brightestlight | (no subject)

Are you coming over?

It's the text that makes her chew on her lip, that makes her type four answers and delete them and then type again and then delete that, because it's not so simple as yes or no, and she's spent the last four hours going what am I doing and being weirdly girl-power-self-affirming because she's making a choice for herself, but then wondering what the hell Bonnie and Elena would say, and then wondering what Tyler would do, but she's not thinking about Tyler, because she's not letting her think about Tyler, because- because. Because she's not. Because she doesn't love Klaus, she loves Tyler, but this thing she's got isn't dating, and-

And it's sort of crazy. Of course it's crazy.

But he sends her a text asking her if she's coming over, and she starts tearing through her clothes after she goes back and forth, but she just sort of gives up, and ends up in leggings and a t-shirt that's belted like a dress and flipflops, but she's got makeup on and she's trying to balance between not looking like she tried too hard or too much, and looking nice.

It's a delicate line, and as she's walking to his room, she walks halfway, and then turns around and walks back, and then stopped again, turning back, because she's going to do this, and when she gets to his room, she hesitates but the door's open and she's got a pillow under her arm because it's hers and she just goes in. "I'm spending the night," she informs him, and she looks at him like What're you going to do about it? and she sort of flops into one of his chairs, folding up her feet, like she wasn't here like six hours ago.

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"Damon," she says like it's obvious, and she shrugs one shoulder. "He was- I mean, I guess he was sort of my-" And then her brows furrow, and she speaks carefully. "We were dating for a while." Which was to say, she was his mindless walking snack buffet with a heap of sex and larceny on the side, but she really hates thinking about it.

"It was along time ago. Before- I didn't... " She stopped again, and then, shortly. "He compelled me." And then she stops, because that's where her thinking about it stopped.

He would bloody kill him. And not quickly either, not mercilessly. Klaus knows, rationally knows, that it is nothing he hasn't done before himself, but this is Caroline they're talking about, and he cannot think rationally.

"That was nothing like that," he hears himself tell her, and it has to be him talking but most of his mind is still flashing neon ANGER, or is it DANGER, signs. "You didn't compel me, Caroline. You couldn't compel me."

She half rolls, and she looks up at him. "That's not what matters. I mean, it is, but- but I don't want to think about him when I'm with you, and he-" Her eyes cloud. "He hurt me," she said softly. "And I don't- Okay? Unless you really want it, I mean-" She licked her lips.

"I don't want to be like him, or think of him. Of then."

"You're nothing like him," Klaus tells her, and leaves his hand on her thigh, looking down at her. His whole body language is miles away from what he is feeling; he's very good at compartmentalising. Boxing his anger away and focusing on her, nothing in his posture even slightly oppressive.

"But if it makes you think of that, it doesn't have to happen again," he goes on, and his thumb strokes her gently through the cover. "We're in control of what we do, Caroline."

"I don't like hurting you like that," she said quietly. "Even if you tell me to, I feel like- like you don't have a choice. That oh, I'm drinking your blood or whatever, and it's not about you, it's about the thing we are." Her brows knit, and she laughs just a little. "Which is funny, because I don't think we'd be here if we were normal."

She pauses, and then says slowly, carefully. "I like you. I... don't want to hurt you, or- I mean, yeah, sometimes im going to ask you to do stuff you don't want like the other night, but I don't... " She trailed off because she couldn't figure out what to say, and she leaned up on one elbow, reaching to smooth his damp curls off his forehead.

Klaus honestly isn't sure what she's saying anymore, but he knows what he is, and he knows what he'll take. He also knows that she's eighteen, and she has to figure it all out for herself.

"It doesn't have to happen again, love," he tells her again, not moving as she brushes his hair.

"Hey," she says softly, and she's searching his eyes with hers as she sits up, and she just- she doesn't know why, but she picks up his hand, and presses a kiss into the palm of it. "It's late," she says quietly, not looking away as she lets his hand go. "C'mon," and then she touches his cheek, and it's clear that she's thinking still, and she's quiet and gentle and that's who she is, deep down, where people can't see. "Bed?"

"Bed," he echoes, and agrees, even if he doesn't feel like sleeping. Still, he slips under the cover and pulls her into his arms, presses a kiss to her forehead.