amour coriace ( five hargreeves! ) - Chapter 32: Chapter 32

AS THE POETS SAY, EVERYTHING GOOD COMES TO A VIOLENT, HORRIFIC END. Everything good, with its highs and its lows and its bright and its dark, was nothing more than painstakingly temporary. Vincent Leblanc knew this. He knew this because it was the way his life had progressed since the day he was born.
He was born in France, and his mother had no idea she was pregnant, just as every other mother on that October 1st did. His father was angry, as his father often was, and his mother was quietly disappointed. They had never wanted children in their loveless marriage. They had made that very clear to Vincent for a very long while.
Vincent grew up somewhat normal, for a while. They lived in a townhouse in a suburban part of France amongst a heavily wooded area residing beside a massive nuclear plant. It was easy to disappear there.
His parents never loved him, but they had tolerated him for a while. The first seven years of his life were fine until his powers were revealed, to their utmost horror. They ignored him after that, unless it was to call him a name or shove him into a closet and lock him up. Vincent convinced himself their behavior was justified.
He taught himself how to speak English and how to use his powers. At the time, he had only been dimly aware of a few abilities. His parents disapproved and threatened time and time again to send Vincent to a facility for the mentally deranged, but they never dared get too close. They were afraid of him. Vincent had despised that fact for too long of a while, but after years and years and years of evaluation, the idea of his parents cowering before him was a dream he woke up feeling incredible about.
School was not kind to him over the years. He was one of the only openly gay students at his school, and that earned him an unbelievable amount of scrutiny. He was called names a lot of the time, names that he really didn't mind at all. Sometimes he'd get a punch thrown at him, but Vincent was a much better fighter than any of his peers. Most times the teachers never believed his claims of self-defense because, really, Vincent always got carried away. Self-defense doesn't hold up all too well when the boy you beat the shit out of is being wheeled to the hospital, who knew?
Though, while school was bad, Vincent gained the attention of quite a few closeted boys. They were fun to mess around with most of the time, desperate and blindingly angry with themselves. Vincent knew the feeling quite well. Sometimes the boys were nightmares. The boys who didn't know how to pull away, the boys who claimed they were straight and it was all a fluke, the boys who called him a fag at the end and earned themselves one last kiss from Vincent's fist.
Then Vincent went missing that decadent morning all those years ago while running from the Southern man, who he later got to know as Boneman. (Vincent had to hold in his laugh when he was introduced at the Commission. Apparently, for whatever reason, the Boneman was respected there for his ventures. Even if he was a total bonehead.) Vincent couldn't decide whether he despised that day or not.
There he sent himself into the apocalypse, where he met Five Hargreeves decades into his run with pure bad luck. Then, as the story goes, Vincent abandoned the boy he had come to love and went to work as a professional hitman for the Commission. He was damn good at it, even with his big mouth. Then the torture that came with the work on occasion became too much for even someone like Vincent and he stole Five's stupid equation and booked it to present day, where he was stuck as a visibly fifteen-year-old. And, now knowing everything we know, Vincent's use of the equation had effectively fucked up his genetic makeup and mutated him into a killing machine. So fun.
So, Vincent knew better than anyone how abruptly everything good ended. And he would continue to know, forever and ever.
"This is all Luther's fault. I'm betting on it now," Vincent said from his spot atop a piece of rubble, rubbing at his jaw with a wry smile.
"What?" Luther responded with exasperation. He shook his head. "This is not my fault! It's Vanya!"
"Duh it's Vanya. But you're the one who locked her in a basement when she was in distress, you idiot," Vincent sighed. He glanced over his shoulder in search of a missing Five before turning back around and pointing at each of the Hargreeves siblings around him. "This is all of your faults, actually." He pointed out, rolling his eyes when each of them immediately began to protest.
Five cut their shouts off by rushing over and holding up a newspaper, his breaths coming out fast and almost panicky. Vincent had the grossest urge to hug him. "Guys! This is it. The apocalypse is still on. The world ends today."
"I thought you said it was over." Luther said.
"I was wrong, okay?" Five held up the newspaper, letting out a distressed sigh. "This newspaper— I found it in the future the day I got stuck. The headline hasn't changed!"
"No, that doesn't mean anything. Time could have been altered since that newspaper came out this morning," Diego tried, his forehead bloody.
"You're not listening to me," Five spoke. "When I found it, I assumed this place came down along with everything else. But here we are, the moon's still shining, the Earth is in one piece, but not the Academy."
Klaus stepped forward, tearing the newspaper from Five's hands to read it. "I'm confused." Klaus groaned under his breath, walking back over the debris to where he was standing before.
"Then listen to me, you idiot!" Five exclaimed. "Vanya destroys the Academy before the apocalypse. We know Harold Jenkins wasn't the cause, but he was the fuse. Vanya is the bomb. Vanya causes the apocalypse." Five sent Vincent a considering look, too.
There was silence for a moment. Vincent teetered uncomfortably beside Five. He didn't like the fact that he was a part of this. He didn't know how he would fuck up so bad. He wasn't anticipating finding out.
Five didn't seem to like it either. He gravitated closer to Vincent, close enough that their upper arms were pressed against one another. It was nice.
"We have to find her." Luther suddenly cut in.
"Honestly big guy, I think you've done enough fucking up for the night," Vincent mumbled with a smooth grin.
Luther ignored Vincent, perking up at the loud sound of a helicopter overhead, shining painfully bright lights down at them. "We gotta go! Now! Regroup at the Superstar! Go!" He called out.
The others ran sporadically in different directions, while Five simply grabbed onto Vincent's wrist and blinked him out of there. Vincent still hated the feeling.
Superstar Lanes Bowling was probably the shittiest bowling place Vincent had ever been in, considering he had never been bowling before. They got their, frankly, very bright and horrifically ugly bowling shoes before sitting at a bench. It was dingy and small and dirty and crowded, and it made Vincent scrunch up his face in thinly veiled disgust.
Five swatted his cheek for it. "What? Not good enough for you?" Five asked, his amusement obvious.
Vincent rolled his eyes. "I should be asking you, rich boy," he pointed out. "What the hell did we walk into?" He questioned, dreading the sight of birthday decorations.
"Ah. That, Vincent, is what we call a birthday party." Five grinned.
"Ha ha. You should stop trying to be funny. I liked you better when you talked like a robot." Vincent groaned, shoving Five away from him.
"I despise you," Five deadpanned back. "I never talked like a robot."
"Yes, you did!" Vincent said, pointing an accusatory finger in Five's face. Five stared blankly at it. "You're the worst. The worst. One day I'm gonna find a boy who's so nice to me it hurts and you're gonna be sorry."
Five furrowed his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Vincent grinned smugly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Gonna find a boy who will quote Shakespeare at me like I deserve."
"Jesus fucking Christ," Five mumbled under his breath, shaking his head and shutting his eyes in exasperation for a long moment. He picked his head back up a moment later and shrugged sheepishly, his lips pursed. "I could quote Shakespeare at you."
Vincent's eyes widened. "Do it. Right now," He said. "Come on. I'm already searching for a new boy toy as we speak. As we speak."
"Oh, fuck you."
"Darling, your family is on their way. Would that be quite appropriate?"
"Maybe I'll let the apocalypse happen, actually."
"You wouldn't. Your poor family. Woe is me."
"I'll just throw you in front of Vanya."
"Dark," Vincent hissed through his teeth. "She would never hurt me. I'm her bestest friend, didn't you know? Helped her kill Jenkins like the good monster I am."
Five frowned. "Don't call yourself that."
"Shhh. Don't get sappy. It's only the truth," Vincent shushed, shaking his head. "I'm a monster, Vanya is a monster. It's a life progression." He grinned.
Five opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by his siblings entering the building, calling out Five's name one by one. He looked conflicted over whether or not he should turn away from Vincent, but he did in the end.
That brought them here. Sitting in a circle in front of their particular bowling lane. Vincent decided quickly that he did not like bowling. It was too loud and sticky, and his precision was shot to shit due to pure exhaustion.
Luther was the first to speak. "Look, I hate to be the one to say this, but everyone needs to prepare."
"For what?" Diego asked.
"To do whatever it takes to stop Vanya," Luther replied easily, as if it didn't bother him at all. Vincent gritted his teeth. Allison, who was luckily still painfully alive— though her vocal cords were terribly fucked—, smacked Luther in the side with the notepad in her hand. "I— We may not have a choice, Allison."
"Bullshit," Diego cut in. "There's always options."
"Yeah, like what?" Five asked, making Vincent turn and glare at him.
"I don't know." Diego sighed.
"For once I agree with BDSM Boy. Killing Vanya is not an option," Vincent said firmly. "This is your sister you're talking about, dickheads."
"I don't know if I should be glad he agreed with me or not," Diego sighed heavier. "I'll take it as a win." He decided, shrugging and holding his fist out to Vincent. Vincent raised his eyebrow and stared at it for a moment before shrugging himself and fist bumping Diego back.
"Look, whatever we decide, we need to find Vanya," Luther spoke up again. "And fast, okay? She could be anywhere."
Klaus looked up after a moment, wiggling the newspaper in his hands. "Or... here." He said. "Look at this."
"That's right. Her concert is tonight." Diego muttered.
Vincent picked his head up and made eye contact with an employee, who he simply raised an unimpressed eyebrow at.
She paused her movements for a moment before greeting them. "Hello!" She exclaimed. "I hate to intrude, but my manager says if you're not gonna bowl, you've gotta leave."
"Who's turn is it?" Diego asked.
"Oh, for..." Luther started, walking over and grabbing a pink bowling ball, throwing it over his shoulder and knocking down every pin in an entirely separate lane. Vincent would be lying if he said it wasn't impressive.
Allison wrote something on her notepad that Vincent didn't see, but it made Luther continue to speak. "We're the only ones capable of stopping this. We have a responsibility to Dad."
"To Dad?! No, I've heard enough about—" Diego began exasperatedly, to which Vincent nodded in strong agreement, holding out his fist for another fist bump, which Diego easily reciprocated.
"He sacrificed everything to bring us back together." Luther responded.
"I'm with Luther on this one," Five mumbled. "We can't give her a chance to fight back. There are billions of lives at stake. We're past trying to save just one."
"Five," Vincent said in a level voice, glaring at the other boy. "Are you forgetting something?" He asked, gesturing at himself with a warning look. He hoped his expression showed exactly what he was thinking. If you're going to hurt her, you would have to hurt me too.
Five kept a surprisingly blank face, but Vincent saw his jaw clench.
"Hey guys, uh, maybe I could help," Klaus spoke up.
"Now is not the time." Luther, again.
"No. Let him finish." Diego, again but better than Luther. "He saved my life today."
Klaus shrugged as he stood up. Vincent watched with vague interest, furrowing his eyebrows when Ben shook his head helplessly at him.
"Is that true?" Luther asked.
"Yeah, yeah, I did... take credit for it," Klaus mumbled, ignoring Ben's disapproval. "In fact, the real hero.. was Ben. Today, listen... today, he punched me in the face. And earlier today, he was the one who saved Diego's life, not me."
"You are unbelievable, Klaus." Luther muttered.
"You want proof, is that it?" Klaus asked. "All right, I'll-I'll give you proof." He picked up a bowling ball. "All right, it's showtime, baby. Catch." He spoke, throwing the ball at Ben. The ball fell right through him, and the other siblings were unimpressed.
Vincent almost felt bad, considering he could just confirm Ben's existence. It was more fun this way.
"Is there any way to silence that voice inside of your head that screams out to be the center of attention?" Luther asked.
Vincent jerked his head up in annoyance and smiled coldly at Luther. "Is there any way to staple your mouth shut without the possibility of you breaking free?" He retorted.
"You know, I liked you a lot better before you got laid," Klaus said to Luther, shaking his head. "And Vincent is just the same. My favorite!" He opened his arms, making a move towards Vincent like he was going to give him a hug. Before he could, he seemed to realize the awkward silence. "Oh. About Luther getting laid. It was a complete— It-It wasn't his fault, 'cause he was ridiculously high, right? And-And the girl... she thought he was a furry..."
"Stop." Luther firmly said, glaring at Vincent when he broke out into a long fit of laughter. Allison seemed annoyed as well, walking off silently. "Allison, wait." Luther added, going after her.
Vincent's laughter stopped and he paused, glancing around at Five, Diego, and Klaus. "Wait. Are they fucking? That's incredibly disturbing."
"You know, I could get used to us agreeing now, man," Diego grinned, fist bumping Vincent for a third time.
Vincent opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by a separate shrill voice. "Excuse me?" The woman said, catching all four boys' attention. "It's my son Kenny's birthday today and.. uh, wouldn't your sons be happier playing with kids their own age?" She asked, looking at Diego and Klaus and pointing at Five and Vincent. "Assuming it's okay with your two dads."
"I would rather chew off my own foot." Five cut in.
"Sure. Maybe we could use Kenny as the bowling ball?" Vincent added, immediately after Five finished talking.
The woman looked flabbergasted, eyes wide and a smile wiped from her face. She quickly grabbed her son, Kenny, and pulled him away.
Vincent paused in his amusement to glance at a confused looking Five, tilting his head back. Five shook his head, grabbing Vincent's wrist and pulling him up and over to the area where the bowling balls were returned. Vincent stiffened when Five pulled a Commission message tube from it. "How the hell did she find us?" He asked under his breath.
"I think she's known the whole time," Vincent muttered. "She's been watching me, at least."
Five thought for a long moment before he sighed, pulling a candy from his pocket and unwrapping it, unsurprised to find it beeping in his hand. "She's good." He murmured before dropping the device and stomping on it hard with his bowling shoe. "Jesus," He sighed, opening the top of the tube, taking a fortune cookie from it and cracking it open. He chuckled at the words before handing it to Vincent.
Vincent took it, pausing to read it slowly. 'TIME MARCHES ON... OR DOES IT?' followed by 'Rain Quail, Rm. 12.'
"Fuck," Vincent mumbled before looking up. "You're not gonna go, are you?"
Five looked away for a quick moment before sighing. "I have to. Do you want to come with me?"
Vincent swallowed hard. "No." He decided on. "That's probably what she wants, right? I'll watch your family for you, lover boy."
Five looked conflicted on whether to agree or not. "Okay," He said. "If something happens, we're fucked."
Vincent nodded in agreement. "If something happens, we're fucked." He echoed.
Five sighed once, bringing one hand out to mess up Vincent's hair endearingly. "But, soft," Five mumbled, seeming annoyed with himself for giving in. Vincent was ecstatic. "What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Vincent is the sun." He quoted, rolling his eyes at Vincent's responding beam.
"That's what I'm fucking talking about. You are so perfect," Vincent said quickly, taking a step closer. "And putting my name in there like that? Show stopping. I would drop my panties for you."
Fives lip curled in a mixture of disgust and amusement. "Shut up." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't break your face. Would be a shame."
"Did you just call me pretty? You're cute." Vincent grinned. "Let us hope I don't end up like poor Juliet, Romeo."
Five flipped Vincent off before stepping back and blinking away.
Vincent hadn't been away from Five since the last time he'd been around the Handler. He shivered a little at the thought and made his way back over to Diego and Klaus. They all stayed fairly silent, until Diego cut in. "Where'd Five go? Aren't you two attached at the hip, or some shit?"
"Or some shit," Vincent shrugged. "He left. That's all you need to know." He said. Before Diego could respond, Vincent said something else. "Tell me your opinion on murder. Legalize it?"
Diego scrunched up his nose. "Fuck no. I have a moral code."
Vincent snorted. "Okay, Batman. Does that moral code include gruesomely long physical and psychological torture?" He grinned.
"I don't even like Batman." Diego slumped in his seat.
"Sure. Where'd the outfit inspiration come from then?" Vincent asked.
"Wolverine."
"Wolverine....?" Vincent raised his eyebrow. "You know, he had no moral code. He killed a lot of people."
"I know." Diego snapped. He huffed. "He was just the first one to pop in my head, fuck off."
"No, it's okay, Wolverine. Show me your claws," Vincent smirked. "Good kitty."
"I'm gonna murder you."
"Woah! What happened to that moral code?"
Diego shot up and towered over Vincent at the same time Allison walked over, raising her eyebrow at Diego and shaking her head at him. Diego rolled his eyes, but backed off.
"Come on, man," Vincent stood up as well, holding his fist out in front of Diego. "Come on," He repeated, wiggling his fist. "Just pretend I didn't say anything." He grinned.
Diego glared at the fist before, begrudgingly, knocking his own fist against Vincent's, unnecessarily hard.
Vincent grinned in satisfaction, nodding.
"All right, where's Five?" Asked an, unfortunately, familiar voice. Luther.
"He left." Diego muttered.
"Oh, for the love of... where'd he'd go?" Luther questioned.
"Didn't tell us," Diego sighed. "His boyfriend knows, but he won't tell us either."
"What are you, a cop?" At Diego's glare, Vincent rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Guilty as charged, officer."
"Well, we're not waiting around for him. The concert starts in thirty minutes," Luther huffed.
"Alright, so what's the plan?" Diego raised his eyebrow.
"Well, I think that, uh.." Luther started, glaring at Vincent again when he began to laugh. "We go to the Icarus Theater."
"That's a location, not a plan." Diego spoke. "What? Is that all you got?" He took a step closer to Luther. "Look, you wanna be Number One, fine, but you're gonna have to get us on the same page, because right now, we're all over the place."
"Agreed! Look at us, Wolverine. We're on a roll." Vincent commented with a smile.
"Five will be so proud." Klaus added.
"You're right," Luther muttered to Diego. "We need a plan."
Vincent watched them speak for a moment before he felt something in his head, a painful ringing sound that made his knees wobble. His eyes widened as he looked at the front doors, taking a frantic step back at the sight of armed men in intricate outfits, masks over their faces. Commission Men.
"Fuck! Get down!" Vincent called out, pulling Diego and Allison down with him behind the partition beside them, just as the shooting began. Luther and Klaus followed suit.
"Who the hell are these guys?" Diego asked, looking pointedly at Vincent, who slumped down with one hand over his right ear, which was still ringing so loud, too loud.
"Maybe they're here for Kenny's birthday!" Klaus exclaimed.
"No, I'm pretty sure they're here for us!" Luther responded.
Diego made the split decision to stand up, throwing one of his knives at one of the Commission Men. The building went somewhat dark then, the lights flashing and a song playing. It was all so very dramatic. It was good that that was what Vincent loved the most. Flair, the Handler had teased him with. I know how flashy you like to make things, she'd said.
Fuck her.
Vincent stood up as well, jumping over the table smoothly and walking over to a group of four Commission Men huddled together. The ringing in his ear got worse. He stopped the men from shooting the same way he'd stopped Harold Jenkins; by stopping the men entirely with the power of his mind. The four of them froze, getting stiffer and stiffer as Vincent tightened his minds' hold on them.
Then he grinned a little, squeezing his fist shut in front of him. Their breathing stopped, surely, but they couldn't possibly show it. He stepped forward then, keeping himself hidden from the other Commission men and grabbing a gun from one of the frozen ones hands. He cocked it before shooting each man in the forehead once. They fell to the ground once he released them from the clutches of his very intricate and fucked up brain. Vincent felt no remorse, truly.
The ringing in his ear dulled to a distant buzz. He checked the gun, cursing when it revealed itself to be entirely useless to someone like Vincent. He moved away, tossing the gun over the bodies and standing beside Diego, who was still steadily throwing his knives. Luther was throwing bowling balls, which was somehow unsurprising. And Klaus threw poor Kenny's birthday cake.
"They're blocking the exit!" Klaus shouted.
"So what's the plan now, Luther?" Diego questioned.
Allison pointed frantically, and they all looked. "The lanes! Let's go!" Luther yelled.
Vincent raced over alongside the rest of them, his lane right beside a very frantic Klaus, crawling through the area where the pins were. He ran by Diego, leaving alongside him and the others.
Vincent cursed. "Fuck. Where the hell is Five?" He muttered under his breath.
"What, you don't know?" Diego asked.
"I do! But this wasn't supposed to happen!" Vincent exclaimed. "Fuck. We have to go to the theater."
"That was the plan!" Luther said.
"Fuck you, Luther," Vincent retorted. "Your endless daddy issues and inferiority complex are getting goddamn old. Just shut your fucking mouth, and maybe this will all end well," He continued. "And if you touch Vanya, I will kill you myself."
Luther huffed, not responding and simply turning around, guiding the others in the direction of the Icarus Theater.
Diego stood beside Vincent as they jogged. He bumped his shoulder against Vincent's. "Hey. Five is fine. He's an asshole, but I'm convinced that little fucker can't die." He muttered.
Vincent rolled his eyes. "Probably. He's a martyr, is what he is," He mumbled. "I should have gone with him, but I don't think any of you would have survived without me."
"Shut up. You barely did anything," Diego huffed. "I think Kenny's mother could have done more to help."
Vincent laughed. "Well, you know what they say," He sighed. "Kenny's mom has got it going." He mused, laughing more when Diego elbowed him hard in the ribs, successfully winding him.
"I will never understand what my brother sees in you," Diego shook his head. "You've been a little bitch the whole time I've known you."
"The bitch really comes out around you, Wolverine. You're special." Vincent grinned, jerking away from Diego before he could elbow him again.
"I hate you."
"So many people do."
"But, and I am only going to say this once," Diego cut in, stopping right in front of the theater they'd finally arrived at. "You're cool."
"You're only saying this because I share your Luther hatred." Vincent pointed out.
"Yes," Diego agreed. "So. Friends?" He held out his fist.
Vincent sighed dramatically, waiting a moment before fist bumping Diego back. "Whatever. Can't believe you're obsessed with me."
"I'll take it back." Diego threatened.
"Do it, bitch."
"I will."
"Do it."
"Wait! I'm thinking!"
"Do it."
"You need to be patient."
"I was never taught how. Rough childhood." Vincent shrugged.
"Oh. Sorry. Is this our first friend heart-to-heart?" Diego furrowed his eyebrows.
"This is pathetic, is what it is." Vincent sighed heavily, shaking his head.
"What do friends say to each other? Should we have a handshake?" Diego asked.
Vincent paused. "I... actually don't know." He muttered.
"Shit. Did neither of us ever have friends?"
"I suppose not."
"Guys, the world is ending. Please just go inside the theater." Luther shouted at them, holding the door open.
Vincent flipped Luther off, which Diego then copied before they both stepped inside.
The ringing in Vincent's ear came back. He paid it no mind.
Vincent hadn't ever had a real friend before. It was a funny thing; to have. It almost made him feel, for a moment, like everything would be okay.
Wrong did not even begin to describe that thought.