Muddled Senses *The Umbrella Academy Fanfiction*

*Chapter Twenty Nine*

Last Edited: 3/23/21

Diego looks over at Klaus as he mutters, "You got a big mouth, you know that?"

Klaus throws his head back against the headrest before responding, "Oh wow, what a truly shocking revelation, Deigo." I hear rustling, and I lean forward to notice Klaus unwrapping something.

"Everything's a big joke to you, right?" I nudge Diego's arm to get him to see what the eccentric man was doing. Diego looks over and yanks it out of his hands. "Would you stop it? Why are you putting this crap into your body?" Klaus simply blows a raspberry at him in response, childishly. "Check this out," Diego lifts the side of his jacket, and I lean even farther forward to see what he is doing. He taps on the side of his abdomen before stating, "My body is a temple."

I roll my eyes and lean back in my seat, placing my back against the interior upholstery. "I can't believe I leaned forward for that," I mumble.

"All that stuff you do, it's just weakness." He continues, ignoring me.

"Oh, wow, beautiful. Well, weakness feels so good." Klaus answers, reaching into his pocket again. Diego smacks the back of Klaus' head.

"What's goin' on with you? Huh?" He questions, getting closer to his face.

Klaus retaliates by getting closer as well. "Don't hit me, asshole!" He whips his head to look at me with puppy dog eyes. "Ash, Diego hit me," He whines.

Raising my hands in surrender, I look away. "Leave me out of this one. Listen to what he has to say. Dare I say it, you may learn something."

The knife-wielding brother points his finger into Klaus' face, "Don't tell me everything is alright, because I saw you in there! You were crying like a baby." He shouts.

My eyes widen at his tone, and I start to put my palms forward to intervene. Diego had the right idea, but I was unsure if he was going about it the right way. "Because I lost someone!" Klaus shouts, interrupting Diego. I freeze in my position, slowly turning my head to Klaus, hoping he would expand more. There is silence from Diego as well. Klaus is looking down at his fingers as he talks, "I lost someone. The only," He pauses, looking at the car's ceiling before returning his gaze straight again. "The only person I've ever truly loved more than myself." He nods in finality, looking over at Diego. I freeze as I realize Diego may relate to that a little too well with Patch being gone.

I lean back in my seat and slide over to return to my previous position behind Klaus' chair. Placing my elbow on the car door, I lay my head against it and stare outside. My mind is mulling through ways to help the boys, knowing the best thing at the moment was to let them bond without my help. I had not lost anyone since Ben, Reginald excluded. My thoughts flicker back to after Ben disappeared, and I was distraught. I didn't want to eat or sleep. I could barely find the energy to turn over in my bed. "Cheers," Klaus' voice interrupts my thoughts. He holds a pill up and swallows it. Diego too lost in thought to stop him, and me unsure what to do to best help Klaus.

"Well, you're luckier than most," Diego mutters, not looking at Klaus. I turn my head to look at him, wondering where he was going with this. "When you lose someone, at least you can," He hesitates, turning to look at the other male before finishing his sentence. "-See them whenever you want." Both boys return their gazes to the front of the vehicle. I stare at the back of Klaus' headrest as my eyes begin to go out of focus. When he moves, I glance over at Diego, adjusting the rearview mirror before he whips around, looking out the back window.

"What are you looking at?" I twist my body around and gasp out loud. There stood one of the kidnappers by a blue car. Flashes of memories haunt my mind before I shake them out, my mind going blank, my face following next.