𝙖𝙚𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙮 // 𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙭 𝙙𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨

𝙄𝙍𝙍𝙄𝙏𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉

/ˌirəˈtāSH(ə)n/
the state of feeling annoyed, impatient, or slightly angry

- - -

"I know you're there, Diego," Five says. He's known his brother had been tailing him since he left the Academy. It had been a risk, going to Griddy's, but he couldn't resist it. He hadn't been expecting Dolores to show up and he'd been a bit annoyed that she hadn't told him she was coming, but she'd said that Diego didn't know who she was and therefore they were safe.

It had been nice, Five supposes. Pretending like they were a normal couple, if only for a little while. They both know that they aren't a normal couple and that they will never be a normal couple, but it was nice to pretend like they were.

And then Dolores had mentioned the apocalypse and the little bubble of illusion had shattered as his annoyance flooded back in. He didn't want to think about the apocalypse. Thinking about the apocalypse meant thinking about his siblings' bodies and his failure. And he didn't want to do that. He just wanted to stop it.

Dolores had left in a huff, muttering something about stubbornness under her breath. Five had left not long after with Diego at his heels.

The shadows next to him huff and Diego falls into step beside him. "How long?"

"Since I left."

Diego raises an eyebrow at him and Five sighs. "Since I left home," he amends.

Diego sighs. "And here I was, thinking I did a good job."

"You did," Five says. Diego eyes him. "I just happen to be better."

"And there it is," Diego mutters.

Five frowns. "What?"

"You. Thinking you're better than us. You always did, even when we were kids."

"That's because I am. So, who was it?"

"What?"

Five bites back the comment about Diego's mental capacity and rephrases his question. "Who asked you to tail me?"

"Oh," Diego says. The confusion lifts from his face. "Allison. Said you were acting weird and asked me to tail you. I had nothing better to do, so," he raises one shoulder in a shrug, "why not?"

"And is that all she said?" Five asks, trying to keep his tone light. The last thing he needs is Diego knowing about his slipup. It's bad enough that Allison knows.

"Yeah. Why, you got something to tell me?"

"No."

"I knew you'd say that. Who was the chick at the diner?"

Five blinks at him. He knows who Diego's talking about, but it's best to feign ignorance until he can't anymore. "Who?"

"The hot blonde chick. With the blue dress. She looked pretty into you, man."

He doesn't know. Go easy. It's a struggle to keep his voice even, considering Diego just called Dolores hot, but he manages. "I don't know. Just some random girl."

Diego eyes him again. "Yeah, right. She looked like she was in love with you, now that I'm thinking about it."

Five manages not to laugh, but it's a close thing. "I would certainly hope so," he mutters.

Diego frowns. "What?"

"I said, I certainly hope not."

Diego stares at him for a while before he shakes his head. "You're so weird, dude."

Five grins and blinks away.