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I posted this yesterday on tumblr so it's a little delayed getting posted here, but alas, a little Valentine's Treat for my favorite fandom.
There was no particular prompt here. I was (accidentally) inspired by Ashlee Bree to write a kids AU for Valentine's Day. This is what I produced.

A Little Prince

"Be sure to put your cards in the correct classmates' mailboxes, everyone. Don't push! Wait your turn. Everyone will get to distribute their valentines."

No morning in first grade had ever been as disheveled as the morning of Valentine's Day. The second the teacher gave the go ahead it was a race to the back of the room where each student's personally designed mailbox sat waiting to be filled.

Klaus took his time and let everyone go past. He stood at the back of the line, quietly observing like always. Everyone had such cool valentines, he couldn't wait to see if he'd gotten a Ninja Turtle – Michelangelo was his favorite – or a heart shaped lollipop, or a little red shovel that said 'I really dig you.' That one was especially clever.

He looked down at his own cards, the plain white envelopes making him frown. His mother wasn't a big believer in the "Hallmark holiday" so he'd had to convince his brothers to help him buy his own valentines. With the little bit allowance they were able to scrape together, they managed to afford a box of generic cards with printed hearts on them – they were unoriginal, unexciting, but they were valentines.

Only one stood out among the labeled envelopes. On the outside it stood in unison with its white paper brethren. Inside, he'd taken two hours to adorn the card with an intricate little drawing of a stallion on the back. It wasn't as flawless as he would have liked, the remnants of erased mishaps still visible around it. Manes were hard, he came to learn, and the tail had to be just right. Still, he was proud of his little gift to the girl he'd been enamored by since the moment he saw her smile.

It was his first day at this new school. His family moved a lot and somehow he'd always managed to be enrolled in school at the most inopportune times. Like the day of the Christmas concert that everyone had practiced for, and everyone was in. Or right before a class trip that he didn't have a permission slip for. Or two weeks before Valentine's Day.

That first day at Mystic Falls Elementary was the least of his terrible first days. It went the way they always did. An awkward introduction, disorientation during lessons that he hadn't been there for all year but couldn't care less about, and a complete lack of belonging when it came time for group activities. The only time he felt at ease was during arts and crafts where he immersed himself in painting. He'd taken to art quickly and found he liked to defy conceptual ideas. And so he'd painted a black sailboat bobbing along orange water that looked like flames, with a green sky and a white sun. He added purple and black to give it some depth, remembering what he'd learned of sunsets and reflection in his previous school. Back when his parents were still together. Back when they'd all worn uniforms and took a bus, and didn't have to walk six blocks together then part ways to go to separate buildings.

The public school system felt patronizing, teaching him things he'd advanced past months ago, coddling him with encouragement and smiles when he'd been so used to slapped wrists and scowls. He felt isolated, like a sore thumb sticking out and while he knew it would pass, it didn't stop him from ducking his head to his desk for the remainder of the lesson. When it came time for snacks, he did what he usually did, kept to himself and made up scenarios for his Goldfish crackers before chomping their heads off and damning them to the deep, dark watery depths of his stomach. He hadn't noticed anyone watching him until he heard a giggle.

He looked up and saw her immediately. She was turned halfway around in her seat facing him, blonde pigtails in perfectly mussed ringlets and big blue eyes shining with laughter. His stomach started doing somersaults and his face felt suddenly hot but he smiled back anyway, and through his embarrassment of being caught, he picked up another cheese-flavored fish and held its head delicately between his tiny thumb and index finger, offering it up to the giggling onlooker at the desk diagonally in front of him. Like a miracle, her hand reached out from the parted heavens and seized his fingers, and for the brief shining moment he felt comforted.

"Thanks!"

She let go and the fish was hers, swimming along the air in rippling motions as she coaxed it towards her mouth and teased its certain death. He watched her, frozen with his arm still out, taking the fish on a journey through the air and down towards her desk to join the gummy princesses sprawled out on top of the Disney packaging.

"You can't stay here fishy," she told it. "You need water. It's in my tummy. But I'm scared of the dark," the fish pleaded with her, in a stunningly similar voice to her own. She held the fish in front of her with a determined frown. "If you don't, you'll die of thirst."

Klaus laughed, unable to help himself, quickly pulling his hand back to cover his mouth for fear of interrupting her. And whether she'd heard it or not, he'd never know because she continued to argue with the cracker who begged to stay with Rapunzel and Belle.

"A princess castle is no place for a fishy. But what about Ariel?" The little girl huffed. "Ariel's a mermaid, and she has legs."

"How can a mermaid have legs?" he wondered aloud, surprised to hear himself speak. His eyes widened and he swallowed hard when she turned back toward him.

"Her daddy gave them to her so she could be with Prince Eric." She frowned. "Didn't you ever see The Little Mermaid?"

He shook his head, unsure if he should be feeling as ashamed as he was for the lack of what seemed like common knowledge. As she began to unravel the tale, he forgot his shame and focused on the details in the background. Her snack of choice were fruit flavored Disney princesses. Her lunchbox was pink and green with flowers and a brown horse on its hind legs, smiling. It matched the backpack that hung on the back of her chair. He'd ridden horses before, his family even owned one at the stables for a short time. A loud whooshing sound caught his attention and he realized he wasn't listening. He tuned back in in time to hear of Ursula's defeat and the happily ever after that awaited Ariel and Prince Eric. He nodded in understanding when she finished.

"Here," she said, picking up the green princess and showing him. "This is Ariel." His head tilted as he inspected it from afar until she grabbed his hand and put the gummy snack in his palm. "Today, you're the prince."

The thought still jarred him. He'd never once considered himself royalty, even when he played pretend. He was always the valiant knight, or the dastardly warrior, the evil villain that plotted a siege against the castle's defenses. But never a prince.

Perhaps, today, after seeing his card, he could become her prince.

By the end of the day, Klaus was wild with anticipation, as was the rest of the class. Everyone wanted to see what goodies they were getting. Klaus just wanted to see her smile.

When the teacher finally relented, the class amassed in a frenzy around the bookshelves, pushing and shoving each other to get to the little boxes they'd designed the week before. He collected the paint splattered box of his own making and carried it back to the desk, his excitement unbearable. He looked back, waiting for her to get hers so he could watch her open his card up.

She went through them delicately, reading each one thoughtfully, genuinely enthused by the messages, the pictures of kittens with heart shaped eyes, the candies and the little plastic toys attached to the cards. He waited, his arms wrapped around his own box, his head ducked to rest his chin on top of it while he watched as subtly as a seven-year-old possibly could muster. The pile was growing so his had to come soon. And, finally, there it was. A tiny white envelope with nothing but her name on it.

His heart began to hammer against his chest thunderously, the thumps pounding in his ears. His fingers dug into the cardboard under him as he watched her pull the card out of the envelope. She smiled at the generic red and pink hearts scattered all over it, and then, just before she could turn it over, a tiny brown-haired monster dashed over and squealed in excitement. He lifted his head, trying to see past this newfound nemesis of his, but all he could make out was his card. Sitting on her desk. Facedown.

She hadn't seen it.

He kept watch a little longer until another one ran to join them and the villainous army of little girls grew. He huffed with impatience and decided to open his own valentines to distract himself. He tore at the scotch tape barrier that sealed his fate and tugged the flap from the top. He leaned forward to look down at his stock pile…but there wasn't one.

He frowned and lifted the box up to the light, nearly sticking his head inside, but the result was the same.

His box was empty.
He had gotten no valentines.

He looked up and the sounds in the classroom seemed like distant background noise, muffled by a dull ringing that he couldn't escape. Everyone was gathered in groups of friends showing off their cards and tearing open candies and relishing those last fifteen minutes of joy before the school day ended. His chest felt tight and his stomach began to hurt but he wouldn't give in. If he'd learned anything before his father had left them, it was that Mikaelsons didn't cry. He hardened his frown and instead began to tear down the box he'd made, letting his rage flourish. Each rip was more satisfying than the next and by the end only the shredded remains of his mailbox sat on his desk. His fists stayed curled against the edges as he breathed fast and hard through his nose. The bell rang and the crowds dispersed, gathering their things while their teacher waited by the door to walk them out.

No one had even noticed.

He stood and gripped his backpack and trudged forth, leaving the mess on his desk behind.

The school playground was filled with screams of joy and stomping feet, while parents nearby watched and waited their children out as they ran off their sugar highs. Klaus sat on the wood border kicking at the small pieces of wood and dirt and trying to ignore all the kids playing and enjoying the sweet Valentine's treats they'd gotten.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't his fault he was new and didn't make friends easily. He never asked to move here, anyway. But to be singled out like that, to not get even one measly valentine after he had made sure he counted and recounted the number of students in his class so he wouldn't miss anyone.

He wished he could disappear, sink into the wood chips and into the Earth, down into a muddy cave where no one could find him or forget to give him valentines.

"Hi."

He opened his eyes and saw pink Converse sneakers standing opposite of his. He lifted his head slowly and followed the flowery dress up to the wearer and found her waiting in front of him. Her eyes looked worried, not their usual bright happy blue. Her hands were behind her back and he wondered why she would be standing here in front of him instead of playing with her many friends. Because everybody liked her. Everybody gave her valentines.

"I liked the horsey you drew on my card," she finally said. Her cheeks were as pink as her shoes. He blinked, too many times he'd later tell himself, and he could feel his own face starting to get the hot tinglies. "I'm not a very good drawer."

He wanted to object, to tell her she was a very good everything, but suddenly a little purple envelope was thrust in his face.

"I made this one for you."

He took the card gingerly, amazed it even existed. He stared down at it with a tiny frown, his heart pounding. She had written his name and wrapped a lopsided heart around it in marker.

"Aren't you gonna open it?"

He looked up, startled by her voice and the demand within it. He almost forgot she was still there. Bracing himself for his fate, he turned it over and peeled at the sealed triangle, nearly tearing it in half. He almost dropped the card altogether when she moved to sit beside him. Carefully he managed to slide the card out and almost instantly saw pink and purple swirls and flowers. They bordered the center image which was the Disney Princess Rapunzel, adorned by strings of lights, and in swooping yellow letters it read, "Valentine, you light up my life." He smiled, the image making him think of the blonde princess beside him. He turned the card over, expecting to just see their handwritten names but there was also a message on it:

To: Nik

From: Caroline

Will you be my special valentine?

He didn't really know what being a valentine entailed, but he guessed it was like being a prince. And he was okay with that. But just to clarify…

"Special valentine?"

"It means like you like me and I like you."

He looked down at the card with wide eyes, swallowing a gulp of air. He glanced at her timidly, almost unable to get the words out.

"I'll be yours if you be mine."

She smiled huge and it was easily his most favorite smile of hers. And it was all for him. In that moment, he felt like he could soar into the sky.

"Caroline!" one of the minions called from the monkey bars. "Come on!"

She quickly pecked his cheek and sprang to her feet before he could react. She started to run in the direction of the monkey bars but looked back and waved at him with that same big smile. He smiled back, just as big, his hand cupping the cheek that she had kissed.

Surely villains didn't get valentines. But princes – princes got happily ever afters. And his was.