Chapter Text
It's a test, Five knows. His missions have been full of those, child play. Test how far he’s willing to go, how efficient he is, how are his improvements holding –does he need more? Maybe some of the brand new–, how, how, how. He’s always ahead of it. Performing with brutal efficiency, the only way he knows. His way of living.
They hit the score with this one, though.
He knows he should turn around; he should ignore and continue to keep watch. His target is still inside the building and Five knows what happens, his brother doesn’t die in 2008 in the back of an alleyway. He dies in 2019, as the rest of the world, but–
It's freezing and Klaus is going to catch hypothermia if he stays any longer out here. The shelters must be full. He knows his brother has nowhere else to go, Vanya’s book made that very clear and he’s sitting down, his back against the bricks, a lighter held between his shaking hands. No intention to look for alternatives.
Five’s own hands are itching, his vision is blurring and every breath becomes painful, catching on his throat and stabbing his chest. It’s just–
It’s the first time he’s seen one of his siblings since he buried them decades ago. Bare hands, risk of dehydration, and a choice that did nothing for his survival; Fire and brimstone surrounding them; Hell. He’s out, now, and it’s freezing.
He doesn’t die– or you always do this, Love.
“I know.”
It’s a test.
He fails.
.
Klaus peers up at him. Smudged eyeliner around red sclera and dilated pupils.
“You’re going to get hypothermia.” Five starts, the words dry and short, with the way they want to catch on his throat. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
Klaus laughs, high-pinched and dipping into something he would define as hysteria, if he had any foot to stand on. He continues making that horrid sound and doesn’t answer, Five waits for about six seconds to see if there’s something resembling words forthcoming and then pokes him on the arm with his index before quickly retracting his arm.
His brother flinches, slamming his back against the bricks. The laugh cuts before returning with a short crackle. Five’s stomach is hollow, but he feels something stirring on it, making him nauseous. Klaus looks so young to be out here alone.
“Oh, you’re real. ” He says, tilting his head and then gets distracted with something over his shoulder, frowning at it.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Five repeats, pronouncing the words carefully. It comes out awkward and stunted.
“Of course– yeah, yeah –” and gestures around with a flourish. “--can’t you see my mansion? Forgive the mess, my ghostly butler is a bitch .”
Five’s starting to get uncomfortable with the position, crouched in front of his brother, briefcase at his side. The cold is hard on his articulations, even with the modifications; the pills and surgeries. Klaus is shivering, hands under his armpits in the effort of conserving warmth.
He takes out his coat and offers it to Klaus. He blinks at it, before his expression slowly morphs into surprise and grabs the clothing with eager hands, but doesn’t put it on. Five tries not to frown.
“There is–” He starts and then clears his throat when his voice refuses to come out. “--There is this place I’m staying at, you can come with me if you don’t have somewhere to be.”
Klaus is silent, staring at him with those absent eyes. It’s then that Five realizes that maybe it wasn’t a good idea to approach him like this, a stranger wanting to take him to another location, if it was him he wouldn’t accept. Too dangerous. Maybe he should have moved along some threads, killed the right person for him to get in a shelter.
“The coat is for you to wear.”
Nothing. Kinder, Cinque.
The cold is starting to make Five shiver, cold seeping into his impractical corporate attire, thin fabric that won’t withstand the elements if it became a necessity. He complained, at first, but it quickly became apparent that she was deriving amusement from this and he stopped.
“I don’t want you to get hypothermia.” He repeats, trying to make his voice softer, less biting, then adds: “People die from that.”
Klaus startles, looks to the side and smiles.
“Oh, you should have told me sooner, sweet!” He finally says, moving to put the coat on. It will be small on him, but is better than nothing. “I would be delighted to!”
He tries to stand up and falls on his ass, making more of a mess of the bottles scattered around him. Five rises, knees cracking –surgery only can do much– grabs his briefcase and offers his brother a gloved hand.
“What a gentleman.”
Klaus rises and he’s– really tall. Five knew that from his corpse, of course, and he was always a gangly kid. It’s still ridiculous, their height difference, he has to crack his neck to look up at his face.
“Shut up. ” Klaus hisses to the air –or a ghost, rather, he supposes and then turns to look at Five with a smile, blinking too fast. Tremors running through him. “Lead the way, love.”
He frowns at the pet name, but lets it pass unquestioned. He’s always been extravagant, a little too eager to make people uncomfortable, and then promptly forgets about it when Klaus puts his arms around himself, an attempt to conserve warmth. Five breathes slowly and tries not to panic at the cold biting his skin, they just need to cross the street and get to his car, it will be fine. He can buy another coat for Klaus and get his back.
It will be fine.