Life as We Know it [Five]

Eight

If you were an ice cream flavor, what flavor would it be?

When Emery got into the car, he let his head fall back against the headrest. He blew out a long breath and closed his eyes. Diego would be out in a moment. He just had to talk to Lila before joining them. But in the meantime, it was just him and Five.

"How are you holding up?" Emery asked, cracking his eyes open.

"I'm fine." Five replied, drumming his hands across the driving wheel, his eyes intently focused on the setting sun.

Emery looked too, watched the sky as it was painted with a multitude of different colors that joined effortlessly together to create something beautiful.

"This is your tenth day straight of saving the world, Five. You haven't gotten a break. Answer me truthfully now when I ask how you are holding up."

Five sighed, strength draining from his face. He opened his mouth to respond, tearing his eyes away from the sunset and towards Emery but then the back door opened and Diego clambered in with a sigh.

"Lila's okay watching over Elliott for a bit." He said.

"Great." Five said emotionlessly as he shifted into drive, his face back to that cold and reserved front so often seen on him.

They drove in silence as the sunset gave way to a dark night sky and they approached D. S Umbrella; an old white building just outside the city.

"D.S Umbrella. This is it." Diego said as they got out of the car and approached the front doors. "You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, fine. Just..." Five trailed off and sighed as he peered inside.

"How long's it been since you've seen the old man?" Diego asked, kneeling down to work at picking the lock.

"Fourty-five years." Five said.

"That's a trip."

"No kidding." Five said, leaning against the side of the building. "You know, when I was stuck out there in the apocalypse, there wasn't a day that went by where I didn't hear his voice in my head."

"What was he saying?" Diego asked.

"'I told you so.'" Five recalled bitterly.

"Well, if he's here it will be the first time he's seen you. So he can't say 'I told you so'." Diego said.

Five scoffed. "I'm sure he'll find a way."

"Not this time he won't," Emery promised.

Five looked at him under the moonlight and then pulled his gaze away to the door, teleporting and reappearing inside from where he held the door open for them to enter.

"Right." Diego cleared his throat and stood up. "Gotta remember that." He said, passing through the doorframe.

"Thanks," Emery muttered, bushing past Five and inside, the boy following behind. They entered a room and looked around in the dark of night. Five went to turn on a lamp and they were greeted by a few seconds of its gift before it flickered out again.

"Shit." Five said.

"Guess Dad wasn't much for home decor." Diego said, looking around.

The room itself was mostly bare, a couch and a few lamps set astray. It was something you might find in Emery's old home, not the one of the eccentric Reginald Hargreeves.

"Feels more like a front." Five said, agreeing with Emery's thoughts.

"A front for what?" Diego asked.