Title: where there’s smoke
Fandom: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Pairing: Diego Hargreeves/Klaus Hargreeves
Rating: Teen
Length: 533 Words
Warnings: adopted sibling incest, substance use,
self-harm
Summary: Diego follows a trail of smoke to Klaus’s room



Diego followed the smoke to Klaus’s room. Not exactly a surprise. He thought about knocking, but in the end, letting himself in unannounced seemed like the least annoying solution. Most of the smoke seemed to be coming from the three sticks of incense Klaus had left burning and the rest was from the candles he’d let sputter all the way down until they were just puddles of wax.

“Klaus,” Diego said. His brother failed to look up. He was busy holding his wrist over the open flame of one of the candles that had yet to burn down. Not again. Diego leaned down and blew out the candle.

“No!” Klaus wailed.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to do that anymore.”

Klaus’s eyes drifted closed and Diego wasn’t sure if he was playing him or really ready to pass out. He smacked the back of his head.

“What the hell, Diego?” Klaus grabbed a bag off the floor and started rifling through it. “I thought you didn’t like it when I got hurt.”

“I said I didn’t like when you hurt yourself — and I don’t.” Diego shrugged. “It’s different when I do it.”

“Sure, that makes sense.”

“It’s not like I stabbed you or anything.”

Klaus rolled his eyes and went back to searching the bag. Eventually, he found something. Looked kind of like candy to Diego. Klaus picked it up, blew on it, and tossed it in his mouth.

Diego frowned. “Do you even know what you just took?”

“Drugs?”

Diego sighed. “You need to take better care of yourself.”

“Awww…you love me.” Klaus stood up and threw his arms around him.

Diego extracted himself from the awkward hug and took a step back. “How about we sober you up?”

Klaus stumbled forward. “Blasphemy.”

Diego reached out to steady him. “Then how ‘bout we get you to bed?”

“Now that sounds much more appealing.”

Diego chuckled softly. “That wasn’t what I meant.” Not that he objected or anything. It’s just that the timing was off.

He got Klaus into bed, pulled the blankets over him, and backed away. Diego wasn’t fast enough. Klaus had latched onto his hand. “Stay with me,” he whined.

“Seriously?” Diego bristled. He had places to be and things to do. More important things.

“Please.” There was so much need in Klaus’s eyes. How could he say no to him now?

“Fine.” Klaus moved over. Diego lifted the covers, climbed in the bed, and let the blankets settle over them both.

Klaus inched closer and rested his head on Diego’s chest. Diego let himself relax as he ran his fingers through Klaus’s hair.

“You forgot to take your boots off,” Klaus complained.

“I didn’t forget,” Diego said. He liked to be ready to fight at a moment’s notice.

“Meanie.” Klaus lifted Diego’s shirt and blew a raspberry on his belly button.”

Diego laughed. “You love it.”

Klaus rubbed his cheek against him like some sort of oversized cat. “No — but I love you.” The words were soft, almost unrecognizable. But Diego knew what he’d heard. He smiled, kissed Klaus’s head, and closed his eyes. The other stuff could wait. Being here with Klaus was more important.