A/N Thank you all for reviewing!
"Stop staring at him!"
Eyes darting around and refusing to settle on the man himself, Cherie swallowed the startled squeak that threatened to spill from her lips when the toe of Caroline's heel met with her shin.
"I am not!"Cherie pinned her sister with a half hearted glower, the lack of honesty clear in the rise of pitch of her tone."I just happened to see someone I know, and he walked over in the direction of him."
"Don't even try. I can hear your heartbeat."Caroline sharply chastised with an unamused roll of her eyes, pointing her fork at her sister."Stop looking at him. He's an asshat."
"Tyler's an asshat and I see you making googly eyes at him whenever he lumbers past."Cherie retorted under her breath. She shrugged when her sister rolled her eyes."Good looking is good looking, Caroline."
"Tyler hasn't spent a thousand years killing people."
Caroline rolled her eyes for fifth time, stabbing her fork into another piece of pasta all the while glaring at her sister when she noticed the other blonde's eyes flitting over Caroline's shoulder.
"Cher, stop!"
"All right, all right."Cherie yielded with on a sigh."I'm stopping."
This isn't good enough. Caroline swiftly donned a resolute expression, oddly resembling their mother, then abruptly stood from the booth with an exasperated exhale. Palm slamming down on the table as she set down the money for their bill, she then leaned across the table and clasped hold of Cherie's wrist.
"Come on."Caroline muttered as she exited the booth, tugging on Cherie's wrist to urge her to follow."It's time to go."
Blinking up at her sister in complete confusion, Cherie barely had time to pick up her coat before she found herself on her feet, helpless against what little supernatural strength her sister used to pull her up.
"Care, what are you doing?"
"Saving you from yourself."Caroline bluntly answered, purposefully ignoring the pair of eyes boring into them as she led her sister in the direction towards the exit."We are going home."
"Caroline!"
The vampire ignored her sister's protests and continued to pull her sister along behind her, shaking her head with firm refusal when Cherie attempted to pull away.
"Call it an intervention."
The night air greeted them with a light chill when the two sisters emerged from the grill and that was when Cherie was liberated from Caroline's grasp. Cherie sent her sister a disapproving scowl as she tugged on her coat with a sigh. Caroline waited impatiently until her sister was wrapped up before she set off across the road, only hastening her gait when she heard Cherie following her.
"You're unbelievable, you."Cherie mumbled as she fumbled around in her pockets for her keys, trusting Caroline to keep an eye out for oncoming cars.
"Take it from someone who knows."Caroline sent her sister a pointed look over her shoulder."Bad boys are bad!"
"I get it, Caroline,"Cherie held up her hands with feigned surrender, keyring dangling from thumb.i'll marry a priest."
Caroline rolled her eyes with frustrated fondness."Pinky promise."
She offered said pinky with a pout, slowing down and giving her sister time to join her on the sidewalk. Cherie did with another exasperated moan, corners of her mouth twitching up into the beginnings of a smile when her sister nudged her shoulder.
"C'mon."Caroline pressed teasingly, wiggling her fingers.
"Come on, Caroline,"Droned smoothly from behind them, startling them both and sending Caroline whirling defensively."your words might make the poor love think i'm all bad."
Caroline instinctively stepped in front of her sister, all traces of warmth and ease draining from her features until all that was left was a hateful glower. Klaus reared back with a regaled sniff, blinking once at the protective younger sister before he leaned off to the side to smile crookedly at the one fortified from him.
"You are all bad."Caroline sourly replied, louring up at him as if the mere sight of him revolted her. He lowered his head to meet her eyes momentarily as he extended a hand to Cherie.
"I believe we haven't been formally introduced."He smoothly began, keeping his eyes on Caroline as he stretched out his hand further for Cherie to take."Then again, I don't believe I need any introduction, considering..."
Cherie glanced at Klaus' proffered hand and, just as she was about to reach out with her own, Caroline's own wound around and stopped her. Cherie turned her head to her sister who shook her head firmly, urging Cherie to retract the hand.
"Cher,"Caroline breathed warningly, eyes still locked on Klaus. She inched further to the side until she was almost completely concealing her sister from his gaze."he's evil."
Cherie blinked at her sister, glanced down at their joined hands, then let her eyes drift up at the Original stood in font of her sister.
"Oh, that is true. I'm as evil as it gets."Klaus drawled with no trace of shame. He fluidly took another step to one side to meet Charie's eyes over Caroline's shoulder."Though, unlike some people around this dreadful town, I'm not without manners."
Cherie maintained her silence but, after a frustrated tug of war with her sister, managed to wrench her hand free to accept his extended one. His crooked grin, if possible, inched up higher and higher, the mirth twinkling in his eyes eliciting a smile from Cherie.
Caroline tipped her head to scowl at the night sky."Oh, my God."
Klaus chanced his luck and, when Cherie shook his hand, tugged as gently as he could to coax the blonde out from behind her sister. Cherie let it happen and, with a wider smile that eased into a beam, stepped out from Caroline's protective stance. His smile steadily evened into something amenable when Cherie came in closer, fingers slackening around his until all they were doing was holding on.
"May I ask for your name?"He ventured on a hushed whisper, hands covering hers as he canted forward to press his mouth to her knuckles.
"Cherie Forbes,"She announced on a hitched breath, letting his thumb brush across her knuckles."i'm as elusive as it gets."
She pulled her hand just before he managed to make contact and withdrew from him with a shake of her head. He stood there, staring off into space until he blinked, turned his head and tracked her withdrawal, incredulous. Caroline raised her eyebrows at him with a complacent smile, locked her arms with her sister and spun them both around before he could speak on their departure.
"C'mon,"Caroline sighed into the night, pulling her sister in impossibly close."let's head home."
Cherie smiled in agreement with her sister, her eyes catching with Klaus' momentarily and lingering until she turned her back on him.
"Can we, uh,"Cherie cast a final glance over her shoulder at him as they started off. Her eyes tore then relocated to her beaming sister."start when Ross and Rachel first kiss?"
"Nope."Caroline shook her head firmly, wielding a pointed finger."Never say that to a control freak."
"You're not a freak..."Cherie murmured with a shake of her head, nudging her sister."you're unique."
Caroline rested her head on Cherie's shoulder, sighing happily as they set off for the car. The Original hybrid retreated into the darkness and kept his eyes fixed on them as they climbed into Cherie's car. watched the two sisters get into Cherie's car and drive off.
"...bloody hell."
THE MORNING AFTER―FORBES RESIDENCE
"Okay, okay!"
Cherie ground the heels of her hands into her eyes as she warily attempted to navigate her way from her bedroom to the front door. She just about avoided colliding with a side table on her journey and dropped her hands with a frustrated whine. The pounding in her head refused to cease, and instead prickled with every step she reluctantly took.
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
"I'm coming!"Cherie boomed to her own pain, hand coming up to cradle her forehead. She closed her eyes with a heavy breath.
Cherie trudged her way to the door, blindly searching for the handle and, after a few wrong guesses, she finally managed to open the door. Her hand flew up almost instantly as the sun met her with a glare that had her recoiling.
"Hi, good morning,"Cherie rushed out with feigned warmth, glaring at her feet and only then noticing that she was, in-fact, missing a sock."what do you want?"
A low, amused chuckle floated from the person on the other side."You look rough."
Cherie grimaced at the cheeriness peppered in a voice she was struggling to recognise. She turned from it with a wince.
"I know this is rude, okay,"Cherie murmured, holding a hand up to hopefully shut them up."but please shut up. It's, like, eight in the morning."
"It's ten, actually..."
She squinted up at the sun with a vengeance."Are you in great need of medical assistance?"
"No."
Cherie made a move to close the door with a groan."Then go away."
She tried to push the door closed but a heavy boot wedged between it and the frame. Cherie huffed out an annoyed moan and pressed herself against the door. She put more strength behind her pushes, aiming more to hopefully hurt the moron.
"God!"She ground out, panting with her annoyance."Fine!"
She swung the door open with a wild glare, lips parted to chew out the person on the other side. Only to simply blink and forget her tirade when she came to face with Damon Salvatore. He greeted her with a smile that she wanted to swing her fist at, arm resting against the frame with his keys dangling from his hand, the other hidden behind his back.
"What do you want?"
"Wow."Rolled off his tongue, laced with a breathy chuckle that had her hair standing on end."You are not a morning person, are you?"
"I have a hangover, i've lost a sock,"She began to list off with a wince, bracing herself against the door."and—and i'm hungry."
Damon hummed the blatant underlying request for him to leave, now, would you? and leaned back to let his eyes roam.
"Cute purple nail-polish."He's eyebrows crept up when something caught his eye. He blinked at her, curiosity peppering his question."Is that a rose on the side of your foot?"
"What do you want?"Cherie exhaled on an exasperated breath, concealing her bare foot behind her leg."Caroline is at school, my mom is at work, so if you're here for either of them you'll have to come―"
Damon casually shrugged his shoulders."I know."
"You know."Cherie repeated with a puzzled furrow of her brow."Then why are you here?"
"I was bored."He answered with the same casual tone, confusing her even further.
"That doesn't explain why you're here to see me."
"I also thought we started off on the wrong foot. Caroline's probably told you about our history, and I know you think i'm a dick. Am I right?"He paused and she nodded with an brittle smile, making him roll his eyes."I thought that so I came to see if you would like to have breakfast with me and get to know me."
She looked at him as if he had grown a second head. She looked down at herself, rolling her eyes. The blonde wore her nightgown and had her hair tied up in a messy bun.
"I'm not going out."She announced with all the don't argue with me sternness she could muster."I haven't washed my hair, don't have makeup on and―"
"Who said anything about going out?"Damon asked around a scoff, shaking his head at her as if she were speaking complete nonsense.
She frowned at him, confused."Huh?"
The hand hidden behind his back swung into view, revealing a considerably large paper bag from a local store that sold all sorts of bakery goodness. Cherie's annoyed features smoothed out at the thought of what was in side, and her teeth sunk into her lower lip.
Oh.
Damon arched his eyebrow knowingly when he noted her expression, a playful smirk gracing his attractive features.
"What do you say?"
Cherie's hands clamped down on her hips."Uh, why the hell would I invite you into my home?"
"Uh,"Damon imitated on a hitched pitch, lounging smugly against the doorframe."because i'm already invited in and because I have food?"
Cherie straightened on instinct, something chilly swirling up her spin at the mention he needed no invitation. She swallowed around the rising lump in her throat, hand journeying to her throat nervously.
"I'm not gonna kill you. Promise."Damon vowed around his smile, holding a hand up as if to placate her."You know you want it..."
He trailed off on a sing-song, presenting the bag and waving it back and forth temptingly. Cherie rolled her eyes but relented and stepped aside, opening the door wider for him to made his entrance. He did so with a triumphant saunter, winking at Cherie as he passed, pretending not to notice her pulling a face at him.
"Kitchen?"He gestured in the direction of the room, wheeling around to face her."If you're good I'll share my―"
A harsh slap sliced throughout the Forbes residence, and Damon's vision blurred when his head snapped to the side, a heated stinging seeping up his cheek. His hand came up to cradle his jaw, his tongue pressing into his cheek in a bid to soothe the dull ache.
He turned back to face Cherie only to be greeted with a hollow, acidic glare. Spider veins spread beneath his eyes for a brief moment on instinct, his fangs fangs hinting behind his smile before disappearing altogether.
"You know what that was for,"Cherie seethingly ground out, pointing a finger at him and suddenly completely sober.
"Yeah."Damon lowly concurred on a hitched breath. He nodded his head once."I do."
In a blink of an eye the baby blues made their return as he massaged his jaw while offering her the paper bag. She snatched it from him with a heated lower, though it gradually began to abate when into something neutral when she peered into the bag.
"That...uh, that was hot."He commented when Cherie snatched the bag from him, his eyebrow arching suggestively.
"Lay a hand on my sister again and you'll wake up in flames."Cherie enunciated on an even breath, bumping shoulders with him as she set off for the kitchen."They get pretty hot."
Damon hummed low in his throat, eyes skating her from head to toe as he followed her.
"Yes, ma'am."
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