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[She nods, which is why it was her recommendation to go with option two. Sure, Viktor might be hurt if he ever shows up here to learn that Five doesn't feel the same way about him, but better than forgetting Viktor entirely.]

Do you want me to try and rumor you again?

[ He wasn't expecting the offer after she decided against it before, but maybe it's different now that he's leaning towards a possibly worse deal. It's kind of her. Just because she's willing doesn't mean she's thrilled. There's just no time to come up with something better.

After a moment of studying her, he nods back. For all their talk, there are some fairly obvious things they haven't tried. ]

Why not? [ He knows why not, but his head is still aching from trying to remember earlier and he could have had a cure in front of him the entire time. ] I'm not locked into any contract, I can walk away if it works.

[Allison nods, taking a deep breath and choosing her words carefully. She doesn't want to break anything, and her powers have leveled up a bit since she last tried so maybe it's best to just keep it simple.]

Remember Viktor.

[ Five doesn't remember to brace himself when she skips the "I heard a rumor" part of her powers. For half a second as it takes effect he thinks it might just be that simple. Then, all at once, that drumming of a headache that was only starting to surface hits him like a sledgehammer.

It doesn't stop. Her command slams up against whatever magic has kept his brother locked away in his brain, repeating over and over as he tries to break through and make sense of the holes that he hasn't had the tools to repair. He has no idea if anything he shouts is coherent and it's impossible to think, let alone force his memories back into place.

Blood rains down from his nose and he clamps his hand over it. He isn't aware of when he falls to the ground, only that he's suddenly looking up at Allison when he opens his eyes. It feels like his brain is on fire. His mouth opens to say something, ask for help, but all that comes out is a roar of pain. ]

[Oh no. Oh no no no no no that's what she was worried about. She scrambles quickly to support him, grabbing something to try and stop the blood before she says.]

Stop. Stop.

[ Allison shouts and the pain ebbs abruptly. Five looks at her, wide-eyed as he makes sense of what just happened. He hadn't fully believed them when they said it was too dangerous. Now he can say he understands.

That asshole really did a number on him. He feels something near his face and takes it to wipe at the blood. He's surprised at how much there is when he pulls it back. ]

Shit. [ That's all he says as he works to sit himself back up, then groans with more enthusiasm as he clutches at his head in pure frustration. ] Shit.

[Allison hovers close, almost as though she's worried he's going to pass out with the amount of blood, but he seems to be fairly clear.]

Are you good? Are you feeling woozy?

[ Five pulls his hand back and looks at the blood he soaked up with it. More than he expects to see. His head still throbs, but it's residual now. Another drop of blood falls, so he tilts his chin back and keeps the cloth to his nose while it dries up.

It must have looked like he was having a seizure. He doesn't want that hanging over Allison's head, even if she just proved that everything they warned him was true. ]

I guess that answers that. [ Unfortunately. Fuck. ] Turns out you were right.

I didn't want to be.

[She would have much rather provided him with a simple solution. But that leaves his options limited.]

So what are you going to do?

[ He looks at the ceiling and changes his answer to that question about ten times before he says anything. ]

I don't know, Allison. [ It's been so long since he lost his memories, but it seems more urgent to fix it now. Big choices are coming, and he'd like to be fully himself when he makes them. ]

There's a chance this happens if I go to them. But there's also a chance... [ He leans forward and lowers the cloth. For a moment he's transfixed by the stain and he sighs with his entire body. ] Ben's not going to be happy.

Ben is rarely happy.

[Which isn't entirely true, but more to the point Ben is rarely happy with his sibling's choices. Even when they were children there was always this put upon sigh as he went along with his siblings antics.]

But I'm fairly certain Klaus has done worse.

[ Five pulls a tight smile. It isn't true; he knows what she means, but he remembers when he first saw him. Ben just seemed happy to be alive. Even in this nightmare. ]

That's not exactly a high bar. [ Although he does appreciate Klaus for setting it to something they can all achieve.

It sounds like he's really going to do this. He still doesn't feel at all comfortable about needing special attention for yet another ritual, with known and unknown consequences. He promises himself this will be the last. ]

I hate to put you through this again. [ It's almost enough not to do it, which is why he's taking hers and Ben's opinions into account. As old and tired as he is, he still feels like a kid when he asks: ] Would you come with me?

Of course I will.

[He's her brother, and she's not going to let him do this alone.]

We do this together. Always.

[ Five's lips tug upward again, and does mean something, that she's so willing to do this for him. As much as he cares about his family, he never really knew what they thought of him. Having their support is something he didn't realize he needed before he came here. (The deal itself seems even more impossible than forgetting one of them. How could he remember and feel nothing?)

It would have been worse, he thinks, if he didn't have her here. He would have lost by now. He swipes at his nose again to catch a stray trickle of blood, then moves to stand. ]

I need to wash up.

[Allison nods.]

I'll meet you outside.

[Give him some space to pull himself together. But once he's ready, they'll head over to the Whispering House and make a deal.]

eastbound } { ic inbox | @taken for granite

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