May We Have Your Attention

by anewkindofme

Baby Vampire AU. Finn finds the source of Kol's reckless behavior.

This is another fic that isn't "canon" to the "Baby Vampire" universe, but instead an AU. It falls under the same universe as "Drøm Søtt", where Freya and Finn are alive/around. In this, Kol died but was resurrected in Kaleb's body, making him a human/witch.

This one is light on the agere, but there are references to it. Kol still has the same dynamic with Haylijah, as well as the whole family. It's just not as prevalent here. But who knows, if you guys like it, maybe I'll write some Little!Kol with Finn?

If you haven't read any of the "Baby Vampire" universe, this won't make sense. But if you have, strap in for the ride.

Finn sits in the parlor as he flips through a magazine. For once, the house is absolutely quiet. No bickering siblings or one of them making an obscene joke. Klaus and Elijah have taken their wives out for lunch. Rebekah and Freya are shopping. He doesn't know where Kol is, but can't be bothered to think too hard. His life has never been filled with solitude. The chaos of siblings has haunted him for centuries, even when stuck in that horrid box.

While he's working on his relationships with his brothers and sisters, he will happily accept the moments of silence.

The magazine advertises different home décor. As they work on building a home that will accommodate all of them, he's grown an appreciation for architecture. Elijah suggested he could take classes at his university. He just may take him up on it.

Just as he turns to look at a Cape Cod style home, he hears a horrific crush against the garage. Finn drops the magazine and rushes out of the house. Kol is sprawled across the pavement, clutching his knee to his chest as blood rushes down his torn jeans. It takes a moment for Finn to realize it's his brother. Since Kol's resurrection placed him in a new body, he's more of a stranger than ever.

One evidence of the changes are the fact that the blood doesn't cease nor does Kol's cries for pain.

Finn spots the source of the accident. A motorcycle denting the wooden garage door. The entire front is smashed. Kol just purchased that thing 3 days ago. Hayley and Elijah thought it was a horrible idea but Klaus encouraged them to let him keep it. Once again, his second youngest brother's indulgence ruins something else.

"Dammit, Kol," Finn mutters.

"Bloody hell," Kol whines, his voice breaking as he clutches his knee. "I…I think it's broken."

Finn scoffs. "Quit the dramatics. It's not broken."

Tears trickle down Kol's cheeks. Finn crouches down and touches the bleeding leg. He sucks his teeth.

"It's broken."

"I told…" Kol screams. "Agh! It hurts!"

Finn exhales an exasperated sigh. He bites his wrist and shoves it to Kol's lips. His brother whines and wiggles.

"Drink," Finn demands. "I'm not taking your stubborn behind to the hospital."

With wide eyes, Kol sips from the wrist. Finn watches to make sure the cut heals. He can hear the bones shift back into place. Finn pulls away when he's sure not so much as a scratch is left. The only sign left of the accident is the dented door and vehicle, alongside the rip in Kol's jeans.

His younger brother's breathing is still heavy as he slowly sits up. He runs his fingers through his unruly curls. "Thanks," he whispers.

Finn shakes his head. "I shouldn't have had to do that."

Kol sighs. "Finn…"

"No! Do you not see what your little adventure has caused?" He stands up and gestures to the garage. "We're trying to sell this damn place, Kol."

"Elijah can have it fixed."

"Yes, because what do you care about money?" Finn rolls his eyes. "After all, who knows how much it'll cost to fix that retched thing. If it's not totaled."

Kol's eyes remain wide-eyed, like a kicked puppy for several moments. Finally, it snaps away and Finn is greeted by a familiar sight. Even in this new body, he can spot his brother's arrogance and irritation.

"I'd say I've done more to contribute to this wealth than you," he snaps. "Dad and Nik have done far more. So perhaps you should mind your business."

"I'm not in that coffin anymore, which means I have just as much say. Or at least I should." Finn shakes his head. "Elijah and Niklaus spoil you too damn much."

"Dad? Spoil me?" Kol snorts. "Right."

"You walk around here getting whatever you damn well please. All you have to do is pout like a toddler."

"Yes, because you're living a life of modesty." Kol gestures to the watch on his wrist. "I bet Rolex loves their newest customer."

Finn clenches his jaw. "At least I take good care of my possessions. Not to mention my body."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I could care less about fixing the stupid garage in comparison to what you are doing to yourself. Running around buying metal death traps and breaking your leg…"

"You healed it."

"Or what about when you tried to go swimming at midnight? You nearly drowned!"

"And once again, you saved me." Kol shrugs his shoulders, which only adds to Finn's irritation.

"You're a human now, Kol. Back when you wanted to do stupid and reckless things, there was very little we could do to stop you. Now, you're putting your life in danger."

"I am surrounded by vampires," he points out, voice still incredibly unbothered. "If something happens, one of you will have my back."

"We shouldn't have to do that!"

The arrogance drops from Kol's face and the puppy dog look returns. Finn shakes his head.

"I have better things to do then walk around, worrying about you! Wondering when I'm going to have to save your stubborn behind next." Finn throws his arms in the air. "For once in your life can you just do as your told and stop doing stupid things?"

Kol stares at him for a moment. Finn clicks his tongue, raising an eyebrow. Eventually, Kol clears his throat. This time, his expression turns blank.

"I'll handle all this," he mutters, gesturing to the garage and bike.

Finn shakes his head. "No. I'll end up having to step in. Just…go inside and do something that won't require vampire blood to heal you."

Kol wordlessly walks towards the house. Finn watches after him to make sure he actually makes it inside. He stares at the mess, shaking his head. Just as he's about to pull out his phone to call a tow truck to cart off the busted bike, a familiar Lincoln MKZ pulls into the drive. It stops about halfway through, Elijah and Hayley jumping out. Within a blink of an eye, they're by Finn's side. Hayley spots the blood on the pavement and gasps.

"Where's Kol?! Is he okay?!"

Finn nods. Her anxiety radiates from her bones. "He's fine. I sent him inside."

"Was he hurt?" Elijah asks, brows furrowing as he looks at the motorcycle. "That's quite a bit of blood."

"I healed him. He's fine." Finn shakes his head. "I can't say the same for the garage nor the bike."

"I need to check on him," Hayley says.

"I told you, he's fine."

"He was in an accident. Even if he's physically okay, mentally, his head could be in any place." She frowns. "Did he drop at all?"

Finn shrugs. "I doubt it."

Hayley scoffs. Elijah puts a hand on her shoulder, but she vamps inside the house. Finn shakes his head.

"I was just about to call for a tow," he explains. "Get this dreaded thing out of here. Then we can assess the damage of the door." Elijah is looking up at the house, his eyes trained on the window in Kol's room. "Elijah?"

His brother snaps out of it, looking back at him. "Hm?"

"The bike, the garage." Finn waves in the direction of them. "We need this taken care of."

"Yes, do whatever you think is right. I really should check on Kol."

"Hayley's with him. Besides, I told you. He didn't seem any younger." He clicks his tongue. "Sure had no problem verbally sparring me for telling him off."

Elijah raises a brow. "You yelled at him?"

"He drove a motorcycle into the garage."

"I doubt he did so on purpose."

Finn frowns. Normally Klaus is the one with a million excuses for Kol as of late. That's enough of an adjustment, but now Elijah? Surely, not all of his siblings are losing their minds.

"Regardless, this is why I said he shouldn't have the motorcycle in the first place. He's far too reckless."

"I agree, and the matter of him riding it unattended shall be discussed. Still, the door is the furthest thing from my mind right now. Kol was just in an accident." Elijah folds his arms over his chest. "Who knows where his mind is at?"

"I'm sure it's the same as always. Probably plotting the next reckless thing to do. What other property can he destroy? Or how else can he put his life in danger, forcing one of us to save him."

"You make that sound like such a chore." Elijah's voice drips with disbelief. "Looking out for Kol."

"He's not a child, Elijah." His brother's mouth opens but he pushes along. "I mean, I am aware he can be at times. That doesn't change that when he's in an older mindset that we have to babysit him every 5 seconds."

"Babysitting is not the term I'd use. Kol is responsible for his own actions, of course. At the end of the day, however, he's family. Your baby brother. I would think, nay I would hope, that you'd care more about his health than a stupid door."

"He's fine," Finn repeats, feeling much like a broken record. He scoffs. Why is Elijah being so obtuse? "I told you that already."

"You assured me he's physically fine." Elijah shakes his head. Disappointment takes over his eyes. "That's hardly what matters right now."

His brother heads for the house. Finn vamps in front of him. Elijah expels an exasperated sigh.

"I'd like to see my son now," he says.

Finn shakes his head. "You clearly have an issue with how I handled this."

"That I do."

"I don't understand. When he, Klaus and Rebekah were children, you were incredibly firm with them."

"I still am firm with Kol."

"Back then, you would've set him straight for something like this. Not cared if he pouted over it."

"I was a different person back then," Elijah explains, his voice tight. "I thought that was the best way to deal with him. Now, I know better."

"So, he just gets away with recklessness?"

Elijah pinches the bridge of his nose. "No. I told you, Hayley and I shall attend to him breaking the rules later. As of right now, I want to understand why he did this."

Finn wrinkles his nose. "He did it because he's Kol. No thought for his well-being or that of the things around him."

"Have you ever wondered why that is?"

Finn opens his mouth but only incoherent noises come out. He gave up long ago trying to figure out why Kol did certain things. It always seemed like a fruitless task. The boy was always up to some kind of trouble. His focus often went on ways to prevent it from happening again. Even that became impossible. Didn't seem to matter how often he screamed at the boy or punished him, he'd do something twice as worth later on.

"May I ask what you were doing when this occurred?" Elijah questions.

"I was reading."

"Had you and Kol spent any time together today? Or any time in the past few weeks? Outside all the times you've had to lecture him?"

"Well, no. But you didn't ask me to babysit. Only to let you know if he dropped."

Elijah tilts his head. "So, you'll only spend time with him if I ask you to do so?"

"If Kol would like to do something, he can ask."

"Oh, Brother." Elijah sighs. "I'd say he was asking alright."

Finn eyes Elijah curiously. Without another word, his brother is back in the house. Finn pulls out his phone and calls the for the tow truck, followed by a repairman to give a quote for the garage. When he hangs up, he sinks onto the front steps. Elijah's words rattle around his brain.

"I'd say he was asking alright."

The first words out of Kol's mouth that day came following the crash. None of those indicated wanting to spend time.

Surely, Elijah doesn't know what he's talking about. He's simply taking up for his son. Again. He wasn't even there when it happened.

"Elijah doesn't know what he's talking about," he mumbles.

Somehow, that doesn't make him feel much better.

---

Kol isn't at dinner that evening. Elijah commanded a long time ago that there's no option. If everyone is home, they have a meal together. Yet, when Hayley enters the room and announces Kol won't be joining them, Elijah makes no move to chastise him.

Freya keeps the conversation flowing, with some help from Caroline, Marcel and Matt. Rebekah and Elijah contribute here and there. Hayley speaks to everyone but Finn.

Klaus is silent. He doesn't look in his eldest brother's direction. Earlier in the afternoon, Finn heard some rumbling from Caroline and Klaus' room. She was de-escalating his anger, which is nothing new. Today, he heard her repeat "he's your brother" several times.

In the moment, Finn thought Klaus must have intended to fuss Kol out for the garage. Now, he wonders if he was the intent for his middle brother's rant.

Finn gulps down his wine only halfway through the meal. No one seems to notice.

Once they're done, Matt and Elijah clear the table. Finn fixes a small plate before they manage to get the food. He disappears from the dining room and heads up the stairs. Finn knocks on his youngest brother's door. There is no response. He lets himself in.

Kol sits at his desk, fiddling with a pencil. He doesn't look up.

"I told you, Dad, I'm not hungry."

"I'm not your father," Finn says.

Kol sits up straighter as he spins around in the chair. His face becomes unreadable. "Did they send you up here?"

"Nay. In fact, I'm sure they'd be angry that I'm speaking to you right now." Finn extends the plate. "Nonetheless, you need to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

Finn clicks his tongue. "You can't rely on blood to keep that belly full anymore. This means you can't afford to skip meals."

"I'll be fine with just one."

"I haven't seen you eat anything today."

"Well, if I start starving to death, not to worry. I won't ask for your help."

Kol spins back around in the chair. Finn shuts the door behind him and walks closer. His brother returns his eyes to the tan piece of paper in front of him. There's a few equations sprawled across it.

"I was grounded," Kol says as he scribbles out an 8. "No television, video games or going out for a week."

"Ah."

"I'm sure that's not sufficient in your mind."

"You are not my child."

"No, I am not."

Kol draws a line under some of the numbers and pauses before writing a few below it. Finn settles the dish beside him.

"What are you doing?"

Kol erases one of the digits and replaces it. "Don't you have a garage to fix?"

Finn purses his lips. "The repairman comes tomorrow."

"I'll have the check written then."

He raises a brow. "Pardon?"

Kol finally looks up at him. There's a bit of sorrow written in his wide eyes, though they're mostly still glossed over. "I have my own account, with separate investments," he explains. "Usually, Mama and Dad insist I don't use it. That I save for when it matters. This was important to me."

"How did you acquire money?"

"Same way the rest of you did." Kol shrugs. "Hardly ethical, but Nik was kind enough to keep up the portfolio when I was daggered."

Finn blinks. "I wasn't aware."

"You never asked. Anyway, Dad gave me the quote. I was just factoring in how much to remove to pay for that along with reimburse them for the bike."

"You don't have to do that. This is the family home. The account should cover it."

"I don't want you thinking that you have to save me from my messes."

Finn's stomach flip flops. Kol pushes the paper away and stands up. Little cracks begin to show in his tough façade.

"I meant what I said," he whispers. "I'm not hungry. As I said, I was grounded and I'm going to pay for all the damages. We don't have anything else to discuss."

There's no trace of his stubborn, wily brother. This Kol seems almost a shell of him. There's no arguing or sarcastic commentary. He's matter-of-fact, somber.

He's too much like his eldest brother.

Finn doesn't like it.

"Are you okay?" Finn asks.

"You healed me, remember?"

"I mean…" How did Elijah put it? Finn nods as it dawns on him. "Mentally."

Kol's brows furrow. "Why are you asking me this?"

"You had a crazy afternoon."

"Yeah, and I told you how I'm handling it."

"That's not all that matters."

Kol shakes his head, sighing. "Look, the bike is totaled. Mama has banned me from ever driving that or a car for at least 5 years. I won't do anything else that'll require you to save me, I promise. You can go back to your own life. I don't want to burden you any more than I already have."

The words crash into Finn's heart.

"I never said you were a burden," he whispers.

"You made it quite clear how you felt." Kol shoves his hands into his pockets. "I'm sorry, alright? I don't know why I keep doing this stuff. When everyone else is around, I somehow manage to not nearly kill myself. When it's you and I…"

"You seem to be a magnet for accidents."

Kol shrugs. "Regardless. It won't happen anymore."

"I'd say he was asking alright."

Finn shifts awkwardly. "Why did you go out on the bike alone?"

"Why does it matter?"

Finn's voice briefly shifts authoritarian. "I'm asking." Kol shrinks back a bit. Finn quickly clears his throat. "I want to know," he adds, trying to sound kind amidst the firm.

"I guess…I don't know." Kol shrugs. "I was bored."

"You have video games, a flat screen television." Finn gestures to the one mounted on his wall. "About a million other safe activities to keep you occupied."

"I didn't feel like doing any of that."

"So, why didn't you ask me to do something?"

"You wouldn't have wanted to."

"That's ridiculous." Finn tilts his head. "We could've found something to do."

"You were deep in reading. I know by now not to interrupt. You've made it quite clear you don't want to keep an eye on me."

Finn opens his mouth to refute, but he can't find the words. He remembers back when they began living together once again. Kol would not shut up about playing video games. He tried to get his brothers to play. Klaus always gave in. Finn found them frivolous.

There were the times he wanted to play pool. Once again, Klaus accompanied him on such trips. When it came to sports, that was much more Matt's department. Elijah and Hayley accompany him shopping, museums, other "family-type" outings. Even he and Freya practice magic together.

Finn cringes as he thinks of all the times he shrugged it all away. In the beginning, the invitation was always extended to him. Often first.

"I have better things to do than watch them toss that ball back and forth."

The disappointment on Kol's face is always brief. In a moment, he has one of their other many family members jump with offers. Finn washed his hands of it all. Kol was tended to.

Never by him unless…

Shit.

"Kol…"

His brother is quick to interrupt. "It's alright, Finn. Your job to look after me ended a long time ago."

"I'm your older brother. Your eldest at that," Finn whispers. "My job to care for you is never over. We're family. What is it Rebekah, Elijah and Niklaus say? Always and forever."

"I think we know that didn't extend to us until recently. Even now…"

"We are a family," Finn firmly cuts him off.

"Family doesn't mean you have to look out for me. It's not fair of me to expect you to do that. After all, you practically raised me when I was a child."

"A job I took great pride in."

"Not one you would have done if Esther and Mikael didn't require it," Kol argues. His voice is calm though riddled with pain. "Now, they are gone. Hayley and Elijah have adopted me. Your duties are over."

"A brother's job is never done."

"Yours is."

Finn folds his arms over his chest, staring into his younger brother's eyes.

"You don't truly believe that," he declares. "If you did, you wouldn't have ridden that dreaded bike today."

"I told you why I did it."

"Yes. Yet, I am starting to see the subtext behind that choice."

Kol makes a face. "What are you talking about?"

Finn sighs, running his fingers through his short cut.

"You wanted me to pay you some attention. The only way I seem to do that is screaming at you."

Kol squirms a little. "I was bored."

"As I said, there were about a million different things you could've done to remain entertained. You chose to do the one that had the potential to need me running out there and saving you."

"I didn't purposefully drive into the garage," Kol is quick to defend. "I wanted that bike too much."

"Aye, I don't think you got hurt on purpose. Yet, you knew there was a great risk. Or, at the very least, I'd hear you and come out there to fuss over you."

Kol looks at the ground. Where anger would usually be, Finn feels guilt.

"Am I correct?"

"I…" Kol trails off.

"Be honest with me."

Kol chews on his lip. In this moment, he doesn't appear to be in his late teens. Finn sees the baby brother who accidentally killed a spider while playing.

"'Twas an accident, Finny," he whispered with wide eyes. "I do not want to kill things."

Elijah was off looking after Rebekah and Klaus. Kol sought comfort from his eldest brother, throwing his tiny arms around the teen's legs. Finn held him for 10 minutes as he cried over something as small as a spider.

That little boy still lives inside the man who committed so many atrocities.

But what was the catalyst for all of that?

"I don't know," Kol whispers.

"I think you do."

"I don't!" Kol stomps his foot. Finn holds back the urge to tell him to not be disrespectful. "Just go!"

Finn shakes his head. "No."

"Yes! Go! You're a prick. Leave me alone."

Finn remains still. Kol narrows his eyes.

"Why don't you go be a bore elsewhere? Run off with Freya. She's the only one who wants you here anyway."

Finn swallows, straightening a bit. "I do not believe that."

"It's true."

"What do you think will be achieved if I leave you right now?"

"You'll be gone!"

"Astute."

Kol grumbles. "I won't have to see you."

"And why do you want that?"

"Because I hate you!" Finn nods. Kol's eyebrows furrow. "Because…you're annoying and boring. I don't want you here! I don't need you! I don't want…" He cuts himself short, stomping his foot again.

"Nay, little brother. We were getting somewhere."

Kol moves quickly, nearly tripping in the process. Finn catches him and straightens him out.

"No more vamping away from your problems," he says, unable to hide a small smirk.

"Shut up!" Kol shoves at his shoulder. "I told you to leave me alone!"

"You were about to say something else."

Kol throws his hands in the air. "I don't want to need you! Is that what you wanted to hear?!"

Finn takes a step back. A warm feeling knocks in with the guilt and sadness.

"I'm tired of wishing that you'll pay me any attention," Kol continues, reaching forward to push his shoulder. It barely moves the older brother. "I'm tired of feeling sorry because I'm not the brother you wanted. I'm tired of trying to get your attention." His voice cracks. Finn sees the tears well up in his wide eyes. "Just leave me alone. I don't know how much more of this I can take! So, I give up. I won't bother you anymore. I…I won't do stupid stuff where you have to save me. I…I'm sorry. Just…just go!"

Kol starts to turn away. Finn grabs hold of his arm. Kol struggles against him. Finn uses the time to think. Something in his brain tells him to let go. Listen to what Kol's saying with his words.

This time, Finn listens with his heart.

He wraps his arms around his brother. Kol squirms against him, punching at his chest. Finn tightens his grip.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispers.

Kol whimpers. "Did it once."

"Won't do it again."

He kisses Kol's temple. His baby brother crumples, resting his head against his neck. Finn rubs his back. He blinks away tears of his own and takes a long, deep breath. Finn can't remember the last time he hugged one of his brothers. Rebekah and Freya aren't shy about it. Yet, he can't remember if he's embraced any of his brothers since the dagger was pulled out.

When was the last time he hugged Kol at all?

"Far too long," Finn murmurs as his baby brother soaks his neck with tears. "I'm sorry."

Kol shakes his head. "I'm not an easy brother."

"I haven't been either." Finn tilts his chin up so they're back at eye level. He brushes the falling tears from Kol's face. "I want to try."

"Why?"

"You're perhaps the one who understands me best." A confused frown tugs at Kol's lips. "You and I spent the longest time buried away. We were outcast to the side in the name of our other siblings." Finn swallows back his pain. "Yet, we're the ones who fight the most."

"We don't know how to love well," Kol whispers. "Never got the chance."

"Aye." Finn exhales through his nose. "I think for so long I felt like I had to be your second father. Now, you have a good dad. A real dad. Maybe I can finally be your brother."

Kol sniffles. "You want to be?"

"I've always been. I just haven't acted like a very good one. Maybe I won't always do or say the right thing. Or understand you all the way." He chuckles in spite of himself. "May not be the most fun like Nik."

Kol shakes his head. "Don't need another Nik. One is more than enough." Tears splash against his smirk. "But I do need a Finn."

Finn's eyes grow wet once more. "Well, I'm here. I'm going to look out for you. I'll never be too busy for my baby brother."

He kisses Kol's forehead.

"I love you, sweet boy," he whispers.

"I love you too, Finny."

Their hug is soon interrupted by a small growl coming from Kol's stomach. Finn chuckles as he pulls away.

"And you said you weren't hungry."

"I say a lot of things." Kol looks back at the plate. "It looks good."

"You probably shouldn't eat in your room."

"I really don't want to see everyone else right now." Kol pauses. "Will you sit with me?"

Finn squeezes his shoulder. "Sure."

He moves the paperwork from the desk, tossing it all in the trash. The garage hardly matters right now. Finn settles into an armchair nearby and watches Kol practically devour his plate.

"No more skipping meals," Finn lightly chastises. "My blood can only cure your ailments, not hunger."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Kol stabs a bit of potatoes and shoves it in his mouth. "Already almost miss when you ignored me."

"Too late." Finn leans back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest. "You've gotten your wish."

Kol rolls his eyes, but Finn doesn't miss the small smile on his lips.

As I've said in the past, I am not the biggest fan of Finn. That being said, I feel that he had a lot of potential to become a real member of the family. If the show had focused on the siblings vs love triangles and other irrelevant drama, maybe we could've gotten somewhere. Especially between these two. But that's what fic is for! I quite like writing Finn this way. He's a jerk, but he's learning!

Anyway, let me know what you think! As always, feel free to leave prompts or ask me questions! I am on Tumblr and love communicating on there, as well as in the comments!