(no subject)

[skyhigh_seance]

Klaus saunters in, a bottle of daddy's stupidly expensive whiskey dangling from his fingers. This week has been a ride so far, you know? Seeing everyone, getting forcibly reminded how they're all assholes, being threatened by Luther, raiding Allison's closet (her taste is amazing even if her ethics are shit), looting dad's study, having mom's cookies for the first time in... way too long, actually sleeping in his old bed, wallowing in that ridiculously oversized pit that is their bathtub...

It's not all bad, really. Even if he has to put up with Pogo's fussy nagging.

Of course, all of the mansion's old ghosts have come out to play, so... whiskey. He has absolutely No Desire to see if Sir Reginald Hargreeves has joined their ranks.

He sprawls bonelessly on the couch, after sending a wait rat to get 'like, a pizza, or something like that, that'd be amazing'. Definitely a good idea to eat here, less chance of Luther stealing it.

Comments

[zenigatcha]

Zenigata hasn't quite yet hit the critical mass of post-guilt-and-grief guilt, but he's been coming to and from the bar with less pep in his step, that's for sure. Pulling boxes in, choosing to work in the library or his room here -- it means he's been a scarce figure for a few days, even though he's been here. Avoiding people he knows? Definitely.

Except this one.

Klaus is safe because he doesn't know shit, won't be emotionally invested enough to care about literally any of his problems, and will be the flippant, shallow connection he needs right now.

(Lupin would normally be his go-to for antagonizing and snarling, but seeing Lupin is a bad idea right now. Lupin must be avoided at all costs. Sunshine and Abe certainly know he's processing and dealing with the weight of what he's been told, but Lupin would know how deep the grief has it's claws in him.)

"You drinking good whiskey, or cheap whiskey, Klaus?"

[skyhigh_seance]

"Heeeey, Zenigata!" Klaus grins at seeing a familiar face, waving the bottle at him. "It's dear old daddy's, so both, which hey, win!"

[zenigatcha]

"Share, then?" he waves down a rat for a glass, which is supplied readily. He'll just come, take a seat, and turn off his ability to give a fuck. Liquor is, after all, a proven guilt suppressor and Zenigata's favorite.

[skyhigh_seance]

"I suppose I could spare some." Klaus allows cheerfully, though he smirks at the whole 'extra glass' thing. So fancy.

To his credit, he pours a heavy-handed glass.

[zenigatcha]

"Thank you," Zenigata says as he takes his seat.

There's... a certain dearth of conversation coming from him, though. Normally he's very chatty, but... not so much right now. Maybe after some liquor.

[skyhigh_seance]

"Awww, why such a long face, sailor?" Klaus asks, batting his eyelashes before taking a swig of the whiskey for himself.

[zenigatcha]

"Nothing," he says, and lifts his glass. "How's your family? Any luck at home getting things back on track? Plans?"

[skyhigh_seance]

"My family are assholes." Klaus declares, damning them all with the same brush. "My plans are to enjoy mom's cooking and the ridiculously large bathtub until they throw me out again."

[zenigatcha]

"That sounds like a solid plan," Zenigata says, giving a little nod. Family is awful. They make you feel things. Zenigata doesn't want to feel anything right now, especially about family.

[skyhigh_seance]

"It's not bad, all things considered." Klaus agrees, settling into the couch, but shifting up again as the rats bring a properly greasy pepperoni pizza.

[zenigatcha]

"Heard a lot worse, that's for damn sure," Zenigata replies, and then gestures to the pizza. He eats and drinks his feelings, so -- you know, can he have a slice?

[skyhigh_seance]

"Help yourself man, I can't eat all this, it'll ruin my girlish figure." Klaus waves the non-pizza holding hand towards the table.

[zenigatcha]

"I'm sure it will go straight to your thighs," Zenigata says, eyes rolling as he scoops up a slice.

Like everything here, it's good. There's no such thing as bad food at Milliway's, short of someone's being intentionally bad at something to upset somebody. But since the rats don't have the urge to spit in anybody's food, they're good.

[manipulatestime]

Time is of the essence so he doesn't want to miss Klaus when they run into each other again. He also doesn't want a repeat performance where he goes off and takes rage out on killing people. But they were going to kill him so it evens out.

Five sits on the arm of the couch at Klaus' feet and gives his brother the side-eye.

"Found dad's stash?"

[skyhigh_seance]

"Yep - Luther must still be as boring as he looks, Daddio never felt the need to move it since I left." Klaus agrees, helping himself to another swig.

[manipulatestime]

Right. They'd all been apart before he returned.

"Why did you leave?"

[skyhigh_seance]

"Thrown out." Klaus favors his brother with a wan smile, "What, you didn't think they begged me to stay, did you?"

[manipulatestime]

"They're your family." Have all of them lost their sense of commitment? "Sure, you guys argued, everyone does... They threw you out?"

[skyhigh_seance]

"Yep. I haven't been back in the house for... geeze, well over a decade. Haven't seen anyone since, except Diego, sometimes. And Allison, on magazines and things, you know." Klaus shrugs - he's had a long time to get used to his new lifestyle.

[manipulatestime]

Five frowns. They might be idiots, but they're his idiots and they shouldn't treat each other this way.

"Do you know what it feels like to try for forty years to get back to you all only to find you're all gone? Barely speaking to each other?"

He's not going to try to explain, because he really can't put it into words. "They need your help now."

[skyhigh_seance]

"Five, they have never needed my help, and you know it." Klaus snorts. "The only reason Luther hasn't tossed me out again is he thinks I'm even a little bit happy about the idea that I might get a new ghost to talk to."

[manipulatestime]

He sighs. "I need your help."

[skyhigh_seance]

"The hell you do, Five." Klaus snorts. "I'm not summoning Dad for you either, so don't bother."

[manipulatestime]

"I'm not expecting you to." Five isn't obsessed with pleasing Reggie anymore. It's something new.

"I need answers in the here and now."

[skyhigh_seance]

"Well, unless your questions involve the best way to get high, I don't have any answers, so lay off." Klaus retorts, then brightens when the waitrats bring a wonderfully greasy pizza. Win.