A/N: Day 8 of 25 Days of Christmas. Prompt: Snow

Happy Reading!

xxx

EDIT: After one of my lovely reviewers pointing it out, I decided to refer to Chai-Tea as Chai only, as it translates to Tea-Tea in Hindi (and some other languages as well, as I was told by a friend).

Caroline and Klaus met in Central Park.

Klaus was running. He ran everyday, always from 5 o'clock until 6:30 in the morning. He started the habit when him and Elijah started their law firm together. His work was stressful, he barely had time for a life outside of work and he had take-out at least five times a week, it wasn't a healthy lifestyle, to put it lightly.
Caroline was on her way home from a party. Today was one of her few days off after all, and her best friend just got engaged, so they had to celebrate. Bonnie coordinated her whole wedding planning with Caroline's schedule, because Miss Caroline Forbes was not only her maid of honour but her wedding planner as well. They were all so excited about the wedding, and when Bonnie asked her if she'd be up to plan the wedding as well, Caroline just couldn't refuse her. She loved her friends and planning the wedding of one of them was the highest honour.

It was about 6 o'clock when Caroline walked through Central Park, a steaming cup of Chai in her glove-clad hands, because it was November and fucking cold. The ground was covered in a thin sheet of snow and Caroline wore her favourite black High Heels. She just had to walk for another 20 minutes until she would have reached home, home sweet home, where she would get out of this dress and those shoes, snuggle up under her covers and sleep until the next century came around and her already blooming headache wasn't a thing anymore. She didn't even remember why she thought that walking home instead of taking a cab seemed a good idea in the first place. Katherine probably talked her into it, claiming it would sober her up and lessen the hangover. And the cold certainly did sober Caroline up, but that wasn't exactly good when she was freezing, her feet hurt and she just wanted to arrive at home already.
So when Klaus jogged around the corner she just took she didn't pay attention to her surroundings (of course) and spilled her tea all over the front of her coat, which was now most certainly ruined.
"Bloody hell." he cursed, taking his earphones out when he realized what just happened.
Caroline just gaped, staring down at herself as she felt the liquid soaking her clothing.
"Fuck, no. Not this coat." she whined, her brow furrowed.
Klaus took a step towards her, finally drawing her attention from herself to him.
"I am so sorry." he said. Caroline instantly liked his voice. It was deep and smooth and the guy had a British accent. But she didn't have time to swoon over that just now, he just ruined her favourite coat after all.
"Thanks, but saying sorry won't un-ruin it." she replied, taking a piece of soaked cloth between her fingertips. She tried to peel it away from her dress, but everything that happened was that a loud smacking resounded; looked like her dress was wet enough to be stuck to the coat.
"I'll pay for the cleaning, that's the least I can do." he replied, trying to make amends with the distraught blonde.
"Well, that won't work on this coat. It's dry-clean only, and as far as I know the dry-clenaing process doesn't involve tea. At all." Caroline sighed. She really loved that coat.
"That's unfortunate. But I can't just leave you with a ruined coat which will probably be frozen on the moist spots by the time you're home." he replied.
Caroline tilted her head in thought, looking at him. The stranger was right, he couldn't just leave her with a ruined piece of favourite clothing, he had to repay her somehow.
"How about you give me your number and I'll come up with a way you can repay me." Caroline suggested, already rummaging through her purse for her phone.
"Sounds good to me." Klaus replied, smiling at her. "I'm Niklaus Mikaelson, by the way. But people call me Klaus." he introduced himself as he typed on Caroline's phone.
"Caroline Forbes. Most people call me Care though." she replied as she put her phone back into her purse.
"I'll hear from you, Caroline?" he asked, a smirk playing around his lips.
"Or read." she corrected, smiling as they waved goodbye before she continued on her way home and he continued his morning routine.