@thetourguidebarbie and I were complaining about the Polyvore alternatives and I found this truly awful dress on one. Celeb AU fluff was born.
Lookinā Sharp
Sheās exhausted, the consultation sheās walked out of had been a battle, one sheād had to smile through. Carolineās dealt with difficult people before, had eagerly tackled this latest job. Sheād never been one to back down from a challenge but then sheās never met a woman who thought a shapeless shiny mint green caftan was a good look for a Golden Globes after party.
Until today.
She really should have listened to Kat when sheād warned Caroline that socialites were the worst people to style. Caroline had brushed off the words at the time, figuring that her clientās reputation ā sweet, agreeable, super committed to using her dadās money to help ex-cons ā would mean sheād be an easy paycheck. Sheās mentally listing jewelers who like her, hoping she can find a necklace spectacular enough to distract from the chosen dressā awfulness. Sheās thinking diamonds the size of golf balls might do the trick.
āItās a lost cause, you know.ā
Carolineās heart lurches when the words ring out, her body tensing. She whirls, dropping the armful of garment bags sheād been lugging out to her car. She hadnāt recognized the voice ā sheās never heard Klaus Mikaelson say so many words at once. At least not in real life.
Heās a few paces behind her, hands up and a contrite expression on his distractingly handsome face. āApologies,ā he murmurs.
She relaxes, but not completely. Sheās pretty sure Klaus isnāt going to stuff her into a trunk but heās still a very big deal for a girl trying to make a name for herself in Hollywood. Caroline presses a hand over her chest, takes a deep breath. āYou scared me. Do they teach you how to walk like a sneaky ghost when you sign up to play a superhero or something?ā
He smiles, āI wasnāt making an effort to be silent. Perhaps you were just preoccupied?ā
Thatās possible. The fitting sheād just left had not gone well. A client who flat out refused to listen to sense, who appeared to see something vastly different than Caroline did when she looked in a mirror, was proving to be really freaking frustrating.
But she couldnāt exactly tell the clientās boyfriend that, could she?
She pastes on a sunny smile, āWell, awardās seasonās just about to go into full swing. I have a lot on my plate. Iām sure youāre very busy too.ā
Caroline hopes thatās a subtle enough hint. Sheās curious about why heās followed her out, hadnāt been lying about having an extensive to do list. Sheās positive she hadnāt forgotten anything, that the four trips between condo and parking garage havenāt been in vain. She canāt exactly go making demands though, not from a guy whose next movie is projected to have a 100 million dollar opening weekend.
āNot for a few weeks yet,ā Klaus says, crouching to gather her scattered things. Caroline hurriedly follows, brushing off the pebbles and dust from the bags he hands her. āIām just supposed to smile for the cameras and look pretty. Make people forget about theā¦ incident in Las Vegas.ā
She chances a glance at him, unsure of how to react to that statement. Sheād never have thought heād make such a direct reference.
Caroline knew thereās no way sheād be able to be blasĆ© if photos of her naked body had been splashed all over the internet. Then again, sheād never play strip poker with total strangers.
It hadnāt quite been a full frontal shot - Klaus had been lucky, and a champagne bottle had been left on an end table - saving the pics from being fully NC-17. Had circumstances been different they might not have even caused a stir. Klaus Mikaelsonās resume had a couple of racy film and TV appearances from before heād left England on it, not that Caroline had googled him.
Okay, fine. She hadnāt googled him recently. And she definitely hasnāt watched the compilation of all his sex scenes on YouTube since sheād met him in person.
Unfortunately for Klaus (and really unfortunately for his publicists) the timing of the photos of his drunken debauchery leaking couldnāt have come at a worse time.
Heād been voicing a character in an animated feature when theyād come out, a gruff but loveable lone wolf who learned about the power of friendship. That, plus a superhero blockbuster on deck, meant he had to appeal to the broadest audience possible.
The pictures were the opposite of wholesome, damage control was necessary. Heād been volunteering with soup kitchens, had adopted a rescue dog. Had gone public with a relationship, one with a textbook good girl, and had been seen holding hands and getting fro-yo and generally being snuggly.
In public, at least. In private, from what Carolineās observed, the relationship isnāt the warmest. Klaus has usually been in the background, glued to his phone and making noncommittal grunts when asked for an opinion.
Carolineās not sure how to address the Vegas incident without putting her foot in her mouth so she decides to go back to his original statement. She straightens, folding the stack of dresses over her arm, āWhat did you mean about a lost cause?ā
Heās edged closer when he stands. She keeps her eyes trained on his face, not on the way the fine weave of his shirt clings to his shoulders. āJust that your workās not going to end up on any best dressed lists. Youāve tried to steer her towards flattering and age appropriate but sheās remarkably convinced her perspective is the right one. Itās not just clothes, if itās any consolation. Itās everything.ā
Wow. It certainly seemed like there was trouble in paradise. Caroline does her best to be diplomatic, āPersonal style is a funny thing, I guess.ā
He grins, head tipping to the side, āThatās an impressive non-answer. My publicist would be proud.ā
āItās a gossipy industry. Badmouthing clients is going to lead to fewer opportunities not more.ā
His eyes sharpen, āAh, speaking of opportunities, Iād wondered if you might do me a favor.ā
A favor? That seems suspicious. āWhat kind?ā
He laughs softly, āNothing nefarious, love. Iād merely like a ride.ā
āA ride?ā she repeats, eyes shifting over to the black SUV she knows belongs to Klaus.
āIn your backseat. Covered in a few of the bags you brought with you. Passed the paparazzi that are staked out on this block. They need to think Iāve spent the night, you see. And Iād really rather not.ā
This conversation just got weirder and weirder. āDid youā¦ I mean, itās not any of my business if you guys are fighting but maybe talking it out would be better than fleeing?ā
He looks at her as if sheās said something crazy. āWe donāt talk. Well, no more than necessary.ā
āSounds like a healthy relationship,ā Caroline quips. Her eyes widen and her teeth snap shut in horror. Had she seriously just said that? Sheās so freaking fired.
Klaus surprises her though. He laughs again, louder this time, the sound echoing off the concrete walls around them. Sheās confused, and frozen, unwilling to say anything that might make things even worse. When he calms he shifts closer, relieving her of some of the bags. āWeāre not in a relationship, sweetheart. Not really. Itās a contract. A mutually beneficial agreement. I raise her profile, she makes me look like a fine upstanding citizen. Everybody wins.ā
Huh. While Caroline knows those kind of arrangements happen, at least intellectually, sheād never expected to be a party to one. āThat soundsā¦ā
āAwkward?ā Klaus supplies, ātedious? I can assure you itās both. Weāll have an amicable breakup in April, pledge to stay friends. Iāll be done with press and can disappear for a bit.ā
A thought occurs to Caroline, one that she doesnāt like. āWait, did you fake adopt a dog too? Because thatās not cool.ā Sheād seen snaps of him walking the dog, some kind of Labrador mutt, and itās really freaking cute.
āNo, Munch was legally and truly adopted. Heās likely being given too many treats by my assistant as we speak.
Caroline nods sharply, satisfied, and fishes out her keys so she can pop the trunk of her car. āGood. If you were a faking a dog adoption Iād have to assume youāre a garbage person and I would not let you in my backseat.ā
āBig fan of dogs, are you?ā
āIn theory, yes. Not in practice just yet.ā
She begins loading up, carefully arranging things for maximum space use. She feels Klaus watching her carefully but she focuses on her task. Now that she knows heās single the little devil on her shoulder is urging her to flirt. Whispering that the worst thing that would happen is that he wouldnāt reciprocate.
And if he did? Well, Caroline wouldnāt mind seeing him naked again. Would be seriously onboard with touching him while he was naked.
āPerhaps youād like to meet him? You could come in for a bit once youāve dropped me off?ā he asks.
Caroline rears back, nearly hitting her head on the open trunk.
Klaus makes a soft noise, concerned, and his palm brushes over the back of her head, lowering to settle on her shoulder. āCareful. No need to injure yourself. Iād much rather we have dinner than take a trip to the emergency room.ā
Maybe she had hit her head. āDinner?ā she parrots. āLike, together?ā
He nods, a smile curling his lips. His thumb strokes her neck, an absent gesture thatās unfairly distracting. āYou, me, the dog begging for crumbs. Weāre working on it but his manners arenāt the best just yet. If that goes well I hope youāll agree to do it again sometime.ā
Clearly, Caroline hadnāt needed to talk herself out of flirting. Klaus didnāt share her qualms. Unless this was another step in his image rehab. She shifts back until heās no longer touching her, crossing her arms. āIs this another contract kind of thing? Dating someone whoās not super rich so you seem down to earth?ā
Klaus denial is immediate, āNo, nothing like that. Iāve just spent an awful lot of time studying your face, wondering at the comments youāve been holding back. Your face is remarkably easy to read when youāre frustrated.ā
Whoops. Caroline makes a note to work on that. Her clients were a self-absorbed group but itās possibly someone would notice her inner screaming at some point and she couldnāt have that. At least not until sheās more established. āI suppose I could eat,ā Caroline says slowly.
Klaus expression warms, his pleasure evident. āLovely. Just let me program my address into your phone.ā
Caroline hands it over willingly, doesnāt shy away from the brush of his fingers against hers, letting her body brush against his more than necessary as she returns to packing up.
Half-assing things isnāt in her nature. If Carolineās going to flirt (and oh boy is she ever) sheās going to do it right.
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