ROSES AND FLAMES - Five Hargreeves

52. "best brother in-law i know"

2 and a half years ago

"Ah there she is! How you feeling kid?" Looking up at Diego, Josie's eyes were too swollen, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm still alive, that's what matters." She mumbled, walking in the door, Diego needing to hug her.

Kissing her head, Josie lazily took off her shoes, looking at all the Halloween decorations, smiling. "Josie Massi! You're here!" Sunny smiled, the boy coming over to her.

"What's your costume?" Harleen asked, Josie frowning. "A depressed girl." She told them, Diego slapping the back of her neck to say something else.

"She was too busy with work to dress up, but go show her your costumes." He covered up. Sighing and needing a drink, Josie walked over to the fridge, seeing no alcoholic drinks.

Grabbing a kool-aid instead, Josie leaned over the counter, smiling at Claire and Allison. "Awe cute, you're an angel." Josie said to Claire, Allison wearing a Skelton hoodie.

"Are you going to join us this year aunt Josie? Make use of your age." Claire teased, Josie shaking her head. "Not this year kid, you guys have fun." She smiled, Claire going to find grace.

"Happy Halloween!" Turning to see Sloane and Luther in matching costume, Sloane was the police offer, Luther being a prisoner, walking over to the kitchen. "Awe— where are your guys costumes?" Sloane asked with a pout, Allison pointing to her hoodie.

"We were gonna do that, but sunnys costume wasn't done yet." Lila said, kissing her sisters head, the girl unphased by it. "Alright, are we doing this or not?" Josie asked, wanting this over with.

All migrating back to the front room and putting their shoes on, Josie finished her Kool-aid, needing to have a good cry. "We need to stop by my house too, Klaus is finally handing out candy— with gloves on of course."

"Come on Josie it's Halloween, be excited." Luther told her, the girl leaning on his shoulder. "Five and I had costume ideas. We were going to be the Addams family couple. Gomez and Morticia." Josie told him, Luther remembering how she bought a long black dress with Sloane.

"I'm sure you and five will reconnect. I'm rooting for you two, I think I'm the only one at this point." Luther whispered, trying to make her feel better. "Thanks Luther."

present.

Splitting up, it's something Josie wanted, but she just wanted to go home and back to her job, wishing she took a taxi home.
Sitting in the front seat, someone needed to keep Diego company while driving home, the girl playing a game on her phone, as if she was a little kid.

"What game are you even playing?" Diego asked her, Josie smiling at it. "Homescapes, it's like candy crush but you earn s stars to rebuild the house. It's really fun." She said, also having Gardenscapes, not to mention candy crush as well.

Diego and Josie were closer because of how Lila and Josie got closer these last six years, she felt like Diego was a good brother also a father figure in some ways, her mind playing tricks on her.

She did appreciate him and Lila even if she didn't say anything, turning off her screen before becoming car sick. "Listen uh, I think something is wrong with Lila." He said, Josie furrowing her eyebrows.

"In what sense? Health wise?" Josie asked, not being able to lose Lila at all. "No, sometimes I wonder if she likes being a mum. I mean your guys' mother was the handler, and there was no dad in the photo. I worry she feels like she's not enough for the kids." Diego said , worried about his wife.

"But she's doing a better job than our mother ever did, and you're doing amazing too. I've never seen three well behaved kids before. I mean sunny and harleen aren't rude or throw temper tantrums, they rarely fight." Josie told Diego, the man sighing.

"I just wish she knew she was doing an amazing job. I mean on paper we've only been together for six years but in those six years she's been my world." Diego told her, looking at Josie for a moment.

"I know she has, but don't doubt each other. You two complete each other so well. Like how me and five used to be." Josie told Diego, seeing him raise an eyebrow. "I know you want him back."

Being silent, Diego smirked a little, Josie rolling her eyes, wondering if she really did make a mistake in the ultimatum she gave him. "I don't know why he loves the chaos so much, I thought settling would help; it only made him more anxious."

"He's been in the apocalypse, was an assassin, saved us three times, he likes to be busy, and it's not and it's excuse for him joining the C.I.A, but five loved you through it all. Think about that Josie. He asked you to join him 'cause he already loved you."

She didn't know how Diego switched the conversation to being a worried husband to not being a worried brother, Josie sighing at him. "I don't know Diego—"

"You do know kid, deep down you know you two are meant to be. Like me and Lila."

"Lila and I." Josie corrected, showing off with the comment of calling her a kid— they're the same age, which she'll always remind him about.

"Yeah whatever." He said with a smile on his face, Josie looking at him. "You're a good brother in law Diego. Until now I didn't know what family was about, but you and Luther are the only ones who actively check up on me. I never realized you two cared for me like that." Josie said, feeling loved after a while, truly apart of the hargreeves family.

"You're a good sister too." He told her, Josie feeling sentimental for Diego seeing her as just a sister, nothing else.