Bus Stop
Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries.
Author's Notes: This is originally a KPOP fanfic of my, which I edited to fit the TVD universe. AU story
o-o-o-o-o
He would see her in the bus stop every night.
She was a tall, slender lady with shiny blonde hair and bright blue eyes that shone even in the darkness. She went to that same bus stop around the same time every night; the same bus stop that was on the corner of the street where the bookstore he and his siblings owned was. He saw her every night heading home just as he was about to do so himself; he in his Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster and she in the passenger bus.
In every night that he saw her head home, he felt like he was witnessing bits and pieces of her life. Sometimes, he'd see her so happy that her eyes glowed along with the bright smile on her face. Sometimes, he'd see her so tired that he worried that she couldn't reach home before she fell fast asleep. And there were times that he saw tears fall from her normally bright eyes as she walked past his bookstore. As rare as those nights were, they weren't easily forgotten.
Klaus Mikaelson was never one to believe at love at first sight and despite his fascination with this blonde beauty, he still didn't. What he felt about her wasn't love… well, not yet. It was still a simple crush. He was certain of at least that much. Did he want it to become more than that? Hell, yes. It was just a matter of time, good luck and a lot of effort.
"Brother, snap out of it." Kol elbowed him not so kindly in the ribs, causing him to snap out of his thoughts.
"Kol." He made a face at his younger brother. "I was just thinking about something."
"I know, I know." He waved it off nonchalantly. "I know you were thinking about her again."
His ears tinged pink. "Who 'her'?"
"That tall, blonde noona who passes here every time she goes home." Kol rolled his eyes at the stunned expression that crossed Klaus's face. "There's not much you can hide from me, you know. I'm your brother for a reason."
"What makes you think I was thinking about her?"
"You're blushing."
He scowled. "I'm not!"
Kol rolled his eyes good naturedly. "Why don't you just approach her and say hi? It wouldn't hurt to try."
"How about… No." Klaus made a face. "Can we not talk about this right now, brother? There's still a lot of work to do"
"Suit yourself." He shrugged; the two brothers roaming around their bookstore to see if everything was in order. "You might run out of chances."
o-o-o-o-o
It was one of those nights that Klaus decided to stay behind and help his staff close up the bookstore. It also was one of those nights when the rain poured so hard as if it'd never rain anymore after that. His staff had worried about not being able to go home on time because of the rain and he had let them go early, saying that he could close down the store on his own. He had a car anyway, safely tucked inside the indoor parking behind the store. It really was much harder to ride public transport when it was raining. Klaus suddenly stilled and his attention from the books on the counter to the entrance of the bookstore, watching as the rain pelted the floor to ceiling glass windows.
Does she have an umbrella?
Klaus worriedly his lips into a thin line as he glanced at the nearby clock. It was that time of the night when he'd usually see her walk past by the store on her way to the bus stop. Did she pass by already? Was she stranded somewhere? Did someone offer her a ride home? Klaus moved away from the counter towards the window, squinting his eyes to get a better look outside. There wasn't much that he could see thanks to the rain and the evening sky.
Before he could turn away, a flash of blue, red and blonde caught his eye.
He pressed himself against the window, muttering under his breath as he tried to get a better look. It was her and she was running under the heavy rain to get to the bus stop. Klaus suddenly became frazzled, not knowing what to do. Should he offer to drive her home? But that might freak her out. Should he offer her shelter in the bookstore? But what if she really needed to come home already? Looking around, Klaus found an umbrella by the door, hurriedly grabbing it before he ran out of the door.
Struggling to open the umbrella thanks to the strong winds, he ran after her, hoping that neither of them would slip as they went. Klaus could see that she merely had her bag to cover her head but that was pointless thanks to the wind. Finally opening the umbrella and shielding himself from the rain, Klaus slowed down as she came to a halt by the bus stop, craning her neck in vain to see if the next scheduled bus was arriving.
His heart beat wildly in his chest as he moved closer and closer to her, stopping when he was close enough. With his shaking free hand, he reached out to tap her shoulder; his breath hitching in his throat when she turned around. It awed him how beautiful she was even when she was soaked thanks to the rain. Offering the best smile he could, he handed her the umbrella, running off back to the bookstore before she could say anything.
o-o-o-o-o
"Hey!" Kol appeared from the children's section. "This area's all set already."
"Same here!" Rebekah chirped from her spot among the cookbooks.
"Here too." Elijah added, placing the last biography book in his hand in its rightful shelf.
Klaus grinned, turning his attention to the entrance. "Tyler, we can open the shop now."
The store's manager nodded, flipping the sign from closed to open. It was a brand new day and needless to say, everyone was happy to see the sun again. Business had been slow thanks to the bad weather and now that the weather was perfect, they could definitely expect an increase for the day's sales. Klaus nodded to himself, finishing arranging the books on the table of new arrivals when Elijah approached him.
"What are you going to be up to today?"
Klaus paused for a moment in thought. "It's my turn to pick the books we'll feature for next month… and I have to do my rounds in the publishing houses assigned to me."
"You want me to come with you?" He asked.
"I'll manage." The younger of the two men grinned. "And isn't it your day off today?"
Elijah shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't have anything to do at home anyway."
"Klaus! Klaus!" Kol came running towards them before he could even say anything. "Brother!"
"What? What?" He asked. "What's wrong?"
"Look!"
Klaus turned towards the direction his brother was pointing at; his eyes widening and his jaw nearly hitting the floor when he saw her. Even in the simple way she dressed she had managed to take his breath away like she usually did. He was about to question why she was there when he noticed the familiar object in her hand. The umbrella he lent her last night.
"I… Uh… I'll be at the back if you need me."
"You chicken." Kol hooked a finger on his collar before Klaus could leave, keeping him in place. "Here's your chance to talk to her. What the hell are you waiting for?"
He looked at him with wide eyes. "Kol, let go of me."
Elijah rolled his eyes, leaving the two to approach the mystery woman and offering her a polite smile in greeting. "Good morning. How may I help you?"
"Uh… Hi." She stammered in her reply. "I'm looking for this guy… I'm pretty sure he works here. Tall, blonde, curly hair… I, uh, need to return something to him."
He pointed to where Klaus and Kol stood. "Are you talking about him?"
Klaus had wanted to run off but Kol had promptly stepped on his foot; the older of the two barely containing his yelp of pain. But as much as he was shy enough to run, the shy yet relieved smile on her face kept him where he was… Well, aside from Kol's hold on his collar. Smiling gratefully at Elijah, the tall blonde beauty made her way over; Kol removing Klaus from his hold when she was close enough.
Kol cleared his throat, offering a smile. "Excuse me."
Klaus inwardly cursed his brother as the younger man left, offering a shy smile at the lady before him. "H-How may I help you?"
"I…" With her cheeks turning bright red, she held out the umbrella. I'm here to return this."
"Oh… You can keep it." He silently yelled at himself to calm down. "It might rain again tonight."
She shook her head. "No, it's okay. I have my umbrella now. I accidently forgot it yesterday even when the weather guy on TV said there was a high chance it was going to rain and…" Trailing off, her cheeks turned redder. "I'm sorry. I have this tendency to ramble."
Klaus laughed softly; his dimples showing. God, she was cute. "It's okay."
"So, yeah… Here's your umbrella." A shy smile crossed her face as he accepted the object. "Thank you for helping me out last night. I really appreciate it."
"It's nothing." He rubbed the back of his neck timidly with his free hand. "Are you sure you don't wanna keep it?"
"I'm sure." Checking her watch, a slight frown appeared on her beautiful. "I'm sorry but I have to go. I can't be late for work."
Klaus fought to keep the disappointment from showing on his face. "Take care of yourself."
"You too." She waved her goodbye, before turning around and heading for the exit.
The curly haired man let out an inaudible sigh, mumbling under his breath as he, too, left and headed for the storage room. "That went well…"
"Hey!"
Klaus straightened up, turning around himself to find the tall woman still in the bookstore. "Yes?"
"I didn't get your name." The blonde said sheepishly.
"Klaus Mikaelson." He managed to say despite the distraction that his rapidly beating heart was being. "My name is Klaus."
"Caroline Forbes." She introduced, waving goodbye once more before she did leave.
o-o-o-o-o
Klaus let out a sigh of relief as he placed the last book out of place back in its shelf, more than thankful that he was alone to close down the store. As much as Rebekah and Kol were supportive, they had been annoyingly pestering him about Caroline Forbes. Klaus was eternally grateful that Elijah had more sense than the two; the latter managing to convince Kol and Rebekah to get coffee so that Klaus could get his peace and quiet. Speaking of Caroline Forbes… Klaus was about to check his watch when a knock on the window caught his attention.
It was Caroline.
Half curious and half elated about the fact that she was there, Klaus made his way to the front, opening the door for her. "Hi…"
"Hey." She grinned. "Do you mind if I come in?"
He shook his head, moving aside to let her in. "Your work's done?"
"Yep. Finally." Caroline took one good around from where she stood. "You really do work here?"
The curly haired man closed the door. "Sort of."
She immediately realized her mistake. "You own this place, don't you?"
"Well, yeah…" Klaus admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
"That's really cool." The blonde grinned as she walked towards one of the shelves. "But why a bookstore?"
"Why not?" He answered, chuckling when she stuck her tongue out at him. "My siblings and I like to read and that's where it started."
Caroline nodded, absently skimming the titles of the books before her. "What's your favourite book?"
"I have quite a lot, actually… one too many to list." Klaus chuckled. "Yours?"
"I don't get to buy that many books because of my pay but…" She trailed off for a moment. "My favourite is Gone with The Wind."
"Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler?" His eyebrows rose in interest. "Wow."
Caroline giggled. "You sound like I just did magic or something.
"It's not that. It's just that most of the girls these days always answer Twilight or…" He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "50 Shades of Grey."
She rolled her eyes. "I like to read Literature… those two are anything but."
"Good point." Klaus conceded easily. "Why did you drop by? Is there something I can help you with?"
"No, nothing like that… I was on my way to the bus stop when I saw you packing up. I thought I'd come and say hi." Caroline glanced at her watch. "Speaking of which, I have to get going. I don't want to get home so late."
He grabbed the keys from the counter. "I'll bring you to the bus stop."
"No, it's okay." The blonde shook her head. "It's not too far of a walk."
"Humor me." A smile made its way to his face and Caroline couldn't help but find him and his dimpled smile cute. "Besides, I'm about to lock up the place and head home myself."
"Suit yourself." She grinned appreciatively.
Waiting until Klaus had the bookstore locked and secure, the pair silently made their way to the bus stop. Klaus wondered how his luck had changed and now he was walking with Caroline instead of him watching her do it alone. They weren't exactly friends yet but they were at least acquaintances now. Did that mean he'd get to speak with her more often? He hoped so.
"Oh! Just in time." Caroline commented as the bus slowed down in front of them before she turned to Klaus. "Thanks for walking with me."
"No problem." He smiled easily. "Take care of yourself on your way home, okay?"
"You too." A beat passed. "Good night, Klaus."
"Good night, Caroline."
o-o-o-o-o
That was how their daily routine began. Since then, Caroline would always make it a point to pass by the bookstore before and after work, prompting Klaus to volunteer himself to be the one to close the store in the evening. Every time Caroline had dropped by after work, she always ended up staying in the bookstore with Klaus; the pair chatting animatedly about books and anything that came to mind. Each night always ended the same with Klaus walking Caroline to the bus stop and watching her head home.
"Nik!" Kol whined. "You guys have been doing this… bus stop routine for how many weeks now! Can't you ask her out on a date, already?"
"What? No!" He exclaimed as he picked up a Geronimo Stilton book from the floor and returned it to the shelf. "I don't wanna freak her out. And I fail to see how this is any of your business, brother"
"But you love her, Nik." Rebekah spoke from er other side. "I'm pretty sure she's in love you with you already too."
"I don't know about that." Klaus shook his head as they joined Elijah by the cashier. "What if she doesn't?"
Klaus looked up from the counter, shaking his head before he clamped a hand on Klaus's shoulder. "You, my brother, are blind."
o-o-o-o-o
"Klaus?" Caroline poked her head inside the bookstore, hesitating to fully step in. "Klaus? Are you here?"
"Over here!" He answered; the curly haired man standing between a row of shelves.
The blonde stepped inside. "Are you busy? Do you want me to go ahead?"
"No, no. I'm finishing up." Satisfied that everything was in order, he stepped out of the aisle. "Ready to head home?"
A look of confusion crossed her face. Weren't they going to chat a bit before heading home? "Are you in a hurry?"
"Not really." He shook his head, grabbing his bag from where he left it. "I thought of riding the bus with you today."
Her eyes went wide. "But… But what about your car?"
"I lent it to Kol for tonight. He's trying to impress this girl named Bonnie and well, I thought I should help." Klaus grinned. "Shall we go?"
"Have you ridden the bus before?"
"Uh… No." He admitted sheepishly. "But one of my staff taught me how to. He gave me directions."
She raised her eyebrows. "Are you sure? I don't want you getting lost in the middle of the night."
"I'm sure. Don't worry." Klaus grinned, slinging the bag on his shoulder before offering her his free arm. "Shall we go?"
Caroline blushed crimson but looped her hand around his arm nonetheless as they left the bookstore. Though she had to let go of him as he locked up, Klaus had offered his arm again to her as they silently made their way to the bus stop. It had only between a minute or two when it arrived and Caroline had gone through the process of teaching him how to properly pay the fare. Settling on a two-seater in the front row, his eyes were round and wide as he paid attention to everything around him, wanting to savor his first public bus ride.
Klaus had realized how much he was missing in life. He had been born and raised in a well off family and he always had a car to his disposal all his life. But he was certain that nothing compared to the feeling he had as he toured the city like it was his first time; Caroline pointing out interesting things they passed by that he never noticed when he was driving.
"I'm going down in the next stop." Caroline forced a smile on her face, not wanting to part from him just yet. "You'll go down two stops after mine, okay? Don't forget."
"I won't." He nodded solemnly, suddenly reaching for his bag. "Wait. I nearly forgot to give you something."
The blonde waited patiently; a look of curiosity crossing her beautiful face when he placed a wrapped item in her hands. "What's this?"
"Open it on your way home." Klaus replied vaguely. "It's a book and I think you'll like it. There was something I wanted to explain to you but I think the book would do a better job."
"I'm sure I'd like it already." She grinned. "Thanks, Klaus."
The bus slowed down, signalling that they had reached her stop. "Take care of yourself, alright?"
"I should say the same to you." Startling at the curly haired man, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss on his cheek. "Good night."
"G-Good night."
Caroline stood from her seat, waving goodbye before she got off the bus. She laughed when Klaus waved at her through the window and she waved again, keeping her hand up until the bus began to move and he had disappeared from sight. A sigh escaped her lips as she began to walk towards the direction of her house; her attention falling on the wrapped book in her hand. What was it that he wanted to say but couldn't? What was it that he had to say but he was using a book to say it? With her curiosity getting the best of her, she torn open the wrapper; her eyes falling on the title of the Cecelia Ahern novel.
P.S. I Love You