Chapter Text
Ben plopped himself next to Allison on the couch. She glanced up at him from her phone.
“Oh, hi Ben. I didn’t know you were back yet.”
Ben sighed and rested his head on the cushion of the couch.
“Yeah,” he laughed to himself,” turns out shopping with Klaus is more exhausting than I expected.”
Allison laughed with him, setting her phone down in her lap.
“I can only imagine,” she looked down at her own clothes, which were quite stylish as well,” but I’m sure I’m the same, or maybe worse.”
“Next time you can go with Klaus, then.”
Allison hummed in agreement, and they fell into a comfortable silence.
After mindlessly scrolling through Instagram for a little bit (maybe an hour? who knows), Ben set down his phone and stretched his back. He slumped on Allison’s shoulder.
“What’s everyone else been up to?” He said, a yawn accompanying his words.
“Uh..” Allison scrubbed at her eyes with her free hand,” Vanya is at practice, I think she should be home soon. Luther and I went grocery shopping a bit ago, Klaus was with you, Diego is with mom, and…”
She paused.
“Actually, I haven’t seen Five in a while. That’s kinda weird, usually he would be down here with me.”
“Maybe I’ll go look for him.” Ben stood, groaning after sitting for so long.
“Have fun, I have a doctor's appointment I should go to.”
He shot her a thumbs up as he walked out of the room. The house was mostly empty, which should have made finding Five easier, but he was nowhere to be found.
Ben knocked on Five’s door. No answer.
“Five?” He tried, slowly pushing the door open. The room was barren.
Ben shut the door, which slammed much louder than he expected.
He checked each of the rooms, to no avail. For a moment, he panicked, Five could be anywhere and it wasn’t long ago Klaus was taken under everyone’s noses.
As Ben turned to go find someone to help, he saw the evening sunlight creep in through an open door, and he knew.
Ben opened the door to the library and, bingo. There he was.
Five sat slumped against a bookcase, books strewn around him and one propped up on his legs. Ben knelt in front of his sleeping brother, gently grabbing the book off his lap.
“Oh Five,” he muttered to himself,” when will you ever take a break?”
Five stirred lightly at the sound of his voice, and Ben decided it was best to wake him.
“Hey?” He put a gentle hand on Five’s shoulder,” Hey, Five?”
His eyes slowly opened, and they sat a moment in silence- staring at one another before Five reacted. He turned a bit red at the prospect of Ben finding him in a moment of weakness.
“I-I uh..” he stuttered, speech still slightly slurred with sleep.
“You alright?” Ben said, the concern in his chest rearing it’s head once again.
“Of course,” Five brushed Ben’s hand off his shoulder,” just, uh, lost track of time.”
Ben furrowed his eyebrows, but before he could respond properly or even question Five further- he was gone.
Ben made a note to himself to talk to Allison and Luther about this later. Vanya too, she could get Five to talk better than anyone else.