Chapter Text
Five was many things, but emotionally aware was not one of them.
You can’t blame him, though, it’s not like there was group therapy in the apocalypse. Even once the Commision had basically kidnapped him into becoming an assassin, any weakness would have been exploited, much like the early days of the Academy.
He blames that on how he didn’t pick up on the foul mood of the room.
Looking back, it should have been obvious-Allison was glaring at Luther, which she only did when he had made a major mistake. Luther was almost glaring back, and Five could count the times he had glared at her on one hand. Diego was scowling at them both, and tossing a knife up and down like an apple. Klaus was nowhere to be seen, which was extremely unusual for their extroverted brother. Vanya was also missing, which wasn’t as strange, but she normally helped the family calm down after their bigger fights, having the most emotional awareness out of all of them.
Five picked up on maybe three of these things, if only Luther and Alison glaring at one another, but mostly because it was extremely strange. He mostly chalked it up to another fight about Vanya, Luther’s patience for the woman short ever since she had almost caused the apocalypse. Allison was much more patient, and so the two fought about her, if only once in a blue moon. He wasn’t paying much attention otherwise, having put his family in the least threatening category in his head.
That was his first mistake, really. The second one came when he noticed Klaus’ absence, as he had been growing a strange bond with the man, and asked where he was.
“Probably off getting high somewhere.” Diego snorted, tossing his knife again. Five furrowed his brow. Klaus had been working so hard to get sober, to prove to them all that he was so much more than a junkie, and he was.
“Not this again, Diego.” Allison groaned, turning her gaze to him. “He’s been-”
“Still don’t believe him.” Diego muttered. “He hasn’t even made an effort since we were kids.”
“Why do you find that so hard to believe!?” Allison snapped, and oh, she was mad at him too. “Why can’t you have an ounce of faith in him!?”
“I gave that up three overdoses ago.” Diego scowled. “He just robs me, goes out to buy more drugs. Why now?”
“Overdoses?” Luther asked, breaking his silence.
“Oh please, like you care.” Diego snapped at him, shoving his knife in his holster harshly. “You don’t care about anyone but Allison.”
Luther stood up with a jolt, Allison standing up after him and placing a hand on his chest. He pushed her away, and Five blinked. Luther had never done that before.
“See? Hiding behind your girlfriend.” Diego stood up, turning to walk out of the room. “No wonder you weren't good enough for Dad.”
Luther shouted, and started storming after him, Allison looking as if she wanted to murder him herself for that girlfriend comment. He moved to punch Diego, but he ducked and punched Luther himself. They continued to brawl, Five scoffing at their childish actions. He walked over to Allison, who was the most competent person in the room right now.
“Do you know where Klaus is?” He asked.
“No,” She admitted, “But I know he’s not high.”
“Good to see someone else has faith in him.” Five said, shooting another glare at Diego.
“Vanya believes him too,” Allison said weakly.
“Oh? Good.” Five felt an odd rush of pride for Vanya and Klaus. Sure, he could be called a little too overprotective, but sue him. He had seen their dead bodies, had buried them himself. Five was pretty sure he was entitled to a little protectiveness.
“Of course she did.” Diego snorted from across the room, nursing a newly formed black eye. Luther scowled at the mention of their youngest sibling, and the two continued to throw punches.
Five scoffed again and jumped to the door, flinging it open. “I’m going to look for him, don’t wait up.”
“Five-” Luther tried to say, but Five slammed the door before he could finish. There was no way that that wasn’t going to escalate into a full blown fight, and Five didn’t have time for that, not when Klaus was apparently missing. Again.
Five started to walk down the street, looking around as he did so. He would check Griddy’s first, then spiral out to the other crappy fast food places. If Klaus was involved in the apparent fight, which Five assumed he was, he’d want some shitty comfort food, most likely waffles.
Gunshots snapped his attention over to a convenience store a couple of blocks away. He jumped twice, landing himself right outside the store. He could see three gunmen in there. One was pointing at the cashier, who was frantically putting money into a sack, another was stationed outside the door, most likely as a lookout, and the third was pointing at a group of people-people, he noticed, with growing panic, that included his brother.
Well, at least he had found him, right?
Quickly, Five mentally calculated the best course of action. The third one held the most potential for damage, and even if the first gunman shot the cashier on instinct, he could get to the other two before he turned on the hostages. Nodding, he jumped behind the third gunman, snapping his neck in a quick twist. The others twirled around, but before they could react he jumped again to the one who was aiming at the cashier and sliced his neck with a letter opener that had been behind the counter. That left the one by the door, and so, letter opener in hand, Five ran to the final guy and stabbed his stomach before jumping a final time behind him and slicing his neck.
Five dropped the opener, hearing it clatter to the floor. His head was pounding, and he noticed the hostages were running out of the building. Good, that’s good. He blinked again, and suddenly Klaus was standing in front of him, and Five was pretty sure he was trying to say something, but if he was Five couldn’t understand. The floor swam below him, and Five was overtaken with vertigo.
(Klaus seemed to panic above him, although Five didn’t know why.)
He sunk to the floor, a sharp ringing in his ears. His side hurt. When did that happen? There was blood. Someone was bleeding. A hostage?
He was bleeding.
Oh.
(Is that why Klaus was so panicked?)
“Five five five please look at me it’s gonna be okay I promise, Five please look…” Klaus’ voice grew weaker.
He felt vertigo again, and his eyes slid shut, the darkness not helping with his head. It was still pounding, Five feeling sluggish. Cool air hit his body, and he tried to open his eyes-he found he missed the stimuli and information it gave him more than he enjoyed the darkness. It was...difficult, but he managed to open them a sliver. Everything was blurry, out of focus. Five tried his best to get it back in focus, but it wasn’t exactly working.
It was hard, and he was tired.
Maybe he could take a nap.
Klaus was here.
Klaus is safe.
Five was tired.
“Five no please wake up-“
“‘M tired,” Five whined.
“I know, I know, just please don’t fall asleep.”
But he was so sleepy, didn’t Klaus understand?
He just
Wanted
To
Rest.
Five opened his eyes to see his siblings surrounding him, except he was on the other side of the room.
He screamed, and did not stop.