Hayley is the one who found it, because of course she did. Elijah isn't even surprised anymore when she comes to him with these things. A part of him will always feel guilty for not knowing about most of this stuff sooner. Some, like the breastfeeding, he couldn't have helped with. Yet, she's opened to his eyes so much when it comes to not just Kol's younger side but also his sensory needs.
"I'd sleep on the floor?" Kol asks, examining the ad.
"Not directly," Hayley explains. "You'd have a bed. There's a mattress and everything, but it's as low to the ground as possible. See?" She zooms in on the ad to show the different angles.
"It looks like a crib," he mutters.
"The slats are removable. They're only there for if you feel small and worry about rolling off. Or we could keep them on when you're feeling big, if it makes you feel safer."
"But you can make the choice either way," Elijah assured him.
Kol holds the tablet in hand, examining the bed. The apprehension wraps up in Elijah. They've been doing more for the times when Kol feels younger. He's still not big into non-sensor toys and is just barely allowing them to put him in any clothes that he deems are "for babies". Kol accepted the pacifier and diapers. As of late, he's also started using teething rings to avoid chewing up his stim toys.
Elijah and Hayley have gone slow with a lot of it. They want him to be as comfortable as possible. Given he's had a lot of anxiety about sleeping in his own bed, they felt this was safest.
Kol frowns. "Are you only doing this so I won't sleep in your bed anymore? Because I won't."
Elijah takes the tablet and places it on the counter. He gently places his hand son Kol's shoulders. "No, Little Prince. That's not what this is about. You know your mama and I love when you sleep in our bed. That's just as much yours too."
Hayley nods, pushing back some of her son's hair. "No matter what bed you have, that will never change."
"This bed may simply help you feel safer when it comes to sleeping on your own. You'll be right on the floor, so you know you won't roll out. It'll help your body know where it is in relation to the floor. Even with the slats, there's a little door that will never, ever be locked. You can easily get in and out."
Kol's eyes lighten a bit with that. They once debated getting a crib for him when he felt very small, but know his struggles when it comes to being confined to a space. 100 years in a coffin made it so he always needs to know a way out. Elijah won't even lock the door to his and Hayley's room for that reason.
"We don't have to do this, sweetheart," Elijah says, rubbing his tense shoulders. "It's just a suggestion."
"If we do it, you can pick out new bedding," Hayley adds. "Whatever color or design you want."
Kol bites his lip. "Even gray?"
"I think gray would be a great color!" Hayley grins. "It'll go great with your room."
Kol looks at his dad as his fingers drum against his jeans. "This is really okay?"
Elijah nods. "Aye, Little Prince. This bed could help you a great deal. I think we should give it a shot." He smiles. "I said that when I started giving you your bottles with blood and look how that turned out."
Kol's cheeks turn red as he pushes away from him.
"See, it's your fault," he mutters, only half-jokingly. "You wanted me to be a baby."
Elijah chuckles. "Or, I knew just what my little prince needed." He kisses his forehead. "So, shall your mother and I order the bed?"
Kol hesitates then nods. "Only if you're sure it's not because I sleep in your bed."
"You'll still sleep in there as much as you want. I think we need our little karate star, getting us in the ribs."
He tickles Kol's sides, earning him a laugh. Hayley smiles at the two, shaking her head.
"My silly boys."
Kol pulls away from Elijah. "Mama, I'm hungry."
"You're in a kitchen filled with food and blood," Elijah points out. "You can get it yourself."
"It tastes better when Mama gets it," Kol half-whines.
A smirk on his lips shows he hasn't dropped and is just being a spoiled teenager. Hayley cups his cheeks and kisses his nose. Elijah chuckles at the protests coming from his son. He loves playing up being the baby until she does that when he's feeling big.
"I'll get you some blood, Lovebug," she says.
She gives him one last kiss before heading for the fridge. Kol rubs at his nose, trying to get the lipstick off. Elijah tosses him a napkin. Kol grumbles a a thank you. Oh, how easily it turns on and off.
The gray bed is lower than Kol expected. Truly, there is no height between the floor and the mattress. Yet, it also looks plush and comfortable. There are slats surrounding the bed, resembling a garden gate of sorts. As his father promised, there's a door that easily opens and closes.
The canopy above is empty and in the shape of a triangle. It's high enough so he can climb and explore. When his mom explained that part, Elijah got a little nervous, which only makes it more alluring for Kol.
They allowed him to pick out new bedding. He stuck true to his plan for gray when it came to the sheets, duvet and most of the pillow. Of course his special one from Elijah still has the royal blue case. The most colorful thing on the bed is the quilt he stole from Klaus. It's loud and obnoxious, yet not in an overstimulating sense. He's tried the weighted blankets but those never worked. By all accounts, the materials in the quilt should be too much. If it were any other object, Kol would refuse to touch it.
It's not just any other blanket. It used to be Klaus'. On top of that, Rebekah bought it in the first place.
He uses it more than his regular duvet anyway, with Elijah's pillow acting like a teddy bear.
In a way, it looks childish. Kol feels far too old to be sleeping in a bed with slats around the side.
And yet, he doesn't hate it.
Kol's already dressed for bed, wearing his favorite sweats. His parents already did the whole lotio and diaper routine, but let him have some alone time to process the bed.
Hayley and Elijah walk back into the room. His mom is holding his favorite pacifier and newest stim teething toy. It's green and in the shape of a sloth.
"Are you all set?" Hayley asks. "Or do you want to come to our room?"
Kol hesitates as he continues to stare at the bed. It looks really comfy and has almost everything on it.
"This is stupid," he mutters. "Why am I scared of a bed?"
"Change is scary," Elijah says, rubbing his back. "You haven't slept like this in a really long time. It's sort of like the loft, hm? We all slept on mats on the hay." Kol nods. He can still feel that itchy material. It gave him horrid rashes. "But you also had trouble the first time you slept in a proper bed."
Kol looks up. "You remember that?"
Elijah nods, smiling a little. "We finally had some money to our name and were living in that nice house. You made all the excuses to stay up. Until that night I got some work done in your room."
Kol's stomach grows warm at the memory. Not only was it his first time in a proper bed, but his first time not sharing a sleeping space with anyone. It was so dark, even with vampiric vision. Klaus kept barking at him that he needed to get some sleep. Kol argued that he wasn't a child. He didn't need sleep, they could easily make up for it with blood. Klaus as usual didn't really hear him.
Elijah said the light of the moon was best in Kol's room and set up there to get some work done. That was the first night Kol slept in weeks.
Kol hesitates. "I want to sleep in here. But um, Dad…will you…I mean, can you…"
Elijah's smile cuts off his rambling. "I'll sleep in here with you."
Kol exhales a sigh of relief. He looks over at Hayley. "Is that okay, Mama? Just me and Dad?"
His mom's smile matches his dad's. "It's more than okay," she assures him. "You and your daddy can have a sleepover."
"You won't be lonely?"
"Aw, baby, no. It'll be nice to have the bed all to myself. Plus, as we've established, your daddy snores." Hayley smirks. "I'll enjoy the break."
Elijah scoffs, taking the pacifier and teether from her. "Thank you darling. I shall miss you too."
Hayley giggles and kisses him. Kol turns away, gagging. He'll never understand why they insist on doing that in front of him.
She guides his head back to her and gives him a few kisses, rubbing her cheek against his. Kol blushes, once again getting that warm feeling. Hayley has been more affectionate lately. He thought he'd hate it, but it's comforting to have her scent with him for awhile.
"Sweet dreams, my little lovebug," she coos. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Night Mama." Kol kisses her cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too."
She gives his cheeks two more kisses before leaving the room. Elijah bends down and opens the door to the slats. Kol walks through it and lays down. The mattress really is comfy. He can stretch out his arm through the slat and feel the hardwood floor. He's safe. If needed, he could get out quickly.
Kol hugs his pillow to his chest as Elijah pulls up the quilt then the duvet. He gets in on the other side and sits down.
"Paci?" Kol opens his mouth and allows him to slip it in. Elijah slides the teether into his grasp.
"In case you want to switch later." He runs his fingers through his son's soft waves. "You think you'll be all good to sleep?"
Kol nods. "Only if you stay."
"Of course. You know I'll never leave when you need me." Elijah scoots down so he's laying beside him. "This is very comfy. I think I may like your bed more."
Kol giggles, moving his pacifier so he can speak more. "Mama would miss you."
"I suppose I'd miss her too," Elijah teases.
Kol lays his head against his chest. "My daddy tonight."
Elijah's voice shifts from teasing to loving. "Always your daddy. That's my first and most important job in the whole world." He moves the pacifier back to the center of Kol's mouth. "I love you very much."
Kol yawns. "Love you too," he mumbles.
"Get some sleep, my little prince. I'm not going anywhere."
The promise alone is enough to lull Kol to sleep.