amour coriace ( five hargreeves! ) - Chapter 22: Chapter 22

VINCENTS SADNESS WAS A HEAVY WEIGHT, CRUSHING AGAINST HIS CHEST WITH SUCH A SUFFOCATING OBJECTIVE. Such a painful feeling for such a weak boy, it seems.
He'd been lying in Five's bed the entire day, staring up at the ceiling with his fist clenched atop his stomach, angry and sad and so in love all at the same time. He never knew it was possible to feel so many things for one person until he met Five Hargreeves.
"That's so lame," Vincent muttered to himself softly with a groan, running a hand down his face in pure annoyance. Talking to himself was never usually a problem, but he'd done it often throughout the day. Perhaps it was due to the lack of another person nearby him.
It was depressing. Something so saddening to not only Vincent but anyone who could possibly be handed such a sight. It was boring too. Boring all the way up until time rewound, quick as a blink of an eye and loopy.
Vincent found himself standing back at the doorway to the living area of the academy, this time lacking Luther telling him it was a family meeting. Vincent furrowed his eyebrows, unable to believe he was the only goddamn person who noticed the reverse.
And then his eyes landed on Five, standing there and chugging a margarita before throwing it aside with breathless pants, eyes gliding across each of his siblings before they landed on Vincent and a strange satisfaction reached his eyes, lips curling up at the sides just barely. He stepped towards Vincent.
Vincent who- with a newfound invigorating rush of frustration- swung his fist hard at the side of Fives jaw, watching as the boy cursed sharply, turning his head and bringing his hand up to rub at the forming bruise, his lip just barely split, blood dribbling slowly down his chin. "What the fuck, Vincent?" Five huffed, looking surprised, eyes widened.
"Fuck you," Vincent spat out, shoving Five away from him roughly, trying to ignore how much seeing Five hurt made his heart ache. "Je vais te tuer. Essayer de rembobiner le temps comme une pute chatte?" He rambled quickly, pointing at Five with so much conviction he saw Five wince.
"You know I can't understand your French when you talk so quickly, Vince," Five tried, looking away at Vincent's responding glare, heated and angered, jaw clenched just barely.
"You tried to just rewind time! Thought I'd forget you weren't planning on coming back? Bet you had such a fun time with that weird Handler bitch! She handle your dick?" Vincent spoke quickly, anger flooding through his words despite their joking nature, hands coming up as he laughed humorlessly, the sound ceasing when Five grabbed both of his wrists.
"How did you know I rewound time?" Five questioned, looking genuinely confused by the new information.
Vincent looked around at the rest of Fives siblings, shrugging Fives hands off of him. "If you're not in your room in five minutes, I'm leaving out your window and not telling you where I'm going," He spoke before turning on his heels and walking away, up to Fives room.
He was frustrated, filled with such emotion it made him feel weak even when he thought back on the rough punch he'd landed on Five. His hand hurt quite a bit, the knuckles of his right hand bruising purple and yellow nicely, curving around until it hurt when he made a fist tight enough. He'd never punched Five before, never wound up so much frustration to the point where he'd hurt him. Vincent didn't feel too bad about doing it, but at the same time he felt the terrible urge to apologize profusely, assure that Five wouldn't hate him and lose the small amount of care he held for Vincent.
Five was, at this point, the only person Vincent really had.
And shit, what a horrible one person to have. Five was too angry, too sarcastic and withheld to possibly be as trustworthy as Vincent always had found him to be. What a horrible one person to be in love with.
The door to the room opened and Vincent glanced over, finding himself sighing in relief at the sight of Five. He hadn't fully expected him to actually come up and Vincent had been counting the minutes until he'd actually have to live up to his word and climb out the window. Five had taken two minutes, a lot shorter than Vincent would have thought.
Fives chin was stained with blood just the slightest amount, his split lip up on display and easy to spot. His jaw was purple, dark and clearly painful to move. But Five himself looked just as amazing as he always did, standing there with this stupid slightest smile and raised eyebrows, hair falling into his eyes- a bit greasy and gross to look at, though Vincent assumed his was the same- and hands stuffed into the pockets of his schoolboy shorts. "You glad you didn't have to jump out the window or upset?" Five asked smoothly, shutting the door behind him but staying where he was, likely afraid Vincent would punch him again.
Vincent rolled his eyes, glancing at Five. "Wish I could push you out the window. Would be easy," He spoke, gesturing to the window nearby Fives bed, the one Luther had nearly thrown Vincent out of.
"Harsh," Five whistled through his teeth, shaking his head as he stepped closer and looked down at the ground, shifting his weight so much it was almost irritating to watch. "I said I was sorry, didn't I?" He tried, looking back up slowly. This time he looked tired again, older than he really physically was with eyebags and a frown.
"It was a shit apology. I'll accept it once I know I'm not gonna be murdered by The Commission," Vincent spoke, cold and annoyed, watching Five flinch at the words.
"I... I already talked to them about it. They said they wouldn't do anything," Five muttered, stepping closer again.
"Oh yeah? Was that before or after you did something fucking stupid to rewind time and get back?" Vincent chuckled humorlessly, shaking his head.
Five faltered, jaw twitching in a way that was barely visibly. It wouldn't have been if Vincent hadn't been studying Five's face everyday he'd been with him. "After," He mumbled quietly. "I won't let anything happen. I... I never wanted anything to happen. I just needed to get back to my family and save them."
"Bullshit. Why sell me out? Why'd that bitch want me?" Vincent asked, suddenly ten times angrier than before.
Five faltered again, swallowing hard as he moved to sit beside Vincent, keeping away just in case. "She's scared of you," He muttered, almost too hushed to be audible. "She's scared of you because she doesn't know what you could do to her. You... shit... you're incredibly horrifying when it comes down to it," Five sniggered humorlessly. Suddenly it didn't seem so much like he was talking about Vincent's abilities. "You're a lot more than The Handler can deal with. She's weak. That's just how it is. She's really fucking scared of you and maybe I am too."
Vincent's eyebrows furrowed, glancing at Five slowly. "What?" He whispered. "Why?"
Five looked at Vincent, and finally they made eye contact. Horrible horrible eye contact. The corners of his lips twitched up for a moment, but stayed in an eerily straight line. "There's a lot of things about you that terrify me," He admitted. Five had never told him he was scared. Vincent forgot it was possible for Five to be afraid. "That night we got drunk? That horrifies me."
Vincent stiffened, uninjured hand unconsciously coming up to tug at his hair. Fives hand wrapped around Vincent's wrist gently, pulling it away from his hair slowly, taking away the only thing keeping Vincent steady and replacing it with the warmth of his hand, intertwining their fingers slow and careful, much too tender for Vincent to handle. "What about that night? You said you didn't remember it."
"You fucking dumbass, I remember all of it," Five mumbled with a heavy sigh, moving to sit closer to Vincent, their knees touching and hands interlaced between them with Vincent trying so hard to not pick his gaze up from his lap, turn it to look at Five and see just how close he'd gotten, so close it made Vincent's stomach churn. "Every single part of it."
Five paused after that, thumb silently tracing circles into the back of Vincents hand. Softly, so softly Vincent could have broken out into tears right there. Luckily, he'd cried too much that day to possibly bring out more. Vincent didn't speak. He didn't know what to say.
"You're my best friend," Five muttered softly. Fuck, fuck, fuck. "And I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I need you alive, Leblanc. I'm weak and you're the one thing really keeping me going."
Vincent shook his head, chuckling lightly. "That's bullshit," He whispered, voice hoarse from how heavy all of this was. Jesus, what did he do to deserve this? "You'd be just fine without me. If anyone's weak it's me. I've told you that. You're just stubborn and won't admit it," Vincent hit Fives shoulder with his own.
Five smiled lightly. "Oh yeah? I'm the stubborn one?" He joked. "The Handlers not afraid of me, is she? You're the one she's afraid of."
"One you're afraid of too, for some reason." Vincent mumbled softly, still refusing to meet Fives gaze. "But you won't tell me exactly why either of you are scared of me."
Five sighed at that, his smile once again gone, replaced by the frown that Vincent hated to see so much. "You see deaths before they happen. You can see things she can't. Even if they're in the future, she doesn't know the details. Details that could ruin her," He admitted. "You were a tool for her. And then you escaped and suddenly you're a weapon against her.." He trailed off before muttering a quiet, "You're one of the most powerful yet dangerous people in the universe."
"How?" Vincent almost immediately asked, confused. He picked his head up, turning to look at Five and stiffening at how close their faces were, hands still held together between them.
Five bit his lip, an action that was so distracting Vincent almost forgot what they were talking about. "I think..." Five cleared his throat. "I think you could be a factor of the world ending."
Vincent suddenly felt nauseous, grip on Fives hand growing tighter without noticing. "How? How the fuck would that even happen?" He asked, voice wobbly. He didn't understand how that would work. What would he do to make that happen? What the fuck?
Five watched Vincent intently, the corners of his lips drooping down into a sympathetic frown. "I don't know... not for sure." He whispered softly. "How did you know I rewound time?" He changed the subject, no longer looking at Vincent, eyes now focused on the window.
Vincent shrugged distractedly. "I don't know. But I remember everything that happened in the day you rewound. And then I remember basically time traveling backwards. You forget I know what time travel feels like?" He chuckled lightly, shaking his head to himself, curls falling into his face.
Five sighed, squeezing Vincent's hand gently in his own before letting go, sliding his fingers away. Vincent knew it was coming. The moment Five would pull away, stand up and leave the room without so much as another word.
But he didn't.
Instead, Five wrapped both of his arms around Vincent's waist and mover closer, hugging him tightly from the side, head moving to lay atop Vincent's shoulder, hair tickling at his neck. Vincent let out a shaky breath, not quite expecting such a thing to happen. Five had never been so affectionate before, and it made Vincent nervous.
Vincent stayed stiff for a few long moments before he bit his lip and threw all caution to the wind, wrapping his own arms right back around Five, hugging him back so tightly it almost hurt. Five was clearly surprised by the reciprocation, but easily melted into it.
"I'm sorry," Five whispered against Vincent's shoulder gently, so gently. "I shouldn't have gotten mad at you all those years ago for leaving me when I just... I just did the same thing back."
"Fuck off," Vincent mumbled, shaking his head. "Don't turn this into a victim thing. We're both assholes." He sighed softly, chin resting atop Fives head. "Is your jaw okay?" He finally asked, the weight of the guilt from punching Five still somewhat present.
Five chuckled against Vincent, his cheek pressed up against his shoulder, shrugging. "It hurts, as expected. You hit hard," He mumbled, but Vincent could feel his smile. "I did tell you that you could punch me when I got back, didn't I?" His smile grew wider. "How's your hand?" He asked, one hand moving to trace up Vincent's right arm, thumb tracing over Vincent's bruised knuckles. Vincent held his breath at the action, only relaxing once he felt Five chuckle. "Don't get so stiff, Vince," He muttered before adding on a whisper of,"It's only me." Gentle. Jesus, Five was so weirdly gentle with him.
Vincent didn't laugh or anything, instead biting his tongue and looking away from Five, frowning to himself. "My hands.... fine. It doesn't really hurt." He mumbled, though it was a lie. The burn of Fives hand still resting atop his was wildly distracting, but he could still feel the throb of his knuckles underneath it all.
Five moved his hand away from Vincent's and back around the boy, hating the way Vincent stiffened up yet again. "Hey, I'm supposed to be the one who gets awkward when faced with affection. You're the one who always wanted to put your head in my lap," Five chuckled gently.
"Interesting way to say blowjob," Vincent joked back automatically, snorting out of his nose in slight amusement. "You've never actually gotten close to me before, Mr. Emo. This is very weird for me." He was telling the truth. The whole situation was weird and horrifying for him, awkward and uncomfortable. Five had talked of the night they'd kissed each other as if it held no weight and was nothing. Vincent wouldn't lie and say it wasn't upsetting. Though what was he expecting? A love confession? Bullshit.
"Don't get used to it," Five muttered with a sigh. "This hurts my back."
"Yeah, because you're an old man. Get some vitamin D," Vincent joked with a light smile coming onto his lips, lopsided.
"What, no dick joke from that? Wheres Vincent Leblanc when you want him?" Five asked in an amused tone, grinning. When you want him. Fuck.
Vincent let out a shaky breath, biting down on his lower lip, his grip on Five loosening just a bit. "Today's been fucked."
"That it has," Five chuckled. "Absolutely and completely fucked. We should get drunk again. I like life better when we're drunk." He mumbled, softer.
I like life better when we're drunk.
Vincent's eyes shut, sighing. "Five-" He started, cut off by Five shaking his head.
"Shush, Vincent," Five whispered. "Us drunk is better than us sober. I like being drunk because I can do stupid shit. Stupid shit I'd never do sober." He mumbled steadily.
Vincent pulled away from Five at that, standing up a bit quickly and staring at Five, shaking his head and biting his lip lightly. "Five, I'm-"
"Shut up, Vincent," Five huffed as he stared up at the boy, sitting up properly with his hair sticking up in odd places and cheeks a soft tinted red. He looked purely adorable, but Vincent wasn't thinking about that at that moment. "I can't do the shit I do when I'm drunk. I can't just do... that. That's not... fuck." His voice cracked and suddenly he looked down at the ground. Holy shit. "That's not something I can do. So I don't know what you think there is, but theres nothing like that. You're my best friend."
Best friend.
Oh, fuck off.
Vincent swallowed thickly, stepping closer to Five and bring a hand out, gently fixing Five's hair, brushing out strands. Five looked up at him slowly and Vincent was surprised to see how truly upset he looked. Vincent sighed, finger gently brushing over Fives cheek. "I didn't think there was anything. I'm not stupid. Kiss didn't mean anything, yeah? In fact it never happened. Pinky promise?" He asked, lips curling up into a smile despite how badly it hurt to say the words.
Didn't mean anything.
Fives lips slowly twitched up into a warm grin at that, bringing up a pinky. "You're like a child." He laughed as Vincent enthusiastically locked his own pinky with Five's, shaking them around with a chuckle. "It never happened." He mumbled in agreement.
"Uh-huh. Now stop having a sexual crisis and start having an even sexier one. End of the world strategy, baby." Vincent chuckled, snapping in Fives face as he unhooked their pinkies hesitantly, his other hand still tangled in Fives hair.
Five leaned into Vincent's hand with a soft sigh, shutting his eyes. "I'm fucking tired." He chuckled breathlessly.
"I know," Vincent whispered softly. "So am I."
He smiled gently despite it all.