Shadows & Mirrors // f.hargreeves fanfic

:::: Thirty-Seven ::::

Nova sipped her tea as her eyes narrowed on the obnoxious pre-teen who was making his way through the buffet line. Revulsion filled the pit of her stomach as he piled his plate high dropping a few things along the way before putting them back on the plate. The kid let out a string of curses as he accidentally touched a hot pan before shoving it over. Her nose once again was scrunched up in disgust as she turned in her seat to face Klaus and Diego whom she shared a table.

"You know, whenever I see kids like that it makes me never want kids of my own," Nova commented before reaching over and stealing a piece of bacon off of Klaus's plate.

"Hey, watch your mouth, that's my son," Diego said pointedly a glare on his face and his fork jabbing towards Nova in a threatening way.

"Wait a second, that little delinquent is your son?" Klaus laughed and Nova's jaw dropped in surprise. The half-eaten strip of bacon in her hand was forgotten after Diego dropped this bombshell of news.

"Allegedly my son," Diego responded while putting an emphasis on the word allegedly.

"No fucking way!" Nova laughed at the look on Diego's face.

"That's so funny!" Klaus laughed leaning on Nova as he cackled.

"Wait, who's...who's the mother?" Five asked as he returned to the table from the bar with two mimosas in hand. One he sat in front of Nova before draping an arm over her shoulders.

"Lila," Diego sighed.

"Excuse me?" Klaus breathed all laughter disappearing from his voice.

"Whoa, Lila's here?" Five asked.

"Was," Diego corrected before continuing to explain, "She dropped him off in my lap last night and then bolted."

"I mean you've missed a lot of child support payments, Diego. Time to start pulling your end," Nova shrugged glancing over at the boy who was shoveling his face full of food. The kid had to at least be ten years old twelve at the oldest. "Jesus, he definitely eats the same way you do."

"You know I don't care much for that Lila," Klaus muttered.

"Don't," Diego stopped his brother a protective tone filling his words as he talked about Lila.

"Technically, she's family," Five shrugged and Nova sent him a grossed-out look.

"If you have to start a sentence with technically you're already in trouble. Let's be honest Lila is the psycho baby mama," Nova said before taking a sip of her mimosa.

"She was trying to murder us, like, yesterday," Klaus tried to argue.

"Yeah, like I said, family," Five said again.

"Klaus, it's probably been like a decade for her at least," Nova pointed out.

"Diego, is she coming back?" Five asked.

"Well, she goddamn better be because we got more important things to be dealing with right now!" Diego yelled the last part in his son's direction.

"Calm down. Shhhh!" Klaus hushed his brother.

"Diego, that's no way to talk to your son," Nova chastised.

"Where's Luther?" Vanya asked walking up to the table. When Nova looked up she noticed the change of appearance and a smile spread across her face.

"Who cares? Probably out for..." Diego trailed off as he looked up and noticed Vanya's new look. "...a run..."

"Love the haircut!" Klaus said as he drank the rest of Nova's tea and gestured in Vanya's direction.