NOTE: THIS STORY CONTAINS NO BREAKING DAWN SPOILERS.
After reading the short little fluffy bit between Quil and Claire in the middle of Breaking Dawn (a terrible, awful book that I couldn't finish), I decided that I really wanted to explore their relationship with Claire at a young age. And then this came to me. It's just drabble, but I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Disclaimer: I don't even like to be Stephanie Meyer anymore, because of Breaking Dawn. Don't accuse me of being her or I may be forced to hurt you."…And they lived happily ever after." Quil closed the large, pink book, just finishing the fairy tale he had been reading to the subject of his imprinting, the little toddler, Claire. He stood up off of the edge of her bed where he was reading from, put the book down, and started tucking her in.
"Quil, is that story real? All the princes and princesses?" asked Claire sleepily as Quil brought the cover up to her neck.
"Sure they are," Quil said, unable to help himself. He was putty in this little girl's hands; he'd do anything to see her ear to ear smile.
Claire thought about that for a moment.
"Quil, can I marry a prince?"
Quil sat up by the four year old's face, smiling down at her as she drifted. "Do you want to?"
"I wanna marry someone smart," Claire said.
"I'm smart," Quil pointed out, jokingly.
"I wanna marry someone strong," Claire said.
Quil mock flexed his muscles, causing his admirer to giggle.
"I wanna marry someone funny," she continued.
Unable to resist, Quil yanked the cover off of her, raised her pajama shirt just enough to bare her belly, and blew a loud raspberry into it, causing the toddler to reel into a giggle fit, squirming away from his mouth.
As he laid her back down, recovering her, the thoughtful expression returned to the little girl.
"Quil is smart, strong and funny," she pointed out.
"Why, thank you."
She thought for another moment.
"Claire wants to marry Quil."
Quil's throat got thick with pride, and he swallowed back cheerful laughter. Even besides the fact that Claire had barely an idea what she was saying, no five words could ever cause him more joy.
"Okay, Claire-bear," he said, kissing her forehead as her eyelids sank closed. "Quil'll marry Claire." He wished that somehow those words could be turn into reality.
As the child's gentle, even breathing indicated her sleeping, Quill stood, careful not to disturb her, and flicked off the lights. "Goodnight, love," he whispered into the darkness, and then closed the door behind him.
Review! Thanks a bunch for reading!