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Ben knew that he lived in a house devoid of kindness.
Not that kindness didn't exist within its walls. Their mother tucked them in at night and gave them a kiss. Diego would sometimes share some of his cookies with him. Even Five would flash him the barest hint of a smile when Ben did well. But that was all that could exist, flashes of kindness. Something bright and beautiful and painfully brief.
So Ben had decided to provide as much kindness as he could. He went out of his way to be extra kind to Klaus, especially when he was high. He made note of when he thought his siblings were taken to "special training" so that he could be there for them. He especially enjoyed sitting with Five in Vanya's room while she practiced the violin, both curled up on her small bed clutching books.
He knew the price of suffering. The Horror reminded him of it every day.
When his father lined them up and demanded they list an item he would provide to them for the day of their birth, Ben hid his frown. This was certainly not a gift and definitely not kindness, but a challenge. A beautiful, tantalizing diamond with razor sharp edges. Chosen correctly, it would possibly be invaluable. Chosen incorrectly, it would cut deeper than any physical wound.
Five always did say he waxed poetically.
Ben worried his lip as he watched his siblings give their choices to their father who was looking increasingly irritated. He didn't want to get the brunt of his father's wrath by choosing wrong and tipping the scales. He glanced at Vanya next to him, hangs wringing nervously. He definitely didn't want to ruin it for her either. Their father snapped at Vanya the most.
Wincing imperceptibly when Five emphasized 'time travel' in his request, Ben wracked his thoughts for a request that was both safe and valuable in his father's eyes. The Horror shifted deep within him, making his insides squirm uncomfortably. It had only been growing stronger recently and he feared it was only a matter of time before he couldn't keep it under control.
"Number Six?" His father's voice jarred him from his thoughts.
"Well, sir," Ben began slowly. "We have been studying the Greek poets Sophocles and Homer and I think it would be beneficial to view The Odyssey being performed at the local theater. To compare the different interpretations of the Greek poem."
His father watched him with hard eyes, parsing his words carefully. For several moments after, silence blanketed the room as Ben kept his eyes forward and refused to fidget. Either Reginald would agree or he wouldn't.
"Very well, Number Six," their father nodded, a hint of approval in the lines of his face. Ben knew throwing in the interpretations of languages bit would earn a point in his favor. He swallowed back the smile as Reginald moved on to Vanya.
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Ben watched as Klaus inflated a crusty, old basketball.
"What are we doing again?" he asked, scuffing his feet on the dirt. The dirt didn't move.
"I've already told you, Benny boy, we are going to play a game," Klaus grinned, winking over the hand pump he was fiddling with.
"With that?" Ben indicated the ball that seemed to deflate immediately after Klaus began to inflate it. "It looks kind of… sad."
"Well you would too if you spent your life in a rotting gutter," Klaus scoffed, patting the ball in sympathy. "Don't listen to him, he isn't even alive."
"Hilarious," Ben drawled. "Why can't we use this ball?" He indicated a second ball a little behind Klaus, marbled with neon orange and yellow.
"Pshaw," Klaus waved his 'Good-bye' hand, dismissing Ben and the ball. "That one isn't a basketball."
"Are we playing basketball?" Ben grabbed at the ball, hand sinking through it.
"Nope," Klaus said, popping the 'p' at the end.
"So-"
"I require silence my dear brother," Klaus demanded haughtily, going at the air pump with renewed vigor.
Ben rolled his eyes and walked towards the tree in the courtyard. A handful of bright orange leaves clung stubbornly to the branches. Their birthday was fast approaching. There was probably a chill in the air, though it was very difficult to tell based off of Klaus alone. Klaus was more of a 'wear what came to mind' type of person and not a 'oh, let me check the weather forecast' type of person.
"Aha!" Klaus exclaimed, holding the now inflated basketball in the air. It still looked misshapen, though it did appear to be holding some air. He gave it a bounce and it sunk to the ground with a thud.
"Am I supposed to be impressed?" Ben studied the ball, one eyebrow raised.
Klaus gave him a haughty look. "We don't have to play anything, you know. We could just sit inside and stare at a wall."
"I'd like to see you do that successfully," Ben mused, giving Klaus a sardonic look.
"Fine, whatever. We'll use both balls, happy?" Klaus scowled and stomped over to the brightly colored ball.
"Ecstatic," Ben deadpanned, following Klaus over to the second ball.
With both balls placed between them, Klaus flashed a grin. "It's go time, baby!" He cleared his throat and clenched both fists, summoning the ethereal blue light of his powers. Ben felt the icy cold sensation drip down his body from the crown of his head to the ends of his toes. He returned Klaus' grin.
"Okay! So. Want to test the waters?" Klaus held up the rotten basketball. Ben nodded eagerly. Klaus lobbed the ball at Ben, missing him entirely so that Ben had to stretch to even tip the ball. But tip the ball he did, his fingers making solid contact.
"You're a horrible shot," Ben groused playfully as he retrieved the ball from where it had unceremoniously fallen with a loud thunk.
Klaus held his arms up in an exaggerated shrug. "What can I say, aiming was never my strong suit."
"Oh yeah? How's your dodging?" Ben grinned evilly as he pelted the basketball as hard as he could at Klaus' head. Klaus let out a shriek and ducked out of the way.
"Hey, I wasn't ready!" he whined.
"And whose fault is that?" Ben laughed, relishing the feel of the cool wind on his face.
"That's not even how the game works!" Klaus complained, gathering up both balls.
Ben arched an eyebrow. "Oh, do tell. What are the rules to this 'game'?" He finger quoted the last word.
Klaus growled. "You're such a spoilsport."
"Ah. So there are no rules," Ben cackled.
Klaus lobbed a ball at his head in answer. It missed by at least a meter.
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At some point between Klaus badly throwing balls at Ben and Ben nailing Klaus back, Five had wandered into the courtyard. He sat quite a ways back, a heavy book cradled in his lap. Ben definitely saw him watching him decimating Klaus when he thought no one was looking, though.
Klaus was beginning to tire of their one-sided battle and claimed both balls as his own. "Benny, you asshole, you aren't even letting me hit you!"
"Oh, I didn't realize you were playing with a handicap," Ben said evenly.
"You know what?" Klaus growled, stalking up to Ben.
"I'm waiting with baited breath," Ben drawled.
"You're a real bastard, you know that? You are no longer my favorite sibling."
"I was in the running?" Ben tried to bite back his laughter. He failed.
"Well I didn't exactly have a choice there for a while!" Klaus huffed, turning his back so his curls tickled Ben's nose.
"Ouch. That wasn't nice," Ben admonished. "My feelings are crushed."
Klaus whirled back to face him, chucking the brightly colored ball straight at Ben's head. At this minimal distance, it nailed him right between the eyes. Unfortunately for Klaus, Newton's third law of motion still rang true as the ball ricocheted off of Ben's corporeal head and nailed Five right in the nose. The hollow rubber sound resounded throughout the courtyard.
Klaus froze. Judging by the look on his face, he hadn't realized Five had been out in the courtyard at all. Ben just stood there, eyes going from Five to Klaus and back to Five, waiting for the shit to hit the fan.
Klaus, for his part, looked half terrified and half delighted. Only Klaus would relish the prospect of nailing their assassin little big brother in the face. That same brother that looked like murder was definitely the only thing on his mind right now.
"Five!" Klaus squeaked. He swallowed a couple of times. "I didn't realize you were out here. Fancy a game?"
Five sat perfectly still, his face eerily blank, eyes boring into Klaus'.
Klaus looked discomfited. "I take that as a no…?"
Five's lips twitched and a smile slowly unfurled across his face, sharpening until it could cut glass. He gently put his book aside and retrieved the ball before stalking over to Klaus. Ben was sure if he were alive, he'd be peeing his pants.
Five held the ball loosely in his right hand as he smoothly unsheathed a knife he had hidden under his shirt. (And wasn't that a thought, about how armed to the teeth Five was at all times.) He gazed at the knife before raking his eyes up to Klaus' neck. Klaus swallowed audibly. The moment they locked eyes, Ben could have sworn he felt an electric charge fizzle through the courtyard.
Klaus' mouth opened and closed it like a fish, seemingly discarding words as fast as they came to him. Ben was impressed; he had never seen anyone render Klaus speechless like this before.
Very slowly, Five raised his knife. Klaus flinched. Without breaking eye contact, Five brought the knife down into the ball, deliberately cutting through the rubber before the ball gave a loud POP and began to deflate quickly. Five took the puddle of rubber and shoved it against Klaus' chest, holding it there until Klaus took it, before calmly walking back to his book and blinking out of the courtyard.
Klaus looked down at the mangled ball before looking at Ben, his face a mix of wonder and terror. Ben stared back, unsure if he should be impressed or in fear for his existence. Klaus let the rubber flutter to the ground, a bit over dramatically if Ben was being honest, before retrieving the misshapen basketball. During all of the drama, it had deflated back to its previously pathetic state. Klaus studied it morosely before shrugging.
"Frisbee?"