His Only Hope

Give or Take

As soon as you and Five stepped into the elevator, everyone else filed in, mumbling apologies and awkwardly pushing past people. You noticed Ben shove Oliver slightly, and Oliver leaned toward him, raising a smoking hand, with ripples of heat radiating off of it. Ben sneered at him, and you and Five exchanged a knowing look. They were just like Luther and Diego.

Finally the elevator doors opened, and you all strode out, Allison first since she had been the last to enter.

Typical.

"Not sure this place is gonna be big enough," Klaus said sarcastically, as you looked around at the giant, high-ceilinged room.

There were elegant two-tiered chandeliers dangling from high above, dripping with shimmering crystals that cast a gentle, yellowy glow on the darkened room. From the center of the room by the stage, neon lights and disco balls flashed. Dozens of tables with four or five chairs each were spaced around the gymnasium-sized space, making you feel small, especially with such a small group.

Overall, the ambience was beautiful. You hadn't gotten many chances to get out of the house as a kid.

Hah.

"This better be an open bar," Allison grumbled, before stalking forward. You rolled your eyes and felt Five place his hand on your lower back, guiding you further into the room with his other hand in his pocket.

Lila was saying something to Allison, but you were still admiring your surroundings. It was seriously beautiful, and something about that made your heart ache. Five's firm hand on your back, the gorgeous ballroom, Luther's eager face... everything was so achingly bittersweet. You didn't want to leave it behind. You wanted more of this, forever.

Five glanced around at the room, his face unimpressed, as though he'd seen better. He poked his tongue in his cheek thoughtfully.

The elevator dinged suddenly, and you all spun around, watching as Luther and Viktor walked through the doors.

"I don't know," Luther was saying. "Usually my tush looks good."

You exchanged a glance with Klaus, and he made an exaggerated appreciative glance at Luther's behind. You let out a loud laugh, and Klaus grinned at you like he was happy he'd made you laugh.

"Oh, I see you've gone for the oversized button-down. Original," Allison sneered at Viktor, her tone laced with venom. 

"You do realize there's no paparazzi here, right?" Viktor fired back, going to stand in front of her, and you almost snickered before remembering how Allison was before. 

She was changed for a reason. Horrible things had happened to her, and for the most part, you and your family had just... brushed off her trauma. Still, that didn't give her an excuse to treat people like shit. Especially your family.

"What? Dang it," Allison spit sarcastically. You saw Luther approaching them, and you decided to leave it to him, dragging Five behind you to get a better view of the room.

"It's almost as pretty as you," you whispered to him in a mock-serious voice, and he scoffed but couldn't quite suppress his small tilted smile. You elbowed him, grinning, and he grabbed your jaw with his hand, twisting your head to face him. He was still smiling, his eyes trained on yours.

"Say that again," he whispered in a flirty tone, and your eyes widened slightly in surprise as you whispered back.

"Already drunk, huh?"

He rolled his eyes and released your jaw, sticking his hands in his pockets. You didn't have time to admire his side profile before the elevator dinged a third and final time, and everyone in the room turned as Sloane was revealed. Her silky white v-neck dress clung to her curvy body, showing off her broad shoulders and lengthy legs.

She was stunning.

She strode into the room with a gentle smile, clutching her bouquet of white flowers, her long dirty-blonde hair curled and bouncy.

You immediately turned to glance at Luther, practically melting when you saw the bewildered, awed expression on his face. He looked like he was looking at an angel, his mouth parted slightly in awe and his blue eyes wide. So freaking cute.

You glanced back at Sloane, relieved to see her smiling too.

"Let's get this over with before I die of cringe," Ben mumbled, turning and starting to walk further into the room. You wrinkled your nose distastefully.

"That was probably the most embarrassing thing you've ever said. And that's saying a lot," you said. Ben was wearing a button-up that had the top slightly unbuttoned, and a golden chain around his neck. Objectively, he looked quite nice, but his personality annoyed you.

...

"Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today for a good time, not a long time, so let's have a good time, huh? Cuz' the sun can't shine every day!" You were gathered on the rooftop of the Oblivion, Klaus speaking the marriage rites as Sloane and Luther stood in front of him, smiling nervously. The sky was dark, but glowing with the orange veins that you had come to relate to the anomaly. Klaus was wearing a matching velvet green overcoat and pants, his long curly hair parted to the side neatly. "Can I get an amen?!"

"Amen!" you shrieked from the chairs in front of them, along with the rest of your family. You smacked Five's arm lightly to get him to cheer, and he raised an eyebrow at you.

Sloane had insisted you be the flower girl, and as you'd walked down the aisle with the white petals, Five had let out a low whistle. You had been surprised - it seemed unlike him to show his flirty side in front of everyone else. But they had all laughed, and you had chucked a handful of petals at his face, which he promptly brushed off with a grin.

Now, you observed a petal in his dark hair and reached up to pluck it out as Klaus continued speaking.

"Luther, do you be taking this banging hottie to be your lady?" he asked, and you whooped, drawing a good-natured eye roll from Five.

Luther smiled with his teeth. "I do."

Klaus sighed dramatically, beginning to speak in a pouty, emotional voice. "Sloane," a pause as he pressed his hands together in a praying motion, "Do you promise to love and cherish this big hairy bastard -" he punched him in his large shoulder - "for the next 24 to 48 hours?"

Or more, you though dully.

"Give or take a day," Five called from beside you, and you shoved him with your shoulder as Klaus shushed him. Five caught your arm, twining your hands together and making your face grow warm.

"I'm gonna try." She giggled. Oh God, she was so cute.

"Well, then..." Klaus began crying - you couldn't tell whether it was real or fake. "I'm sorry - I pronounce you married as shit! Viva la apocalypse!" He drew out the last syllable, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Whoo!" everyone shrieked as Luther hoisted Sloane in the air, kissing her passionately.

Diego yipped, Five smiled and clapped - a rare show of emotion from him - and even Allison beamed. Surprising, since she'd dated Luther when he was younger.

And then Klaus straightened up, grinning at his little congregation.

"All right! Who wants to head inside to the drinks?"