Klaus was happy.
Scratch that—he was giggling randomly as he walked, that's how happy he was. He had eaten with his sister, spent time with her, trained her, guided her, taught her. It felt like a lifelong wish had quietly come true.
There was something deeply comforting about being in her presence. After all, for the past decade, Klaus hadn't even had that luxury. So, of course he was excited. Even if she didn't know he was her brother… that was fine. As long as he helped her grow—both as a person and as a fighter—it was enough.
Sure, he beat the crap out of her… but that was for her own good. Definitely not because he found the perfect, nigh-immortal punching bag. Nope. Not at all.
So, naturally, Klaus decided it was time to celebrate. And what better way to celebrate—for Klaus, at least—than to get… absolutely wasted.
Grinning from ear to ear, he stepped out of his room wearing nothing but a white oversized shirt, loose shorts, and sandals, looking like the embodiment of bad decisions and good vibes.
He was ready to have fun. Absolutely. No question about it.
Still, he paused when he saw the children—and Tatiana.
…Hmm. That could be problematic.
Scratching the back of his head, he gave them his best goofy smile.
"Hey fellas… wanna have some fun?"
Half an hour later…
"HELL YEAH! DRINK THAT, MOTHERFUCKERS!"
Belial was in trouble… He was being forced to drink five liters of beer from a hose. These bastards!
I'm still a kid!
Tatiana and Hecate watched him with unsettling anticipation, their smiles far too wide to be comforting.
Belial took the final gulp and coughed, his shirt soaked from all the beer that had spilled.
"Bloody hell... you fucking morons..."
Klaus laughed loudly and proceeded to do the same—except he didn't seem to struggle at all. In just a few seconds, he drained the container dry and threw his arms out with a triumphant scream.
Then, walking on air, he ascended higher so everyone could see him. Not that it mattered—this was his club. And even if it weren't, who would dare to tell him what to do?
Hovering above the crowd, Klaus laughed and began floating in odd, exaggerated movements—sometimes upside down, sometimes walking on the ceiling with absolute theatrical flair.
Then he backflipped in mid-air—clearly fake, since he was floating—and chuckled like a man who'd just lost his last care in the world.
"Well... guess what? Everything's on me today! All the damned alcoholics, drug addicts, and every filthy misfit of society... Get wasted!"
The crowd roared with approval.
Who would ever say no to free booze?
Hecate watched everything with fascination, her wide, deep blue eyes sparkling with excitement. Tatiana had made sure she looked as beautiful as possible today, and for once, the usually bratty Hecate resembled a proper young lady.
Her sea-green hair was neatly combed into a high ponytail, and she wore a bold red corset top paired with high-waisted black pants and a studded belt. Draped over her shoulders was a crimson-and-black biker jacket that gave her a striking, unapologetic edge.
Belial, meanwhile, was dressed casually—just like Klaus. He wore simple white shorts and a loose shirt, with a pair of glasses pushed up onto his head, keeping his damp gray hair slicked back.
His stormy gray eyes were still wide with disbelief at what a certain madman had just put him through, and his hair dripped with beer, clinging messily to his forehead.
Tatiana, as always, was striking. Though her outfit today was a little humorous for a grown woman, maybe even a prank on Hecate? Who knew with her, really…
She wore a crisp white short-sleeved button-up shirt, paired with a plaid pleated skirt and a striped tie. The outfit was simple, almost schoolgirl-like, but no matter how mundane the clothes were, if Tatiana wore them—they became beautiful.
Clothes were usually meant to make someone look cool or attractive. But in Tatiana's case, it was the opposite—she made the clothes beautiful.
Well, what else would you expect from the most beautiful woman in the world?
Her golden hair was tied into twin ponytails, and with that youthful outfit, she looked even more radiant—lovely and almost impossibly adorable. Her greenish-golden eyes sparkled like precious jewels, effortlessly drawing every gaze her way.
The music was loud, the drinks were flowing, and the atmosphere was electric. Naturally, dancing and chaos followed.
In the middle of it all, Klaus and Belial locked eyes across the room. No words were needed.
Belial immediately grabbed Hecate by the wrist and dragged her toward the dance floor. Klaus, in perfect synchronicity, did the same with Tatiana.
The message was clear:
You take care of your sister, and I'll take care of mine.
Tatiana, of course, saw right through her insane, overprotective brother's antics—but she followed with an amused smile nonetheless, letting him lead her to the dance floor.
The thumping beat of the music pulsed through the room, but for Klaus and Tatiana, everything else seemed to fade away.
Klaus held Tatiana's hand gently, guiding her onto the dance floor with a calm confidence that belied his usual chaotic energy. There was no frantic rushing, no wild antics—just a quiet ease between them, like this was something they'd done a thousand times before, even if it had been a while.
Tatiana smiled softly, matching his pace. Her eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, softened as she glanced up at her brother. For a moment, the world outside the music, the noise, and the crowd disappeared. It was just the two of them—siblings finding a rare pocket of peace in the chaos.
Klaus smiled, spinning Tatiana gently across the dance floor. It had been a long time since they'd really had fun like this—just the two of them.
Lately, he'd been buried in work, barely finding a moment to breathe. A pang of guilt tugged at him for not spending enough time with his adorable sister.
So now, he decided to savor this moment fully—and he truly did.
For once, the weight of the everything lifted, replaced by simple joy and the comfort of family.
Few minutes later...
Nephis and her cohort decided to go to a nightclub... which was, admittedly, a strange choice, considering all of them were murderers and destroyers.
Still, they were young. It wasn't the worst idea to relax and have some fun, right?
That's what Cassie told herself—and what she told Kai and Effie when they dragged both Nephis and Sunny along.
In the past, she would've been incredibly uncomfortable in a place like this. But after spending so much time around Klaus, Cassie had grown more composed, more indifferent to such things.
She sighed, lifting a glass of whiskey in the VIP lounge, quietly sipping—until the silence drew attention from the others.
"What?" she asked, confused by their staring.
Then she froze.
Her sightless eyes widened slightly, and the glass trembled faintly in her hand.
W-wait… am I… becoming an alcoholic like Nik? N-no… no way!
Her mind reeled at the thought, but she maintained her expression—then, defiantly, she downed the entire glass in one go.
Hmph! No way I'm becoming a waste of society like that idiot…
She slammed the empty glass down with silent denial, ignoring the stunned looks from her friends.
Meanwhile, Kai was actually having fun—smiling faintly as he leaned against the railing of the VIP section. He liked seeing his friends laugh and enjoy themselves for once. It was rare.
But then his smile froze.
Standing at the edge of the upper-level lounge that overlooked the nightclub's crowded dance floor, his eyes caught something... deeply disturbing.
"Klaus?" he muttered, stunned. "What the hell...?"
And why was he dressed like that?
Klaus was practically naked—wearing nothing but loose summer shorts and an oversized shirt that was hanging open without a single button done up. In winter!
The others followed Kai's gaze, confusion giving way to disbelief as they too spotted the source of chaos.
Klaus and Tatiana were chugging drinks like their lives depended on it—back and forth, glass after glass, as if locked in some absurd sibling drinking competition.
…Maybe it was a competition.
Either way, the night had officially gone off the rails.
Well, the club's guards had noticed them too.
One of them silently excused himself, vanishing into the crowd with a purposeful stride.
Klaus, meanwhile, was having the time of his life. He laughed freely, lounging beside Tatiana with a half-empty drink in hand. But his eyes flicked up when he noticed the returning guard approaching.
Klaus gave him a lazy smile and leaned back on the couch, completely at ease as the guard leaned in to whisper discreetly.
"My lord… the Lady is here. And I believe she's already noticed you."
Klaus blinked—then burst into laughter, waving his hand dismissively.
"It's fine. I think that'll make things more fun," he said nonchalantly, before glancing at his sister and the two younger ones sprawled near the table.
"Well then… sister dearest, and my two allegedly adopted children," his grin widened, "it's time for mischief."
Tatiana chuckled faintly, one brow raised in amusement.
Hecate, of course, perked up like a cat that just heard the word chaos. That girl lived for mayhem.
The only one who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else was Belial, groaning from the corner with a clear expression of dread. Poor guy. What did you expect from an introvert dragged into a nightclub and surrounded by lunatics?
They laughed, finished their drinks, and started making their way to the upper floors—where the cohort was.
Hecate led the way, striding confidently toward the door. She tilted her head at it, then casually raised her foot and kicked it open, making the door slam against the wall.
She leaned in, stuck out her tongue, and shouted:
"WASSUP!!!"
Inside, people jumped in surprise. Nephis and Sunny nearly summoned their weapons out of pure reflex.
Klaus ruffled Hecate's hair with a wide grin.
Wait… what's this strange feeling in my stomach while I'm looking at her?
Hmm... weird. It feels… nice?
He promptly ignored the unfamiliar warmth bubbling inside him and bowed dramatically toward the group.
"Welcome to my humble abode, ladies and gentlemen. So... WASSUP!!!??"
"WASSSSSUUUUUP!!!??"
"WASSSSSSUUUUUP!!!??"
He and Hecate began sticking out their tongues in unison, shouting at the stunned group like unhinged gremlins on a sugar high.
Cassie sighed and looked away, her cheeks flushing slightly in secondhand embarrassment.