It didn't seem to occur to Five that Luther wasn't fighting back, no more so than necessary to block the most damaging blows and keep his organs safe. Luther deflected hit after hit, forty plus years of frustration and anger, sorrow and hopelessness. It had stopped being about Dolores a long time ago.

At some point his arm started going numb.

Fortunately for him by the time it really began to hurt Five was at the edge of his strength, blows softening to open handed swats as his anger bled away and dissipated. They were on the floor by then, Luther pushed up against the wall with Five half on top of him, fists like hail stones on his head, his arms, his chest. Five's face was a child's watercolor, blurred and indistinct, messy with color.

For his part Luther had a fat lip, a ringing ear and his left eye was swelling shut. At some point he'd cut the inside of his cheek on his own teeth and his mouth was filled with the gun-metal taste of blood. He'd be sore in the morning but that was all right, that was fine. Small price for the maybe-peace he might bring his brother and probably less than he deserved anyway. (He wasn't a natural martyr but he had plenty to answer for, and this was as fitting a method of karmic balance as any.)

Five finally collapsed against his chest, crying, really crying for what Luther guessed was the first time in years. He took a chance and wrapped an arm around him, was rewarded when it wasn't immediately thrown off. Five stiffened but that was all, finally giving in, actually letting his brother hug him. Luther didn't know if it was bringing him any comfort but it was tolerated and that was the best one could hope for. He filed the moment away for later reflection, something to consider once his brother went back to being his charming, acerbic self.

He thought he should say something, offer some bit of wisdom or advice like they did at the end of every Hallmark movie but he didn't have any truths to offer. Dolores was gone. She was gone and his brother was heartbroken. (He's certain Five would protest such maudlin descriptions being applied to himself, but a spade was a spade.) And maybe Five's heart had broken long before this, but tonight he was actually feeling it.

And Luther had no words.

For all that, it was not an uncomfortable silence. Five wept bitterly, quietly, shoulders shaking and Luther held on for as long as he was permitted, the air around them filled with things unspoken yet implicitly understood. Luther knew Five was sorry even though he would probably never receive a formal apology. Five knew apologies weren't necessary. Luther knew he would never tell a soul about what happened tonight, and Five knew he didn't need to threaten his brother to assure his silence. They both knew Five would be gone in the morning. Neither of them would bother with goodbye.

When exhaustion exacted its price and Five finally fell asleep on him, Luther once again put his brother to bed, turning down sheets and removing shoes, those small domestic touches that made him feel oddly self-conscious but seemed nonetheless vital. Five's knuckles were split and bleeding from repeatedly meeting Luther's teeth but there wasn't much to be done about that. Luther folded his hands into the blanket, drew the covers up and actually tucked him in, partly because it felt necessary, partly because he knew it would annoy his brother to no end. (It felt like he was getting away with something, and perhaps he was.)

That done he stroked his brother's hair, a feather-light touch against his scalp. Then he left him to sleep (perchance to dream), turned out the light and made his way downstairs to clean up the mess in the lounge.

That night he spent a long time sitting on the front steps with an ice pack pressed against his cheek, letting the crisp September air sooth his swollen flesh. Five was right; fall was here and the leaves were painted in crimson and fire. The world was soft tonight and Luther looked around in weary peace, velvet sky overhead and the gentle glow of the streetlamps bathing everything in an autumn tint of gold.