Chapter Text
When Klaus was absent from dinner, Diego was filled with concern. This wasn’t like his brother at all. In fact, Diego hadn’t seen Klaus since lunch, when Dad had pulled Klaus aside and taken him… somewhere. But Dad was here, now, without Klaus.
So where was he?
It wasn’t as if Diego could ask. Dad was very strict about his “no talking at the table” rule, which his siblings had finally started adhering to a few months ago. But still, the spot across from him remained empty as the final plates were cleared away.
The rest of the evening went by in a blur, with Klaus nowhere to be found. Diego had half a mind to go out on the streets looking for Klaus, even though it probably wasn’t the greatest idea he’d ever had. When he finally was settled in his room for bed, he happened to glance out the window and spot two figures.
The first was unmistakably his dad, Reginald Hargreeves: top hat, monocle, and all. But the second… was that Klaus?
It was, wasn’t it? Klaus’ head was downturned, and he remained a full step behind their dad, every-so-often swiping at his eyes with a sleeve. As they rounded the corner out of Diego’s line of sight, he found himself slipping out of his room to follow them through the glimpses he caught in the windows.
Diego trailed them all the way to the front door, and upon hearing the lock open, pressed himself flat against the wall, careful to quiet his breathing. Dad and Klaus paused, Dad barking out an order while Klaus cringed away.
“Number Four, I hope that you have learned your lesson. Return to your quarters immediately.”
Klaus nodded, and his eyes followed their father as he turned on his heel and stalked out. Diego refrained from doing the same, instead studying Klaus. His brother looked gaunt, and his eyes were haunted. Whatever had happened, it looked like Klaus would not soon forget.
Diego noticed tears well up in Klaus’ eyes as Klaus’ face fell to study the floor. Klaus made no move to progress towards his room.
Something was seriously wrong.
“Hey, Klaus?” Diego stepped out from the shadows, causing Klaus to jump and stare at him with wide eyes. “What’re you doing up so late?” He tried to be conversational, to alleviate the panic it looked like Klaus was feeling.
“Just… just training.” Klaus refused to meet Diego’s eyes. “Working on my powers, I mean.”
Diego made a noncommittal noise. “Want me to walk you back to your room, since I’m up?”
“That’d be… I’d like that.”
Diego found himself leading the way to Klaus’ room, glancing back occasionally. Every time he did, he found Klaus rubbing at his arms and scanning his surroundings, almost as if he expected something to jump out at him. Unconsciously, Diego began doing the same.
His nerves were shot when they arrived at the door to Klaus’ room.
“Well, here we are.” He stepped aside to let Klaus through, but Klaus made no move to enter. “Are you going in, or not?”
Still, Klaus remained frozen, staring into the darkened room with something resembling fear.
“Klaus, are you okay?”
Klaus managed a small shake of his head, his eyes not leaving the doorway.
Diego stepped in front of Klaus, blocking his view of the room. He placed his hand on Klaus’ shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it? I’ll listen, and I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
That seemed to give Klaus all the permission he needed to break into tears.
“Woah, hey, Klaus.” Diego flipped the light switch in Klaus’ room on, and carefully led Klaus through the disaster zone that was his room to settle him on the bed. He closed the door behind them with a soft click before taking a seat on the bed next to him. “What’s wrong?”
“I… I told you I can see ghosts, right?” Klaus sniffled.
“Yeah,” Diego replied. That breakfast conversation had been awkward for everyone.
Klaus wiped at his nose. “So… Dad thought I could… control them, but I… I didn’t want to. So he locked-” Klaus’ voice broke. “After lunch, he locked me in the mausoleum.”
Diego tensed, anger simmering in his blood. He was going to have words with their dad, he knew that much. But Klaus wasn’t done talking.
“I was in there… for ten hours.”
Reginald Hargreeves would have hell to pay for that.
Diego took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking. “Is there- is there anything I can do for you?”
“I don’t want to be alone,” Klaus whimpered, gazing at Diego with tear-filled eyes.
Diego nodded. “I can stay here tonight, if that’s what you really want.”
Klaus nodded feverishly, and Diego got up from the bed and made his way over to the light so Klaus could lie down. He found himself a new seat at Klaus’ hazard-zone of a desk. He had just gotten settled when he heard Klaus’ voice emanating from the dark.
“Diego?”
“Yeah, Klaus?”
“What if it happens again, and you’re not up?”
“You can wake me up, by knocking on my door, or something. Just knock twice, so I know it’s you.”
“Just knock twice,” Klaus murmured sleepily, and soon, all Diego could hear were snores. It was not long after that he, too, had fallen asleep.