Chapter Text
Five only has eyes for Klaus, approval glimmering in his eyes, when Ben comes in with six cups of coffee from Starbucks grinning from ear to ear. It makes Klaus feel all squishy and happy, he did it! He actually got him out of the house and out in the streets! He’s made Ben corporal a few times already, but lately they’ve been working on distance. Since they’ve been teaching Vic, all the siblings got to work on their powers again. Finding out that the military, strict way daddy dearest taught, didn’t only make Klaus a little apprehensive of his own powers made him a lot less like the failure of the seven. Not nearly enough for the words the rest say to not sting when they come watch his training sessions. Five knows about all the things he got up to as a kid, but only through Victor's book, so he’s surprisingly sweet, when he’s normally such a firecracker, Klaus really appreciates the patience, and it got them closer in return.
Klaus asked about it once when the two of them got late night Griddy’s when either of them couldn’t go to sleep. “When I read the book, I wondered how it all went so wrong, we always had each other when we were younger, so I started thinking about it. How did Ben lose control, why does Diego still hate swimming when he should thrive in the water. Why would you hate ghosts when I remember you loved playing with your imaginary friends, when we were six. And then I figured it out, I knew dad was a dick, but I guess he got a lot worse when I disappeared, huh?” All Klaus could do was nod grimly, “and I guess private training didn’t really make it better for anyone.” Five patted his brother's hand awkwardly, it was so endearing it made him grin. “Love you to, tiny dancer!” That got him a kick in the shins and made them both a hell of a lot more comfortable. World balance restored, Five was an aggressive little maniac and showed it through violence.
“How was it Benerino?” Klaus asked smiling brightly at his beaming brother, “dude, I actually got to talk to people! Okay, some told me I was creepy and to stop staring, but they noticed me, nobody walked through me the whole way!” They share a grin that Allison dubbed their “the shinning twin smile” and Ben comes to sit next to him. Both look over to Five with an excepted look on their face, who gives them a rare, pleased grin that makes the brothers glow. “Okay guys, see you at dinner!” “Thanks for the coffee.” Victor tells his brother, as he turns invisible.
“Well, good job Klaus, I think it’s time we think about the next step in your training.” Deep breaths, no need to stress, “you’re gonna do fine, stop psyching yourself out already.” Luther makes a sound between a scoff and a disappointed sigh, sharing a look with Allison and Klaus tries to focus on his teacher only, cracking his shoulders and grinning. No need to psyche himself out. “What’s the plan sensei.” Five looks at him, trying to gauge a reaction, before he says: “I want you to make multiple ghost corporal.” Klaus clenches and unclenches his fists, grin still plastered on his face. “You definitely don’t want me to do that, ‘lil buddy.” Five just stares. “You’re not provoking me.”
“Just do what he says, Klaus!” Luther interjects annoyed, when there’s a long pause between student and teacher. “Come on! You’re doing great, bro! Why not start on the next steps!” Diego tries to encourage, he doesn’t want it to sound condescending but come on! It’s going great with Ben, what’s got him so clamped up. Victor, he gets, his powers are so new, every time the next step is here, he’s allowed to freak a little, even though he’s as cool as a freaking cucumber.
But Klaus has these powers since birth, he doesn’t have any excuse to be acting like this, he hates the water, but he went to the swimming pool every month to still try and hone his breathing powers. Mind over body, strength over weakness. His brother needs to stop with the excuses and start fighting his fear, instead of bowing to it. He’s had thirty years to start this, it needs to stop ruling over him, the drugs were just a side effect of it.
After a long pause, Klaus stops the staring contest and heaves a dramatic sigh, “okay if I’m doing this, only Five stays.” “Why?” Luther frowns, “is there something else that you need to do except waving your hands?” Klaus shakes his head, “it’s not me, he’s a 60 year old time travelling assassin. I know we’ve all seen shit, but I’m not gonna traumatise my siblings if I can help it.” Luther scoffs and Allison rolls her eyes. “I think we can handle a few ghosts, okay? You’re not gonna traumatise us.” Diego tells him, but Victor just frowns, “they’re not just like Ben?” Klaus snorts a cold look in his eyes, “no, I summoned Ben, he’s been the exception. It’s why I still saw him when I was high.” Five picks the red notebook in his lap back up and begins writing, “what do you mean, are there different variations of ghosts?” Klaus just shrugs, “yeah definitely, I’ve only ever summoned Ben, the rest just,” he makes a vague gesture with his goodbye-hand, “wander. Ben says it’s because I’m a beacon to them.”
“No, you know what? I wanna go back to what you said, you think we’re to weak to handle your powers?” Luther interrupts again, making Five look up with his notebook with a venomous look in his eye, “yeah, I’m not some delicate flower! You never even went to missions, you were lookout!” Allison says, irritation clear in her voice, “you don’t know anything, none of you do!” Klaus crosses his arms tightly round his waist. “If you don’t believe me, that’s fine, but if I do this and my powers go haywire, or I make more corporal than I meant too. I can’t help any of you, it’s not a safe environment for me to train if you’re all gonna freak out on me, like I know you would do!” Before Luther can argue against that, Five blips and puts his hand on Luthers mouth. “Maybe we should have a controlled experience, a sort of trail run. Allison can rumour anyone who wants to stay to have the powers you have, for like a minute or so. Would that help you settle down?”
Klaus looks to his left, to where they presume sit Ben, “so?” He rolls his eyes at something he hears and Five takes his seat, to start up his notes again, leaving Luther gaping after him. “You’re just gonna give them the full experience?” After a moments pause, he starts giggling, “not even that one?” He waves his hand around, to vague to see where he’s pointing and the giggling turns maniacal laughter. “Fuck, okay.”
“I heard a-“ “-wait! I don’t wanna get rumoured, sorry Klaus.” He shakes his head at his baby brother, “good for you Vic, and besides, we need some things before this is going to happen.” Klaus sighs and furrows his brows. “Diego, tuck your feet under yourself.” That makes even Five look up at him strangely.
Diego tries not to show how startled he is, slowly holding his legs agains his chest, looking around at something that’s not gonna be invisible in a moment. “Ali, scoot over like 5 inches to the left,” when she does, Klaus makes a full body cringe, “my left.” Her eyes turn like saucers as she stands up to lean against the wall, Klaus gives her a thumbs up, they see his hands are shaking, when he turns to Luther, he clenches his jaw and crosses his arms, “you’re not scaring me.” Klaus cackles, full on wicked witch cackling, “well shit, have fun with that! Five behind you.” He nods tightly, scribbling profusely in the little red notebook. “Everyone, don’t react, that makes them really excited. Ali, be really specific about it, it’s seeing, not feeling or experiencing, seeing.” She looks at him, all annoyance about thinking she couldn’t handle it gone from her face, her dark eyes just as calculating as Fives.
Five puts the notebook away carefully as she starts up. “I heard a rumour,” looking around the room, “that we experience exactly what Klaus’ powers feel like for a minute.”
Klaus cackles maniacally as the screaming starts.