your last | klaroline

& again

your last
chapter twenty
& again

After merely a day of exploring Moscow to the very depths, Klaus announced that it was time to head out to attend to whatever business he had in Eastern Europe. We fell asleep early, tired from the day's events, and woke at three, his chipper attitude merely a dream in my memory now.

I barely remember the flight. Drifting in and out of sleep; catching longing glances out the window. But other than that, it seems like an eerie memory to me now, and I was barely awake by the time we arrived at the hotel.

It's seven. Or so. The sun still peaking at the horizon, Klaus awake to the point where it couldn't possibly be noon yet. My eyelids droop, and there are moments where I wonder if I'm going to pass out.

"Wherearewe?" I mumble, not sure if he can understand what I'm saying. Luckily, he catches it, chuckling heartily at my exhausted figure.

"It's a surprise. You'll see later." I expect him to stop talking and leave the details for later, as he previously mentioned, but to my content, he continues. "I've postponed my business plans until next week. We've taken a small detour so that we can enjoy ourselves in a different city."

Every word he speaks wakes me a little more. After a few minutes, I register the loud sound of cars honking outside my window. Sirens. Shouting, screaming women. I sit up, alarmed at the noises.

Klaus smirks at my confused form as I trip my way to the window, yanking the curtains open and rubbing my eyes at the sudden brightness.

What I see is both amazing and surprising.

Hundreds upon hundreds of people- ten times more crowded than Moscow- some elegantly dressed, some covered in aprons and flour, screaming at each other. There's dozens of booths set up across the edges of the road, and I can see food, music and even art for sale as overlapping voices bargain on prices.

My gaze travels up.

The skyline of massive skyscrapers; almost hiding the clouds. Gray sky is everywhere, floating in the distance, swirling like fog around the bustling crowds. There are dozens of signs, displaying foreign products in a foreign language.

I immediately realize where we are.

"Hong Kong!" I screech, whirling around to face Klaus. He seems absolutely pleased at my realization, a satisfied smirk resting on his lips. I don't even care anymore. "This is Hong Kong! I'm in Hong Kong!"

Breathless, I turn back to the window, marvelling at the crowds; the people.

"Well, we had some extra time, and I thought-"

"You're kidding!" I interrupt, practically jumping up and down. It has been my dream to visit Asia for years now. My whole life.

He laughs softly.

"I don't think I am, no."

Before I know it, I'm squealing and screaming, wrapping my arms around his neck and repeating my thank yous a dozen times over. Then, finally, I pull on a jacket and drag him out the door without a second thought.
+++
"I'm not going to lie, love, that looks absolutely repulsive."

I roll my eyes, clutching the strange-looking fish egg substance in my hands. I'll admit that when I first laid eyes on it, it didn't seem entirely appealing, but once I took a bite, it wasn't entirely bad. Flavourful, to my surprise.

"Just try it. You'll like it."

He cringes a little. Funny. The most powerful man on earth; repulsed only by this fish egg wrap found in Hong Kong for four dollars.

Hesitantly, his finger wraps around the fish eggs, and before he can think, he swallows the whole thing, wincing. I suppose even powerful, immortal beings have off days.

"That's even as horrible as it appears to be. Remind me to never again eat anything you give me."

I roll my eyes, taking his hand and dragging him mercilessly through the crowds. It's not convenient at all that we're here during rush hour, but I manage fairly well.

"Slow down, love. We've got plenty of time."

Klaus seems like a fairly slow-paced soul. Generally speaking, of course. He takes the time to do things thoroughly and thoughtfully, making sure he gets everything he needs from whatever he wants done. I, however, am quite the opposite. I want to see everything at once, even if I don't take my time to absorb it.

I raise my eyebrows incredulously, not stopping my fast-paced footsteps through the city. We stop at several different kiosks, and he reluctantly allows me to try an assortment of hats on his head. We laugh over some form of squid, trying foreign food and clothing.

By the time the day is over, we've spent so much money and time on the streets that we're worn out- well, I am,- and I'm eager to return to the hotel. This has been a day of forgetting about the world around us, and simply being Caroline and Klaus. It's a simple thing, really, and I should do it more often.

We stumble into the hotel- again, I stumble into the hotel,- and he laughs, allowing me to take the neon pink cowboy hat off his head gratefully. That was a struggle to get him to wear, and it's really a shame to see it come off.

I look from him to our fairly messy room, for only having stayed here one short night, and laugh under my breath.

"Thank you... for bringing me here," I whisper sincerely, much to his content.

"It was no problem, love." He tries to brush it off, but I know that he most likely postponed important events with powerful beings to bring me here.

"Seriously," I repeat, smiling slightly. "Thank you."

He bows his head, a smile spreading over his lips and curving his mouth into a grin.

"It was my pleasure, Caroline."

With that, we go our separate ways, each bursting with undeniable adrenaline, most likely dreaming beautiful dreams of each other.
                                    +++
a/n: ew no. I hate. but you know what it will get better I just feel like we need more klaus-caroline before anything of importance happens