Characters: Klaus, Five, Ben
Summary: Five doesn't feel like a girl anymore. The apocalypse is over, he's not an assassin anymore but he still doesn't feel right. He feels like a boy. Klaus can help, he has to.
Trigger Warning: panic attack, gender dysphoria. Be cautious while reading, take care of yourselves ❤
“Klaus!” His sister's cry came ringing through the room. Klaus was instantly up and stumbling to the room where his thirteen year old sister had been hiding. Ben was behind him, even though he hadn't been there when Klaus had startled awake.
The door was open and his other siblings were there but Grace was holding them back. His sister was crying from where she was in her room. “Klaus!” she screamed again.
“I'm here, I'm here…” Klaus said. Vanya shuffled the others away and let Klaus go in and close the door. “I'm here, what is it little sis?” Klaus did want to touch her, knowing that she hated physical contact.
Suddenly the young girl reached up to scratch at her chest. “Gone! Gone, I don't want them, get rid of them!” Klaus grabbed his sister's hands to stop her from hurting herself. It wasn't uncommon for Five to have nightmares where she tried to protect herself but only ended up getting injured.
“What is it?” Klaus asked. Five just sobbed his name out. “Is it bugs? Snakes? Ash?” Klaus asked. It was normally her waking up cover in ash that caused her such panic.
“No!” Five screamed out. “No, I want them gone!” Klaus didn't know what she was talking about but he pulled her close.
“Okay, okay, I'll get rid of them,” Klaus said. Five calmed down some but was still whimpering. Five put her head on Klaus’ shoulder.
“And, and this?” Five asked weakly while tugging at her ponytail. Klaus quickly agreed, he put the hair up into a bun so it wasn't brushing her neck. Five gave a content sigh.
“Go to sleep, Five.” Five seemed to listen to her brother's words and fell asleep. Klaus laid her back into bed. Ben was looking at her in concern.
“That was different than usual,” Ben commented. Klaus shrugged, he didn't notice anything odd about it.
“It was just a nightmare.”
“Her bed was still made,” Ben pointed out. Klaus looked to the bed, he did remember having to pull the covers back to tuck his sister in. “She seemed pretty conscious too, usually she doesn't know who is who when she wakes up,” Ben continued.
Klaus frowned. Ben had a point and Klaus was getting more worried by the second. “Nothing we can do now, she needs to sleep. We'll talk about it in the morning.”
Klaus stuck true to his word. When Ben materialized the next morning Klaus was in Five's room, a tray with doughnuts and coffee sitting on her bedside table. Klaus was playing with her eyeshadow in front of her mirror, which was cracked from one of her previous nightmares.
The two boys waited. Klaus would occasionally ask for Ben's opinions on his eyeshadow, which was useless since Ben always said Black or the closest color to black.
“Okay, what about this one? The green or the yellow?” Klaus asked. He was tilting his head in the mirror to look at the green eye from all angles while the eye with yellow was facing towards Five.
“Definitely not the yellow,” his sister said from where she had cracked an eye open. Klaus grinned at her.
“Finally someone with a clue,” Klaus teased and smirked at Ben. Ben just rolled his eyes. Klaus walked over and put the tray on Five's lap. “I know you like it black but I don't understand why, so there's some sugar and cream in there. Not alot though.”
Five ignored Klaus as she took a sip of the coffee and winced. Not alot, yeah right. “So, what is the occasion?” Five asked. Breakfast in bed was usually reserved for bad news or sick days.
Klaus gave her a sheepish look. “Well, last night-” Klaus didn't get to finish before Five was giving him a pleading look.
“Just forget about it if you don't feel comfortable with it. I get it. I kinda freaked out on you and didn't give you a choice, I just want them gone. But it's okay, I can find someone else,” Five rambled. Klaus just listened as he gathered his thoughts.
“Five, about what you said last night? When you said you wanted them gone were you referring to your boobs?” Klaus was never one for subtlety. Ben would have face palmed had he not trusted Klaus to handle this situation.
Five seemed to choke on her - on his, if Klaus is reading the situation right - own spit. “I thought that was obvious you idiot!” The words were harsh. Klaus knew that it was just a defense mechanism.
“I thought you were having a nightmare last night,” Klaus sounded sheepish and he looked at Five's feet. “Kid, you know I can't just get rid of them, right?” Five stiffened at his words and narrowed his eyes.
“If you won't help me then I'll find someone else.” The words were laced with hatred, both a Klaus and at himself. Klaus shook his head.
“That's not what I meant, Five. You still go by Five?” Klaus had to make sure. Five nodded once, a stiff movement that made his bun bounce on his head. “I meant I can't just remove them, we have to get you a surgery. It's a process.”
Five sighed and laid back in bed. Klaus quickly grabbed the tray from his lap so that it didn't spill. He tried to give it to Ben but it just dropped right to the floor. Ben let out a sigh and put a hand over his eyes. “Oh, right. Forgot about that,” Klaus said. He couldn't miss the way Five smirked at the action.
“There is some stuff I can help you with,” Klaus started. Five gave him the most innocent look he had ever given anybody.
“My hair.” The way Five said it made Klaus agree. He was talking about a binder and more boyish clothes but the hair could be dealt with too. So he smiled and with the softest voice he could muster he agreed,
