PATHOS •| Five Hargreeves |•

iii

Peanut Butter still sticking to her mouth Emery made her way to the living room. Her somber mood had shifted as she saw the back of the last person she had to say hi to, and with a little more pep in her step she collapsed onto the sofa next to Klaus. He turned to glare at her, but froze like the others as she stared back at him.

“Guys I must be really high because little Emmy’s sitting next to me.”

“You’re not high Klaus-”

“Oh no, he most likely is,” Diego stopped her.

Klaus leaned over to hug her squeezing the tightest of all of them, but let go to stand up and walk to the bar. “I think this calls for a drink,” he cheered. Emery glanced back at her siblings to see if this was a normal occurrence. None of them could meet her eyes.

“With that we should get this started," Luther announced, "so I figured we could have sort of a memorial service in the courtyard at sundown. Say a few words, just a dad’s favorite spot-"

“Dad had a favorite spot?” Allison asked, her voice frail and unbelieving. 

“Yeah, you know under the oaktree,” he looked around expecting to see realization, “We used to sit out there all the time. None of you did that?” There was none. Emery downcasted her gaze, he had been her father after all, but she couldn’t have been farther from him. 

“Of course not,” she found herself saying.

“Will there be refreshments?” Klaus asked, covering her sorrowful statement as he descended onto the sofa between Emery and Vanya. “Tea, scones? Cucumber sandwiches are always a favorite.” He set a glass in Emery’s hand, and based on the smell she could only assume it was alcohol. 

“Give me that,” Diego scolded, snatching the glass, but she wasn’t complaining. “She’s still sixteen you idiot.”

Snapping out of his daze at watching what just transpired in front of him Lither shook his head no. “Put that out. You know dad didn’t allow smoking in here-”

“Is that my skirt?” Allison piped up cutting Luther off much to his annoyance. 

Emery, upon inspecting the skirt closer, replied, “I think it is.”

“I found it in your room, it’s a little dated, but it’s very breathy on the bits.” He stood up to model it for them making Emery laugh, but she tried to stop seeing how much the interruptions were annoying Luther. “Listen up, there's still some important things to discuss.”

“Like what?” Emery and Diego asked at the same time.

“Like the way he died.”

“Aaaand here we go.” If it weren’t for Luther dragging out the situation and making things a hundred times more complicated Emery would have laughed at Diego’s sass.

“I don’t understand, I thought it was a heart attack?” Vanya’s eyebrows furrowed and Emery nodded. She had spoken to the doctors herself being the only present living family member.

“According to the coroner,” he shrugged like his accusations weren’t a big deal. Vanya continued as Klaus sat back down, his arm finding its way around Emery’s shoulders. “Well, wouldn’t they know?”

“You would think so, since that’s what they’re trained and paid for,” Emery finally snapped. She didn’t want to, but it was all becoming too much at once. She whimpered forcing the urge to fight back Allison and Vanya’s confusion, Diego’s annoyance, and Luther’s pride; but they were all so loud and she was on the verge of an overload. 

Her first one since coming back, yay...

She zoned out on the conversation that being one of the few ways to stop, and instead focused on tracing the plaid pattern on her skirt.