CARNATIONS - FIVE HARGREEVES

II

CHAPTER TWO  ━━━ Run Boy Run

"I survived on scraps, canned food, cockroaches, anything I could find." Five explained to Vanya as Indigo rubbed her sore arm, "You know that rumor that Twinkies have an endless shelf life? Well, it's total bullshit"

"I can't even imagine"

"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"

"We?", Vanya questioned, "are you talking about Indigot?"

"Uh no, Five and I met under different circumstances." Indigo explained but Five simply ignored and asked Vanya for a stronger drink.

Five took a swig of his drink while Indigo declined explaining that she 'only drank wines' while Vanya eyed Five cautiously causing him to scoff.

"You think I'm crazy" Five said giving Vanya a accusatory look. Vanya stammered over her words in an attempt to defend herself. "Exactly what don't you understand?" Five wondered.

"Why didn't you just time travel back?" Vanya asked causing Five to scoff before sighing. "Gee, wish I'd thought of that. Time travel is a crapshoot. I went into the ice and never acorn-ed" Five snapped back.

"You think I didn't try everything to get back to my family?"

Vanya stayed silent for a bit while Indigo sat eyeing the two siblings for a moment feeling uncomfortable by the sudden tension in Vanya's apartment.

"If you grew old there, you know, in the apocalypse, how come you still look like a kid?" Vanya asked which made Five shake his head in disbelief.

"I told you already. I must have got the equations wrong." Five reiterated whilst pouring himself another drink.

"I mean, Dad always used to say that...time travel could mess up your mind. Well, maybe that's what's happening?"

Indigo's nose scrunched in distaste, she didn't expect Vanya to completely understand but could've never anticipated Vanya implying Five was going crazy.

"This was a mistake. You're too young, too naive to understand." Five complained while grabbing his blazer and Indigo's wrist pulling her up from her seat and walking towards the door.

"No. Five...Five, wait." Vanya called out effectively stopping the duo.

"I haven't seen you in a long time, and I don't want to lose you again. 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 do, too, the both of you."

Vanya walked over to the couch and pulled a blanket over it, "here, you two can share the couch. We'll talk in the morning again. Okay? I promise. Night."

"Night" Five whispered back to Vanya before opening her front door and walking out with Indigo in tow.

"Five we couldn't have stayed for at least 30 minutes, I was tired" Indigo groaned as they walked along hand in hand.

"No we couldn't have, she didn't believe me. We just have to follow our lead." He replied while holding up the glass eyeball Indigo had heard so much about.