NO. 17 HANGING BY A THREAD
Prompts were: Breaking Point/ Stress Positions/ Reluctant Caretaker
I chose the last of the choices
After the wedding, Lila finds Five unconscious in the elevator and takes it on herself to take care of him. All she really wanted was food.
"Diego?" Lila turned over in their bed to face her lover. She was greeted by a snore. She poked at his side. "Oi. I'm hungry."
Diego huffed in annoyance. "The buffet is probably still open." He turned away from her.
"So let's go."
"You go," he said with a yawn.
She paused for a moment then sighed, sitting up to throw back on some pants and a shirt.
She made her way out into the hallway and over to the elevator hitting the button. She waited a few moments before turning to hit the button again, just as the door dinged.
"About time," she muttered.
The door opened and she turned to step in, surprised to find Five crumpled against the corner on the floor.
"Five?" She entered the elevator and debated kicking him to see if he would wake up. Instead she dropped beside him and shook a shoulder. His head lolled for a moment, which startled him awake.
He immediately groaned, squinting his eyes open.
"You look like shit," Lila informed him.
"Well I feel like shit."
"Come on, on your feet," Lila pulled him up. It always surprised her how light he actually was.
He swayed briefly and she positioned herself under his arm, wrapping her other arm around.
"I have to remember something…" he scrunched his face in confusion.
"I'd be surprised if you remembered your own name at the moment… or number."
"No… it was something important. About Dad…well, Reginald.."
"What about the old coot?" The elevator door opened and she helped him out into the lobby.
"He was making a deal I think… I don't know who he was talking to…" he put a hand to his head.
"Don't try to think too hard," Lila told him as she sat him down at a table. "You'll hurt that little head of yours." She clawed her hand at the top of his head.
He let her for a moment and then pulled away from her touch, embarrassed.
"What?" She asked innocently.
He gave her a look.
She sighed. "Let's get some food in you. And water."
He made a face. "I lost everything I ate before, not sure it's a good idea."
"We'll make you toast or something. But if you were puking before, you definitely need water."
She went to go get them some food and glanced back at him. He had put his forehead on the table.
"Don't pass back out, or I'll smack you," she threatened.
"Pretty sure you'll smack me anyway," he replied, his voice partially muffled as he still had his head favoring the floor.
She grabbed some cheerios and put it in a bowl, along with some bottles of water, and made her way back over to him.
"Here. This shouldn't upset your stomach," she placed it down next to him. He lifted his head and looked at the bowl and then at her. "Do you want me to feed you like a baby bird?" She picked up the spoon out of the bowl and held it up to him.
He looked almost scared for a brief moment and then glared at her. Then she realized and remembered. "Sorry…" she put the spoon back down.
"It's not your fault." He shrugged. He took the spoon and forced a bite. He made a face as he swallowed. Lila opened a bottle of water and handed it to him. He took it.
"I understand it was a wedding, but you drank a lot."
"It's the end of the world Lila," he looked at her. "I have been jumping from apocalypse to apocalypse… suddenly I realized, maybe I should have just let the end of the world happen the first time after all."
He looked away from her but not before Lila could spot the tears threatening to drop from his eyes.
"So. Your father was speaking to someone…" she changed the conversation, for his sake.
He closed his eyes trying to figure it out, but doing so made him realize how tired he was.
"Woah," she grabbed at his shoulders to keep him steady.
"He shook hands with someone…" Five said, not really noticing how she was practically holding him on the chair. "But the angle into the room wasn't a good one."
"Well you can think on it tomorrow," she told him. "When you have a clearer mind."
He felt himself dropping again. "I'm so tired."
"I know…"
She glanced around, wondering how close Luther was. She felt for his ability, managing to tap into it. She lifted Five a little easier, placing his arm over her shoulders again, but practically carrying him over to one of the lounge sofas.
She placed him sitting, and sat next to him.
"Here." She held out the water to him again.
He took another swig and handed it back to her.
Closing his eyes to blink made him feel even more tired.
And dizzy.
Lila didn't say anything as he fell over on the couch and partially into her lap. She shimmied and nudged him enough so he was merely using her as a pillow.
"Rest Five," she told him, instinctively running her fingers through his messy hair.
He shifted slightly at her touch, almost into it.
Poor bugger, she thought. He must be touch starved.
She sat quietly with him, and his breathing slowed down.
The famous killer, Five, looked so peaceful.
She couldn't help but smirk at that.
"That is not the brother I expected to see you with," Allison's voice filled the air.
Lila looked up at her and sighed.
"Well I found this one unconscious on the floor of the elevator. Drank himself silly."
"Silly would be the correct word," Allison thought back to the events of the wedding and how Five carried on the way he did.
"Could you help a girl out?" Lila asked.
Allison went over to a nearby armchair and picked up it's pillow. She went over to Lila, who tried to pull slightly away, so they could fit most of the pillow under Five's head.
"One…two…" Lila blinked to right behind Allison, allowing the Rumor to push the pillow the rest of the way under Five's head. He barely stirred.
Allison couldn't help but brush some hair out of his face, even though a few strands fell right back.
"What are you doing up?" Lila asked.
"Couldn't sleep," Allison shrugged.
"Fancy some food?" Lila asked, gesturing to the buffet.
"Sure."
Allison took one last look at Five on the couch before following after her new sister.
Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it!
