Klaus Hargreeves | The Umbrella Academy

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{Sobriety is hard with these ghosts chasing after me to keep me terrified » OPEN TO ALL HARGREEVES

[bestfuneralever]

[OOC Note: A-OK with multiple versions of the same family members, so don't let someone with yours already being in here turn you away!]




The Set Up
Five got them out, and they didn't die in the Apocalypse that their sister had brought unto the world. Decades worth of screwed up family dynamics was apparently enough to make the whole world combust, who knew?

But it worked. They survived. By the skin of their teeth, but they survived. And adjusting to where they ended up took some time, but the Hargreeves were little else if not adaptable, and they were still in the process of adapting now.

For Klaus' part? He was trying to stay to clean. Two days was nothing, and that's all it's really been so far. But every step counted, right? That's what he keeps telling himself, but he's been here before and he knows what's coming. Day three will start the withdrawal process, and by day five he'll feel like he's dying and after everything they just went through to not die, he might be incredibly insufferable during the worst of the first week of his withdrawal symptoms. But if, if he can make it through that, and the next week, and into the next month, maybe he can start making some real progress on this track.

And if not... at least nobody in the family will have expected any better from him anyway, right?




Prompt #1
Klaus has taken up residence on the couch in the living room of the house the lot of them had claimed when they arrived. Stairs would be stupid once all of this really gets underway, so it made the most sense until he's through the worst of it. He's idly flipping through a book about some weird science thing Five had been researching for....reasons that Klaus didn't follow. Half the words in this book are so far above his paygrade and he's lost all sense of words now.

He groans and shuts the book with a loud SNAP! before tossing it onto the nearest flat surface with a much softer thud. "I'm bored! Someone entertain me!" He calls out to no one in particular. Klaus isn't even completely sure who is, or isn't, at home just then. He just hopes one of his siblings is nearby, and might think to take pity on him and give into his request.




Prompt #2
At the lack of potential response from the house--whether because they're all conveniently gone at the time, or if they were simply otherwise busy and couldn't be at their brother's beck and call--Klaus might eventually find himself slipping away into a light slumber. Sleep is a thing he has such a tenuous relationship with. Most of the time, he tried to avoid it when he could; sometimes, he was too good at it and lost days just to sleep, others, he would startle awake at the slightest sound or shift of air in the room.

In the earliest days of withdrawal, it's easy to sleep, his body too exhausted to do much else. But the longer he goes, the worse it gets. Fevers and nausea make him miserable, his body aches, and his moods swing sharply from aggressive agitation to desperate begging.

And that's before sobriety has taken enough of a hold to let the dead creep back into his awareness. That's when the real fun starts. He needs the most attention by this point, overwhelmed by the voices and visions he's spent decades running from. He can be found curled up in the corner where the bed meets the wall in the room he's moved to from the couch in the living room with his knees drawn to his chest and palms pressed against his eyes, muttering a muffled, terrified stream of, "No, no, no, no... go away, go away." He won't react well to being startled, but it'd be almost impossible not to if he didn't notice someone coming in.

Prompt 1

[excessed]

Things have changed. It's an understatement of literally universal proportions. They're back together. All of them. Including overpowered, what even the fuck kind of crazy ass epitome of overemotional wildness was that Vanya. Their plan is... nebulous, at best, but that isn't stopping them from scurrying about as if they know just what they're doing, and how they're going to make this work. But things are changed in smaller ways too. Maybe not between him and Luthor, and not likely to change between them any time soon, but some of those littler things have given Diego back things he's lost since they were teenagers. Such as some of his siblings. He hears Klaus' call, something that is utterly and entirely familiar from their childhood, and just as grating now as it was then. The only difference now is that Diego knows this is more than a bored child begging for attention. This is a barely sober Klaus begging for attention so that he didn't end up doing something stupid. It is just enough of a difference to be all the difference in the world. Of course, Diego is about as mentally stable and empathetic as any of his siblings, and so when a knife comes zinging through the air and buries itself into the book, pinning it to the table, it should be no surprise. Perched on the railing of the staircase, smirking down at his brother with a second knife held delicately between his fingers, poised and ready. "You have ten seconds to choose where the next one goes... Or I chose." Given their past, it might be best if Klaus chooses. That it's designed to make him think fast and without time to wallow is entirely accidental and totally not Diego's plan at all, right?

@superbitter

[bestfuneralever]

[iv. So you had sex with my brother?]

Right now? Klaus feels like the little brother that needs protection-- from himself, more than anything at all. But he doesn't know how to put that, or his appreciation and how important it all is to him, into words. So all he manages is a simple: Thanks, D. It's the last thing he'll send, and eventually, he wanders his way down the hall to Diego's room to wait for him to get home. He really doesn't want to be alone, but he also really doesn't want any of their other siblings right now either. When Diego gets home, he will find his brother had passed out waiting for him, exhaustion knocking him down before he could even bother climbing under the blankets.

[superbitter]

Diego doesn’t reply to Klaus’ last message because the person he’d been waiting for finally shows up and he has business to attend to.

He’s banged up when he gets back, a split in his lower lip that still oozing blood slowly and that’s going to have a decent bruise come morning, but he doesn’t have time to dwell on it because the second he steps foot into his room he sees Klaus sprawled across his bed, dead to the world around him. He collects up a change of clothes quietly before disappearing into the bathroom to shower and clean up his face.

Climbing into bed quietly, he curls his hand around Klaus’ shoulder and shakes gently.

“Klaus.”

@motherboards

[bestfuneralever]

[c | Why is all the artwork upside down?]

Okay... [Color him curious, Mom. It isn't even very long after that, that he seeks her out.] Mom?

[motherboards]

Klaus, [ she looks up from her needlework with a smile, setting it aside neatly.]

How are you?

{Every junkie's like a settin' sun » pre-canon » OPEN TO ALL HARGREEVES

[bestfuneralever]

[OOC Note: A-OK with multiple versions of the same family members, so don't let someone with yours already being in here turn you away!] Twenty-two and out of his father's house, Klaus Hargreeves has the world at his fingertips-- he could go anywhere he wanted to go, be anyone he wanted to be. Unfortunately, the only thing he really chose was to be was an absolute trainwreck at all times, and has been the undisputed champion for Most Disappointing Hargreeves Child for the last handful of years. Escapism. That's what his partying had begun as. To quiet the spirits that refused to leave him alone and instead spent their eternity tormenting him. Alcohol and weed muddied his connection to the realm of the dead and it helped tremendously in the beginning. But Klaus was destined for greater things, and worse drugs. In the circles he ran in, a person just ran into the wrong kinds of people, and one thing leads to another, and then he's in the living room of a stranger's house, doing a line of cocaine. And it only got worse from there. His siblings had tried to talk to him on numerous occasions, but eventually it became obvious their brother had no intention of stopping-- or even slowing down, any time soon. No one could be a full-time Klaus babysitter, so they just had to agree to keep as close an eye on him as possible. No one could always be there, though. And sometimes, Klaus took things too far. Tonight, in particular, he crossed more lines than he knew how to count. Whether it was the pills, the alcohol, or or some combination of the two was up for medical professionals to decide-- but the gist was, one minute, Klaus was having the time of his life and the next, he was found passed out and unresponsive on the dancefloor. It's 2am when the phone rings. When it's picked up, there's a rushed explanation, "Hey, I found this number in Klaus' phone-- uh..." the caller sounds nervous, panicked, and rushed. "He's at the ER on fifth and Main. I-I thought somoene should know." Without a second's chance to process what they heard, or ask for any further detail, the line goes dead, and any attempts to call the number back will only be ignored.

[missnobody]

Vanya's life was pretty normal. There'd been that brief, shining moment where she'd been the center of attention for once, but then things had slid back into the equilibrium that was her mundane existence. So it was usual that, at 2am, she would be alone at home in bed. What was very much not usual was a phone call waking her up.

Her days tended to run more towards an afternoon and evening sort of schedule and so she'd only been asleep about an hour and her brain felt even more foggy than usual as she struggled to wrap it around what she was hearing. She sat bolt upright when the facts penetrated. Klaus. ER. Why she should be the call made, she had no idea. Maybe whoever had grabbed the phone was calling all the Hargreeves numbers or maybe he'd just scrolled to the bottom of the list and picked her number.

But, though she didn't really talk to her brothers or Allison regularly, they were of one mind when it came to Klaus. If he could be helped, he would be. And so she got herself dressed, popped a pill, and called for a taxi to take her to the ER.

Allison might have gone through all the red tape by sheer force of personality and Diego by force of arms, but Vanya barely had to do anything. If she didn't know better, she would have said her superpower was that of invisibility. Sure, the nurses knew she was there, but they didn't care enough about her to do anything but the most perfunctory of forms before letting her see Klaus.

And he looked bad. He was pale and there was something about his eyes, even closed, that seemed haunted. He was, of course, very literally haunted, she supposed. Had he had that look the last time she'd seen him? It'd only been four years, but apparently a lot could change in other people's lives.

She knew she should call someone else, everyone else, but there was nothing anyone could do for the moment and so she held his hand and sat by his bed and made the decision to call Luther in the morning. She just hoped that she wouldn't have a reason to regret that decision.

"Stay with us, Klaus," she murmured, squeezing the hand she was holding gently.

And then there's the sickness I feel from lips that don't smile at me

[trenchcoat_brigade]

Klaus Hargreeves is an interesting study in abilities, to be quite honest. A random encounter, a few shared drinks, perhaps a few other shared things before John learned what his abilities really entailed. An honest-to-Christ medium, and barely trained at that.

So he agreed they'd meet up once or twice a week, work and life depending, for John to teach Klaus how to control his abilities without relying so heavily on drugs.

"All right handsome, let's try it again. Reach out slowly with your power and tell me what you see."

[bestfuneralever]

It's hard to be trained when you've spent your whole life fearing, and running from, your power. Might have helped a bit of dear ol' daddykins had gone about Klaus' training in a less... emotionally scaring sort of way, but that wasn't The Hargreeves Way. Instead, he'd spent hours on end locked in mausoleums as a child and gotten a heavy dose of mental issues from it all. "I'm really kind of bad at this whole--" There's a vague wave of his hands, "'conjuring the dead' thing, in case you haven't noticed." John has noticed. But he's also convinced he can help Klaus control what he can do, so they keep meeting and sometimes it goes all right, others it's blank as an empty canvas. Still. Klaus appreciates it. If he's going to be sober more often--and constantly, if his siblings have anything to do with it--he needs to be able to control when the dead can come to bother him. "Okay." He takes a deep breath and looks like he's ready to start focusing on the task at hand when, suddenly-- "Wait. What am I looking for?"

[throwsknives]

[ Continuation of this.]

He's pissed off for the rest of the night. Luckily, he'd had a mission to take his frustrations out on. He leaves the robbers beaten and definitely unconscious, but breathing. All night Klaus's text echos around and around in his mind. Did he really think that he was a misplaced obligation? It wasn't exactly as if Diego had been brother of the year, or had ever tried. The truth is, there hadn't ever been time for that. When they were younger it'd always been about him trying to beat Luther. It started out as a way to prove himself, but eventually when Ben had died and he'd realized how much none of it mattered he'd left and hadn't looked back. He'd worried the most about Mom, but eventually the others moved out one by one. She'd kept him updated when he'd come to visit her. He heard about Luther and the moon. Allison and her movies, Klaus and his brushes with death. Of course never the kind that the old man had intended. He'd tried to reach out a couple of times, but Klaus was Klaus and Diego was Diego and it seemed like neither of them were any good at making it easy.

He knows he should've done more in the past. He knows he should've watched Klaus and Vanya more closely. He knows he's spent more time with his family in the last week than he has in the last decade. Maybe it took losing Mom and Patch, or the damn near end of the world, to realize how much he's screwed things up. So yeah, Klaus had pissed him off, but that didn't mean he was going to let him off the hook. Especially because he didn't want the things he'd said to be true. By daylight he's staring up at the door of the mansion he watched crumble before his eyes. He doesn't even know if Klaus is still here, but if he is hunkering down to make a stand, this is the most likely place Diego can think of.

He moves through the mansion, fully restored, until he reaches Klaus's bedroom door. He pushes it open, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hey, asshole." Not losing that title anytime soon. At least until Luther regains his title by doing something insufferable.

[bestfuneralever]

Klaus spent the majority of the remaining parts of the night trying to sleep-- trying being the key word, and it really wasn't going so well. The conversation with Diego kept playing over and over in his head. Going back into his phone to re-read it probably wasn't helping. The part he is so stuck on, though, is the vague allusion that maybe this is his last chance, at least with Diego still in his corner for it. The idea that he might push his brother over an edge into never trying or believing in him again terrifies him. No less than twice, while Diego is gone doing what he always does, Klaus works himself into a panic about that handful of words. I hope you fucking do because i'm tired of your shit The kind of thing that in any other circumstance might be easily believed to be nothing more than a thing brothers just say to each other. Except. Klaus knows how thin all of his siblings' patience is with him. And who can blame them? It's not like this is new. That he's never done this, and claimed he'd really do it this time, only to backslide massively days or a week later. He rides out the first panic attack, too worked up to be able to pull himself out of it; the second one he manages to use a trick they told him in mandatory counseling meetings when he was in rehab. He used his own senses to pull him out of his head and into the moment and not his thoughts. Four things he hears; three things he can touch. A countdown that requires him to name, out loud, the things he's looking for or doing. It works, weirdly, and it's apparently just in time, too. A mere handful of minutes later, breath still a little shaky and uneven, pillow clutched clearly to his chest, Diego is leaning in his doorway. Klaus hopes he doesn't look too wrecked, and that if he does, he can just blame it on detoxing. "Hey," he lifts one hand in a half-hearted finger wave, voice rough and a little hoarse.

[littlepsycho]

They hadn't exactly saved the world, but he had saved his siblings and the truth was, that was good enough. He'd managed to take them back. Of course he was still the only one stuck in a body going through puberty twice, or was this the third time?

It didn't matter. What mattered was that he needed a drink. Luckily someone had already gone through the trouble of breaking open dad's liquor cabinet and he was able to help himself. It didn't hit him how much he missed Delores until he was on the second drink and after that the thought of her only made him pour another glass. He hoped she was happy with her friends and the department store clerk had listened to him about the sequins. He'd go and see her, but he knew it'd only end up with him wanting to bring her home.

He wanders through the house, a glass of whiskey in one hand and one of dad's cigars in his mouth. He meant to light it a while back, but somehow forgot. Either way, it's a satisfying, bitter taste in his mouth. He's celebrating. At least while he can.

He's pretty sure it's only a matter of time before the Commission will be coming for him. Or all of them, really. Though maybe they'll think twice, now that they know what Vanya can do.

a year later.... disregard if you wish <3

[bestfuneralever]

Klaus can't sleep. This should come as no surprise, considering what he has to deal with when he's sober. He's trying, but he's not sure how long he'll last, if the truth is told. Maybe he can steer clear of some of the worst of what he'd indulged in through the years, but he's almost certain he won't be able to completely abstain. And maybe that's okay, he just hasn't decided yet if it can be. Not with so many of his siblings looking at him the way they do, when he does anything they don't approve of. He's wandering the house idly, mostly for the sake of something to do, cigarette hanging between his lips. He turns the corner and finds Five at the other end of the hall, cigar in his mouth and unlit. "Need'a light?" he asks, fishing the lighter out of his pocket and holding it out as he moves closer toward the eldest of the Hargreeves.

[adaptiveimmunities]

Shaun likes to consider himself a reasonable Irwin, but realistically he knows that that ship had sailed sometime in the moments after he had shot his sister, and it's so far over the horizon at this point that it may as well never have existed at all. He's not all that reasonable (especially if the objections Mahir and Maggie have been registering to his stunts lately have any merit), and he's certainly not sane.

Still, his visual and auditory hallucinations are usually limited to his dead sister, and have never in the past included skinny dudes wearing dog tags and army vests appearing out of thin fucking air in the middle of a quarantine zone.

Shaun's gun is aimed over the guy's shoulder, because currently they have more pressing matters than "who the hell are you?" so he shouts the only reasonable thing to say in a moment like this.

"Hey--get behind me!"

a year and change later.....

[bestfuneralever]

Life is....A Lot, if you're one Klaus Hargreeves, and it has been from the start with no signs of slowing down or stopping any time soon. Add time travel to the list of insane things he's done in his life, it's fine. And here he's done it again.

He doesn't even have time to process what has happened, or where he is, before there's someone shouting at him. Having just come from a warzone where you had to take what you could in terms of cover and suggestion? He doesn't hesitate in doing just what he's asked.

"What the hell is going on?!" His voice rings high-pitched. and equal parts confused and scared just yet.

@bondsfast

[bestfuneralever]

[3. I miss you and I miss your weed. Come home.]

mostly i just need a way to get there?
i mean i cant do the driving thing and i doubt i could talk Five into delivering me via space-jump...

@5ofmylife

[bestfuneralever]

[1. you are singlehandedly the most cursed object the universe ever conceived]

on which planet, specifically, is a CURSE somehow a GOOD THING, Five?!

people are also afraid of death
and addicts
and weirdos
and i really dont need to scare people away from me more, Five, i got that shit covered in spades

@wingflap

[bestfuneralever]

[4. getting up at 8am to start drinking seemed like a much better idea before I had to wake up at 8am.]

i do like silk
maybe some secrets are okay

oh right my bad
js = just saying

im hitting on you
i will wear probably anything you want me to honestly
i retain the will to say no but ill be honest im pretty bad at saying no

[wingflap]

One of my favourite kinds of people, but I do prefer satin on men. Not sure why. I blame David Bowie.

I do find consent to be one of the sexiest things about.

@unraisehell

[bestfuneralever]

[2. I'm pretty sure the Bible says "He who is most sober may cast the first stone."]

sounds like a blast regardless
now i wanna light something on fire
and make smores

[unraisehell]

and now I do too, thanks for that. wonder if i can get Waves to pick me up some s'mores pop tarts.

@memetic_princess

[bestfuneralever]

[4: There's no such thing as shame in your world, is there?]

dork

[memetic_princess]

Request not recognized.
It has been said that compassion leads to courage, moderation leads to generosity, and humility leads to leadership.

@numberthree

[bestfuneralever]

[2. i'm half naked talking to a cat. you don't have to justify your life to me.] uhhhh my bad?

@chicartista

[bestfuneralever]

[1. Got an email thanking me for being a Waffle House regular. Maybe I need to stop going there shitfaced.] I mean no not really....

[chicartista]

maybe being a regular comes with free biscuits

@trenchcoat_brigade

[bestfuneralever]

TAGWORDS

[2. i'm half naked talking to a cat. you don't have to justify your life to me.]

maybe that's the idea

[trenchcoat_brigade]

Careful now love, I might come back with all sorts of illicit ideas with encouragement like that

. ;)

@excessed

[bestfuneralever]

[3. Woke up feeling refreshed and without a hangover... and then realized I went to bed three days ago. Shit.] y r u worried? fuck, d, u've lost me

@extralarge

[bestfuneralever]

[4. i had to get the starbucks manager to open the bathroom door for me...you passed out on the floor, the things i do for you] probably after ending up in the middle of vietnam for 10mo [Oh. Wait. Did Luther know about that? Shit. This was probably not the best way to tell him about that.] I know he does. He's just.......intense, sometimes.

[extralarge]

Wait what? You have a passport?

[should he even question that... should he? does he want to know?]

Did he do something
recently?

@paulbunyan

[bestfuneralever]

[3. I have a love-hate relationship with Halloween okay. I can never tell which people are Actually Dead and just Really Convincing Makeup Dead.
And I can't take cops seriously because I just think it's some dude in a cop costume.
It's a bad time for everyone involved.]

lol u say that like i would hate having company like ever

[paulbunyan]

I wasn't sure you'd like my company specifically, not during something like that.

i'm a little mad that you're being a dirty enabler. just so you know.

[duelo]

It's the third night of this and Derek can't just keep pretending that he doesn't hear his brother suffering in the living room on the couch. It's the third night that he's been crashing and the third night Derek can hear him whimpering, whether in his sleep or from withdrawals or because he's seeing dear old dad is anyone's guess, but Klaus is on night two too many and Derek can't let it slide anymore.

Padding out of his bedroom, he stops at the mouth of the hallway that opens into the living area and leans against the wall. "Klaus," he says, firmly enough to be heard, but gently enough, hopefully, not to startle his brother too much. "Come on," he adds. That's all he has to say. It's been at least a decade and a half since he's extended that exact invitation to his brother, but he imagines Klaus knows what he means all the same. Some things you just don't ever forget.

They're entirely too old for this, but Derek isn't going to be telling anyone about it and he really doubts Klaus will, so who is it really hurting?

yw, ilu! ♥

[bestfuneralever]

Despite Derek's attempts to not startle him, Klaus still manages to shock awake-- if it can be called that, because what he was, certainly wasn't anything like asleep. But not fully aware, and present, and-- A gasp wracks his too-small frame as he pulls himself into a sitting position, shoving both hands through his hair, looping them at the base of his neck as he pushes up to his feet with that quiet-- demand? request? He really isn't sure what Derek meant it to be, but it's somehow soft and firm at once, easily familiar and pulls him into action with ease. He doesn't say a word as he pads his way across the room and follows Derek back down the hallway, all the while trying to quiet and calm the shaky breaths he's still taking.

@apocacryptics {Gather 'round the tv screen and play out a scene with me

[bestfuneralever]

Klaus really, really hates everything attached to being sober. He's made it for a week or two since they narrowly managed to skirt around the Apocalypse, but it's harder and harder to cling to every day. Wanting things to be different isn't enough to make it so. He has to put in the effort and he knew he would have to and that it would never be easy. But knowing that doesn't make any of it easier to handle. So sleepless nights. And movies with his oldest-little brother are apparently how he's dealing with it all tonight. Klaus is perched on the couch with his legs tucked under him and he's got a whole spread on the table-- popcorn, sodas, various types of candy, along with an array of various genre movies spanning across the last decade and a half. Five claimed veto power, so it made sense to just give him a selection and let him pick. Klaus didn't care what they watched, truthfully, he just wanted to something to do, and to not be alone, until he could manage to catch a few precious hours of sleep.

[apocacryptics]

Five isn't sure why he agreed to this whole ridiculous movie night thing. Except that he knows that Delores would be disappointed in him if he locked himself away and ignored his family. Goddamn woman, still playing at being his conscience even after he let her go. So before he can think better of it Five steps through a wall and lands onto the couch next to Klaus without any sort of warning.

Is he hoping to startle him? Definitely.

Is it immature for him to want to make him his brother jump even at this age? For sure.

Does he care? Absolutely not.

"Alright, let's do this." There's no greeting, no hellos. Just Five wearing a pair of pajamas Alison insisted on buying for him because apparently, it's unacceptable to keep wearing his old uniforms all the time. He reaches for the movies and pulls a face at all of them. "...These all look ridiculous. Which one is your favorite?"

@itselbitch

[bestfuneralever]

[1. my booty call made my bed while i was in the shower. i may have to marry him.] Klaus couldn't care less about Five and his angry hissing, he doesn't even notice it, honestly. What he does notice, however, is the easy way Eliot picks him up and spins him and why has he never had anyone do this before?! It's the most amazing blissful ten seconds of his entire life, thanks. "Oh, you know I always have to make a grand entrance!" He's grinning ear to ear, an amused laugh bubbling up out of his as he's eventually set back down on his feet. "Something stronger, definitely." He says with a wave of his hand, "whatever you have on hand is fine." Klaus is hardly what one might call picky when it comes to his alcohol.

@gigue

[bestfuneralever]

[4. i brought coffee but not enough for the naked guy on your porch]

VEE
Don't leeaaave meeee
I need coffee.

@rumorhazit

[bestfuneralever]

[2. I drunkenly recorded an episode of Family Matters last night. I took a shot everytime Carl Winslow had a mustache.]

Short list
I have a hsort attentn span sis u knowthosi

[rumorhazit]

Wowz and I thought amy typing was bad
1. not a good omther

{Just wanna give you peace of mind with a little closure » OPEN to ALL Hargreeves

[ghostphone]

Weeks have passed since Five disappeared and everyone was still upset. How were they supposed to focus on their studies and their training when their brother was missing? Vanya kept leaving lights on at night for him; Luther, Diego, and Allison have searched in as many places around the city as they could consider; and Ben mostly just keeps checking on everyone and making sure they're okay, and trying to reassure them that somehow, they'll find a way to get him home. Weeks of no return. Weeks of no clues. Weeks of nothing. In the end, it's Diego that unwittingly gives Klaus the idea, with some sharp quip at Vanya one evening before lights out. Something about how Five wasn't coming back, and he was probably already dead anyway. It was awful, and no one dared even look at him, or at Vanya, who's eyes welled up immediately with tears before she spun on her heel and disappeared into her room, door slammed shut on the idea entirely. Everyone else slowly, awkwardly, dispersed into their own rooms behind her. Klaus didn't even latch onto it at first, it was still another couple of weeks since that outburst in the hallway on the way to bed that night. Lying in bed awake one night, he remembers how sad Vee was to think Five was really, truly gone-gone. Dead. Realizes how much simpler it would be if he was, because at least he could confirm it. Let them know for certain, and give them permission to let go, to move on. And then it clicked. He could give them that closure! And they'd never have to know it was a lie, because... it's not like anyone else ever saw the ghosts anyway. The next morning, he went downstairs to breakfast like every other day. He waited until everyone was gathered at the dining table before bursting into his very, very hopeful plan. "Dad, I had an idea." The look on Reginald's face is impassive, and he doesn't even acknowledge he's been spoken to as he takes a bite of his breakfast. "I mean--" he clears his throat, "Sir?" a small, simple and mostly unspoken request to speak. "What is it, Number Four?" "Could I- could I try to contact Number Five?" Reginald pauses and tilts his head, studying the boy for a long moment, as if trying to decide his ulterior motives right then and there. "Do you a reason to believe that Number Five has passed on?" "N- No. But, it's worth a try, isn't it? Just to be sure. A-and if he did, then--" "After breakfast." Reginald cuts him off abruptly. "Everyone in the drawing room, and we'll see if Number Four has been practicing, as he says he has." Klaus' shoulders slump and he ducks his head, finishing the rest of his breakfast in silence. Once everyone is finished eating, they all make a line toward the drawing room. Everyone takes seats in various places around the room, except Klaus, who's standing in the middle, and Reginald, who is standing near the door, looking at Klaus with a scrupulous expression. Klaus feels the nerves slowly starting to try and eat a hole in his stomach, but he keeps reminding himself that, while it's a lie, it's for a good cause, which means it's okay and for the best. There's a little bit of an animated shake out of his limbs, before he drags his hands over his face and takes a deep breath. He lets it out and looks like he's trying to "loosen up" for a moment longer before he finally tries. And he does try in earnest, at first. And he can feel the shift in the air that always comes when he tries to contact the spirits. It's so much easier to just let them come to him, but he can call on them, when he concentrates. Five never shows up, though. So he decides to keep going. Roll with the lie he'd prepared, in the event this fell through. He opens his eyes and focuses on one of the handful of ghosts that's entered the room. At least he had someone to look at. "Five? Is it really you?" He's got his best voice on, the features of his face shifting in something equal parts relieved and sad. "I-" he tears his eyes away from their father. "He's here... he can hear you guys, and... I- I can talk for him..."

{All your lies fall apart in a moment » OPEN to ALL Hargreeves

[ghostphone]

Somewhere half-way through the session with "Five", after everyone's gotten to say something to him, heard whatever Klaus made up that sounded vaguely like something Five might say, Reginald steps in. Klaus feels the dread drench him instantly as their father takes careful, measured steps toward him in the center of the drawing room. "Ask him," he says, looking pointedly at Klaus. "what the time-dependent case of the Schrödinger equation is." Klaus instantly panics and, despite all his efforts to hide it, some of slips through in his eyes. He glances wildly around the room, where all of his siblings are still sitting. Staring. Waiting for him to answer their father's question, easy as breathing, like everything else that had happened in the last fifteen minutes because Five had been feeding him answers. Except. Five isn't here, and Klaus has been making it all up on the fly. And now he's about to be caught and called out for his lie and-- He thinks quick on his feet, however, and immediately launches into an excuse. "I- I... I can't- the connection is weak, he- he's hard to hear, I... I can't tell what he said." he turns to look up at Reginald, ready to kowtow to the man, but trying to look upset instead of fearful. "I- I'm sorry..." "Interesting, isn't it," The older man stares accusingly down his nose and over the rim of his glasses at the scrawny boy in front of him before turning his attention to the rest of the children, moving in a slow spin to focus on each of them in turn as he speaks. "that he could answer everything... except something that Number Four...can't possibly understand or predict the answer to." Klaus' eyes well up as the quiet murmuring starts among his siblings, but Reginald continues. "You all asked and said emotional things. Things Number Four could chance guesses at. That is why he was able to lie to you so easily." his gaze lingers on Number One, but he addresses all of them. "I'll leave you all to settle this amongst yourselves." With that, he stalks out of the room, likely heading to his office to make notes about this event in the journals he has for each of the children. With all five pairs of remaining eyes on him, and his lie laid bare for them, Klaus shrinks where he stands, shoulders curling in as he glances around at all of his siblings. "Guys, I- I-I'm sorry, I-- I can explain--!" But the voices are all overlapping each other, and his own voice gets lost in the cacophony of it all.