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Two weeks of being on one’s feet nonstop would be exhausting in and of itself. It’s worse for Five, though, who’s back in his little thirteen year old body that burns energy like nothing else, while having to fight and use his powers constantly when he hasn’t in years. It’s exhausting, and Five doesn’t have the time to eat enough to keep up with it.
It’s frustrating as all hell, and it’s really starting to take a toll on him by the time they’re leaving the sixties. But then they’re thrown into a whole new timeline, instead of back home, and he’s forced to Blink him and all five of his siblings away.
Something inside him seems to snap just then, as time and space tear to allow him passage. His hands are firm around his siblings’, and his teeth are gritted so tightly they’re beginning to ache. Last time he tried to Blink with all of them, it was harder and easier. Harder, because moving through time is on its own significantly more difficult, but easier because he’d been consistently eating full, balanced meals and thus had appropriate energy.
Now, though, he is all but starving, like he was in the apocalypse, and the mental strain of keeping his siblings together and whole combined with the physical strain of using his powers is too much and they end up tumbling from one of his portals several feet off the ground.
“Five,” someone he thinks might be Allison hisses. Figures she would be the first one to be angry with him. She can be short like that.
“You couldn’t have put us a little closer to the ground?” That’s definitely Diego, if memory serves.
For the record, he is sorry for putting them so far off the ground, but he’s currently laying on his side in a wet, muddy puddle, and he can’t get his mind to wrap around words well enough to speak them.
He just stares at the brick wall in front of him, completely still.
“Five?” Must be Vanya. No one else would speak to him so gently, especially not when they’re as upset with him as she was. “Five, are you alright?” He would like to answer, to reassure her, but he can’t. He feels too slow, like time is crawling along, but only in his head, and around him it’s moving fine.
“Mmmm,” Five manages, blinking sluggishly. He knows it isn’t a word, but it’s the best he can do. Vanya appears in his line of sight, kneeling in the mucky water and putting a hand to his forehead.
“What happened?” Luther asks, settling beside Vanya. He looks very worried, just like Vanya.
“I don’t know,” Vanya says, turning Five’s face over in her hands. “He’s awake, I think, but he won’t really answer.” She moves a finger back and forth in front of his eyes, and he knows this test well enough to follow it. “He tracks movement well enough.” Together, she and Luther set Five up against a wall. His head lolls to meet his shoulder without his permission. Everything is too heavy for him to control. “Five, are you ok?”
“Obviously not,” Klaus scoffs, bending over to peer into Five’s eyes. “But we don’t have time to figure him out. Those imposters are going to be on our tails soon.”
“He’s right,” Diego agrees. “We should find a hotel or something. Deal with him there.”
“We don’t have any money,” Luther points out.
“Ally can just Rumor us a room,” Klaus says, pointing to his sister. “And Luther here can carry Five. I doubt he’s gonna be doing any walking.” He’s right. Five can’t even feel his legs, let alone use them.
“That’s actually a good plan,” Diego says, with faux disbelief. “Incredible.” Klaus swats at him. Vanya sends one last anxious glance towards Five then nods, and Luther lifts Five into his arms like he’s a bride.
They find a hotel rather quickly, and Allison Rumors them a double bedded room. It’s cramped, but not horribly so.
Five, who is still listlessly staring into space, is set on one of the beds. His hair is no longer wet with the dirty water, and instead is uncomfortably dry. Same with his suit.
“Someone should find food,” Luther says as Vanya checks Five’s eyes and his pulse.
“Food!” Klaus shouts, throwing his arms in the air. For a moment, everyone, save Five, glares at him. He points at Five. “Five’s powers need food, remember? He got really sick as a kid whenever he didn’t eat enough!” Klaus being the smartest of his siblings was not what Five expected. He’d have guessed Vanya. “Have you guys really seen him eat anything since he found you?” Everyone shakes their head. “He probably just needs to recharge! Right, Fivey?”
It’s difficult, taking more effort than Five would have ever thought anything could need, but he manages to nod once. Food would be good, although he doesn’t know if he’d be able to chew it. It wouldn’t fix him, though. Something is wrong, something he hopes sleep will be able to fix.
“See!” Klaus smiles brightly. Five wishes he could effectively scowl. As is, the muscles in his face merely twitch, drawing in only slightly. “Why don’t you guys go out and find us somethin’ to eat, and I’ll get our little Five cleaned up.” No one argues, but Vanya lingers in the doorway, even after the others have left.
“You think he’ll be ok?” she asks, softly. Klaus, who’s manhandling Five in an attempt to alleviate him of his jacket, nods.
“Five’s always ok,” he says, simply. She nods distractedly, but retreats after the others. “I think you’ll be alright.” He says to Five.
“Yeah,” Five mumbles. It’s shaky and weak, but it’s progress, and he’ll take it. Klaus positively beams.
“Your first word!” he croons, smushing Five’s cheeks between his hands. The scowl Five gives him is better than before, but still hardly an expression at all. “Aw, don’t look at me like that. I’m just happy you’re getting better, is all.” Five’s jacket is tossed away, and Klaus removes his shoes and socks as well. “I don’t think you’re gonna want me giving you a bath, huh?” Five shakes his head as best he can. “We can leave that until you can do it on your own, I guess.”
He helps Five get as comfortable as possible against the headboard, the blanket pooled around his waist. Sensation and control are slowly returning to Five’s limbs, but they’re still shaky when he tries moving them.
By the time the others return, Five and Klaus have perused all of the available channels on the TV. None were particularly interesting, but Five was able to gather some useful information on the differences between their timeline and this one. It’s nearly exactly the same, from what he can tell, with the minor hiccup that is the Sparrows.
They chose Chinese food for dinner, a choice that at first Five is not wholly displeased by, but upon further thought is incredibly unfortunate. His stomach is still weak, even without having nothing in it for nearly a whole week, and something as rich as Chinese will absolutely upset it.
Besides that, it’s quickly discovered that he can’t hold a plate by himself. His hands are too shaky, and even when they put it in his lap instead, he can’t grip a fork or spoon enough to actually bring the food to his mouth.
So, begrudgingly, he allows Klaus to feed him the rice. Thankfully, he does not throw it up afterward. He feels a little ill, but mostly very tired.
“Do you want to try and shower?” Klaus asks, prodding Five’s side with one of his long fingers. Five shakes his head, too tired for anything but sleeping. “Ok, well, you can in the morning, I guess.” Five nods and lets his eyes slip shut, curling on his side and covering himself as best he can in blankets.
In the morning, he’ll shower. In the morning, he’ll make a plan. Right now he will sleep.