Empathy [Ben Hargreeves]

Episode Eight. Part I.

"I Heard a Rumor"

Klaus was squirming all over the twin mattress, nearly knocking Elle over the side of his childhood bed. She hadn't let him out of her sight after his death experience the night before.

"Klaus!" she grumbled. "Keep still."

"I have to call a family meeting." Klaus pushed the blankets off their bodies. Goosebumps rose across Elle's skin from the cold air of the room. "To fill them in about last night," he continued. "They have to know about Dad killing himself."

"S'too early to deal with his bullshit." Elle's emotional rollercoaster at the rave left her feeling tired and sluggish -- like an empathic hangover. Before they fell asleep last night, Klaus had told her about his encounter with the Warden when he had visited some kind of colorless heaven.

"It's noon, darling. We have to deal with it eventually." Klaus rolled out of the bed in only boxers and pulled on his cargo shorts, a pale rainbow tee, and an army jacket with cropped sleeves. "I have to find Dad's bell. I'll be back for you." He kissed her forehead and scurried from the room.

Elle groaned and tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. It took a bit of self-motivating before she finally got out of bed. She was still wearing her clothes from the night before, so she left Klaus' room to change.

"Wakey wakey! Eggs and bakey!" Klaus called in a sing-song voice as he walked down the bedroom hallway ringing Dad's loud, obnoxious call bell. Elle sighed from where she was getting dressed in her bedroom; she had really hoped that he wouldn't find that old bell. With a yawn, Elle met Klaus in the hall in a pair of fishnet leggings, a black corset dress, and her favorite leather jacket.

Moments later, Luther pulled open his bedroom door and stepped out only wearing a comforter around his waist.

"Oh, there's the man," Klaus said. "Someone pulled a disappearing act last night. What mischief did you get into?"

"What? I didn't," Luther said in a panic.

"Oh, no?" Klaus looked around Luther's large frame and grinned devilishly. "Maybe I should ask her." He waved the bell at the naked girl in Luther's bed. Elle was slack-jawed.

Luther hurried to close his bedroom door with embarrassment lighting his aura a pale purple.

"Oh, come on, don't be so shy, big guy. You needed it! Not a lot of ladies on the Moon, I assume. And all that..." Klaus inhaled deeply. "...pressure resting on those big, hairy shoulders." He chuckled while Elle shuddered.

"Klaus, enough." Luther looked sick to his stomach. His nausea was hitting Elle who swiftly sent calm back in his direction.

"Wait. Was this, like... is this your..." Klaus realized that it was Luther's first time having sex. "No way!"

"Klaus," Elle chided. He was making Luther so uncomfortable, causing her own skin to feel itchy and tight.

"We're not having this discussion." Luther glanced at Elle who raised her hands in defense. It wasn't her idea.