Caroline wasn't sure about Klaus when she first met him. In another life she knew he was capable of terrible things and still have people love him. Caroline would watch him secretly. Through stolen glances and hurried looks. She had avoided him since she had first met him at a party, and he had shown interest in her. It was ironic that for someone who was avoiding him like the plague she was outside his and Marcel's apartment to tell him off and ask him what the hell he thought of himself beating up Stefan like that.
It was that or Damon coming here and whooping Klaus's ass—or getting his ass whooped, Caroline wasn't sure—but everyone agreed that before things got worse someone needed to speak to Klaus and since it was well known that, as Bonnie and Elena put it, Klaus was 'sweet on her' Caroline would go. Anyone else would be a disaster. While Caroline initially protested, she relented because the last few times she had run into Klaus things hadn't been that bad. They had become...almost...reluctant friends. But, of course, that could last only for two seconds before Klaus ruined it. Of course.
"Come to lecture me, love?" Klaus smirked bitterly, his eyes cutting into Caroline's. She only gave him a look of pure disgust. "How did you even get in?" he asked.
"The door was open."
"And here I thought Marcel might have come home," Klaus said. "He hasn't been to the flat in quite some time," he suddenly looked thoughtful. Caroline rolled her eyes at his distraction tactics.
"You know what you are?"
"I have a feeling you're going to inform me nevertheless—," Klaus began smugly as he took a step towards. Caroline didn't wait for him to finish his sentence, cutting him off in the middle, "you're just another spoilt rich white brat of a boy, who's got the whole world at his feet and is intent on destroying it just for shits and gags."
Klaus stopped to stand in front of Caroline, all traces of humor gone from his face. A harsh bitterness setting in, icing his features. Caroline didn't even flinch when he towered over her.
"You're making assumptions," he whispered dangerously.
"Yeah, I don't think so? What is it, mommy issues? Daddy issues?" Caroline asked sarcastically. When she saw his jaw twitch and eyes dart to the floor at the mention of mommy-daddy problems she added for good measure, "both?"
When Klaus continued to glare at her, Caroline continued, "Well, you know what I don't really care. Because we all have problems. We all want to burn the world sometimes, Klaus," she threw her hands up in frustration, as she took a step back to put some distance between them. Klaus gave her a look of curiosity and surprise she did not miss. She licked her lips nervously. She wanted to get him to stop his downward spiral, not make this about her, or worse—make him more curious about her than he already was. "But we all deal with it!" she said, emphasizing each word as she turned away from him. She hadn't really looked at his room before. Seeing as this was the first time she had come here.
He had a really good flat, didn't he? Caroline thought as her eyes scanned the bed spread and the laptop, the speakers, the TV—all from top brands. She felt a sneer come over her. Did he even realize what douche he was? To have everything he did and even then, be so ungrateful and fall apart like he did?
"It must be nice, to have so much," Caroline said, turning around. A small gasp left her mouth as came face to face with Klaus. He had closed the distance between them while her back was turned. Snake, she thought, annoyed. She took a step back to have her back brush up edge of a chair. The desk was directly behind her. She was wedged between Klaus and the desk.
"It's not bad," Klaus admitted, a different kind of energy around them now. Okay, she had not come here for this. She had come here to lecture Klaus about Stefan and—she ignored the way her heart stuttered as Klaus leaned closer, his cool breath fanning her face when he said, "But I find myself still wanting..." Klaus's voice trailed off as he leaned closer.
"No! We're not going to kiss," Caroline said, exasperated, eyes wide, pushing him away. "You're infuriating."
Klaus pursed his lips. "What are you even doing here, Caroline? Did you appoint yourself as Stefan's messiah?"
"Well, everyone else thought it would be best if I came to speak with you." Considering that Damon was two seconds away from knocking down Klaus's door and starting another fight. She didn't tell Klaus that. She knew it would only rile him up and start a bigger fight.
"And so, they elected you to go meet someone alone whom they consider unstable and dangerous?" Klaus asked, raising his eyebrows. "I'm not sure I hold your friends in very high esteem."
"Unstable and dangerous? Accurate description, but I don't think you hold yourself in very high esteem either, so...," Caroline trailed off, her lips pursed into a teasing line, as her eyes glided across the room again. Klaus did not miss the teasing, seeing as there was an upward quirk to his lips. He leaned back, with his forearms supporting his weight—Caroline wondered if he was going to lie down, but a jolt of surprise went through her when she felt her chair move.
Klaus had wound his long legs along the leg of the chair to drag her forward to himself. Caroline did not pretend she didn't feel a stab of excitement and adrenaline go through her. She felt ...alive.
"And do you think I'm unstable and dangerous?"
"Yes," Caroline breathed as Klaus sat upright, leaning towards her, now.
"Is that right?" Klaus was smiling at her. Not smirking, actually smiling.
"What are you smiling about?"
"What are you smiling about?" She hadn't even realized she had been smiling. She stopped.
"I think this is the first normal conversation we have had," Caroline said, pulling her legs up to sit in a cross-legged position.
"Yes, well, if I knew it only took to beat up Stefan, I would have done it a long time ago," Klaus teased. Caroline, who had been enjoying the light banter between them suddenly felt a darkness fall over her and her heart hurt.
This was not normal; this was not a normal conversation either. At Klaus's words she was reminded of why she had come here in the first place. She pursed her lips, disapproving of the fact that Klaus that it was okay to hit Stefan. He was really hurt. He would live, but still.
As if only realizing the change in Caroline's mood, Klaus's face also turned somber. "That's not funny, Klaus," Caroline said. When she tried to pull the chair back to get up, Klaus's legs held it tightly in place, making it impossible for her to move. She gave him a look of frustration.
"I'm—," Klaus began, but stopped, as if something had choked him. "I shall speak to Stefan about this. I didn't mean to...do what I did."
"And for the record, your friend Stefan isn't a bunny. He threw in some punches too. It was an even match," Klaus said, pointing out the wounds on his face, and lifting up his shirt to show Caroline the bruises on his stomach. Caroline only rolled her eyes.
"I'll light a candle for ya," she said. Caroline remembered the gashes on Stefan's face and the wounds on his body. She was again reminded of how angry Damon had been—something that always left her anxious for hours and days on, because it reminded her of when they were together.
Caroline snapped back to the present when Klaus said, "hey." He looked concerned. "Worried about Stefan?" Klaus asked, the twinge of jealousy apparent in his voice. Caroline cocked her head to the side and let a soft smile come to her face.
"Nah, he'll live." As soon as she said the words, she clapped a hand to her mouth in shock. She didn't mean to say it. Not to Klaus of all people. He only gave her a smirk.
"He is in good hands," she said, and was immediately struck by how Stefan had his brother and all of their friends hovering over him, nagging him, taking care of him, but Klaus was here...alone. She tried not to feel too bad for him but failed. He was a douche bag. He deserved to be...Her thoughts vanished when she saw how Klaus was looking at her again.
Caroline's phone rang forcing them to look away. It was Elena.
"Hey," Caroline said into the phone. Klaus watched her curiously. She looked away from his gaze to look at the carpet. It looked nice. How come she hadn't noticed it all this while? How did he manage to keep it so clean? Hm.
"Hey, everything okay over there?" Elena's voice distracted her line of thought.
"Yes," she answered quickly, maybe too quickly, because there was pause on the other end of the line.
"O-kay?" Elena sounded suspicious. Damnit. All of these months of denying there was anything between Klaus and herself, today was not working in her favour.
"How's Stefan?" Caroline asked instead. She heard Elena sigh heavily into the phone and felt herself flinch at the noise. Elena was a serial sigh-er. But she'd get mad at Caroline for pointing it out so she just made it a point to always hold the phone away from her ear when Elena was in one of her sighing moods. And today was definitely one of those days.
"He's fine." Caroline pulled the phone away from her ear. Klaus shot her a questioning look. She gave him a quick smile and held up a finger. Elena sighed heavily into the phone making both Klaus and Caroline flinch. Caroline waved a palm, as if to say, I know. They shared a secret smile between themselves.
"That's good to know," Caroline said, placing the phone back against her ear.
"Well, yes, but—," Elena broke off, and Caroline immediately pulled away from the phone making Klaus laugh. Elena had finished sighing and whatever she was about to say seemed to have vanished from her line of thought for she only asked, sounding very suspicious, "what was that?"
"Nothing!" Caroline said her voice perhaps too chirpy for her own good. "I'm glad to hear Stefan is doing well, but I'll see you later, yeah? Text me," Caroline said and immediately hung up before Elena could protest. She shot a look of exasperation towards Klaus.
"Sorry, love," he said. "But it was funny, you must admit."
Caroline rolled her eyes but smiled. "I know. Elena's a serial sigher." Klaus smiled and Caroline smiled with him. His face suddenly turned somber.
"It's getting late, your friends are worried. Maybe you should go," Klaus said, and Caroline was going to agree with him, and doesn't know what made her say what she does, but she says it, and she doesn't regret it. Not entirely. Not right now, at least.
"Nah, it's cool. I can hangout for a bit," she said, surprising herself, and Klaus, whose eyes widened comically, and it looked like he was struggling to say something. Caroline thought it was endearing. Nope. Scratch that. She did notjust think that Klaus was endearing. Klaus was not endearing. "Maybe we should clean you up a bit...," Caroline said just because she wanted to change the topic, distract herself from thinking Klaus was endearing—because, no way in hell, did she just think that—but she soon comes to regret her words because Klaus's idea of cleaning up was getting naked.
Well, half-naked, because he just shed his shirt, but still. It was too much skin, and chest and muscles and tattoos—was that a bird? And was that feather? And what were those necklaces? Caroline forced herself to look away. Dangerous territory, dangerous territory, she mentally chanted but oh well, she was excited, and she knew there was no way in hell she was not going to peek another look at him.
"Well?" Klaus said, standing half-naked in all of his glory, looking incredibly smug. Caroline would punch him if there wasn't a blush creeping up her neck. He knew he was good looking. Ugh. Caroline narrowed her eyes, suspicious. "I thought you wanted to clean me up." Caroline's jaw dropped at the obvious sexual innuendo.
"I said we—," Caroline began but stopped immediately realizing she was only making it worse. "Oh, just shut up and go already," Caroline said, gesturing to the bathroom. Klaus did a fake pompous bow before he went to the bathroom. Caroline followed him.
"Where's your first-aid?"
Klaus pointed to one of the shelves on top of the sink and Caroline took the moment to look around his bathroom. It was big. Not one of those flats that college students live in, where the shower, the toilet and the sink are crammed into a tiny space—this was big. Bigger than what Caroline had at her house back in Mystic Falls, and definitely bigger than the dorm bath. She tried not to feel bitter about the amount of wealth Klaus casually owned. She failed. Oh, well.
Caroline took out the first aid and helped Klaus clean up in silence. It wasn't as awkward or uncomfortable as she had been expecting it to be. She also got to see the many tattoos Klaus had peppered all over his chest. There was a feather, a bird and a triangle. She wondered what all of those meant. There was one small wolf on his right rib cage. She wanted to press her thumb against it and feel it press back against the pad of her skin, but she didn't.
"Maybe you should take a shower," Caroline said, looking at the mud in his hair. God, they must have been fighting like animals, she thought frowning. Klaus nodded, touching his hair.
Caroline stepped out and sat on his bed, and as time passed, she felt herself melting into the soft bed, until she was completely lying down on her back, browsing through her phone. That's how Klaus found her when he stepped out of the shower, fifteen minutes later, a towel wrapped around his waist and nothing more. She didn't realize he had come out of the bathroom until he said, "I thought you'd be gone."
Caroline propped herself on her forearms and was about to formulate a snarky response when everything died in her throat at the sight of Klaus. "Yuh," she choked out. Klaus smirked at her and gave her a look that could only be described as smoldering—she high-key hated herself for using such a cheesy word, but damnit! That's what it was! It was smoldering—as he walked towards her. Her throat was so dry, she couldn't even find it in herself to protest when Klaus lay down on the bed, next to her.
Caroline stared at the ceiling, her throat in her heart. Okay, okay, Klaus was naked—except for that towel—and lying next to her, okay. She tried to process the information without freaking the fuck out but failed miserably. She couldn't even muster up the courage to look at Klaus. She hated how nervous and silly she was acting. She had seen her share of dicks—and been with a lot of people. She didn't need to be —she wasn't this—ugh. She still couldn't look away from the ceiling.
"Caroline," Klaus's voice said, causing her breath to stop.
"uh-huh?" Caroline's voice sounded squeaky. Damn you, Caroline! She scolded herself.
"Are you going to look at me at all, love?" Caroline could hear the smugness in his voice. The bastard.
"I'm good with looking at the ceiling, thank you." At least her voice was stable now even if it was small.
"Caroline," Klaus said again. His voice was lower, and she felt him scoot closer to her.
"What?" Caroline snapped, annoyed. Yes, annoyance and anger were familiar feelings she could hide behind. They guaranteed safety. This, right now, was unfamiliar dangerous territory.
"You're lovely."
Caroline's head snapped to the side to look at Klaus. Eyes alight with suspicion. "What?"
Klaus smirked, a victorious look in his eyes. Ugh, she looked! Klaus was much closer than she anticipated but Caroline knew she couldn't look away now.
"I said, you're lovely."
"Thank you, I know," Caroline said, an air of haughtiness around her. Klaus snorted.
Caroline smirked at him. She was suddenly caught by the desire to touch the hair on his face. It was as if a force from outside was guiding her, as she gave into her desires, and lifted a palm. Klaus watched her closely, his face unreadable as Caroline ran a finger along his jaw, feeling the brittle hairs of his scruffy beard against her skin, some sharp and some soft. She had always wondered what it would feel like and now she did. She cupped his entire cheek and before she could stop herself, she leaned forward to press her mouth against his.
Finally. The deed had been done. All those months of tension and denial and escaping and Caroline couldn't believe it was her that had sought him out, and it was her that had chosen to stay despite having the option to leave, and it was her that had finally kissed Klaus. Well, for all those months of sexual tension, Caroline expected someone to pop open a champagne, and blast the confetti—or at least for the kiss to be amazing, but Klaus was frozen, stone underneath her. Caroline pulled away, surprised.
"Um, did you not want—," she began, her face hovering over Klaus's, when he seemed to have suddenly realized something, for he snapped out of his stupor and lifted his head to press his lips against hers', cutting off her words.
Klaus's lips pressed against Caroline's, soft but urgent. She didn't expect the softness and responded with more fervor and passion than she knew she had. The angle was all wrong and hurting her neck, so she did what any reasonable person would do—she got up and straddled him. Klaus let out a whoosh, groaning.
"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" Caroline asked, immediately panicky and apologetic.
"No, my ribs—," He said, his face twisted in agony, pointing to where the skin was bruised and was tender.
Caroline immediately pulled away, straddling his thighs now, deciding how to proceed, if he wanted to proceed, if it was wise to proceed considering his state. She was distracted by the towel which had loosened and was sliding further down. She looked up at Klaus to see his eyes had darkened. But he also looked really tired and worn out. Caroline felt a rush of pity and affection run through her. He was trying to be awake and present when all he really needed was rest. She crawled back to her place next to him.
"Why—we can," Klaus began to protest but Caroline shushed him. "I'm plenty good with this too," Caroline said pressing soft kisses against his jaw and his mouth. Klaus reached for her mouth again. He deepened the kiss, taking the lead now, as he hovered over her. Caroline pressed the tip of her tongue to Klaus's mouth and he happily obliged, opening it to allow her entrance. As their tongues battled for control, Klaus's hands roamed over Caroline's shirt, fingers skirting her waist before slipping in to caress her back and pull her further closer to him.
Caroline also took this opportunity do some exploration of her own. Taking care to not be too rough in her handling, she let her fingers flutter over Klaus's chest, his abdomen, his tattoos. Finally, those damn tattoos she had been eager to finger. But her mouth latched onto Klaus's did not help her look. She pulled away from Klaus to continue her exploration, swatting his hands away from her. She had been waiting too long, those peeks from all those months when she would pretend to not look at him playing basketball shirtless, or when his shirt would ride up in parties, now was her chance, to look, to touch, to taste.
Klaus watched with fascination as Caroline looked at him with a hunger, he had felt within himself all this time. He never really thought he would see it in her apart from the moments they would share at times. She had always seemed so far away from him, out of his reach. But she was here now, out of her own volition. And she was looking at him like she wanted him, wanted to learn everything about him. The way her hands were curiously skimming across his skin—he tried not wince when she brushed a tender spot but failed. Caroline immediately pulled away.
"Yeah, maybe we should just not," Caroline said, smiling nervously. Klaus's face dropped like he was expecting her to run out. "We can just talk...?" She said, shrugging a shoulder. Klaus rubbed her thighs affectionately, nodding.
Caroline excitedly lay down next to him. He turned on his side carefully to face her, eyes shining with mirth and excitement. "What do you want to talk about?" Klaus asked. Caroline let out a snort. When he gave her a questioning look, she said, "Don't you remember?"
He only looked more confused. Caroline creeped closer to him. "I want to talk about you, your hopes, your dreams and everything you want in life," Caroline said in a poor imitation of Klaus. It was what he had said to her months ago outside a party, on a park bench.
"Is that supposed to be a British accent?" Klaus asked, laughing, clutching his side, seemingly both in pain and joy. "That's horrible."
Caroline rolled her eyes at him good-naturedly.
"I can't believe I'm here doing this," she snorted.
"If I knew all it took was to beat Stefan's arse, I would have gotten to it ages ago," Klaus smirked.
Caroline frowned. "Why did you beat up Stefan? You can't do that anymore, by the way."
Klaus shrugged. "He was annoying me," he said. Caroline's frown only deepened.
"What do you mean he was annoying you?" she felt anger and annoyance bubbling in her.
Klaus's face entirely shut down and he looked away to lay on his back. "Hey, what is it?" Caroline asked again, annoyed that he wasn't answering her.
"I don't want to talk about it," he bit out. Caroline gave him an unfathomable look.
"But why—,"
"Caroline," he said shooting a warning glare. Caroline scoffed.
"You beat him to a pulp," Caroline said, sitting up. "This is why I came here in the first place."
Klaus gave her a look before swinging his legs on the other side of the bed to stand up. Was he leaving? Caroline thought. But he had just been making his way to his closet—which was gigantic—and opened it to rummage through his clothes. Caroline lay back on the bed with a huff of frustration. Everything was going so well so far. Why couldn't he just tell her what the problem with Stefan was? With Klaus acting all distant and now practically ignoring her, Caroline felt awkwardness creep in.
What the hell was she thinking anyway? Kissing Klaus? Helping him clean up and then making out with him and just—just fondling him? Right after he almost beat Stefan up to a pulp. She chewed her lip anxiously. And now that he was acting all distant and weird, Caroline felt even weirder and embarrassed.
"I'm going to leave," Caroline announced to no one in particular. Klaus, who had just pulled on a pair of sweats, and was currently looking for something in his closet—what Caroline assumed was a shirt—suddenly stilled, but he did not turn back.
"Oh," he said. "Alright, then."
Geez. If he could be any more obvious that he didn't care. Caroline felt her eyes sting with tears as she felt the humiliation creep in. She couldn't believe she was in Klaus's bed hoping he would look at her and talk to her. Ugh, how the mighty have fallen! She pursed her lips angrily as she got off the bed—and Klaus still refused to look at her. She wanted to punch him.
"You know, you're kind of an asshole," Caroline spit out as she made to leave. She felt a hand—Klaus's—pull her back by her upper-arm.
Klaus said, "Why am I an asshole?"
Caroline glared at him. He gave her an equally venomous glare. "Really, you're asking me that?"
"Yes," he said without missing a beat. Caroline struggled against his hold and Klaus didn't fight it. He let her go immediately.
"Well, for starters," Caroline said, crossing her arms across her chest, "you refuse to tell me what happened with Stefan. And then you act all distant and weird and can't bear to look at me suddenly?"
"I was looking for a shirt for you," Klaus said, as he lifted his hand to show Caroline the shirt he held. Caroline felt her face soften and her heart melt a little, but she didn't let her expression waver too much. She was still mad at him.
"And the thing with Stefan," Klaus said, taking a step towards her. "I don't want to talk about it." After a pause. "Why don't you ask him?"
At Caroline's silence Klaus smirked, "he wouldn't talk about it either, would he?"
"Ugh, yes, he wouldn't!" Caroline relented. Klaus's smirk only widened as he brushed his knuckles along Caroline's cheek.
"Let it go, Caroline," he whispered softly, his breath fanning her face. "Let's just go back to bed."
Caroline saw the tiredness in his face and felt a pang of affection in her chest. "Um, I—," Caroline began but paused. "I don't know if this is such a good idea, you know." Klaus's face fell immediately. "I mean, I like you, but—,"
"I understand," Klaus said, cutting in. "You should leave."
"But if you insist and refuse to let me leave then I guess I have no choice, do I?" Caroline said really quickly as she snatched the shirt from Klaus's hand and started shrugging off her shirt. Klaus watched her amusedly.
"Really, now? I'm forcing you to stay?" he scoffed, sitting at the edge of his bed and pulling her from the hoop of her belt. Caroline had almost pulled the shirt Klaus had given her down her head when she let out a squeal at Klaus's tugging. She found herself sitting in his lap.
"I thought we were going to bed," she said, amused, trying not to let her heart go crazy again with its rapid beating and what not. She still wasn't used to this whole thing with Klaus. She didn't know he could be all soft and tender and affectionate and cute and—Caroline's thoughts came to a stop when Klaus's lips pressed to hers'. His hands moved from her thigh to slide up to the button of her jeans to help her undo it. Caroline was only so thankful. So, when her pants came off, Caroline was ready especially when Klaus swung her to place her gently against the bed and—roll off of her. Caroline blinked. What?
"What—What? Why did you stop?"
Klaus gave her a faux innocent look. "I'm sorry, love, were you expecting something?"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "You're insufferable, you know, that right?"
"I think I've earned that right, considering I'm worse for wear tonight," he said, dragging Caroline's hand across his chest to press it against his face.
"I know," she yawned, not bothering to cover her mouth. "We should talk about this, us, tomorrow. What it means and what it—,"
"Yes, love, I can't wait," Klaus said sarcastically. He reached a hand near the headboard to switch off the lights of the room. "Good night, Caroline," he said. But she was already asleep and snoring. Klaus could only let himself chuckle.