Roses_of_Magic prompted "but it does make me wonder about the first time that Kol dropped with Matt when they were doing something teenager together…like would Kol be really embarrassed? Maybe you could touch on that in the future? Kol feeling like Matt wouldn't want to hang out with him as a teenager because Kol can't do a lot of stuff?"
Takes place a year after Matt spanked Kol and a year before they moved to NOLA.
Matt checks the time on his phone. Kol said he was only going to be a few minutes and then they'd start playing video games. It's been a half hour and there is no sign of his future brother-in-law.
He gets up off the couch and begins searching the house. Through the office, he hears Elijah on the phone with the family's business manager. Matt still doesn't quite understand how the family has amassed such wealth and isn't sure if he even wants to. Sometimes the less one learns, the better. On top of it, he'd rather not freak Elijah out by saying he's lost Kol.
Because he hasn't. There's no way you can lose someone in their own house.
Unless Kol used him as bait to sneak out. Somehow, Matt can see getting in trouble for that. Rebekah would back him up, but Elijah doesn't play games when it comes to his son.
Now a little irritated, Matt heads upstairs. He and Kol have slowly grown a bond since the spanking. The two watch football together. Matt is one of the few people Elijah trusts to take Kol out. Playing video games together has been what really bonds them. If Kol took advantage of all that, Matt is going to feel dumb. He really thought he was turning a corner.
Matt doesn't bother knocking on Kol's door. He pushes it open and expects to find curtains billowing in the breeze. Instead, the windows are secured shut. In fact, the curtains are drawn. The room is pitch black. Matt is about to turn to leave when he hears some rustling beneath the covers.
He walks closer, flipping on the bedside lamp. There's a lump under the ugly quilt that Matt's seen in passing. Rebekah's explained that it was once Klaus', bringing comfort to her brother.
"Kol?" The rustling stops. "Kol, are you hiding from me?" Matt starts to pull the afghan back, but the lump inches away. He frowns. "What's wrong?"
There's some silence. Matt stands there for a moment, unsure of what to do. He could get Elijah, but odds are he'd panic. Rebekah is shopping. Klaus is entertaining Caroline. Matt is about it right now.
"I thought we were going to play video games?" Matt barely makes out some mumbling. "I'm not one of you guys, I don't have supernatural hearing."
The voice barely gets louder. "You won't like me."
Matt raises a brow. "Did you do something to make me not like you?"
"Won't wanna be my friend."
Matt realizes how soft the voice sounds. This isn't the Kol he knows. The one with a fast mouth and packs each sentence with some sort of insult, playful or otherwise. He sounds so vulnerable, young.
Very young.
Matt sits at the foot of the bed. He still doesn't quite understand what happens to Kol. Rebekah says they're still learning themselves. Most of the time, Kol acts like a regular teenager would. Again, with the sarcastic comments, love of video games and pulling pranks. Yet, apparently, there are times when he slips into a childlike state. Matt's never seen it, fully. Usually, Kol only feels comfortable slipping around his father or siblings. The most Matt has witnessed is when Elijah carries him up to bed. He's aware of the baby bottles in the fridge, but has never seen anyone feed them to Kol.
Rebekah's mentioned it helps. Apparently Kol used to be worse. A lot worse. Ever since the family allowed him to show this side of himself, he feels safer.
Maybe Matt doesn't totally get it, but there are worse things than someone getting to relive the childhood they should've had the first time around.
"Why wouldn't I want to be your friend?" Matt asks.
"Too little," Kol whispers.
"Who says you're too little?" He can make out Kol shrugging. "Do you think you're too little to play video games?" There's a nod. "Ah, well, we don't have to do that. We could play whatever you like."
A beat of silence. "You won't like me. Too little. Not fun."
"I think it's lots of fun to be little," Matt says. "There are a lot of games we can play. Like hide-and-go-seek." The blanket moves a bit. "Or we could color. Maybe watch some cartoons."
The blanket moves down a bit more, so just the top of Kol's forehead is exposed. "You still wanna be my friend?"
"Yes, I do. I'll always want to be friends with you."
"Even if I'm little?"
"Even then. I didn't just want to hang out with you because you're big. I like spending time with you. And I'd really like to get to know this side. If you'd like to introduce me, that is."
Kol pulls the blanket down, revealing his face. His brown eyes are wide, vulnerable, as they stare up at Matt. Kol's pouty lips tremble. Matt softly smiles, not used to seeing him like this. He seems so young, despite not looking much different. This is a side of Kol he'd like to see more.
"Heya, Koley," he says. "Matty's here."
Kol tilts his head. "Matty?"
"Yup." He holds out a hand. "Wanna find something fun to do?"
Kol slowly nods. He pushes back the blanket and accepts his hand. Matt guides him out of bed, leading him downstairs. He doesn't miss that Kol puts his free thumb into his mouth and begins to suck.
"Do you want to play hide-and-go-seek?" Matt offers as they reach the living room.
Kol doesn't move his thumb. "Hide first?"
"Sure. You find a really good spot and I'll count, okay?"
Kol nods. "'Kay."
Matt covers his eyes with his hand and begins to count. "1…2…3…4…."
He gives Kol to the count of 20 before announcing he'll find him. It suddenly occurs to Matt how easy this game would be for a vampire. While he's glad he hasn't turned yet, it is certainly an advantage to look forward to.
Matt surveys the living room, suddenly wondering if he should've put some rules into place. Such as, "hey, hide in the house". From what Rebekah says, even Little Kol is sneaky.
He checks behind the couch and in the game cabinet, but comes up short. Matt makes his way into the kitchen, which is where he hears the giggling. He walks closer to the source, finding himself by the pantry.
"Hmm," he says loudly. "I wonder where Kol could be?"
More giggling. Matt whips open the door. He frowns when there's no sign of Kol. How in the world? He was so sure he…
Matt grunts when something large and heavy falls onto his back. He barely catches his bearings when he hears the giggling again, this time, right next to his ear. Matt cranes his neck and comes face to face with Kol, who's got his arms wrapped around his neck.
"Well, you got comfortable quickly," Matt muses.
Kol is too busy giggling to pick up on that. "Again!"
"Where were you?" Matt looks around, trying to find where he could've came from.
Kol points to the top shelf of the pantry. "Up there! With the chippies!"
Matt looks up at the high, mostly empty shelf. "You were able to hide up there?"
"Uh huh. Niky showed me. Best spot ever."
Matt readjusts him. He's used to being tackled by hefty linebackers, but Kol isn't exactly as tiny as the others make him to be. "Ya know, when I was a kid and played with Elena, we hid under, like, the table."
"That's no fun. Niky showed me all the fun places to hide. Like under Daddy's desk!"
"Your daddy's on a very important call so we should stay out of his office." Kol pouts. "But I'm sure we can find other fun places."
That's enough to get the smile back. Kol jumps down and covers his eyes with both hands. He starts counting, albeit, not exactly in order. Matt glances around, wondering how he can possibly top that. He creeps back into the living room. There aren't many places a 6 foot tall former quarterback will be able to hide that aren't obvious.
"Ready or not! Here I come!"
That was definitely nowhere near 20 seconds.
Matt dives behind the loveseat, curling his legs to his chest.
"Matty!" Kol calls out. "Matty, I'm gonna find you!"
Matt makes his breathing as still as possible. The footsteps reach the living room. Matt finds a little relief when they head to the other end. Maybe he's better at this then he…
"Ha!"
He barely hears the sound before the body tackles him again. Matt rubs his head.
"How did you find me so quick?"
Kol cheekily smiles. "I heard your heartbeat."
In any other context, that would sound creepy. Here, with Kol's wide eyes and childish lisp…okay, maybe still creepy but in an adorable way.
"I think that's cheating," Matt teases.
Kol shakes his head. "Nuh uh. I'm just smart."
Matt shakes his head, ruffling the little one's hair. "That I believe you are."
"Again?"
"Yes, but you'll have to let me up."
Kol giggles, climbing off of him. Matt nearly says something about not jumping on him anymore, but he isn't able to get the words out to the adorable face. He suddenly sees why Klaus finds it so hard to discipline him, as well as wonders how Elijah gets the nerve to.
God, he'll likely be one of "those" dads. At least he'll have Rebekah to keep him in check.
They play hide-and-go-seek for an hour. In which, Kol finds progressively better places to hide. Somehow, he buries himself under the chest of blankets at one point. It takes Matt several minutes to find Kol, while he's located in no less than a minute each time. Usually jumping on him in the process.
Once again, Matt doesn't have the heart to put a stop to it, in spite of the several bruises forming on his back.
Eventually, Kol gets bored and wants to watch TV. Matt is expecting SpongeBob or South Park. Instead. Kol requests "Little Bear". Matt is somewhat familiar with the show. Maybe Jeremy watched it way back when? It takes a moment for Matt to find it on a streaming service.
The minute the show's calming intro plays, Kol's settled on the couch in a trance. Matt is in awe as he sticks his thumb in his mouth and begins watching. He settles on the couch beside him. This is the quietest he's ever seen the vampire.
A show about bears is really all it takes?
They're halfway through the first episode when Elijah walks into the room. He stares at them for a moment, tilting his head and smiling a little.
"Little Prince," Kol looks away from the TV at the sound of his father's voice. "Are you being good for Matt?"
Kol hesitates, looking at Matt, who nods. He grins. "Yes, Daddy. We played hide-and-go-seek. Now we're watchin' Little Bear."
"That sounds like a lot of fun. Are you ready for your baba?"
"Matty feed it to me?"
Elijah arches a brow. Matt blinks a couple of times, surprised. He didn't expect Kol to let him in this much.
"Um, sure. I've never fed anyone a bottle before."
"It's not that difficult," Elijah assures him. "But if you get uncomfortable, just let me know."
Kol climbs into his lap. Matt is surprised as he lays his head on his shoulder. Elijah comes back in holding a baby bottle filled with blood. He gently hands it to Matt.
"Just stick the nipple in his mouth, he knows how to latch."
Matt complies. Sure enough, Kol begins drinking right away. Outside the sucking and soft sounds coming from the children's program, the room is silent. Matt gently wraps his arms around Kol and rocks him a little. The little one snuggles closer to him, wrapping his hand around the bottle. Matt feels Elijah watching and looks up, a little self conscious.
"You're doing well," Elijah assures him. "I can take him if you'd like?"
Matt looks back down at Kol. He's sucking on his bottle while watching a docile cartoon. His eyes are content. One can see the smile from behind the nipple. Kol feels safe and secure.
He feels those things with Matt. A person he once heavily mocked and made jokes about killing.
Matt shakes his head. "He's fine," he says. "He's my friend."
Kol's smile widens as he keeps one hand on the bottle and uses the other to play with the chain around Matt's neck.