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"WHAT ON EARTH IS A
SUGAR SHIFTER?"
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Finch let herself into Alaric's apartment with a small grin on her lips.

"Good Morning Vietnam!" She shouted, quoting a character from her favorite show.

The man let out a startled mini scream— that was impressively high pitched— twirling around to spot her before looking embarrassed with wide eyes, clearing his throat.

"Morning?" He said. Though it sounded more like a question in Finches opinion.

"Hey, so guess what?" Finch inquired while heading into his kitchen. Electing to actively ignore his little scared screech to make him feel better.

Alaric (Well Niklaus actually) raised an eyebrow while he watched her open the cabinets to his kitchen as if she lived there.

"What?" He asked in reply.

"Caroline is throwing me a party," She said dramatically before giving him an exasperated look.

He realized that she wanted some kind of a commentary so he opened his mouth to speak.

"Oh that must be awful?"

"It is Rickky!" She shouted giving him a look that said 'I can't believe you're not also freaking the fuck out.'

"She knows I don't like people and so like a party isn't exactly my go to for-tae for a celebration, you know?" She asked rhetorhetorically.

But he didn't seem to realize it was a rhetorhetoric question since he opened his mouth to answer only for her to cut him off.

"I can't believe her! And I love her to death, you know? But a girl can only handle so much social interaction on a day that's supposed to make her happy before she just drops dead!" Finch rambles out.

She flops onto his living room couch and sighs tiredly.

"Can we just watch our favorite movie series together and eat junk? I'll let you get drunk for it but only cause I'm desperate," She pleads with him.

Niklaus figures that since she had to potentially bribe him to get him to watch 'their' favorite movie. He assumed it was safe to guess it wasn't Alaric's favorite film.

She lets out a groan when he doesn't answer, assuming he was going to deny her the luxury that was the classic 'ten things I hate about you.'

"Please Ricky!" She mockingly begs him. Although she knew it was probably best not to mock him when asking for something, she just couldn't hold her tongue. She supposed that was an irritable trait of hers.

Finch had been calling Rick, Ricky mockingly for months since he drunkenly mentioned his ex calling him such in high school.

"Isn't it like... an awful movie?" He asked, trying to avoid having to figure out her favorite movie.

Finch slapped Alaric across the face, her eyes blazing with anger. The sharp sound echoed in the room, and for a moment, everything went still.

Alaric (Niklaus) stood frozen, his cheek stinging from the impact. He fought the urge to retaliate, knowing he couldn't risk blowing his cover as her friend, Alaric just yet.

His mind raced, analyzing the situation. He had faced countless enemies over the centuries, but there was something different about Finch's fury.

It was raw, unfiltered, and it hit him harder than any physical blow he'd had in the past since turning. Perhaps that was his current state of mortality.

A part of him almost admired her audacity. His lips begged to curl into a slow, unexpected smirk. He couldn't help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction.

A small breathy whisper of air escaping his lips. The slap was a reminder that he was still capable of feeling, of being caught off guard.

Despite his centuries of control and manipulation, this small, strangely fiery -over a movie- woman had managed to surprise him.

He watched Finch, her chest heaving slightly, and felt a flicker of something he hadn't felt in a long time—excitement.

The sting on his cheek was a welcome sensation, a reminder of his vulnerability, of the thrill of the game he was playing.

Niklaus's thoughts were a whirlwind. 'She's got spirit, I'll give her that. Perhaps there's more to this girl than I anticipated. This... this could be interesting.'

He remained silent, his eyes locked on Finch, his smirk still trying to deepen.

She had no idea who she was really dealing with, and for now, he intended to keep it that way. But he couldn't deny the spark of curiosity and amusement her slap had ignited within him.

"Sorry but..." She slapped him again on the other side of his face. He winced, the human body he was in, definitely wasn't as durable as his usual body.

"—Ten things I hate about you is a masterpiece!" She snapped at him. Finch noticed Alaric's dazed eyes as he nodded in what seemed to be mindless agreement.

"Wha— why are you just agreeing with me now?" She asked confused as her eyebrows furrow together.

"I've simply had a change of heart love," He said, the nickname slipping from his lips before he could stop it.

She shrugged, too overjoyed with the change to notice the nickname and plopped down on the couch while Alaric went to find the movie.

Finch smiled as the movie began. Alaric sat down beside her with an exasperated sigh.

"Regretting your decision?" She asked cheekily.

Alaric sighed and shook his head causing Finch concern.

"Are you alright?" She looked at him while she spoke.

"Yes, I'm just having a hard time..." Alaric retorted. Causing her to frown at him.

"Problems with Jenna?" She inquired softly.

Alaric— well Niklaus, shifted slightly in his seat and began to think quickly on his feet.

"Yeah. She's upset and I'm clueless as to why," He attempts to say as an excuse.

"Well you're a man so that makes sense. She's probably still upset over the whole keeping secrets thing," Finch informed him with a shrug.

"Right..." Alaric mumbled.

"Well I know what'll cheer you up," She tells him pausing the movie and turning to face him.

"Hmm, you're right that did make me feel better," Alaric says as she pauses the movie.

She shoots him an unamused look before shifting in her seat to get more comfortable. "Ha- ha Rick,"

He gives her a charming smile that looks much different than his usual smile. She blinks as her thoughts had drifted there. Quickly shaking her head to rid herself of such thoughts of her friend's current boyfriend.

"Okay. Ten things you don't hate about me, go." She said.

"How is this supposed to make me feel better?" He immediately retorted, trying to escape the situation since he truly didn't know anything about Finch.

She sighs and shakes her head. "Fine, I'll go for both of us you idiot. Now say 'Ten things I don't hate about you,'"

"Alright.... Ten things I don't hate about you," Alaric begins, pausing as he waited for her to finish the sentence.

"—You don't hate my... sense of fashion," She began trying to think of things.

Alaric laughed a little. "It's not awful. Just a bit... bright," He said, eyes scanning her colorful attire.

She rolled her eyes and ignored him. Continuing with their little game. "Two; you don't hate... my taste in snacks!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah but your taste in movies could use some fixin'" Alaric retorted and she scoffed.

"Three; You don't hate my flowers!" She smiled.

"Four; you don't hate.... My umm..." she pauses to think.

"Smile." Alaric (Niklaus) cut in.

"A smile?" She asked confused as to why he was bringing that up. Not having expected him to actually give an answer.

"I don't hate your smile. In fact it's quite nice," He said staring at her smiling lips.

Finch seemed to visibly brighten at the words. Like a glow of sunshine surrounding her thanks to the sudden compliment. "Oh,"

She shook off the flutter of butterflies in her stomach and quickly refocused on her friend. Ignoring the multitude of questions that rained down on her. 'Why is he suddenly so much more... appealing?' She wondered.

After a few minutes they get to the last line.

"Okay and Ten; you don't hate that I'm a sugar shifter..." She began slowly.

"...even though you're our local hunter." She added with a small chuckle.

"Finch?" Alaric interrupted.

"Mhm?" She hummed turning to face him again.

"Could you like fully explain what a sugar shifter is again?" He inquired.

Finch looked at him oddly but nodded. "Well okay but don't forget again cause it's a pain in the ass to explain. So don't get too drunk and forget everything again."

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