Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

it's cold.

Diego hates the cold.

It reminded him of the empty winter mornings constantly wishing for a normal life, normal family just anything that wasn't the same as his previous.

But life doesn't reward you with that

You have to live with what you were given (Diego always tells himself that) and always remembering that others have it worse so he should just suck it up and be grateful.

He listens to the negative thoughts in his head whilst walking across the path towards what he calls a 'home' shivering as he forgot (decided not) to bring a coat with him today.

Diego decides to stop pitying himself and look at his surroundings.

The path usually didn't look so beautiful, usually seemed deserted since he'd usually run there at night trying to avoid any trouble, but this time it was six in the morning, he has just pulled a night shift and was ready to pass out on his bed in a instant.

Ring ring

His phone dings, and dings again,

Probably the groupchat again.

He grumbles under his breath before taking out his phone and looking and what the text messages read.

Klaus: happy april cools mi hermano and hermana! It's officially four years since that freak show of an apocalypse is over

Allison: Klaus it's six in the morning what are you doing up?

Klaus: it's April fools do you really expect me too just NOT stay up?!!

Allison: Klaus goes to sleep.

Viktor: hey guys guess what

Diego: what is it?

Klaus: oh mi hermano didn't even see you stalking the chats!

Viktor: it's been three years, two months and six days since he's been gone

Diego stares at the phone in sadness and anger unsure of what to say.

Diego: oh

Viktor: yep, just thought I should let you know

Klaus: thanks anyway mine' brudar!

Diego shuts off his phone continuing his path cutting it short by going through the park.

The park is quiet, you can here echos of children laughing, birds squabbling around and the steps of dogs chasing eachother.

"I know I'm just- I'm working on it okay?
A voice speaks up.

No.

Wait.

"yeah, yeah I know, I'm sorry" he speaks again

stop walking.

STOP.

Turn around.

Diego turns around in an instant, eyes widening in shock.

What...?

is that....

"Five?" Diego asks.

The boy keeps walking, ending the phone call putting his headphones in

"Five." He begins walking towards the boy.

"Five!" Diego grabs his arm, making the boy turn around in fear.

Diego looks into his eyes, searching for something positive.

But nothing could prepare him for what the boy was going to say next.

"Who the hell are you?"

Chapter Text

"Who the hell are you?"

Who is he? It's a question Diego tends to ask himself every now and then but not in this context at all. 

"Five? Come on bud, its me." Diego responds blinking back the tears his eyes of relief. 

"Sorry sir, I think you have the wrong person, if you could so graciously take your hand off my arm that'd be great." 'Five' remarks sarcastically yanking his arm back away from Diego. 

"I- sorry..i thought you were someone else... " Diego lowers his voice down lowering his eyes down

"Yeah, happens to the best of us" 'five' murmurs before putting his headphones back in walking away.  

Diego is left watching the copy of his eldest youngest brother walking away without a care in the world. 

                                             ---

It's been a particularly odd day for Diego. 

He sees his little (older) brother for the first time in three years at six in the morning after an all night shift. 

Maybe it's just his brain doing stupid shit. 

Maybe its trying to tell him something

Alas, he can't do anything to stop it so he's learnt to embrace it. 

He walks towards the house contemplating what to do. 

Does he just walk in there and tell them? Does he keep it to himself? 

Diego walks inside the house already hearing the snores of his siblings (mostly Luthers) echo through the house making it shake like thunder.

''why hello moy macho-'' Diego jumps from the sudden noise grabbing one of his knives aiming it behind him.

oh..it klaus.

''AH-! Hello dear brother o'mine would you be so kind to just lower your knife down so i can just-'' klaus perks up trying to get out of diegos grip.

''dammit klaus what are you doing here?'' Diego whispers, finally lowering his knife down after a consecutive eight seconds.

''I live here-'' 

''no- not like that-just-fuck I forgot what a neuisence you are sometimes''

''ouch Diego, ouch. to think you were my favourite brother at some point in my life-''

''what are you doing up?''

''what I cant wait for a special someone to come home?''

''you've been up all day-night?'' 

''hey you're one to talk!''

he shushes them instantly not wanting to wake the others up.

''don't you shush-me-!''

Diego could only think of one thing could shut them up right now.

''dammit Klaus i found five, now would you please be quiet'' 

''no- wait, what?''

Klaus's face switches to confusion unsure if Diego is being honest or not

''you cant tell them I- its just-''

''is he ok? how did you-''

''how about we talk about this somewhere else, yeah?''

Diego drags a stunned Klaus outside the house by the curb.

''okay now listen- I don't know if this is our five-'' Diego gets cut off in an instant.

''Diego are you fucking kidding me-? what the hell are you talking about?''

''Klaus he-he didn't recognize me.''

''what?''

''yeah, he asked who I was, fucking called me sir-''

''well shit''

they stand together watching a few cars drive by, the sun slowly rising mid-way.

''well that's one way to start a day'' Klaus mumbled letting out an exasperated sigh

Diego says nothing, just continues to look at his surroundings.

''we cant tell them, not yet anyway, you know it would kill them if they found out'' Diego finally lets out his gruff voice.

Klaus lets out a very load audible gasp hugging his brother.

''Moi? really? Diego I feel honored''

anddd they're back

''just shut up ok? if you got any plans for the following weak at this time, cancel them our brother has a high chance of keeping a schedule.''

''Ay ay captain''

Klaus fake salutes before walking back into the house, Diego following him in.

---

the next day came quickly, Diego was woken up by his alarm and changed as quickly as he could (apparently moral hygiene can wait for a few hours) going to wake up Klaus, to his surprise was already awake ready to go.

''lets go min'e brudar'' Klaus whispers tossing the car keys to Diego, both going outside entering the car.

''soo what park were you at when you saw him?'' Klaus asks

''you know, the one by maine with the trees'' Diego replies.

''what? there were trees? in a park?!'' Klaus starts clapping sarcastically, jumping in their seat.

''for once in your life Klaus- just-''

''stop the car there's a shortcut here'' 

Klaus is being serious...?

Diego puts the car in park, following Klaus as they walk across the road, cutting through an allyway succesfully making it to the entrance of the park.

Klaus succesfuly hums in victory walking towards a bench.

''the hell are you doing? we gottta find the kid, we cant do that sitting down'' Diego questions

''what are you going to do hm? walk around a park with multiple turns only two entrances or wait till our shmall' brother decides to leave?'' 

he grumbles in annoyence sitting next to Klaus, eyeing everyone that walks by them

                                                                                              ---

its been ten miniutes, (twenty) Diego refuses to leave.

''Dee I think we should just call it off come back tomarrow or something.'' Klaus tries getting Diego to leave.

(it doesn't work)

''I'm not leaving till I see the little shit'' Diego practically yells responding to Klaus

''how do you even know its him?''

''cause I fucking saw the bastard he was-''

''wearing a black jacket with a hoodie..?''

''what?''

''yeah uh dee seems i owe you an appolagy...''

''Klaus are you high?''

''what? no-! just-'' Klaus points at the figure from affar making Diego freeze (again).

''holy shit.'' 

Chapter Text

"Holy shit" Diego murmers.

"huh, you weren't kidding when you said he looks different." Klaus states still watching the teenager in shock.

"I never said that-"

"well I did so it's a fact now"

he forces himself not roll his eyes and the response and continues to stare at the boy all mooneyed.

unfortunately their small replica of a brother seemed to notice.

'five' sets his bag down on the bench, stuffing the book he was reading back in walking towards the two people eyeing him like white on rice.

"can i help you with anything or are you going to keep staring at me like homicidal maniacs" 'five' stuffs his hands into his pockets clearly irrated

"no- no uhm sorry we were just-" Diego phases eyeing Klaus to finish his sentence.

"wha-? i- we were just wondering what you were reading seemed like a pretty interesting book if I do say so myself, they mock a British accent.

"well next time ask instead of stalking" 'five' bites back rocking on his bottom of his heels back and forth.

"yeah sorry about that.... "

"it's the 'eye for an eye' by carol wyer." giving a forced tight smile before walking back to the bench. 

An eye for an eye.... 

"Son of a bitch." Diego mumbled. 

He can faintly hear fives voice...

"Hey assholes, it's olga foroga, Swedish for an eye for an eye.... " 

"Hey I think we're making progress muchacho" a voice was made snapping Diego back to reality. 

Shit where'd that kid (man child) go

"Where is-"

"He just left, probably creeped out by us, don't blame him he's a meer child" 

"Huh."

----------

Days went by, Diego and Klaus would be sitting on that bench awaiting for their small brother to arrive. 

"Should we try make conversation today?" Klaus questions, munching on a packet of candy. 

"What? No- get your face away from me you smell like shit" pushing Klaus away from him. 

"Jeez-! Dee that's mean!"

"Shut up Klaus youre embarrassing yourself"

"Yeah at least I tried" 

something doesnt seem right... 

Where is he... 

"Hey, he's usually here by now" 

"Yeah well 'he' doesn't expect two adults to stalk him daily" a voice speaks from behind them. 

Klaus makes a little scream falling off the bench dragging diego with them. 

"Klaus what the fuck-!" Diego yells as he falls on the ground. 

"What just- five?" Klaus looks up at person (their brother) above them. 

"Do I look five to you?" 'Five' bites back

'Yeah well you didn't look fifty eight before we still believed you' Diego thinks.

"Actually-"

"Actually- we are not stalking you" cutting off Klaus before they say something stupid. 

"Indeed, we just wanted to be good dear friends-"

"With sixteen year old?" He responds finding it hard to believe some 'random' thirty year olds want to be his friend. 

Sixteen? 

Jeez he's like in his sixtys mentally now... 

"What? is it wrong to be friends with younglings nowadays?" Klaus questions putting their hand to their chest acting all dramatic. 

"No- it's just kinda weird-" getting cut off instantly. 

"When did that happen?"

"Since the start of human civilization-"

Diego just watches them bicker, smiling knowing that his brother is okay and will be okay. 

But is he his brother? 

He doesn't remember him...... 

So what does that mean..? 

Chapter Text

Today has been.....Interesting. 

Klaus tried bonding with his little (older) brother who has no idea who he is. 

Diego mostly just watched. 

The constant bickering made him feel something warm in his chest. 

He was being brought back to different memories the more they argued, the more of all them scenario kept swooping in. 

"Okay so now that we've cleared out that you're apparently not stalkers i will be heading off" 'five' snaps him out of his thoughts.

"Where you going in such a hurry muchacho?" Klaus questions trying to keep up the conversation.

"Im sixteen and up this early on a Monday, take a hint" 

"You go to school? " diego makes a face filled with confusion. 

"No im going to a shark enthusiast meeting" he says sarcastically. 

"Well I think we deserve a name before you leave don't you think?" Klaus asks. 

"Why do you think you deserve it exactly?"

"Dunno, we can't really do anything with a first name, unless you'd rather have us give you a name."

"Dont-"

"Little Timmy"

"I'm not-"

"Geogrey!"

"Its-"

"Barthy!"

"What kind of name is-"

"Fin. The hell are you doing here?" A deep voice crept from behind them.

Fiv- fin-? Stiffened, backing away from the two adults as if they had a gun in their hands, walking towards the sketchy looking man.

"Just uh- just going to school" he mumbles 

"Get a move on, youre late."

Fin gives a quick nod before rushing out of the park making no eye contact with anyone. 

"The hell were you two doing?" The man questions with an angered look on his face. 

"We weren't- we were just seeing if-"

"If he was alright, seemed pretty uh- pretty dull for a kid" Diego finished Klaus's sentence before it escalated. 

"Well he doesn't need two junkies checking on him"

The fuck is this guy calling junkie? 

Diego's eye twitches as the man walks away out the park. 

"Asshole" Diego mumbles. 

"Who do you our wonderful guest was?" Klaus questions with a posh accent. 

"I don't know, but I know for a fact I hate the bastard" 

"Well I'm shocked that we finally have something we can both agree on!" 

"Klaus."

"Yeah, yeah I'll admit the guy gave off weird vibes but what are we supposed to actually do?"

"How am i supposed to know?"

"Well figure it out cause you decided to bring me along! I don't even know what's happening right now. 

Diego had no clue what's going on either.