Notes: Hello again! I started a new job six weeks ago and it's been an adjustment in a lot of ways. Am trying to get back into fic. Here's a short AH thing!
Humming Along
(I found a Writer's Month prompt list on Tumblr and thought I'd use it to get back into writing. This is for Day One – Word Prompt: Annoyance. In which Klaus and Caroline are neighbors and he's loud. Title from 'Rhythm of Love' by The Plain White Ts. Rated K+)
Caroline tosses, she turns. She presses her pillow to her ears and burrows under a blanket.
Nothing blocks out the noise.
It's after midnight and there's no indication that the guitar sounds drifting through the thin walls of her apartment are going to quiet anytime soon. Normally, Caroline wouldn't care. She keeps odd hours herself, is often up editing or researching or writing. And Klaus is good so it's hardly unpleasant background noise.
Tonight, however, she wants to get a good night's sleep. She's got a meeting tomorrow, one that'll potentially change her life and she doesn't want to show up red-eyed and cranky and forced to over caffeinate.
She can (and often does) talk a mile a minute without added stimulants.
Caroline's lived next door to Klaus for two months now. He'd been familiar to her from the first moment they'd met, something about his absurdly perfect jawline nagging at her memory. She'd figured she'd met him at a party once, or that maybe he's been a Law and Order murder victim (like a ton of the other people she kind of recognizes at the gym or Whole Foods). She just couldn't quite place him.
Not knowing things has never been comfortable for Caroline and she'd found herself going through all the various spellings of Klaus on imdb about a week after he'd moved in.
She'd found him and then spent the next week hiding, until she'd been sure she could keep a lid on all of her questions.
Like, why in the world was the Klaus Mikaelson living in a super unfancy apartment complex in LA? Surely he could afford to rent a big ol' house with a pool and a double oven in a better neighborhood.
Caroline itches to know.
Klaus – writer and producer of an insanely long list of recent Billboard hits - has habits, patterns that Caroline's learned to track. He strums more softly when he's wrapping up, pausing for longer and longer intervals. She's come to assume that he's writing things down, a guess bolstered by the streaks of marker she's spied on his fingers when they meet up in the elevators in the morning.
They've fallen into a bit of a routine. Most days they walk to the nearest coffee shop together. They're conversations are easy but not particularly deep. He's never mentioned his career beyond a vague reference to working in the music industry. She's followed his lead and never let on that she's practically memorized his extensive Wikipedia page (and he definitely doesn't know that she's searched out every photo shoot he's ever done).
She's stored away a pile of his little quirks. Klaus is a big Shark Week fan, Caroline's recently learned. He orders dinner twice a week, is methodically working his way through nearby Indian restaurants in search of the best chole and bhatooras. They've bickered about the weather – he finds the relentless California sun and heat annoying, Caroline relishes that she never needs more than a light outer layer.
She's willing to admit he's got a point about the hellish traffic.
She'd vowed not to get entangled in a relationship until she'd signed with an agent. Klaus is seriously testing her desire to stick to it.
It's a testament to how much she's come to like him. Caroline Forbes has a freaking ton of willpower.
She's also never been shy about going after what she wants. Right now, what she wants is to sleep.
With a sigh, she throws her legs over the side of the bed, gropes for the robe that's hanging on her closet door. She makes sure everything that needs to be covered is, then slips on a pair of flip flops. Caroline tugs futilely at the short hem of her robe as she steps into the hall.
Oh well. Klaus has definitely seen (and appreciated because he's not been subtle about his interest) Caroline in shorter shorts.
His door is only a few paces away and Caroline knocks sharply before she can talk herself out of it. The music stops abruptly, there's a pause and Caroline shifts restlessly waiting for him to open the door. He looks tired when he does, his hair ruffled and sticking up in spots.
She feels less guilty for interrupting his work. Clearly, he should be getting some rest too.
"Were you planning on sleeping tonight, or…" she smiles when she says it, not intending the words to needle. She respects workaholic tendencies, is no stranger to an all-nighter.
Klaus runs a frustrated hand through his hair, and the source of its disarray is suddenly apparent. "Planning, yes. Will I manage it? That's not a guarantee."
She feels for him, wonders if she can offer comfort or assurance without making it obvious that she knows more about him than she's let on.
She'll mull it over. Work out the best way of teasing a confession out of him tomorrow.
He fishes his phone out of his pocket, his eyes widening when he takes in the time. His eyes run down her body, taking in her attire. "You could've banged on the wall hours ago, love. You've got a big day tomorrow, yeah? Or today, rather." He stills as soon as the words are out, a brief flash of panic widening her eyes.
Curious.
"Interesting deduction, Sherlock," Caroline says. "How'd you figure that out?"
He shifts his weight, growing tense with irritation. "I may check a social media platform of yours. Or two."
Klaus is watching her carefully and when Caroline laughs he visibly relaxes. "I can't be pissed without being a huge hypocrite. I've google stalked the crap out of you." Besides, her online presence is public and carefully cultivated. She might be trying to make it as a writer but she'd payed attention in her marketing classes in college.
His lips curl, smug now. "Oh, really? Find out anything interesting?"
Yeah, she's not about to feed his ego. "Plenty. But I'm more interested in what I haven't been able to find out. There isn't even a teeny hint online about who you're working with right now."
"I'm…" he trails off searching for words. "I'm not writing for anyone else. I'm writing for me."
Or maybe he'd just been deciding if he trusts her.
"Klaus that's amazing." She means it, her brain instantly recalling the melodies she's heard through the wall, trying to reconcile them with the few clips she's tracked down of Klaus singing. She wonders if she can wrangle a private performance.
Ugh, and there goes her brain to a really dirty place.
Luckily, Klaus is too distracted to notice that she's turned a little pink.
He shakes his head, some of his earlier edginess returning. "No, it's really not. It's been ages since I've tried. I'm nearly convinced I no longer have my own sound."
Caroline narrows her eyes, stepping closer. She's tempted to reach out and poke him to get her point across. Her pep talks are always pretty hands on but Klaus is more of an acquaintance than a friend. For now, at least. "Um, I've been listening to you play for weeks now. And I have excellent taste. Trust me, you're good."
He shakes his head, like he's going to argue, and Caroline can't have that. She interrupts, brisk. "Nope, now is not the time for tortured artist self-doubt. You're exhausted. I need to be fresh and on point for my meeting tomorrow. I will happily make you see things my way tomorrow."
"Over dinner?" Klaus asks and she's got to give him a point for smoothness. A second for making a move.
"Sure," she chirps. "I've got a new dress that needs a night out." If tomorrow's meeting goes well she'll barely be breaking her vow. A date isn't a relationship, right? She's enough of an optimist to believe she can have the papers signed before she and Klaus make things official. Caroline bounces forward a step, rests a hand on his chest and leans in to brush her lips across his cheek.
She catches a glimpse of his expression – a satisfying mix of pleasure and shock - before she whirls away.
She might be too giddy to sleep right away but something tells her she'll be in a great mood tomorrow.