Work Text:
Have It All
(Prompt: Klaroline + they find out dragons exist/aren't extinct when Caroline accidentally finds herself with a pet dragon. WARNING: Contains the full line up of canonical magical babies. Skip if you're not into them! Rated: K+)
When Caroline's newest student, a young boy from a coven in remote part of Sweden that was exhibiting abilities his parent's didn't know how to deal with, had shown up with a blue enameled box as a gift Caroline hadn't been able to turn it down. He'd smiled, sweet and shy, and told her in lilting accented English that he was looking forward to beginning to learn and left the box on her desk while one of her assistants set out to introduce him to the other kids in his age group.
She'd studied the box for a minute, held it up to the light to admire the vivid blues and swirling silvers that decorated it. It had been remarkably heavy, she'd noted and she'd been searching for a latch when someone had knocked at her office door.
Running a school meant precious little time to kick back and relax, Caroline had found. She was forever on her feet putting out (sometimes literal) fires. She'd set the box aside to go deal with her visitor and once she'd returned to her office she'd buckled down to tackle some of her endless piles of paperwork and forgotten all about it
Until it had begun to move. On its own.
Now, a couple years ago Caroline might have screamed bloody murder. These days her nerves were made of sterner stuff. She'd been through all sorts of life and death situations and currently she was often surrounded by tiny people with extreme, sometimes uncontrollable, power at their disposal. A spontaneously moving object is nothing and Caroline merely pushes back her chair, eyeing the box where it's perched innocently on a bookshelf under the window.
She'd been subject to a prank or two and while little Valter Andersson didn't seem the type to attempt to make an entrance but maybe that had been on purpose, an attempt to lull her into a false sense of security by hiding his true shit disturber nature.
Magical kids were crafty.
Caroline stretches as she rises, wincing at the faint crack of her spine. She'd been sitting still for way too long, hadn't even noticed it was dark outside. The girls usually hustled her out of her office for dinner or their bedtime routine at the very least, but they were taking a long weekend camping trip with Alaric. She'd been invited but had turned the offer down. Caroline liked indoor plumbing and mattresses, thank you very much, and had decided to stay behind and take the opportunity to get some work done.
The box moves again, a corner edging over the lip of the shelf and Caroline's steps quicken, her hands reaching out to nudge it to safety. She's surprised that it's warm, almost hot, considering the sun had set hours ago. It also seems to be humming faintly, and Caroline has no doubt that there's something witch-y happening.
"Just don't explode," she mutters, reaching for it again. She really didn't want to have to repaint her office or hunt down a new bookcase this weekend. Feeling for a seam she's startled when it opens in her hands. She flips the top up higher, her brows creeping up when she sees a silver egg thing inside.
It has a pronounced crack and is moving about in the bed of soft, silky looking it lays in. She leans closer, almost drops the box when the crack widens.
Was that a… snout? Was there something alive in there?
Cautiously, Caroline reaches in with a fingertip, brushing away a broken bit of shell. A tiny head peeks out, pale blue and scaly, it's eyes blinking open to peer up at her. "Oh my god," Caroline breathes. It makes a noise, a tiny adorable chirp-y thing, and its head nudges her fingertip. "Hi," she manages softly, petting its head gently, doing her very best not to freak out.
She'd never had a pet and lizards gave her the heebie jeebies. Still, no need to scare the poor little thing. It squeaks again, giving a shudder, breaking though the rest of the shell.
At which point she almost drops the box because the lizard had freaking wings.
She's immediately startled again, this time by another knock on her office door and Caroline whirls, setting the box gently on her desk where it'll be safer than in her shaky hands. She hadn't even heard anyone approach, so engrossed was she in the box and its contents.
The knock comes again, and she calls permission to enter. Klaus' face is creased with concern when he crosses the threshold, his eyes darting about the room suspiciously. "What's wrong?" he asks, clipped and forceful.
Caroline barely notices Kol wandering in after him even though such a sight usually would have gotten an eye roll or twelve. She'd relocated the school to New Orleans just over six months ago. After a couple years in Mystic Falls Matt was getting antsy as they kept expanding, witches from all over sending kids for guidance, werewolves without packs and vampires without sires showing up at the boardinghouse's door. She'd had to become an expert at deflection, every time she ran into one of her old teachers or some of her classmates a comment was made about how good she looked and questions about her skincare routine asked.
People were only going to buy the sunblock and green tea spiel for so long, she'd known.
Klaus had remained her most generous benefactor over the years, checks popping up regularly no matter how many times she'd protested it was too much. He'd brushed her concerns aside easily with jokes, "Nonsense, love. I've been meaning to sell that castle for ages," and sincerity, "Only the very best for my child," and kept the money flowing into the school's accounts.
When she'd begun to mention packing up and relocating Klaus had pounced on the opportunity. Talked up New Orleans, the history, the abundance of supernatural types who would surely be interested in employment (convincing qualified instructors to move to a town as tiny as Mystic Falls had always been a trial and she often ended up boosting their salaries as an incentive). Tossed her a tiny bit of heart melting guilt about how difficult it was to convince a now nearly teenage Hope to come home for breaks. He'd convinced her to visit, to check out the city.
And, damn him, Klaus had her totally pegged. Caroline had loved New Orleans from that first evening in the quarter, the sounds of jazz music and boisterous laughter bouncing between the stone buildings as she walked by Klaus' side.
She'd been sold even before he'd steered her towards the beignets.
She'd expected him to pick up where he'd left off years ago in Mystic Falls, to immediately begin tossing breath stealing romantic gestures her way in an effort to woo her. She'd even been willing to let him.
In the years since Stefan had died she'd a brief relationship or two, nothing all that serious because Caroline had found she kind of liked being single. It was nice to be able to do what she wanted, to be a little selfish with her time and energy, to not be weighed down by the never ending boyfriend woes that had plagued her since high school. She'd long since accepted that she'd never be Stefan's first choice and she'd made her peace with it, and with how he'd chosen to die. She'd fervently wished she'd had a little more time with him, a little more happiness, but in the end perhaps it had been better that they'd never had the life she'd planned.
Getting over a lifetime with him, something she'd known she'd have to do from the second he turned human, would have been so much harder.
In making the decision to move to New Orleans she'd known she'd likely have to reevaluate her commitment to her relationship status. Klaus had never been shy about letting her know his intentions, that he was still vying to be her last love. He flirted, and charmed, and he'd opened up in the letters they sent back and forth, revealed his own brush with heartbreak, until Caroline truly thought of him as her friend.
When she'd begun packing she'd done so with nervous excitement, thinking of the new chapter she was starting, one that was going to be filled with new adventures of the personal variety, not just the professional.
Imagine her surprise to find that Klaus seemed determined to hold back. Oh, she knew he was interested, could see it in his eyes, the rigid way he often held himself away from her. The first time she'd scored an invite to a Mikaelson family dinner (courtesy of Hayley of all people) she'd watched, wide eyed, her neck swiveling like a tennis spectator as the siblings had sniped and parried over endless courses of delicious food. Things had begun to get heated when dessert had been served and Freya had hustled the twins and Hope to the kitchen, promising extra ice cream with their cake.
Caroline's brand new dress had gotten bloodied not ninety seconds later when Rebekah had flung a dainty silver fork into Kol's carotid artery. Things had been a blur after that, of china smashing and wood splintering. She'd backed away from the table but Klaus had intercepted her, ushering her down a hallway as the sounds of the chaos in the dining room had grown fainter. He'd produced a handkerchief, leaned in to dab at the blood staining her shoulder. He'd been rueful, intent on his work, "Sorry about them, sweetheart. All that time in coffins left Bekah and Kol a little deaf to social niceties. Or at least that's what they'll claim later as they refuse to assist in cleaning up their destruction."
She'd huffed a laugh, leaned her head back against the wall to give him more room, "Good thing you're probably immune to guilt trips, huh?"
She'd stiffened when she'd felt Klaus answering huff of amusement warm against her skin, had been shocked at just how close he was. Hadn't been surprised by the ring of gold in his eyes when she'd met them with hers, the way he'd let the cloth drop to stroke her collarbone with his thumb.
She'd been so ready for him to make a move but he'd straightened, moved far enough away so that they were no longer touching and seemed to shake himself. "There. The fabric's dark enough that the blood's not noticeable. I'll make sure you get a replacement. Let's check on the little ones, hmm? Make sure Freya's not gone overboard with the sugar."
He'd led her away, his hand resting on her back with the barest pressure. He'd done the same sort of thing a dozen times, backed off whenever a moment got too charged. Often showed up with other people in tow, Hope or one of his siblings, so that things stayed light and friendly. Still, she felt him watching her, contemplative and eager, like he was waiting.
Caroline was a smart girl and it hadn't taken her too long to figure out exactly what he was waiting for. The ball was firmly in her court this time. She'd have to be the one to make the next big move.
She was just trying to find the right moment.
Klaus is waiting for her to reply, his hands held at his sides like he's itching to tear into something. It takes her a second to puzzle out why. "Oh! No, I'm fine." She must have sounded strained when she'd told him to come in. "I got a new student today and he brought something… weird with him."
Klaus posture eases and he smirks, "I should think that would be the norm at this point."
"Usually the weird things aren't alive," Caroline says, nodding down at the box on her desk. Both he and Kol amble over, seemingly curious. "I'm not entirely sure what it is. I'm gonna have to google and figure out what this thing eats. It better not be bugs."
Kol's eyes widen with something like glee taking in the small lizard, "Where did you get this? And how much do you want for it?"
Something aboutthat was a little alarming. "It was a gift," she says slowly. "You're a big lizard fan?"
He snorts incredulously, "That is not just a lizard, darling. That is a dragon. I told you they existed, Nik. I had a lovely Finnish witch friend in the 14th century who convinced me but this one daggered me before I could go investigate." He reaches out to touch the creature, recoils sharply when it sinks its teeth into the pad of his index finger. "Ouch, fuck!" he snaps out, shaking his hand once it's free.
"Mind the carpet," Klaus says mildly, his fingers inching out more cautiously. He waits, his hand hovering over the lizard, sorry dragon, until it seems to get curious, reaching up to tentatively sniff his palm. "You never did learn the value of patience, brother."
Kol shoots him a glare, his lips tipping up in a mocking smirk. "You can keep your patience, Nik. Celibacy is not the life for me." He favors Caroline with a significant look, "This one's been ready and willing for months and you've not even taken a taste. Tsk tsk."
She itches to reach out and smack him but instead just lifts her head, refusing to look away even though she feels herself blushing. "Is that supposed to convince me to give you my dragon?"
His face falls, before he attempts a charming grin, "Now, Caroline. Let's not be hasty. I have plenty of money. Name your price."
"I have plenty of money," Klaus interjects. "Which I generously allow you to use."
Kol's clearly about to protest but Caroline holds up her hand, "It was a gift anyway. Selling it would be tacky."
His expression turns cunning, "Perhaps I could borrow it? Once it's grown, you see. In return I'd be delighted to work some of my contacts, get you all the info on the care and feeding of dragons that your little perfectionist heart could possibly want."
She considers the offer, biting her lip. She could use the help but she's pretty sure a dragon's not something she wants to trust Kol Mikaelson with. She likes New Orleans as it is and it would be a shame if he reduced it to a burned out husk in an attempt to go full Daenerys Targaryen.
Klaus has gathered the dragon into his palm while she and Kol took part in their stare off and it seems perfectly content to burrow into the skin left bare by the v-neck of his Henley, more of those soft little chirps coming from it as it nibbles at one of Klaus' necklaces. "Kol will help in any way you need, love. Without strings."
They share a series of hard looks before Kol seems to cave, throwing up his hands. He grumbles something - Caroline thinks she hears the word whipped - and circles her desk to throw himself into her chair, head bent over his cell phone.
She leans against her desk, watching as Klaus' fingers stroke gently along the tiny dragon's back. "He'll need a name," Klaus notes.
"It's a he?" Caroline asks dubiously. How would one even check that?
"Does the name really need to be gendered?" Klaus asks with a smirk.
Caroline supposed he had a point. Mythical creatures likely had loftier concerns. "I'd never hear the end of it if I didn't let Josie and Lizzie have a say."
He smiles, "I'm sure you're right. Opinionated little things that they are."
Caroline tosses him a glare that lacks heat, "Your child isn't the mellowest either, you know."
Klaus seems unperturbed, "They do come by it honestly."
"What's Hope up to tonight?"
"She'll be tucked into bed soon, I'd imagine. Elijah's favorite symphony is playing in Chicago and he, Hope and Hayley have an early flight tomorrow. Yours are off in the wilderness, correct?"
Caroline shifts her weight, suddenly nervous. Back in Mystic Falls she'd never expected to be casually talking to Klaus about childcare arrangements of all things. But this is her life now, and she loves it. Caroline can't help but think this weekend might be the opportunity she's been waiting for. "Do you want to go out for dinner tomorrow?" she rushes out. "Assuming I can get a dragon sitter."
Klaus smile is warm, his answer simple, "I thought you'd never ask."