Follow-up to 'Geek Love'.
"Can you print this while I get the other book?" Caroline asks, turning away from the desk and moving towards the packed bookshelf at the side of her room, the small wheels of her chair smoothly gliding across the pavement as she moves.
"Yes, ma'am," Klaus answers with a small nod, making Caroline shake her head in slight amusement. He loves to call her that whenever they're studying together, affirming that she goes in total 'bossy dictator' mode when it comes to any type of project, History ones that will count for a large portion of their final grade included.
They have been dating for almost a month now, and she can easily say that it's been the best month of her life. It sounds terribly cliché, and she knows it, but it doesn't make it any less true.
People were quite shocked to see them together for the first few couple of weeks. Not in a 'how is she possibly dating that' kind of way, for which she was glad, but more in a surprised and confused manner. After all, she was one of the most popular girls in school, while nobody really knew that Klaus even existed, as sad as that might sound. He had Stefan and Jeremy, and his siblings, which was more than enough for him, but apparently the too many rom-coms of their generation had forged most of their peers' minds to believe that a cheerleader could only date a football player, and that anything other than that was an obvious sign of an apocalypse coming their way. It was sad and laughable at the same time.
Someone who hadn't at all been surprised was Katherine. She had known about Caroline's crush on Klaus since the start—best friends' rules and all that—and had always been extremely supportive of it. Klaus was the total opposite of what Katherine would have looked for in a boyfriend, but, luckily for Caroline, the brunette definitely was what everyone would have ever looked for in a best friend. Yes—she was snippy and hadn't exactly treated Klaus the best of ways a lot of the times, but what made her different from all the other shallow, self-centered girls that Caroline barely even pretended to like was that Katherine was like that with everyone. She wasn't peevish and blunt only with the so called 'geeks' or 'nerds', or with anyone who didn't happen to be as popular and as beautiful as she was—no—she didn't hold back with any of the other cheerleaders or with any of the jocks either, which actually said a lot about her. Coldness simply was the most prevalent part of her personality, the one most people had to deal with unless they were lucky enough to get to know the real Katherine, the one beneath the surface, and Caroline was.
She and Klaus had actually kind of bonded pretty quickly, although in a rather peculiar, funny way. Katherine loved to rile him up and embarrass him in every possible way, with constant jokes and sexual innuendos about him and Caroline. At first, he would turn the color of a tomato in less than five seconds, but, after getting used to it, he started to simply roll his eyes at her and smirk, even managing to answer her in kind from time to time.
For Caroline, it was something amazing to witness, not only because it was obvious that Katherine only did that in a pleasant, friendly way, but because, as Klaus grew accustomed to the slight jabs and never-ending commentary, his confidence grew as well. He still was as awkward and as clumsy as one could ever be—and Caroline wouldn't have wanted it any other way, to be honest—but now he would stutter a lot less around other people, and he would walk with his head up high in the hallways. It wasn't even a matter of being her boyfriend, because people actually sort of had it with him even more now that they knew who he was, being either jealous of him or simply annoyed and believing that 'she could do better' (bullshit, as Caroline liked to call it), he was simply finally starting to realize that he didn't just have to do nothing and take all the whispered comments and veiled insults in stride, but that he could actually stand up for himself and talk back without becoming rude and mean himself.
Despite her protests and blushing cheeks, Klaus kept on saying that it was all thanks to her, because of her, and to know that they made each other better by being together had something in her chest swell, it had her feeling a kind of all-encompassing happiness that she had never felt before. No matter the cheerleading trophies and the teachers' praises, no matter the many girls who loved to follow her around at school and who looked up to her for all the wrong reasons, Caroline had never really felt like she was good enough for anything or anyone. But with Klaus... it was as clear as day every single time that he looked at her, how much it was that she really meant to him, how much he cared about her, how much he utterly and completely adored her. Finally, she didn't just feel good enough, because she knew that, to him, she was so much more than that—to him, she was everything.
And she loved him for that. Not that he knew, of course.
For someone as genuinely and spontaneously affectionate as Caroline, the three little words were harder to say than she would have ever thought. But they meant so much more than a simple, sudden hug between friends, and she wasn't going to just throw them at him out of the blue.
She had never loved any of her boyfriends before—not that she had had that many, truth to be told, only Matt and then Jesse—and this was a big step for her. Klaus made her feel cared for and cherished, he made her feel important and he made her happier than anybody else ever had before, but they hadn't been dating for that long after all, and she didn't want to scare him away. She didn't want him to think that those words were just as common as a 'hello' for her, and, most importantly, she didn't want to make him feel pressured to say them back even if he just wasn't quite on that page, yet. Or, worse, what if he did not say them back, what if he didn't feel the same, what if he would never feel the same? She wouldn't for one second doubt the fact that he did have strong feelings for her, but they didn't necessarily have to mean love. Klaus was so much more amazing than he himself and anybody else realized, and the nagging fear that he would eventually move on from her and her still naïve, positive, very high school attitude had the terrible habit to pop up inside of her unexpectedly more times than she would have liked.
Was it wise to give him her heart, already? More importantly, did she still even have a choice?
No, she didn't. She loved him, plain and simple, and it was a feeling that just kept on growing with every second that they spent together, with every new thing that she learned about him, with every new tender gaze that he laid upon her. She was a goner, and all that she could do now was hoping that he was too.
"Have you found it?" Klaus' voice suddenly brings her back from her reveries, making her jump slightly as she turns to look at him with wide eyes. One corner of his mouth turns upwards in an amused smile. "Are you all right, love?"
All she can do to answer is nod, feeling dazed and a bit flustered, still not completely used to the constant terms of endearment that he uses with her and that make her feel even more special to him.
"And yes, I've found it," she adds once she finally finds her voice again, clearing her throat and grabbing the book that they need from where it's resting among the others on her bookshelf.
She wheels back to his side, sharing a shy smile with him as their elbows touch.
They haven't done anything more than kissing so far, and even holding hands in public makes them blush sometimes. After all, no matter how strong their feelings for each other might be, one month of dating is not that long and she doesn't want to rush into anything.
Of course, that doesn't mean that she doesn't want him and only him in every single, possible way—because she does—but some things just take their time, and cannot be forced or instigated. She doesn't necessarily want to wait per se, she just wants to wait for the right moment. Which doesn't mean softly lit candles and rose petals on the bed, it means that it's something that has to happen on its own, naturally, not because it's planned but because they both want it and need it.
"Do you want to take a break, maybe? Get some food?" he asks, once again bringing her back to the present.
His eyebrows are furrowed together, his glasses slightly falling down the bridge of his nose because of his frowning, worried expression.
She does need a break, from her own thoughts, though, not from studying. Nonetheless, she nods, appreciating his concern.
"I'm not hungry, though. Can we just lie down together for a little bit?" she bites down on her bottom lip, looking up at him from behind her thick eyelashes.
He smiles, his heart jumping in his throat at the prospect of holding her in his arms. They spend a lot of time together every day, at school or over at her house, but they're never alone at school and always too busy studying when at home. They do take some time to simply bask in each other's presence and share a few kisses now and then, but the intimacy of their relationship is still very new, leaving him shuddering at her every touch.
"Of course, love."
Raising from the chair, he takes her hand in his, tenderly intertwining their fingers together. He leads her to her own bed, lying down on the soft, pink comforter and smiling as she immediately settles down on his chest with natural, effortless movements. One of her legs makes its way in between his, effectively locking them in place together.
He winds his right arm around her, bringing her closer, and she hums contently at the action, feeling completely enveloped in his smell and warmth. He brings his hand up to her hair, slowly and lovingly running his fingers through her blond tresses.
They spend a few minutes like that, in utter silence, calm and at peace. These moments that they get alone, not talking or even kissing, but simply reassuring themselves of the other's presence and basking in it, are Klaus' favorites. From time to time, it's still hard to not convince himself that this whole last month has been nothing but a dream, and he needs these small but powerful reminders that it's all really happening, that she's actually there beside him and not a fragment of his imagination. The smell, feel and warmth of her all around him are the most tangent and meaningful proof that, now—and for a very long time to come, if he can do anything about it—she's his.
"Are you sure that everything is all right?" he asks, his eyes slightly shifting downwards to her face as he trails the line of her cheek with the back of his hand.
He feels her nodding her head against him even before she actually answers.
"I'm sure. I was just thinking," she adds, almost hesitantly, catching herself at the end of the sentence as if she actually wanted to say more.
"What about?"
She remains silent for a few, long moments, and he's not even sure that she will actually answer anymore when she finally sighs.
"Us."
The word hangs around them, making Klaus freeze, his heart stopping for a moment.
"What do you mean?" he musters up the courage to ask, gulping down his fear.
Rolling around so she's now partially lying on top of him, she cups his cheek with one hand, swiftly caressing down his stubbled jawline.
"What I mean," she pauses for a second, giving him a small, reassuring smile as she twines her fingers together on his chest, "Is that you make me happy—happier than I've ever been before, really—and I–" she huffs, annoyed at herself and at her insecurities as she looks down to avoid his confused, questioning gaze. "I don't want to lose it. I don't want to lose you," she admits, refocusing her trembling, slightly wet eyes into his.
Klaus frowns. "Why would you ever have to lose me?"
"Because I really care about you, and you're too good to be true," she shrugs, her eyes downcast once again.
Putting two fingers underneath her chin, he forces her to look up at him.
"Caroline. I really care about you, too."
She shakes her head, fighting the tears that are threatening to fall down her cheeks.
"No, you don't understand–"
"Yes, I do. Caroline, I love you!"
Immediately, she gasps and his eyes widen.
He has known for a long time now, he recognized it as soon as it had started—he was one-hundred-percent, utterly and irrevocably in love with Caroline Forbes. But that didn't mean that he just wanted to suddenly blurt it out, not this soon into their relationship anyway. He had made tentative plans, all in his mind of course, about how this scenario could have played out eventually, further down the road, and none of them included the shocked, seemingly distressed expression that was currently plaguing Caroline's features.
He needs to fix it, and he needs to do it now. Unfortunately, his mouth doesn't seem to want to cooperate, as he can't manage to utter a single word, his throat and tongue dry, his heart beating so fast in his chest that his breathing is coming out heavy and troubled.
"I'm sorry, I–"
But her lips are suddenly crushing against his own, her body fully moving onto his as she pushes him completely down on his back and frames his face between her hands. He responds quickly, surprised but eager, his arms going around her waist and bringing her closer. They tilts their heads at the same time, her nose smashing slightly against his glasses as their mouths fuse together even deeper.
When the need for air eventually becomes too unbearable, she draws back, straddling him and panting. She looks deeply into his eyes, open wide and shocked.
"I love you, too."
His breath hitches in his throat, his heart stopping for a minute at the words. His eyes roam her face, for any trace of doubt, for any indication that she is only saying it back to not leave him hanging. He needs to be sure that she means it, because God knows he does.
When his mind finally registers that this is all real, and that she really loves him just as he loves her—even if he doubts that anybody could ever love another person as much as he loves Caroline—a broad smile breaks across his lips, immediately mirrored by her beaming features as she looks back at him.
In the blink of an eye, his hand is curling around her cheek and bringing her face back down to his, his lips engulfing hers in the most meaningful, powerful kiss that they have shared so far.
Almost unconsciously, he rolls them over, settling on top of her as her thighs spread to accommodate his body above hers. They keep on kissing, their tongues dueling together, curling around each other, licking and sucking. One of his hands is splayed at the small of her back, his fingers drawing random patterns against the slight sliver of bared skin between her jeans and her blouse.
She moans underneath him, arching against him and whimpering into his mouth as his hand makes its way beneath the light material.
When his fingers suddenly find the clasp of her bra, he immediately releases her lips with a small gasp, taking deep breaths and slowly removing his hand.
"Sorry. I shouldn't have–"
—but his rumbling is interrupted as Caroline puts her own hand above his, moving them both back on her skin and up the curve of her spine. His eyes widen, moving towards hers.
"It's okay," she reassures him with a smile. "I want this."
He gulps, nervous. "Love, we don't have to–just because–"
"I know. But I want this. Do you?" she asks in a whisper.
He immediately nods. "More than anything," he reassures her, "but I've never..."
"Me neither," she admits, lowering her eyes and anxiously biting down on her bottom lip.
"You've never–" he shakes his head. "Not that I assumed or anything. Just–"
"It's okay. But no. I'm a virgin."
Klaus' eyes immediately soften from behind his glasses.
"Then are you really sure, sweetheart?"
This is such a monumental step, not only for their relationship, but for both of them as individual human beings, and the last thing he wants is for her to ever regret letting it happen like this.
"We can wait," he adds, and the caring, genuine and honest way in which he utters the words is enough to convince Caroline of her decision even more.
She's still biting down on her bottom lip, but a wide grin takes over her features, lighting up her whole face. She nods once, confident.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
A beaming smile appears on Klaus' lips, and the two share a happy, meaningful look before he dives back in to feast on her taste, their mouths fusing together.
She brings her arms around his neck, urging him even closer as she parts her lips to allow his tongue the access that it was demanding. His hands make their way underneath her blouse once again, dragging the material up with them as they caress the soft, porcelain skin of her stomach.
They disconnect their lips for a moment, panting and out of breath, as she raises her arms and lets him dispose of her shirt. She quickly returns the favor, mindful of his glasses as she rids him of his dark gray henley.
He's on his knees above her, looking down at her almost completely bare chest in awe and pure adoration. He can't quite wrap his mind around the fact that this is actually happening, that she's actually permanently giving him this very important part of her—that she is giving herself to him, to love and cherish forever. And that is exactly what he intends to do.
At the same time, she lets her eyes roam over his naked torso, her hands itching to touch him everywhere. He's not buff or brawny, but he's not completely lanky either; he's the perfect combination of lithe and slightly muscular, and she loves him just a little bit more with every part of him that her eyes take in.
Finally, his hands reach behind her back, and she arches up just enough to let him unfasten her bra. They're both waiting with bated breath as he easily tugs the material away, leaving her chest completely bare before him.
His eyes trail up to her face, her cheeks redder than ever before as she bites down on her bottom lip with hesitance and doubt. He tenderly cups her cheek in his hand, lowering his head down towards hers until their noses are touching, and looking deeply into her eyes through his slightly fogged glasses.
"You are absolutely stunning, love," he whispers on her lips, reassuring her. And it's true, really—he has never before seen anything more beautiful than the girl currently lying underneath him, clothes or no clothes. Nobody could ever even come close to how perfect she is to him.
"I love you," she whispers back, her blue orbs shining with emotion.
"I love you, too."
He pecks her lips once, then starts trailing kisses along her cheekbone and jawline, everywhere on her face than he can reach, showering her with the utter adoration that he feels for her.
"I'm afraid that these will have to go," he eventually says with a smile, taking off his glasses and stretching his arm to the side to set them down on the nightstand. He hates it because he won't be able to see her as clearly without them anymore, but they were really starting to get in the way, and he's inexperienced enough as it is, without the added obstacle as well.
When their eyes meet again, his vision now a bit blurred, she smiles back at him, slightly caressing down his back with her left hand as the other grips onto his forearm.
They look at each for a few moments, before Klaus gives a low, awkward chuckle.
"I have no idea what I'm doing," he admits.
"Me neither," she laughs. "Let's just... learn together?"
He nods, lowering his lips to hers again. They simply enjoy kissing each other for a few minutes, their tongues meeting unhurriedly and dancing together to a rhythm known to nobody else.
Klaus' hands start wandering down her shoulders, caressing the length of her arms before his fingers trail up her ribs and settle just beneath her breasts. Hesitantly, he cups the two soft molds, eliciting a small whimper from Caroline. Taking it as a good sign, he tenderly starts to massage the overly sensitive skin around her nipples, grazing them softly.
At the action, Caroline immediately arches up against him, gasping into his mouth as he smirks.
"I want to touch you, too," she breathes out, flattening one of her hands on his chest.
The words have him hardening even more in seconds, his erection straining painfully against the now very uncomfortable restraint of his jeans.
"Sweetheart—" he pants, gritting his teeth together as her hand reaches for the button, quickly undoing it and then pulling at the zip. He kicks off his shoes and lifts his hips, keeping himself from squashing her with his elbows propped up on the bed at her sides.
Together, they get rid of his jeans, and even his boxers. Now he finally understands the nerves that Caroline must have experienced as they first discarded of her bra, and he fidgets slightly, blushing and clearing his throat. She slowly brings her eyes back to his, smiling.
Cupping his cheek, she urges his face closer, their lips claiming each other for the millionth time that day. They share wet, languid kisses, taking their time to explore every single inch of the other's mouth. She hums contently as his tongue wraps around hers, and he gladly swallows the noise.
Slowly letting himself completely rest above her once again, he grunts as his member comes in contact with the rough material of her jeans. His hands fumble with the buttons, his eyes closed tight as she moves tantalizingly underneath him.
Without wasting time, he drags the jeans down her legs, pausing for a moment as he rids her of her shoes and socks as well. His eyes linger on the panties that she's still wearing for a moment, before meeting hers. She nods, giving him the permission that he was asking for.
With his hands shaking in both apprehension and anticipation, he slowly slides the last piece of garment separating them down her long, slender legs, dropping it to the ground together with the rest of their clothes.
Leaving a tender kiss on her stomach on his way up, he repositions himself above her, gently framing her face between his hands and brushing aside a few unruly strands of blond hair that were covering her lineaments.
A sudden thought occurs to him, then.
"Oh, I don't–I don't have any–" he stutters, blushing slightly as he mentally chastises himself for being unprepared.
She laughs affectionately. "I'm on the pill."
Nodding, he releases a small sigh of relief.
With a reassuring smile, she takes one of his hands away from her face, lowering it down between them with her own firmly clasped in it.
As the tip of his erection brushes softly against the wetness already pooled between her legs, they both gasp slightly, their gazes locked together.
"I love you," he repeats, and it feels so easy and so right to tell her, again and again and again.
It feels even better when she addresses the same three words back to him, and he knows that he will never get tired of hearing her saying them.
"I love you."
Together, they guide his member through her folds, moaning at the feeling, which is completely new for both of them. They pause for a moment at her barrier, and Caroline takes a deep breath as he finally pushes all the way forward.
She gasps, feeling a sharp sting and uncomfortable at the intrusion.
Remaining motionless, Klaus brings his forehead down against hers, peppering her already slightly swollen lips with small, loving kisses as she squeezes her eyes shut.
After a few moments, the pain quickly subsides, and the weird feeling soon becomes a pleasant one. Knowing that they are currently connected in every possible way makes her feel utterly happy and complete, full and loved, and she wishes that they could stay this way forever.
She wants more, though, and she doesn't want to wait anymore. She can't. And she knows that he can't, either.
Bringing both of her hands down to the small of his back, she urges him to move, releasing a shaky breath as he finally does, withdrawing slightly before sinking back into her with a groan, setting a moderate, satisfying rhythm for both of them.
Almost unconsciously, she wraps her legs around his waist, bringing him closer and moaning at the deep, hard thrust caused by the slight change of position.
His hands find hers, sliding up the sheets together as his fingers thread through hers. Their mouths find each other again, their tongues mimicking the movements of the lower parts of their bodies as they meet and battle together.
The tightening feeling in the pit of their stomachs increases with every single thrust, with every meeting of their hips and brush of his pubic bone against her overly sensitive bundle of nerves.
His voice is hoarse and throaty when he rasps out, "Caroline."
"I'm close," she breathes out, nodding and tightening her legs around him, meeting his every move with a push forward of her own, desperately seeking her release.
One of his hands leaves hers, caressing her side and curving around her waist, bringing her impossibly closer and coaxing a deep moan from her. He can feel her walls as they start fluttering around him, wet and scorching hot, taking no time in stimulating him even further as he starts to twitch and pump faster inside of her.
As she comes down from her high with a sigh and his name on her lips, he finally lets himself go as well, coming inside of her as their hips keep on rotating together for a few moments.
His body falls limp on top of hers, and he's careful not to hurt her as they both try to catch their breath. Regaining some strength, after a few seconds he rolls off of her, and they both wince slightly as their bodies disconnect, already feeling the loss of the other's warmth.
She immediately wraps herself around him, snuggling into his side as his left arm wraps around her and brings her even closer. He kisses the crown of her head, lingering for a moment and smiling into her messy hair. One of her hands comes up to rest on his chest, right above his still frantically beating heart.
They're exhausted, sore and panting, but neither of them has ever felt any happier or better in their whole lives.
Still keeping her glued to his side, he moves around slightly to bring the light pink sheets down, and then he wraps them around their naked bodies.
She sighs as they settle back down, content and comfortable next to each other. Giving in to her weariness, she closes her eyes.
He caresses down her cheek with his knuckles, looking at her with nothing but pure love and adoration shining brightly in his deep blue eyes.
"I love you," he whispers once again.
His heart swells in his chest at her answering–
–"I love you."–
–sure that he will never get used to this utter sense of peace and perfection.
As his eyes grow tired and close as well, his arms almost unconsciously tighten around her small frame, bringing her closer as their breaths even out and they fall asleep in seconds, both knowing that this—this, right here—is only the beginning of their life together.