TOUCH | F. Hargreeves

01

Life had not been kind to Beau, well, it never had been, to begin with. With his cruel upbringing, the death of his mother, bullied by someone that didn't know him well enough to make an opinion than for that person to apologize only for him to disappear a year later? And then for one of the Hargreeves siblings to die? What a sick joke. Then Beau was, possibly, permanently stuck in the body of his sixteen-year-old self after an experiment performed on him by his caregiver but that was all before Beau went through a particularly traumatizing situation, which although affected him in the worst way possible did lead to meeting his wife, Rosie.

Rosie was the best thing that ever happened to Beau. Kind, caring and loving, she was everything Beau needed and could ever want. Rosie understood him like no one ever had, she listened and she was beyond loyal. Sometimes Beau wondered if he even deserved her.

When Rosie heard the news of Reginald Hargreeves passing she quickly burst into their shared room, to find Beau reading the book in one hand while the other held three blocks in the air, the red glowing tendrils twisting and twirling in a way that would have anyone amazed. But when Beau saw the face of his wife as she stood in the doorway, he knew something was wrong.

Beau didn't react with sadness nor did he with happiness, he just felt... numb. After what that man had done to him he was a little resentful but he was also grateful for him because without Reginald he wouldn't have any control over his powers, he would've probably done much worse than ever before, especially with his unwell mind.

The couple stood outside Beau's childhood home, blank expressions and unsure feelings.

"Master Beau," Pogo was the first to greet when the door was pulled open, in walking a tall sixteen-year-old with dark eyes and black clothing. Behind him was a woman, around the age he would appear if his growth hadn't stunted, with the most beautiful of eyes and the most charming of smiles. "Oh, and who is this?"

Beau smiled slightly and pulled the woman into his side by her waist, the two almost being the same height, "Pogo this is my wife, Rosie. Rosie, this was our butler and my therapist or sorts, Pogo."

"It is so lovely to meet you." Rosie shook his hand, her tone showing nothing but sincerity.

Pogo bowed his head in welcome, "And you as well, Miss Rosie."

Beau looked around the foyer, feeling the nostalgia wash over him and most of it being unpleasant, "Where's everyone?"

"Luther, Diego and Klaus are somewhere. Not together I'm quite sure." Pogo chuckled and the couple easily matched it.

"Yes, those three never did get along."

Pogo nodded, "Yes, and you only got along with Master Klaus."

Rosie grinned at the name, "Oh, Klaus, where is he?" He had been the only member of the Hargreeves family Rosie had met, the two getting along better than a house on fire or however the saying went. It was clear Klaus had a bit of a soft spot for the woman.

Beau grinned at his wife lovingly, "Let's go find him shall we?" She nodded and the two made their way upstairs, eyeing the paintings and the ornaments and the many closed doors. Beau realised he really hadn't explored the house at all, it wasn't like him to go somewhere he didn't exactly belong or need to.

Heading down the path of Beau's old room, as well as all the others, Beau felt his mind go back to those days. Back to when Klaus and he argued and smoked, back to when he would cheer Vanya on when she played her music, and back to when he and Five fought so much it didn't really faze them anymore. The good old days, Beau mused.

Peering into Klaus' old room, they found it dusty and completely empty, Diego's was the same. Beau didn't dare even look at Five's closed door, instead, he peered into his old room and finding Klaus lounging around on the small and musty bed.