Chapter Text
Diego doesn't know why he's doing this.
There's a lot of better ways he could be spending his Saturday night. Talking Eudora into getting dinner with him. Following actual leads. Getting into a bar fight. Learning to knit. Literally anything other than sitting by himself in his car, staking out an alleyway because he has a vague hope that this scumbag dealer might have some information on a bigger fish Diego's trying to take car of.
Not that this guy isn't a criminal, not that the city won't be better off if Diego gets some evidence to send him to jail, get him off the streets.
But it's very likely a dead end, a waste of time. He's some minor drug dealer, a couple of minor charges on his record but nothing terrible. And he probably doesn't even know anything, or will be too high to remember anything useful when Diego finds him. Still, despite the facts, Diego can't shake this feeling that this guy will be important somehow. Now the last time Diego ignored a gut feeling, he got a bullet in the arm. But then the last time he followed a gut feeling he got kicked out of the police academy. He figures it's a pretty even toss up, why not give following his intuition another chance.
Even after all that debating, he's about to start the car up to deal with some better crimes--maybe something with a little more action than a stakeout--when he spots a familiar face, and it stops him.
"Is that...Klaus?" he asks himself.
Of course it is.
And of course, when Diego follows where Klaus is looking, he spots his guy. One Kevin Sanders. Diego wonders if maybe the oversight is on him; imagining he could try to bust some drug-related crime in the city without his idiot brother getting involved. And here he thought his night would be easy.
Diego gets out of the car.
He lays low as Klaus meets Kevin on the street corner, wondering what the best next step to take would be. He doesn't want to take any action that puts his brother at risk. Not that this Kevin guy looks like he's particularly useful in a fight. But he also doesn't want to wait for Klaus to be walking off with whatever he's buying off this guy, because Diego might not be able to make Klaus sober all the time, but if he can keep him sober for a little while he'll take it as a win.
He decides to just get close enough to eavesdrop, he can make an action plan then.
It's Kevin who's talking when Diego gets into hearing distance, crouching behind a dark red minivan, one hand on the handle of a knife. It sounds like Kevin's trying to persuade Klaus of something, although Diego can't tell what.
"Look man, I'm not telling you what to do," Kevin's saying, with the distinct tone of someone telling you what to do. "I'm just saying you gotta get it soon, 'cause the boss man already ain't too happy with you. I mean, you want this don't you?"
At that he takes out a little plastic baggie and waves it around, like someone holding bacon bits in front of a dog. It's too dark to see, really, but Diego imagines he doesn't need to see to know what the bag is. Klaus makes half of a motion to grab it before stopping himself, sticking his hands into his coat pockets instead. Diego should probably interrupt now, but Kevin's mentioning his boss, which means maybe if he eavesdrops a little longer Diego can get some of the information he needs without having to let the guy know he's onto him.
From what Diego can see, it looks like Klaus is having trouble focusing on Kevin. His gaze is fixed almost entirely on the bag in Kevin's hand, only returning to the owner of said hand when Kevin stuffs the baggie back into his pocket. "Last time you said--"
"I remember what I said," Kevin interrupts, taking a slight step closer. He sighs softly and says, "Look. I like you, Klaus, okay. I'm your friend."
Fat chance.
Klaus nods, though, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "I know. I know you are."
"Good." Kevin mirrors the nod. Diego gets the distinct impression that he doesn't like this guy. "Now, I've got some extra cash lying around. Maybe, because I'm such a good friend, just maybe I could give the boss some of it and say it's from you."
"You'd do that for me?"
"Like I said, I'm your friend. Not for free, though. Y'know, friends do friends favors. I can give him the money, but only in return for some," Kevin steps forward again, reaching a hand out to touch Klaus's wrist. "Alternative payment."
Diego doesn't wait to find out what Klaus's answer would be to that. He unsheathes a blade and throws. A warning throw, one that cuts open the arm Kevin has on Diego's brother before the knife lodges itself in the wall behind them. Reasonably, Kevin jumps backwards, his other hand flying towards the cut to apply pressure. He looks over at the knife in the wall and ducks, frantically looking around for the source of the attack.
Klaus, on the other hand, seems to already know it's Diego. He can tell because Klaus's shoulders just slouch, either disappointment or relief or some fucked up mixture of both, and through the dark Diego thinks he catches an eyeroll.
"Klaus, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Diego asks, popping up from the car he was using for cover and striding closer, momentarily forgetting the dumbass dealer crouching on the floor.
"Business negotiation, duh," Klaus says, sticking his tongue out at Diego like some petulant toddler. Which, come to think of it, was probably a pretty accurate descriptor for most of Klaus's actions. He folds his arms over his chest, probably just as equally cold as annoyed, and adds, "Why, Diego? What are you doing? I mean, besides hurling sharp, pointy objects at my friends."
"That dickhead," Diego says, pointing another knife at Kevin. "Is not your friend."
"Yes, he is." This is directed at Diego, Diego has no doubt. The follow up statement he's less sure of, as Klaus turns to face something on the wall next to him when he adds in a harsh whisper, "Shut up! Nobody asked you."
"Klaus. Be quiet. Get in the car, I'll deal with you later," Diego says, nodding his head to indicate where he'd parked his car across the street. He turns to where Kevin is still cowering on the ground. Jeez, a smarter scumbag would've at least tried to run away by now. Diego gestures between himself and Kevin with the knife, telling him, "You and me? We're gonna have a little conversation. Klaus, I would get in the car."
"You can't make me."
"Now!"
"Going," Klaus says. But before he actually does, he steps towards Diego and hugs him. Diego allows it for about half a second before shrugging Klaus off, and Klaus laughs as he walks off.
Diego keeps his eyes on Kevin, seeing him as the bigger risk factor at the moment, but he listens for Klaus's footsteps as he scurries across the street to the car. The asshole probably doesn't even look before crossing. Once Diego hears the car door open and close, he figures he can give this all of his attention. Which is good, because he's finding himself a little more invested in kicking this guy's ass than he was at the start of the night.
Kevin takes one look at the glare Diego's giving him, and his palms fly up in surrender as he scrambles back against the wall. He speaks quicker, and with significantly less confidence than he'd been speaking with when dealing with Klaus. It's kind of pathetic. "I'm sorry, man. I didn't know you knew him. I don't have to--I mean, I won't deal to him anymore, if you want. He ain't even one of my better paying clients, we just keep him around cuz he's pretty. I didn't mean to tell you that. Listen, why don't you put the knife away, we can work this out. What, you want in? I can give you a good deal."
"Don't get me wrong, you fucked up big time," Diego says, crouching down in front of Kevin to look him in the eyes better. "But this has got nothing to do with my brother, and it certainly has nothing to do with me wanting a deal."
"No?" Kevin's eyes flicker to the knife Diego's holding, and then back up to his face. "What...uh, what do you want? Then?"
"Information."
"What about?"
"Your boss."
"Fuck."
The conversation goes a helluva lot better after that, even if it is a little repetitive at first. A few minutes of Diego asking for information, and the little weasel giving a list of excuses as to why he can't answer. Diego finds himself wondering how this Kevin guy can even be walking around so much, considering his chronic lack of a spine. And sure, maybe Diego's a little more harsh than he needs to be because he wants another excuse to deck the dude in the face, but whatever. If it works, it works.
He's not sure exactly how long it takes, but eventually Kevin comes around to the conclusion that Diego is actually more of a threat than his stupid, mysterious boss. A conclusion that Diego supports wholeheartedly. And Kevin spills the proverbial beans. Diego gets a name. Kurt Mallari.
That done, he lets go of the guys shirt collar and lets him fall back to the ground. This is where it being Klaus that Kevin was harassing will come back to haunt him. If Kevin were just a general asshole, Diego may just have given him a warning and let him go with his array of minor, if inconvenient injuries. Instead, Diego gives him a choice. "Here's what gonna happen, Kevin. Are you listening?"
"Yes. Yep."
"Option A, you get back in my car with me, and I'll drop you off at the precinct, where you can turn yourself in," Diego says, idly spinning one of his knives in his hand. "Option B, you don't get in my car. I'll give you a head start so I can put some food in my stupid brother, but then I will hunt you down, probably give you a few more cuts like that one on your arm, and drop you off at the precinct."
"Is there a third option?" Kevin asks, and Diego doesn't even have to answer, just look at him. "I'll go for A, then."
"You bleed on my seats, you die," Diego says, as they start back towards the car.
The only problem is, when he gets into the drivers seat he finds the passenger seat empty. And he knows that Klaus isn't just taking a nap in the back seat, because he just stuffed dumb Kevin into the backseat and it was empty too.
"Hey, uh, isn't Klaus supposed to be here?"
"I don't wanna hear one more word out of you," Diego tells Kevin, reaching into his pocket for his keys to put them in the ignition. He finds his keys, but it's then that he realizes that something else is supposed to be in his pocket that isn't there. His damn wallet. He checks his other pockets quickly just in case, and when he doesn't find it in any of them he slams his head back against the headrest of his chair. "Dammit, Klaus."
When Diego finds his brother, he's going to kill him.
But first he has to get rid of the douche in the backseat. As he starts the car back up again, he finds himself really wishing he'd just gone to dinner with Eudora tonight instead. Better yet, if she knew how to have more fun, she could be in the passenger seat right now.
Diego drops Kevin off at the nearest precinct as promised, waiting in the car and watching him go up the steps and inside. He waits an extra few minutes after the guy's disappeared through the front doors just to make sure he actually turns himself in, and doesn't slip out once Diego's driven away. Once he's secure in the knowledge that a) Kevin is off the streets, and b) Kevin can't alert his boss that Diego is on to him, Diego starts down the road in search of his brother and, more importantly, his wallet. He kind of really needs that.
It's two and half hours, ten alleys, and three all night diners later that Diego finally finds the fucker. In a Waffle House. He decides not to kill him. For now.
Klaus is sitting in a booth in the corner, resting his chin on the table with his arms folder in front of him. There's a cup of coffee there, but it looks like he's breathing in the steam more than actually drinking it. It looks like he's saying something, but whatever it is, it's a low enough whisper that Diego can't hear it from the front door of the Waffle House.
He doesn't even notice Diego until Diego sits down right in front of him.
"Oh," Klaus says, looking up for a second before turning his gaze back to the coffee cup in front of him. Mesmerized, for some reason, by the slight steam drifting up from the mug. Diego guesses he found something else to get high off, after Diego high-jacked him. "Hi Diego."
"Yeah, hi."
Klaus raises an eyebrow at him. "Diego, did you kill Kevin?"
"Not yet."
Klaus breathes out a laugh under his breath, shaking his head ever so slightly. It's cute he thinks Diego's joking. After a moment's consideration Klaus adds, still chuckling, "He's not gonna answer my text next time, is he?"
"No, probably not," Diego says. "Are you gonna give me my wallet back, or do I have to take it?"
Klaus reaches a hand into his pockets to dig around for the wallet, but not before blowing a raspberry at Diego. Then he slaps the wallet down onto the table and slides it across to Diego as he grumbles, "Not enough cash for pancakes anyway."
"That why you're drinking coffee?"
"It's so warm," Klaus says, closing his eyes and taking a deep whiff of the coffee. Diego rolls his eyes as he puts his wallet back into his own pocket. "And I'm so cold."
He's about to get up again, leave Klaus to his stolen coffee, when he remembers what was in his wallet this morning. "Pancakes are like three bucks, what d'you mean there's not enough cash?"
"Kevin's not the only one you know, I know," Klaus says. Then he frowns and looks up at the ceiling. "You don't know. I know, y'know. That's what I meant."
"What the hell are you saying? You know what, never mind. I put your dealer in jail so you get payback by buying drugs with my money, huh?"
"It's poetic."
"I should kick your ass."
"You won't," Klaus lilts.
At least for the moment, he's right. Luther, Diego is perfectly willing to fight. He's done it before and he'll do it again; Luther's considerably less fragile, and a pompous dickhead to boot. But Diego's patience has wider limits when it comes to Klaus. Yes, he's wildly annoying, he never shuts up, and he steals Diego's wallet. But he's also so damn skinny, if Diego were to punch him he might just shatter like glass. Still, Diego thinks if he has to deal with this much longer he might just do it. Not a hard punch, but like, definitely a punch.
Klaus sits up and moves to lean against the window instead, then sits back up again, murmuring something about the glass being cold. Then he looks over at Diego and says, "I wasn't gonna do it."
It takes Diego a second to figure out what Klaus means. Then he nods and says, "Yeah, you bet--"
"Before he gave me the bag!" Klaus says, laughing. "I mean, if you're gonna get paid, get paid upfront. Am I right?"
"Can you," Diego starts, cutting himself off when he realizes he's a little louder than he means to be. Taking in a deep breath and then letting it out in a heavy sigh, he says more calmly, if still terse, "Can you be serious for five seconds?"
"Oh, I am," Klaus tells him, nodding slowly. There's a somber look on his face for a whole two seconds, and then he can't hold it anymore and bursts into a fit of giggling. "I mean it, bro. If you don't get paid upfront you get gyped."
"Please tell me that's not something you regularly do, Klaus."
"I'm pleading the sixth."
"Fifth?"
"Probably around there, I haven't counted."
"What are you--I'm gonna stop trying to figure out what you're saying," Diego says. He picks up Klaus's coffee off of the table and takes a sip of it. It was his wallet that paid for the drink anyway. It doesn't taste half as good as it smells. He sets the mug back down and narrows his eyes at Klaus, wondering if he's sober enough to have some semblance of a conversation with. Probably not, but it's worth a try. "Klaus, what do you know about Kevin's boss?"
With a snort, Klaus answers, "I owe him money."
That can't be good. But then, it never is.
When Diego doesn't answer immediately, Klaus decides to fill the silence himself. "Last year, he left bleach in his hair too long and turned it green. People aren't supposed to know that. It kind of suited him though, brought out his eyes..."
"Do you have anything a little more...I dunno, helpful?"
Klaus shrugs.
Sighing once more, Diego moves to get up again. Maybe he can make this night a more productive one, he'll ask Klaus about Kurt again later. But he only gets halfway up before Klaus stops him, grabbing his elbow to get his attention. When Diego looks back to him, Klaus asks, "Is Kevin my friend?"
"No."
"Oh." Klaus frowns, looking back down at the coffee. Diego wonders what he's on. After a second he looks back up at Diego and asks, "Will you sit? So I'm not alone. Just for a bit?"
Diego glances at his brother, and then to the door, then back to his brother. Klaus always seems kind of small and lost, and maybe it's the lighting, but right now that just seems more noticeable than usual. He seems...worried. Or like he would be worried, if he was capable of rational thought at the moment. It's possible he just doesn't want to be alone.
Diego relents and drops back into the diner booth. Babysitting for the night it is. "Guess I could watch over you for a bit."
"Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch…"