25 Days of Klaroline + Work
Who is fired up about our endgame? I had to write this mini drabble because I sure as hell canât sleep! Pic not mine obviously but isnât our endgame pretty?
Klaus and Caroline are rival bar owners in the French Quarter but when Mardi Gras begins things are brought to a whole new level.Â
Monday, 12 February, 2018 -Â Bar Tonique
âHe did not,â she growls from her hiding place by the window, her eyes travelling over the street to Napoleon House. It isnât terrible to look at inside or out, not that she will ever admit that to the arrogant owner of course.  Â
The bar was 200 years old, previously owned by a former Mayor. Its always been popular with locals due to its historical significance and simple but stylish design but it wasnât until Klaus Mikaelson bought it a year ago that Napoleon really took off.Â
The decor is traditional but striking and its antique walls littered with moving, sepia photographs of local places and people. Many taken by its new owner.Â
âHe did,â Katherine confirms as she approaches. Caroline swats her away in frustration.Â
âHow convenient that the day after I advertise drink specials in the window he suddenly announces cheaper deals?â
âIt is Mardi Gras tomorrow, care,â Katherine reasons. âEveryone is doing the same thing.â
âSame thing my ass,â she mutters. âHis deal is exactly the same. Someone needs to get their own ideas and stop stealing mine.â
Caroline is ruthlessly competitive, everyone in her life, past and present, can attest to that very fact.Â
After visiting New Orleans for Mardi Gras five years earlier, she fell in love. Selling everything she had in Boston and making her way down south. Her friends told her she was crazy and maybe she was but the beignets tasted too damn good to resist. Â
Caroline owns Bar Tonique, a chic bar in the French Quarter famous for its extensive Gin selection and creative cocktails. Itâs always busy but since heâs invaded her territory, Caroline has noticed a lull. Her staff, including best friend Katherine who surprisingly followed her south, say sheâs overreacting and things are still busy. Caroline begs to differ and suddenly Klaus Mikaelson is her number one enemy.Â
Heâs extremely attractive, yes, with the dimples, the crimson lips and that accent but Caroline knows he is nothing but a shark trying to steal her precious business. He will pay, one way or another.Â
Klaus is pleased to see Caroline stressing. Given it is only 11am, heâs impressed he has ruffled her feathers so early in the day. Heâs not a horrible person, he just likes winning and if it effects the blonde across the street, his closest competitor, then why not enjoy the show?
Heâd come to New Orleans looking for something eighteen months ago. He was lost and desperate for something to save him from his tumultuous life.  Klaus wasnât quite sure what that was until he saw her barrelling alone Rue de Chartres. Sheâd rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner and shoved him slightly. Klaus should have been pissed but it made him just want to know her. Finding out she was a rival bar owner explained that look and shove and made him even more curious. Â
Sheâs absolutely beautiful, sheâs also incredibly smart and driven and can rival even the most competitive athlete. Heâs intrigued, heâs smitten and Klaus knows that annoying her will soon bring her to his door. Heâs counting on it. He just doesnât think it will happen so fast.
Napoleon House - Tuesday February 13
âYou dishonest and shady, ass,â she accuses, making her way upstairs, stomping up each one in frustration. Caroline isnât one to abuse people but after heâs taken another idea of hers she needs to make her anger known.
Itâs first day of Mardi Gras and the streets are packed in all of their green, gold and purple glory. Beads are scattered throughout and the sound of jazz is contagious. If only Caroline can actually enjoy it without her business stealing neighbour. Â Â Â Â
âWell, hello to you too,â he quips, those lips curving into a knowing smile and his eyes flickering longingly over her body. Caroline doesnât dress up much, she just happens to be in the most fitted, black dress by absolute chance. âI was wondering when you would darken my doorstep.â
âOnly through sheer sufferance,â she growls, making her way into his office, probably against her better judgement. âStop stealing my ideas, Mikaelson.â
âI donât know what youâre talking about,â he denies.Â
âJust so you know, that pathetic act isnât working,â she drawls. âIn fact, honesty is actually appreciated.â He pauses, licking his lips briefly before gazing into her eyes. Dark blue focused on light.Â
âWell, then please enlighten me.â
âYou are messing with me but Iâm not sure why?â He pauses again, his gaze briefly downcast before replying.Â
âIs that so hard to believe?â
âYes,â she shoots back. âYou must have some really messed up family issues to think this is the normal way to act, you know, just saying.â
âYou have no idea,â he scoffs. Caroline stills, unable to move, the admission flooring her completely. âThe Mikaelsons are an interesting bunch, to say the least. But yet youâre still here and Iâm wondering why exactly if I am so messed up?â
âIâm processing,â she murmurs nervously, taking a much needed seat shakily. Heâs by her side in a flash, his spicy cologne messing with her already fuzzy brain.Â
âAm I really that bad?â Heâs within kissing distance now, his lips teasing her mercilessly. Maybe itâs the craziness of Mardi Gras or the fact heâs so handsome and smells so good in this proximity but Caroline is crazily considering crossing that line.
âYes,â she replies, rather unconvincingly.Â
âSo, whatâs my worst trait then? We can count back from absolute worst to least bearable.â
âWell, other than your unscrupulous business practicesâŠâ she mumbles, unable to hide her attraction to this idiot.Â
âI can be difficult, I suppose,â he concedes.Â
âAnd youâre arrogant, smug, dishonest..â
âI may be arrogant and smug,â he admits. âBut dishonest, Iâm not.â
âSo, what didnât you lie about exactly?âÂ
âThe way I feel about you,â Caroline is melting and is struggling to respond. Sheâs in free fall, trying to work out how to extricate herself from this situation without showing emotion or capitulating to her feelings.
His lips are on hers before she can reply to the myriad of emotions she is feeling. They are warm, smooth and as his tongue massages hers she begins to lose herself in his kisses. Before she can fully immerse herself though, she spies photographs on his office wall. Itâs not unusual, and his sepia theme is well known but she stills, pulling back to inspect the scenes more closely. Her back is to the camera in one, her blonde waves fanned out. In another, she is smiling wickedly into the distance and another, she is talking to one of the local kids.Â
Caroline is confused. She doesnât know how to act or react. She rushes out of there in a flash. Too scared too look back at his expression as she does.Â
Bar Tonique - 15 February 2018
âWhat are you doing here?â Her voice is low, her gaze downcast as he enters. Klaus has been stewing for days, wondering how to approach her after their last altercation. She is at the forefront of his mind which is why heâs here, possibly against his better judgement.Â
âIs this how you welcome all your patrons? Because if so I might need to teach you someâŠâ
âThe day you teach me anything about hospitality, I will torch my and your establishment simultaneously.â
âYou will fit in perfectly at Christmas Dinner,â he chuckles knowingly. âThe Mikaelsons wear death wishes and carnage like a badge of honour.â
âAs much as I love hearing about your family, you never answered my initial question.â     Â
 âIâve missed you.â
âThatâs not an appropriate answer,â she baulked, her body language telling Klaus that she wasnât dealing with their unexpected connection.
âFine,â he conceded. âI think I love you.â
âThatâs also notâŠâ she attempts to respond but her vocal chords betray her. Klaus can tell she is struggling. Itâs why he moves around to her desk, his finger lifting her chin up so her eyes will meet his. Â
âI know that I love you.â She is silent, surprisingly, a stray tear making its way down her creamy cheek. He moves fast and wipes it away with the brush of his thumb.
âBut those photosâŠâ
âI capture what inspires me,â he sighs, his thumb catching the last tear before it can fall. âAnd you inspire me, love.â
âI didnât know it at the time but you are the reason Iâm here. I was lost but now Iâm found.âÂ
âIf thatâs a lineâŠâÂ
âFancy an excursion?â He pleaded, gesturing downstairs.Â
âAnd what exactly are we going to do?â
âI thought it might be nice to look at some of the local artwork given we will no doubt have differing opinions on snowflakes and the like, then eat some beignetsâŠâ
âIt may surprise you but I know you better than you think,â he chuckles.Â
âFine,â she concedes, albeit reluctantly. âBut Iâm going to need many.â
âWhatever you want,â he grins. âYou know however long it takes and all that.âÂ
She rolls her eyes but little did they know then those beignets would be the catalyst for the beginnings of their relationship. In fact they are a regular feature in anniversary celebrations forthwith because Klaus knows if his Queen is without her favourite treats, there is hell to pay.
