and dangerous enough for their father. Elijah hated all of it. And he especially hated that there was nothing he could do about it. "I could give you quite a few reasons as to why you annoy me," Elijah teased lightly. "But I believe that might be counter-productive." Niklaus snorted into Elijah's shoulder and folded an arm around his middle as if trying to keep himself together. "It's cruel of you to pour salt in my wounds. I'm in pain, Elijah" Rolling, his eyes, Elijah made one last pass of the wet cloth across his bothers mangled back, satisfied with his work but disgusted with the rag now red with his brother's blood in his hands. "You're always ailing for some reason or other. You can't use it every time you want to avoid some harmless teasing." They both stiffened instinctually when there was a rustle outside their hovel and a figure appeared in the doorway. Niklaus instinctually tried to sit up and crawl away from Elijah's touch, but Elijah just tightened his hold on his bother, not letting him go even an inch. But they needn't worry. It was just Kol, trying to hide from Rebekah and their mother's incessant demands. Immediately, Niklaus and Elijah relaxed. Kol looked at them strangely as he approached. "What are the two of you doing in here?" "Enjoying each other's company," Elijah said as Kol crossed the space and sat in front of them. "Maybe you should try it sometime instead of hiding in here or out in the woods." Just when Kol was about to respond with one of his witty remarks, his gaze fell on the blood-soaked rag Elijah had discarded, and his whole demeanour changed, his face twisting into something vile, something full of hatred and disgust. "I knew I heard something going on in here, I knew it." "It's alright," Niklaus forced a smile and leant forwards so he could wrap Kol's clenched hands in his. "Don't fret. I promise I'll finish carving you that figurine you asked for tonight, alright? I'll get it done quick smart. Just... go outside and enjoy the sun, perhaps. Go easy on Rebekah and Henrik." But Kol was resolute. He pulled his hands from Niklaus's grip and crossed his arms over his chest, looking very old all of a sudden. "Does it hurt?" "No more than usual," Niklaus assured. "Mother has a balm that might help," Kol continued as if he hadn't spoken. "I know where she keeps it. I can fetch it for you. Maybe that'll help with the pain." "Mother will notice if some of her medicinal ointments are missing," Elijah interjected. Kol frowned, his brow furrowing, and glared at Elijah for daring to add logic to his fool-proof plan. "She won't be happy to know someone has been stealing from her. Nobody wants to deal with that." Somehow, Kol looked even more frustrated. "It's not stealing. And if she really cared about any of us, she would have offered to use it on Nik herself, but where is she? She knows what's happened and she doesn't care." Sighing, Niklaus shook his head and tried his best to pacify his enraged brother. "Kol..." "Shut up," Kol said petulantly, but there was no heat to his words. He extended a hand out towards Niklaus, his fingers barely touching the fevered heat of his brother's skin, and muttered the words he had heard his mother speak whenever his father returned pained or wounded. The healing words tasted like ice and mint in his mouth, dancing across his tongue and down his arm and into the very worst of the damage done to Niklaus's flesh. His healing magic was still rather basic, so it didn't mend all of his brother's wounds, but it did take away the worst of the pain with a numbing sort of quality. "There. Is that better?" Though Niklaus did feel much better, Elijah pursed his lips at him. "Kol, you know better than to be using magic without mothers supervision." "'You know better Kol, wait for mother Kol'," Kol mocked in a high-pitched, obnoxious voice. Elijah rolled his eyes. Niklaus tried to sniffle his laughter but failed. "I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to Nik. Does it still hurt? It's a pretty easy spell and I'm getting much better at it." "No, it doesn't. Thank you, Kol," Niklaus finally extracted himself from Elijah's hold and gingerly sat up. The pain no longer gnawed at him like a rabid dog. He riffled Kol's hair, and though Kol's lips frowned, his eyes were humorous. "You're getting very good at that magic of yours. Very impressive." Kol grinned, pleased with himself and flattered at the praise when the front of their hovel burst open again and Rebekah arrived, furious and incensed. "I'm going to kill him," she seethed. "One of these days, I'm going to kill him dead." "Rebekah, please," Elijah begged, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You exhaust me already." "Ah, here is our dear sister, with her melodrama and bad taste in men," Kol muttered under his breath. Niklaus returned his humorous glance and tried to hold back his smile by biting his lip. As expected, Rebekah ignored him and placed her hands on her hips in a mirror image of their mother during a scolding of her three youngest and most lively children. "We should run away, all of us. Pack our things and leave here before anybody can catch us. At least then we'll all be free, and Nik won't have to endure fathers hatred anymore, and we'd all be together." "Nobody is going anywhere because that would be ridiculous," Said a voice from the doorway, and they turned to see Finn cross the threshold and join them. "You should be ashamed of yourself or even suggesting it." "Well, that settles it then," Kol announced. "Finn, you are a total bore and an absolute buzzkill and watching leaves change colour is more amusing and therefore, I'm not going to listen to a word you say. Shall I get a head start on the packing?" Finn did a less admirable job at ignoring his younger brother's jabs than Rebekah, and he smacked Kol in the back of the head, sending Kol careening forwards and into Elijah's lap, complaining loudly and angrily. "The two of you shouldn't be in here," Finn said. "There are more important things to be doing. What do you think will happen if our mother finds you in here instead of doing your chores?" "I'm not leaving Nik," Rebekah said stubbornly. "You can't make me." "You think you're going to be more help than Elijah?" Finn pointed out. "Even I have magic," Kol muttered. "You're just useless." Rebekah moved to smack Kol, but Finn caught her wrist, ever the exhausted eldest sibling. "We don't need any more unnecessary violence here today. Both of you, go. Make sure Henrik hasn't gotten himself into any trouble." "Henrik should be old enough to take care of himself," Kol said. "Henrik is ten," Finn reached forwards and grabbed hold of Rebekah and Kol and hoisted them to their feet. He pushed them, complaining and fighting back, towards the exit. "Go on, out you go. Leave your brothers be." They came to an unyielding pause at the door. They exchanged a glance, their grievances momentarily put aside, and looked back together at Niklaus. They were the closest in age, merely a year apart, and sometimes they acted more like twins. They both shared similar expressions of concern and regret. But Niklaus was nothing if not an older brother, even if it was only to three siblings. "Go on, it's alright. I'll be out in a moment," he assured. "And then I'll take you both down to the riverbank and I'll finish carving those figurines I promised you. Kol, you perform your new magic to me, and Rebekah, you can do whatever you'd like to keep yourself occupied, alright? Just give us a moment longer." Regularly, Rebekah would be offended that Niklaus wasn't sure what hobbies she entertained, and Kol would be rubbing it in her face that their brother liked him more, but even they were able to understand that this was not the time. Reluctantly, they slowly exited the room in search of Henrik and in avoidance of their mother, and their absence was felt more than was expected. They brought youthfulness and kind presence to the situation that only young, innocent children possibly could. Strangely, Finn didn't leave. He was doing his best not to look at Niklaus and the red welts on his back. "Mother has been searching for you," he said to Elijah. "I can cover for you for a little while longer, but you should come out soon before she gets suspicious." "I appreciate the warning," Elijah nodded. "I'll merely be a moment." In a fit of bravery, Finn turned away from the door and boldly went rifling through his father's belongings. After a moment, he removed a roll of their mother's medicinal bandages, coated in a cooling salve and was often taken by their father on long and dangerous trips. Finn handed it to Elijah, who took it with thinly veiled surprise. "Maybe that'll help with the pain. He won't be home for a little while. Just make sure it's back where we found it before he returns." "Thank you, brother," Elijah said as he idly began to unwind the length of off-white bandage. Finn exited the hut without another word and then the two brothers were alone again. "You really need to stop promising to whittle those little figurines for Kol, Rebekah and Henrik," Elijah mused as he began carefully winding the bandage around Niklaus's torso. "It takes a lot of time and effort on your behalf for a moment of delight on theirs." "If I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't continue to make them," Niklaus replied. "Besides, Kol and Rebekah love those wooden figures. Rebekah still takes great care of the horse and knight I carved her when we were children." "Hendrik, on the other hand, is merely ten years old and couldn't care less," Elijah countered. Mildly irritated, Niklaus twisted around so he could glare at Elijah over his shoulder. "I'm not an invalid, you know. I'm more than capable of applying my own bandages." Elijah couldn't help but chuckle. "I know. But I'm here already. Might as well get it over and done with, hm? Just relax. I can handle this." Eventually, Niklaus gave in and settled back against Elijah as his brother methodically, carefully and with adept hands wound the bandage around Niklaus's torso and shoulders, listening to Finn chat with their mother while Kol and Rebekah tried to laugh off their concern while playing with Henrik, and Niklaus just allowed his brother this rare moment to truly help him as he awaited for his father to return home and for all of this to happen all over again. Can you write a fic like this but more sweet dad to them and more evil and cruel to klaus like really cruel and more lovely siblings to klaus because they get the love that klaus should get normally from their father and more careless nother to klaus please make it really long like longest you could ever make more feelingsly and angsty Michael is not klaus’s dad not biological like others are his and they ages are fin is 21 Elijah is 17 kol is 14 rebekah is 12 klaus is 10 and henrick is 9 so his father is really good dad to others but he beats and literally tortures to klaus because of his wifes cheat of so for his parents klaus destroyed their marriage