do you have enough love in your heart

[somebadnews]

WHO: Five and OPEN
WHEN: After this mess and bounties are issued for Messalina's little helpers
WHERE: Various points around Ephes
WHAT: A boy plays fetch with a dog, gets targeted for murder, and has too much to drink, not in that order
WARNINGS: language, violence, dead hellhounds, and other typical Five-things

Prompts below, all taking place in the same day. (I'm sorry this idea started out so wholesome...) Open to action or prose, whatever your preference!

Comments

[somebadnews]

No objections. Five doesn't even know how to process what he's watching at first. Ben doesn't seem to hold a single judgment towards him, despite the fact that he risked both their lives for a demon and a bottle of alcohol. He simply identified the thing that Five thinks is important and took it on himself to help.

When he comes back to the present it's sudden, with a jerky movement of his shoulders that can't quite constitute as a shrug, and he steps over to find where the head lies severed nearby. The head is lighter, if more awkward to carry. If he could just...

"You can't run with it." Let him point that out right now. He intends to bury the body, but he's not risking his brother for it. The head feels strange in his hands and he keeps his eyes locked on Ben. "...It's too heavy. If we can get it out of sight, that'll be enough until I can blink again."

[stomacles]

It's that simple to Ben. After everything he helped Klaus through, this is almost normal.

Ben...can't deny Five is right. He's not running this with body.

He nods his head, and manages to at least lift it enough to not outright drag it along the ground.

"Okay. We are still getting it out sight, though. And coming back later."

[somebadnews]

This seems to be a good enough plan for the moment. If Five can just view this as a simple task to get from Point A to Point B he can ignore the conflicting emotions that he's not sure what to do with.

The head alone is heavy, so it feels wrong to leave Ben with the larger share of the weight. He doesn't have it in him to blink them to safety, but he can manage to do this much. It takes effort to remember the direction they were facing when he'd teleported with Ben just before they retaliated.

"There were crates," he says, somewhat uncertainly. "...where we were before. You remember? They were... they'd work."

[stomacles]

There are a lot of things Ben imagines Five needs to talk about, but they can do that, later.

The crates! Ben nods his head and cants it toward the place they teleported to, earlier. It's not that far, thankfully.

"Going," Ben grunts out. He's got this, really, but he can't pretend the body isn't heavy. Still, he gets it over there, and, at least for the moment, tucks the hell hound's body behind the crates, for now.

[somebadnews]

It takes effort, but with Ben's help, they manage to obscure the hound from view. Five may not be in his completely right mind, but he's fairly confident that they won't find it until he comes back.

The other bodies are a different story. It briefly has him thinking of the cleaning crew the Commission used, and he's instantly compelled to do the opposite. The gore behind them will look worse in the light of day, and he hopes it sends a message. This is what happens if they go after them. Sometimes peace can only be achieved through horrible violence.

"Thank you," he tells Ben once he sets the head near the body. He's covered in so much blood it's hard to even make out his expression, but he thinks he's taken the whole thing well. He sniffs and tries to put on a calm facade. They've dealt with this. It's handled and over with and he's fine.

"You should get cleaned up. You've helped enough."

[stomacles]

Ben gives the crates a morbid look, along with a sigh, checking to make sure the hell hound isn't visible from the other side. Far as he can tell, no, and most people will probably not be looking behind them. He hopes.

"You're welcome," is the tentative response, words slow as Ben processes the appreciation. Shadowing Five and Allison is way different than Klaus.

When Five tells him to get cleaned up, Ben crosses his arms, expression going firm.

"Only if you're leaving the area."

[somebadnews]

It's noted how Ben takes care to see that the crates are enough of a cover. Temporarily. They'll have a window before it starts to be sniffed out, or someone tracks the trail of blood that didn't end with the bodies they've left scattered pieces around.

He feels drained, filthy, and all he wants is to scrub the blood off his skin and get some rest. Ben bought them some time, so hopefully he can afford to at least check off one of those boxes.

"For now," he agrees. Staying here will only make him easier to find. Better to return when his powers are reliable and he's got a clear head. He's still not completely sure where they are right now. "How close is your place?"

[stomacles]

Ben feels about the same. Somehow, he never really gets used to this feeling of being covered in gore.

They need to go - there's no argument there.

Ben cants his head in the direction of his temporary place.

"Close enough," he responds and starts walking, fast. He would run, but that might be too suspicious.

[somebadnews]

Five has to put in a little more work to keep up with Ben, short stature always working against him added to the fact that he has to put in a conscious effort not to trip over his own feet. Not that he's about to tell him to slow down. Anyone passing by would see that they look like a horror show, and he'd rather not deal with that.

Ben hasn't been critical of anything he does, which is odd enough considering the grief the rest of their family gives him. What a difference it would have made if he'd been able to be around in more than spirit when he was trying to avert the apocalypse.

He says nothing on the way, but he does look back at the alley one more time. What happened was his fault, and as much as that hurt, it would have been worse without Ben showing up. Even now, he would have been at a loss where to go without him.

He knows he hates to use his powers like that. Five can't ask anything more from him.

Hopefully he can find his way back without resorting to listening to wear they found all the bodies. That may be harder to narrow down soon enough.

[stomacles]

Ben isn't ready to be stopped, either, and he's walking plenty fast, even if he's trying to be considerate of the fact he doesn't want to leave Five behind. It would be difficult to find his lodgings, otherwise.

In comparison to Klaus, there isn't anything here to criticize. Especially this situation. Five had been in danger, and something needed to be done about it.

He looks back to see Five look back toward the alley, and quietly, he promises, "We'll come back."