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It's summer, and it is suffocatingly hot. The Academy is a heat trap at the best of times but in the height of summer, it's almost unbearable.
Klaus is sitting cross legged on his bedroom floor rifling through his chest of drawers searching for something suitable to wear that won't make him melt into a puddle. He frowns at the shorts and t-shirt he's pulled out, it's his best option so far but it still doesn't seem quite right.
It's Saturday afternoon and their father is out of town on business so Grace decided they should all have a picnic in the shade of the courtyard. It's a rarity they get an entire afternoon of free time, so the kids are determined to make the most of it.
'Hey.' says a voice from his bedroom door, making him jump.
He turns around to see Allison leaning against the open door wearing a blue and white floral sundress and strappy brown sandals. She looks really pretty and Klaus feels slightly envious though he couldn't say exactly why.
'Hi Alli' Klaus says. 'You look nice.'
'Thanks.' she says with a small smile. 'I was going to ask if you were coming down but you're obviously not ready.'
Klaus glances down and realises he's still just wearing the baggy shorts he slept in last night.
'I'll be right down, just give me a couple minutes.'
'Sure thing.' she replies and heads back out onto the landing and down the stairs.
Klaus waits until he hears her footsteps receding and then stretches his hands up over his head. An idea is forming in his mind, but does he have the guts to do it? He glances at his reflection in the mirror and thinks 'screw it' before heading out of the door towards Allison's bedroom.
//
Ten minutes later and Klaus is back in his room wearing one of Allison's dresses that he'd pinched from her closet. He wasn't sure it'd fit because they have completely different body shapes but he's pleased with how it looks and he admires his reflection in the mirror as he turns this way and that.
The dress he's picked out is lemon yellow and strappy with white flowers embroidered on it. It's knee length on Alli but it hits Klaus somewhere between knee and thigh and he likes how he looks in it. He feels pretty and more like himself than he does in the boyish clothes that make up most of his closet.
He doesn't have any shoes that match but he's normally barefoot in the house anyway so that doesn't matter.
For a minute he worries how the others will react but he knows realistically that this isn't the weirdest thing he's ever done so they probably won't say anything. Not to his face anyway.
He's halfway down the stairs when Ben catches up with him. His brother takes in his outfit and Klaus feels himself holding his breath, waiting for his reaction.
'You look nice.' he says eventually as they carry on down the staircase. 'Alli's gonna kill you for going through her stuff though.'
Klaus pokes out his tongue, it's childish but he doesn't care and he runs down the stairs away from Ben and out into the garden.
The rest of the siblings are sprawled out on the ground and Grace is sitting on a bench beside them talking to Diego.
Allison cocks an eyebrow as he and Ben sit down next to her but there's a smile playing round her mouth.
'That's my dress.' she says. 'You been going through my stuff Klaus?'
'I just thought you looked nice.' Klaus replies with a shrug, taking the glass of lemonade that Grace passes him.
'Ask me next time, ok?' she says, nudging him gently. 'I'll help you pick one that suits you better, I have a green one that would look great.'
And Klaus smiles so widely that he feels like his face might split in half. He wishes Reggie would go away on business more often.
//
After that, Klaus and Allison spend a lot more time together on Saturday afternoons. Klaus will sit on the end of Allison's bed and watch as she rifles through her staggeringly large closet and pulls items out that she thinks might suit Klaus.
Dresses and skirts yes, but shorts too and shirts. Anything that catches Allison's eye, she'll throw to Klaus to try on. Klaus marvels at the variety of colours and fabrics, he's especially drawn to bright coloured dresses, crop tops and anything with faux fur.
'Klaus?' Allison says one afternoon that same summer as she sifts through the huge pile of crop tops she's pulled out of her closet.
'Mm?' he replies, taking a sip from the cup of tea in his hand 'What's up?'
Allison looks suddenly awkward as though she's regretting whatever she's thinking. Klaus has no time for awkwardness, people should just say what they're thinking.
'Go on Alli.' he says. 'Spit it out.'
'Do you ever wish…' she says slowly like she's searching for the right words. 'That you, y'know, were a girl.'
Klaus sets the teacup on the bedside table, with rather more force than he intended. He's been expecting this question for a while but now someone's said it, it still sounds jarring to his ears.
'I don't think so, no,' he says, thoughtfully. 'I'm still me, still Klaus, I just like these clothes, they're nice and I feel like myself in them. Does that make sense?'
Allison shrugs and throws a tie dye shirt at him.
'Not really.' she says. 'But it doesn't matter whether I get it or not. You're still Klaus and you're still weird and I still love you. Even if you do look better in some of my tops than I do.'
Klaus sticks out his tongue at her but he's not mad. He's happy she accepts him even if she doesn't understand it fully.
'What are you two up to?' says a voice from the doorway, making them both look up.
Ben is peering into the room, a book in one hand and the glasses he wears for reading pushed up on top of his head.
'Nothin' much.' Klaus says, 'Alli's decluttering her wardrobe. Wanna help?'
'Oh.' Ben says, his voice sounding disappointed. 'You're busy, it's ok, I just wondered if you wanted to hang out?'
'You can hang out with us Ben, it's fine.' Allison says. 'Don't leave on my account, come sit down.'
Ben crosses the room and settles himself next to Klaus, throwing his feet into his lap.
Klaus grabs a faux fur trimmed coat from the steadily growing pile next to him and holds it up.
'I think this would suit Bentacles.' he says, enjoying the way Ben's eyes widen in shock. 'Don't ya think Alli?'
'Don't call me Bentacles.' Ben snaps. 'And I am not wearing that.'
'Suit yaself' Klaus says, putting the coat back on the pile. 'It'll look way better on me anyway.'
'Oh leave Ben be.' Allison says from the floor. 'He's not a total diva like you.
Ben laughs at this and honestly, this is the happiest Klaus has felt in months. He feels normal (ish), just spending time with his brother and sister doing normal teenage things. But then he remembers that nothing about their life is normal . And they're restricted to doing this for two hours on a Saturday (three if Reggie's away) and suddenly Klaus really needs a cigarette.
'Can I smoke?' he asks Allison. 'I'll open a window.'
'No.' Allison says flatly. 'If you're gonna do it, go outside.'
Klaus pouts at her and then flutters his eyelashes.
'Pleeeease Alli.' he wheedles in the voice that normally works on Ben when he wants something.
His sister is not as easily swayed and she shakes her head before looking at her watch.
'We've still got an hour before Dad gets back.' she says. 'Go hang out with Benny outside, he doesn't mind you smoking.'
Ben jumps up eagerly, nearly kicking Klaus in the stomach as he does so, apparently desperate to be away from the fashion show as soon as possible.
Klaus sighs theatrically and follows him out, a pile of Allison's clothes in his arms.
He wouldn't trade his siblings for the world.