YOU | Ben Hargreeves

Chapter 36

I walked up the stairs to follow Klaus, half expecting to see him passed out somewhere in the house but before I could even continue my way up to his hell whole that he calls a room, I found him by the door of Diego's room. He's carrying a pile of rope on top of his shoulders.

By the looks of things, Klaus is evidently having a hard time moving, and it made me extremely sorry to come across him in that situation. Klaus, as I've already said, is a very significant person to me, not just because we're both in the Umbrella Academy, but mostly because he's become pillar of strength. It aches to watch him being in such a depressive state, lamenting over someone. Just the same as he did to me years ago, I want to give him the impression that everything will be fine and that I will always be there for him.

Diego is yet another person who also has experienced the loss of a significant other. It's funny in a way that now the three of us are now in the same situation—a loved one has passed away, and we can't even find the appropriate words to console one another.

I approached Klaus as he talked to Diego. "Hey." Klaus greeted.

Without pausing to inquire about the rope, I came to a stop next to Klaus. Since I won't be leaving, he would still inform me one way or another. Spend the final moment I have with him grieving over our lost loved ones.

"Hey. You, uh... you mind?" Diego greeted back but was in a struggle because he was trying to tie his shoelace and because of his current injury, he can't do shit.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, sure. I'll tie that up. If the both of you tie me up after." Klaus grabbed my shoulder as he threw the pile of rope to Diego who caught it easily.

Everyone knows that Klaus is crazy, and maybe we are too considering that we aren't attempting to save the world from its impending doom, but Klaus is making me doubt every shred of sanity I still possess.

I turned my head to look at Klaus and said, "Excuse me, but what the fuck did you just say?" His wish has me perplexed and quite possibly, disturbed.

"You know, last time that I was sober was that roaring good time when those freaks had me tied up in the motel room." As he emphasized the significant part in which he had been taken captive and tortured by those who killed Diego's friend, Klaus was now spontaneously bouncing on his feet.

"Wow, you are one twisted bonehead." Diego remarked and I couldn't help but silently agree.

I just cannot comprehend how Klaus is actually trying to reenact that situation with us considering that it was a horrifying experience for him. I will electrocute him first before the world ends, I swear, if he tries to convince me to act as one of those assholes.

"Why? You're the one who's always 'Klaus! You need to get sober bro.' and Aira's always looking at me like a baby who always needs to change diapers because of how careless I am." Klaus complained, stomping his feet lightly and throwing his hand sit the air exasperatedly.

I tried to reassure Klaus, explaining, "Look, I'm just looking out for you. I don't want you to likely wind up in a run-down shed in someplace and not knowing where to look."

"There's better ways to get clean, bro." Diego said to Klaus but got shot down immediately.

"Not for me, no. I need someone to take away my options." Klaus tried to explain to us.

Diego gave me a look before responding. "You answer, you know better and no, I'm not trying to say that you're a know-it-all. It's because you do actually know what to do in these type of situations especially when it comes to Klaus."

Klaus gave me a pleading look.

If what Klaus said that he can get clean by taking away his alternatives then I'm okay with it even if he said that we have to tie him up. I'm against the idea of tying him up but Klaus looked serious enough and I haven't seen him that determined so I agreed.

I started to look at Klaus and said, "Kind of an odd time to become clean, Klaus." He began to speak up, emphatically attempting to make his point, but I put my hands up. " But I'm cool with the idea if you actually think that this will benefit you in some manner."

Klaus exclaimed, "Thank you!" and decided to give me a big embrace. When Klaus began to reach out to hug Diego, Diego was toying with a knife, but he did it in a playful way that all of us had seen before.

"So, can either of you help me?" Diego pointed the knife at his undone shoelace.

I walked over there and knelt down to tie it. "Just so you know, if you drop that dagger on my back, I'll incinerate you."