A/N: Please forgive me in advance, this will be full of fluff and Daddy issues. AU of course.
Eat Your Peas
Klaus sits across the table from her, a wine glass in his hand and a non-satisfied expression. He was in a staring contest. If she belonged to any other, perhaps he wouldn't care, but no, she had to be his little terror.
"Eat your peas," he says, without blinking.
"No," she replied.
"Your mum says you need your greens."
She forks the peas like Rebekah used to do, but they don't enter her mouth. She's pushing the boundaries: trying to be cute but he's not leaving the table until she eats them and neither is she.
A pea is flung at him. He catches it. The next two land in his Pinot Noir '55, and he flexes his knuckles in frustration. He reminds himself not to leave her overnight with Kol again. He wonders whether he should call Bonnie but he didn't want to admit to being weak, besides he would not hear the end of it. He just had to survive the night. Caroline and the girls were having a night at the theatre.
"You eat them," she said with that smirk that resembles her mother's. He is so close to confiscating her fork but then she'd be using her fingers and that wouldn't be polite. "They're gross," she whined. "They taste like goat brains."
"When was the last time you ate a goat's brains?" Klaus scrutinises her. She laughs, and blinks.
"Ah Ha! You lose, I believe you owe me a mouthful of peas. In they go, and munch away."
"I hate you," she says, but picks up a handful of peas and pops them into her mouth. "Bleurgh!" She spits them back onto her plate, and dissects the pea from its casings. "Told you, brains."
Klaus takes a sip of wine, forgetting about the peas, and spits them onto a napkin. Unfortunately, she sees. She is by his side in minutes. Her head doesn't reach the table. Her lock of curls fall just above her shoulders and she narrows her blue eyes at him, "Is there a problem?" she asks, formally.
"Yes, there's peas in my wine," he growls, scrunching up the napkin.
"Greens are good for you," she states, staring up at him, innocently.
"I know, they make you see in the dark," he said as a last resort.
She finds her seat again. She points to her half-finished meal and points out there's no carrots.
"I like carrots. See, I ate them all. I even ate my chicken, but I hate peas," she said, challenging him.
Klaus pushes away his wine. He leans forward and says, "If you don't finish your dinner. You don't get desert. Ask Rebekah what happens to children who don't eat their peas."
"I can't Auntie's with Mum," Callie whispers, but she seems vaguely curious.
"Probably a good thing. The Pea Bogey Monster might get her otherwise. You don't want to push it."
"There's no such thing," Callie said, bravely.
"No? I've got his number right here." Callie watches Klaus closely. Elijah answers the call.
"I'm afraid she thinks she's too good for peas. Yes I told her but she's not scared of you. You'll be here in ten? Okay, but she probably won't have finished her peas...You'd like to talk to her? Ok."
He passes the phone to Callie. She whispers 'hello' rather cautiously and Klaus' gaze returns to the apartment's door. Three...Two...One... It bangs open and a grumbling, booming voice makes Callie squeal and hide behind him. Elijah's wearing a snorkel and a big black jacket, that made him look taller than usual. He bellows, "NOT EATEN HER PEAS! WHAT IS THIS TRAVERSTY? I'M GOING TO GOBBLE UP ALL THE DESERT SO THERE'S NONE LEFT. HAR HAR HAR."
Elijah gives Klaus a wink, and blindly stumbles forwards into the kitchen and steals the ice-cream.
Callie pokes her head out from behind Klaus' chair and Klaus whispers "quick, eat your peas while he's not looking and maybe he'll leave..." and she does exactly that. Her face is priceless, and as Elijah makes slurping noises imitating a bogey monster, she finishes her dinner in record time.
Klaus sends Elijah a text, and he turns from the fridge with an ice-cream moustache. "I DON'T SMELL ANYMORE PEAS. I'M GOING TO GO FIND MORE KIDS. BE GOOD FOR YOUR DADDY." Elijah stomps out and about a minute later, the doorbell rings.
Callie hasn't left her seat, and Klaus goes to get the door. It's Elijah, of course. The snorkel and coat were tucked to the side, and Klaus claps him on the back with a chuckle. Caroline will either kill him for giving Callie nightmares or thank him for getting her to eat her vegetables. Either way it would be a good story to tell when she was older.
"Look who's here, Callie. Good thing the Pea Bogey Monster didn't eat all your ice-cream."
Klaus takes Elijah through to the dining table and she's still sitting in her seat. They exchange glances and Klaus goes to scoop out the vanilla ice-cream into three bowls. Callie is quieter than normal and jumping at large noises. "You know, peas keep away the Bogey Monster." Elijah whispers, giving her a squeeze.
Klaus brings them desert with extra sprinkles and chocolate sauce. Not long after Callie is back to her old self. They're sitting on the lounge playing 'Snap' and Caroline and the girls come inside for hot chocolates. There's a cold breeze and Klaus and Elijah make a huge fuss, and then there's Caroline's voice: "Why is there a snorkel and coat outside the door?"
"Why, indeed," Klaus winks, and Rebekah rolls her eyes.
"Callie would you like a hot chocolate?" Elena asks, bringing out the packet of little marshmallows.
Caroline finds the cinnamon and adds a dash to the hot cocoa. They serve up, and Klaus and Elijah cheers with their wine. They hear all about the theatre and other stories. Caroline pulls her little girl close, kissing her blond hair and soothing her off to sleep.
"She ate all her peas," Klaus tells Caroline while Elijah chuckles into his wine.
A/N: AU's are so much fun to write. Please review.