#starting the scene after in ep 1 s 3 where klaus makes a cocktail and gets five a scotch

[muse-gathering]

@thenightmareofyourdrems asked: [dream] for sender's muse to wake receiver's muse from a nightmare ~ Five x klaus

The ceiling stared back at him from the top bunk of the larger shared bedroom in the Hotel Obsidian. The drink, despite containing nearly straight vodka, did not deter the spirits. Klaus heard them all the time: talking, whining, wailing, moaning, begging. They mostly stared and reached out, but when given too much attention they swarmed like moths to the flame of life, yearning to be recognized, to be heard. The fresher souls still knew themselves; the oldest always frightened Klaus most. They always unsettled Ben too, worried he may linger on indefinitely and eventually lose himself like they did.

The light spin of the room around him only made Klaus ache for more effective relief. This hotel itself intensely brought the allure back to him. The last time he settled on a bed here he'd been so far gone on hydromorphone Klaus truly thought he might next see Ben on the other side. Ben. He missed Ben. His eyes drifted closed.

~

The same hotel room, watching from above. A body, his, motionless on the single bed, tinges of blue on pale skin. Jealousy crept into his chest, constricting his breathing, and then his desire became real, eyes now looking up from the corpse's viewpoint, unable to move, not even to blink. He wasn't spun out; Klaus was dead.

But if he were dead, why could he still see? Why could he hear the voice above him, begging, 'Wake up, Klaus. Please. Listen to me, Klaus! Klaus. You need to hear me. I can't get anyone. I can't help you. They can't hear me. They can't see me.' Klaus sat up, but his body stayed behind on the bed, "Ben?" His brother had tears in his eyes, but his gaze raised to meet Klaus's, "Ben, wait. You're not supposed to see this... when I'm... when I'm like this."

Ben kept eye contact, jaw clenching, fingers wrapping into fists. 'Just because you stop seeing me doesn't mean I ever stop seeing you.' Klaus felt his shoulders sink, "Wait, you mean all this time? Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you..."

'Why didn't you ask?! Why do I always have to-'

~

Klaus's eyes suddenly shot open with a light gasp, sitting up too quickly, searching for Ben but finding Five instead. The room spun sharply, and Klaus dropped onto his back again. More tears escaped as he squeezed his eyes shut, but he hadn't realized he'd been crying until then. He drew in a deep breath before turning his head toward Five, trying to put on a lighter tone, "...morning already?"