TOUCH | F. Hargreeves

04

Funerals were a funny thing. An occasion to celebrate the life of the dead, family able to say goodbye to someone that they were soon going to be put into the ground. But, Beau knew, funerals weren't for the dead, they never were. Instead, they were for the living, what family that person left behind to grieve and comfort one another. Though this time there were no tears and there was no want to say goodbye.

The adopted children of Reginald Hargreeves, their robot mother and their chimpanzee of a butler all stood outside, umbrella held over their heads to protect them from the rain, and blank faces shared between one another.

Beau huffed, watching his breath freeze in the cold and creating a cloud of smoke around his head. It was much too dreary for the emotion in the air. Rosie and Five stood on either side of him, his wife playing with her rings while the shorter boy didn't seem fazed one bit, something he and Beau shared.

"Did something happen?" Grace questioned, a weary smile on her beautiful features.

Allison frowned, "Dad died. Remember?" The others stared with confusion.

"Oh. Yes, of course." Grace looked down quickly and it had Beau somewhat suspicious.

"Is Mom okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, she's fine." Diego assured though it also appeared as if he was trying to assure himself as well, "She just needs to rest. You know, recharge."

Pogo stepped forward, his cane in one hand and an umbrella in the other, as he eyed Luther with the urn of Reginald's ashes, "Whenever you're ready, dear boy."

Luther opened it and poured the contents onto the ground slowly, receiving a few scoffs and chuckles, "Probably would have been better with some wind." He looked around, finding Beau standing not far away and giving him an expectant and hopeful glance. Beau huffed loudly and flicked his wrist, a red glow emitting from his fingers and the ashes were aggressively whisked away into the air; giving a short bow when everyone turned to stare.

"Does anyone wish to speak?" Pogo asked each of them and getting no response in return. He sighed, "Very well. In all regards, Sir Reginald Hargreeves made me what I am today. For that alone, I shall forever be in his debt. He was my master... and my friend, and I shall miss him very much. He leaves behind a complicated legacy..."

"He was a monster." Diego soon interrupted with an intense glare to the spot where the ashes had just been, "He was a bad person and a worse father. The world's better off without him." He said and both Klaus and Beau nodded to one another.

"Diego," Allison warned.

"My name is Number Two. You know why? Because our father couldn't be bothered to give us actual names. He had Mom do it." Diego went on, pointing to the robot woman who almost cowered away at their stares.

"Would anyone like something to eat?" Grace kindly asked.

Vanya gave her a sympathetic look, "No, it's okay, Mom."

"Oh, okay."

Diego, wanting the attention off of his mother and trying to get back to his point, continued, "Look, you wanna pay your respects? Go ahead. But at least be honest about the kind of man he was."

"You should stop talking now." Luther scolded, his eyes narrowing in an act of intimidation that did not work in the slightest. Beau sighed, seeing the obvious argument that was about to unravel. He wondered if it would be irritating or entertaining to watch.

"You know, you of all people should be on my side here, Number One." Diego then turned to Beau, a spark of something behind his eyes that Beau had a bad feeling about, "And Number Zero, his favourite little experiment. Which side are you on, huh?" His tone turning deep as he spoke to the boy he never got along with as a child and not for any terrible reason, just two boys growing up under the same roof that were not forced to love each other because they were family. Because they weren't family.

"Why bring me into this?" Beau frowned, feeling his wife tense under his arm and knowing how emotionally driven she was, just like he usually was.

Diego scoffed, "You were treated the best out of any of us but then he went and did... that... " He trailed off causing Beau's temper to flare.