Chapter 6
He walked once around the block before ending up back at the house. He was still in a state of shock, if living with her wasn't enough, he had to now delegate with her.
Sometimes he wished his brother was more decisive. Even when they were little Tyler always relied on Klaus to make the final decision.
His mother married Klaus's dad when they were about five, they were forced to bond – not that it was a problem, they got on like a house on fire – in his mind, Tyler was his real brother no matter what the legal documents said.
Of course over the last few years, they distanced, Klaus remained in Paris and Tyler moved to LA; they were bound to lose touch. Don't get him wrong, when he heard about his death, he cried, he was man enough to admit that. It was like losing a part of him. It broke him, but sometimes tragedies make you stronger and that was how Klaus was going about it.
Then he met Caroline, as soon as he heard that she was Tyler's girlfriend, he couldn't help but feel jealousy. The fact that she got that chance to know him in his last few years of his life; he regretted not contacting him more but it was too late for that, he was gone.
He sat in his bedroom on his bed, staring down at the picture of the two of them. It was the more recent and the only one that he had of them together. He would do this. He would try his best to get on with Caroline for Tyler's sake.
It's the least he can do to make up for lost times.
He had to.
He heard the door slam down stairs and he couldn't help thinking it was someone breaking it, but he knew for a fact it was probably her
"Caroline?" he called but there was no answer, until moments later
"What!"
"No need to be so snappy, love" he could hear her mumbling about something and he couldn't help but snigger. There was something about annoying her that made him happy like he was finally getting over the jealousy, it was a weird way but it seemed to be the only enjoyment he got out of life.
He made his way down the stairs into the kitchen where she was, emptying grocery bags
"I see you bought dinner" he smirked taking a bite out of an apple in his hand. The kitchen had a small centre counter top that he now sat on watching as she open and closed cupboards
"Thought I might as well pull my weight. Don't want you to starve"
"Aw you do care" he mocked chuckling as he did so. She didn't react as she continued throwing away the empty bags as she stood in front of him staring at the abandoned apple core on the counter top. She took it, throwing it in the bin
"If we're going to live together, you're going to have to learn to clean after yourself"
"But I thought that's what you were here for, love?" he winked at her, swinging his legs slightly as he laughed. The look of disgust on her face made him smile even more than before. Even when she was angry, she still looked good.
He noticed since the moment she walked into the door that she was a looker, he doubted there was a bad angle
"You better be joking" he smiled, soon enough she would find out that he never joked.
She grabbed an apple and her bag, walking into the living room and turning on the television. The only channel they seem to have was French cooking, it made no difference to her, she learn French when she was at school, so she briefly understood what they were saying. In fact, she found the cooking channel calming, some mindless TV that allowed you to get your mind off, well everything.
Klaus walked in as she rolled her eyes, could she never get any alone time she thought as she started to watch the TV. He sat down next to her, she could feel him looking at her but she didn't want to react
"What you watching?" small talk, really? She didn't know if this was him trying to make and effort or he was genuinely interested in what she was doing. It was a bit of stupid question when it was pretty obvious what she was watching, but she played along
"Cooking"
"When I used to live in England, I used to watch the cooking channel all the time" this got her attention. Still eating her apple, she turned her head towards him as he was now looking at the TV screen
"Were you born in England?"
"If you haven't noticed, love, I'm British" he chuckled at her annoyance before he carried on "Yes, my Dad's British and so was my Mum. I was born and raised there, until my Mum left us for another woman" Caroline frowned at him "Yes, she is a lesbian"
"I bet that must be hard for you"
"What? The fact that she is a lesbian or that she left us" she giggled for the first time and it made him smile. She had such a beautiful laugh that brightened up the room and her face; he wondered why she didn't laugh more often
"Both"
"Yeah, it was pretty hard. But at the age of five you don't really know the difference" He looked down at something on the sofa making patterns in the leather in the distance between them
"So how did you get to Paris?" she didn't know why he was suddenly being so open with her but she didn't want to complain, she was nosey by nature and if he was willing to indulge his secrets she would listen
"It's where our parents met, Tyler's and mine. His Dad died when he was born. One day in May it just so happened that both our families took a trip to Paris, two widows looking after kids by themselves. They fell in love, and here we are" There was so much that Caroline didn't know about her boyfriend. Whether it was because she never asked or he never told, she didn't know much apart from the fact that he was American. Klaus was different to his brother, she couldn't pin point what it was but there was something
"He never spoke about you, in the three years I've known him. Were you and Tyler close?" Klaus looked hurt by something she said but his face
"I'd like to think so; we pretty much grew up together. I treated him like we were real brothers, but I guess he didn't feel the same" Caroline took his head automatically, she didn't even move it when he looked taken a back. It was a natural instinct with people, when they were sad she couldn't help but let her heart go out to them. No matter how much she hated them
"No, I think he did. I'm sure he loved you as much as you loved him. A brother's bond can't be broken"
"Thanks, love" she finally let go of his hand but her eyes still locked on to his. They had some kind of connection but all of a sudden she felt like she out stayed her welcome, like any second the moment would bridge on awkward
"I better start getting dinner ready" she stood up as she was about to walk away
"You can cook?" his eyes lightened as he turned to watch her
"Well we'll soon find out"
Aw, Klaus is opening up! He's SO cute! Was that a bit of flirting on Caroline's part? Whaat is this!? ;)
Just like to take the time to say, THANK YOU for all the reviews, alerts and views. So happy that people are reading it & that i'm not losing people *hopefull* You all have such kind words to say, you don't understand how much that means. The more I read, the more I feel like I HAVE to upload just to make you guys smile!
Klaroline fans don't fear, they start 'warming' up to each other in the next chapter! Stay Tuned loveliess!
© Ms Zola, Oct 2012