Sunlight

Chapter 11: Viennese Waltz

"I say lets go here."

"And I say we should keep walking to a place I know of."

Klaus and Caroline had managed to leave the hotel without further interruption from Kol and Rebekah, and had strolled down the streets in relative peace. The outside world with its fresh air and sunlight gave them clarity and a shade of shyness, and they walked in sync, their arms swinging in unison – but not touching.

Caroline unknowingly led them to a bakery she and Rebekah had passed the day before, and she insisted that they just stop there for breakfast. The scent of pastry and coffee enticed her, along with the warm glow of the café lights.

Naturally, Klaus didn't want to go somewhere he hadn't been, that he hadn't chosen.

Naturally, Caroline wanted more control than that.

"Come on, Klaus, its here, it smells good." Caroline smiled and returned the wave that the little nonna running the shop sent them through the window. "And she seems so cute. Please?"

"Its just a random bakery. And you are in Vienna, on the opposite side of the world. You can go anywhere. Why do you want to go here of all places?" Klaus couldn't understand why she would feel a need to do anything that had little to no relevance or historical significance.

She shook her head. "Because its normal. People go here for a coffee before work. I'm sure there's a story behind why that lady runs the shop. Its interesting. Its different. And its normal."

Caroline saw how Klaus studied her, and she sighed. "Not to mention, you did promise I could know where we were going and also have some control. Well, here is where it starts."

"With a bakehouse?"

"Exactly. It'll be good for you, Klaus."

He huffed a sigh, but raised his hands in acceptance.

Caroline practically skipped into the shop, pleased. Until she realized it was all in German.

"Damn."

"Guten Morgen. Darf ich bitte zwei croissants und ein marillenknödel." Klaus broke away from the quick German talk to turn to Caroline. "Coffee?"

She was impressed by his easy, fluent speech. "Latte, please."

"Und eine latte und ein americano."

"Sicherlich." The woman nodded, a smile in her rosy cheeks as she added up on the till.

"Hallen die änderung." Klaus said as he waved off the woman's outstretched hand with the change, passing the coffee to Caroline.

The nonna beamed. "Danke!"

"How do you do that?" Caroline said with a short laugh as they sat down at a tiny table. Due to the early hour, it was relatively quiet, but Klaus still angled his chair closer to hers.

"Do what, love?"

"Know absolutely everything."

"One of my annoying talents." He smirked, offering her three sugar sachets without asking.

Caroline blinked at his hand for a moment, and his brow furrowed.

"You take a lot of sugar in your coffee, right?"

"How...?"

"I noticed in our travels, every time we had coffee you would put about half the sugar bowl in your cup." Klaus smirked at her expression. "And its very kind of you to be thinking that I'm a mind reader right now, but I'm merely observant."