Wonder • Five Hargreeves

22

"Extra Ordinary"

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A teenaged Winnie sighed as she looked out the bedroom window. Rain splashed violently down onto the busy street bellow- and the sky was drunk on lightning, hiccuping thunder after every deadly strike.

"Fingershn? I have fingers-shhh?" A giggly voice filled the silent room, drawing Winnies eyes from the storm outside.

She glanced down at her lap. There, a young Klaus Hargreeves stared back up vacantly with red laced eyes and a pleased grin. He wiggled his fingers for a moment before dropping them back to his chest.

"Oh Klausy.. you're speaking nonsense." Winnie told him, brushing his curls from his eyes. Klaus smacked his lips and hummed.

About an hour earlier, Winnie went to take a nice hot shower, only to find Klaus curled up in the bathtub- drugged to high hell. He was tapped out of everything, barely comprehending where he was.

"Ishmeil ishmileee. Go go!" Klaus cheered happily. He turned his body and buried his face into her thighs, passing out immediately.

Winnie smiled in spite of herself, at his sleeping face. Poor Klaus, he's been through a lot. A good sleep will do him some good. She continued to brush his hair and listen to the calming sounds of rain.

"You need to stop babying him."

Winnie didn't need to look up to know Diego stood at the mouth of the room, leaning disapprovingly against the frame. He always did, whenever Klaus was too high to function and Winnie had to take care of him.

"Hi Diego." Winnie smiled over her shoulder. Her lazy half-lidded eyes dug into Diego in a way he couldn't describe.

"Seriously Winnie- every time? You... you're breaking yourself." Diego muttered. She couldnt hear him over the storm, but knew in essence what he said.

"Im ok Diego." Winnie laughed. "Im always ok."

Diego looked at her and then around the room. He walked in slowly, making sure to catch every detail as he did so. A room so tiny, but with so many memories packed in.

He stopped to look at a picture on the dresser. It was Five and Winnie when they were 8 years old. They were in the middle of an old Cinema, holding hands and grinning like there was no tomorrow.

"So why are you in Fives room?"

A million and one. Thats how many excuses Winnie had access too. Just at the tip of her tongue. So many she could use...

But Winnie smiled and told the truth. Because Diego already knew why.

"I always spend my Sunday afternoons here." Winnie said. "Its nice to have some company this time around."

Diego brushed his thumb over the picture and went to sit beside Winnie. Klaus was snoring softly and Diego decided he was nice enough not to disturb him. He threw a heavy arm over her shoulder and she leaned into him.

"You can be selfish you know. You don't have to Martyr yourself for us- for him." Diego gestured to Klaus.

Winnie giggled but didn't stop brushing Klaus's hair. Sometimes Diego didn't know if she actually understood when he said things like that.

She did. She just left her response unsaid. It would hurt more if she said it. She didnt need to hurt Diego.

'But who will, if I don't?'