Notes: Still working my way through the trope prompts, this one is pure fluff.

Roll Call

(Prompt: #20 Teacher AU + #76 Did They Or Didn't They. Rated T)

"I wish I was surprised to see you here. But, alas, you are appallingly predictable."

Caroline doesn't bother to turn around. She's perched on top of a desk, stretching to tape one of the classic lit quotes she'd had printed to the wall near the ceiling.

If she's good at her job her students will recognize the dirty joke by the end of the year.

Katherine's never needed encouragement to roast the life choices of her friends and loved ones, however. Caroline ignoring her existence doesn't slow her monologue. "It's a beautiful day in August. You could be by a pool, rocking that smoking hot green bikini we bought last week, and eye fucking a man with more abs than brains, but no."

"Why would I want more abs than brains, again?"

"Dumb, pretty and good in bed is the holy trinity, cupcake. Trust me."

Caroline fumbles, nearly drops her next poster, but catches it (and her balance) managing a laugh that she hopes sounds casual. "Pass, thanks."

She sneaks a quick look at Kat over her shoulder, finds that she'd hopped up on Caroline's desk and, luckily, is staring down at her phone. If she'd noted Caroline's moment of panic she'd have latched on to it. Prying into Caroline's (admittedly unexciting) personal life is one of Katherine Pierce's very favorite things.

It's mostly annoying, only sometimes endearing because Caroline's well aware the grating nosiness is Katherine's version of showing she cares. And she has to give her friend credit. Once in a while Caroline gets riled enough to attempt to shut Kat up and that often leads to good things.

Like the last time Kat had uttered the words "Trust me."

They'd gone to a new club, scored VIP access thanks to Kat's excellent flirt game, and lost themselves in the crowd on the dance floor. The music had been awesome, their fellow club goers all of above average hotness. Caroline had gone with it when a big hand had gripped her hip, when a body had pressed lightly against her back.

He'd been a damn good dancer and she'd found herself grinding against him, rolling her hips in a manner meant to tease. When she'd spun around and gotten a look at him she'd only wanted to get closer.

That feeling had been mutual.

The next morning she'd tiptoed out of his hotel room at dawn, humming even though her thighs were aching and her rumpled dress was going to draw judgemental eyes.

Caroline firmly believes that good orgasms require no shame.

Kat doesn't know she'd accepted a hot stranger's hotel room key that night and Caroline would like to keep it that way.

No need to invite an 'I told you so.'

Kat sighs, long and loud and exaggerated. "You are wasting the best boobs of your life, Caroline."

This time Caroline's laugh is genuine, "I'll keep that in mind. What are you even doing here? I seem to remember you buying your own super-hot bikini."

Kat's had been black and racy, her usual style, and would totally get her all sorts of attention poolside. Caroline spins, stepping down onto the desk's seat, and then hopping down to the floor. She scoops up a bottle of water and making her way towards the front of her classroom. She wipes her hand on the front of her grey tank, making a face when she takes in Katherine's pristine outfit and glossy curls.

Katherine sets her phone down, crossing her legs and smiling in a way that's slightly alarming. "Pearl and the rest of the admins started today. I thought I'd stop by and get the rundown of our new colleagues."

"Stalker," Caroline sing songs.

"Are you saying you don't want to know? Because I can just…"

Kat makes no move to get off the desk and turns to face Caroline when she flops down in her chair. She lifts her legs, props her feet up on the edge, "Of course I want to know. I hate not knowing things."

The admin's like Caroline well enough - she brings baked goods to share once a month - but they freaking love Katherine. Never one to give up an advantage, Kat's lips are sealed about how she'd won their hearts.

Caroline wouldn't rule out a strip club bender.

"A little appreciation for my excellent recon would be nice," Kat grumbles. Caroline remains silent, tips her chair back slightly, settling in like she's willing to wait. It's not a long pause before Katherine's flipping her hair aside and pouting like her patience is being tried. "Fine. Be an ingrate. Of the four open positions two are filled with boring old people. But, for the first time ever we have not one, but two, hot young gentlemen starting."

Huh. The school is currently staffed with more women than men, has been since Caroline had started six years ago. "How do you know they're hot?"

"Please. Who do you think you're talking to? I've already googled. Matt the Gym Teacher's Instagram is still public. He has pretty blue eyes and likes to work out. Niklaus the Art Teacher seems to actually sell paintings, has a couple write ups. Kinda broody but I'm not going to knock intensity. And he's got great lips. Wanna see pictures? I'm going to go ahead and call dibs on Matt. He used to be a police officer in some small town and I'm fine with showing him the ropes in the big city, if you know what I mean."

"Yes, I vividly remember you dragging me into that sex shop when you saw they had hemp rope on sale." While Kat had browsed Caroline had been treated to an awful lot of not so subtle nudges towards the aisle with the vibrators.

"What can I say, I'm a friend to Mother Earth," Kat deadpans, a tiny smirk curling her lips. She wiggles her phone, "You know you want to."

Caroline's not strong enough to resist the temptation. Forewarned is forearmed, right? Kat reads her caving easily, taps out her passcode before handing the phone over. She's got Instagram open and Caroline can see the appeal. Former police officer Matt is blonde and blue eyed, seemingly quick with a smile. He looks like he used to play football and he's exactly the sort of beefcake Kat likes to wrap around her little finger.

Poor guy won't know what hit him.

"Just don't break him," Caroline says. She's careful to not phrase it like a plea because Kat would take that as a challenge. "I don't want to be dealing with a string of substitutes. You know that brings out the evil little monsters inside the kids."

"You're no fun."

So not the first time Katherine's said so. Caroline hands back the phone. "Show me the other one. Um…Nicholas?"

"Close, but think more pretentious. Niklaus Mikaelson. Originally from Wales, went to school in London. Transferred to a college in Chicago halfway through. Has an MFA."

"That's an impressive amount of research." A scary amount. It's probably a good thing for the world at large that Kat enjoys torturing adolescents with pop quizzes and brutal midterms and creepy stories about obscure historical figures.

Kat preens, taking Caroline's words as a compliment. "I am good, aren't I?" She taps at her screen for a moment before flipping it so Caroline can see. "Look at those dimples. I think you should consider licking them."

When she sees the picture Caroline gets one hell of a shock.

Unfortunately, she'd been taking a sip of water. She chokes on it, slapping a hand over her mouth, trying to avoid spraying it all over Kat's sheer black blouse. Kat's brows have risen and she leans forward, her eyes glued to Caroline's reddening face. "Out of all the dirty things I've goaded you with over the years dimple licking gets a reaction? I'm not here to kink shame you, but…" she trails off suggestively, her tongue peeking out in a gesture that would probably melt Matt the Gym Teacher's tighty whitey's off.

Caroline takes another smaller sip of water once she's stopped hacking. "That's not even a kink," she protests.

"Everything's a kink."

She's spent enough time on adult oriented websites to concede Kat's point.

"But if that's not what had you doing a spit take…" Kat's head tips to the side, her expression turning thoughtful. That's always dangerous for Caroline. "Do you know Niklaus Mikaelson?"

Caroline's still reeling from the shock of seeing his face - the face she's seen in her dreams frequently over the last few weeks, his lips wet and smiling tauntingly from between her spread thighs - to lie convincingly. "What? No. Of course not, that's crazy. Totally crazy."

The noise Katherine makes is mocking, "Wow. That's a hearty denial. And also clearly bullshit."

"It's not…"

"Bull. Shit," Kat says, enunciating crisply. "How do you know him?"

"I met him a couple days ago. At a… coffee shop." God, since when is she so bad at lying?

"What coffee shop?"

Katherine's clearly humoring her but Caroline can't back down now. "Starbucks."

"What Starbucks?"

"Why does that matter? Are you going to track down security footage or something?"

"Do you think I couldn't?" Kat counters.

Ugh, that's not a challenge Caroline wants to take. One of the things she and Kat have in common, one that occasionally leads to friction, is their inability to back away from a thrown gauntlet. She presses her lips together, looking away.

"Or I could just mosey my cute ass down to the art room and ask him how he knows my good friend CareBear. Maybe show him that pic I took of you in the green bikini, hmm?"

This time the emotion that floods Caroline is more than shock. Oh, there's a healthy dose but it's mostly blind panic. She lurches forward, her feet hitting the ground. "He's here?" she shrieks.

Kat's laugh is loud, gleeful, her head tossed back with the force of it. "He sure is. Seems like he's the obsessive compulsive type too. Hence why I thought you should shoot your shot. Unless, of course, you already have?"

"I plead the fifth," Caroline says primly.

It's like a train wreck - she knows in her gut that's Kat's going to escalate things - but she can't figure out how to stop it. Kat takes on single beat to stare Caroline down - her expression long suffering, like she cannot believe what she's being forced to do - before she's off the desk and out the door.

How she manages such speed in four inch heels Caroline just does not get. She gives chase, slipping and sliding in her flip flops, lagging behind, and Kat turns to shoot her the most evil of grins just before she taps on the open art room door. "Hi, there!" she calls, gratingly faux perky. "I'm Katherine, Miss Pierce to the hormone ridden ankle biters. I teach History and I thought I'd introduce myself. We do like fresh meat here."

Before Caroline can pivot for an exit - the stairwell is just a few steps behind her - she hears Kat continue. "My good friend Caroline, English teacher and cheerleading coach, is just behind me. But I think you too have met…"

She considers running for it. Glances longingly at her possible escape route. But that would only make the inevitable confrontation even more awkward. If Klaus is setting up his classroom he's signed a contract and there's no way she can not see him. She throws her shoulders, lifts her chin. Tugs down the neckline of her tank top, just a smidge, because she's dressed for manual labor and not to run into the guy she'd had the best one night stand of her life with.

Kat might have had a point about her failing to make the most of her assets.

She fixes a friendly smile on her face and walks to meet her doom.

Kat's just inside the door, practically bouncing with glee. Klaus (or is it Niklaus?) looks confused. His eyes land on her immediately. There might be a hint of pleasure, the tug of a smile, but his expression quickly grows flat, cool. He nods at Katherine, "A pleasure to meet you. And I have met your friend. Briefly."

Ouch.

Caroline crosses her arms, leans against the doorway. She opens her mouth, hoping to produce a blandly polite greeting, but Kat snaps her fingers. "Oh my god, he was at that club opening!" She offers Klaus an apologetic shrug, "Sorry, I guess I didn't recognize you when you're not bumping and grinding."

His lips thin, his posture going tense. Not the usual effect Katherine has on men.

Kat doesn't seem to notice. "You said you were too tired for Thai food, said you would grab a cab," she mutters, more to herself than to either Caroline or Klaus. "But I didn't see you get into a cab."

This time, Caroline keeps her mouth shut. She's learned her lesson about incriminating herself. Unfortunately, Klaus is eager to do it for her, "Ashamed of me, sweetheart? Hurtful. Though not surprising. You did make a hasty exit."

She straightens, outraged, but a quick glance at their eager audience has her mouth snapping shut. She plants her hands on her hips, jerks her head towards the door, "You know what? Kat, I need you to leave."

Kat's face says she's not going to go willingly but Caroline's not afraid to hit below the belt.

"Or you can stay and I'll do my best to make sure Matt the Gym Teacher isn't an option. And you know I can do it."

She knows enough of Kat's deep dark secrets.

"Blackmail? I'm both annoyed and impressed." Katherine spins towards the door, pausing with her hand on the knob. "I'm going to close this. Pro-tip, the supply closet has very sturdy shelves." She pins Caroline with one last glare, "You and I will be having drinks tomorrow. I'll text you a time." She then flounces out, leaving Caroline alone with the guy she'd assumed she'd never see again.

"You're a teacher?" she blurts out.

"Sometimes."

He's still in freeze out mode and Caroline's highly tempted to strategically retreat. Maybe return with a peace offering but she doesn't know what kind of baked goods he might like. She has been meaning to binge The Great British Bake Off though. She realizes he's watching her expectantly and she smiles, apologetically. "So, confession time. I assumed you were just visiting. The accent, the hotel…"

"The housing market isn't the easiest in this city. Finding a flat's been difficult. Had you perhaps stayed for breakfast I would have been happy to discuss my situation in more depth."

She's certain there's a little bit of hurt there, buried under all the pissed off. It makes her honest. "I didn't stay because I didn't want to like you. I'm bad at casual. And that night was…"

Well, he'd been there. No need to get detailed.

She'd addressed the pink polished tips of her toes but she can't resist looking up to catch his reaction. There's a bit of thawing, understanding, and he steps forward, so they're just a little closer.

"That night was something I woke eager to repeat. You fell asleep first, do you remember? I'd hatched some grand plans while you lay draped across me. Of how we'd fill the rest of our free summer days."

Caroline really wishes she'd known that was an option.

"There's still three weeks before the first day of classes," she ventures.

"True."

Not exactly inviting. Still, she'd been the one to cut and run. It's only fair that she make this overture. If she crashes and burns she'll just have to figure out a way to never walk passed the art room. It'll require some creativity but Caroline Forbes is nothing if not tenacious.

"Do you want to have dinner with me tonight?" she asks, the words spilling out in a barely distinguishable rush. She forces herself to slow down, "You're new in town, right? Not to brag but I know all the best restaurants."

That coaxes a smile from him, brings out the dimple that Caroline's now seeing in a dirtier way (thanks, Kat). "Are you asking me on a date? My, how old fashioned."

She moves closer this time, reaching up to brush her fingertip over the buttons at his collar, "You should know I'm definitely not that."

Klaus grabs her hand before she can drop it, lifting it higher and turning his head to press his lips to her wrist. Caroline presses her lips together to prevent an embarrassing sound from slipping out in reaction. She must not fool him because he does it again. "I have no complaints. Give me an hour to finish up? Then we can figure out what we're in the mood for."

Caroline kind of hopes he decides he's in the mood for delivery.