Klaus teetered precariously while he balanced himself on the step stool, pinning yet another one of the numerous streamers to the wall. He smiled as he clambered down, wiping his sweat from his brow before taking a step back and marveling at his handy work that had taken him nearly all day to complete.
Pink, blue and white glitter streamers decorated every archway, or doorframe of every room within the house; while clear balloons filled with glitter and rainbow confetti tied together in voluminous bundles flanked every corner. Homemade holographic glitter elephant cut outs that were meticulously crafted with love were plastered between every portrait of Riley on every surface, leaving the entire house plastered with frilly, and colorful decorations. Klaus wiped a tear from his eyes before he busied himself with hanging the Pièce de résistance above the entryway into the living room; a large glittery pink 'HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY' sign.
"Dada," Riley cooed from her Pack N'Play, earning her daddy's attention, "Da-da-da-da."
Klaus smiled as he went to his daughter, scooping her into his arms and kissing her forehead.
"That's my name, don't wear it out," He sang to his precious angel as he rocked her in his loving arms.
Klaus couldn't believe that his baby girl was already turning one year old today. Where had the time gone, he wondered as he danced around the living room, smiling and laughing with his daughter, his heart swelling with pride as she clung onto him, laughing vibrantly and smiling back. She was getting so big, he still remembered the first time he laid his eyes on her; that memory being the most magical moment of his life. He couldn't believe that was already a year ago, and was amazed at how quickly that time had passed him by. He remembered the day that she first crawled; he still held resentment towards himself for missing such a wondrous occasion, but he promised himself and Riley that day that he would never miss another milestone in her development—and he had kept his word. He was there standing beside her and holding her hand when she took her first steps, and he was there when she learned her first word "dada". He was also there when she learned her second word "yeah", and her third word, which wasn't really a word but more of a feeling of "humph!"
"Goodness, you're getting so heavy princess," Klaus said as he stopped spinning around the room. He smiled, adjusting Riley on his hip before he tucked a rampant curl behind her ear, "soon you're going to have to start carrying daddy around!"
Klaus laughed as Riley's giggles filled the air, the angelic sound of her joy dancing around the room and making him feel almost dizzy. He closed his eyes and hugged her close against his chest; while she nuzzled into the crook of his neck. Riley wrapped her tiny arms around her daddy's neck in the tightest of hugs. He held her and rocked her in his arms, kissing her curls and just savoring her delicate presence pressed against his heart. He just loved her so much, and always adored whenever they got to just hold onto each other in stolen, precious little moments just like these. Klaus opened his eyes, squinting when he found his vision to be a little hazy, and he himself felt a little lightheaded. He had only hoped that the room would have stopped spinning by now, but he frowned when he found that it hadn't. The dizzying sensation still lingered even once his feet had stopped moving. This is what he got, he supposed, for keeping himself so busy, but he needed to ensure everything was just right for the party he'd worked so hard on planning for his daughter. Perhaps, he thought, he should allow himself to take a break, at least for a little while.
"Daddy needs to sit down for a few minutes, sweet pea." Klaus said softly as he slowly made his way over towards the couch before sitting down with Riley.
Klaus was exhausted, as he found himself to be a lot as of late, but today was a special occasion, and he wasn't going to allow his overall tiredness and lack of sleep to come between him and making sure his daughter's first birthday was extra special. Besides, Dave was going to come home today, and he was going to have him all to himself all night, and finally have a true good night's sleep for the first time in, honestly, a few months span. He couldn't help but excitedly look forward to the moment he could hold him in his arms again. Klaus hadn't slept much at all the last few days especially, his nightmares keeping him up for most of the night, and truthfully, for the last few months, sleep came with much difficulty for him.
A little over a month ago Riley woke up in the middle of the night after she had started to not feel well. She was running a mild fever and tugging at her ears, whimpering and crying from her pain. It broke his heart to see his little girl so uncomfortable and upset, and he couldn't help but to feel guilty that she felt that way at all. Klaus was sure to bring Riley to her pediatrician the morning after her symptoms first began to present themselves, and he was saddened to learn that his poor baby girl was suffering from a double ear infection; a very bad one, no less. The doctor prescribed Riley a round of amoxicillin for the infection, as well as acetaminophen for her pain. Klaus made absolutely certain he followed the directions thoroughly, and was saddened when at the end of her treatment that her symptoms had not seemed to lessen or go away. The doctor assured him that could be normal, and recommended that they follow her previous treatment with a round of medicated ear drops as well.
Thankfully, after nearly three weeks of battling her infection, his little princess was finally on the mend. Now, nearly a week later she was completely back to her full health, and Klaus's heart was overjoyed. He was happy to admit that he felt so much more at ease. Unfortunately, while the stress was relieved now that his daughter was well again, his energy and strength had not fully returned. He was completely drained, exhausted from a severe lack of sleep after worrying himself thin over his daughter's health, and struggling with his nightmares. Usually he would be fine, be able to take cat naps throughout the day, or find decent down time to kick his feet up and at least relax while Riley napped, but the last couple of days especially he had no such opportunity to do-so.
With Riley's birthday under way, Klaus had to make extra trips to the grocery store to pick up food for their little birthday party they were throwing for her. He had to go to the party store to pick up all of the decorations to make sure her party was perfect; just like her. It didn't help that Klaus couldn't drive, and Dave wasn't around due to his work schedule, so Klaus had to either catch a bus, or take a cab - both of which Klaus hated to take, so he usually opted to simply walk to each destination. Luckily, Ben's house was rather centrally located, the furthest walk took maybe forty minutes for Klaus, but with his energy already low due to his lack of sleep, it just helped to further drain him of what little vital energy he struggled to possess even more.
Klaus's eyelashes fluttered as he rested on the couch for a few minutes, Riley calmly clutching onto him as she cuddled against her daddy's chest. He was thankful she was such a good little girl. Klaus swore it was like Riley could sense when he was having a bad day; she always seemed to know just when she needed to cheer her daddy up, or calm down and allow him to just rest. He sat there for ten minutes or so, just long enough to regain a little strength and allow the room to stop spinning, before he decided to finish setting up the rest of her party. He knew that Dave should be home soon, and he wanted to make sure he would be able to come home to a hot meal to fill his belly.
Klaus smiled when he glanced down at his daughter and found that she'd fallen asleep in his arms. He slowly raised his weary body up from the couch, being mindful not to disturb her rest, before he brought her to his bedroom to lay her down in her crib. He set her down softly, leaning over her and kissing her temple before tip-toeing out of the bedroom. He shot her another smile, and a soft "I love you" and left the door cracked open so he could hear her, before making his way back out into the kitchen.
Klaus had already started prepping the majority of the meal earlier. He'd been a busy bee all morning, really; picking up the balloons, Riley's smash cake, as well as a few added gifts. He deep cleaned the entire interior of their home before he decorated it for her birthday party. Not to mention, he had wrangled her squirming form and given her a bath, as well, which may have been his most difficult task for the day. Klaus exhaled an exhausted sigh as he checked on the crock pot full of buffalo Mac and cheese—Dave's favorite, as well as the mini crock pot filled with a non spicy version for Riley—a special birthday treat. Everything smelled delicious, and Klaus smiled knowing it would be ready to eat just in time for Dave's arrival back home.
He pulled a bag of lettuce from the fridge and started washing the leaves, before shaking off the excess water and laying them on the cutting board. Klaus chopped the lettuce, and some tomatoes before layering them into a bowl. He set the bowl of salad on the counter and turned to get himself a glass of water when he heard the front door open just as the timer beeped for their dinner. Klaus's heart fluttered when he realized his love was home, he was so excited to hold him again. Dave's new position as an FBI agent kept him extremely busy, so unfortunately that meant that he was rarely ever home anymore. Whenever he was, it would usually be for a few short hours in the morning, before he had to hurry off to another case. Klaus was overjoyed that Dave had been granted the rest of the night and the entire next day off, he missed him so much and was just so ready to curl up in his arms and never let him go.
"What perfect timing," Klaus called as he rounded the corner to greet his boyfriend, "you're just in time, dinner just got—" Klaus's words as well as his steps stammered to a halt when he entered the front entryway. He felt his heart skip a beat and his color drain from his features when his eyes landed on a face that wasn't Dave's, but rather someone's he'd never expected to see ever again. Klaus's eyebrows knitted together in worry and concern when his eyes met his brother's, "Diego?"
Diego's eyes widened when his gaze met Klaus's. Everything was silent, neither man able to speak, simply not knowing what to say. He took a few cautious steps forward, meeting his surprised brother at the mouth of the kitchen.
"Hey, bro." Diego said softly with a gentle smile. Klaus nervously took a few steps back until his back was pressed against the wall.
"H-Hey." Klaus stuttered, an all too familiar uncertainty was lacing his tone. He stared at his brother in shock, and truthfully he didn't know how he should be feeling at that moment. He didn't understand it; why was his brother here? Why now? When the last time they had spoken Diego had made it painfully evident he never wanted to see Klaus again. "Ben's not here—"
"I'm not here for Ben, I'm here to see you, Klaus." Diego corrected immediately, not wanting Klaus to feel slighted.
"Oh." Was all Klaus knew to say. Diego and Dave sensed his discomfort in the situation, but Diego couldn't pay any mind to that right now. All he could focus on was how good his brother looked. He wasn't the emaciated stick figure of a malnourished man he once knew. He was at a healthy weight, his complexion was clear, and healthy - no longer deathly pale or gaunt in appearance. His eyes were bright, and alert and not glazed or unfocused. Klaus's hair had grown since the last time he'd seen him, tendrils of tightly wound curls cascading like gentle waves to just above his shoulders. He couldn't believe how much he'd changed since the last time he had spoken to him. Diego's heart pounded with joy in his chest, witnessing his brother like this, instead of how he'd last seen him—half dead and practically a corpse lying in a hospital bed. This was a welcome change, and the most beautiful sight Diego had seen in a long time. He was so happy for his sibling, so proud of him, too.
"Wow, Klaus, you look—you look good, man."
"He does, doesn't he?" Dave praised as he approached his boyfriend, pulling him into an embrace which Klaus eagerly accepted, burying his face into Dave's warm neck. "I missed you, darlin. I love you."
Dave kissed his curls as the two men continued to hold each other. Diego watched and a warm smile spread across his features. Seeing Klaus like this, so happy and so loved? He couldn't help but feel such an overwhelming sensation of happiness.
"Really, Klaus, you look great." Klaus lifted his tired head off of Dave's shoulder so his eyes could meet his brothers. It was odd, hearing him say something so kind to him. It made his chest clench at the thought, he still couldn't get the last words Diego said to him out of his mind. This was so much different, so much warmer, and, well, it was a welcome change.
"Yeah, well, better than the last time you saw me, anyways—"
"I'm serious, you look amazing," Klaus's lips tugged into a subtle smile at his brother's words. He longed for Diego's presence within his life again for so long, and now here he was, "I'm so happy for you, bro. Dave? He's a great guy, he told me all about you, how well you're doing and—" Diego's smile broadened, his eyes sparkling with excitement as Klaus and Dave pulled away from each other; the couple continued to keep their hands still clasped together. "Where is she?"
Klaus's own smile widened as he exhaled a soft giggle. "Where is who?" he asked, eyebrows raised in feigned confusion causing Diego's laughter to bellow from his chest.
"My niece! Where is my niece, I can't wait to finally meet her!" He exclaimed proudly. Klaus and Dave exchanged a smile as Dave rubbed the space between Klaus's shoulder blades. Klaus lifted his HELLO hand and gestured it towards their bedroom, letting Dave know Riley was laying down in her crib taking a nap. Dave smiled as he nodded, kissing his boyfriend's temple before turning his attention back to Diego.
"I'll go get her!" Dave grabbed Klaus's hand, giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze just to remind him that everything was fine, and he was doing great before leaving the two brothers alone in the front room.
Diego cleared his throat and shot Klaus a warm smile, which Klaus returned with his own crooked uncertain grin before Diego slowly approached his brother. He laid a hand on his shoulder, making him all the more happy when Klaus didn't flinch away from his touch.
"Listen, Klaus, I—I'm sorry about the last time that we spoke, That was—"
"No, it's okay, Diego," Klaus interrupted, patting his brother's hand, "it's okay, really. You—you were right—" Diego's eyes widened at Klaus's words; he couldn't possibly think that was true. He laid both of his hands on Klaus's shoulders, squeezing gently in a grounding grip as he looked his brother straight in his eyes.
"No, Klaus," he started, his tone was strong and sure; earning Klaus's green gaze to meet his own, "it was wrong. I was wrong. I'm so proud of you, man." Klaus's eyes filled with tears at Diego's statement. After so long of truly believing his brother hated him, his words from their last encounter constantly playing on repeat in the back of his mind; 'I hate you, there won't be a next time, I'll leave you there to die', it felt so nice to hear that he didn't think that way, now. Klaus had longed to hear these words for so long.
"Look at what you've become! You're finally happy, you're in a relationship with a good man, you're sober—you have a baby!" Klaus exhaled a wet laugh as he bowed his head with a quick nod.
"Yeah," he whispered as his eyes once again met his brothers, "I guess I'm doing pretty okay."
"Okay?" Diego's eyebrows furrowed as his lips tugged into an even wider grin, "You're doing amazing, man. I'm so proud of you, of the man that you've become. You've always been a good person, Klaus. You just finally have exactly what you've always deserved. I'm so happy for you, bro. You earned this, you have always deserved this."
Klaus went to speak but no words ever breached the surface of his lips. He was overwhelmed by his emotions and couldn't hold them back, not even for a single moment longer. His chin wobbled as his tears freely fell down his cheeks. He inhaled a shaky breath when Diego threw himself at Klaus, pulling his brother into a long overdue hug. The two siblings stayed there, captured in a moment in time that after nearly two years both of them had longed to experience again for the longest time.
"Thank you, Diego," Klaus whispered against his brother's shoulder, he'd been meaning to say these words ever since the 'incident' from oh so long ago, from the night that he saved his life, "I never...I never thanked you for that night, had you not—just, thank you, so much." Diego tightened his grip on Klaus, holding his brother as he wept, his own tears cascading his face. Both brothers were so thankful to finally be able to put that night behind them and move forward towards a brighter future, with each other back in their lives. They now knew that they would never allow themselves to withdraw from one another, they were so happy to be reunited as brothers, and friends once again. Dave entered the room at that time, He was holding Riley's smiling figure in his hands. When she saw her daddy she instantly started reaching for him, her babbles and laughter capturing both men's attention. Klaus pulled away and wiped at his tears. His emerald eyes lit up before he smiled broadly at his daughter, happily accepting her into his arms.
"Hey there, princess," he sang as he kissed Riley's forehead before pushing her curls out of her eyes, "I want you to meet someone very special. This is your uncle, Diego."
Diego's face brightened at the sight of his niece. He couldn't believe he was finally given the chance to meet her. Diego smiled while he cooed to her, taking her hand into his own. Riley smiled back, 'shaking' her uncles hand excitedly.
"Hey there beautiful girl," he said in an airy tone, "wow Klaus, I can't believe you made that. She is absolutely beautiful." Klaus laughed as he ran his palm up and down his daughter's back, shifting her weight on his hip.
"I know, I can't believe it either."
"I can," Dave assured as he draped his arm around Klaus's waist while tucking a curl behind Riley's ear. He kissed Riley's temple before kissing her fathers, "she's cut from the same gilded cloth as her father. No wonder she's so perfect."
Klaus blushed at Dave's comment while Diego laughed heartily at his expense. Dave smiled fondly at the beautiful moment between the family, the kickstart at rekindling the two brothers' relationship. He couldn't wait to watch their bond reform and grow together as they worked on repairing their past mistakes between one another. The little family started making their way towards the living room to sit and get reacquainted once again. As they cleared the threshold and neared the sofa the front door unexpectedly swung open, earning everyone to spin in its direction. Dave and Klaus exchanged a confused glance, as neither man had been expecting any added company.
"Honey, I'm home," came Ben's voice from the front entryway, "now where is my beautiful—Diego?"
"Benny?" Klaus exclaimed breathily at the happy surprise, his hand clutching Dave's dog tags above his stammering heart as he stumbled back a step. Out of all of the letters they'd exchanged, and all of the phone conversations, and video chats, Ben had never once mentioned to Klaus that he was planning on coming home. Klaus felt his heart flutter in his chest from all of the overwhelming emotions he was feeling, "You're home." He whispered, his voice unsteady as he squeezed his eyes shut, just as an onslaught of fresh tears fell from his eyes.
"I missed you guys so much," Ben said as he hurriedly went to Klaus, wrapping his brother and Riley in the tightest of hugs. Klaus's shoulders quaked under his brother's touch, he couldn't believe how lucky this day had turned out to be. First Diego re-entered into his life, and now Ben was home, too? Ben pulled away, and happily pulled Riley into his arms, his own trail of tears paving a path down his cheeks, "I couldn't miss my beautiful nieces birthday! I didn't forget about you honey bee, I hope you didn't forget about me!" Riley babbled excitedly as she wrapped her arms around her uncle Benny.
"How could she ever forget about you?" Dave asked as he pulled Ben into a hug. Ben smiled as he wrapped his free arm around Dave, this was their first official meeting, but both men already felt like they'd known each other their entire lives, "It's so good to finally meet you in the flesh."
"It's been a long time coming, I'm just sorry it took so long to happen." Ben hugged Riley closer, kissing her curls before he wiped at his tears, "I missed you all so much, holy cow, I can't believe how big she's gotten!"
"I know, she's almost too heavy for me to carry her anymore. Little pipsqueak is going to have to start pulling her own weight around here more," Klaus joked as he wrapped his arms around Dave and rested his chin on his shoulder, "I could have really used her help today, birthday girl or not—I'm pooped!" he exhaled a laugh, his eyes softening as a warm smile spread across his tired features.
Dave wrapped his arm around Klaus and pulled him into his arms. He hadn't even realized how much work he had to put in to make today so wonderful, he only wished he could have been home to help him. He knew that Klaus shouldn't have had to do all of this by himself, especially not with how much he'd been struggling to get a proper night's rest lately. Klaus smiled softly as Dave cupped his cheek in his hand, running his thumb delicately over his cheekbone.
"You did all of this?" Dave asked as he gestured around the house to all of the decorations and food. Klaus hummed and bobbed his head in a nod as he wrapped his hand around Dave's wrist, before leaning into his touch. "You should have told me, darlin. I would have tried to get off work sooner—"
"It's okay, baby. I got it—"
"Are you okay, though? You know you haven't been sleeping well lately," Dave asked softly while he examined Klaus's tired features, looking for any sign that he wasn't alright, but Klaus just laughed and pulled away. Diego and Ben shared a look; Diego was vaguely aware of Klaus's recent health issues, only knowing the bare minimum of what Dave had been willing to fill him in on, while Ben was fully familiar with his brother's unfortunate predicament. "Are you tired? You should probably sit down for a little while, I can handle the rest of this."
"Baby, I'm fine—really, today isn't about me, it's about the birthday girl," he assured as he shifted his sights to his daughter. "Are you ready for us to sing to you, princess? Daddy got you a cake, too!"
"Klaus, maybe you should listen to Dave," Ben began as he took a step towards his sibling. Klaus just laughed as he held up his HELLO hand.
"Guys, I'm fine! Seriously, I'm not going to break, I'm not a piece of china—"
"We know that, Klaus, but we also know you haven't been sleeping enough lately, and you've done a lot today. We just don't want you to over exert yourself is all." Ben furrowed his eyebrows as he watched his brother. He knew Klaus had always been exceedingly stubborn, but Ben not being there for him physically to help him through all of his recent down's, and only being able to assist him via a phone conversation had made their being apart all the more difficult. He just wanted to make sure that his brother would be okay.
"Dave, Ben, I'm okay, really." he pulled away from Dave's grasp, his smile still warm although now subdued. "Please, just let me enjoy my daughter's first birthday. She only gets one. I swear, I am fine. I'm not even that tired, I was kidding. Just, please, today is about Riley."
Dave and Ben both exchanged an accepting glance; one that said they didn't like this, but that they would allow it to continue, and that they would both do their due diligence to keep an eye on Klaus, ensure that he was okay, and that he would continue to stay that way. While Diego slowly started to piece things together. He remembered Dave mentioning to him a few months ago an incident involving his brother's powers that already occurred quite some time ago, and that Klaus still oftentimes struggled to sleep. He also knew that sometimes he would have 'bad days' where he would be "a little more tired than usual". He guessed this must have been one of those days.
"Alright," Dave said as he rubbed his hand up and down Klaus's back. "Alright, fine. Why don't we all go take a seat in the dining room and I'll grab her cake, okay?" Klaus's smile widened as he excitedly nodded his head.
"Wonderful! Come on sweetie, let's get you out of this dress so you don't ruin it when you demolish your cake!" Riley giggled as Klaus carried her into the dining room, tickling her and peppering her cheek with exuberant kisses; the rest of the family exchanged smiles as they followed behind.
Klaus stood Riley up in her high chair, keeping a constant steadying hand on her as he quickly stripped her adorable sequined dress off of her, before easing her squirming body into the chair. He laughed as she protested, making little fussy sounds, trying to hold onto her daddy and push her little legs into the seat to stand back up, but Klaus was patient and stayed calm, gently guiding her legs so that they were safely where they were meant to be. He held her hands within his own and kissed her forehead which caused her to quit fussing, a broad smile and lively giggle exploding from her lips. Diego smiled as he watched how good Klaus was with his daughter, a warm feeling filled his chest at the sheer sight of it. He was so happy to be able to witness something so magical and pure. Ben laughed, snapping pictures of the birthday girl on his phone when Klaus slid her little tiara barrette into the curls on the top of her head.
"Happy birthday, princess." Klaus said while he ran his thumbs over the soft skin of her hands, he kissed her forehead before pulling away and just admiring her beauty. His green eyes softened as a fond smile spread across his cheeks. He still couldn't believe she had already blessed his life for an entire year, he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life watching her grow, sharing these beautiful memories with his daughter and his family.
"Why don't you take a seat, darlin." Dave suggested as he pressed his hand into the small of Klaus's back while he set Riley's smash cake on the table, "You should sit next to Riley. Should we do the cake now, or save it for dessert and eat dinner first?"
"Oh, good point—I don't want the little lady spoiling her appetite." Klaus started as he pondered the thought. "Maybe you're right, dinner first. Is everyone hungry?" He asked as he looked to his brothers.
"Pfft, as soon as I walked in and smelled whatever it is that's cooking in that kitchen I was ready to eat." Ben exclaimed, drumming his fingers over his stomach, he had a wide grin adorning his features. Diego and Dave nodded in agreement as they all exchanged a good laugh.
"Okay, dinner it is," Klaus went to grab Riley out of her high chair so that they could go into the kitchen to make a plate, but Dave's gentle touch against his shoulder stopped him.
"You two just sit and relax, I'll fix you your plate."
"That's not necessary, baby, I can do it—"
"Nope, sit." Klaus furrowed his eyebrows in slight annoyance. He adored Dave, and appreciated his concern, but while yes, he was tired, he was fine. Setting a plate for himself and his daughter would be no problem. He went to protest, but Dave wouldn't allow it, "I know exactly what you're going to say, but seriously Klaus, please? I know it's such a little thing, but it would make me so much happier if you would just take it easy, at least through dinner. You have already done so much today, let me do something for you."
Klaus didn't like it; in fact, he downright hated to admit it, but Dave was right—he was tired, and all of the activities he'd busied himself with already for the day left him still feeling a little lightheaded. Maybe sitting and letting Dave handle dinner wouldn't be such a terrible idea. Klaus exhaled an exasperated sigh before lowering himself into the seat beside his daughter.
"Fine," he huffed as he slumped his shoulders forward to display his agitation, and perhaps prove to himself that he was not as tired as he felt. "Buffalo mac with a small side salad for me. The small crock pot is a regular cheesy Mac—that's for Riley, no more than a quarter cup. Anyone who wants it can have some, just make sure Riley has that one, Buffalo is too hot for her. And it can all go on the same plate, she and I can share since she's just going to want whatever I'm eating anyways."
"I'm on it," Dave said as he laughed. He laid his hands on Klaus's shoulders, gently squeezing before he leaned down and kissed his curls. Klaus laid his hands over Dave's, tipping his head back and meeting his boyfriend's blue gaze.
"Thank you, baby," Klaus said quietly. It was a silent admittance to his fatigue, not that Dave needed it when he already knew. He could see the exhaustion behind Klaus's eyes, and he could hear it in his voice. He knew he was tired, and Dave was certainly going to ensure he relaxed until they got to go to bed. Klaus was thankful he was lucky enough to always have the added security of Dave in his corner, and by his side. Dave leaned in, pressing his lips to Klaus's in a tender kiss.
"I love you." Dave said before the two hooligans in the kitchen disrupted their tender moment.
"Are we able to eat, or are you two going to like, make out?" Ben teased as he leaned into the dining room from the kitchen. Diego snickered as the brothers bumped knuckles. Dave and Klaus laughed before turning their attention back towards one another.
"I love you, too." Klaus closed his eyes as Dave kissed his forehead.
"I'll be right back with that food."
Klaus watched as Dave and his brother's entered the kitchen to dish out their meals. He exhaled a sigh, tilting his head so that he could shift his attention towards his daughter who was looking at her daddy with the widest smile. Klaus's lips instantly pulled into a broad grin at the sight of her dimples. He reached his arm out towards her, gently running his fingers in circles on her tiny back which caused her to giggle and reach her wiggling arms out for her daddy.
"Aww, you don't want to be trapped in your high chair, do you princess?" Klaus asked as he adjusted himself closer to her. She laughed excitedly when he pulled her out of her chair and settled her down on his lap, "Well, the birthday girl gets what the birthday girl wants."
Riley clutched onto her daddy's shirt, pinching the soft cotton fabric between her tiny fingers as her blue eyes focused on her actions. Klaus smiled fondly as he held her. He smoothed her curls out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ears before he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Klaus nuzzled his lips into her curls before tucking her beneath his chin and just held her in his arms, softly rocking her as he hugged her. He closed his eyes and just absorbed their quiet, peaceful moment. He just loved his baby girl so much. A hand appeared on his shoulder, the touch was soft and pleasant, causing Klaus to open his eyes.
"Here's your food, darlin," Dave said as he set the plate in front of Klaus. He sat in the chair beside him before he leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You want me to hold her for a bit while you eat?"
"Nah, I've got her. Thank you, baby." Klaus straightened his posture, smiling at Dave and his siblings when they each took a seat across from them at the table. He shifted Riley on his lap so that she was facing forward.
The family sat around the table together to enjoy the delicious meal that Klaus had worked so hard to prepare. They talked, and joked around with one another and enjoyed the ambiance of each other's company. Klaus picked at his meal, eating a bite or two before switching so that he was feeding Riley. He laughed when her eyes lit up and she excitedly reached for the fork when she had her first taste of the Mac and cheese. He would feed her a couple of bites before eating a few himself, this was their ritual whenever they would eat. Riley refused to eat off of her own plate and always had to share with her daddy. Diego and Ben kept poking fun at one another, and exclaiming how amazing of a cook Klaus was. Klaus was sure to explain how he had Dave to thank for that, and how he couldn't even boil water when they first met. He was sure to tell his brothers the story of how he literally almost burnt Ben's house down his first attempt when he burnt a pot of water.
"How do you burn a pot of water, Klaus?" Diego asked through his snickering, he'd never heard of such an absurdity.
"Simple, you overcook it. As it turns out, if you let it keep boiling, the water eventually evaporates! Who knew?"
"Literally everyone." Ben exclaimed as he laughed.
They all smiled a lot that day, and the entire atmosphere within the home was so much brighter, warmer and full of so much love. When they finished eating, Dave took everyone's plates before returning with smaller plates filled with slices of birthday cake. Klaus took a sip of water from his cup, which Riley eagerly tried to grab at so he was sure to hold it to her lips so she could get a few sips.
"Is she ready to smash some cake?" Dave asked when he slid Riley's smash cake in front of her. She babbled as she eyed the cake eagerly, her small arms reaching forward and trying to grab it. Klaus laughed at her silly antics.
"We need to sing her happy birthday first!" Ben said, a wide smile spread across his features. The family all smiled as they watched Klaus hold Riley and they all chorused together to sing:
"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dearest Riley—Happy birthday to you!"
"And many more!" Ben's and Diego sang loudly. Ben videotaped the entire beautiful moment, and was sure to capture Riley's very first taste of birthday cake. Her reaction did not disappoint.
Riley's face lit up when she tasted the sweet flavor of the birthday cake, her mouth forming into an exaggerated 'oh'. She looked at Klaus and Dave as if to say "why haven't I had this before?!" before she grabbed it by the fist full and stuffed them into her mouth. Everyone laughed, tears in their eyes as she continued to shovel the cake into her mouth, and sucked on her hands to enjoy every ounce of the sweet concoction on her fingers she seemingly didn't care to waste. The frosting was everywhere, all over her face, in her hair, all over her arms and her chest. Klaus could hardly breathe. He was laughing so hard that he started to cough. Dave patted his back to help him regain his breath, laughing all the while before he decided that she had probably had just about enough cake for the night.
"Okay, princess, I think that's enough for now, or we will never get you to bed later," he reached for her, pulling her messy little body into his arms before whisking her out of the dining room. "I'm just going to clean her up a bit, we will be right back."
Klaus watched them go, smiling fondly as he waved goodbye to his little princess, listening to her loud sugar fueled squealing trailing towards the bathroom. He propped his elbows on the table and rested his cheek on one of his hands for a moment to finish regaining his breath after that giggle fit.
"God, she is too stinkin cute," Ben started as he turned his focus back towards his brother. "She is going to be bouncing off the walls tonight," he laughed as he took another bite of his own cake.
"I know," started Klaus, pushing his half eaten cake away. "She's my silly little stinker. Hopefully we can get all of that energy out of her and she will conk out come bedtime."
"Speaking of bedtime, how are you holding up?" asked Diego as he watched Klaus lounge at the table. Klaus smiled to assure them he was alright before he sat up straight, laying his hands in his lap.
"Me? Pfft, I'm great," he leaned back in his chair to stretch out the tight muscles in his back. "Really, I'm fine, but more than that - I'm happy, Diego. Really, really happy."
Klaus's smile was soft but full of such a sensational warmth as he peered between his two brothers.
"I can't believe you're both here right now, I can't even put into words to describe how happy having you two here to share this with me makes me feel," he paused to discreetly wipe a tear from his eyes before he continued. "My baby girl is a year old today, can you believe that?" he asked as he leaned forward, folding his arms on the table. "I've been lucky enough to call myself that little angel's daddy for an entire year already. Me? A daddy, and she made me that. This beautiful, wonderful life I've been lucky enough to live is all because of her, and the both of you. I never, ever in a million years would have ever pictured me like this: singing lullabies in the middle of the night, cradling this tiny, fragile perfect little human being that I somehow was foolish enough to make, and yet she has brought such an overwhelming sensation of joy into my heart. I have never been happier, ever. And now—now I have Ben here in person to celebrate her first year of life, and I have you, Diego? I just—I am so happy."
Klaus pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes when his tears started to form and trail down his cheeks. Ben and Diego each stood from their positions at the table and went to Klaus, wrapping their arms around their brother and giving him the biggest hug he had ever received. Klaus exhaled a laugh, wrapping his own arms around his siblings in an embrace. He hadn't even realized how many emotions were bottled up within his soul, it felt nice to finally let them all out, and to finally thank his brothers for helping him attain such a beautiful life. The brothers all pulled away, wiping at their own eyes as they laughed at their own emotional behavior.
"Here," Klaus grabbed his plate before he reached for his siblings, "let me clear the table—" he went to stand but Ben laid his palm on his shoulder to stop him.
"No, you just sit, let me."
"Benny, you just got home, allow me—"
"Klaus, you've done more than enough today already, really. I've got it. Diego and I will clean this up and put the food away, why don't you go sit in the living room and when Dave and Riley come back we can all watch her open her presents?"
Klaus nodded his head in agreement when Ben and Diego rallied around the table, collecting the plates and forks, the demolished remnants of what once could have been considered a cake, as well as any cups, or napkins that littered the dirty table. Klaus offered to at least wash the sticky icing from the tabletop and where it spilled onto his chair and the floor, but Ben insisted he just go sit and relax in the living room instead. Klaus took a few moments to stand, he was feeling significantly better now that he had eaten, but he was still rather tired and didn't want to trigger a spell of vertigo should he stand too quickly. Once he was vertical and felt confident enough to move, he slowly made his way into the living room where he sat himself on the edge of the couch. He was thankful, really, for all of Dave and his brothers' help in the end. He was definitely starting to feel his fatigue catch up to him, and while he hated it, and knew that he would fight it off for as long as he possibly could so that he could enjoy this day, and spend time with his daughter and his family, he honestly didn't know how much longer he could stay awake.
"All clean!" Dave cheered as he entered the living room holding Riley. "Sorry it took so long, there was cake in places where it should never be, so I opted to just give the little monster a full scale bath." He laughed when he sat beside Klaus on the couch. Riley started squirming and reaching for her daddy as soon as she laid her eyes on him.
"Dada!" Klaus smiled softly at his daughter. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap where the two held onto each other in a tender embrace.
"She sure loves her daddy, huh?" Diego noted as he and Ben re-entered the living room as well, holding boxes upon boxes of gifts wrapped up decoratively and adorned with bows.
"He is her favorite person," Dave affirmed proudly. He smiled at Klaus, rubbing his palm up and down his back. He reached over and kissed his boyfriend's cheek which Klaus happily leaned into seeking Dave's touch. Klaus rested his head against Dave's shoulder while he smiled down at his daughter.
"Are you ready to open your presents, princess?" Riley giggled excitedly, kicking her legs while she tried to wriggle herself from her daddy's arms. Klaus laughed softly before he allowed her to sit on the padded mats on the floor in front of the couch. Klaus slid himself onto the floor as well, positioning himself behind his daughter.
"Open mine first, Riles!" Ben knelt down beside Klaus and Riley and handed her his present. She grabbed onto it and shook it before looking between Ben and Klaus not knowing what to do. Both men laughed, their hands helping to guide her tiny hands in opening the gift.
"Oh my god, Benny, that's—that's amazing, wow!" Klaus's eyes filled with tears when Riley held up the gift Ben had given her. It was a personalized 'Riley's First Beautiful Year of Adventures!' book, filled with illustrations of his daughter. Every page was lined with the photos Klaus and Dave had sent to Ben, as well as quotes and snippets from each of Klaus's letters. Klaus grabbed a hold of Ben's hand and gave it a squeeze to let him know how much he truly appreciated this. It was such a well thought out and beautiful gift, something that they all could look at and admire for years to come, and remember each second in time captured within each and every single page. "Thank you, Benny."
They continued to open presents, Riley would fidget with the wrapping paper, trying to pry each gift open herself, but ultimately it always ended up being her daddy or one of her uncles who freed each gift. She had so many presents: clothes, toys, a piggy bank that Dave had already started filling with money for her. Klaus smiled as he looked around at all of her gifts; so many wonderful things from so many people who all shared a love for his daughter. Time went on and Dave had already picked up the mess of discarded wrapping paper off of the living room floor, as well as organized Riley's new loot of gifts onto the dining room table. Everyone was situated on the floor now, and Riley was walking back and forth between each person and giving them the one gift she loved to give most—hugs.
A couple of hours passed, and the sun had already long since dipped below the horizon, prompting Dave and Ben to walk around turning on the living room lights so that they could all continue to enjoy the festivities. Diego and Ben were tag teaming tickling Riley, her loud squeals of joy filled the air like an orchestra from the heavens above. Dave was sitting on the couch laughing and taking pictures and videos on his phone, while Klaus was sandwiched between Dave's legs, resting his cheek on his knee with his arms wrapped around his calf. He was smiling at the scene before him. He loved watching his daughter so happy, he loved having his two favorite brothers back in his life, and he especially loved sharing all of these precious moments, and creating these beautiful memories together with his wonderful family.
Riley was clumsily running around the room playing hide and seek with her uncles. She would go into the kitchen, or hide behind the bundles of balloons while Ben or Diego would go look around the house for her while holding their hands up in the air in mock confusion asking each other if they'd seen her, only for her giggling to instantly give her position away.
Ben was holding her in his arms blowing raspberries on her tummy causing her to squeal and flop around tirelessly to escape his grasp. Klaus laughed while he watched, before Ben set her down and she ran to her daddy, flopping down against his chest. Klaus hugged her close, wrapping his arms around her in a hug and rubbing her back. He closed his eyes and kissed her curls before she stood back up. She smiled at Klaus, cupping her daddy's cheeks in her hands while she just looked her daddy in his eyes. He smiled back, gently lacing his fingers around her delicate little wrists. She leaned forward and kissed her daddy before pulling away and running away from him. Riley stopped and turned back towards Klaus, as if to say 'daddy, come and get me!' before she ran away again.
"Uh-oh, she wants her daddy to play now, too!" Diego noted as he watched Riley egging her daddy on. Klaus laughed as he peeled himself away from Dave.
"Alright, princess, if you insist," Klaus leveraged himself off of the floor and took a step forward towards his daughter. "Ready or not, here I—" maybe he stood up too quickly, or maybe he hadn't eaten enough that day, or perhaps he hadn't drank enough water. Whatever the reason, Klaus wasn't sure, but the next thing he knew he was in Dave and Diego's arms, their concerned faces hovering above his own as they eased him down gently onto the couch.
"Klaus, what the hell, bro, are you okay?" Diego asked as he laid a steadying hand on his shoulder when he swayed dizzily from his seated position against the cushions. Ben approached them, cradling Riley in his arms.
"What happened?" he asked when he took in Klaus's disoriented expression.
"Darlin," Dave cupped Klaus's cheek in his palm when he sat beside his love on the sofa. He leaned closer, his concerned blue gaze meeting Klaus's hooded green eyes, "are you okay?"
"What, M'fine—"
"Klaus, you almost passed out. Thank god Dave was right there or you would have eaten shit." Diego cupped his hand behind his brother's neck, he and Dave exchanged a glance before Dave pressed his palm to Klaus's forehead to find he wasn't running a temperature.
"Maybe it's about time you head to bed. It's getting pretty late—"
"No, no," Klaus shrugged everyone off of him, shaking his head and rubbed at his eyes. "I'm fine, I just got up too fast."
"Klaus, I think we all can agree that isn't the case," Ben interjected as he and Riley squatted before him. "You can't keep pushing yourself like this. When was the last time you got a full night's sleep, hm?"
Klaus averted his gaze, not wanting to admit the truth. It had been a couple of months since his last true, full night of sleep. He was lucky if he got a full three hours any given night anymore; even less than that the last few nights in a row. Anytime he closed his eyes it felt like his nightmares would just jolt him awake. He couldn't take it anymore, he hated feeling this way. No longer did he seem to have good days, or bad. Everyday had been a bad day since Dave started his new position. Klaus would never admit that, though. He refused to allow his family to worry over him. It was stupid, really, not to mention it would be incredibly selfish of him if he were to ask Dave to quit; beg for him to stay home with him and Riley just because he so happens to sleep better, and his presence seems to keep Klaus's torment from the ghosts at bay. He was fine, he would get better, he just needed more time. Klaus's sight trailed down to his daughter's. Her sugar high was thankfully beginning to wear off, and she was quickly approaching the crash phase that accompanied it.
"No answer, huh? Yeah, that's what I thought. Klaus, you need to rest. You're doing great, trust me. Trust all of us, okay? You just need to make sure that you take care of yourself still and sleep."
"Guys, I swear I am, I'm just—" Klaus closed his eyes when the room began to tilt around him. He hated feeling this way. His hand gripped Dave's knee when he felt the world starting to slip out of his grasp. Suddenly hands were on him once more, forcing him to stay upright. He just didn't have any energy left. After everything he'd done all day, mixed with every emotion he'd been bombarded with, he just couldn't stay awake any longer, he couldn't.
"Easy, Klaus," Ben's hand reached out to press against his chest. Klaus's eyes fluttered as his energy continued to plummet, "Klaus, your trembling..."
"Maybe - maybe I should lay down." He peeled his eyes open, squinting past the haze that marred his vision, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, Klaus. You deserve to rest." Diego and Ben nodded in agreement as Dave looped his arm around his waist.
"I should get going anyways, Dora will wonder where I've been." Diego patted Klaus's knee before rising to his feet. Klaus outstretched his arm and grabbed a hold of his brother's hand.
"Diego—" Diego peered down at his brother, his weary gaze piercing his own, "please, don't be a stranger, okay?" Diego smiled before sitting back down on the couch. He looked Klaus straight in his eyes before pulling this brother into the tightest hug.
"Never again, I promise," Klaus smiled as the brothers pulled away, Diego's hands stayed against his shoulders. "In fact, I think we should make this a regular event. Family nights on Saturdays?"
"Deal." Klaus smiled as Diego pulled Riley in for a hug to say goodbye. She hugged her uncle back, and kissed his cheek, before Ben gathered her back into his arms. Diego waved one more time as he left the house, closing the door behind him. Ben held Riley in his arms. He stood up, and took a seat beside Klaus on the couch and laid his hand on his back. He could tell Klaus desperately needed to rest.
"Benny, I hope you're planning on staying for a while," Klaus stated softly, "I want to spend more time with you." Ben smiled at Klaus, ruffling his brother's curls.
"I have the next two weeks off from school, Klaus. You're stuck with me. Now, please, get some sleep. I promise, I'll see you in the morning." Klaus nodded and Dave and Ben helped him stand up. His head toggled when a wave of dizziness encompassed him, he knew he was tired, but hadn't realized just how badly his body needed to rest. Dave and Ben steadied him and helped guide him into the bedroom, before easing him down onto the bed.
"I'm kidnapping your daughter tonight so you can get some proper rest. Besides, I need to catch up on our cuddle time. Isn't that right honey bee?" Ben rocked Riley in his arms as her own eyes fluttered. She had her arms wrapped around his neck, and her legs wrapped around his chest while she tiredly looked at her daddy.
"Thank you, Ben. If you need a break let me know." Dave hugged them both goodnight before they left the couple alone in their bedroom. Dave quickly helped Klaus change into his pajamas, which mostly consisted of Dave doing all of the work since Klaus was barely hanging onto consciousness by a thread, before he curled up on the mattress beside his love. Klaus wrapped himself around Dave, nuzzling his face into the sweet spot between his shoulder and neck before he closed his eyes. Klaus felt all of his tension instantly melt away as his body relaxed against Dave's, his boyfriends strong arms wrapping him up protectively against the warmth of his bare chest.
"Thank you for today, baby. Thank you for bringing Diego back into my life, just thank you - for everything," Klaus exhaled a sigh before kissing Dave's jaw and relaxing even further into his touch. "God, it is so good to have you home."
"It's good to be home, darlin. This is where I belong, right here, with you," he held Klaus tighter, kissing his curls before he closed his own eyes. "Now, get some sleep. I'm not going anywhere, okay? You're alright, now; no one and nothing can harm you. I'll keep you safe, I promise."
"I love you, Dave," Klaus whispered as he finally closed his heavy eyes.
"I love you, Klaus." Dave held his love close as he kissed him, "Goodnight."
—
Authors Note: This was one of my favorite chapters, it is just so soft overall lol I hope you all enjoyed it, too!
Thank you everyone who has commented and is following along to this story, there is only 4 chapters left of this one guys! I am writing a sequel for it. As always, if you are reading along and liking this story, please leave me a comment and tell me what you thought! I would love to hear from you! :)