Chapter Five: Hallucinaction of the burnt body

"One. Two. Three, Babylove DC!!!" Everyone joined Henrik in shouting that last part when he was clicking the group pictures with the orphans. Henrik would pay a visit to the place monthly and distribute goods to the children. He believed that feeding the unlucky ones would decrease the number of sins he had done and that his one wish would finally come true.

Many children talked about what they did since his last visit. Some showed the paintings they drew, stories they wrote, or anything. They were fonder with him more than they were with other kids there. And why wouldn't they? The jolly mood Henrik carried always cheered everybody

Well mostly everyone.

Driving back to his apartment, Henrik wished to be an orphan rather than growing up with the people he calls their 'family'. There wouldn't have been many questions, there would've been some sense of normality, you would know that you are mortal and hence the loneliness he feels, he would think that it would end eventually. He hated his family. Especially Klaus.

                          ---Past---

It was Henrik's turn of going with Mikael to torture Klaus. Klaus being his favorite sibling, Henrik didn't want to accompany them. The look on his other siblings after their days with Klaus' torture worried him so much. He tried to refuse his dad but Mikael just didn't take no for an answer. 

He saw as the rope scarred Klaus' back. Each time the rope hit his body, Henrik closed his eyes. Henrik expected more of a tormented face but Klaus seemed in pain but not in anguish. 

When Mikael stepped outside, Henrik got closer to Klaus and said to him,

"Nikki, how do you feel?"

"Father could've at least spared you from this. You are not young enough to become immortal but young enough to see your elder brother being tortured." Klaus said in a trembled voice looking down in exhaustion.

"I tried to refuse, Nikki I did. But…"

"But father didn't listen. Father never listens." Klaus said in the same manner.

"I have tried to ask so many times that what does he gain by doing this to me, but he never answers. He never listens….."

"I want to free you off from this pain, but I cannot alone. I need our other siblings' assistance but they all refuse to help. They say…." "That they believe in what father is doing."

"Yes. They all believe in that. But I don't. I believe that what father is doing to you is in no way correct and trustworthy."

Klaus chuckled,

"Thanks, little Henrik. Now go before father comes."

"No, I won't! I won't leave you here. I will do anything to set you free."

"Little brother, you are just 17 years old. You will need other people to help set me free. But they aren't doing anything. No one is doing anything for me. So maybe this is what I deserve."

"Nikki, don't say that…"

"Little brother, be away from me or father will punish you too."

"For what? For just talking to his brother? Will he punish me for no reason? Like he did to Kol? Like he is doing to you! Nikki, do you ever wonder why is he doing this to you? What could be the reason for this?" "I have stopped wondering brother. If this is written in my life, it will happen and I will accept it without any objection. Now go, brother.

Leave. It's what others are doing so you better too."

Henrik looked down in disappointment and went away. 

                               ------

Henrik was sitting alone in Green Lantern. So many gay people like him were having fun but he was just sitting alone. He did witness some boys in need of company but he was in no mood for the company. Not even in a mood for a hook up which was very rare.

It was one of those days.

Suddenly a guy stood behind him and poked him on the shoulder. He turned and saw a brown-haired, almond-shaped ocean blue eyes, slim nose, and thin red lips guy around his age smiling.

"I am sorry but you must be Henrik." The guy spoke.

"Yeah?" Henrik was confused because somehow the guy knew him but Henrik had no idea who he was.

"Henrik Mikaelson, yeah! Man, you are more stunning in the closer view."

The guy complimented.

Henrik nervously chuckled and said,

"Thanks but how do you know me? Have I met you because you seem to exist beyond my memories?"

The guy laughed,

"Who talks like this?" Henrik raised a brow.

The guy got nervous too.

"I am sorry. I um… I am Dacre."

"No need to be nervous Dacre."

"No, I didn't want to upset you because there's no one who is as stunning and striking as you and it would suck if I were to sabotage your hopefully perfect day because I don't want to do anything with you being sad and….."

"Do you want to go outside?!" Henrik asked.

"What?"

"The music's too loud here and I am not able to hear what you are saying so can we head out?"

Dacre was sad that Henrik didn't listen to what he said but he was also thankful that Henrik didn't end things.

They got outside of the club,

"So how do you know me?" Henrik asked.

"Me and my friends, we are this support kind of group which helps the less fortunate people. So we went to this Babylove DC and provided clothes, ration and stationery products. I asked if the kids there have any friends outside the place and they all lead me to your photo with them and introduced you to me.

From there, I know you."

Henrik first smiled and then said,

"Thank God! I wished you won't be one of those creepy dudes who stalk you and is obsessed with you."

"Wait you had an encounter with stalkers?"

"Twice!" Henrik replied.

"No!!" Dacre said in amusement.

"Yes! One was very cute and handled his secretive stalker nature brilliantly until my nosy ass walked into one of his secret rooms where there were hundreds of my pictures hanging on the wall. I immediately rushed out of there."

Dacre laughed and said,

"Then you never saw him?"

"No. I left that secret room door open so he must've filled the blanks and kept a distance from me."

"You filed a restraint order against him?" Dacre asked concerned.

"No. He never showed his face again so I didn't see the need for it." Henrik replied.

"Still, I mean you should get one. He was a stalker. People like us should be safer than the most."

"Yeah, I know but if anyone tries to be Colin Ireland with me, I am sure I'll be fine and will handle everything."

"Wow! Then having you as a boyfriend would be fearless." Henrik chuckled and nodded.

"So do you have anyone with you?"

"You found me alone, didn't you?" Dacre nodded.

"Well, there's your answer."

After a couple of hours of talking, and having dinner, they both decided to be home. Henrik took a cab and when he was about to sit in it, Dacre spoke.

"Look. (Henrik did look) I had a blast today. Which is quite surprising because all we did was talk so I guess it means something."

Dacre waited for something from Henrik but he just smiled,

"I do think that something happened and I think you… think too! (Henrik still didn't reply) I am at Green Lantern every day from 8 to 11 and 12 on Fridays so if you ever want to have an amazing night as I did today so meet me up."

Henrik kept on putting up his smile.

"I won't try to ask your number because I know there's a possibility of you finding me as a friend only so I…"

"So you wouldn't try to call me and sabotage my hopefully perfect day?" Henrik interrupted and said keeping up with that smile.

Dacre blushed so redly at that and he looked down a little and Henrik smiled even wider.

Henrik did listen to what Dacre said back at the club.

"I'll see you, Dacre."

"Yeah, sure!" Dacre said as Henrik sat on the cab.

The cab got away and Dacre walked to his apartment.

                          ---Past---

The boy came down once he saw Henrik coming towards The Order's residence.

"Hi."

"Isn't it weird that we don't know each other's names?" Henrik asked.

The boy started walking. And so did Henrik alongside him.

"I don't believe in names. I mean why should I identify myself with the same name my parents gave me? The same parents who didn't want anything of me?"

"That is a good point though. But I can't always refer you to my family as the boy."

The boy grew a grin.

"Are you talking to your family about me?"

Henrik blushed.

"Not my family, but my siblings yes. We are pretty close and you and I have met like seven times so there's bound to be something worth talking about. (The boy laughs) And considering all the situation with Nikki, your topic seems to divert everyone for a little while."

The boy's grin vanished.

"Oh yes, how's Niklaus?"

"Oh, I didn't mean to bring this up! (Exhales deeply) He's in torture.

And I can't do anything."

The boy rubbed Henrik's shoulders.

"Everything would be fine…." Henrik raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, you were right. In times and sentences like this, a name would be appreciable."

"That's what I am saying!"

"Okay! I understand. Um… let's do this. Let's not tell us our real name. Let us decide what we should call each other depending on how we see each other. How we feel towards each other. What do you think?"

"This idea that you proposed is not the craziest thing you've said to me, so I am going to go first."

"Sure!" The boy enthusiastically said.

"Umm…. (looks at the boy for a minute or so) You seem as a Kollen to me."

"Kollen?" the boy asked.

"Yes, Kollen," Henrik replied. 

"Okay. I am Kollen. And you are… Jeremiah."

"Well, that was fast."

"I didn't need to see your face for a minute or so before deciding you a name because you are already on my mind every time. (Henrik blushed)

Hurts that I am not in yours."

"I am Jeremiah to you, okay."

Kollen stopped walking and asked.

"So Jeremiah, you said that naming ourselves was not the craziest thing I have told you. What was the craziest thing then?"

Henrik chuckled.

"Last time when I was leaving, you said you would kiss me. I was like:

this guy is crazy."

Kollen held Henrik's hand which got him anxious.

"I was absolutely honest. (Henrik looked at him) I don't know why or how but I have thought about it at least a hundred times. (Stops Henrik's head from turning away) And I know, that you have to Jeremiah" Henrik looks at Kollen before leaning in for a kiss but he didn't completely lean in. He was waiting for Kollen to complete finishing the gap.

Kollen chuckled softly and finished the gap between them to kiss Henrik or Jeremiah for him.

The next thing they know is that Henrik was lifted and was being carried to a warehouse while still being devoured by Kollen.

Kollen opened up the door of the warehouse and once they were in,

Kollen closed it and after that, slammed Henrik's back across the wall while still carrying him. Kollen removed his upper wear and his built figure was now exposed to Henrik which drove him crazy. The collarbone stretched out, the broad chest with the perfect hard nipples which were so attractive and appealing to Henrik.

The next thing Henrik knew was Kollen removing Henrik's upper wear and now they both were partially naked. Henrik got down and due to Kollen being taller than Henrik, he looked down at Henrik looked up to kiss each other with hunger and love.

Henrik and Kollen laid down naked beside each other in that warehouse. Exhausted and out of breath.

"Did you like it?" Kollen asked.

"I loved it. I loved it so much that I want more." Henrik replied breathing deeply.

"Me too, but probably later," Kollen said.

"Oh, yeah! Definitely!" Henrik said before resting his head on Kollen's shoulder.

                             ------

Dacre was unlike others. He seemed someone with whom, Henrik can spend his life. 

He almost reached his apartment when he looked at the mirror inside the cab and saw Kollen sitting beside him in the reflection. Naked. Burnt.

Henrik froze at his place and stopped blinking. He couldn't look away. Tears were formed in his eyes but he was too scared to let them flow down. Then slowly Kollen tilted his head making crisp noise only to rest it on Henrik's shoulder. 

The brake pulled by the driver awoke Henrik from the trance and Kollen was nowhere to be seen. Henrik looked out the window and noticed that his destination is here. He paid the fare and slowly walked up to his apartment. Kollen's burnt face and resting head on Henrik's shoulder completely ruined the splendid night Henrik lived. Henrik did not sleep that night. And the night after that.

For the whole of next week, Henrik didn't do anything fun. He didn't go to any club, didn't meet anyone, didn't do anything except spending time with himself by sometimes playing the piano, violin, or guitar. Or any other instruments he understood to play in his life.

The hallucination of Kollen he saw was not the first. But they had stopped. The last hallucination of his occurred five years after he left New Orleans. This was three years ago. And after three years, that vision of his burnt body realized the guilt he has on his back. There was nothing he could do back then but still the guilt was gut-wrenching.

                          ---Past---

When it was decided what was going to happen with The Order, Henrik became frantic. If The Order was killed, that would mean Kollen will die with it. When Kol expressed his demand of getting Ayana free from The Order before it would be killed, Henrik got an idea. 

On a night when Kol was alone, Henrik approached him.

"Hey, Kol?" 

Kol looked at him and smiled.

"Well well, would you look at that? Little Henrik is talking to me and not with Niklaus. That's new."

"Because the demand that I seek won't anywhere be nearly satisfied with Niklaus. He has become an ass also after our flee from father. Anyways, what I seek is that you convince Ayana to delink Kollen from

The Order before they are being killed. Like you'll be traveling with

Ayana, I want Kollen to travel with me."

"Delink Kollen… Henrik, that's impossible." Kol said.

"Don't lie. I heard you and Ayana talking about it and it seemed pretty possible to me."

"Henrik, that requires the sacrifice of a limb! Who on this bloody earth will do that?"

"I'll do it! I'll do the sacrifice."

"For Kollen, but why? Who is he? You have got me, Rebekah, Elijah, and your brother Nikki so why do you want Kollen too which isn't his real name!"

"You also got me, Elijah, Nikki, and Rebekah. Why do you want Ayana then?" Henrik asked.

"That's different. She's different. I love her and I would mate with her.

But who is Kollen to you? Why is he so important?"

"He's as important to me as Ayana is to you…." Henrik whispered.

Kol frowned and was speechless for a moment

"How is it possible? I love her. And you are saying… But how… He is a boy and you too are a boy…."

"I don't know-how.  But what I know is that I want him with me. Till the end of time." Henrik said.

"You must be out of your senses brother; he must've put on a spell on you…"

"Oh! You who are in love with a witch claim to be accusing a normal guy of putting on spells! Maybe Ayana put on a spell on you!"

"Don't ever think about it! I know Ayana didn't do anything of that sort!" Kol shouted with anger flooding in his eyes.

"And I know Kollen didn't too!" Henrik shouted with the same emotions due to which Kol backed.

Kol nodded, "I'll talk to Ayana."

"Good!" Henrik said and left Kol.

                              ------

Henrik was watching Grey's Anatomy on T.V. when suddenly he got a call from Kol. He didn't speak to Henrik after he left New Orleans. Which was fifteen years back. They didn't talk for fifteen years and it wasn't like they were on good terms before that too. Their relationship had been pretty rocky after Kol refused to help Henrik for delinking Kollen.

Thus, getting confused was evident.

"Hello?" Henrik asked picking up.

"Hello, Henrik?" Kol had a sense of awkwardness and vulnerability in his voice. To Henrik's surprise.

"Yeah, it's me." 

"How are you?"

Kol was nowhere interested in having deep conversations with him. So he came out straight.

"What is it Kol?"

Kol sighed as he heard it.

"Father is returning."

Henrik was shocked and terrified immediately.

"Wh—Who told you this?"

"A witch told Elijah."

There were so many questions Henrik wanted to ask but he was in no mood of talking to Kol.

"(Takes a deep breath) I'll come." Henrik hung up the call. 

All that he was missing was a threat to his life. By none other than Kol. He hated him. He wished him dead. 

                           ---Past---

"So what did Ayana said?" Henrik asked after a few days of his request when he noticed Kol was alone.

Kol searched for words for a while and then said,

"Sorry brother Henrik but Ayana is not able to do the spell."

Henry was dumfounded

"Why, what did she say?"

"Umm…. Scratch that, I did not ask her."

"Are you for real? Why?!"

"Because Henrik under no circumstances I am going to let that boy fool you. He does not care for you. He's just passing his time! You do not need him! Just live with us. Be happy with us. Because that guy is not good news for you."

Henrik was bursting into the fire.

"Well, that is my choice Kol, not yours so right now tell Ayana to do that spell! Am I clear?"

"Well granted that it's your choice but I'm your big brother and sometimes you have to do some stuff even if you don't like it and right now you may not like this but I am not letting you be with that guy!"

"Big brother?! When have you ever behaved as my big brother?!"

"Henrik, enough! I don't want to have this conversation again and don't even think of going on our backs and telling Ayana to do it because I've told her not to listen to you."

Kol left leaving Henrik in fumes.

'"Me too, but probably later." Kollen said.

"Oh, yeah! Definitely!" Henrik said before resting his head on Kollen's shoulder.

They were silent for a little while. That warehouse possessed so many fruits. And the combined smell of them was so sweet and pungent yet lovable. And in that environment, having Kollen beside Henrik was all Henrik could ever ask for.

After a few minutes, Henrik asked,

"Do you think this is strange?"

"Strange?"

"I never saw two men doing or talking about doing what we just did.

This is what a man and a woman do. So, we doing it, isn't it strange?"

"Did it feel strange?" Kollen asked.

"No. It felt peaceful and satisfying."

"I felt complete. So how can this be strange? What we feel many times can be abnormal. But what is normal? Who defines normal? For me, this; being with you is normal. But to others, it is abnormal. Normalcy is relative. 

Right now, I can look at you, your glowing face, and know that nothing in this world would be more contended. So, to answer your question, or does not feel strange. It feels good."

After saying this, Kollen kissed Henrik's forehead while Henrik closed his eyes.

Henrik looked at Kollen and chuckled,

"I think it's later." 

Kollen laughed and kissed Henrik passionately.'

Henrik was left with this memory of that day. He thought never would those moments end but then he knew. That his time with Kollen was limited. And that broke him to the core.

After that Henrik grew distant towards Kol. Neither did Kol do anything to erase the distance nor did Henrik. Everyone else noticed their cold small talks and they tried to solve it. Well, Elijah and Rebekah did but it was of no use.

Their relationship was done.

                                ------

Henrik packed his bags. He consumed the essence of his apartment completely as this would be the last time he is there. Before leaving, he gave a last look at the apartment and then left. 

He was waiting for a cab to come over when suddenly someone showed up.

"Hello, mister."

Henrik turned to see the guy smiling at him. Henrik was embarrassed.

"Hello, Dacre."

"So, you live here?" Dacre asked.

"Yes."

"Didn't expect to find it like this."

"Oh yeah? How did you expect?"

"I expected you will show it to be yourself. But alas! (Henrik nodded) It's a rich building. That means I would've been in a relationship with a rich dude."

"Yeah, Dacre listens, I am sorry I didn't show up to you…."

"It's okay. You weren't interested in me, that's fine."

"No, I was! (Dacre grew a grin) I am! It's just that I was figuring some stuff."

"That's okay. I mean we could still hit somewhere if you want."

"No, um…. Actually uh--- I am visiting New Orleans for the family business and there may be a possibility that I might not come back."  Henrik let it out.

"Oh." 

Henrik nodded.

"You know what? I know you're coming back. Because our story can't be over before it started. I believe that you'll come back, drop all your bags at your apartment, reach Green Lantern, look for me, and once I am visible, you'll come and kiss me so hard, and then, you'll say hi and that's when our story will start."

Henrik chuckled and then said,

"As you say."

After that, Dacre stopped a cab. Henrik sat inside and the cab and left off. Henrik saw how Dacre was standing; looking at him until the cab took a turn.

This was all because of Klaus. If he had said no, then Klaus would be dead but Henrik could be spending time with Dacre then. He had to accept the fact that this may be the last time he saw Dacre. And that's because of Klaus. If only he had said no.