Hey y'all. Yes, I'm finally back - and with a Klaus centric chapter! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, it was definitely interesting to write a kid again, come up with the personality and figure out how to write that according to the age - I come from a pretty large extended family but the only 9 year old around me I have had a lot of interaction with so I really hope I've done it justice. Let me know what y'all think of David and if you like him! Also, the best part of my background is figuring out titles. Because in English it's just generic aunt/uncle, gran/granpa but in Urdu (my language), there's a different name for every relationship, like your dad's older brother is called something different than his younger brother. It's a lot of fun even if I can't apply that here.
Also, writing a stutter is harder than I anticipated. I know how I want the word to sound, I just don't know how to write it out. Like, it's not just generic can't get past the first letter. Sometimes it's hesitation and the word coming out slower, sometimes its sort of sounding it out, sometimes you get tripped up halfway. I have a stutter that comes out when I'm stressed so I know how I experience it I just don't know how to translate that onto the page. So this is sort of a heads up in case it comes off weird and lowkey if anyone has any tips, please don't hesitate to share.
Anyway, I realised something when writing this chapter and I AM SO MAD because Julie Plec could have made the show infinitely more intense or hilarious had she chosen to take this into account but she didn't because she's BORING and has NO imagination. Mikael was a viking. You know what the vikings believed in? Norse mythology. Yep, that's Thor and Loki and all those guys. WE WERE ROBBED and we had NO idea! Anyway, I try to make up for that a little. So, without further ado, read, review and enjoy!
"S-so why does Kol call you Nick?" David asked as Klaus was led inside.
"Nik," the hybrid corrected gently, "and likely because that is my name - Niklaus Mikaelson, at your service." He finished with an awkward, funny little bow, juggling his bags as best as he could, David giggling at the picture it made.
"T-that's kind of a weird name," the boy informed him in between giggles.
"Hence why a grand total of two people call me by it," came the dry response as Kol stifled laughter of his own.
David, however, nodded solemnly at this statement, nose scrunching as he thought. "S-so what do I call you?" There was a pause as both men stopped, eyes meeting in a silent conversation before Kol suggested they go inside first and figure out names later.
Once he'd been shown to the room kept for him and rid of his bags, Klaus watched with growing amusement as David grew more and more hyperactive in the time leading up to and during lunch. Sitting at the table, he was positively vibrating with excitement, jiggling his leg and scarfing down his food almost as though he didn't need to breathe - all the while aiming meaningful glances Kol's way. The vampire, for his part, pretended not to notice, taking an absurdly long time over his own meal, a smirk playing about his lips.
Eventually the boy could bear it no longer. "Kol," he whined. "You promised!"
"Did I?" he hummed languidly.
"Yes! You promised!"
"If we must," he said with a put upon sigh, mischief sparkling in his eyes as he caught Klaus' questioning look. "Why don't you tell Nik what this is about?"
David huffed with exasperation before turning to Klaus, "Kol promised we'd watch the Avengers after lunch - but he's taking forever and I know he's doing it on purpose!" He ducked as Kol tried to ruffle his hair, sending a glare the vampire's way.
"That does sound like my brother," Klaus confided. "How about you tell me what the movie's about and we leave him here to clean up by himself?" he suggested, winking at the nine year old while Kol spluttered.
"He'd deserve it," David proclaimed with another glare for his foster father before softening. "But that wouldn't be nice."
"No, I suppose it wouldn't be," Klaus agreed, pausing thoughtfully. "In that case, what do you suggest we do?"
"Wait for me to finish!" Kol interjected indignantly. His brother snorted, amused, and informed him that he had to at least give the appearance of trying to be quick in order to be given that courtesy. The vampire huffed but it was clear he wasn't half as annoyed as he pretended to be, winking at David as he cleared his plate at record speed. "I'll clean up here," he told them as he picked up the dishes, "go put the movie on, I'll just be a minute." David didn't need to be told twice, the boy running off almost before Kol finished. Klaus lingered a few moments, eyes meeting his brother's in a silent question. Whatever he saw there seemed to satisfy him because he nodded once before following the nine year old to the lounge and helping him put on the movie.
David curled up in the absolute middle of the couch, producing a somewhat ratty soft toy from no discernable place that Klaus could tell, leaning slightly against Kol when he sat next to him. He'd clearly watched this movie multiple times if his chattering was any indication. He pointed out every character to Klaus as they were introduced - "tha-at's Loki, he's Kol's fav-favourite. Tony's the coolest, I wanna b-be him but I'd need a Pepper too and Peppers are hard to find. Captain America is funny sometimes, but he gives lots of boring speeches and I di-idn't like his movie at all. That's Thor. He talks weird but-"
"That's Thor?" Klaus interrupted, aghast. "Why is he blond? Thor has red hair!" David looked at him as if he had suddenly sprouted a second head. "And since when is Loki Thor's brother?"
"Uhhh, since always?"
Klaus turned betrayed eyes upon his younger brother who shrugged as if to say 'what can I do?' The hybrid spluttered some more and Kol grinned mischievously as something occurred to him. "Just wait till you see what they've done to Loki's kids in the Thor movies." Klaus's features twisted into disgust.
"Fenrir may eat this world, I no longer care."
"The Fenris-wolf devours Odin, brother," Kol corrected him, amused.
"And he has my blanket permission to continue after that and proceed to devour the rest of us," came the firm reply.
"You're both so weird," David broke in. "Can we get back to the movie now?"
"Sure kiddo," Kol said, ruffling David's hair and snickering at the ridiculous expressions his elder brother kept making.
It wasn't that Hayley was waiting with bated breath for Klaus to call, not at all. She was just… interested, when her phone rang. That was it. Anything Freya said to the contrary was to be taken with a grain of salt because Freya was a dirty liar who lied. Naturally, the universe was conspiring against her, so when Klaus finally did call, she was in the shower.
This did, however, have the plus point of her coming out of the shower to several pictures of Kol and a young boy, whom she assumed was David, curled up on the couch, the caption announcing that they had just finished The Avengers. Obviously, the first thing she did after making sure the pictures were saved to her camera roll was to call Klaus back.
"I can't believe you actually sent me pictures!" she squealed excitedly as he answered, bouncing a little on her bed.
"Well, you did threaten to hunt me down if I didn't," Klaus shrugged, leaning against the headboard of the bed he was on, not bothering to hide the way his lips curved up at the sheer delight in her voice. "I happen to rather like being in one piece, you see."
"Oh hush, you probably wouldn't have minded that much." Hayley waved away his protests with a wolfish grin. "So," she began, dragging out the word. "Is David as cute in real life as his picture suggests? I bet he's a little hellion."
"And what exactly are you basing this assumption on?" he asked, amused.
"He has a glint," came the assured reply, Klaus mouthing the words back in confusion.
"How on earth our daughter grew up to be even somewhat well adjusted is a miracle," he told Hayley dryly, the she wolf yelling in mock indignation. "He isn't one, by the way," he informed her. "A hellion, that is. He may have his misconceptions about the Norse gods, but he's a decent sort. And this adoption will be good for my brother, I can tell already." Hayley filed away that comment about Norse gods for a later time, but couldn't help the smile that spread at Klaus's words. "Is it wrong that I'm worried about meeting Davina?" he asked suddenly.
"I'd be surprised if you weren't," Hayley confessed. "Kol deserves better than the two of you at each other's throats the whole time you're there."
"I know," Klaus responded before he could think too deeply about it, surprising them both.
"Well then, if I'm being perfectly honest, Davina deserves better than stressing about you as well as the adoption too," Hayley interjected quickly, ignoring the low growl on the other end of the line.
"You act as though I hold sole responsibility in the matter." His voice was flat, lips tightly pressed together as he met her gaze.
"That's not what I'm saying," she told him, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. "You both screwed up - multiple times - but that isn't the point. Could you please try to be the bigger man? You can afford to be civil for like a week and you know it. If not for her sake, then your brother's?" He nodded shortly and she heaved a sigh, taking the win for what it was before flopping back down on her bed and demanding details on David.
It was late when Davina finally walked in, clearly exhausted from a long day at work. She spared a politely formal greeting for Klaus, kissed her husband hello and went to check on David who'd gone to bed an hour ago.
"Somehow, that went better than I expected," Klaus commented lightly.
"She's had to take longer shifts than usual these past few weeks, Nik," the vampire groaned. "Please be nice."
"Why, I'm offended, brother mine." Klaus grinned. "To imply that I am anything other than perfectly cordial at all times-" he broke off as Kol looked at him, sighing softly, his gaze sober, all traces of humour gone. "I'm here for a reason, Kol. I have no intention of making either of your lives more difficult."
The vampire's shoulders slumped. "I know. Unfortunately, I also know your history with Davina, so you'll forgive me for being wary."
"It's a history I have no intention of, nor interest in, repeating," Klaus assured him, rolling his eyes as his brother levied him with a suspicious look. "And people call me paranoid." The younger's fears were to remain unfounded though, the hybrid approaching Davina after dinner to lay demons to rest that should have been put down a long time ago.
"Look, Klaus," the witch began, not looking up from her laptop or pausing her typing. "I don't have the time or energy right now. Can't we just agree to be civil for Kol's sake and leave it at that?"
The hybrid smiled tightly. "As you wish. I merely," he broke off, clearing his throat roughly. "I merely wished to… apologise for my part in the events that took place before you left New Orleans." Davina's fingers hovered over her keyboard, shock colouring her features as she finally looked up at weight of her gaze was uncomfortable and Klaus forced himself to shrug. "My brother deserves better than me prioritizing a foolish grudge over his peace of mind at a time like this."
"I… honestly don't know what to say," Davina admitted. "This is the last thing I expected."
"I have a fifteen year old daughter," the hybrid chuckled softly. "I should hope that I have matured enough to admit to my failings by now."
Her lips twitched upwards unwillingly and Davina nodded. "Well, um, I'm sorry for my part in antagonising you too. I didn't exactly make things easy for you either."
"No, no you didn't," he admitted with a small smile. "Truce?"
"Truce."