Hi everyone! So this is my first English drabble, and I'm very excited. :D I have to thank the lovely Alyssa {theinevitabilityofus} for being my beta – it was a hard job to translate the story from my own language to another! – and for the wonderful job she has done so quickly and during the holidays, moreover! :) Consider it my late Christmas gift. :p

I hope you would enjoy it! Kisses ;)

Cinderella Fetish

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«Could you please go back into your creepy trophy case of family collectibles and dig me out something of royal caliber?»

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«It's amazing how, just in the middle of an apocalyptic proportion crisis, you manage to worry so much for a dress.»

«I already told you not to laugh! Therefore these are women matters, I do not expect you to understand.»

But he was having too much fun to let it go so easily. «Silas is trying to kill us all, and yet you lose your mind because you don't know what to wear at the prom». He continued to tease her, unable to hide his grin.

«You're awfully witty to be an ancient hybrid of like some hundreds years old», Caroline said, following him up the stairs.

«Ouch, that hurt.»

«I'm sure you'll survive.»

Klaus smiled. He had already found it odd that she had come of her own accord in his house without him summoning her - yes, she needed help, but it had to mean something that she had come to him in the first place before going to her friends or Stefan, hadn't it? - but even gather to joke with her with all that ease, as if it were something to which they were accustomed, left him even more confused and surprised. In a positive sense, of course.

«There we are», said the hybrid concealing a smile, pausing in front of a normal door as the many others that they had passed. He turned the handle and stepped aside with a gesture typical of a gentleman of the old days. «Please, have fun.»

When Caroline crossed the threshold her eyes widened in disbelief. The walls formed a single, huge wardrobe, whose doors, covered with mirrors, gave back her own reflection hundreds and hundreds of times, leaving her confused and disoriented for a moment. On the ground, instead of marble or parquet she had seen in the other rooms of the house, there was a clear and soft carpeting; there were no paintings or chandeliers, but only floor lamps that casted a warm enveloping glow. Only one door had no mirror, and it hid the doorway of a large dressing room as big as her own bedroom, complete with dressing table, hanger and jewelry.

Seeing that the vampire still didn't move a muscle, Klaus misunderstood her immobility and cleared his throat. «I give you my word that no one died or was tortured to create this collection. Feel free to rummage anywhere», he conceded, pointing to the room with a wave of his hand.

For her, that was enough. Obeying her curiosity, as well as intimately relieved for that information, Caroline began to throw open all the doors one by one and then remained motionless at the center of the room, watching with fierce craving all the clothes, shoes, handbags and various accessories sticking out from the inside of the cabinet.

So this is how Heaven must be, she found herself thinking with a bit of envy. If she had such a room in her house, she probably would never leave it...

«Rebekah has always had a soft spot for the glitz and excess», Klaus said, heartened by the obvious enthusiasm of Caroline and ridiculously amused by it. He advanced carelessly inside the room, heading for a chair by white black stitching, arranged so as not to disturb the comings and goings of the lucky girl.

«We could have been great friends, her and I», murmured Caroline, approaching with reverence to a shelf full of brooches and hair accessories. «If she hadn't allied with Elena», she added soon after, with an annoyed frown.

«My sister is not allied with the doppelgänger», He corrected her, stretching his hands on the armrests of the chair. «I suppose she wants to keep an eye on her. But do not let this ruin your perfect dress hunting, love - you are already late, if I understand it well.»

It was obvious that he found amusing Caroline's terror of not being up to the ball - and on another occasion she would have laughed of her madness too, probably - but here it was her last prom, and things were terribly serious, , it was a matter of life or death! She had come to terms with the fact of not having a knight for the evening, but to not even have a dress...

«Yes, you're right, a dress. I need a dress», Caroline repeated like a mantra, starting to slide her fingers over the fabrics of dresses that until then had only seen on the covers of fashion magazines or on the red carpet of the Oscars. «My God, they are so many!», she muttered disconsolately. She wouldn't ever be done in time – she knew herself, and before finding one that would make her turn her head, she would have to try a dozen dresses. By that point they would have already elected king and queen of the ball!

Panicked, she began to discard one after the other. Too red, too yellow, too much lace, too heavy, too shiny, too revealing, too little low-cut!, too many ruffles ...

«Let me help you», His whispered voice blew in her ear, making her jump. «I think I have seen something that may suit you better...» He continued, moving away from her and going without fail to a closet area still unexplored. «You've already worn the blue and the red is too trivial. Hmm... Allow me to recommend this.»

When he turned back to her, he was holding with both hands a light-colored dress, including the cream and ivory, already at first glance it looked absolutely fabulous. Caroline approached him enchanted, almost oblivious to the similar expression with which Klaus was, however, looking at her. «Wow. It looks really... princely.»

The hybrid smiled - now he often do that in her presence. «As Grace of Monaco?» He provoked.

Caroline blushed slightly. «No, much better.»

Klaus seemed too much pleased by that answer. «Go ahead, try it. Meanwhile, I call for the hairdresser.»

«The hairdresser?»

He laughed at her perplexed tone. «Sure you can't think that it was me, or Elijah, to fix Rebekah's hair», he teased.

In fact she did not even know that Elijah was back in town, but that was not the information that made her so confused. In short, a hairdresser? From where had he pulled out a hairdresser? «Well, no... but…»

Interrupting his feeble protests, Klaus pushed her gently towards the dressing room. «Come on, love, do not waste your time. Go, put your dress on and come back here, time is running out.»

Caroline gave up. In the end it did not matter how she could prepare for the dance - certainly when she arrived at the Mikaelson manor she hadn't imagined that she would also been changed and dressed there, under the watchful and critical eye of Klaus - the really important thing was that she could get back to the prom before the king and queen would have been elected. Not that she was a candidate - perhaps there was a time in which she would have liked it, but recently she had had too much to do to even think of advertising her candidacy for prom queen in the corridors of Mystic High School.

As she mentally repassed the last weeks of her life, the jeans, shirt and jacket she wore finished on the hanger, followed by her bra, and the beautiful cream-colored dress that Klaus had chosen for her - for the second time - was beginning to take shape on her body. The line was soft and sinuous, it bandaged her elegantly from the waist to the knees like the tail of a mermaid, then it unfold and expand like a waterfall of silk and veil all around her and behind, like a small train. The dress had precious inserts shining by reflecting light, with a design reminiscent of a spider's web, and under the breast there was a sort of a small medallion that made the dress a little more modern and less serious.

Glancing herself in the mirror, Caroline felt really like a princess. It had nothing to do with the dress Elena had stolen - ah, that little nasty of her former best friend could also keep it, since she had had that in exchange for it - it was so much more refined and elegant than she had expected. She turned three quarters, trying to look at the back, but she realized she had not pulled up the zipper. She snorted, annoyed: she wasn't going to make it alone.

So she appeared at the door of the dressing room, embarrassed, holding the front of her dress with both hands to avoid that it suddenly fell showing portions of the skin that it was better to keep covered. «Klaus?»

The hybrid appeared in front of her with a swish, so suddenly to snatch her a curse. At that very little princely language she saw him smile. «You called, love? Do you need any help?»

Caroline nodded, coyly smiling. «Pardon me for asking, but... you know, could you… the zipper...?»

Klaus blinked his eyes a couple of times, puzzled, but when he realized what she was asking he did not think twice. He joined her, trying not to show how nervous he actually was by the fact that he has so nonchalantly just been authorized to put his hands on her. Figuratively speaking, of course.

Caroline turned, gathering her hair in order to free up the back without uttering a single word. You are a stupid and childish vampire, Caroline Forbes, she cursed herself mentally, biting her lower lip. What need is there to provoke him, for God's sake?

It was fortunate that Klaus seemed quite practical in women's clothing - oh, please, you haven't really thought about it - by pulling them out of the zip gown in a split of a second. Yet his hand hesitated a moment too, as if the owner was undecided what to do, but in the end he should have decided to continue behaving like a gentleman because he took a few steps back, crossing his arms behind his back in that old-fashioned position that Caroline had learned to associate only to him.

«You can come out, Magda is waiting for you», he informed her, his lips curled in an effort not to smile with a too much smug air.

In fact, Klaus had not invented the intervention of the hairdresser: Magda was a woman in her forties, a human of course, tall, slim and tanned, with a dark red and short haircut. She seemed to come directly from some famous beauty salon and, knowing Rebekah, Caroline would have bet her left hand on the fact that it was so. As if it wasn't enough, she spoke with an accent distinctly Californian.

«Oh, Mr. Mikaelson, that's the girl? It will be a pleasure to arrange this beautiful hair», she exclaimed, clapping her hands euphorically. «Please, sit at that table, miss...»

«Caroline», they said together.

Klaus smiled at the coincidence and turned to the girl. «I'll leave you in the hands of Magda, then.»

Caroline did not even have time to answer him - asking him to stay, for example - that he was already gone from the room. Magda began to bombard her with questions as she stroked her hair. «So, it's the prom, right? Ah, I was dressed in red at mine! I think it fit perfectly with my olive skin... Tell me, did you have in mind something for your hair? You prefer them loose, collected, or something in between?»

Despite being slightly bewildered by the storm of questions, Caroline was able to regain control. «I was thinking to pick them up. You know something like Grace of Monaco...»

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When Klaus knocked again at the door of the room, the two women had already finished. Magda was putting in place her craft objects, withdrawing hairpins and combs, while Caroline was in front of a mirror in ecstatic self-admiration. She saw his reflection behind her, and her smile widened considerably, as she turned toward him with a puzzled expression as if she were waiting for some advice of his.

«Thank you, Magda, you can go now», he said instead, dismissing the human. Only at that moment, Caroline realized that she had been compelled, but as long as she wasn't hurt she could not see any problem. When the door closed behind the diligent hairdresser, Klaus cocked his head to the side and looked closely at the vampire in front of him. «You're beautiful», he finally confessed, with a sweetness that the hybrid rarely let come to the surface - if not with her. «But something is still missing... May I?»

And before she knew it, Caroline found her hand between those of Klaus, and in less than a blink of an eye her wrist was surrounded by a diamond bracelet. That bracelet, truth be told.

If she were still alive, her heart would have skipped several beats.

«But... Where...?»

«I haven't lived a thousand years without learning one or two tricks», he said simply, without wanting to add more. «I hope to see you wear it more often... now that, well, we're friends.»

The vampire smiled almost shyly and nodded, watching the jewel. «Thanks», she simply replied.

The silence lasted a few seconds before Klaus chase it away with a more cautious irony. «Well then, Cinderella... Do you also need a cab?»

It took her a few seconds before realizing his joke, and when she did she let out a short laugh. «Oh, no, thank you, I don't need it», she assured him, turning back to her own reflection to settle earrings – she dared not even imagine how much those jewels that hung innocently from her lobes should have cost. «I came with my car.»

«And are you going to drive with this dress?» He asked her, raising an eyebrow.

Caroline caught the eye of the hybrid through the mirror. «Hey, I'm still a vampire. I am perfectly capable of driving in heels and a skirt.» As sad it might be to go to prom without a rider, she would never said that to Klaus: she didn't want to take advantage of his generosity, although he probably would have really accompanied her and without thinking twice. But no, she wouldn't have allowed it.

Klaus raised his hands in surrender. «As you wish.»

She did not know how to say goodbye now. A kiss on the cheek as when she greets Matt or Stefan? A hug? But no, heck, it wasn't Bonnie... It was Klaus! God, she would not been embarrassed by that nonsense as she hadn't at the request of pulling up the zipper of her dress.

«Well, I'm almost out of time... I have to go», she said, after having cleared her voice. «Thank you so much for your help, Klaus, I owe you very, very big», she added, sincere. She squeezed his hand quickly, and with one last smile she disappeared into a flutter of skirts and a sparkle of jewelry, just like a princess.

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«Was it worth it? To see her smile? To make her dream night come true? Was it worth it?»

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He hadn't planned to go to the dance, it was merely a last-minute decision, and only because he had to keep Rebekah under control - or at least that was what he used to convince himself. For a moment, he also thought that perhaps he could steal her a dance... But then he saw Caroline going away just as he was heading to the back of the room to join her sister, and although his desire to turn around and follow her was more domineering than usual, it was not even enough to make him abandon altogether the issues of his family. So he reluctantly reached Rebekah that was in danger, now for the umpteenth time, to destroy her own life in favor of the one of a vapid human being devoid of any purpose and interest. While from that decision had depended her happiness, she wouldn't leave the girl bleeding on the ground, and without even thinking twice... But Rebekah sometimes proved to be far too stupid and weak for his taste.

After talking with her, in the end, he felt perfectly free to go looking for Caroline, something that was particularly pressing given that from what little he had been able to notice. She did not seem quite satisfied with what was supposed to be her dream night. Had she a bottle of liquor in her hand or had he seen bad?

So now he was on the porch of Lockwood manor, wanting to be honest the last of the places where he wanted to be, and he had witnessed the whole, disgusting tête-à-tête between Caroline and her hybrid. His mind was trying to make him go away - what was the point of getting hurt that way, attending to their dance, their whispered conversations, their effusions? - but his body did not respond to his commands. It seemed paralysed.

He clenched his hands into fists so hard that his own claws penetrated the flesh, wounding him. What sense had to see Caroline in the arms of Tyler? Wasn't it hard enough to suppress his pride and allow that arrogant boy to return in Mystic Falls, to let him spend some time with the woman of which he, Klaus, was in love? Why did he keep it aside and accept to always be the second choice, the excluded, the hated - why was he never enough?

All of them, small supernatural being who threw judgements and rulings from the top of a pulpit painted with moral hypocrisy and good intentions, all of them had their hands stained with blood and actions not always justifiable. What made him different from them? What made him unworthy of an ounce of...

No, that word would no longer came out from his lips. Love is a vampire greatest weakness. He had to keep telling himself that if he wanted to still believe it…

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«In the shared interest of giving Caroline the night of her dreams, I will allow you five seconds before I rip your heart out of your chest. Five… Four… Three…»

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Damn, he had even given him yet another chance to escape and save his putrid skin. Tyler had disappeared with a whoosh, like a dog that was running away, and he could not help but curse himself mentally. He wondered if what he had said to the young Lockwood - was it worth it? Was it worth to save a brash kid who he had sworn to kill, just to see her smile? Just to fulfil her desire? - was not, in fact, his own reflection made aloud.

He had already turned his back to the door and was about to leave, leaving Caroline to the bittersweet memory of the last dance shared with her boyfriend, when her voice pinned him on the porch steps.

«Klaus.»

The hybrid decided to ignore the soft intonation with which Caroline had wrapped his name. «I didn't do anything», he said coldly, turning to face her. His blue eyes sought the girl, in spite of everything, hoping not to find hatred, nor anger, nor regret. «He's gone.»

The expression of Caroline, however, was surprisingly calm, and appeared on her lips that little hinted smile that she gave him days earlier, when he had asked if now, after the affair of Silas, they could have been regarded as friends. That smile disturbed him and assured him at the same time.

«I know», she admitted. «I've seen you.» And I've heard. But these words echoed in the air, unspoken.

Klaus opened his arms, not really knowing what to say. «Next time I won't be so merciful», he warned her, hoping to sound intimidating as usual. But how could he threaten her when she was there, a few feet away from him, without giving the slightest hint of being scared, still wearing the dress he had chosen for her and helped her to wear, so beautiful and dazzling as the sun?

Her smile did not crack, indeed; if possible, it just seemed wider.

«You know», she said instead, advancing a step toward him. «I am not accustomed to take part at a ball without dancing with the big bad hybrid. And there is still time before the guests arrive for the after party, so I was wondering... Would you care to dance with me?»

Niklaus Mikaelson, the Original hybrid, the most powerful creature that the world had known, who had terrorized kings and emperors, seduced queens and princesses, created and led armies through the centuries, was left literally speechless. It had not happened often over the decades - usually it was Elijah to deprive him of something to say - and certainly not because of a woman. But even here it was not just any woman - it was his Caroline.

Seeing that he did not seem to want to answer, as he was lost in some kind of speculations, the said Caroline snorted amused, holding out a hand. «Come on, just a dance. I won't bite», she insisted with a mischievous air, sure that Klaus would have caught the reference. Which he did, judging by the smile which in turn appeared on his usually frown face.

All dark thoughts that he had grown up to a few seconds before seemed to have vanished into the air.

Without thinking too much, he climbed the steps and went back to the porch, reaching the girl who was waiting for him with her hand still outstretched. He took it gently, with courtesy, pulling her toward him and observing how naturally their bodies emulate the movements of the other to find the perfect fit for dance together. He passed his other hand around Caroline's waist, placing it gently at the base of her back, and she did the same with her own, leaving a hand on his shoulder. They exchanged a quick glance and a timid smile, before starting to move slowly to the beat of a silent music that was playing just for them.

Klaus didn't take his eyes off her, and Caroline felt herself blush. «You and I are not very lucky with dances», she said, trying to lighten a silence that could be embarrassing. «The last time we were stuck in the school gym because of a spell, do you remember?»

«Because my mother was looking for the perfect way to kill me, yes, I remember», he answered, smiling amused at the mortified look that had appeared on the girl's face, as she realized the gaffe just made. «I also remember what you told me... Something about being an Alpha male?» He actually remembered the exact words and intonation with which she had spoken those words, but he didn't want to give her the impression of being so pathetic...

«Something like that», she admitted, a little less embarrassed.

There was something different in the way that Klaus held her as they danced, compared to what Tyler had done only minutes before. They were just swinging on the spot, and most importantly without music - because of the dress Caroline did not allow herself to do some kind of stunts - but the way in which the hybrid was holding her close to him was causing a strange tingling that seemed born in the middle of her belly. It was a pleasant feeling, however, a sense of warmth and adolescent nervousness - it seemed almost... a quivering anticipation. She wasn't very good at making it in words. If she had to use a metaphor, she would have said she had butterflies in her stomach. Heck! It was about that? She swallowed, shortly averting her gaze from those dimples that appeared on the cheeks of the hybrid when his smile was too deep.

«Thank you for making this evening possible. You've been a fantastic fairy godmother», Caroline murmured after a while, playfully taking it around. She was not referring to the return of Tyler and the fact that he had let him go without even trying to hurt him - indeed, as she danced with Klaus the image of Tyler had faded from her mind, as if he already belonged to a past from which she had to go forward.

Klaus smiled and made her do a slow turnaround. «I must admit I've been called many things, but the fairy godmother is new to me», he said in the same tone. «I beg you not to tell anyone, love, it would ruin my reputation.»

Caroline let escape a laugh as she walked back beside him. «And we don't want that to happen.»

We. Klaus's smile softened. «No, we don't.»

They continued to dance completely at ease, without the initial nervousness, and they did not even have consciously come closest to each other. Not Caroline, anyway.

«I have to thank you too, anyway,» continued Klaus after a moment of silence. «If it wasn't for you I would have stayed all night at home mulling over how sad and lonely my life is.»

«Do you really want to tell me that this is what you were doing when I arrived?» Caroline asked, arching an eyebrow unconvinced. By the way, her tone was playful when she went on. «Weren't you planning something evil and wicked or, better yet, your revenge against Silas?»

«Even if you're clearly implying the contrary, I'm not so arrogant to think I could kill on my own a creature that has proved itself so powerful as to be able to make fun of all the supernatural beings of Mystic Falls, including myself», he explained patiently, trying to mask the tone amused.

«Still, I don't believe the story of the lonely wolf.»

Klaus rolled his eyes. «Let's just say then that I was thinking of a less stupid way to get rid of him», he said cautiously, not wanting to outsource all of his plans. Even if he was sure that his arms were really holding Caroline and not some hallucination caused by Silas, there was always the danger that some indiscreet ear was spying on their conversation.

«Oh, I'm sure you'll figure something out», she assured him. «A great strategist like you...»

The tight around her hips became dangerously firmer, but Klaus's smile reassured her. «Words are a compliment, but the tone is mocking. Are you mocking me, love?»

«Me? I would never», she replied stiffly, biting her lips to keep herself from laughing.

My God, Caroline, you're flirting with him. Don't flirt with him! She warned sternly, realizing the situation in which she was putting herself. But it was impossible not to laugh at what Klaus told - in the last ten days their relationship had become somewhat narrower, they were learning to know each other better, and she was used to play when she was in the company of a friend. Why behave differently just because it was Klaus?

Not because of him, but because you know how he feels about you...

And you, what do you feel for him?

She did not have an answer to that question - she may never have it - but for the moment, she could admit to find his company lovely, and to enjoy it. What was wrong with that?

Their brief idyll, however, was ruined by the noise of cars travelling along the driveway, a sign that boys and girls from the prom had already decided to move the party to a level very little schooling. Caroline and Klaus parted reluctantly, putting a small safe distance between them, but without being able to stop staring each other. It seemed that just by looking into their eyes, they were able to communicate much more than they did in words - it was something that Caroline, although she probably would never have admitted, found intoxicating.

«I'd better go», Klaus said, softly. Caroline just nodded.

Without being able to say anything more than a goodbye to her, Klaus merely stepped back and gave it away, then started walking down the marble steps of the porch. Other humans were invading the garden - the annoying sound of their heels on the gravel, the laughter, and the tears of those who were already a little tipsy - and he didn't want to be there when the rest of Caroline's friends would arrive. It was not in the mood to deal with either the Salvatore brothers nor their doppelgänger or the little witch...

«Psst!»

Klaus stopped in mid-step and turned around again, raising an eyebrow with an amused and curious glance. «Yes, love?»

Caroline smiled. «It's midnight! Do I have to give you back the dress?»

Ah, the story of Cinderella. In response, the hybrid grinned. «And let Elena have a better dress than yours? You really think that low of me?»

Her laughter was something delicious. «I'll bring it to you tomorrow, then», she promised, winking and pleasantly surprising him, for the umpteenth time. She waved her hand in farewell, then she went back inside the house to fix the last things before the arrival of the guests.

Klaus stayed out there a few more minutes, savouring the last moments of the evening. Perhaps, he thought, it was really worth it.

Then, with a faint smile still lingered on his lips, he put his hands in his pockets and walked away, at a slowly and human pace, without feeling the need to resort to vampire speed. He was in no hurry. For a few minutes, he decided, he would enjoy the quiet of the night.

The problems would have been still there in the morning.

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«Because of you, Caroline. It was all for you.»

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Thank you for reading! :*