saudade - Klaus Baudelaire x Fem! reader

Chapter Three

Y / N  P O V

I reached in the freezer and grabbed the small blue ice pack. I set it on the counter and looked through the drawer beneath the sink to find a rag to wrap it in. I found a black hand towel and wrapped it up in that.

Just as I was turning to leave, the Baudelaires came out of the dining room. I walked over to them and handed Klaus the ice pack.

"Thanks," he said, putting it on his cheek.

"You're welcome. There's a first aid kit in the bathroom with some painkillers and disinfectant cream if you want me to help you with it," I replied.

He looked at Violet.

"Go ahead, I should get sunny changed and tucked into bed," she told him before walking upstairs.

"Come on," I said.

We followed shortly behind Violet and I held the door open for Klaus. I quietly shut the door behind us as Klaus put the toilet seat down and sat down. I grabbed a stool and the first aid kit from under the counter and he took his glasses off.

I got the tube of disinfectant and squirted some on my finger. Klaus took a sharp breath in when I put it on his cheek.

"Sorry!" I exclaimed.

"It's okay," he replied.

I rubbed the ointment into his cheek and we made some small talk.

"So,  you like reading?" he asked.

"Yeah, do you?" I answered.

"Yes. What kind of books do you  like?"

"I like fiction, mostly historical and realistic, but of course, I've also read all the classics. You?"

"I like nonfiction, but sometimes I do enjoy realistic fiction. Have you read 'Anne of Green Gables?"

"Yes, it's one of my favorites. One can only hope to end up happy despite the odds like her."

"I wholeheartedly agree."

I grabbed the bottle of painkillers and dumped two out into my hand.

"Here," I said, reaching my hand out.

"Thanks," he replied as he took them.

He put his glasses back on and swallowed the pills. I put everything back away and turned back to him.

"You still need that ice pack?" I asked.

"No, it's starting to get numb."

"I'll take it back downstairs."

"I'll go with you."

"Okay, but we have to be careful because if Olaf catches us..." I trailed off.

"Has it happened before?"

"No, but it almost has. And he did not sound happy."

He nodded. I grabbed the ice pack off the counter and turned the light off. I peeked outside to make sure the coast was clear and then opened the door all the way.

I turned to Klaus and stretched out my hand. "Hold my hand, just to be safe," I whispered.

I could feel my cheeks heating up as I felt his warm, firm grip around my palm. I looked around one last time just to be sure before heading down the hall. I could see a tiny bit of light coming from the end of the hall, but it was from the bottom of a closed door and I could hear them talking from all the way down here, even if it was faint.

I stepped carefully down the first step and kept going. You never know when a creaky stair is going to arise. I stopped just before the one that I knew creaked very loudly. Klaus didn't realize I had stopped until he was on the same step as me and bumped into me.

"Sorry," he whispered. I could feel the heat radiating off of him.

"It's all good," I replied, grateful for the darkness to hide my red cheeks. "This next step's going to creak very loudly if you step on it, so you have to step a bit further. I'll help you."

"Okay."

I grabbed onto the banister with my free hand and stepped across. Then, I turned around and helped Klaus. Once he was beside me, we kept going until we reached the kitchen. By now, our eyes had adjusted and we could see pretty decently. I opened the freezer, which luckily didn't have a light that would mess up the adjustment of our eyes, and put the ice pack back in. Next, I put the damp rag over the edge of the sink for it to dry overnight.

But, I guess my eyes hadn't adjusted as well as I thought they had, because I bumped into the small extra table that was in there. As an effect, one of the metal mixing bowls that had been washed recently and had been sitting there to dry, fell off.

We stopped, and so did the sound of talking upstairs. But we could still hear what was said after a moment of silence.

"What was that?"

"It was probably just hooky shaving again."

We sighed quietly in relief.

"Boss, I'm right here!"

"Then that must have been one of those brats."

A door opening and closing.

I made sure I had a firm grip on Klaus' hand and opened one of the larger cupboards that was on the ground and shoved Klaus in before diving in myself. I quickly closed the doors.

Neither one of us dared to breathe. We found each other's eyes in the darkness. I heard the step creak and footsteps coming toward the kitchen.