[✓] 𝑀𝑂𝑂𝑁𝐿𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇 | 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞. 𝑢𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠

Word count: 3702

𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 had lost their conversation with their mother, Diego and Elizabeth turned and headed to the other side of the second floor. 

They entered Diego's room, where they both sat down on his neatly made bed.

Diego broke the silence, changing the topic from the heavy one that they had been on a few minutes before. "Anyway, where's Five?"

"He's . . ." Elizabeth thought for a moment. She knew she wasn't really allowed to tell anyone else. Mad at Five or not, she promised she'd keep it a secret. "He's doing something."

Diego, to her surprise, accepted her extremely vague answer and raised an eyebrow. "Why aren't you with him? You two've been sticking like glue ever since you came back."

"Oh, it's . . . nothing." She waved a dismissive hand before sighing. "Don't worry."

Diego tilted his head, his eyes narrowed as he inspected her face. He spent a good minute doing so before quietly questioning, "What's wrong, Goldie?"

"Hm?" She raised her eyebrows, feigning innocence as she shook her head and denied, "Nothing's wrong."

He scoffed. "Don't lie to me, I can tell."

"No, you can't."

"Yes, I can." Diego folded his arms. "I've spent more than three years by your side, I think I know you better than anyone else. Besides, you're a shit liar."

She pressed her lips together as she shook her head. "Nuh-uh."

"Elizabeth."

She sighed, biting her lower lip for a moment as she gazed at his pleading expression. After a few seconds, she gave in, "Five just said some . . . dumb shit."

Diego leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. "Dumb shit meaning 'Diego sucks' kind of dumb shit, or dumb shit worth beating him up over?"

Elizabeth gave him an awkward smile, her fingers twisting each other nervously; she already knew how he would react if she told him. "Neither?"

"Okay, so the latter." He nodded, rolling his shoulders back and clenching his jaw. "What did he say?"

"Eggo, it really isn't—"

"What did he say?"

She sighed. "Verbatim?"

Diego lifted an eyebrow as he asked in bafflement, "Have you memorized it?"

She scoffed. "Of course I've memorized it, I can memorize everything."

"Okay, then." Diego nodded. "Verbatim."

"Well, we were going on a stakeout—don't ask why—and he stole this dude's van, and I asked why I couldn't just open a portal . . ." Elizabeth tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, biting her lip. "And he said, 'What, you think I'm fucking stupid? I thought about that already. It's not a good solution. If you forgot, dumbass, we're going to be there for who knows how long. We need a place to hide in. God, you'd think you'd use some of that intelligence you have for once.'"

Diego's expression soured, although he kept his voice calm as he inquired, "Where did you say he was again?"

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I didn't."

"Well, then, you better tell me." Diego took out his knife from his pocket, beginning to unconsciously play with it as his eyes hardened. "Because I'm going to go murder him."