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“You look terrible.”
Five was lying on the couch, staring into space and trying not to fall asleep. He glared at Klaus.
“Don’t look at me like that! I’m just stating facts,” his brother defended himself.
“Not very nice facts,” Five grumbled.
Klaus huffed. “What are you doing, anyway?”
“Don’t have the energy to get up.”
“Why, are you sick or something?”
Five shook his head. “No! I don’t get sick.” That was kind of a lie, but that doesn’t matter. He didn’t want his family fussing over him if he was.
Klaus frowned. “Are you sure?” Ignoring Five’s protests, he placed his arm on the other’s forehead. He jolted back in surprise. “Shit, Five, you’re burning up!”
At the exclamation, Viktor wandered into the room. “What’s happening?”
“Nothing—” Five began, but was cut off by Klaus.
“Five is sick.”
“I am not!”
Viktor walked over. “How sick?”
Five rolled his eyes. “Just a little fever, it's nothing.”
“It’s really not,” Klaus interjected.
Five stood up shakily. “See? I’m fine!” he insisted, before collapsing back onto the sofa.
He saw Viktor shake his head. “Stubborn idiot,” he said under his breath, just loud enough to be heard. Five would’ve flipped her off if he had the energy.
It got worse the next day. He woke in his bed with a headache and feeling nauseous as hell. Five sat up, almost instantly leaning over to vomit in the garbage can Viktor had made him set beside his bed ‘just in case’. He didn’t bother trying to jump downstairs, he barely had enough strength to lift his arm to brush hair out of his face.
“Viktor?” he called as loud as he could manage (which wasn’t loud at all). But nonetheless, he opened the door a few moments later.
Viktor wrinkled his nose at the scent. “I told you to keep the trash bin by your bed, and you tried to tell me you didn’t need it!” He sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at Five. “Is it better or worse this morning?”
“Worse,” Five croaked.
“Can you get up?”
“Absolutely not,” Five let out a small humorless laugh. “You don’t have to fuss over me, you know. I can handle this myself.”
Viktor placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “First off, that’s an absolute lie and we both know it. Secondly, I do have to fuss over you. You’re my brother, and I’ll always take care of you when you need it. You did the same for me when we were kids, you probably still would, right?”
The smallest sibling crossed his arms, letting out a breath. “Sometimes I hate how right you are.”
Viktor smiled softly.
“So what am I going to do today? I can’t even stand up,” Five hissed suddenly, before being thrown into a coughing fit.
His brother tilted his head, thinking. “I could teach you to play violin, but I don’t think you’re up to that.” He looked at him, a silent request for confirmation. Five shook his head. He most certainly was not up to anything.
“Can you make me some soup?” he said quietly.
Viktor made a face. “For breakfast? Whatever sickness you have has clearly taken your only brain cell. And no, you shouldn’t drink anything for about two hours after vomiting, and you shouldn't eat for a couple hours after that. Try and get some sleep until then, see if you feel any better afterwards.”
Five blinked at him. “I didn’t know you were a nurse.”
He stood up. “Now you do.” With those words, he left the room.
“Thanks for shutting the door,” Five said to the room, now empty apart from him.
Five wasn’t sure how, but he managed a couple hours of sleep. It may have been more if Diego hadn’t walked in and shoved a glass of water in his face.
“Drink this and don’t argue.”
Five jolted awake, looking around before realizing it was just his brother.
“Thanks,” he mumbled as he took the cup. He managed a couple sips and handed it back.
Klaus poked his head in. “Your hair is a mess.”
Five glared. “I just woke up.”
Striding into the room, Klaus raised an eyebrow. “You look like hell froze over.” He pointed over his shoulder to the doorway. “Ten bucks you don’t make it over there before passing out.”
“I don’t want your money.”
“Even if you did, there’s no way you’d get it from that bet.”
“Stop arguing,” Diego said in a highly exasperated tone.
Klaus held a hand over his heart. He turned his head to the ceiling in an over-dramatic sorrowful way. “Why, oh why, dearest brother- why must thou ruin all thy fun?”
Five shook his head disappointedly. “That is the worst thing I’ve heard come from your mouth, and I lived with you for thirteen years.”
“Well, thank you, Number Five.”
“Boys.”
“Yes, mom?” Five responded in a heavily sarcastic voice.
“You are aware that if you weren’t sick I would absolutely throw a few knives at you.”
“But I’m your brother,” he pouted.
“You think that would stop me?” Diego challenged.
“I wouldn’t if I were you,” Klaus stage-whispered.
“Y’know what? Fuck you both,” Five huffed.
“No thanks,” his two brothers said in unison.
“Get out of my room.”
“Go away, Klaus.”
“Don’t tell me to go away!” Klaus gasped. “I’m trying to be a good brother while you’re sick. And—Christ on a cracker, Five, it smells terrible in here. How many times did you get sick?”
The smaller of the two crossed his arms. “Only once. You sure the smell isn’t you?”
Klaus flipped him off. “I’d get you back for that if you weren’t sick. Actually, I’d get you back anyways, but I don’t want Viktor getting mad at me.” He giggled.
At his name, Viktor stuck his head in through the doorway. “Don’t hurt him.”
“I wasn’t planning to!”
“You absolutely were, don’t lie.”
“Viktor,” Five whined. “He’s threatening me.”
“False accusations!” Klaus exclaimed.
Viktor smiled, shaking his head. “I brought you some medicine, Five.”
Immediately, Number Five stiffened. “No.”
“You have to take it.”
“I do not!” His voice went quiet. “You don’t have to take care of me. I know you say you do, but it doesn’t matter.”
Klaus sat on the edge of the bed. “But it does! Thirteen year olds are too young to take care of themselves, so we have to look after our little Fivesy-wivesy.”
Five made an attempt to hit his brother, although he was smiling slightly. “Shut up.”
“Five!” Viktor scolded. “That’s not nice! Apologize.”
“Yeah, Five, I’m wounded.”
Five rolled his eyes, a grin playing at his lips. “Sucks for you.”
Klaus shoved him gently. “Meanie.”
After that interaction, Five didn’t feel any better physically, but it assured him that, no matter how much of an ass he was, his family would always be right there. He was cared about. For the first time since his forty plus years in the apocalypse, he wasn’t alone. The feeling was new. He’d had Dolores, but she wasn’t able to care for him very well. She was only able to provide support. But his siblings? They were there. They always had been, and they weren’t going away anytime soon.
Sleep came much easier for him that night.