ficlet per l'ultima settimana

[seasidhedcv]

won't ya kiss me on that midnight street?

sweep me off my feet singing, "ain't this life so sweet?”

"Do you remember when we used to dance to this song?" Klaus asks with an almost daydreaming voice, slowly swaying to the sound of music with his eyes closed and the most relaxed look Diego has ever seen on his face.

And maybe it's just because Klaus isn't high - because Diego is actually pretty sure he saw him far more relaxed than that, drugs usually had that effect on Klaus, but this time is different and that is most definitely a different kind of relax -, maybe it's just because Klaus seems honestly happier than usual. And it's weird and amazing at the same time, it's strange and scary and unbelievable and this? This particular moment is the best thing that ever happened to Diego in the last fucking months.

"How could I forget?" Diego laughs because it's the simplest thing to do, because everything else he'd like to do would require an amount of courage he doesn't have.

Klaus looks happy. And no, it's even more than that, Klaus looks serene. And Diego wouldn't want anything different for his brother. Klaus doesn't look like he's on the verge of death, Klaus doesn't look like he just cried his heart out, Klaus doesn't look like the only way he has to survive is stuffing his body full of drugs and alcohol.

Klaus looks happy. Klaus has never been more beautiful than in this particular moment, swaying to an old song they used to dance to when they were kids. Klaus has never been more beautiful than in this particular moment, eyes closed and a tiny smile, lips slightly parted as he hums along the lyrics of the song.

Klaus has never been more beautiful and Diego has never wanted to kiss him more than he wants to kiss him now.

 

running just as fast as we can,

holding on to one another hands

"You can do it, you’re stronger that the addiction,” Diego says in his best pep-talk voice. And it's not great, he knows. It's not like he's used to giving pep talks. They should get Luther there - except Luther is shitty at that too and would absolutely make everything worse.

"I’m really not,“ Klaus laughs humorlessly, with that kind of laugh that makes Diego's stomach clench painfully. It sounds more like a sob than a laugh. Diego doesn't want to hear that noise coming from Klaus ever again.

"Yes you are. And you can't bullshit me, I'm your brother and I know you," Diego stops him before Klaus manages to say anything in protest. "You asked me to help you and that's exactly what I'm doing. Helping you. Because I'm a charitable soul."

"You've chained me to the bed, how's that something a charitable soul would do?"

"You asked me to!"

"I asked you to tie me to the chair, not chain me to the bed!" Klaus trashes weakly against the headboard and Diego doesn't know if that's because he's feeling weak because of withdrawal or if that's because he doesn't actually want to get away. Diego surely hopes it's because Klaus is still on board with all this.

Diego stays with Klaus for the entire process - now that there's no apocalypse to stop and no murder to avenge and nothing for him to do but mourn his losses and, God, he doesn't want to do that. He really doesn't. And it's painful and exhausting and terrifying and the most difficult thing Diego has ever done in his entire life.

"Diego?"

"Don't ask for drugs, I've already told you. And honestly? The fact that you think I'd cave in for a blowjob? Disrespectful."

"Thank you."

"... Don't mention it.” 

two can be as bad as one

it's the loneliest number since the number one

The first time they kiss is out of desperation.

Klaus thinks it's natural to feel so drawn to Diego. They both lost someone important, they both feels like shit. Diego is the only one who apparently gives Klaus the benefit of the doubt and Klaus is the only one who tried to talk to Diego - actually managing all of the knife-throwing, life-threatening act. Klaus thinks it's natural to feel so drawn to Diego.

(And there's no denying he always sort of felt that way. He's okay with his own feelings. He likes to think he's okay with his own feelings - and that alone probably means he really isn't -, he likes to think he accepts them like he accepted being gay. Gracefully. Like he does everything else. Gracefully. And he can almost hear Ben's laughing and, you know what Ben? Fuck you.)

Diego helped him with the sobering up and Klaus helped him with the share your feelings part because it turns out Diego is pretty good at restraining people and pretty shitty at confronting his own feelings. Not that Klaus is better, mind you, but at least he's not afraid of crying.

So they spend time together and they talk and they cry together and they share memories - and Diego is actually a good listener when he wants too. And Klaus never talks about Dave with anyone else - except for Ben but Ben doesn't really count, does he? - and Diego can be so awfully understanding when he wants to and Klaus feels things he shouldn't feel and everything is so fucking confusing.

And then there's a kiss - s slow, desperate kiss, an unusually wet kiss because they both were crying a few moments before.

"I need more time, I can't-" Klaus immediately panics and once again Diego surprises him.

"Me too. I get it, don't worry, there's no need to panic."

He needs more time. They need more time. But Klaus already knows this will be something.

gonna rock it up roll it up

do it all, have a ball, saturday night

It's nothing different than what usually happens in that house. It's always been like this and it will always be like this: they're a bunch of freak with a fucked up sense of how relationships should be like - romantic relationships, family relationships, friendship relationships, every fucking relationship - and it's always just a matter of time before someone says something that makes someone else hurt.

But Diego and Luther? Oh, God, Diego and Luther really are something. Usually Klaus is pretty good at ignoring them but lately? Lately things started being different. Klaus has been different. Everything has been different.

"Oh my God, can it with the toxic masculinity, will you?" Klaus comments offhandedly, like he always does, like he has been doing for his whole life. And yet Luther doesn't react well. At all.

A few seconds later Klaus is literally pinned to the wall, a huge hand around his throat and the weird feeling of his feet not touching the ground. And the weird feeling of having already lived through a moment like this. And it fucking sucks. Again.

 

"What do you care? What do you want? Why are you here and not somewhere getting wasted? That's the only thing you're good at," Luther growls in his face and Klaus would very much like to answer but he really isn't in condition to do so. Mostly because he can't fucking breathe. "You're useless and cause nothing but trouble and you still think you have to say something every time."

There's something wrong with Luther and it's pretty obvious. Not that he's usually the best brother in the world but- this is a bit too far even for him. Klaus can hear Allison shout something but he can't quite make up what is it.

And then, suddenly, Klaus can breathe again.

"Don't fucking touch him again," Diego spits out and Klaus is aware of two things. Luther is bleeding a shit ton. Diego is holding Klaus in his arms.

it is such a fine and natural sight

everybody's dancin' in the moonlight

"Hey shithead, what are you doing?" Two asks with a subtle snark in his voice and Four gets his revenge by not even looking at him. He knows that Two doesn't like to be ignored - he knows his brother very fucking well and knows what buttons to push.

"Hello? Earth to Four?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Four finally answers, without even opening his own eyes. "I mean I knew you were dumb but this is pretty easy even for you."

"Nice try. You know One is the real dummy."

"Yes, Two, but you are a close second," Four snickers and by the end of the sentence he's openly laughing. Two doesn't look impressed, though, but that doesn't mean Four actually manages to stop giggling.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh my God, Two, seriously? I'm dancing, it's not rocket science!"

"Yeah, I was talking more about what you're wearing," Two claps back immediately and it takes Four quite some time before he actually remembers that he's wearing a dress. And high heels. Well, shit. He doesn't know how to answer that question and honestly? It shows.

"You're not that funny anymore, uh?"

There's a bit of a storm in Four's head and he hates the fact that Two knows him well enough to know this. And that's not true, he doesn't really hate it. But it's making him feel more vulnerable than he'd like - especially because he really does feels comfortable with what he's wearing.

"I'm wearing clothes and you're still dumb," he finally manages to spit out. Two doesn't look impressed. This probably wasn't one of his best remarks, Four has to admit it.

"Don't let dad see you in these particular clothes. I don't want to scrap you from the floor," Four would love to laugh but that does sound like something that could happen. So he doesn't answer and sighs with relief when Two leaves the room.

"I think you look great, shithead."

And that may have made Four blush a little.

me and you and you and me

no matter how they toss the dice, it had to be

It turns out a perfectly good way of stopping Klaus from thinking about buying drugs is buying him stuff. Diego isn't exactly an expert on gifts and he isn't going to deny that. Why should he. Especially because Klaus likes things Diego doesn't really like.

(It was something else with Eudora, really. He knew what she liked because she liked the same things he did and everything was really fucking easier. Not that he's complaining about what he has now, with Klaus. It's just different. And more complicated when it comes to gifts.)

So, Diego isn't an expert on gifts and Klaus is really something but buying him stuff helps with the whole process and Diego isn't going to complain.

"You bought me another gift?" Klaus asks with a smile that could only mean danger - Diego knows, he's trained and he recognizes danger. Danger is his middle name.

"Are you complaining?"

"I'm not complaining," Klaus still has the same smile, even when he gets in front of the mirror and tries his new tank top. Diego figured Klaus would like something... extravagant like that. "It's pretty, I like it."

Diego bites down the urge to answer you're pretty - because where the fuck are they, a cheesy romantic comedy? Fuck no - and just stares at him. But fuck, he is really pretty.

And maybe, just maybe, this whole gifts thing has a double meaning. Because Diego can't deny he actually enjoys giving Klaus gifts. He does. He really does.

He enjoys the way Klaus always looks like a puppy in front of a treat. He enjoys the way Klaus' eyes widen every single time. He enjoys the fact that it doesn't matter what kind of gift it is - clothes, food, something else - Klaus always looks happier than before. Like it's not even the gift that made him happy but the single thought.

And maybe it's exactly that. It's not like they had a lot of all that receiving gifts when they were young. Or as adults, Diego guesses.

"So, do you like it?" Klaus asks, turning to face Diego.

"It's a gift for you, you're the one who should answer that question."

"But I'm wearing it and I want to know if you think I'm pretty," Klaus answers and there's that wicked smile, once again. Diego fucking love that smile. Even if it means danger - and, once again, danger is his middle name.

"You are," Diego concedes and tries to hide a smile when Klaus laughs and jumps on the bed, right next to him. On top of him, to be really honest. "You dumb ass."

"You're buying me a lot of stuff," Klaus whispers right against Diego's mouth and it takes all of his inner strength not to kiss him to make him shut up. "Are you my sugar daddy, Diego?"

"I think our relationship is already pretty fucked up without getting dad involved, don't you?"

Klaus starts snickering against him and Diego feels weirdly happy.

It's his first gay pride and Arthur doesn't have a clue what he should do. How he should've dressed. What he should've brought with him. Everybody else seem pretty fucking comfortable and Arthur? Arthur is an anxious mess.

"I'm here," Francis whispers softly in his ear and kisses his cheek. "Don't worry, everything's fine. And if it's too much we can always go somewhere else. We don't need to stay here for the whole parade."

"I know you want, though."

"I want you to feel good. I want you to be happy and I don't want you to have a panic attack," Francis kisses him, light and chaste, and Arthur feels once again a mess. Francis, on the contrary, seems like he's in his element.

Everything about his screams I'm here and I'm glad I'm here and this is where I should be and Arthur envies him so much. For all his confidence and the sense of belonging and the way he acts and the way he talks and the way he's not insecure at all.

The way he's proud of who he is and the way he's comfortable with himself.

"Let's see how it goes. I want to be here with you."

"Promise me you'll tell me if something's wrong. Promise me, Arthur."

"I promise," Arthur answers and it gets him another kiss from Francis. Francis, who looks even more beautiful than usual. Francis who's right there, right in the middle of the streets of London, all smiles and happiness.

Francis, who's right there, right in the middle of a crowded street with a skirt and high heels and a tank top and Arthur has never been more in love and more scared than he is right now. Francis looks amazing but there's a voice in Arthur's head that keeps saying things that Arthur doesn't want to hear.

A voice that keeps wondering what all the other people are going to think - the people on the side of the streets and even the people joining the parade, Arthur knows hate doesn't go just one way. A voice that keeps wondering what could happen. Arthur would like to take Francis back to their place and just... admire him there. Without anyone else.

But Francis looks happy and comfortable and Arthur suddenly feels like an asshole. He's having those thoughts - and he knows it's not entirely his fault, but that doesn't matter. The world is unjust and he's not any better. And Arthur admires Francis and Arthur would give anything to be like him - but then again he can't ignore what he knows. Francis hasn't always been out and proud. Francis suffered trough some serious shit before accepting everything he was and everything he'd be after. It doesn't come easy to him, it doesn't matter how easy Francis makes it look like.

"Are you okay, babe?" Francis asks with a concerned smile - that turns into a happy laughter when Arthur pulls him closer to kiss him.

"I'm fine. I was just admiring you,” he answers in a whispers, enjoying the way Francis' eyes lit up. He's so fucking gorgeous. Arthur would tell him anything to make him look like that. And it’s unbelievable that he’s not used to being told how perfect he is, how beautiful he is.

"Hey, faggot! Are you a woman or a man or what? Freak!"

Arthur doesn't even have to look to know they're talking about Francis. But he sees a glimpse of Francis' hurt expression - just a glimpse before Francis turns into his usual self. Francis ignores the other man and usually? Usually Arthur would've done the same.

(He' still too worried and too anxious and too uncomfortable with who he is and who he's dating and who they are as a whole thing - ignoring people always seems like the best idea.)

But Francis' hurt expression doesn't leave his mind for a single second and suddenly Arthur finds himself talking almost without realizing.

"Shut your fucking hole, you fucking wanker!" Arthur shouts almost gleefully, and then grabs his boyfriend and kisses him. Francis moans in surprise and almost melts in his arms. And Arthur is really fucking satisfied.