Disclaimer: As per usual, nothing belongs to me.
Pairing: Klaus and Caroline
Summary: He thinks of her. Not all the time, mind you. It's more in a flash. A whiff of fragrance in the air, the way the light breaks into a specific shade of blue. That is how she haunts him, his everyday actions - unexpected and always with a lazy smile on her face. The happiness on her face is what resides behind his eyes. Klaroline AU
AN: An AU Klaroline story. After being beaten by the Mystic Falls gang once again all Klaus wants is to be left alone with his scotch. But in a place as small as MF can he really avoid running into them, or a certain blonde vampire? This is my first proper attempt at writing this pairing and my take on the whole Klaus leaving Mystic Falls plot so I'd love to hear what you guys think!
-CK-
The things remained the same. Same old town and same old people walking around in it. Nothing much has changed since that fateful day. He was here before, yet it was all the same. For him now, after all this time, everything was the same.
As the bartender approached he greeted him with a smile and a simple order. His mother always said you have to keep up the appearances. Well that was exactly what he was doing. After all, this entire place despised him and wanted him gone. No matter what he would not oblige. Many before wanted him gone too and in the end it was them that ended on the permanent side of things.
As light as situation was for the goody gang on the other side of the bar celebrating their newest victory over him, he didn't mind. Soon the wind would change and then they would be back to trying to remove him from existence. Mikael tried. His family tried. His enemies, and always he was the one that stood on the other side to live another day.
As years had gone by he always fought and cared with such passion while thinking how they all could fear him so and yet always try to destroy him. Now he had given up on reasons. They wanted him to be the villain and he shall not disappoint.
He will give them a target. Someone to hate and blame all their misery on. He can take it. Has done so for centuries. Life has now become nothing more than a settled motion through which he ran. It didn't matter who will win or lose. He was just there to play his part. When he thought about it he couldn't even remember the last time he did something without anyone planning his demise. He just wanted to be. No need for a villain or evil that is haunting down the others. Besides his family and the damn doppelganger he can't recall he haunted anyone in this century. Sure be had cursed and threatened how he will haunt down those who don't listen to him yet he never did.
Even now the do-gooders of Mystic Falls were running circles around him unafraid of what he would do. He wasn't like his father. Mikael commanded the fear like his own weapon and you couldn't be in his presence without feeling it.
While him, the bastard, was more what the moment asked of him to be. If it wanted a killer, con artist, devious planner, evil doer he would be. Never asked and never questioned. It didn't matter. So after all his time on this earth that is what he had become at his core, a vile and disgusting creature that everyone feared and loathed. Nobody knew him or wanted to.
Except for his family. They had to. The guilt of spawning such creatures in the night is shared between them and they feel loyal to him as being part of the cause.
The little gang that was celebrating their endeavors went outside and left him to his thoughts. At the end of the day that was all he had. Before, he came here in order to scout and understand the battlefield that would become of this place and now he just let it all simmer down into an unimportant speck on his mind wall. Nothing to be concerned about. Time to move on and forget this place. His stuff is packed and ready to be shipped to another place. Like always he didn't have a home. No matter how much he wanted to.
Soon after, he was drawn out of his thoughts by somebody setting themselves down next to him. He really didn't want them here to gloat about their triumphs. Just leave him be. Before he could cast his gaze upon the intruder a wonderful perfume in form of a vanilla scent invaded his nose and his mind went blank. He knew who was there. The one person he didn't want to see right now.
Keeping up the appearances was what he would do. Nobody will see through his mask.
"Hello Caroline. What brings the little ol' you to the big bad wolf."
With that he looked at her and again was startled by how much the sight of her could impact him. As a matter of fact everyone knew about his infatuation with the said girl but none of them knew how deep he was in. They thought it was just him playing mind games. She thought so probably too and no matter how many times he told himself differently it bothered him. Damn her for being so captivating.
"Klaus." was all she said before turning to the bar to signal the barmen for the order. He seemed to know her and so he just shouted along the lines of the usual and was on his way. She always got along with everyone, even him. When no one wanted to she was the one that found herself in the cross hairs and as the time passed he became obsessed with her, how she worked and what made her tick. Not just that, he wanted to know everything there was to know about her and he persisted in finding out but was rebuked every time he tried.
She was a challenge and he liked it.
"Well I thought that even the losing side shouldn't drink alone. No matter how much we are all glad that it is you."
His mood darkened. He didn't need nor want her pity. Didn't she realize how all of this was unimportant to him? These petty mind games just didn't interest him. He was always frank about her. About his intentions but she always chose that useless boy. The one who was still alive solely because he mattered to her. He didn't want to hurt her. Still her pity was another blow to his already wounded pride.
"Thank you for your concern love but I can manage on my own just fine. I am old enough to drink. No need to worry that I will harm your friends in my rage."
She studied him for a bit and the bartender came back with her drink. She thanked him and turned towards him.
"No one should drink alone. Not even you Klaus."
Well she didn't have to put it like that for he may think that she cared and that would be a huge mistake.
He couldn't give her his trust because she did use him before. He was afraid of it. To distance himself from her he said, "You won't have to worry for much longer. I am leaving Mystic Falls."
He swore he heard her sharp intake but convinced himself that it didn't matter. It was probably relief. To finally be rid of him for good. Her stumbling over her words that came out of her mouth was anything but a clear sign that she wanted him gone. Her sharp eyes locked on him like a hawk filled with panic and bewilderment, but as she realized who was before her she covered it up with quick sass.
"Finally got bored of the small city. After it brought you to your knees you flee somewhere else. Won't Rebekah be bothered to be leaving so suddenly?"
She couldn't leave it alone it would seem as she pushed until he gave up on being indifferent but he will give her an out before he took her passive questionnaire.
"I don't care. I am the one who is leaving and my dear siblings can decide for themselves. They did betray me at one time or the other in the past events. As you see I am in no mood for company. Just want to finish my drink and be on my merry way."
His gaze settled on her and he was quick to see that somehow that bothered her and he just couldn't let himself believe. She was a distraction before. Who knows what her role was now and he was getting tired of them all. Still he couldn't help but bitterly say the words that spilled from his mouth before he could stop them.
"No more excuses needed for you love on why you hang around such a terrible creature. I am sure you and your friends will be delighted to finally be rid of me."
As soon as he said that his hand reached for his drink and be downed it, clearly being upset over the fact that he just couldn't control his emotions around her. His wolf side seemed a real curse now. But he was startled with a strangely blank reply from the woman next to him.
"I'm sure they would be."
All the while her hands cradled her glass and she gazed lost in whatever her mind managed to conjure for her to focus on.
He was left hanging a bit. What did it mean? Was she referring only her friends and not herself or was it implied that she was already happy and it didn't need to be said? He told himself how he was not going to let her play with his mind and only a couple of words in and he was already analyzing every little syllable that came out of her delectable lips. Damn it he really couldn't control himself around her.
No matter what he said she still mattered. He cursed his weakness for this young vampire. Even if he was a thousand years old he still found himself falling over for her attention since the moment he really looked at her. Never was he so sure he was under a spell as he was when he was in her company.
Even now he felt that whatever she wished for him to do, it would be done without a second thought or plan and he hated it. The lack of control. He wanted to show her everything. Damn it all to hell.
"Klaus?"
Obviously day dreaming was another one of his past times when she was concerned.
"What..."
He looked at her and found her anxiously looking at him before the words fell from her mouth, hands gesturing in attempt to convey what her words couldn't. He couldn't even pretend that it didn't amuse him.
"I am not good with words, but I do want to say that maybe all I said earlier wasn't justified. I understand what it takes for you to be around us in this place where we are all supposed to be more than happy to see you die. Now more than ever we don't know what you want, leaving Mystic Falls so suddenly. After so long you held a vice like grip on this place full of your secret plans that ensured your future and now you want to leave. No matter what happened that sounds strange. So what is it that you're seeking now Klaus? What is it that you want, hm?"
She looked helplessly towards him. Her face flushed with embarrassment and eyes that told a different story. He didn't want to appear as if mattered to him and yet again he couldn't help but say it, his gaze locking with hers as he moved closer to her.
"You know what I want, love."
Caroline was looking at him with an expectant look and he couldn't help but smile. Her gaze fell on his lips and he felt as if his whole body was on fire but he relented. He backed away and poured himself another drink from the bottle all the while looking at her. Time to pose a question to her.
"What about you Caroline?"
And with that their connection was broken and she closed herself off from him. Always such a mystery, this girl to him. She focused back on watching the people around the bar while her hands played with her glass.
"I know that there are things I should do. College and just being on my own for a while. To grow into my own shoes away from this place, to see what it actually means to be me. You know, without being under the pressure of this place and the expectations of it."
He always knew that this place wasn't for her. Her fierce spirit demanded attention from the world. Eager to learn and adapt as he has been all those years ago.
"Surely you being one of the originals did your fair share of growing and understanding. That is why you're probably as strong and as prepared for whatever life throws at you. But on the other side, it is also what made you so jaded in the first place. But no matter what, that is a chance and a choice that I want for myself also. No matter the outcome."
With that she looked back at him as if needing his permission and acceptance on her little theory and plans. So eager for everyone's approval still. One of the first mistakes he made. He has long realized that is what he needed to stop searching, but seeing her so happy and expectant he didn't want to ruin the illusion. Never say that he was nothing more than a bad guy.
He knew how much it meant to preserve the spirit and that will. For Caroline he hopes she keeps it for a long time because he couldn't remember when he lost his. He only remembered when be felt the spark of it, coming back for the first time in a while. The moment he met her. That is why he wanted her to keep that part of herself, because it was the part of her that was capable of forgiveness and light. Maybe even somewhere down the road she'll understand and consider his.
But after so much time he has simply stopped making excuses for himself or who he was. Let them live a thousand years and claim to be different. They just don't know any better yet and hopefully one day she will.
Maybe this silence that followed was the sign of a fragile friendship they began to form amidst all of the drama that presented itself, as just another obstacle to ruin any chance of him being seen as anything other than a monster. Yet this monster caught her eye, of that he was sure. No matter how much they claimed to be a tight group, always there for each other, he still has witnessed cracks in that armor. The curse of feelings and human weaknesses. The envy and spite somehow had found its course into their little group and now they were being eaten from inside.
He knew this because that was what happened to his own family. It is why most of them resided in coffins waiting to face the light of day. The mighty original family falling to the whims of humans. He wouldn't believe it if he hadn't lived through those moments himself.
Now he saw the same in them. It is why Caroline in spite of all he had done, looked his company or didn't do much to discourage his obvious fancy of her. Because at the end of the day young Caroline wanted to finally be first on someone's list. He had seen how she resented always playing the second fiddle to Elena. As far as he was concerned all that Elena was good for as being a blood bag for his hybrid. Nothing else. Caroline, she was so much more. He really shouldn't be so distracted in her presence because once more she as like magic to him. He couldn't help but succumb to her every time.
Focusing back on reality and her, he couldn't help but open up a little about his own thoughts and ambitions when he was a young vampire.
"I am sure you will be sublime in all your endeavors love. I remember when I was younger the world grew and surged before my eyes. I couldn't help but want to consume all it had to offer. The history, culture and secrets waiting to be unlocked if you provide the necessary attention. I was like a man possessed. I wanted it all."
He looked over to her to see her listening intently, mesmerized by his story and his background. In that moment she was magnificent and he couldn't help but say while locking his eyes with hers, "I guess much hasn't changed since then..."
With her, he wanted it all. The more somber question was, would she ever let him? That was a question he was afraid of. The answer could wait for all eternity for all he cared, as long as she would let him try. Again and again.
The young vampire couldn't hold his gaze for long and her eyes drifted back to her drink. Still he didn't miss the slight blush that covered her cheeks. It was always refreshing to know that he affected her at least in small portion in relation to how much he was always affected by her. Small victories perhaps are all he will have when it comes to her. He will take them.
The one thing he learned is that these young ones needed a good shrink and as much as he wanted to stay here and listen to her life plans he needed to move on. At least a bit, the distance can mend what was standing before him, unattainable and suffocating him with every breath he took. Another moment lost. Parting words were probably the best he could think he had to share with her. The more they stay here, the more he will forget that she doesn't really like him and he will open his black gates of memory and she will be once again revolted at the kind of creature he was.
She was also lost in her thoughts. Maybe she was also tired of the real world, but the silence was the best path for them. At least for a while. He will be patient for any signs of change. Just biding his time.
"Caroline, maybe it is for the best in the end."
She snapped back to reality and looked at him with a curiosity rare few paid him. She was always interested in what he had to share. How much she will appreciate this, only time will tell.
"Another plot line Klaus? Finally going to reveal what all this has been about? Still can't take a hint?"
There was that bite and pride. They suffered from the same weakness after all. He ignored her remarks and continued what he wanted to say.
"You as unwilling as you are to admit it now or ever, are interested in me. Thousand years have thought me that reading people is essential for survival. So I will roll the dice and let it fall in your hands."
Her eyes widened in wonder and bewilderment, her nerves showing by the way she bit her lips. She listened.
"You said I was in love with you before and I wasn't clear with you. It gave you another reason to dodge and edge away from me. Another reason to ignore. Now I will be frank with you. It's a simple truth."
A laugh escaped him. He was never this vulnerable, but at the same time he wanted to risk it, wanted to move on from this stalemate so he will roll the dice and hope she would follow.
"I am in love with you, Caroline."
Then the most remarkable thing happened. She stopped breathing, her mouth opening as if to negate what he has just said but as she held his gaze no sound came out.
It finally came to an end, this invisible struggle inside him and between them. He was ready, in time maybe she would be also. This uncertainty, not knowing things five steps ahead usually had him run for the hills before but now he stood and stayed. Facing her doubt and disbelief with a bated breath. Daring her to question his love. He knew she couldn't.
He reached out and moved a wondering strand of her hair behind her ear. He wanted to have something mundane as this, to commit to his memory. A moment of normalcy he shared with her.
"Have a brilliant life Caroline. A hope of thousand years before you. I will see to it that you have them. From afar or before you is your choice."
He got up, leaving her stunned and lost. Well she wanted a choice. Now she got to decide if he was her first choice, for she was clearly his.
Simple and clean. His exit was nothing dramatic, a fade into the background. He always loved being the part of shadows, for they blend with time. He could feel her eyes on him but he didn't have the urge to look back. He said what mattered - everything else was up to her.
The do-gooders glanced at him wearily and then worriedly back at Caroline. Let them worry - he had done what he had set out to do. If any of them chose to cross him at some point in the future he will not be as forgiving as he was in Mystic Falls for the world plays by different rules and he knew them all. Here he was tamed. Out there he was a completely different animal.
A slow smile spread on his face as he breathed the night's air. A beautiful evening after all.
-ÇK-
The paint is still fresh on the canvas and it looks like a well-worn memory. He had left it all behind him. A pitiful town that held so much promise. A promise he willingly ignores for quite a while now.
What can he say? There are days he wishes his memory wasn't as good as it is. Curses his Original blood. But time and distance, age old remedies. That and Johnny Walker.
The boots on his feet are worn for he has traveled far, rekindled the joy of being on his own. Away from expectations and devious conspiracies. Here he just is. Nothing more, nothing less.
He paints to heal and learn to forgive. Himself and others, for the rage can bite unexpectedly and in a second. He was a creature of habit after all. There is no changing him.
He is in a place where nature is all around him. Reminds him of old times. Away from the noise and expectations. A place where he can enjoy the solitude and the thrill of the hunt.
He thinks of her. Not all the time, mind you. It's more in a flash. A whiff of fragrance in the air, the way the light breaks into a specific shade of blue. The way he loves her. In a shade away from the sun he will picture her on the canvas. She would be sitting and enjoying the light. He could see it all until it pales and is gone.
That is how she haunts him, his everyday actions - unexpected and always with a lazy smile on her face. The happiness on her face is what resides behind his eyes.
On the other hand, he still kills. Still hunts, couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to. Not that he wants to. He knows who he is.
Soon he will return to the world. Maybe see her and get that rush back, or a headache at her constant yelling at him not being able to take a hint. Even the world doesn't miss him, but he misses her and she will be the first thing he sees when he gets back, from afar blended in the shadows. He will see her, a careless smile and that vanilla scent flowing through air. She will be happy and he will be gone before she even realizes.
Enough of the silence, it was time to leave this cottage and fight once more the age old battle. The battle of greed and pride. He will once again sit on the throne. Alone and unchallenged.
He is the devil after all.
With the bag slumped over his shoulder he glances around the place. It was his for a while now. He didn't grow attached, probably won't miss it at all. With the heavy thumping of his boots on the hardwood floor as his only send of he steps outside, closing the door.
What waits for him outside stops him dead in his tracks.
A carefree smile and a vanilla scent. She is happy.
A smile that matches his. They are the same after all.
And when it came to her he never could help himself.