Notes: For Klaroline + Celebs day of 25daysofKlaroline. I did two small things, a new drabble and a mini sequel.
Ain't So Easy
(Prompt: klaroline + "we broke up and I am making a fool out of myself so the media focus on me instead of you, so they might think I am the one who broke up with you. Even though I do hope you'll take me back" maybe? Title from "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" by Jack Johnson. Rated K+)
He's awoken by the insistent ringing of his phone, loud and shrill from the pillow next to his head. He'd tried to ignore it but it just won't stop. Klaus grabs for it but only manages to shove it off the bed. He groans, squeezing his eyes shut and feels relief when the incessant ringing finally ceases.
He's fairly certain it's the middle of the night and entirely positive that he's still drunk. Not in a fit state to talk with anyone.
Klaus gropes for the blanket he'd kicked off at some point, planning on burrowing into it and not emerging for at least another 8 to 10 hours.
Unfortunately whoever is trying to contact him has other ideas.
His phone starts up again, all the more annoying with the slight echo it makes having landed in the narrow crevice between his side table and his bed. Heaving himself over he shoves his arm down, groping around until his fingers brush glass. He yanks it up, starring fuzzily at the screen.
It takes a second for the letters to arrange themselves into something recognizable and when they do Klaus wonders if this is a particularly vivid dream.
Caroline Forbes is calling him.
After making it clear that she had no desire to continue their personal relationship though she'd told him that she trusted they could continue to have a cordial professional one. They would have a movie to promote in a year or so, after all. Couldn't have the public thinking there was friction between the director and her leading man.
Now why, Klaus wondered fuzzily, could she possibly be calling him at the very un-businesslike hour of 3:42 AM?
He clears his throat before answering though it still sounds like he'd swallowed gravel, "Morning, love. To what do I owe the pleasure? Surely you can't miss me that much already?"
He hears her blow out a breath, "Shit. I forgot about the time difference. Sorry, Klaus. But…"
She feels genuinely bad for disturbing him, Klaus can tell. But there's an edge in her voice that he doesn't like. He recognizes it. Caroline had been under a ton of pressure helming her first studio film. She'd been subject to plenty to scrutiny from the people whose money she was spending, made to justify choices running the gamut from budgetary to artistic. It had weighed on her more than once, her posture becoming tense and smile brittle after she'd walked away from a meeting or a drawn out call.
Klaus had always done his best to distract her. With jokes and taunts if they were on set and being observed. Privately, he hadn't needed to use words, had delighted in making her lose the ability to formulate any coherent ones of her own.
Klaus pushes himself into a sitting position against his headboard, wincing at the stab of pain in his head. He makes a mental note to swallow a couple painkillers before going back to sleep, hopes his foresight will serve him well in the morning.
At least he wasn't set to meet with his new trainer, begin the punishing fitness regime for an upcoming sci fi project, until next week.
"It's fine. I'm awake now, what do you need, Caroline?"
"People know, Klaus."
Admittedly he's not at his best but, wracking his brain, Klaus has no idea what she's talking about. Really, it could be any number of things. "I'm going to need more information if you expect me to help you, love."
Her sigh is louder, far more exasperated. "Someone on set sold us out, Klaus. A gossip site posted a couple pics that pretty clearly infer that we were together and a bunch of others are running with it. I had a dozen freaking paparazzi staking out my condo when I got home. I do not want to deal with that, okay? It's why I…"
The snap of her teeth as she cuts herself off is audible, as is her shaky inhale and Klaus can't help latching on to the unfinished sentence. "Why you what?"
She'd broken up with him over a glass of wine in the bar of the hotel they'd been staying at whilst on location. It had been the day before they'd officially wrapped, Caroline had been calm and sweetly gentle when informing him that while she'd had a great time getting to know him and thought he was generally awesome (her words, immediately followed by "When you're not acting like you think you're Emperor of the Universe or being a stubborn pain in my ass.") she was too busy to start anything real. She'd gone on to cite the editing process for the film that she needed to oversee, that she'd be busy afterwards looking for another project, and that it just wouldn't work with Klaus set to start shooting in London shortly.
Perhaps he should have questioned her elaborate list of reasons sooner.
At the time Klaus had genuinely been dumfounded, having thought things between them were progressing nicely, and more than a little hurt. He'd been completely unwilling to show it, had clinked his glass with hers and made a toast to, "Time well spent," and managed to politely chat with her about the scripts they were both perusing at the moment.
Later he'd treated himself to something stronger, grateful that he'd wrapped shooting already and was just hanging around for the cast and crew party and that he'd not need to actually work in the morning.
He'd also been there for Caroline though that had no longer been relevant. He'd planned to entice her to take a quick trip somewhere warm with him, a small getaway before they both got slammed with work to solidify things between them and work out how they'd manage the distance going forward.
At least, judging from the pictures on her Instagram, Rebekah was enjoying herself at the private villa he'd booked in St. Lucia.
Caroline's silent on the other end. He thinks he hears movement, can easily picture her pacing in aggravation at what he imagines she views as an unfortunate slip. "Caroline," he prods, a touch impatiently.
She grumbles something inaudible.
"Use your words, sweetheart," he coaxes, injecting enough condescension into them to make her annoyed. Caroline was always more honest when her temper flared.
"You're a dick," she mutters and Klaus finds himself smiling. Mission accomplished and words begin spilling out of her. "And you're also super famous. I google stalked the crap out of you before deciding to offer you the part, you know. Asked around. Wanted to make sure there was nothing too skeleton-y and awful that would make you a PR risk."
He'd assumed as much. Caroline liked to be prepared. "And? Evidently I came up clean enough, did I not?"
"Kind of a lush in your downtime, not one to turn down a pretty girl who makes you an offer, known to occasionally butt heads with screenwriters because you like to mix things up during takes. That's the gist of what I got. Nothing too nasty and all things I knew I could roll with as a director so long as you showed up looking pretty and ready to nail your lines."
"As a director," Klaus repeats, a hint of understanding dawning. "But not as more than that?"
"Klaus…" her hesitance is clear even with the vast distance separating him.
"Tell me the truth, Caroline. Was I only fun to you? A bit of convenient stress relief? That's perfectly fine, and it's not as if I didn't get anything out of it. But if it was more than that I'd quite like to know."
"Klaus, come on. You have to know it was more than that. I'm not the actor here."
She sounds defeated and while Klaus doesn't enjoy it in the slightest he needs more. "Do I? Because you tried very hard to convince me otherwise the last time we spoke."
Her explanation comes quickly, every word clipped and forceful. "Listen, I started off as a drama major, okay? Teen me dreamed of magazine covers and stardom and my name in lights. Things change and that's not what I fell in love with at school. I've worked really freaking hard to get to where I am and I don't want to be written off as Klaus Mikaelson's latest arm candy."
"You wouldn't be…"
She cuts him off with a bitter laugh, "I would be. It's already starting. Apparently you got bored of me, dumped me and took off. They're saying you aren't into women who attempt to call the shots. That you're looking to rekindle things with Katerina Petrova now that she's broken off her engagement with that baseball player."
Klaus' eyes close in aggravation. He and Katerina did not even like one another, had often nearly come to blows the one time they'd worked together. If he never had to be in the same room as her again he would be delighted.
Additionally gossip sites remained completely idiotic. Katherine's public image was carefully managed but she was far from docile or accommodating.
Caroline's rant continues, "And now I've got a pack of gross dudes with cameras shouting at me from my front lawn about putting my side of the story out there. All because you when you just had to be stupidly charming and distracting and persistent."
"Just a few of my many fine qualities," he jokes lightly. Caroline's only answer is another noise of frustration and he sobers quickly. "I'm sorry, Caroline. For the gossip nonsense, I mean." Apologizing for pursuing her was not something Klaus was willing to do.
"It's not your fault," she admits, only slightly grudging. "I'll happily murder whoever was sneaking pictures of us once I find out who they are. I just thought you should know. Be prepared for your own photo happy stalkers though you must be at least kind of used to it by now. God knows I saw enough pictures of you that you seemed to have no idea were being taken when I was researching."
"My place is private, excellent security. It shouldn't be a problem."
"Yeah, I might have to look into an upgrade. After I cross my fingers that this movie does well so I can afford it."
"I know several places near L.A. that you could stay," Klaus offers. "If things get to be too much." He knows how invasive photogs can be, hates that Caroline is dealing with them now, mostly alone.
"I might go hide out at Bonnie's. She's on tour and I have spare keys. Her community is gated so that would keep the worst of the press away. Thanks for the offer. You really don't have to be so nice to me, you know. I did dump you last week. And, you know, woke you up at an ungodly time to whine about my problems."
Klaus makes his next offer impulsively, but Caroline's confessions had shifted a few things for him. He'd been morose lately, drinking to forget her, but that's done. He'd succeeded before despite Caroline's attempts to brush him off. Now that he knew she'd felt something for him he sees no reason not to continue his pursuit. Just more carefully this time. "It's not a problem, love. Feel free to call me and vent any time, day or night."
"Really?" she asks skeptically. "You sure about that? I bet you can imagine that I need to vent often even when I'm not working on a project that could possibly make my career."
"Positive. I think we should be friends, Caroline. And, given we'll be on opposite sides of the ocean for at least the next six months, it's not as if there will be anyone to get wind of it and harass you. Regarding the film there's no possible about it. It's brilliant."
"Biased," she sing songs.
"Would you like to bet on it?" Klaus challenges.
"Um, you have way more money than me Mr. Got My First BAFTA At Age 21."
"I wasn't thinking money, love. We'll wager… a task. Of the winner's choosing. I bet that the film will be well received. Plus 70% on that silly tomato website you're so fond of."
"What kind of task?" she presses, a hint of suspicion evident.
Rather smart of her.
"I can't possibly decide now, can I? Not as sleep deprived as I am."
That finally draws a soft laugh from her and Klaus gives himself a mental pat on the back. "I suppose it's a bet then. I do reserve the right to veto anything too weird."
"Offensive," Klaus drawls. "What could I ask of you that was 'weird'?"
She makes a noise of disbelief, "Please, I know that you're plenty imaginative, Klaus. I'm sure you could think of something."
"You never complained about my imagination before," Klaus points out. He manages to say it fairly neutrally, resists the urge to sway the conversation in a more sexual direction.
He's optimistic that there will be time for that down the line and he'd hate to only have to imagine the spark in her eyes, or the blush to her creamy skin, if he hinted at some of the nights they'd spent together where sleep had been the last thing on their minds.
Caroline's own imagination had been far from lacking much to Klaus' delight.
"Not the point," she tosses back though there's no real censure in it. "I should let you go back to bed. Sorry, again, for waking you up. And I'm sorry if I uh… woke anyone else up."
Was that a spark of jealousy he heard? How promising.
"You did not," he informs her. "And I meant it when I said I didn't want you to be sorry. I have an idea or two that should alleviate the interest on you."
"You don't have to do that."
"I want to," Klaus tells her firmly, unwilling to listen to any more arguments.
First he'd look up the articles Caroline had mentioned, figure out exactly what he was dealing with.
Then he'd need to call up his publicist. Marcel was forever hinting that it might be good for Klaus' image to settle down, had indicated the same in a more friendly way over off the clock shared drinks. He liked Caroline quite a bit so he imagined that, once Klaus stated his intentions, he could get Marcel on board and get him to drop a hint or two that Klaus was far from ready to move on from Caroline.
It was only the truth.
Caroline didn't want to be an afterthought, wanted to make her own name, and Klaus respected that, had been genuine when he said that he thought the movie they'd just wrapped would do it and open a whole host of doors for her.
Perhaps then she'd be willing to re-examine her feelings about starting something a touch more long lasting with him. He hoped she'd take him up on his offer, that they could work on a friendship. It would be a foundation that Klaus intended to build upon. He genuinely enjoyed talking to Caroline, found her clever and witty and just biting enough to be interesting. He thought she felt similarly, hoped that would help her come round to wanting to be with him more than she feared what that would entail.
If things went well over the phone it would be perfectly reasonable for Klaus to invite a friend to his very private estate outside London, wasn't it? Caroline would likely need to unwind after she finished the gruelling editing process. He'd consider which guest bedroom would best suit her tastes.
Even if she refused they would inevitably be thrown together on a press tour and Klaus was confident that when the time came he could make a case - one even Caroline and her infinite stubbornness wouldn't be able to argue with - in person.
Klaus could be very patient when his end goal was worth it.
Start A Rumor (One Year Later…)
(Prompt: kc+ "'My girlfriend suckered me into dressing up as Santa at our charity fundraiser to raise money for the local children's hospital, and my god this fake beard is itchy'; she better make it up to me later" Celebrity AU. Original drabble can be found in 67. Rated T to light M? No actual smut.)
When he walks into the house, the one he and Caroline had picked out together six months ago (disagreements over renovation projects were ongoing) he immediately notes that it smells delicious.
Which makes Klaus suspicious.
Caroline baked sparingly (her job required her to look like she could kill a man with her bare hands, she often said, and sweets did not help one achieve that look). When she did it was generally either to deal with stress (which benefitted the crew at work immensely as she would bring the treats she produced in the next day) or because she was attempting some manner of bribery.
Klaus is leaning towards the latter in this instance.
He's almost positive she's making the currant spice cookies he was fond of. They were currently on a break from shooting and Caroline had already completed the bulk of her holiday to do list. There's not much she could be stressed about.
Begging the question, whatever could she possibly want?
When Klaus makes his way to the kitchen, after stowing his coat, he's greeted by a bright smile, "Hey! You're home early."
She's got a towel wrapped around her hair, wears a robe and he's intrigued by the bit of black ribbon he spies on the strap that's peeking out. Klaus can't wait to get a closer look. Unfortunately, it's possible he'll have to wait. They have a charity engagement tonight, something for a children's hospital Caroline often works with. He'd been half asleep when she'd asked him if he'd go, worn out from a night shoot and happy to finally be his in bed with Caroline wrapped around him.
He recalls agreeing right before drifting off and it had been on the calendar the next day – both the paper one Caroline kept posted in the kitchen and on the app they had on their phones – and Klaus had thought little of it since.
Exactly what time had it started again?
He's wondering if he has enough time to peel Caroline out of that robe and coax her into joining him in the shower (despite the fact she's already finished hers) when she speaks and (unfortunately) forces him from that delightful train of thought, "Did your shopping go well?" She bats her eyelashes innocently and Klaus can't help but smile.
Caroline wasn't a big fan of surprises, had been dropping completely unsubtle hints about what sort of gifts she wanted for months. Klaus had purchased several of her suggestions, along with some others and had then done some hinting of his own regarding the surprise items.
She pretended like it didn't bother her but Klaus had noted some definite disturbances to the things in his portion of their walk in closet, almost like someone had been snooping. Caroline had, of course, denied having any knowledge of such a thing over breakfast that morning ("I'm not a child, Klaus. I have some self-control," she'd sniffed while pointedly ignoring his gaze.
Klaus had anticipated such things, this being the second Christmas he and Caroline have been together, third including the one where they'd just begun their tentative friendship. He knew Caroline's quirks well and so he'd arranged to store all of his packages at Marcel's place, had dropped off the final few not twenty minutes ago.
She can snoop to her little heart's content and won't find so much as a hint.
"Shopping was fine," he tells her breezily. "I do believe my list is complete."
Caroline's eyes narrow and Klaus knows she wants to press but she restrains herself, turning her attention back to the cookies she's setting on a cooling rack with a barely audible huff.
He circles the island and wraps his arm around Caroline's waist, resting his chin on her shoulder as he snags a cookie. She settles back against him with a hum, but wrinkles her nose when he offers her the first bite, "Nope, just brushed my teeth." She lifts on to her toes pecks his cheek, "You should probably start getting ready soon. I left the outfit I need you to wear on the bed."
Klaus raises a brow at that. For events where they knew they'd be photographed they usually coordinated (or their stylists did) to make sure his tie didn't clash with her dress and that sort of thing but that was the extent of Caroline's attempts to influence his clothes. "Is this a costume party?" he asks slowly, trying to remember the conversation they had.
Fruitlessly because it remains a blur. He remembers Caroline speaking softly, the warm hand she'd slipped under his shirt to trace patterns over his ribs. Nothing of the content of her words comes to him, however.
He can't see her face but she shifts her weight slightly, a telltale sign of nerves. "Not exactly."
Ah. So he'd been correct to be suspicious.
"Caroline," he drawls, setting his uneaten cookie down and shifting so he can look at her.
She attempts to maintain her innocent expression but caves quickly under his expectant gaze, throwing up her hands and pulling away from him. She leans against the opposite counter and points at him. "I did ask you about this. And you agreed. It's not my fault you forgot about it."
"Yes," Klaus says dryly, "And I'm sure the timing was completely coincidental. There's no chance that you plotted to use your wiles on me at a weak moment to get me to agree to something I might not have otherwise, is there?"
Caroline looks mildly embarrassed, "There might be a tiny chance that I plotted. A little. But it's for charity and I'm wearing a costume too!"
"And what's your costume, love?"
She glances down at her feet, "Mrs. Claus," she mutters.
"Which would make me…?"
She peeks up, biting her lip for a moment. "Santa," she finally admits with a sigh.
He should have known.
"Absolutely not," Klaus states immediately. "Marcel would never let me forget it. And I shudder to think of the unholy glee Kol would get out of the news. He has the ridiculous habit of purposefully mispronouncing my name for the whole of December as it is."
Something Caroline was endlessly amused with, weathering Klaus' glowers every time she let a giggle slip out. That that only managed to encourage Kol's ridiculous antics. "Marcel won't be there. Kol's not even on this continent so they might not ever know."
"I don't like the word might."
She rolls her eyes, "How about probably?"
"Slightly better," Klaus allows. "There won't be press there?"
"Not when we visit the kids," she assures him and he's sure she's mentally rehearsed her speech to convince him. "You'll hand out toys, strain your acting abilities and pretend like you're the cheerful type. Afterwards we have a champagne and cheese thing with other donors where we'll have to mingle. There will be pictures then but you can totally be you then. Just pick one of your suits and bring it along. We'll change there."
He can't believe he's considering this. Caroline knows it too, her cajoling expression melting away into a smile of triumph.
Well, he can't make it that simple for her, can he? It'll set an awful precedent and the slow creep of her things into his half of the closet will accelerate and she'll win the fight about the guest bath and paint it that awful pink she's taken a liking to.
"What's in it for me?" Klaus asks shrewdly.
Her eyes light up immediately and something tells Klaus that she's also prepared for such an eventuality.
Caroline's expression turns sultry as she reaches behind her. She sets her hands on the countertop and hops until she's seated on it before lifting a hand and beckoning him forward. Klaus finds himself moving without taking the time to consider it and Caroline's hands grasp his shirt, her thighs parting until her rests between them. Her robe's slipped down one shoulder and she pushes it further, revealing an exceptionally lovely little bit of lingerie that he's certain is new.
The bra is sheer and plunging, a delicate floral pattern running over the cups that does little to hide the pink of her nipple. Klaus lips his lips, and meets her teasing gaze, "I'm listening."
Caroline laughs, soft and throaty, reaching down to tangle his hand in hers. She draws their joined hands slowly up her legs, "There's a garter. Stockings too. I know you like those."
He really does.
Her voice gets a little breathy as his fingers take over, brushing over the lace that the covers the juncture of her thighs. "And it's a thong. Because I figured it'd be easier to push aside when you bend me over the conference room table at the hospital while we're supposed to be changing for that fancy cocktail party."
His groan is hoarse and Caroline smiles up at him impishly before drawing his hands out from under her robe and scooting back a bit. She nudges his leg with her toes, "Yeah, I figured that would be sufficiently motivating," she says smugly. "I casually asked some questions about cameras while I was getting the details for this thing down, implied I was super concerned about my privacy and was assured that there's none in the conference room that will be at our disposal this evening."
Perhaps he's easy but Klaus is convinced.
He leans into kiss her and Caroline eagerly parts her lips, inviting him in though she places a firm hand on his chest. "We don't have time for anything all that good," she tells him regretfully when she pulls back, lips swollen and wet. "But later. Definitely later."
"Several times over," Klaus vows, low and rough. The shiver that wracks Caroline's frame is most rewarding and Klaus is glad he won't be the only one distracted by less than pure thoughts this evening.
She attempts sternness, shoving him gently in the direction of the doorway. "Go, shower. I'll put the cookies away and be up in a minute to do my makeup."
Reluctantly Klaus pulls away and turns to head upstairs, Caroline's soft humming following him. He can't help the grimace of distaste he makes when he sees the lurid red outfit laid across the foot of the bed.
Red velvet and white fur, shiny black belt and boots. There was even extra padding that he knows is going to be awkward and uncomfortable. He reaches out a tentative hand to the beard that's included, quickly withdraws it upon feeling it against his skin.
That was going to itch something awful and Klaus only wished that he could curse Caroline's deviousness.
He can't not when it's such a part of what makes her who she is.
Klaus quite liked that she wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted. Knew that her single mindedness when in pursuit of a goal could be a beautiful thing. Loved that she was unapologetic about her cleverness and kept him on his toes.
Still. He'd definitely be doing some plotting of his own once this night was through and Caroline had followed through with the incentives she'd offered.
Klaus was certain they'd both enjoy whatever revenge he settled on.