thewhitevi0lin - Tumblr blog

[thewhitevi0lin]

like for a starter! (replies are in the works)

[thewhitevi0lin]

“I can’t use that as an excuse for everything, Five,” he laughs humorlessly. “It’s not our fault that he messed us up, but if we don’t even try to be, like, functioning adults, that’s our fault.” A for effort, or whatever. Truly, he doesn’t know why he’s explaining this to Five of all people.

He laughs for real this time, “Yeah, right.” Only one of them could be called a genius (and have it mean anything). But common sense was a pretty good skill, too. Viktor was definitely the more experienced of the two when it came to being normal. He used to hate that about himself. And now that he’s not ordinary, he’d give anything to be normal again.

His heart clenches, and he can’t stop himself from scooping Five up into another hug.

“Well, don’t worry about us either, okay? We can take care of ourselves.” His face drops. “Shit, maybe you should worry about us.”

nightmares. | open starter.

Five had been back home for a few days now. He was still on edge, but he knew he was safer, back in the Academy. This place used to be his home, after all. He knew all the nooks and crannies — places he could hide, should everything become too much. And today, that’s what had come to pass. Everything was too much — so Five decided to hide away. Everything was too loud, compared to the silence in the apocalypse. He knew of a few places he could make use of, but none sounded as good as one of the unused bedrooms.

The Boy had teleported around the Academy for a few minutes before he felt calm enough to finally sit down, in a bedroom. Before he knew it, his momentary break — just to quiet his head — had turned into an unplanned nap. He fell asleep quickly, but it wasn’t a peaceful sleep. His rest was interrupted by familiar scenes — memories of the apocalypse. Seeing as he couldn’t help it, Five shouted out in his sleep. He shouted for the people he first yelled for, once he’d arrived at the destroyed remains of his home…

❛Viktor! Ben!❜ He began to stir a bit, his face twisting in discomfort and fear — two things he never let himself show when he was awake. He didn’t want to seem weak, in front of those who cared about him. He couldn’t. Because that’d mean Reginald was right. ❛Dad! Anyone!❜

[thewhitevi0lin]

speaking of how the hargreeves never really got to be kids, viktor getting dumped for being “too childish”, he was probably just trying to relive the childhood he never got. fuck.

[thewhitevi0lin]

“No one said anything about skinny jeans.” He makes a face. “Baggy jeans are obviously superior.”

Viktor scans the aisles, “I’m sure we can find you some nice looking pants that aren’t horribly uncomfortable. Or ugly. Or expensive.” He was starting to lose a little bit of faith in his plans.

“Because they’re so warm,” Viktor grimaces at the memory of the itchy material on his skin. “We’ll find you something cool. Like satin, or something?”

“And the coat’s non negotiable. I don’t care how ugly it is, it’s better than losing you to hypothermia.” Viktor pushes the cart forward.

Viktor hums, "You don't have to. But we'll have to find something that fits. Which I don't doubt we'll be able to do, I can find things in the men's section and we're relatively the same size." (Okay, maybe he was a little shorter than Five, not that he'd ever say it).

He grips the handle of the shopping cart. "We can find you some, like, business-casual stuff?" He suggests. "That way, you don't have to get weird stares for wearing suits. People will just think you're respectable." He almost wants to grin, but decides to just keep that joke to himself.

"And you'll need some pajamas, a winter coat, a maybe some tee shirts." He lists off the top of his head. "They can all be plain if you want, just... you're gonna need to look somewhat normal sometimes."

[thewhitevi0lin]

"Blow on it first, you're gonna burn your mouth," he says, exasperatedly. He puts his hands on his hips, feeling a little too much like their mother for comfort.

"Pasta puttanesca," he explains as he digs into his own serving, "is a pasta dish, as the name suggests. It's the first thing I ever learned to cook for myself." Viktor smiles softly at the fond - if disastrous - memory. "It's made with tomatoes, olives, capers, stuff like that." He chose to leave out the anchovies which might immediately make the dish seem disgusting.

He chuckles at the sort-of-compliment, "Yeah, that's not a high bar. You don't know true disgust until you've eaten one of his tiny sandwiches." Viktor shudders, evidently thinking back on some memory.

"Do you know how to cook? Other than, like, bugs 'n stuff." His sentence tails off. He didn't assume Five would have that kind of luxury in the apocalypse, but maybe in the later years when he was on missions, he picked up a few things. Who knows with him.

"bon appétit," / open starter

Cooking is a very tedious, very meticulous hobby - only when Viktor is the one partaking in it. Experienced chefs can toss in unmeasured pinches of spices and make something taste great. Viktor struggles to do the same without weighing everything.

But he loves doing it, loves having delicious smells wafting through his tiny kitchen, and loves cooking for other people. An outlet for all the love in his heart, some way to get it out so he doesn't drown in it, and a way to feed people he cares about all wrapped up into one delectable dish.

He carefully plates the pasta dish — pasta puttanesca, a recipe he’d learned to make after it was made in a book he loved as a kid — artfully garnishing it and placing the two dishes on the table. He takes his seat, decidedly not the end of the table, mentally going through the list of things this dinner needed. Drinks already served, utensils on the table, and food served.

The tension releases from his body. “Bon appétit!” He grins.

[thewhitevi0lin]

Was it an interesting book? He wasn’t even sure what he'd been reading anymore, the words immediately blurred together hours ago, lost in an endless cycle of restless thoughts and soul-crushing guilt.

He clears his throat. "Um, y'know. Just some light reading," he manages.

The mention of coffee was tempting, more for the warmth of the routine than the need for caffeine. Viktor knew he wouldn’t be sleeping any time soon, anyway.

“Sure.” Viktor finally responded, his voice softer than he intended. "That sounds great." He didn’t add that he was grateful for the distraction, or that the nightmares had been worse lately. He didn’t need to. Five had always been good at understanding the unspoken.

Viktor moved towards the kitchen, hoping that maybe, just maybe, this night could provide enough of a distraction for the night.

He had known the question was coming, could feel it hovering in the air between them, unspoken but inevitable. That didn't mean he was looking forward to being cornered into answering it. Five had always been perceptive, usually far too perceptive for Viktor's comfort.

What if it was him again? Something he just didn't realize he'd done? It wasn't like that hadn't happened before.

But instead of following that train of thought, he focused on Five's question - and more importantly, figuring out a satisfactory answer that wouldn't lead to any more questions.

Why was he awake? The truth was that sleep had become a stranger to him. His nights were spent listening for his siblings' heartbeats, making sure they were all safe. Making sure he couldn't hurt them again.

Wrestling with nightmares - no, memories - with the fear that everything they had fought for might unravel because of some mistake he didn't know how to avoid. But that wasn’t an answer he was ready to give, especially not to Five.

“Just lost track of time. Reading.” Viktor finally replied, his tone measured, almost casual. He offered a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, hoping it would deflect some of Five’s scrutiny.

It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. He liked to read until his eyes forced themselves shut. It was the only consistent way to sleep, force himself into exhaustion so he couldn't stay up even if he tried.

[thewhitevi0lin]

When Klaus rambled, Viktor didn’t bother to interrupt; he knew better than that. His brother's words often spilled out in a chaotic stream of consciousness, equal parts humor and heartache. Viktor only offered a small, wry smile in response to the toast.

"To Daddy issues and dead lovers," Viktor echoed quietly, his voice devoid of the dramatic flair that Klaus always seemed to be able to inject into everything, even in moments like this. The half-cookie between his fingers felt totally inadequate for the toast, but he held it up nonetheless.

As Klaus continued to talk, Viktor's mind drifted, not in disinterest but in a quiet form of reflection that had become second nature to him. He could see the weariness in Klaus's eyes, the way his bravado cracked at the edges. Viktor felt a pang of helplessness, knowing that no amount of empty flasks or half-eaten cookies could fill the void his brother carried.

But instead of making their conversation even heavier, Viktor simply clinked his cookie against Klaus's in a muted gesture of solidarity. "Cheers," he muttered, the word carrying more weight than anything else he could muster up.

"are you awake?” / open starter

Viktor used to be a sound sleeper. He always thought that it was just something he was lucky to be born with, but ‘Viktor Hargreeves’ and ‘lucky’ are never used in the same sentence. It turned out to be a long lasting side effect of the pills that was making him tired - so now that he’s off them, his sleep schedule is done for.

And due to the nature of their lives, the Hargreeves siblings were all too familiar with nightmares. Often in vivid detail, Viktor would find himself neglecting sleep to avoid them. Which is what he finds himself doing now, feeling like a creep observing his sleeping guest from the kitchen. Truthfully, he just didn't have anything better to do, and the impulsively-made cookies are still in the oven, so why not keep watch just in case?

Another thing being off this pills did to him: his hearing is freakishly good. He can hear heartbeats, which is a little too scary to inform anyone else of, but it admittedly does come in handy.

Especially in moments like right now, when his guest's heart was pounding loudly and quickly. A nightmare?

He takes cautious steps towards the living room, trying his best not to be too loud - something Viktor was a terrible judge of - and squinted at the figure wrapped up in blankets. Definitely moving around.

"Are you awake?" He asks in a hushed tone, on the off chance that they're just a restless sleeper who's not in the midst of a nightmare.

[thewhitevi0lin]

Viktor hums, "You don't have to. But we'll have to find something that fits. Which I don't doubt we'll be able to do, I can find things in the men's section and we're relatively the same size." (Okay, maybe he was a little shorter than Five, not that he'd ever say it).

He grips the handle of the shopping cart. "We can find you some, like, business-casual stuff?" He suggests. "That way, you don't have to get weird stares for wearing suits. People will just think you're respectable." He almost wants to grin, but decides to just keep that joke to himself.

"And you'll need some pajamas, a winter coat, a maybe some tee shirts." He lists off the top of his head. "They can all be plain if you want, just... you're gonna need to look somewhat normal sometimes."

five stares at the various shops with tense shoulders. why he agreed to join this shopping experience is beyond him. after all, he has enough clothes in his suits. but apparently he needs normal clothes to reacclimate with a now apocalypse free timeline. every person that brushes past him makes him want to blink away out of spite. but he will not give anyone that satisfaction. " i refuse to wear anything with garish colors or god forbid childish designs. i look thirteen. i am not actually thirteen. "

open starter

[thewhitevi0lin]

He had known the question was coming, could feel it hovering in the air between them, unspoken but inevitable. That didn't mean he was looking forward to being cornered into answering it. Five had always been perceptive, usually far too perceptive for Viktor's comfort.

What if it was him again? Something he just didn't realize he'd done? It wasn't like that hadn't happened before.

But instead of following that train of thought, he focused on Five's question - and more importantly, figuring out a satisfactory answer that wouldn't lead to any more questions.

Why was he awake? The truth was that sleep had become a stranger to him. His nights were spent listening for his siblings' heartbeats, making sure they were all safe. Making sure he couldn't hurt them again.

Wrestling with nightmares - no, memories - with the fear that everything they had fought for might unravel because of some mistake he didn't know how to avoid. But that wasn’t an answer he was ready to give, especially not to Five.

“Just lost track of time. Reading.” Viktor finally replied, his tone measured, almost casual. He offered a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, hoping it would deflect some of Five’s scrutiny.

It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. He liked to read until his eyes forced themselves shut. It was the only consistent way to sleep, force himself into exhaustion so he couldn't stay up even if he tried.

Viktor stood there, watching Five with an expression that was both soft and worried, the concern clear in his eyes. He knew that Five was perfectly capable of taking care of himself— he’d been doing it for decades, even when they hadn’t known about it — but that didn’t stop the worry gnawing at Viktor’s insides. He’d always taken care of his siblings, taking care of them after missions he wasn’t allowed to go on, a deep-rooted need to make sure he was doing everything he could for them. So even if Five himself didn’t think he needed the help, Viktor was always ready to provide it.

He could almost feel the lie in those words, could see the cracks in Five’s seemingly unbreakable armor. Viktor had gotten good at reading people, especially his siblings. But poking at him might just cause him to retreat further back into his defenses, which was the exact opposite of what he wanted.

The silence stretched between them for a moment, heavy and filled with the unspoken. Five wasn’t one to show vulnerability — never had been — but Viktor knew something was off.

But when Five handed him the newspaper page, Viktor’s heart skipped a beat. He could see the tension in Five’s posture, the way his jaw clenched as if he was bracing for something.

Viktor took the page, eyes scanning the words. He looked up at Five. “Do you think it’s connected to us?” he asked, his voice quiet but steady. “Couldn’t it just be… a side effect of resetting the universe?”

[thewhitevi0lin]

As Klaus offered the flask, Viktor hesitated, his eyes flickering to the metal container that had definitely seen far too many nights of reckless abandon.

He shook his head slightly, taking the flask from his brother's hand and placed it on the countertop. "Not tonight," Viktor murmured, his voice carrying the same calm, steady tone.

Instead, Viktor reached to the pan, taking another cookie and breaking it in half. He offered one piece to Klaus, his smile returning, softer now. "Cheers," he said, raising his half in a mock toast.

Years of observing had taught him to anticipate Klaus's habits, his little rituals of self-destruction that Viktor could never quite break.

"are you awake?” / open starter

Viktor used to be a sound sleeper. He always thought that it was just something he was lucky to be born with, but ‘Viktor Hargreeves’ and ‘lucky’ are never used in the same sentence. It turned out to be a long lasting side effect of the pills that was making him tired - so now that he’s off them, his sleep schedule is done for.

And due to the nature of their lives, the Hargreeves siblings were all too familiar with nightmares. Often in vivid detail, Viktor would find himself neglecting sleep to avoid them. Which is what he finds himself doing now, feeling like a creep observing his sleeping guest from the kitchen. Truthfully, he just didn't have anything better to do, and the impulsively-made cookies are still in the oven, so why not keep watch just in case?

Another thing being off this pills did to him: his hearing is freakishly good. He can hear heartbeats, which is a little too scary to inform anyone else of, but it admittedly does come in handy.

Especially in moments like right now, when his guest's heart was pounding loudly and quickly. A nightmare?

He takes cautious steps towards the living room, trying his best not to be too loud - something Viktor was a terrible judge of - and squinted at the figure wrapped up in blankets. Definitely moving around.

"Are you awake?" He asks in a hushed tone, on the off chance that they're just a restless sleeper who's not in the midst of a nightmare.

[thewhitevi0lin]

He knew exactly what was coming, even before Klaus’s hand darted forward. With a swift motion, Viktor tried to bat his brother’s hand away, but it was too late.

“Be careful!” He snapped, though there was no real anger in his voice. It was more of a stress reflex, an automatic response to trying to keep Klaus out of trouble; even if the trouble was just burning his fingers.

Klaus’s cry of pain echoed through the kitchen, and Viktor rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he set the tray down on the counter.

Without another word, Viktor grabbed his spatula and nudged one of the cookies onto a cooling rack, giving it a few moments before he handed it to Klaus. “Here,” he said. “And let it cool down this time.” He added, pointedly.

"are you awake?” / open starter

Viktor used to be a sound sleeper. He always thought that it was just something he was lucky to be born with, but ‘Viktor Hargreeves’ and ‘lucky’ are never used in the same sentence. It turned out to be a long lasting side effect of the pills that was making him tired - so now that he’s off them, his sleep schedule is done for.

And due to the nature of their lives, the Hargreeves siblings were all too familiar with nightmares. Often in vivid detail, Viktor would find himself neglecting sleep to avoid them. Which is what he finds himself doing now, feeling like a creep observing his sleeping guest from the kitchen. Truthfully, he just didn't have anything better to do, and the impulsively-made cookies are still in the oven, so why not keep watch just in case?

Another thing being off this pills did to him: his hearing is freakishly good. He can hear heartbeats, which is a little too scary to inform anyone else of, but it admittedly does come in handy.

Especially in moments like right now, when his guest's heart was pounding loudly and quickly. A nightmare?

He takes cautious steps towards the living room, trying his best not to be too loud - something Viktor was a terrible judge of - and squinted at the figure wrapped up in blankets. Definitely moving around.

"Are you awake?" He asks in a hushed tone, on the off chance that they're just a restless sleeper who's not in the midst of a nightmare.

[thewhitevi0lin]

Viktor stood there, his breath catching in his throat as he heard Five's words. The apology, the regret laced in Five’s voice, cut through Viktor more deeply than he wanted to admit. "It's not your fault. None of any of... this," he gestured around with his hands, "is your fault. None of it." He repeats for emphasis.

The hug was awkward at first — stiff and unfamiliar to both of them. But then, as Five's arms tightened around him, Viktor found himself leaning into the embrace, his own arms hesitantly wrapping around Five.

He didn’t say anything. Just stood there, letting the warmth of the hug last. Five’s apology hung in the air between them, but Viktor wasn’t really sure how to respond. The nightmares, the memories, the pain... they were all still there. They always would be. And that's something they're all going to have to learn to deal with.

After it lasted too long to not be awkward, he pulled away. “It wasn't weird,” Viktor spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. “I think it's normal, actually. Our family is the weird part."

He took a breath, steadying himself. “Don't worry about Dad, alright? It's... not important.” Viktor squeezed Five’s shoulder gently before letting his arms fall back to his sides.

nightmares. | open starter.

Five had been back home for a few days now. He was still on edge, but he knew he was safer, back in the Academy. This place used to be his home, after all. He knew all the nooks and crannies — places he could hide, should everything become too much. And today, that’s what had come to pass. Everything was too much — so Five decided to hide away. Everything was too loud, compared to the silence in the apocalypse. He knew of a few places he could make use of, but none sounded as good as one of the unused bedrooms.

The Boy had teleported around the Academy for a few minutes before he felt calm enough to finally sit down, in a bedroom. Before he knew it, his momentary break — just to quiet his head — had turned into an unplanned nap. He fell asleep quickly, but it wasn’t a peaceful sleep. His rest was interrupted by familiar scenes — memories of the apocalypse. Seeing as he couldn’t help it, Five shouted out in his sleep. He shouted for the people he first yelled for, once he’d arrived at the destroyed remains of his home…

❛Viktor! Ben!❜ He began to stir a bit, his face twisting in discomfort and fear — two things he never let himself show when he was awake. He didn’t want to seem weak, in front of those who cared about him. He couldn’t. Because that’d mean Reginald was right. ❛Dad! Anyone!❜

[thewhitevi0lin]

sorry about the lack of replies today, i’ve been celebrating my birthday! getting back to everyone when i wake up 🫡

[thewhitevi0lin]

"It's no problem," he shrugs a shoulder and waves his hand. He watched Five as he ate, scarfing down the food like he was starving. He probably was, in all honesty, once more stuck in a body that practically needed constant nutrition. Which a peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich was definitely not, but calories are calories. Or something.

Viktor didn't even bother to follow Five's blinking around the kitchen, fully aware it would just make his head spin. "Don't apologize," he chastises, head shaking in an imitation of Grace. "Everyone gets nightmares. Nothing wrong with that."

Viktor shifts uncomfortably. His hearing was a gift and a curse, and he didn't like the idea of invading anyone's privacy, even unintentionally. But it's really hard to help.

"I heard enough," he says, to avoid creeping out his brother. "I wasn't trying to listen to you specifically. I just heard your heart beating really loud and then I heard you yelling, so..." He trails off.

nightmares. | open starter.

Five had been back home for a few days now. He was still on edge, but he knew he was safer, back in the Academy. This place used to be his home, after all. He knew all the nooks and crannies — places he could hide, should everything become too much. And today, that’s what had come to pass. Everything was too much — so Five decided to hide away. Everything was too loud, compared to the silence in the apocalypse. He knew of a few places he could make use of, but none sounded as good as one of the unused bedrooms.

The Boy had teleported around the Academy for a few minutes before he felt calm enough to finally sit down, in a bedroom. Before he knew it, his momentary break — just to quiet his head — had turned into an unplanned nap. He fell asleep quickly, but it wasn’t a peaceful sleep. His rest was interrupted by familiar scenes — memories of the apocalypse. Seeing as he couldn’t help it, Five shouted out in his sleep. He shouted for the people he first yelled for, once he’d arrived at the destroyed remains of his home…

❛Viktor! Ben!❜ He began to stir a bit, his face twisting in discomfort and fear — two things he never let himself show when he was awake. He didn’t want to seem weak, in front of those who cared about him. He couldn’t. Because that’d mean Reginald was right. ❛Dad! Anyone!❜

[thewhitevi0lin]

Viktor stood there, watching Five with an expression that was both soft and worried, the concern clear in his eyes. He knew that Five was perfectly capable of taking care of himself— he’d been doing it for decades, even when they hadn’t known about it — but that didn’t stop the worry gnawing at Viktor’s insides. He’d always taken care of his siblings, taking care of them after missions he wasn’t allowed to go on, a deep-rooted need to make sure he was doing everything he could for them. So even if Five himself didn’t think he needed the help, Viktor was always ready to provide it.

He could almost feel the lie in those words, could see the cracks in Five’s seemingly unbreakable armor. Viktor had gotten good at reading people, especially his siblings. But poking at him might just cause him to retreat further back into his defenses, which was the exact opposite of what he wanted.

The silence stretched between them for a moment, heavy and filled with the unspoken. Five wasn’t one to show vulnerability — never had been — but Viktor knew something was off.

But when Five handed him the newspaper page, Viktor’s heart skipped a beat. He could see the tension in Five’s posture, the way his jaw clenched as if he was bracing for something.

Viktor took the page, eyes scanning the words. He looked up at Five. “Do you think it’s connected to us?�� he asked, his voice quiet but steady. “Couldn’t it just be… a side effect of resetting the universe?”

He sighs through his nose, not disappointed, and definitely not surprised. “How long has it been since you took a break? Or gotten some good rest?” Viktor asks, aware the answer will likely be dissatisfactory. Still, he doesn’t want his brother to feel judged for reacting to an apocalypse that was entirely Viktor’s causing. Of all people, he shouldn’t be the person blaming him for his behavior.

“This is no way to live, Five.” He says, careful to keep his tone free of bossiness or pity. He wouldn’t accept it and definitely wouldn’t want it. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do - trust me, I'm in no place to do that - but what are you going to do tonight that can't be done after some rest?"

He looks at the mess on the floor pointedly. "Will you at least drink some water if I bring it to you?"

[thewhitevi0lin]

"Of course," his voice came out weaker than he intended once his laughter had died down. His chest tightened. "So are you." Viktor tells him, truthfully. Klaus was the kindest of them. Well, the kindest left, anyway. Strange. No matter how harsh and cruel life was to him, Klaus always managed to treat every one of his siblings with little harshness.

"You ready for those cookies?" He smiles, hoping to lighten up the conversation after all these heavy feelings (even if they were broken up with laughter).

"are you awake?” / open starter

Viktor used to be a sound sleeper. He always thought that it was just something he was lucky to be born with, but ‘Viktor Hargreeves’ and ‘lucky’ are never used in the same sentence. It turned out to be a long lasting side effect of the pills that was making him tired - so now that he’s off them, his sleep schedule is done for.

And due to the nature of their lives, the Hargreeves siblings were all too familiar with nightmares. Often in vivid detail, Viktor would find himself neglecting sleep to avoid them. Which is what he finds himself doing now, feeling like a creep observing his sleeping guest from the kitchen. Truthfully, he just didn't have anything better to do, and the impulsively-made cookies are still in the oven, so why not keep watch just in case?

Another thing being off this pills did to him: his hearing is freakishly good. He can hear heartbeats, which is a little too scary to inform anyone else of, but it admittedly does come in handy.

Especially in moments like right now, when his guest's heart was pounding loudly and quickly. A nightmare?

He takes cautious steps towards the living room, trying his best not to be too loud - something Viktor was a terrible judge of - and squinted at the figure wrapped up in blankets. Definitely moving around.

"Are you awake?" He asks in a hushed tone, on the off chance that they're just a restless sleeper who's not in the midst of a nightmare.

[thewhitevi0lin]

He nods, not quite believing Five's words, but willing to push down his urge to protest. And why does he want Five to hate him so much? Why does he want to defend Dad? Viktor wonders to himself, but shakes that thought away in favor of listening to his brother's far more logical approach to the scenario.

"Yeah. I'll let you handle the coffee." Not that he really wanted to make the coffee to begin with, but he felt like he should say something before he leaves.

He lets himself fall back into the familiar routine of making the sandwich. Walking down to the kitchen, rifling through cabinets to find the jar of peanut butter, the marshmallows, and the bread. The same plates he'd always left out were still in the same spot. The utensils were put away, freshly washed, and he set about making the snack.

Dip, one swipe, two swipes, dip, three swipes. Lid screwed back on, butter knife licked clean, bag opened, marshmallows scattered. Slices pressed together, placed on the plate.

A mindless but comforting routine. "There's usually not. But I'll give you some cash to go pick some up if you really need some." An offer he hoped Five wouldn't hold him to. Starving artist was not an exaggeration.

nightmares. | open starter.

Five had been back home for a few days now. He was still on edge, but he knew he was safer, back in the Academy. This place used to be his home, after all. He knew all the nooks and crannies — places he could hide, should everything become too much. And today, that’s what had come to pass. Everything was too much — so Five decided to hide away. Everything was too loud, compared to the silence in the apocalypse. He knew of a few places he could make use of, but none sounded as good as one of the unused bedrooms.

The Boy had teleported around the Academy for a few minutes before he felt calm enough to finally sit down, in a bedroom. Before he knew it, his momentary break — just to quiet his head — had turned into an unplanned nap. He fell asleep quickly, but it wasn’t a peaceful sleep. His rest was interrupted by familiar scenes — memories of the apocalypse. Seeing as he couldn’t help it, Five shouted out in his sleep. He shouted for the people he first yelled for, once he’d arrived at the destroyed remains of his home…

❛Viktor! Ben!❜ He began to stir a bit, his face twisting in discomfort and fear — two things he never let himself show when he was awake. He didn’t want to seem weak, in front of those who cared about him. He couldn’t. Because that’d mean Reginald was right. ❛Dad! Anyone!❜