Chapter Text
When his phone had started ringing, Diego didn’t recognize the number.
He huffs. “Who is this?”
“Can you pick me up?”
Diego lets out a long exaggerated groan. He’d recognize that voice anywhere. “I’m busy Klaus, I don’t have time to be your fucking chauffeur.”
“Ah come ooon,” Klaus whines. “Trust me, if I could call anyone else right now I would.”
“Why should I?”
“Cause you have nothing better to than wait around in your leather get-up, probably.”
“Really not helping your case here.” Diego sighs. “Can’t you just walk or something? You’re resourceful, get home by yourself.”
Diego hears a dramatic gasp through the phone, followed by a couple sharp coughs. “And let a pretty little thing like me become exposed to the late night ne’er-do-wells? And you call yourself a man of justice!”
Diego sighs. “Are you high right now? You better not be.” He asks as he turns off his police radio and starts the car's ignition. There’s a nagging in the back of his head calling him a huge pushover.
He hears Klaus scoff. “Trust me man, I wish.” There’s a short shuffling sound and Diego hears a muffled curse. “Anyway, you coming to get me or not?” His tone is sharp, a little biting, not like anything Diego has heard from him in a while.
“Fine. Yeah. Sure. I’ll come. Where are you?”
“Uuuh, you know that one apartment thing? That got torn down? I’m around there I think.”
“You think.” Diego repeats, incredulous. “You’re being… way too vague bro, I’m not about to go searching for you.”
He hears Klaus let out a groan before he hears a short muffled conversation.
“We’re on Pine Avenue or something, crossing with Antler Road.” More shuffling fills the receiver and Klaus suddenly sounds far away. “Wait really? I didn’t think we went that far.” His voice suddenly becomes clear. “No yeah, that rose apartment building thing that got torn down, were in front of that.”
“We? I’m not coming if I’ve got to deal with your junkie friends dude.”
“Oh… right. No. Yeah, sorry. It’s just Ben and me, and he can’t really take up any space in your car so no need to worry.” Klaus’s breathy laugh leaks through his words. More shuffling and Diego hears Klaus’s voice get muffled again. “You know it’s true man, no offense.”
Diego sighs begrudgingly and pulls out of the parking lot he had camped out in. “I’m on my way.” Knowing he sounds worn out. “You owe me big.”
“You’re an absolute peach! Such a lovely brother of mine, than―” The line cuts out.
That’s not promising.
________________________
Diego has to admit, the drive isn’t actually that long from where he was. But the neighborhood is ridden with abandoned apartments and torn down offices, and he can take an educated guess on why exactly Klaus was hanging around the area.
If that douchebag is high off is ass when he picks him up he’s gonna leave him there.
Or dump him off at the nearest rehab center, even if it’s futile he can at least say he had made an attempt.
Diego sighs again as he pulls up to a large, empty lot with a streetlight on the side of the street. Under said streetlight Diego sees a payphone and two legs peeking out from behind a bench.
He parks the car and huffs as he gets out onto the street.
It’s early enough in the morning that the moon is still somewhat high in the sky, and the streetlamp casts long shadows as Diego walks up to the payphone.
What he finds is Klaus, sitting on the curb with his legs sprawled out and leaning against the payphones stand, still loosely holding the receiver in his lap. He has his elbow up on the bench, and he’s resting his forehead against his hand, not having taken notice of Diego yet.
In all honesty, he’s not looking good. The outfit is on the plainer side, an unbuttoned short sleeve over a tank top that looks like it’s been stretched out far too much, and he’s wearing tight pants that lace up along the sides. He’s not wearing any shoes, and one of his ankles looks like it’s twisted unnaturally. It’s a chilly, and Diego sees no jacket in sight.
He nudges the good-looking leg with his foot and if Klaus could jump three feet in the air from a sitting position, he probably would have.
“Hey, come on it’s me, I’m picking you up.” Diego’s losing his patience. “Do you still want a ride or not?”
Klaus looks up to reveal a bloody streak running down the side of his face, which looks to be blooming with different shades of yellow and purple.
“Holy shit, man.” Diego breathes.
Klaus smiles. “Diego! Oh, how good it is to see you, I thought you might have decided to chase after some… robber, when the phone had cut out.” He giggles and puts on a fake pout while holding up the phone. “I only had so many quarters, you see.”
Diego feels his brows furrow. “What happened, man? You look like you went through a fucking wood chipper.”
He sees a shiver go through Klaus. “Is it really that bad? I thought I looked sort of…” He waves his hands as he looks down at himself. “Elegantly ruffled.”
“What happened to your shoes? Where’s your coat?”
“Seemed to misplaced them.” Klaus shrugs. “Anyway, I just need a quick ride uptown, I’m just gonna stay at a friend's place tonight.”
Deflecting. How could Diego expect anything else.
“Can you even walk?” He asks as he bends down to help his brother up.
“Sure I can, just need a little assistance.” He grabs onto Diego’s shoulder. “Thank you, thank you.” He says as Diego heaves him up.
Klaus hisses as Diego gets his arm over his shoulders.
Not a great sign.
“God damn it man...” Diego mumbles.
Diego sets him up in the passenger seat and Klaus leans towards the back of the car. “Looks like your stuck in the back, bruder.” His tone teasing.
“What are you talking about?” Diego grumbles as he heaves himself in the driver’s seat.
“Rather who am I talking to?” Klaus lets out a sharp laugh. “So rude, am I right?” He looks back again. “You gotta admit, he’s worse than me.”
Diego rolls his eyes as he starts the engine, already turning up the heating when he sees Klaus rub his hands together.
He takes it out of park slowly, and notices Klaus’s breathing is shallow as he starts down the road. “So, you gonna tell me what happened?”
Klaus glances at him but turns his head to face the window. “Some people just happen to have a strong proclivity for roughhousing, nothing out of the ordinary.” He shrugs, and his breath catches at the motion.
“You look like a car hit you.”
Klaus scoffs. “Oh come on now, don’t be so dramatic, it doesn’t suit you.” He pauses. “Actually, I take that back, you’re the definition of dramatic. Sorry―misspoke.”
Diego’s grip tightens on the wheel. “This is serious Klaus, I can’t be at your beck and call and then not have any fucking explanations for anything. That’s not fair.” He sighs. “You think I don’t give a shit seeing you like this? Jesus man, why did you even call me?” He’s not shouting, he has enough control of himself to not shout, but he’s damn close.
Diego isn’t looking at Klaus, but he can feel his stare, and after a moment of silence, “You know the protective brother thing is kinda working for you.”
Diego lets out a frustrated groan. “Klau―”
“Okay! Okay? It’s okay, I’m good!” Klaus relents, sounding exhausted and manic all at the same time. “Listen, honestly! I’ve had worse than this! But I couldn’t just walk and you can drive and you were the most reliable option. Like I said, only so many quarters!”
The car fell silent.
“You’ve had worse than this?”
“Oh come on now, I don’t think either of us really wants to recount all of my world travels hm?” He shoots him a smile, like he’s pitying Diego for his cluelessness. “As you can tell, I’ve had a long night.”
Diego pauses. “I’m guessing it’s a no to any sort of hospital visit?”
Klaus chuckles in response. “Can you read minds now?”
“Wasn’t very hard to guess with your track record.” Diego feels the smirk on his face.
Klaus laughs, but a sharp gasp interrupts him as he clutches his side.
“Broken ribs?”
“Bruised actually, I can tell.” Klaus breath shakes, “But very astute observation skills, honestly I don’t know why you don’t become a detective.” Klaus’s giggles are high pitched and sharp. “Might have to lose the leather though, doesn’t quite fit the look.”
“You know, this is why I don’t hangout with you.”
“Oh? I thought you were just intimidated by my magnetic and bright personality.” Klaus grins. “Also, since when do you hangout with people? Are you going out now? You know, I am so proud of you, it’s good to know you have some semblance of a social life.”
Diego sighs. “Where am I dropping you off again?” It feels like they’ve been driving for hours.
Klaus blearily looks out the windshield. “Oh, you can just drop me off here I know where we are.”
“I’m not doing that.”
“I thought you wanted me out?” Klaus whines. “I can leave now, so you can be rid of me until I need bail!”
“Okay. One: I am not gonna pay your bail, ever. In fact, I don’t even know how you’re not stuck in prison right now. Two: I’m being nice and I’m not about to just put you back into the street when you look like that.” Diego taps his fingers against the wheel.
Klaus lets out what could only be described as a bored, long-winded groan.
“You don’t have any shoes bro!” Diego replies.
He looks down at his feet as if he just realized the fact. “Hm, that is true.” He shrugs again, holding his breath at the movement. “My friend is very resourceful though, so if I could just leave, I could get to her place…”
“Who is this friend exactly?”
“Her name is Alma, and she is a delight, so excuse you.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Oh please, I may be diving head first into cold turkey but I still know tone when I hear it.”
Diego sighs, he feels like he’s been doing nothing but sighing. “Where does she live? I’m not gonna drop you off in the middle of an alleyway.”
Klaus puts his hands to his heart and sends him a smile. “How sweet.” He says in a breath. “Two more blocks and you take a right. Probably.”
“Probably?”
“Well, we’ll see won’t we? What with your newfound kind and giving nature.”
Diego huffs and continues driving and Klaus is surprisingly silent during the rest of the ride.
The apartment building is old, both in style and in upkeep. Most of the windows are dark with their curtains drawn, but there are still a number with the light contrasting the dark red bricks.
Diego looks to the building and back to Klaus.
“Well…” Klaus motions to the car door. “You wanted to play chaperone.”
Diego grumbles as he gets out of the car, and opens the passenger side, hauling Klaus out of the seat as he hisses and breathes through the pain in his chest.
He helps him to the door and lets Klaus press the buzzer to the apartment.
The speaker crackles as a voice comes through. “Who is it?”
“It’s your favorite junkie!” Klaus cackles into the speaker.
“What’s wrong with you?” The voice asks, tone resigned and tired.
“Just had a bit of a run-in, might have lost a shoe or two.” His grin is wide as he continues to lean on Diego.
“Come up.” The door buzzes and unlocks. Diego continues to haul Klaus into the building and heads to the elevator.
“No, no, we’re not going on the elevator.” Klaus pulls on the back of Diego’s sweater to the stairs.
“What do you mean we’re not going on the elevator, look at you!” When Diego looks at his face, all he sees is panic.
Klaus continues to pull and hobble to the stairs. “She lives on the second floor it’s not even that bad, c’mon.”
“Oh, my god.” Diego says, incredulously. “What is your problem?”
“I am not going into the elevator. You can go home or chase muggers or whatever you do, I’m taking the stairs.”
Diego groans. “No, I’ll help, I’m not gonna carry you but I’ll help.”
Klaus breathes. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I was talking to Ben.”
Diego rolls his eyes, but helps him as he attempts the flight of stairs.
They get to the door, Klaus panting and looking like he’s about to fold over.
Diego takes the lead and knocks.
And as the door opens, he’s greeted with a short old woman, looks like she’s in her late sixties, wearing a large knitted sweater and thick-rimmed glasses with her gray hair pulled into a braid.
“You look like shit Klaus.” She says as she takes in the sight of the two.
“You’ve always been such a sweetheart, my dear.” Klaus says as he pushes off Diego and into the apartment.
“Go lay on the couch, I’ll get the frozen peas.” She calls after him, and Diego see’s Klaus wave his hand at her.
Diego still stands in the doorway, shocked and still.
The woman turns back to him and gives Diego the once over.
“And who are you exactly?”
“I’m uh.” He stammers. “I’m his brother, he asked for a ride.”
“M-hm," She looks him over again, eyes catching on his knives. “He’s told me about you. He should be fine tonight, he’s a regular here so I’m used to it.” She looks like she’s already fed up with Diego. “Try not to look so worried dear, don’t count on me inviting you in.”
“No, yeah, no. I should go.” He answers, stepping back out of the doorway. “I’ll uh, I’ll see you around Klaus.” He calls, hearing nothing but a whine that vaguely sounds like Klaus saying goodbye.
The woman gives him a wave, still looking at him with a bored expression, and shuts the door quickly.
Diego doesn’t quite know why he’s surprised, stunned even. It felt like the last couple minutes flew by. He guesses that he just hadn’t expected some old woman to greet them at one in the morning like it was nothing.
He thinks he should have said something. Looked into who exactly this woman was, and what Klaus was getting into.
On the ride back home he realizes Klaus never actually told him what happened.