"Nik!" Caroline squealed in delight as he tugged on her hand leading her through the darkened hallway until she was practically running behind him. He laughed as she bumped into his back with a loud "Oofh," sound as he paused in front of the door he had found just moments before.
"This is where beauty resides," he announced mysteriously to Caroline letting go of her hand he strode through his newly found studio failing to disguise the pride in his work on his very smug face. He walked halfway through the room to a partially covered canvas posed against an easel.
Caroline watched with bated breath as he held out his left hand to her his pointer finger inviting her closer to him along with his warm smile and a gleam of excitement in his eyes. He waited for her response his eyes daring her to take this next step breathing out she made her decision.
Naturally, Caroline couldn't stay away her left hand taking a hold of the hem of her dress out of nerves as she bit her lip moving towards him. Her right hand reached out to his and he took it spinning her to his hard chest.
Klaus shut his eyes at the feeling of his wife pressed against him once more hoping the light-headedness was an effect she had on him not his injury. His nose nestled into her hair feeling softness of her tresses against his cheek as he removed the rest of the sheet revealing his portrait.
"Nik," Caroline gasped as he felt her shift on her feet her hand covering her mouth partially as his own landed on her hips making sure she stayed upright as her knees seemingly gave out. Her lips quivered as he watched her eyes take in the lines of the canvas.
"She's truly beautiful," he murmured his fuzzy check rubbing against her ear as Caroline studied the outline Klaus had made of her. She barely heard him as she observed the small sketch of herself through his eyes on manilla paper propped up against the canvas and easel.
Her hand reached or his on her waist as she read it was dated the day of his accident her hand went to it picking the sketch up to view better. "You were going to make this," she whispered her chin quivering as she felt her eyes grow hot wanting to welt up in tears.
She felt his hand under hers move his fingers entwining in hers as she placed the sketch back turning her to face him his face filled with concern. She hesitated realizing it was not over his memory, he was worried over her.
"I will finish it one day," he said with conviction as his hands cupped her face his thumbs caressing her cheeks as hips lips floated over hers. A sad smile on his lips in an effort to try to comfort her, "Brain scan today said it was only a matter of time remember?" his words were a promise that lifted her heart.
She chuckled making his grip tighter as she tried to pull away. "I've been pretty confident all day that you'll remember me in your own time." Klaus went to interrupt but she held her hand to his lips. "But," she frowned, "It's crap Nik, I can't pep talk my way out of this."
Her fingers slipped to his wrists her thumbs tracing small patterns over small wounds that had long since healed. "I don't how you did this for two whole days," Caroline admitted, "And I can't even last a handful of hours." he licked his lips distracting her as he spoke.
"Me?" he moved taking her hands in his and placing them over his chest her hands warming his skin, "Patient?" he asked incredulously his head tilting to the side as he observed her a smirk going on his plump lips, "You must be worth it," he responded a laugh escaping his lips.
She rolled her eyes a reluctant smile forming on her pink lips as she looked up at him as she felt onerous her heart bursting her mind unbelieving."Shush," Caroline said trying to hide her yawn and gaining tiredness her hand coming to cover her mouth.
His eyes narrowed his mouth twisting his head rising as he stepped away from her walking around a small table filled with scattered sheets of paper and half-empty paints. "You're just a bloody faker aren't you," he told her from behind the wooden table his hands tapping the top with his fingers.
Her hands landed on top as well watching him, waiting for what he had to say smiling as he turned trying to hide his own yawn. "So are you," she teased laughing as she pointed at him a smirk on his face as he turned back to face her.
Klaus snaked around the table towards her his eyes locked with hers distracting her of what was to come he tossed the nearly empty tube of yellow paint on the table. Her eyes widening as his right hand came up his finger smeared with paint staining her nose.
His other arm rose wrapping around her side tickling her as she cried out with laughter his other arm coming to her neck to pull her face closer as she scrambled about. "Okay fine you caught me." she said giving in before another yawn broke their little trance.
Her fingers tracing the his sides the lines and contours of his body firmly securing her fingers in his hair her eyes tracing every pore on his face. Taking in every inch as her nose touched his rubbing their faces together delicately instead of facing him. "I have an idea."
Klaus's fingers moved on her neck making her turn to directly face him her eyes were hooded but their was no doubt she was focused on him."I'm all ears," he said his hand tangling in her hair a wicked smile gracing her lips eye her eyes traveled him up and down.
"Don't sell yourself short," Caroline remarked shrugging as she pulled back gently trying to slow her heartbeat before it got so loud there would be no doubt he could hear it. Her body felt hot as he touched her burning her skin she knew she should pull away soon if this friends thing was going to work.
He shook his head feeling her heat up at his touch and her inquiring eye doing his body no favors as he longed to take her lips in his. To press her body as close to his as it could get. He felt the need to cool down glad she had at least pulled away to he could take a long deep breath.
Caroline tiredly rubbed the side of her face trying to figure out a way from this situation as fast as possible her mind short-circuiting her answers. "I was thinking we should head to bed," Caroline said shutting her eyes in grief at the habit she had of speaking before thinking.
Klaus felt his lips curl devilishly in-spite of his need to keep things platonic between them. "Er." he opened his mouth to answer even as his throat dried and his lips parted he couldn't think of a thing to say to her but "Together?" Klaus thought he might have said something wrong his heart twisting with every moment she stayed silent unable to take it back.
Caroline felt the word come off of his lips, his question hit the pit of her stomach keeping her feelings and the situation ahead of them on her mind in case she forgot for a second and needed reminding. "Let's just go upstairs okay," she asked already making her way out of his arms hoping to forget about this room until Klaus could remember her knowing it would only cause pain to think of it.
Dispelling her feelings was becoming a common occurrence she thought as she barreled through the doorway a dry sob escaping her throat as she moved to wipe her eyes before he could catch her on the verge of tears yet again. Passing the pile of pillows she almost tripped over a table leg as she felt a strong hand encase her arm holding her from going any further.
Klaus didn't know where his fun and light-hearted Caroline had gone and people said his candor and behavior was bewildering. "Fantastic," he muttered disturbed by her unwillingness to be around him when things got too heated for her. He scratched his head before turning to follow her out breaking into a light jog as he followed her through the house glad when he caught up with her.
He reached out his hand keeping her from falling over, "Caroline," he called grabbing her forearm pulling her back to his chest his heavy breath by her cheek as he patiently waited for her to stop tugging away from him and relax. Finally when she had halted in her heavy paced steps towards the stairs he loosened his hold on her turning Caroline around to face him.
Caroline's hands were on her face as she tried to recoup from her feels attack back there Klaus not making it any better or easier for that matter she thought as she fidgeted waiting for the feeling of his glare on her to lessen before she looked up from her bare feet. "This house is too damn big," she mumbled wiping her eyes, "Why would you buy such a big house if you lived by yourself," she asked softly the floor still her main focus.
"I bought this house because I was waiting for you," Klaus confessed, "I figured one day I would meet someone," his fingers brushed the side of hr face, "That we would get to know each other," he brushed her hair out of his way, "Date," She looked up at him then tears brimming her eyes his thumbs coming up to wipe them away before they could get any further on her face, "Woo even," he added making her laugh, a laugh that had him tilting his head in fascination.
Caroline eyed him like he was the beginning of the world and she had a front row seat so he licked his lips before revealing his darkest fantasy, "That I'd ask her to marry me while she was half asleep tucked into my side so when she inevitably said 'yes'" Caroline scoffed playfully, "And didn't know what she was agreeing to in her state."
Klaus moved in closer shifting on his feet, "She couldn't back out of it." Her smile was growing as she watched his features, his dimples displayed his lips pink like his cheeks as he spoke the wonder on his face was spellbinding, "I thought I might kiss her and love her here inside of these walls that I'd have children who embodied her grace," Caroline melted as he spoke his eyes telling her he knew it too, "Her virtue."
Klaus placed a small kiss on her cheek before pulling away completely letting her stand on her own as he walked towards the stairs without her, "And two of the only good thing about me," he said without looking behind him his smile formed growing larger as the seconds ticked by. She called from behind him the one question he had lead her to with his words.
"What's that then," Caroline called to him from behind her small steps following the shadow path of his larger ones until she placed her hand in his looking up at him as he turned his head to face her. He smiled adoration written all over his face, it was a moment that stole her breath and nearly made her forget he didn't know her.
Klaus leaned in to her ear before he whispered to her, "My accent and dimples," his cheek brushing hers, his scruff making her shiver as he passed his lips soon afterwards as he moved his head kissing her cheek. "Shut up," Caroline grumbled out shoving him with her other hand before walking straight forward to the stairs their hands still attached.
She didn't make it far before Klaus paused making her whirl backwards to face him he saw her eyes were still shinning brimmed with tears that had yet to be spilled, "Alright," he said as she shut her eyes his throat tight with emotion at how happy she was trying to look for him, "But you have to come to bed and wipe those tears from your prety eyes first, sadness shouldn't ever reflect there.
He kissed her forehead letting her take a deep breath feeling her calm down as she hugged him tighter.
Klaus watched as Caroline drifted off into a deep slumber her tired body lying close a smile brimming his face with last night's events or rather a few hours ago. Unable to get any actual sleep he rubbed his right eye as he shifted in the comfortable bed he lay in it was the dead of the night. It was then he realized he would never sleep alone again.
That this was not the room or bed he had decided on sleeping in his eyes drifted over to the girl who had come into his life when he needed her the most, her love for him radiating crashing on his shore like waves as he basked in her glory, "I'll remember you," he whispered into the night before he tried to turn into her side.
He tugged lightly realizing he couldn't exactly move from his place his other hand was under some weight, a blonde deep in her slumber it seemed a frown on her face at the feel of him trying to remove his hand. Her small hands tugged back keeping him where he was, "Alright fine," he murmured lying back down. "You win." he wrapped her smaller body in his arms pulling her closer to him a sound of approval leaving her lips before he feel asleep right along with her.
Caroline felt the morning sun dancing across her face her eyelids a bright orange as she realized the sheets no longer hid her from the day peeking out of her left eye she spotted him. The man who had been vying for her affections only weeks ago wrapped up around her she felt a smile tug at her lips as she thought there was no other way for her to wake up for the rest of her life.
She rubbed her toes together to placate herself as she gazed at him taking in the curve of his lips that matched the ends of his long eyelashes the wave of the curls mussed just above his forehead as he slept. The way his breathing was slow, light as if he was at peace with where he was in that moment Caroline let out a breath shaking her head to move her hair from her face.
Klaus awoke to the feeling of his sin warm and burning next to a softer pillow tucking itself into his side feeling her eyes watch over him as he slept was an odd kind of serenity he had yet to experience with anyone else. he took a small breath as sh broke the silence of the room, "I know you'll remember me," Caroline's words haunted him as he continued to pretend he was asleep.
He felt the need to prolong the delicious feeling of her fingertips on his bare skin cursing himself when he outwardly twitched as she raked her nails through his hair creating a delightful frisson down his spine and she froze, "Come back to me," she whispered. Klaus continued his steady breathing with much effort as his heart constricted his eyes wanting to ignore his pretense and fly open in remembrance sealing his love for her with a kiss.
Still that was were the problem lay he didn't know her. He gulped resisting the urge to react to her in someway, to give her hope where at the moment there was none. He tried to go back to the moments before when he had awaken feeling happy not so resolutely lost in his circumstances. His lips parted as he forgot himself whilst she squirmed underneath his arms.
Her hand came to rest lightly on his shoulder the feeling of him alive here next to her surging in her bones a part of her reminding her that this happiness was fleeting. Klaus was faking being asleep that much she knew but she couldn't exactly bring herself to care at a time like this, if Klaus awoke as he most certainly will soon then she would just be a girl in his arms.
Right this moment however with his eyes closed she was his and he was hers being honest with herself she knew it was more poetic in her head than to say out loud. To feel the way she did was too much for her to handle so she kept things light between them whenever she could distracting and pleasing like a good Miss Mystic Falls sh kept her words simple and hr looks meaningful. He read them all.
Klaus felt her hand traveling once again this time stopping just before his hairline on his neck her thumb caressing his earlobe as she murmured, "Wake up sleepyhead," her throat a little raspy from sleep. Klaus groaned in response making her thing of a whale or a caveman maybe a combination of both she giggled at the idea deciding it was too early.
His hold on her waist tightened bringing her closer to the outlines of his body her mouth hovered over the side of his chest before burying itself in between his neck and his pillow. Klaus' eyes opened as he felt her temple placed over his pulse point both feeling it thump over and over like it should. "Getting up before the sun is at midday is bad luck you know," Klaus said.
She smiles shutting her eyes as she placed her both of her hands on his chest cold meeting hot to warm her up, "Well what was I thinking?" she asked getting comfortable her squirming directly under his hold until she sensed he had opened his eyes. She paused looking up from her position as his side o see what he might just say now.
He blinked as her blue eyes met his own for the first time in hours Klaus suddenly feeling whole, revitalize as if she was his one and only source of power and light. "Love, you do realize what all your moving about is doing to me don't you?" He smirked as Caroline's eyebrows met in confusion her forehead. Klaus saw the realization dawn on her face as she settled herself and got the big picture.
"Oh," she exclaimed as he smiled as sweetly as he could nodding that she was correct in her assumption, "Then scoot over," she told him shoving him slightly as he pulled the bed sheets over their heads making it dark once more creating barrier from the outside world. A veil that hid them from the bad and dark thing that lingered in their lives securing themselves they only heard the beating of their own hearts.
Klaus opened his eyes feeling himself smiling for the briefest of moments before ignoring propriety and pulling her soft body under his making Caroline squeal in delight. "Can you believe people are still expected to get out of bed everyday," he spoke softly his eyes adjusting to the mild darkness his elbows on either side of her face. "This feels too good to leave."
Caroline blushed feeling ht all over as he continued to gawk at her under their sheets like the first time they met when he awoke his eyes flirting with her even as his words suggested something else entirely. Everything about Klaus was pulling her in and she had no doubt it would always feel like this. She smiled as his fingers played with her splayed out hair on his pillow.
She felt his eyes burning through her every secret as she looked into his own opening doors and looking into proverbial draws locked away in her mind and heart. She looked away unable to help herself against him any longer feeling his smiling lips taunting her as she said "Stop hugging me with your eyes," earning her a chuckle of approval on Klaus' part.
He brought his face down shifting his arms a bit as he did so his legs moving into her legs meeting her hip to hip as his lips met the side of her face only to move up again a second later and whisper, "I'm doing a whole lot more than that," he then shifted his weight again trying to ignore how on top of her he actually was and used his finger to point to his head a crooked smile playing on his lips.
"Jerk," she mumbled out this time completely shoving him off of her pushing him to the side until she was sure he was far enough away under the sheets that he wouldn't see her smile at his lame attempt to get her to smile. She shook her head as she felt him move closer smirking as a hesitant hand went around her waist. She let him pull her back to his chest neither spoke again that morning drifting to sleep a few hours at a time.
AN: Hey guys so sorry, I had this and I didn't want to post until I had more but I caved so here you are. Today on the day of the doctor!
As always you're the best and I love when you leave me little notes or when you just read because it's great to know you guys enjoy reading what I put out. As always suggestions are welcome on any story, but constructive ones. thanks for you follows and favorites and thank you guests who I can't respond to. :))