Some Nights (Klaroline Fanfiction)

Chapter 13

The thing about being the underdog is that sometimes you have a moment of greatness, a reach for glory, you throw a Hail Mary and you win. But most of the time you just lose.

Caroline let out a huff as the game came to a close. 1 to 11. The Marlins didn't just lose, they were crushed. None of Caroline's optimistic cheering throughout the game appeared to have had any effect and by the third inning she had seriously begun to regret her choice. Around the fifth inning the Marlins seemed like they might pull through and Caroline was out of her seat cheering again but by the eighth inning defeat was imminent and she slunk down further in her seat with a groan.

Klaus let out a laugh, taking in Caroline's pout as the game came to a close. He still didn't understand much about the sport but that was likely because Klaus had spent more time watching her than he had the game.

"Well that was hard to watch." Caroline groaned as the two stood from their seats and pushed their way through the leaving crowd.

Klaus tilted his head to the side, shooting her that patented half smirk. "I don't know, I rather enjoyed it."

"Of course you did." She shot back with a scoff as they cleared the field and headed toward the parking lot. "Your team won."

"Yes." Klaus said, cutting off Caroline's stride by stepping in front of her, his eyes catching hers with a smile. "Yes they did. Which means you owe me."

"I'm a woman of my word." Caroline said, crossing her arms over her chest and looking up at him. "Bring on the paperwork."

Klaus just held her stare, his lips still curled into that small half smile. Oddly enough, he found himself a little sad that he'd won the bet. So Klaus paused for another moment before gesturing with a finger toward Caroline. "I'll tell you what, since you've been such a graceful loser, I'll meet your winning terms as well. You help me with my paperwork and I'll cook you breakfast every morning for a week."

Arms still crossed over her chest, Caroline arched one perfectly plucked eyebrow. "What's the catch?"

Klaus held a hand to his chest in mock offense, even going so far as to let out a slight gasp. "Do you really have such little faith in my capacity for kindness?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Caroline shot back with a laugh.

"You know me so well." Klaus responded with a smile, turning again and walking beside Caroline to his car.

Though maybe Caroline didn't know him as well as he claimed because Klaus figured that if she did know him that well she'd know his kindness knew no bounds when it came to her. Granted, he'd been a lot of things to Caroline over the past few weeks and kind wasn't one of them. All the more reason for him to make it up to her now and for weeks to come. Soon enough there'd be no doubt in Caroline's mind as to the lengths Klaus would go to keep her happy.

The two climbed into the car and again Klaus let Caroline fiddle around with the dials until she found a song she liked. She sang along softly beneath her breath, her fingers drumming lightly on the dashboard. For the first time in quite some time, Klaus found his mind blissfully blank as he drove along, listening to Caroline hum beneath her breath. The bliss was short lived when a car flying miles above the speed limit zipped by a red light, causing Klaus to slam his foot on the brake, jerking the car to a stop. Breathing heavily now, he quickly composed himself enough to pull over to the side, parking the car and leaning back in the seat, his head thrown over the headrest.

Caroline didn't say anything, just sat quietly and waited as Klaus disappeared into his own head. She lost track of how long they sat like this in silence, his eyes blank as he stared straight ahead. Caroline had been just about to offer to drive the rest of the way when he snapped out of it, putting the car into drive and gliding back into the traffic.