I know I said this chapter will be up tomorrow but obviously another day on this is not necessary! Enjoy lovelies :D
The pale glow of the early morning dances around his face. The last strands of the red rays frame his soft features with a lazy haze. It takes her breath away, plunging her once more into the blue pools of his eyes. Today, they strangely match the sky. Their clarity and softness inspiring a tranquility unlike any she's ever seen painted across his face before. There is a languid smile, almost too laid back to belong to him gracing the full curve of his lips. His defined cheekbones uplifted in a manner too content to be tangible. And those same blue orbs that would leave her to drown are smiling most effortlessly, too. His expression unchanged, he reaches into his pocket, takes out his cell phone and briefly types into it. Hers whines next to her, as if as disturbed by awakening from the moment as she is. It is a message from him.
Yes. It says.
He is confused. Then he is angry. Then frustrated. Then resigned.
Caroline, through the thrilling and dramatic saga of watching her muse who happens to be her boss's brother no less, sits slack-jawed in the comfortable leather chair next to Elijah's desk. Her mind has completely stopped working around the time her arti- Niklaus walked into the room and never quite managed to collect its wits yet. She is stuck between utter awe at seeing him out of the usual circumstance and complete shock at how close they have been without her even realizing it.
The silently heated argument between the two brothers is incomprehensible to Caroline. Sign language has never been something she thought of learning, although she suspects that even if they are talking a language she understands, the entire conversation would go completely unnoticed by her. Instead, she is captured by the movement of his hands and his elegant fingers. Even in this moment, as his gestures appear to be frustrated, there is something so utterly mesmerizing about them. Shaking herself out of her reverie, she attempts to focus on anything else, and this time she is caught in his frown wearing face. She has seen him somber, thoughtful, content, peaceful and even sad but she's never seen him angry or frustrated before. It is not as unpleasant as she has thought it might be. There is something rather…. Intriguing about this uncontained state he is in.
Oh if only Kathrine can get into my head right now. I would never hear the end of it.
She doesn't know how long it takes the brothers to resolve their conflict. Between her shock and the trance Niklaus has lured her into, she has completely lost sense of time. Whatever the case may be, the argument ended with clearly a lost battle for Niklaus. He looks upset still, but more so in a despondent way. Elijah's voice is the one that finally alerts her to her surroundings once more.
"So Niklaus" he continues to talk to his brother with sign language, this time speaking out loud as well, intending to include Caroline in the conversation "Caroline is one of our best artists. She's a photographer and her shows are always a booming success".
"You flatter me too much, Elijah" Caroline mutters shyly, a nervous smile curving her lips as she rises to her feet. The last thing she needs is having either of them staring down at her.
"You've always been very humble, Miss Forbes" Elijah answers with a wide smile of his own. He looks gleeful, as if finding amusement in her obvious nervousness "We were talking about Niklaus right before he walked in" he gestures towards his brother as a way of introduction. After all, the first attempt at introducing them to each other was abruptly cut short when Niklaus began a conversation with Elijah after two long moments of staring at Caroline.
"Hi" she gives him an awkward wave, which he answers with an absent smile. He seems far more interested in staring at her intently than anything else. And she doesn't really know how to react under his scrutinizing gaze. She feels a blush rising to her cheeks as she attempts to avoid his eyes. So easy it would be for those blue pools to suck her into them once more, and the feeling, no matter how exhilarating, is foreign and downright frightening.
Elijah lightly touches Niklaus' shoulder to get his attention before speaking "Miss Forbes and I were just talking about your upcoming show. She said she would like to attend it" She can swear that Elijah is wearing the most devious smirks of all.
She merely smiles, her eyes twitching at the prospect of her boss putting her on the spot.
Niklaus addresses that with another smile, except it's a more genuine one this time before returning his attention to Elijah.
"I think it would be nice to have a somewhat familiar and comforting face around, don't you think Niklaus?" Elijah asks casually.
He chuckles at Niklaus' response.
"What?" Caroline asks, confused.
"He said it would be nice to have such a beautiful face around indeed" Elijah answers, a grin unlike any other splitting his face. In response, however, Niklaus slaps his shoulder, irritated and slightly embarrassed. Caroline can see a blush creeping up onto his cheeks to match her own. Unconsciously, she tucks a loose strand behind her ear, a shy smile still stretched across her face. He tilts his head to the side, clearly taking his time to study her in spite of his embarrassment. But his gaze is far too incessant and heated on her that she cannot bear it for too long.
She clears her throat, looking back at a smiling Elijah "Elijah can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Of course" he shrugs, stepping away from his brother. "Is there a problem?" he frowns when they're a few steps away from Niklaus.
"Yes!" she squeaks out, her nerves finally spiking "What do you think you're doing?"
"Pardon me, Caroline, but I do not seem to follow" he asks, tilting his head in a manner that is a little too similar to Niklaus' gaze earlier.
"Are you trying to embarrass me, Elijah?" she huffs, trying to control the high pitched squeaks that were threatening to emerge "Why did you tell him I'm coming to his show?"
"Because you are" Elijah shrugs.
"No, I'm not! I never agreed to that!"
"Miss Forbes," Elijah starts calmly "You have been following my brother around for God knows how long now. By your own admission he's your muse. Does it seem awfully unlikely for you to want to spend a little time with him?"
"I guess not" she answers slowly "But, Elijah, this is too embarrassing I can't do it!"
He smiles genuinely at her "Of course you can. You need to publish those pictures as it is and to do so you need his consent. Perhaps acquainting yourself with him for a little bit would help in the matter. After all, I don't think he would take too kindly to the idea, nor would it be easy for you to show him the pictures immediately."
"But I don't think I'm comfortable with not immediately telling him about my project" Caroline explains thoughtfully.
"And that's why I suggest you arrange a time and place for the both of you to discuss the issue during his show" Elijah offers.
It sounds reasonable. Even though she is baffled, nervous, and somewhat still embarrassed at the prospect of looking at him directly, Caroline cannot resist the temptation of seeing his work up close. Nor can she deny the logic behind Elijah's proposal.
"OK" she breathes.
Caroline spends the rest of her day in a daze. She talks to Katherine about the incident with clouds hazing her vision. Her eyes are fixed on her favorite TV show but her mind is dizzy with thoughts that drive her the farthest place away from the world. And that night, when she finally falls asleep, she dreams of endless blue skies, of infinite blue oceans, and the eternal depths of his stormy blue eyes.
"Relax" Katherine rolls her eyes for what seems like the umpteenth time "You look fine"
"I don't care how I look" Caroline blurts out "why would you think I do?"
"Terrible liar as always" Katherine mutters, with a shake of her head "You're Caroline Forbes, you always care for how you look. And tonight, you've been acting like a chipmunk who's had too much coffee. You changed your dress four times, tried out three different hairstyles, and wore your sexy heels. Even now you can't stop smoothing down your skirt or looking at that small mirror. So don't you dare lie to me, blondie" the brunette narrows her eyes.
"OK fine" Caroline relents with a sigh "I've been a little nervous today, but I just want to make a good impression".
"Yes. A good enough impression to maybe get laid" Katherine says slyly.
It is Caroline's turn to roll her eyes "It's not like that and you know it"
"Yes, I do. But I don't know what it is like or what's going on with you." Katherine explains, taking on a serious tone for a moment "And, honestly, I think you have no idea what's going on with you either. So, for now, I will be entertaining myself with inappropriate comments. Maybe I can even make him uncomfortable"
Caroline has to physically stop herself from groaning out loud, and is thankfully saved by the taxi finally pulling up by the entrance of Elijah's grand gallery. As usual, the place is elegantly decorated. The warm lights by the heavy glass doors continue on into the gallery, soft and inviting, somewhat of a contrast to the stuffy suits and heavy diamonds walking around the place. It is not an affair that Caroline enjoys, she hardly enjoys her own exhibits. But she supposes it is worth it if she gets to spend time with her muse.
It's not the kind of affair that Katherine would enjoy either. Nonetheless, per Caroline's request, she's agreed with the promise of free alcohol and the possibility of shagging "Caroline's panties-wetting hot boss". Caroline shudders at the thought.
"I'm heading to the bar" Katherine announces as soon as they set foot inside the gallery. She doesn't even wait for an answer from Caroline, sauntering confidently with her heels clicking enticingly against the marble floor.
"Try not to get so drunk that I'd have to drag you back home" Caroline calls after the brunette in vain.
She shakes off the idea, opting to ignore her friend for the remainder of the evening. Honestly, her sanity often depends on tuning out Katherine. She loves the brunette ball of fierceness but sometimes she is quite the handful. And Caroline has no time to indulge her tonight. Between her raging nerves, the knots in her stomach, and her fearful anticipation of her upcoming meeting with Niklaus, Caroline has no time to think of what Katherine might do.
Leaving Katherine behind, Caroline ventures further into the gallery. Elijah's tasteful, yet overtly and blatantly expensive decorations are not what she is looking at. Instead her eyes wander over the walls of the building, quickly taking in the several paintings hung in an order that she cannot seem to find a specific pattern to. She doesn't stop at any particular painting. They are all beautiful. All sad. Most of them are rather dark, but none of them particularly compel her to stop.
Towards the center, the largest one is placed. A tremendous canvas that takes up the wall almost from floor to ceiling stands, causing quite the commotion. It's an abstract piece, Caroline gathers. Several colors, mostly consisting of shades of black with the occasional bright contrast of red are splattered across the canvas. For the life of her, Caroline cannot tell what the painting is. The longer she stares at it, the more confused she is over what she is supposed to be looking at. After a moment or two, the bright spots of red disturb her eyesight, forcing her to give up and move on.
The next one truly startles her into pausing. Unlike the centerpiece, the canvas is rather small, one of the smallest in the collection. But it draws her attention all the same, more so than the larger ones. Through a single glance, a wave of unexplainable melancholy assaults her. From the distance of a few feet, she cannot see any particular features. She does not particularly concern herself with the subject matter, either. What truly draws her to it, what radiates that sense of sadness, are the colors. It's almost entirely grey. Grey like a cloudy day, one that does not allow a single beam of sunlight to penetrate its haze. The kind of day that makes her miss the night with all its darkness. At least the night is not so painfully neutral. Even in its cruelest, swallowing blackness, it takes a stand. But the grey day… the grey day is crushing in its apathy. It dangles hope endlessly, never following through its promise, but never quite withdrawing it either. The grey day is perfectly reflected through the color palettes of Niklaus' small canvas. She feels the same helpless despair that accompanies her mornings on cloudy days. As she steps closer to it, her sentiments are only heightened. There's hardly anything else to see in the picture. It is consisted of only the neutrality of the grey hues. And it is only when Caroline steps painfully closer to it, that she sees a mere shadow at the center. It's painted in a slightly darker shade than the rest of the canvas. It has no features. The outline of its body looks as undefinable and unclear as the color grey. Where does it end, where does it begin, Caroline cannot tell. The only thing she can fathom is the undeniable somberness emitted from its frail, one-dimensional body. And the absolute entrancing frenzy it sends her into.
She does not know for how long her eyes stay glued to this painting. She does not understand how she can be the only one drawn to it, how people pass it by without a second thought. She does not understand how it can be so powerful that it can well up tears in her eyes without her permission.
"Miss Forbes!" It is Elijah's enthusiastic greeting that finally shakes her out of her reverie. She turns to her right, watching him advancing with Niklaus trailing behind him "I was beginning to wonder if you'd show up"
"I promised you I would, Elijah" she answers with a small smile. Elijah places a peck on her cheek in greeting once he finally plants himself in front of her "You know I don't break my promises to you" she adds teasingly.
"Indeed" he retorts with a smile of his own.
At that, she turns to Niklaus with an awkward wave and a whispered "Hi".
He looks in pain.
His distraught state a few days before at Elijah's office does not even compare to the panicked look in his eyes. He looks like a deer caught in a headlight. Even with his effort at a greeting smile, he looks utterly disheveled. His hair looks slightly rumpled, his tie is a little crooked, the suit he's wearing looks a tad too baggy to be his size, and he seems so out of place Caroline gets the inexplicable urge to drag him out of the gallery as soon as possible. She can see the stiffness of his shoulders through the ridiculously unflattering suit jacket he's wearing. His hands are clearly shaking. His eyes are roaming about, as if waiting for a disaster to happen, as if waiting for his hunter to jump out of thin air and cease him. He is a mess.
For a moment, Caroline considers reprimanding Elijah for putting him through this. She is well aware of Elijah's delicate position. The image of the artist can contribute greatly to the success of a show, but Niklaus' state cannot be helping. At all. It is abundantly clear that not only is he uncomfortable, but also is in physical pain over having to be in the gallery. His nervousness only manages to agitate her further, too. And his response to her greeting through a forced smile only manages to make things worse.
"Have you been enjoying the exhibit, Caroline?" Elijah seems to either be completely oblivious to Niklaus' discomfort, or simply ignoring the matter as he asks her casually. It's almost a crime how polished he looks in his black suit next to his brother's less than pleasing state.
"Yes, Elijah, it's wonderful" she answers him politely, before turning her attention to Niklaus. His eyes are now focused on her. However, unlike a few days before when his gaze was curious, this time his stare is blank. She wants to compliment him and is about to do so when she remembers his situation. Should she tell Elijah to translate? Can he read lips? Is her hesitance offending to him?
"He can read lips" Elijah interjects, sensing her conflict. The chuckle from Niklaus following Elijah's sentence adds to her embarrassment but is oddly comforting when she notes the nonchalance on his face "Just don't mumble" Elijah adds.
"OK" Caroline lets out a nervous laughter before focusing back on Niklaus who looks somewhat less unnerved than he did a moment before "Your paintings are beautiful."
It sounds lame. She knows it. And the moment the sentence leaves her mouth, she wants to take it back. She means it, of course, but the compliment is so general and clichéd that it makes her cringe. It's the kind of compliment she often receives on her own work and never manages to motivate, upset, or truly please her. In Caroline's defense, though, she is still truly nervous. And despite his disheveled state, Niklaus still looks very handsome. Something about his uncontained state gives her the urge to pick up her camera and take yet another picture of him, much like his frustration in Elijah's office a few days before made him look so pleasing to her eyes. Not that she would allow her mind to wander into such places once more.
He gives her a polite smile in answer to her compliment, then reaches into his jacket pocket, taking out a pen and a small notepad that he briefly scribbles something across.
"Thank you" it reads as he holds it up for her, his smile widening in response to hers.
"Well," Elijah starts, the gleam Caroline saw in his eyes that day in his office back "I will leave the two of you together to get acquainted and go talk to a few clients"
As he leaves, Elijah presses a hand to Niklaus' shoulder firmly. Though brief, the gesture does not go unnoticed by Caroline. And just like that, all of her irritation at Elijah's insistence for forcing Niklaus into this vanishes.
An awkward silence follows Elijah's departure. Caroline glues her eyes to the floor, or the walls or passing figures or anything that is not Niklaus for the most part. Yet she feels his eyes following her every movement. They burn into her skin and after a minute of complete silence, she cannot help but blurt out the first thing that comes to her mind.
"I did mean it, you know" Caroline starts politely, having to remind herself that the focus of his stare on her lips is purely for practical purposes "Your paintings are beautiful. You're a very talented artist".
He holds up the "thank you" paper once more, another smile splitting across his face. Then he goes back to scribbling on the notepad.
"Do you have a favorite?" his clumsy handwriting reads "Painting, I mean"
"Yes" she nods before pointing to the one behind her "I think this one is my favorite"
His eyebrows shoot into his hairline.
"Not the center piece?" he writes.
"No" Caroline shakes her head "I don't understand what the center piece is about, to be honest. But this one…" she points to the painting behind her, inhaling deeply "this one is breathtaking"
He raises his eyebrows in wonder, his eyes questioning.
"Why do you say that?" he at last writes after a moment too long of silence.
"It's so sad" she says thoughtfully "It's so… tragically lonely"
She cannot read his expression. Upon her words, his face takes on a stoic one, a mask that communicates nothing to her. And even that disappears quickly for he shoots her a brief, weak smile, returning to his notepad. She gets the sinking feeling that he is hiding from her
How convenient…Caroline does not know what upsets her more, his attempt to hide or her clear annoyance at the fact. Yet she brushes off both when he looks back up at her with mirth dancing in his eyes. As if the earlier moment did not even happen, he acts.
"Can I let you in on a little secret?" the paper reads this time.
"Yes" Caroline answers, her curiosity peaking. She feels her own lips curving in response to his infectious grin.
"It doesn't mean anything" he says.
"What do you mean?" Caroline frowns.
Her confusion does not seem to discourage his obvious amusement at the situation, for he goes back to writing down whatever he intends to say to her just as enthusiastically.
"The center piece. It doesn't mean anything. I didn't want to say anything. I didn't feel anything. All I did was splatter some paint across the canvas as a joke to myself. All those pretentious so-called art experts will pretend it's the most profound and beautiful."
He is beaming at her. The sight stopping her heart, knocking the wind out of her lungs. She wonders in that moment if he realizes just how striking, how beautiful his smile is. She wonders if he knows how infectious it is.
"You wanna bet this will be sold with the highest price" she says, thankful for the fact that he cannot hear the tremor in her voice.
"I'm sure of it" he writes to her.
The mirth gradually subsides from his blue eyes, replaced by an intent look. His lips are still slightly curved as he takes a moment too long to gaze at her, but he seems hesitant as he turns back to his notepad. She watched his movements closely. His hand scribbles something then abruptly stops only to rewind the process several times over. He gives up at last, turning the page towards a blank one and hurriedly writing across it.
"You're very talented, too" at last comes his simple confession.
"You don't know that" Caroline laughs. Her heart sinks. She is reminded of the embarrassing secret that is the reason for her presence tonight. His reaction seems all the more important now. Perhaps it is the fact that they have already exchanged a few words, or the fact that she feels she just witnessed part of his soul through his bleak painting, or simply the fact that she feels an unexplainable connection, an absurd feeling of familiarity and intimacy between them already that tug at her. A sense of dread sneaks up on her at the idea of his disapproval.
"I do, Caroline" he writes, and she wishes she can hear her name rolling off his tongue "I looked you up" He seems almost embarrassed as he confesses the last part.
"Oh wow" she chuckles, hating the tremble of her voice. She does not want to think of what it might mean that he is interested enough to actually google her.
"I think half the world agrees if the reviews I've read about you are anything to go by. The other half has not discovered you, yet, unfortunately for them" he tells her, offering a smile once more.
"Thank you" she answers, smiling back at him.
"Maybe you have a show soon that I can attend?" he asks, arching an eyebrow at her.
Her heart thrums faster against her chest. This is her chance. She has to bring it up.
"That depends…" she hesitates, swallowing.
"On what?" he inquires, curiosity coloring his features.
"On the feedback I get for my new collection" she explains, her voice trembling still "I'm not sure if it's good enough" she lies.
At that, he chuckles, turning to write on his notepad "I'm positive it's sensational"
"Would you…" she swallows "would you like to see it?"
He blinks, taken aback by her offer.
"You know," she adds slowly "you can see it and let me know what you think"
His face splits into a wide grin "I would be honored" he says.
Caroline does not know whether his delight pleases her or scares her even more. The entire situation seems like a disaster waiting to happen to her anxious mind. She can already see his face utterly disgusted, his features hardened, and his eyes cold as he realizes what she has been up to. And no matter how much she tried to calm her unsteady heartbeats, to convince her exaggerating mind that she is being a tad too melodramatic, she can't seem to shake off the image.
"Do you have a cellphone number?" she asks, already taking hers out. His answer is a meaningful look "What? You've never heard of texting?" she teases him causing his face to light up at the idea.
"Here" she grabs his notepad and the pen from him, writing down her cellphone number and her name "Text me as soon as you buy a phone and we can arrange for us to meet"
He nods, another smile curving his perfect lips.
"You should text me when you're trying to attend one of these shows again, too," she says frankly "you really need someone who can properly dress you"
He looks down at his disastrous attire, scratching the back of his head embarrassedly. Caroline can swear a blush tints his cheeks as he writes down his question "Is it really that bad?"
"Not really" she shrugs "Nothing that can't be fixed"
If asked what possessed her to make her next move later, for the life of her she will not know how to answer. All she knows is that it feels perfectly natural for her to step forward, invading his personal space. It feels very natural for her to reach for his tie, acting as if they are intimate partners as she tugs on it, loosening it up and removing it completely.
"Hold this" she orders, pressing it firmly into his hand as she unbuttons the first two buttons of his shirt, exposing skin and the necklaces he is wearing.
And it's then that she realizes her current predicament.
Her hands halt their movement, hovering over his shirt. Her fingers are gently brushing against the fabric, her eyes remain glued to the skin she's just exposed. She cannot lift them back to his. She cannot meet his eyes even though she can feel their gaze burning into her.
"There" she clears her throat, knowing that he is completely unaware of the fact that she is talking since he cannot see her face. Stepping back, her eyes slowly venture towards his "Much better"
But her words are a breathless sigh as their eyes lock.
His gaze holds hers, confusion, wonder, and curiosity all swarming in the blue orbs. The same blue orbs that continue to suck her in. She is drowning in them. The feeling is suffocating, overwhelming, terrifying, and utterly exquisite. It is like a dream come true, like an incessant prayer finally answered. It is ecstatic. Like a destination finally reached, like a heart finally mending, like a soul finally healing. She cannot tear her eyes away. She does not think that she wants to. She can spend eternities swarming, drowning, dancing in the blue orbs.
But Elijah decides to clap his brother on the shoulder, demanding his attention, breaking them out of their blissful frenzy.
It is so cruel; like being jerked back into the lowest pits of hell after getting the sweetest moment in heaven. Abrupt, shocking, and unpleasant. It shakes her out of a reverie that she's never wished to wake up from. It causes the flutter of her heart to falter at having its pleasure so quickly denied. And her eyes yearn already for the spark in his.
"Brother" Elijah begins casually, seemingly unaware of what he's interrupted "Clients are lining up to meet you"
Niklaus nods, looking as dismayed as she at the prospect of cutting their time together short.
"Will you be leaving soon?" Niklaus asks her
"I think so" she admits sadly "You'll be busy so…"
He sighs "I will text you as soon as I buy a phone".
"You better" she teases, smiling at his slight yet nervous answering one. She can tell he is already dreading the upcoming meetings.
"It was truly wonderful to meet you, Caroline" he says, sincerity coloring his features.
"It was truly wonderful to meet you, too, Niklaus" she admits.
He chuckles, briefly returning to his notepad "One last thing, I prefer Klaus"
Klaus… She tests it as she watches his retreating figure, its taste utterly sweet on her tongue.
That night, she doesn't sleep, her mind unrelentingly painting blue eyes and their enchanting spark instead.
It takes him two days to text her.
Hello, Caroline. This is Klaus.
Comes his simple text. Ever since his show, Caroline has been unable to do anything but cast languid looks upon the pictures she's taken of him as she attempts to sort through them. With the knowledge that he will be viewing them soon, she decides to organize them as a helpless strive to keep her mind occupied. And indeed her mind is occupied. It is occupied with him.
Hi Klaus.
She does not know what else to say. Does she ask him how he's doing? Should she ask him how he feels about the success of his show? The critics and reviewers are completely entranced by his paintings. Caroline's read several articles about his show, most of them dealt extensively with the central piece. And only one of them seemed to care about her favorite painting. One soulful sentence was dedicated to it "It's very lonely, melancholy and, most importantly, vulnerable". It is enough for Caroline.
The vibration of her phone in her hand pulls her out of her musings. His next text message saves her from having to dwell on what to say next.
I have no idea how to use this blasted thing. It took me 20 minutes of confusion and 30 minutes of Kol's sarcasm to find the texting feature.
Caroline knows Kol to be Elijah's brother. She's heard his name several times, always in the context of mischief and causing irritation. Elijah has the tendency of gritting his teeth at the mention of the troublemaking Kol. He's never mentioned Klaus, nor does she know if he has any other siblings. Obviously none of them cause enough trouble to garner a reaction from the stoic Elijah.
Snickering at the idea of a confused Klaus in the face of technology, Caroline types back a text to him,
Next time save yourself the trouble. I will teach you without mockery. Promise :)
His response is instant,
What do you mean by ":)"?
She cannot help the laugh that escapes her. Never in her life has she imagined she would have to explain this to anyone who is not her mother's age.
It's a smiley face, old man ;)
Her phone buzzes quickly. She's never known a guy interested enough in a conversation with her to fire back immediate texts.
How is ":)" a smiley face? What the bloody hell is ";)"?
She giggles once more, causing Katherine, who is preoccupying herself with the Real Housewives of Whatever and a cup of wine to side eye her, growing suspicious of Caroline's sudden attachment to her phone.
You're looking at it the wrong way. Turn your phone horizontally and it will make sense, Dinosaur.
"Who are you talking to?" Katherine quirks an eyebrow at Caroline.
"Umm" Caroline murmurs, wondering if it would be wise to tell Katherine the truth "It's… Klaus."
The blonde quickly regrets her decision to tell the truth for Katherine's face splits into a sly smirk, wiggling her eyebrows at Caroline.
"So you're technically sexting?"
"No" Caroline rolls her eyes "We're just talking."
"About?" the brunette insists.
"None of your business. Pay attention to your trashy reality show" she replies firmly.
"Why do you think I watch those reality shows? I like sticking my nose into other people's business" Katherine says frankly.
Caroline ignores Katherine when her phone buzzes again.
Ah now I see it. And I'm guessing the ;) is a winky face then?
Caroline smiles, hesitating for a moment before sending her next text.
You learn fast for someone from the Stone Age ;)
She can practically hear his huff with his answering message,
I thought you promised to teach me without the mockery.
Caroline suppresses another giggle, attempting to avoid catching Katherine's attention once more.
That was before I knew how lacking your knowledge of technology is.
When all he answers with is a grumpy, annoyed emoji, Caroline laughs again, managing to snap Katherine's attention to her once more. The latter shoots her a teasing grin when their eyes meet.
Hey you found the emoji! Good job, old grump.
He answers with a snide remark about how she is hurting his ego. She teases him that he is too uptight for his own good. He jokes about how sad he is that their friendship will be interrupted so quickly, and she tells him he doesn't mean that. They spend hours talking, and they manage to set up a date for him to see her newest work within three days.
You know, I meant what I said earlier. He says as their conversation winds down.
About what? She asks.
About us being friends. I really would like for us to be friends.
I would like that a lot, too.
Even as she answers, she feels like they are already more than that.
Caroline's living room floor must suffer.
She paces back and forth, drilling holes into the ground. He will be there any minute. Everything is set up to perfection. She knows exactly what she will show him and in what order. She knows that she would offer him a drink beforehand, strike up a friendly conversation, too, before shocking him. Kathrine left the apartment a few minute ago under Caroline's command (and the promise of burgers on her treat later in the week).Not that it stopped the brunette from making suggestive comments over why Caroline wanted the house for herself. Honestly, Caroline would take all of those comments and then some if it meant avoiding Katherine being a witness to the first time Klaus sees himself in her pictures. So, unsurprisingly, control freak Caroline has thought of everything. She even fluffed the pillows on the couch and cleaned up a little.
Yet she paces.
She's been pacing for the past ten minutes, namely when she ran out of things to do in preparation, and her only salvation is in the fact that Klaus should be arriving any minute now.
"You can do this, Caroline" she starts, encouraging herself out loud "It's all going to go just fine. It's all going to go according to plan. He's going to see the pictures and he's going to love them and allow you to publish them and then the show will be a smashing suc-"
Her not-so-inner monologue is interrupted by a knock on her door. She approaches the dreadful barrier, her heart beats already erratic. She gives herself one last look in the mirror, sending a meaningful look to her reflection.
"You can do this" she whispers one last time to herself then swings the door open.
Her breath hitches.
She's never pictured him standing in her doorway. She's never thought such opportunity would be presented. Yet there he is, standing with a small smirk on his face, one that she's never seen before, and a form fitting Henley. He definitely looks much better than he did the last time she's seen him.
"Hi" she greets him with a smile.
He doesn't lose his smirk as he, much to her surprise, reaches for his phone, fumbling with it. Hers buzzes in the back pocket of her jeans a moment later with a message from him.
Hello, Caroline.
She chuckles lightly, attempting to shrug off the unexplainable urge to hear her name escaping those exceptionally delectable lips.
God, I'm despicable, her mind echoes.
"Oh is this how this is gonna go?" she asks playfully with a quirked eyebrow.
Yes, it's easier than carrying around a notepad ;)
He loses his smirk in favor of a grin that still manages to somehow make him look more devious than she's ever seen him before. She can tell that his current look is not one that he wears in his most private moments. Like the ones that she's pried on many times before.
She winces at the thought.
"You know you're standing right here. You don't need to send winky faces" she teases him.
His eyebrows shoot up and when her phone buzzes again, all he's sent her is a winky face.
She rolls her eyes with a wide smile stubbornly etched on her face "Just come on in"
Unlike what Caroline's expected, he doesn't take in his surroundings when he enters the apartment. His eyes, instead, are focused solely on her, intent on studying her every move, dedicating the entirety of his attention on her. She wonders what he's thinking. She wonders if he likes her. She wonders if he has any clue at all of how entranced she is by him.
"So…" she clears her throat "Would you like something to drink? I made some coffee"
Coffee would be lovely, thank you.
She heads towards the adjoining, small kitchen and hears him tagging along with her, his gaze still burns the back of her head as it stays glued to her blonde curls. She distracts herself by focusing on pouring two cups of coffee, and reminding herself to breathe when she turns around to see him casually leaning against the counter with that same scrutinizing look in his eyes.
"How long have you been in Chicago?" she blurts out the first question that comes to her mind, setting his coffee mug next to him with cream and sugar which he doesn't touch.
6 months.
"Oh that's not too long" she answers lamely and he just smiles at her, his eyes following the way her hand caught a stray curl to tuck behind her ear, and her other hand reached to splash some cream into her coffee with great interest "How do you like it so far?"
He seems disgruntled at the prospect of having to tear his eyes away from her to answer the question.
I've recently began to truly appreciate it.
Caroline smiles "I'm really glad"
She watches him slowly lifting his cup of coffee to take a sip, all the while keeping his eyes on her, before awkwardly starting "I know Elijah is from England but he never really talks about it. And he doesn't have an accent"
He shrugs.
It's nothing out of the ordinary. We were rather young when we moved to the United States, and we've stayed here ever since, except for our eldest brother Finn. And Rebekah is now in France on a study abroad program.
"Oh wow" she mouths, astonished at the number of siblings he has "You have a big family. That must be nice"
He gives her a smile that does not reach his eyes, and refrains from commenting. She wants to ask why for the first time his smile seems insincere around her, but bites her tongue and attempts to think of other subjects.
Yet she doesn't have to think of it for too long. As she reaches for the sugar, he suddenly takes hold of her arm. Too shocked she is by his abrupt move that she can't do anything but stand completely still, feeling the warmth of his calloused fingers seeping into her veins. He seems utterly entranced by her wrist, turning her palm to face upward in order to inspect it. It takes her several minutes to realize what's sent him into a frenzy. Her bird tattoo, placed on her wrist, right where her pulse would be drumming. Gently, as if she's about to break under his touch, he places his thumb over the ink, stroking the sensitive skin soothingly.
She does not think he's thought that his fingers can burn her.
It takes him mere ten seconds to break out of his reverie and gently pull away, but it seems like an eternity for Caroline. He looks flustered and embarrassed when he looks back at her, a nervous half smile on his face before he looks back at his cell phone.
It's beautiful.
She can almost feel the shyness of his words through his simple text. "Thank you" she answers softly.
He avoids her eyes as he focuses back on his phone.
You wanted to show me your project?
With a sharp intake of breath, Caroline nods and motions for him to follow her. Upon attempting to decide what would be the best way to present the pictures to him, Caroline's opted to use technology. She does not have the space to frame the pictures and arrange them in a way that would be like a miniature gallery show. Nor did she like the idea of simply presenting him with a photo album, simply because it felt too bland. So when Katherine (Ha! Who knew she can be useful) threw in the idea of a slideshow, Caroline immediately adopted it. She chose around thirty pictures of the ones she's captured, her absolute favorite, and organized them into a simple slideshow that she intends on playing on her TV. It was simple, just a few pictures with minimal transitioning effects, but it seemed like it would have the wanted effect.
As she invites him to settle onto the couch comfortably, she does her utmost best to not think about her nerves. She does not want to think about his reaction or the knotting in her stomach or her slightly unsteady hands. Yet, she finds herself incredibly excited to see his very first reaction to her little project. And as she fumbles with her laptop in order to hook it into the TV and begin the slideshow, she does not even bother to look in his direction; far too afraid of what kind of emotions such a thing would invoke.
"Here we go" she breathes, more so to herself than to him, since she is not particularly close enough for him to see the movement of her lips.
She hits enter and lifts her eyes to his face as it starts playing.
Klaus freezes.
With him the entire room freezes. For countless moments, Caroline's world seems to pause, hanging on every glimpse of emotionless reaction painted on Niklaus' face. Even her blood seems to have frozen in its place, waiting with baited breath for anything. Any reaction. Her heart doesn't pound. It doesn't seem to beat at all. And the breath she's taken refuses to be released. Her lungs clutch viciously, unwilling to surrender until this handsome, mysterious and utterly magnificent stranger moves.
His eyes twitch. Then his lips quiver. Then she sees him swallow and let out a long sigh.
And it is then that the world is allowed to move again.
All at once, her blood begins racing, furiously rushing to her face. Her heartbeats turn into incessant, deafening pounds against her ribcage, threatening to burst. Her breaths turn shallow, almost gasping, trying to keep up with the exhilarating, and frightening, adrenaline pumping through her body. Her hands tremble. Her own lips quiver. And it is all too overwhelming, all too nerve wracking, she is unsure how much longer she can take the excitement before it destroys her body.
She expects it all to be over when the slideshow comes into a halt and he finally meets her gaze; a mixture of awe, wonder, and the tiniest bit of fear? Nervousness? Concern? Coloring his now unguarded blue eyes. Yet everything seems to rush even faster. The pounding is even louder. Her chest cannot seem to hold her exploding heart anymore. Her hands shake incessantly. Her face grows warmer still, blood abandons every other part of her to color her cheeks and neck with the brightest colors of roses. And her lungs seem to take in too quick a breath, and to hold the air in for too long at the same time. She needs for him to break her free from his stormy blue eyes.
Except he does not.
He seems as entranced as her. His lips quivering still. His own hands are shaking, almost causing him to drop his phone. She does not know what can possibly be running through his head. Nor does he seem to have the slightest hint of what she might be thinking. Nor does either of them seem to understand that neither of them can think of anything but the way the other's eyes seem to twinkle, or how their depth seems to reach farther than the ocean, taking them on a journey that might last an eternity. And even then an eternity would not be a long enough time for such ecstatically painful journey.
"This is what I've been working on" comes her fragile sigh.
She immediately regrets it.
Faster than her mind can register, his expression drops. The vulnerable blue eyes turn icy cold, his inviting features harden, and the so pleasant, the oh-so-breathtaking, colors painting the details of his face morph into a stony exterior. Cool. Unforgiving. Careless.
"Klaus…" she starts, this time far more panicked than amazed.
He does not answer. His gaze leaves hers. He stands, walks to the door and leaves.
She does not sleep.
For two straight days not a single moment of rest take pity on her stinging eyes. No, she has not cried. Her grief is much more of a silent affair. Tearless. Wordless. Even lossless. She hasn't lost him. She never had him. She barely even knows him. But a part of her feels as if she has broken something. Something beautiful. She does not in the slightest blame him. Nor does she fancy herself to have understood what he is thinking. It does not even sound fair for her to start speculating over what his thoughts are now wandering to. Or why his reaction was so entrancing. Or why his later reaction was so definitive. Or why the two of them are so utterly conflicted.
She is almost resigned to the loss for the first two days. She does not contemplate how she can fix this, how she can get her show running, how she can get their tentative and painfully young friendship back. How she can win him back. Even though she's never truly won him over. She does not text him. She does not call Elijah. She does not seek him in her favorite park where she's almost certain he would be. She does not do anything.
The third day is painful.
The bags under her eyes are hard to miss. They weigh heavily on her face and drag down her spirits and heart. The caffeine in her bitter morning coffee becomes detestable, her greatest enemy. It almost loathes her as much as she loathes it. And her helpless soul seems to gradually fade, sick of its own apathy.
On the fourth day she calls Elijah.
"In my office" he says as soon as he answers her. So she goes to his office.
She does not know what exactly she wants to do or say. She does not know whether she wants Elijah to play a part in this. Or if she wants him to not interfere. Or if she wants to tell him that she will be working on something from scratch for her show. But she hopes she can find an answer, that he already has something to say to her when he sees her.
He is polite enough not to comment on her exhausted state. Yet he does not find politeness necessary as he proceeds to the subject without introductions.
"Niklaus has told me about the little incident" he says frankly, face neutral "He was quite thrown off by it"
"I know" she murmurs weakly.
"Surely, Caroline, you understand that his … behavior was more so related to his shock than anything personal or any kind of disapproval" Elijah's tone is gentle.
"I don't really know what his reaction was based on, Elijah" Caroline starts slowly "And I don't really blame him for being so definitive about it"
"It might not be as definitive as you think." Elijah reasons "Give him a couple of days to mull over it. I'm sure he'll come around"
"OK" she nods.
A couple of minutes later and she is walking down the street back to her apartment. She feels slightly better, but she has nothing to show for her visit.
She finally manages to fall into a restless sleep that night.
He sends her a text on the seventh day.
Why?
Is all it reads. But it takes too long for her to know the answer to it. What does she say and how can she phrase it?
Meet me before sunrise tomorrow by the fountain in the park where you usually paint.
It is starting to cool down again. Caroline finds herself rubbing her hands together of the cold as well as nervousness while sitting on the spread blanket she's brought with her. He said he would meet her, but she cannot help but wonder if he's thought it over and decided against it. Her worries are unfounded, though, when he turns up on time to the spot.
The only greetings they exchange are polite smiles. He sits down next to her, watching as the sky begins to gradually light up from its infinite blackness. For several minutes he doesn't seem interested in anything besides watching the scenery before him. She imitates him, focusing her eyes on the first shades of pink invading the sky. Her phone buzzes a few moments later.
It's beautiful. He sends.
Caroline nods, turning back to him, their eyes meeting once more. Yet his are still hesitant. He doesn't allow her to see into them.
"I love sunrises," she says softly "always have. And the view from this spot is amazing. It's my favorite spot in the city".
I understand.
He gives her a small smile, then turns his attention back to the rising sun. For a few minutes at least before finally breaking the silence with the same simple text.
Why?
She lets out a long sigh, watching the now colorful sky for several moments before managing to turn towards his questioning gaze once more.
"I was blocked." She starts steadily, surprised at the sudden ease that washes over her. There's no tension in her shoulders. There is no shakiness in her voice. She decides that the outcome of this meeting doesn't matter. Whether he continues to refuse it or determines to embrace it, does not matter. What really matters is how he managed to light up her heart. Even though he did so unintentionally "I couldn't get inspired. Nothing was capturing my attention. I went through a rough break-up right after my last show and everything sort of just dimmed after." She pauses when she sees his attention turned to his phone.
Was your boyfriend an inspiration for you?
She chuckles "No. And that was the problem. When he broke-up with me, for being too in love with my job for his taste of all things, I realized I've been in this one long relationship and it was so mind-numbingly boring. There was no excitement, no passion. Even love was beginning to fade and with time I just stayed with him out of convenience. He was the only thing I knew" she exhales heavily, avoiding his eyes as she adds "It all sort of went downhill from there…Until I saw you".
His breath hitches, and her eyes follow every glimpse of emotions on his unreadable face.
"You were standing right here the first time I saw you, right where we're sitting right now." She continues with a calm tone "I had no intention of taking pictures of you, I only wanted to photograph the scenery. But then I looked through the lenses and …it just happened. I just couldn't stop myself." Her voice trembles "You became my muse, Klaus. It's just that simple"
His gaze never weavers from her face. Even as the silence stretches between them, he doesn't fixate his attention on the scenery before them again. Then he starts smiling. So very, painstakingly slowly his lips curve into a content smile. It's not the widest he's ever worn, nor is it the happiest, yet it's the most beautiful. A hum of serenity washes over them as it plays across his features.
Yes. He texts her, piercing the peacefulness of the moment.
"Klaus…" she whispers.
I want you to publish them, Caroline.
She beams at him.
Later that morning, after she and Klaus have breakfast together in a corner café, after they part ways with content smiles, she bursts into Elijah's office.
"I want to learn Sign Language"
Elijah smiles knowingly at her.
The first time she talks to him using sign language is two months later.
Elijah agrees to teach her. He also agrees to keep it a secret from Klaus so she can surprise him once she's perfected it. After two months of incessant lessons, she is finally ready. Last night Elijah's seen her off with a proud grin on his face. And she cannot find a more appropriate moment than this instant as they sit in comfortable silence across from each other, sipping coffee.
During the past two months, she and Klaus grow increasingly closer to each other. They have yet to cross the line of friendship, but they both know there's something more than that lurking behind their fond looks. They develop the habit of spending mornings together in the café across the street from their park. They usually spend the morning in silence. He sketches and she is preoccupied with the organization of her new show which Elijah has scheduled for six months from the day Klaus agreed to the publication in order to be able to promote it properly.
Today, she takes unusual interest in observing him. She watches him sketching for a moment too long, focusing on the movement of his hand and the frown of concentration pulling at his eyebrows. He never lets her see what's inside the sketchbook, deeming it too private. She never insisted, either. After a few moments, Klaus feels her scrutinizing gaze, and averts his eyes from the sketchbook to look at her.
"Will you pass me the sugar?" she mouths the words while gesturing them with shaky hands.
He doesn't seem to notice at first, reaching for the sugar to hand it to her, only for his hand to stop mid-air. He stares at her wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape. He looks quiet comical. Caroline does not think he's ever been this shocked around her. And, unable to resist, she reaches for her camera and swiftly snaps a picture of him. That seems to shake the shock away, for his face splits into a wide smile quickly, his dimples winking at her. His face radiates happiness, eyes sparkling, joy dancing in them, and she cannot help as her reaction mirrors his.
"Thank you" he says.
"What for?" she frowns.
"For everything".
She immortalizes the moment with one more picture. Little does she know, he will immortalize her smile and bright blue eyes in his sketchbook first, and on a large canvas later.
Let me know what you think guys!