NO. 15 EMOTIONAL DAMAGE
Prompt:Lies New Scars Breathing Through the Pain
"I'm fine." Was becoming more of a motto. Five is looking thin and tired, but keeps the academy at a distance before finally cracking.
It had been a while since the last crisis.
40 plus years in the future, alone.
Nearly a handful of years with the commission, which was its own hell.
Then day after day of trying to outrun apocalypses.
Now nothing. No threats. No time crunch.
And now all the thoughts, emotions, and aches were catching up to him and weighing him down.
Five was staring at his coffee, watching the liquid swirl slowly around from when he had put it down.
He felt… numb. And tired.
"Hey, you feeling alright?" Klaus asked him.
Five met his worried gaze and was confused. "Hm?"
"We asked you three times if you wanted French toast. You have been staring off into space… are you OK?"
"Yeah… yeah I'm fine," he said with a small shrug. He could tell Klaus wasn't satisfied with that answer, so he forced a smile. "Never better."
"Alright," Klaus' tone was that of disbelief, but he held his hands up indicating that he was letting go.
"So…" Viktor asked cautiously. "Do you want French toast?"
"No thanks," Five said simply. "Coffee's enough."
"You're going to give yourself an ulcer," Allison warned.
Five just quietly went back to his thoughts.
-UA-
"Five?"
Five opened his eyes. He sharply lifted himself up to look around, his eyes blinking as the sunlight was peering through the windows into the living room.
"Did you sleep in here last night?" Luther asked him.
Five frowned slightly. He had gone to bed… but somehow ended up here.
"I suppose so.." Five said as he pulled himself up entirely in a sitting position. "Must have dozed off reading or something."
"Reading?" Luther looked around them. "Reading what?"
Five glanced around as well. There was nothing to back up his story.
"Oh, I pulled a book from the shelf and was reading it," he gestured over to the book shelf. "I felt tired and figured I would rest my eyes for a few moments. Those moments apparently turned into hours." He gave a little innocent shrug.
"Oh," Luther nodded. "But you're ok?"
"Yeah," Five gave a little nod. "I'm alright. You?"
"Yeah, no, I'm good."
"Good."
After a beat of awkward silence, Five finally broke it with, "I'm going to get myself some coffee."
Luther nodded and Five turned to head towards the kitchen.
-UA-
Five sat in the gazebo, the autumn chill finally beginning to sting at his cheeks and ears.
He gazed at the courtyard.
Suddenly there was a hand waving in front of his face.
"What?" He followed the direction of the arm to see Klaus again, looking at him with concern in his eyes.
"Why don't you come inside for coffee or something warm?" Klaus offered with a smile.
"I'm alright," Five told him.
"No. You're not."
Five looked at him sharply.
"You have been zoning out, barely eating, only drinking and you are sleep blinking again…"
Luther must have mentioned finding Five in the living room.
"…And you have been sitting out here for so long your lips are starting to turn blue."
Five brought his hand up to his lips. He didn't realize his skin was so cold.
Klaus gave him a sympathetic smile.
"I'm fine."
They were hollow words. They both knew it.
Klaus wrapped an arm around him.
"You're crying."
The warmth of the tears turned cold as the air hit them.
"I'm fine…"
"I know."
They sat quietly for a while as Five let out his tears, his anxieties, and his exhaustion.
After sitting for almost an hour Klaus turned to him. "Let's go inside. You need a warm bed."
Five nodded.
"Klaus?"
Klaus half expected him to threaten him, should he tell anyone what just happened.
"Yes, mi hermano?"
"Thanks."
As always- thank you for reading! I'm still trying to catch up from being behind by a day! I'll get there!
