amour coriace ( five hargreeves! ) - Chapter 6: Chapter 6

THE END OF THE WORLD WAS IN EIGHT DAYS. Eight short days that would lead to turmoil, nothing but ash and bodies littering the dead ground. Perhaps Five and Vincent would not make their way to that point again. Perhaps they will perish with the rest of the world, never to see the light of day again. Vincent did not believe in a God, nor did he believe in a heaven. He supposed that once death overtook his body he'd see nothing but black. He supposed death is death. He would not see anyone again once his eyes closed and his heart stopped beating. He'd see dark for eternity, a fate worse than the idea of hell.
It was no lie that Vincent was afraid to die. Death was consistently plaguing his mind, running through his head wildly. He was horrified of it, horrified of the black that came with it. He was horrified of seeing nothing once he died, thinking nothing, unmoving forever and ever. He was horrified of the way he'd die. Painfully and slowly as he'd always thought. He was not looking forward to the feeling, but was still ready to die at any given moment.
It was an odd combination. Someone who wouldn't mind dying too much but was also entirely terrified of it. It didn't make much sense together, didn't create a clear picture like it would if he was a perfectly happy person who did not want to die. But dying was going to happen whether Vincent liked it or not. He did not know when or how, but he understood that one day his fear would come true. And he knew he would not worry so much about it, not be so scared of it once it actually occurred. Perhaps he'd be happier, lying 6 feet underneath the ground. If he even makes it that far, anyway. Maybe he will never be buried. Maybe he will never get a funeral. Perhaps everyone will forget he ever existed, find the idea of him foreign and unimportant as they surely already did.
Vincent did not like to think about it. Although, he had no way to rid himself of the thoughts. No way to make them go away, as much as he willed himself to do so. Five used to help him a bit, help him fall asleep when they were stuck in an apocalyptic eternity. Five had never known why Vincent had such trouble falling asleep, didn't understand why the boy would cover his ears and curl up into a ball like his brother Klaus would do when his demons would get too close.
Whenever that happened Five could not help but feel somewhat bad. He would sigh to himself, speak up and ask Vincent what's wrong. Vincent wouldn't respond, overtaken by shaky breaths and his own quivering body. Weak. Fuck, Vincent was so weak. Five did not think so. He would wait a few minutes for a response. Once he would not get anything Five would begin to talk, ramble on and on about whatever came to mind. He'd talk about his family, talk about Klaus and how much Vincent reminded him of him. He explained that Klaus would probably like Vincent, that they'd get along amazingly if they ever met. After an hour or so of Five talking, Vincent would finally be asleep. Five would not know until he heard the soft snores coming from the other boys mouth. Five would sigh, turning on his side and talk more to his mannequin Dolores, until he himself would fall asleep.
Vincent missed that. He missed when Five was kind to him. He missed when Five, still as sassy as ever, would talk to him in a soft voice that seemed reserved for Vincent only. He missed the Five he became friends with, the Five who talked about his family with such love in his eyes. Although, he supposed he had brought Five's anger upon himself. Vincent had left him all alone for years without an explanation. He had just randomly come back into Five's life and Five still hated him with such passion that Vincent couldn't help but understand he deserved. He had fucked up big time, but was still going to try to fix it all every chance he got.
Vincent supposed he wasn't doing such a good job so far.
"I survived on scraps. Canned food, cockroaches, anything I could find." Five explained to Vanya, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke. Vincent's nose scrunched up slightly in disgust, leaning his head back against the chair as he brought his knees to his chest, listening. Five chuckled, "You know that Twinkies have an endless shelf life? Well, it's total bullshit."
Vincent chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. Vanya nodded a bit, moving closer to the pair, but mostly Five. "I can't even imagine." She spoke, in awe. Vincent rolled his eyes a bit. He definetly liked this Vanya girl, but she was very soft with Five when Five was the complete opposite. With Five, you had to be more brash, talk to him like he killed your whole fucking family. He's a little asshole, treat him like one. But Vincent did not say anything. He supposed it was different because Vanya was his sister.
"You do whatever it takes to survive, or you die. So we adapted. Whatever the world threw at us, we found a way to overcome it." Five spoke as he took a sip from the cup of coffee in his hands that Vanya had previously handed him. Vincent glanced at Vanya, noticing that she looked quite confused, eyebrows furrowed and head tilted. Vincent knew Five noticed as well. "You got anything stronger?" He questioned, holding up his cup.
Vanya nodded before standing up, grabbing a bottle of what looked like tequila. Vincent perked up a bit. "You want some too, Vincent?" Vanya asked with that same soft voice of hers as she poured a cup for Five.
"Of fucking course. Thanks so much, darling. Hargreeves children are wonderful." Vincent grinned wide, glaring at Five. "Except for one. Sad he never got the memo." He joked with a laugh, thanking Vanya yet again when she handed him a glass of the stuff. He took a large swig, watching as Five took a much smaller sip. Vanya looked at Five.
"You think I'm crazy." He spoke, talking to Vanya. Vanya shook her head quickly, stepping slightly closer.
"No, it's just- it's a lot to take in.." Vanya spoke, sighing. Five rolled his eyes a bit, shaking his head to himself.
"Exactly what don't you understand?" Five questioned, pointing his glass at her. Vincent chuckled under his breath, taking a large sip from the glass yet again, enjoying this. Five and Vanya were both standing up, while Vincent was still sitting peacefully on the chair.
"Why didn't you just time travel back?" Vanya questioned with a shrug. Five chuckled, shaking his head yet again.
"Whoo gee, wish I had thought of that." Five spoke with an annoying fake grin. "Time travel is a crapshoot. I went into the ice and never acorned." He spoke. "You think I didn't try everything to get back to my family?" He seethed a bit, grin gone from his lips.
Vincent rolled his eyes, standing up and placing a hand on Fives shoulder, which he shrugged off almost immediately. "He loved me. Didn't want to leave me. That's why he didn't come back." He joked, downing the rest of the tequila with barely a wince. Vanya furrowed her eyebrows, confused.
"That's far from the truth." Five grumbled under his breath. "I would have left you in a heartbeat, Vincent. Just like you left me." He spoke, shaking his head as he took a sip from his own drink.
Vincent scoffed, "Ouch. Right in the gut. Geez Five, could have given a guy a warning before you completely obliterate him like that." He joked before wincing. "But seriously, my fucking everything hurts." He spoke, turning to Vanya. "You got an ibuprofen, darling? Or maybe something stronger like, oh I don't know, codeine?" He grinned.
Vanya shook her head. "I don't think I have anymore, I'm sorry." She spoke softly. Vincent shrugged it off with a grin, not caring if she was talking about the ibuprofen or the codeine. She never specified which one. She turned back to Five. "If you guys grew old there, like in the apocalypse... how come you still look like a kid?" She asked, looking at both of them.
Five shook his head with a chuckle, walking over to the counter where the tequila bottle lay. Vincent grinned, walking over quickly as well and placing his glass down for Five to refill it. "I told you already, I must have got the equations wrong." He spoke as he poured more of his drink, moving on to pour some into Vincent's cup without an argument, knowing Vincent would most likely spill; the fucking lightweight.
"Dad always used to say that time travel could mess up your mind. Maybe that's what's happening?" Vanya spoke curiously.
Vincent laughed from beside Five, nodding his head quickly as he pointed at Vanya. "Definetly whats happening. That shit fucked me up, babe. Big time. Like more than when Betty White dies. Which she does. And it's a catastrophe. And it makes me cry just thinking about it, the poor old woman. Fuck, I love Betty White." He spoke sadly, head resting on the counter as he sipped his drink.
Five rolled his eyes, placing his own cup on the counter roughly. "This was a mistake. You're too young, too naive to understand." He spoke at the same time Vanya called out his name. Vincent grumbled, standing up straight as well as he followed Five, who was walking towards the door. Vincent still had the glass in his hand.
"Wait." Vanya spoke, eyes on the cup in Vincent's hand. Vincent's eyes widened.
"Oh fuck! You want your cup back before we leave. Shit, sorry. Common courtesy and all. Here you are, babe." Vincent spoke, handing Vanya the glass after he downed the rest of the liquid.
Vanya took the glass but shook her head. "Not what I stopped you guys for, but thank you." She spoke. "Five, I haven't seen you in a long time and I don't want to lose you again." She spoke, eyes on Five, whos face softened lightly. "That's all. And you know what, it's getting late and I have lessons early and I need to sleep and I'm sure you both do too." She sighed. "Here," she spoke as she set up the couch. "You'll both have to sleep here. Sorry.. my apartment isnt too big." She apologized before walking off. "Night."
Five responded with a soft "night" at the same time Vincent responded with a much louder, "nighty night, darling. sleep tight." Five smacked Vincent on the arm once Vanya was out of the room, to which Vincent winced. "Stop calling my sister darling and babe! It's fucking weird!" He hissed out.
Vincent rolled his eyes, walking over to the couch and lying down on it carelessly. "Afraid I can't do that, Five. Your sisters amazing. Too soft for me though." He spoke with a shrug.
Five rolled his eyes, pushing Vincent's legs away so he could sit down on the couch. Vincent huffed, pulling his knees up to his chest as he sat up a bit. Five pulled out a small brown rag, opening it up to reveal a small glass eye. Vincent sat up more to look at it as Five messed with it in his shaking fingers. "What the fuck is that? Why do you have that?" He questioned softly with a yawn.
Five shook his head. "Found it. Never showed you because I never trusted you. Glad i didn't." He spoke, equally as soft.
Vincent rolled his eyes, eyebrow raising as Five stood up. "Where are you going?" He asked, standing up as well.
Five huffed to himself. "To find someone." He spoke with a sigh, opening the door quietly. Vincent followed.
Vincent grinned. "Oh I love Dolores! Wonderful gal, truly. Although, I've always been quite jealous of you and her. Maybe I'm in love with her and her plastic lips." He joked dramatically.
Five rolled his eyes. "You're gay, Vincent." He spoke with a huff.
Vincent's eyes widened. "Wait wait wait, how did you know that? I distinctly remember never ever telling you I was gay. What the fuck?" He spoke, eyebrows furrowed as he continued to follow Five.
Five rolled his eyes. "You talk about boys like they're works of art." He sighed. "It's noticeable from a mile away." He spoke. "Plus, we're not even looking for Dolores. Trying to find the owner of this eye." He held up the plastic eye.
Vincent groaned. "Fucking gross. All this for an eye?" He huffed, shaking his head.
"Not just any eye." Five chuckled. "This eye belongs to the son of a bitch that started the apocalypse." He grinned. Vincent raised his eyebrow, shaking his head.
Fuck, Five really was insane.