Klaus dreads the days that he has to 'train' with Dad, which really only amounts to being locked away in the dark in a mausoleum with only the dead for company. The terrifying, blood-soaked, screeching dead, all screaming his name and reaching for him in silent bid for his attention.
And it goes on for hours.
Sometimes, he tries to just squeeze his eyes shut, clamp his hands over his ears and count the seconds until they become minutes, become hours, until it's over. Other times, he can't block it out at all, feels a sharp, icy sensation against his leg where one of the ghosts had tried to grab him. Those are the times he can't even dream of closing his eyes, because it's terrifying enough to be here, alone and not all at once-- and not seeing is sometimes worse than seeing.
It never ends any differently. Klaus is too terrified to do whatever it is Reginald is expecting of him. He's always told, "Such a disappointment, Number Four." before being hauled up the steps to return home. Klaus was seven when he stopped expecting his Dad to comfort him at all after putting him through this ritualistic torture, so he does his best on the way home to keep his breathing even and not let the tears fall.
He doesn't eat those nights, or if he does, it isn't much. He stays in the shower until the water runs cold and he absolutely refuses to be alone. He will find a sibling and stick to their side like glue whether they like it or not. He's a lot more subdued than is usual for him on nights like that, too. Calm and quiet in ways that people would normally beg for, but that are eerie in comparison.
He sleeps like hell, too. Though that's most nights, and training days just make it all the worse. He might wake up screaming. He might experience some minor sleep paralysis. But he never sleeps well. And some nights? A sibling might even wake up in the middle of the night to find him curled up next to them.
{Nightmares behind my eyes and voices in my head, my limbs all froze and my eyes won't close
And it goes on for hours.
Sometimes, he tries to just squeeze his eyes shut, clamp his hands over his ears and count the seconds until they become minutes, become hours, until it's over. Other times, he can't block it out at all, feels a sharp, icy sensation against his leg where one of the ghosts had tried to grab him. Those are the times he can't even dream of closing his eyes, because it's terrifying enough to be here, alone and not all at once-- and not seeing is sometimes worse than seeing.
It never ends any differently. Klaus is too terrified to do whatever it is Reginald is expecting of him. He's always told, "Such a disappointment, Number Four." before being hauled up the steps to return home. Klaus was seven when he stopped expecting his Dad to comfort him at all after putting him through this ritualistic torture, so he does his best on the way home to keep his breathing even and not let the tears fall.
He doesn't eat those nights, or if he does, it isn't much. He stays in the shower until the water runs cold and he absolutely refuses to be alone. He will find a sibling and stick to their side like glue whether they like it or not. He's a lot more subdued than is usual for him on nights like that, too. Calm and quiet in ways that people would normally beg for, but that are eerie in comparison.
He sleeps like hell, too. Though that's most nights, and training days just make it all the worse. He might wake up screaming. He might experience some minor sleep paralysis. But he never sleeps well. And some nights? A sibling might even wake up in the middle of the night to find him curled up next to them.