Work Text:
Klaus learnt quickly that when a winter hit the city, it hit with force. He grew accustomed to predicting a cold front, feeling the wind rush in and the biting frosts' cruelness creep across the sidewalks and up walls. He also learnt to recognize when the forecast was wrong, when 'serious' disruptions due to snow would actually only be a little flurry, or when a short, mild winter, would actually become a death trap for anyone in poor living conditions. His first harsh winter on the street almost killed him- but that was nothing new for his experiences on the streets- with no realisation of how terrible things could get so quickly. Klaus had always been cold, it was yet another downside to his abilities, and so couldn't tell when the temperatures began to plummet. Snow had fallen by the time his mind registered the pure numbness of his extremities and his bambi like limbs scrambled over the re-frozen slush of days past as he tried to get up. Ben hadn't been around at the time to direct him or push him onward, and so he had stumbled to the only familiar and safe (to him, at the time) place he could think- the local club. He downed shots and lit blunts, swallowed pill after pill and danced until it was throwing out time, making money in anyway he knew how and finally signing a deal of a warm bed with a man he met at the entrance to yet another alley. He wouldn't say the experience that followed was any better than it would have been had he stayed out on the street- but he also wouldn't admit that to anyone either. And so he learnt the ruthless ways of the streets, in all its variations, and knew when to make a dash for the nearest and best option for a warmth.
XX
"Klaus."
He wasn't certain he should be able to hear anything right now, not with the way his ears seemed like blocks of ice on the sides of his head; entirely aching and on the verge of numbness. They hurt all the way down to his brain, the canal frozen and the sound of his heartbeat slamming down on the ice deep within. The wind had got to them first, biting and whirring and making them throb until the freezing temperatures swallowed them whole and enveloped them in a chilling embrace. The rest of his body had also fallen victim, with not an inch of him spared from the pain and misery- at least with certain parts becoming as numb as they were, he didn't have to feel it as such.
"Klaus. Come on, stay with me."
"Mmm, B'n?" He slurred, trying to focus his stinging eyes on the blob in front of him.
"That's me." His brother tried to put a jovial tint to his words but it fell flat. "You need to move Klaus. Looks like the forecasts were right and it's only going to get worse."
He remembered seeing the man on the news earlier that week warning everyone about the worst winter they'd seen in possibly 50 years but Klaus had scoffed at the screen, remembering the last 3 or 4 times they had predicted the exact same. It was meant to be a month long ordeal, with snow almost 24/7 and huge minus temperatures at night. It had come so suddenly, without the usual hints Klaus had filed into his brain that he hadn't the chance to think of plan b's or even plan z's. Diego and Vanya were out, though Ben argued that they would never turn him away at this moment, however angry and agitated they were at his constant state, but Klaus didn't even want to test the waters. He knew that every shelter and hostel would be full to the brim, and with the poor state of electricity and provisions within the city, his usual jaunts of clubs and bars would be closed. Maybe he could get a month long boyfriend, or that girl he had hooked up with a few weeks back and snuck out on the moment she suggested a joint detox- "Get started early on that New Years Resolution!" Nothing seemed right, nothing seemed to sit well in his stomach or heart. He even contemplated getting arrested again, or rehab, just for the food and blanket.
As he staggered down a street- for once not looking like the 'junkie' he was due to everyone staggering the same way on the blocks of ice that once was concrete- his eyes locked on the latest news report through the window of a second hand electronics store.
"Many planes have been grounded, with no chance of safe flying through the storm and risk to human life being at its greatest in years. A number of private planes have taken off, with some returning shortly after and even the most experienced pilots shaking their heads and tipping their caps to the sky. One plane that did not return and has safely landed at its destination is that of Sir Reginald Hargreeves on a private meeting elsewhere in the country. He leaves the remaining Academy behind- though the mansion must be terribly cold with just the one remaining Hargreeves within its walls. We will keep you updated on Airport activity but for the foreseeable future please assume flights to be cancelled. Next up..."
"Dad's away? Must be important huh?" Ben mumbled beside him, blowing air into his hands as if he were alive and could feel the cold- maybe, by extension of Klaus, he could?
Klaus' eyes narrowed as thoughts tumbled through his mind. By now he had stopped shaking and he knew that things would only get worse from here on out.
"Benny! How about a little Mission Impossible? Want to help? You could be lookout for once."
"What are we planning?" Klaus could tell that Ben was wary, but also intrigued to think that maybe, just maybe, Klaus had an idea that would actually benefit his situation for once.
"We're breaking into the Academy!"
Klaus already started walking- stumbling- along the street before Ben could ask anymore, but the ghost of his brother soon reappeared beside him, walking so perfectly over the ice it pissed Klaus off a little.
"You know we could just knock, right?"
"Pfft. Where's the fun? Besides, I'd prefer to hide out of sight." When he flapped his hands in a dismissive manner toward his brother, he realised the colour of them. The black ink of his tattoos had melded in with the blues and deep pinks of his skin, mottled with blotches of white or purple. He quickly put them under his armpits and walked onward, hunched into himself to try and preserve any remaining warmth.
"You know Luther will find you within hours right? You're not exactly quiet."
"Rude."
They trundled on until the huge frame of the Academy was ahead. There were lights on in various rooms and in the ones not lit Klaus could see the skeletal faces of ghosts he'd thought he'd left behind, peering out of the window frames like some nightmare- his entire life was a nightmare.
He walked up the huge steps and tried the front door, rattling it as quietly as possible. It didn't budge.
"You really think Luther would be stupid enough to leave it unlocked?"
He shrugged. "Maybe."
Next he wound his way to the side street that took you to the entrance lower down and near the kitchen. He peered through the window, seeing no-one in sight, and again tried the door. Same response, a jiggle of the knob but nothing.
He moaned in frustration and rolled his head back to stare at the sky, and through the fresh flakes falling into his crusted eyes he saw option 3; one of the many windows. It had been years since he had climbed up or down the drainpipes or shuffled along the windowsills, but he knew there had to be one window that remained unlocked. Finding some last reserves of strength he jumped up until his hands latched onto one of the gutters before hoisting himself up a little to grip something more firm and stable. It didn't escape him how wobbly he was doing so, how the years of no practice had clearly affected this one ability he had mastered. His sights were set on his own window, his hands clutching metal and the stone of the building to keep himself from losing grip. Absentmindedly he thought he heard something.
"Klaus...Luth..."
With that, a hand grabbed his ankle and pulled him down, his back hitting the floor hard. Luckily he hadn't been any further up or it could have done some damage.
"What do you want?" Luther's gruff voice almost growled overhead and out of instinct Klaus raised his arms in self defense over his face. He should probably say something before Luther shakes the truth out of him but he's so damn tired the words just don't come.
A second later and then. "Shit. Klaus?"
Klaus takes his arms from the barrier between he and his brother and with a half hearted 'jazz hands' wiggle he sings, "Surprise!"
"What? What the hell?" Luther looks confused and slightly worried, he's aware of Klaus' living situation aswell as everything else and knows that things must be desperate for him to be back at the Academy swearing blind the moment he left that the only time he would be back would be in a body bag. Reginald had laughed and returned to his papers as Klaus had stalked out.
"Hey, so...erm. Heard on the grapevine the old man was out of town and..." He swallowed.
"Just say it Klaus." Ben's sad voice came from behind him. Great look out Ben, he thought, even worse than me.
"I...need a bed for a night, maybe a few. All my options are out and it's blutiges einfrieren!"
Luther looked him up and down, his expanding eyes lingering on Klaus' exposed skin. His brother didn't waste another second before he helped Klaus to his feet and took him inside where the warmth hit him almost immediately.
"Christ on a cracker that's good." At least, that's what he thought he'd tried to say, but given the odd looks both Luther and Ben were giving him and the fact his legs were wobbling beneath him, he assumed it had come out a little jumbled.
"Can you walk to the lounge or do you need a lift?"
"I was climbing a drainpipe less than 5 minutes ago big guy, I think I can..." His legs gave out and he stumbled into the old wooden kitchen table. "Fuck."
"You don't seem so good Klaus. Is it the cold? Or more?"
Shaking his head he tried to push himself a little closer to their destination. "M'fine. Just, chilly."
As they entered the lounge he was welcomed by the huge fire burning in the hearth and practically threw himself the rest of the way to be next to it. The thing with the sudden change was that things began to tingle and sting a little and maybe the numbness wasn't so bad when compared to this. He found himself laying facedown on the sofa nearest the fire, staring into the flames as they danced- he had always liked fire.
"Klaus?" Klaus was aware Luther was asking him questions and talking to him about...whatever...but everything within him was all too focused on the new environment and the thawing of his body and the oh so sudden feeling of fatigue. As he lay there, he felt Luther tug off the filthy shoes and damp socks he wore on his feet and cover them with an extra thick blanket before draping another over his brother's shoulders. His huge hand felt Klaus' face and pulse on his neck and had he been in better shape, he probably would have made some joke about touching and personal space but there was no energy or thought process whirring away.
The clip clopping of high heels broke through his mind a few moments later and he heard Luther talking to their precious mother. A moment later and she was beside him, feeling his face just as his brother had and turning his head a little to get a better look.
"Oh dear my darling, you're not doing so well are you?"
"Hey Mom."
"I need you to sit up for a moment honey."
Klaus nodded and hummed in acknowledgement and began to try and push himself up on wobbly arms. As he kicked his feet out to rest them on the floor he caught a dirty mug sitting on the side table, the cup crashed to the floor but when he tried to reach out to stop it, the thing slipped through his hands. He saw Mom and Luther exchange looks.
"Delayed reflexes. Poor fine motor skills. Decreased heart rate and temperature. He isn't shivering and he's unsteady on his feet. He is suffering from moderate to severe hypothermia and needs heating up." Mom spoke as if she was reading out the prognosis from a checklist but the usual 'Mom' tone slipped in past any programming Reggie probably hoped to input. Klaus felt like he should be annoyed how they spoke over him but, again, he couldn't find it in him.
Ben squatted in front of him, bending to find his line of sight. "Looks like you were using the last of your resources. Any longer out there and you'd..." He cut off and 'swallowed'.
He thought he'd only been sat for a few moments but the next thing he knew Luther was softly handing him a mug of steaming hot chocolate. The smell seemed to awaken something inside of him and he breathed deeply to inhale the aroma. Knowing he probably couldn't hold it himself, Luther left one of his hands on the mug and helped Klaus sip at it as he sat beside him.
"How did it get this bad Klaus?" Luther's voice didn't fit him when it was this soft and sad.
"D'know."
"Why didn't you go somewhere sooner? Don't you usually go to Diego's or Vanya's?"
"They're angry."
"At you, or the world in general?"
Klaus snorted a laugh, his head swinging from where it had drooped tiredly over his drink. "Both."
"Why are they angry? They'd have let you in, you're our brother."
"Too many." Why couldn't he speak right?
"Too many what?"
"Letdown. Disappointment."
Luther latched on, at least understanding the gist of Klaus' 'argument'. "Oh Klaus. They...they...I'm sure they'd have looked past it. It's the worst winter in 50 years."
"Wouldn't'na guessed." God his eyes were heavy, and the mug in his hands weighed a ton, he felt like the bones in his wrist would snap beneath the weight.
Luther helped him drink more than half the drink but both gave up when Klaus began to choke on it, his attention not on swallowing properly. Taking the mug away Luther instead grabbed an armful (even for him) of clothes and blankets and laid them on the sofa next to Klaus.
"Think you can change?" He nodded to the pile. "Got you some thick pajama bottoms and a fluffy hoody. Some slipper socks and a hundred blankets."
Klaus giggled and together they got him dressed into the new items- damn were they comfy! His old clothes were thrown to the side and only now did he realise how dirty and smelly they were.
"You most definitely need a bath in the morning."
"Charming."
He laid himself back on the sofa at an odd angle, trying to work his way into the foetal position but not quite making it. By the time he got half comfy he was breathless and however much he tried to breath he couldn't take in enough air.
"Come here." Luther sat down on the far side of the sofa but unceremoniously dragged Klaus up into a sitting position until he was leant on his larger sibling. The back end of Klaus was almost upon Luther's lower limbs and his back curved into the stomach and chest of Number One. Luther's arm wrapped over him like a seatbelt and he gently laid his head atop his brother's. Already Klaus could feel the warmth seeping back into his body.
"Mmmm." He hummed, shuffling until he was finally at his most comfortable. It also didn't escape his notice how much easier it was to breath.
"Better?" After a nod Luther continued. "You shouldn't compress your lungs so much, especially when it's like this."
"Ok Doc."
His eyes were drooping and the hot chocolate sat nicely in his stomach. The crackles of the fire had overtaken the harsh thunder he had felt in his ears before and the ice was slowly dissolving from around what felt like every atom of his being. He could just make out the shape of Ben sat near his feet and shared a smile with his late brother.
The last things he felt before the warm embrace of sleep was the delicate kiss Luther placed on the mop of curls on his head. The touch lingered for a moment as if his brother was breathing in the long lost scene of Klaus, and Klaus let him. Luther pulled away but the heat he had supplied was replaced by the hood of the pajama top- complete with animal ears- that he tucked over Klaus' head covering his delicate ears. Klaus finally closed his eyes but not before he gave his own gentle squeeze of the larger man's forearm.
XX
Things got worse out in the real world, with the storm completely blanketing the city until nearly everything was closed down. Klaus stayed at the mansion with Luther and Grace (Pogo being with Reginald) and things kind of became like before, except, of course, the superhero nonsense. Luther and Klaus lived side by side, eating breakfasts together and playing board games when there was a citywide blackout- the mansion had its own generator for such purposes but the boys chose to light the rooms up with candles and battery operated lights for 'extra effect' (*jazz hands*). They discussed the progress of the storm and even filled one another in on the lost years since the break up and Ben's death, and said goodnight to one another as they closed the doors on their respective bedrooms.
Alas, as with most good things, it came to an end.
Klaus was sat at the coffee table in the lounge flicking through a fashion magazine he'd stolen from Allison's room the day before when Luther's head perked up. The paperwork he had been filling in was left abandoned on the arm of his chair as he moved toward the window.
"Shit! Dad's back."
"What? He's early!" Klaus' pitch increased with his distress.
"Probably to do with the weather. Don't worry, he'll let you stay, I'll make sure of it." Luther had walked back toward Klaus and put his hands on his shoulders.
Klaus shook his head and was already on the move to collect what few things he had to take with him. "UmUumm. Nope. No way. One: He wouldn't. And Two: I'm not staying with him."
"Fuck. Come on Klaus, it's still freezing out there. Where the hell you gonna go?"
His coat twirled through the air as he threw it over his shoulders, checking the pockets for all of his little bits- mainly baggies and his lighter. "I'll find somewhere. I'm all shiny and new again, I'll walk for a bit and be settled before dark."
The knob to the front door shook as the key was inserted. The pair moved out of sight from the entrance before the door creaked open. Luther lowered his voice but kept the stern command of Number One. "Promise me you'll find somewhere warm by tonight!"
A half hearted "yeah" was Klaus' response.
"I mean it Klaus. Go to Diego or Vanya, please. Or I can ring Allison and get you a ticket to hers."
"No flying remember big guy."
"Shit. Well just, bloody hell Klaus, go to Diego's. Please." The 'please' was said with such sombre vehemence that it cut like a knife, and Klaus almost meant his quick, fallacious response of "Promise."
He left the house the same way he had come in but not before he glimpsed the man who had caused him such pain. He could have sworn they met eyes and prepared himself for an argument and cruel words but they never came. Instead, Reginald continued his accent up the stairs and called for his tea to be brought to his office. Klaus gave one final look back as he walked down the street and saw the faces of Luther and Mom watching him go.
It had been nice. Familiar. Better. Maybe one day when Reginald had passed on, it could be like that again, and maybe the others would visit more and he'd have chance to apologise. But he couldn't think on that, he couldn't let himself dream of happier times, he had chosen his life on the street, as the failure and junkie of the Umbrella Academy, and so he must return.
The snow came down even heavier than before and if not for the hundreds of ghosts beginning to creep back into his vision he could say the streets were deserted. A simple swallow of two glorious pills later and he was the only one stupid enough to be out on the streets, the rest was a pure white cover of freezing isolation.
XX
Klaus found it fascinating how the days and nights seemed so similar during the storm, with the days being dull skies and bright ground and the nights being dark skies but still bright ground as the streetlights bounced off the bed of snow. He didn't know where one day ended and another began, with no life around him to assist his assessment. He thought it had been just over 24 hours since he had left Luther, promising to go to Diego's or Vanya's, but his senses had dulled once again and he lost the ability to stay awake for long periods of time. Ben worried over him as usual, almost screaming at him at one point to get somewhere safe, but Klaus found some semblance of warmth in the shop doorway he was in and didn't want to risk losing it.
He was muttering his way through yet another argument when the snow crunched beside him. He flinched at the sudden appearance of another person and squinted his eyes to look up.
"Should have known you wouldn't keep your promise. Not after that time you promised not to eat my cake." Luther's great size seemed to hulk over him even more in that moment, his arms crossed over his chest.
"It was our birthday. Should have been our cake."
"Mom made it specially for me because I'd been too ill to go out with the rest of you to Griddy's."
"I remember! You gave me your sickness!"
"I really didn't, given I had a migraine. You got sick because you ate the entirety of my cake!" His voice rose but there was a hint of sibling torment in it. A small smile played on his lips but he shook it away as he sighed. "You promised you'd stay safe."
"I am safe!"
"You're curled up in a shop doorway, covered in disgusting blankets and nearly the colour you were when you turned up at the Academy."
"How'd you get here? Daddy not mad you snuck out?" Another of Klaus' tactics, changing the subject.
"Don't change the subject Klaus." Well shit. "But no, he thinks I'm helping out at a homeless shelter, kind of true anyway, he thinks it's good publicity. And car, Dad put studs on the tyres and made it safe- well, Dad got someone to do it."
Klaus looked up with exaggerated focused eyes, nodding his head in mock understanding. "Cool, cool."
"Get up." Luther sighed and walked away, not giving Klaus chance to argue. The latter brother stumbled up and followed reluctantly, with Ben sighing happily beside him.
"I'm not going back there."
"I know. I'm not making you."
Luther got into the drivers seat and waited for Klaus to follow him into the car. "I rang Diego and I rang Vanya. They're worried, asked me why I hadn't sent you to them by force."
He scoffed. "Wow, we're such a loving, supportive family aren't we?"
"We're worried about you Klaus. We'll get serious when we have to, defend each other and slap some sense into one another."
"So who am I going to?"
Luther didn't answer but instead carried on driving. Klaus noticed how they passed the turnings for both his siblings' neighbourhoods. After a few miles Luther turned into the parking lot of a shabby motel. Turning the engine off he got out and walked toward the checking in area.
Klaus followed.
"I'd like a room please." Luther asked.
The worker behind the desk, a slightly suspicious looking man in his early 60s, eyed them up before nodding his head toward the keys. "Not got a lot of choice left. Got the honeymoon suite or the basic-est basic room."
"How much for a months stay?" Already his brother had his wallet out, staring the man down should he try anything funny.
Klaus reached forward, his 'Hello' hand grasping Luther's arm. "Luth no. No!"
"Yes Klaus."
"No. I-I don't want..."
"I could cut you a deal at $550 for a month." The man suddenly interrupted. And shit this truly must be a fleabag motel at those costs, but anything was better than the streets- well, almost anything. "And you sign me a few collectables."
"The cheek!" Ben admonished, which made Klaus giggle.
Luther sighed and seemed to think it over, looking back at Klaus and raking his eyes up and down his shoddy figure. Klaus could tell the moment he came to a decision. "A month. Unless the storm lingers, then I'll want extra."
"I'm sure I can find some extra comics for you if needs be." The man gave a sickening, almost terrifying smile.
Klaus knew Luther hated this, and he didn't know why he hadn't just driven him to Number's Two or Seven but he didn't argue. His own heart clenched as his brother handed the money over and signed the papers for the room. They took the key and made their way to the main block, Klaus following silently.
They soon figured out why it was so cheap, with wallpaper peeling off the walls, the carpet numerous colours and none of them the original shade. The television screen was cracked (but somehow still worked) and the windows had no curtains. The water was tepid, not hot or cold, and the toilet hadn't been cleaned in possibly years. At least the bed sheets seemed half decent and clean.
Luther threw himself onto a chair that creaked under him and put his head in his hands. "Please let me take you somewhere else."
"Why didn't you?" Klaus sat beside him on the floor and Luther turned his face at the motion. "I live on the streets Lu, this is nothing."
"Think I've seen cleaner streets." He did have a point. "But- I know what it means to you. I know how much all of this means to you. I hate it, I hate that we let you live like this but we tried so hard and we all know there's nothing we can do. I saw the way you looked when I asked you about staying with one of the others, it hurt to see you so crestfallen. I don't know why you think they'd turn you away and you don't need to tell me but, after everything, I truly hoped we would all at least keep the one strand of a connection we still had. Deep down we all would die for one another so screw you for thinking they'd turn you away." At the final point Luther's voice rose in anger, in reprimand.
"I've been a shit brother Lu. I-I don't want to let them down again."
"Shit Klaus, you could have died out on those streets, they wouldn't turn you away."
"But they have." The words were less than whispers.
Luther faltered. "Wh-what?"
"I don't blame them. And, it was more drug related but-but yeah. Diego told me to get lost, that I was ruining his chances on the police force and with his new girlfriend. He threw half his first month's wages at me and I blew it on drugs. He got me into a top class and hard to attain therapist and I never turned up for one session. She sued him for wasting her time. Vanya, Vanya I stole from. One of her violins, some of her music class money. I copied her key and let myself and a few friends into her flat, nearly got her kicked out when the landlord found it trashed. She was seeing this girl, told me all about their planned first date but she was stood up- because I charmed her and slept with her. She never rang Vanya back. Few weeks later I went round, the lights were on and I could see Van in her apartment. I knocked and heard her shuffle to the door. It never opened, even after me standing there for 5 minutes. When I walked away I saw her watching me, she was crying."
Luther had tears in his eyes too, however much he didn't get on with the other siblings, it still hurt to hear their woes, to hear how cold Klaus could be. He had never been like this before, everyone would always point out how loving and caring Klaus was but he was a different person sometimes now, with the drugs and life on the street moulding him into something he hated. Most often he would be cruel when someone had been cruel to him, the age old tale of a victim becoming the bad guy- not that he would blame anything other than himself for ever becoming a 'victim'. It made him sick to think how he had hurt those he loved, especially with such trivial things as a one night stand with someone who bought him a sandwich. He had been so focused on trying to keep his connections on the street that he forgot how his actions would affect those he should be focused on, bringing drug dealers off of corners and into his own sisters house just to flirt and work his magic for free products.
His eyes stung as he shook his head. "I'm a fuck up Luther. It's best if you just stay away." Klaus stood up and opened the door, offering his brother the chance to leave. "I'll only hurt you too."
Luther got up and walked toward him, Klaus never took his eyes from the stained floor until a hand lifted his head for him. "We may turn you away at times, or shout at you or tell you how much you've fucked up, but we will never truly stop caring Klaus."
Yes. Yes you will.
"I'll pay you back." Was what he said instead.
"Klaus..." Luther was going to argue more, a sad sigh tugging at his frame.
"No. I mean it. Thanks, for-this is luxury for me. I appreciate it, I really do."
Luther turned suddenly and tore a scrap of paper off an almost 8 month old newspaper. He quickly scribbled on it and handed it to Klaus. "I got a phone, just a cheap thing, doesn't even have snake on it." Klaus raised his hand to his chest in mock horror. "But only I have access to it. Not Dad, not Pogo. If you need me, if you need anything you ring me, or text me, whatever, but you reach out. Ok!"
He took the paper and nodded.
Luther left the room and slowly drove away.
As he shut the door and sank onto the bed he would call home for a month, Klaus cried.
XX
A knock at the door had Klaus raise his head from the wooden jigsaw pieces scattered on the floor.
"Klaus? It's me."
Rising from the floor he made his way to the door. "Hey Luth-" His eyes shot down to the handful of objects Luther had brought with him. "Is that...is that pizza?"
"Let me in and find out."
"That sounds oddly kinky."
"Oh Jesus Klaus."
He laughed as he opened the door wider and let his brother in. Luther eyed the room. It had been almost a week since he had checked his brother into the grubby motel and Klaus was surprised it had taken him this long to come a-knocking.
"You've...you've cleaned!?"
Klaus followed his brother's gaze as it swept the room, taking in the floor that was now (mainly) one shade of piss, at the no longer peeling wallpaper and the colourful material that now acted as curtains over the windows.
"Ta-dah! Oh, you should check out the bathroom, the toilet bowl is now a lovely shade of gone off milk." Hey, it was an improvement from...well, what it had been.
"How?"
Klaus laughed. "They really don't give a fudge here, the supplies cupboard was unlocked so I borrowed a few things. Including some superglue for the walls. Don't know how long it'll last but meh."
"You've superglued the wallpaper?"
"What else was I going to use? The vending machine's fresh out of chewing gum." He walked over to the windows and almost stroked the 'curtains'. "And these are of my own creation. I cleaned out the lost and found and stitched together skirts and shirts and, I'm pretty sure one of these dinosaur ones was men's' underwear."
"I'm, actually amazed." Luther sat on the bed with a proud smile on his face. "Well done buddy. Don't let the front desk see it until you leave though, they'll be wanting more autographs."
"Ah don't worry, he asked for one the other day. Gave a scribble and sent him on his way. It'll be a while until he realises I've literally just de-faced a comic- probably lowered the price in fact."
They laughed and Klaus looked down at the food in his brother's hands. He'd eaten, but mainly cheap stuff he had managed to shake loose from the vending machine.
Luther looked down and handed it all over. "Thought we could make a day of it. Dad's busy with stuff and I said I was helping elsewhere again. I brought pizza and snacks and even those chocolate stars you love so much. Got a few games and knitting needles- you always said you wanted to learn how to knit."
"Do you know how to knit?" He asked.
"No."
"Then how am I going to learn?"
Luther gave him a 'well damn' kind of look and they burst into laughter.
Eventually they shared out the pizza and poured cups of sugar filled drinks and sat back to find something half decent on the TV- Klaus announced his discovery of the porn channel and Luther almost choked on his mouthful of cheese and dough. "We'll skip that channel I think."
It wasn't until later when the carpet was covered in litter and the air stank of fresh burps that Luther turned the volume down and looked once again to Klaus.
"Why don't you come home?"
Klaus patted his belly and aimed to shake off the conversation. "Because I'm absolutely podged and can't move."
"I don't mean right now, I mean...ever. You left and you made it clear you'd never come back and, and even with the horrendous situations you find yourself in you never think about coming home."
"I can't Lu. No way. It would kill me."
"And the streets aren't doing that?"
"I hate it there. With every fibre of my being, I hate it. It kills me, slowly and more painfully than any drug or sickness ever could. There's nothing good about that house and I want nothing to do with it."
Luther's face fell. "Not even me?"
Klaus' heart skipped a beat and his chest tightened. "No, no that's not what I mean and you know it."
"Do I?" His brother looked up but the look in his eyes was worse than the way he had turned away. "Because I'm the last resort, and even then you seemed to want to sneak past me. Everyone's gone. I was meant to keep us together and you all left. And now apparently coming back is such an abhorrent idea. You're all getting on with your lives and I'm there, living in the past and missing the people I love."
Klaus' hands shook and his eyes stung as he looked at his sibling. "I love you, you big oaf. And, and if things were different then maybe we could make it happen but. It's him. I see him and I want to crumble. I hate what he made us, what he did to us. Everything that house holds, hurts. We moved on because we needed to escape, we needed to run and be us. You're Number One, you were made to stay by him, to carry on the legacy but not us. You're so brave and clever Luth, if you want what we have- well, maybe not what I have- then leave, find another way and do whatever the hell you want. Be Luther."
"Why do you hate him?"
"He almost loves you, in the way that bastard can love, but he never loved me. I was a pawn, I was something he had hoped to mould and use and in the end I was defective, broken, underwhelming. We were never his kids, he was never our father, we were his soldiers. He didn't let us live. You, you were ok with that but... I hated it. He hated me. He hurt me, damaged me. Drove me further into my own mess. And I can't blame him for everything because some of things I've done are my own stupid mistakes but a father is meant to care, to stop his kids fucking up. He should have tried to stop me and not by throwing me out or passing me off to professionals but...I was born with a power that literally haunts me and is almost useless unless I want to become a world famous medium. I was a waste of space for him and we clashed regardless of that. He aimed to make himself a legendary Academy and he did, but we all know that had he had more choice, a number of us would have been tossed aside. I was the biggest one of all, beside Vanya. I was a reluctant, disappointment of a soldier and you were his First Officer. We had the same dad but far different relationships. That house haunts me in ways no ghost ever could and I'm sorry I can't come back with you. But that doesn't mean I don't love you."
Luther pulled him into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around Klaus' head and almost smothering him in a way Klaus loved. He in turn clung on tight, savouring what could possibly be one of the last hugs like this he'd receive for a while. Luther hadn't always been kind to him, to any of them, and just as they all had their flaws, Luther had just as many but he would never bring that up, especially not now and the big guy was trying. They'd all been messed over by Reggie, their biggest weaknesses used against them and the old man's lack of anything remotely paternal glaringly obvious to anyone who looked long enough- usually 5 minutes really.
"Just- please, please remember and promise that you keep my number and ring me if it gets this bad again. If anything gets bad again. Don't think you can't come to me because of dad."
Klaus nodded in his brother's embrace, scared that if he verbally answered he would let loose the anguish building up.
A phone rang then and Luther plucked it from his coat pocket before answering. "Dad?"
There was silence as he listened.
"Yes Sir. I'm on my way." He re-pocketed the phone and collected his things. "Got to go. Some robbers taking advantage of the lockdowns."
"You gonna be ok on your own?"
Luther grinned. "Why? Want to help?"
"Pfft, no! Just, it's only you..."
"Not my first rodeo Klaus. It's been 'just me' for years, remember."
They stood in comfortable silence for a few moments more, content with one another's presence.
"That phone almost certainly has snake, you get a new one?"
"Oh, err I have two. This one's mainly just for dad to ring me on. The other's for you and Diego, one I can get rid of easily if dad sees me with it."
Klaus laughed. "You have a burner phone?"
"I suppose I do." They laughed again before Luther grabbed hold of Klaus' bicep. "See you soon Klaus."
He didn't. Klaus watched the surge of robberies and break-ins rise throughout the city as the news reported them, seeing his brother's picture shown alongside the latest mug shots of the men and women caught red handed. It never stopped, from corner shops to mansions, and even a few bank jobs. When Luther wasn't doing 'his job' he was interviewing and cleaning up the messes and so apart from the odd message to and from Klaus (on a stolen phone), they rarely interacted. The storm broke down soon after and whilst temperatures were still pretty low, the city came to life again and things moved on. The rent on the room ran out and Klaus was told he'd need to pay more or leave. He liked it there, a bit like having his own space, but there was no way he could keep up payments and he wasn't going to take anymore off his brother. And so, reluctantly, he packed up his few bits, took down the curtains and left.
XX
A year later and the storms hit again. It was in the news that this would be the way from here on out, with climate change truly affecting things and resulting in furiously hot summers and deathly cold winters. Klaus tried his best to stick it out for a few nights but when a rough cough began grating at his chest he knew he must move on. There was Diego, and Vanya, and of course, Luther. But his stupid morals got the better of him and he couldn't bring himself to knock on their doors. He had some money left over, thanks to his dealer skipping out on him the day before, and a few bits he had 'procured' from a shop that he could sell on for extra cash.
Klaus had always been a good walker, being able to drag himself miles if needs be, and saving himself precious drug money on taxis. The snow hadn't gotten too thick yet, and there was no dangerous ice on the walkways, so the 6 miles it took him to find himself outside of the familiar motel felt like a stroll. The 'vacancy' sign was flashing and his spirits lifted just a little bit.
"Ahh, Umbrella boy." It was the same guy, and Klaus remembered the 'prank' he'd played the year before with his autograph and truly hoped the guy didn't bear a grudge.
"Don't suppose the room I had last year is available is it?" He dug deep into his pocket, pulling out what little he had saved. Hopefully at least enough for a week's stay. "I have money."
"No."
Shit.
"Erm? Then...another room? This is all I have, or I could clean for you to pay back?"
"Your room is already reserved."
Klaus tried to hold back the growing agitation. "Then...another room, as I say. Anything I can afford for a while."
The man turned and fished a key off its hook. The number was just as before, ironically, Number 6.
"You-you said it wasn't available, that it was reserved." He stumbled over his words but accepted the key nonetheless.
"It isn't. It's been reserved. By a Mister Luther Hargreeves. Paid a month in advance for his brother should he turn up. You have it until February 9th."
Oh fuck. Luther. He wanted so desperately to take the key, open the door and never escape from the blanket fort he was hoping to make. But his conscience didn't want to accept the favour, didn't want to owe his brother anymore than he already did. And in the year since his stay, he had seen the man only a handful of times, and 2 had been accidental meetings. He was guilty. He was a leech. He was selfish.
"You want it or not?" The man nodded to the key Klaus held in his hand. "I don't have all day."
Hesitantly, Klaus turned on his heel and exited the reception.
XX
Luther's phone vibrated in his pocket and as he pulled it out he saw text flashing up on the screen. It was an unknown number but he knew who it was regardless, it had been a special request when he handed over the cash.
Klaus Hargreeves has checked into The Lunar Motel.
Luther smiled and returned his phone in his pocket.
XX