flawless. five hargreeves

4

PULL ME INTO YOUR ARMS, SAY I'M THE ONE YOU WANT
IF YOU DON'T YOU'LL BE ALONE

Single Ladies - Beyonce

I leaned against the fence, my arms crossed and an annoyed expression firmly in place. The chaotic energy of this impromptu reunion was starting to wear on me, and I found myself wishing I was anywhere but here.

Luther's booming voice suddenly broke through my thoughts. "Klaus? Hey buddy, good to see ya! Come here!" He moved forward, arms wide for a hug, but Klaus held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks.

"Don't touch, spasibo!" Klaus said, his tone half-joking, half-serious as he sidestepped Luther's attempt at a bear hug.

Klaus's gaze swept past Luther, landing on me with a mix of surprise and delight. His eyes widened, and a grin spread across his face. "Y/N? Oh my god, you're alive!" Without missing a beat, he dashed over to me, his arms open wide.

I barely had time to react before he was wrapping me in a minimal hug, his usual flair for dramatic gestures dialed down, but still present. Despite myself, I couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm, returning the hug just enough to acknowledge him.

Behind us, Luther's voice piped up, his tone laced with mock offense. "Oh, so you'll hug Y/N, but not me?"

Klaus glanced back at Luther, a mischievous glint in his eye. "She's got that special touch, big guy. You wouldn't understand. Besides, you smell like old money and strippers.." He winked at me before pulling back slightly, still grinning.

Five glanced at Ben and quipped, "He's a germaphobe and incredibly sober these days. Hi, Klaus."

Klaus turned to Ben, his expression shifting to something between playful and serious. "Benjamin..."

"Klaus..." Ben replied, his tone flat and unamused.

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Well, what? When did you get out?" Ben sighed, clearly irritated. "An hour ago, but I'm strongly considering robbing a bank to get back in..."

Klaus watched Ben walk away, then turned back to me with a theatrical flourish. "Glad to know nothing's changed with that one," he quipped, a smirk playing on his lips.

His tone softened, though, as he looked at me, clearly trying to avoid the elephant in the room. "How about you, Y/N? Anything new? Or are we still pretending the last few years never happened?"

I rolled my eyes at his dramatics but couldn't help a small smile. "Oh, you know, just living the dream. Running a diner, avoiding old ghosts—literally and figuratively." My gaze flickered to Five briefly before I added, "Nothing too exciting."

Klaus nodded, clearly picking up on the tension in the air but doing his best to lighten the mood. "Well, at least you're still as sarcastic as ever. It's good to see you, Y/N. Even if it's under...interesting circumstances."

He shot a quick glance at Five, who was watching us with that same intense, unreadable expression. The room felt charged, like something could ignite at any moment, but Klaus, ever the peacekeeper, was determined to keep things from boiling over.

"Well this has been fun, really. I'm going to get a drink." I walked away.

I poured myself a drink, the cool liquid a small relief from the emotional weight I was carrying. Just then, I noticed Lila striding past me with a determined air, focused on something else. She didn't seem to notice me at all, but Diego, who was a few steps behind her, did.

Our eyes met, and I could see the surprise flicker across his face. Diego hadn't seen me in six years, and it was clear that my sudden reappearance was a shock to him. His gaze lingered for a moment, a mix of recognition and confusion playing out across his features.

Diego approached, his expression shifting from shock to cautious curiosity. "Y/N? Is that really you?"

I nodded, trying to keep my composure despite the swirl of emotions. "Yeah, it's me. Been a while, huh?"

Diego's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in my appearance, clearly taken aback. "I didn't expect to see you here. What's...what's going on?"

I shrugged, trying to downplay the situation. "Luther thought it'd be a good idea to bring me along for the 'family reunion'. Trust me, I didn't even want to be here."

Before Diego could respond, our attention was pulled towards the entrance as Allison walked in. The atmosphere in the room shifted immediately. The Hargreeves family's eyes collectively turned towards her, a mix of anticipation and tension hanging in the air. It was as if time itself had slowed, every awkward silence and unspoken grudge coming into sharp focus.

Allison's entrance was met with a heavy silence, one that seemed to stretch indefinitely until Luther, ever the awkward peacemaker, broke it with forced cheerfulness. "Hey, Allison! Glad you... could make it!"

Allison scanned the room with a measured gaze, her expression neutral but her eyes betraying a hint of calculation. "Yeah, well, just thought I should pop in and say hello. So, hello..." Her voice carried a subtle edge, her attempt at casualness masking the undercurrent of unresolved issues.

The room remained tense, the awkwardness of the situation hanging like a thick fog as everyone waited to see how the reunion would unfold.

The party's atmosphere was chaotic but festive as the kids took turns swinging at the pinata. It was stubbornly resistant, barely budging despite their best efforts. Luther, not one to shy away from taking charge, decided to step in and take matters into his own hands.

With exaggerated vigor, he began to viciously swing at the pinata. The pinata wobbled with each hit, but Luther's enthusiasm only seemed to escalate. 

Unfortunately, in his fervor, he misjudged his swing and the head of the pinata connected with the cake that Lila and Diego were about to present.

The cake, a meticulously decorated masterpiece, went flying through the air in a slow-motion disaster. It landed with a splat on the ground, frosting and layers exploding in every direction. Little Grace's eyes widened in shock, and within moments, she burst into tears.

Allison and I rushed to her side, trying to offer comfort amidst the chaos. "Hey, it's okay, Grace," I said softly, kneeling beside her and gently brushing her tears away. Allison, equally concerned, wrapped an arm around the little girl, whispering soothing words.

Luther, standing amid the wreckage of cake and pinata, looked mortified. "Oh no, I didn't mean to—" he started, but his apology was drowned out by the commotion and the continued cries of Grace.