Gnosis

CHAPTER 2: THE FRANKEL FOOTAGE I

Word Count:  4803

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November 15, 1963

                            - Jack Ruby's Strip Club

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Five bit his cheek, a flicker of frustration crossing his features. He got to his feet, stalking after his brother with a determined stride. His movements were quick, as if every second wasted was a step closer to disaster. (Y/n) hesitated only for a moment before following close behind him.

"Wait, wait, wait!" (Y/n) called out, her voice rising in a mix of confusion and alarm as she caught up to Five. "So, the world is ending?"

Five barely looked at her, his eyes fixed on Luther's back. "Yes," he said before snapping to Luther, "What the hell is wrong with you, Luther? I just told you the world's gonna end in ten days."

Luther, however, appeared unfazed. He slowed to a stop but kept his cool demeanor, his arms folding across his chest as if Five's words were little more than background noise. "Yeah, well, you're always saying that," he muttered, attempting to brush past Five.

That dismissive attitude pushed Five's patience past the breaking point. He darted in front of Luther, his smaller frame now a barricade, and he shoved him back. "And so far," Five growled with a glare, "I've been right."

Luther sighed heavily, his massive shoulders sagging slightly, as if the weight of the situation was becoming more of an inconvenience than a concern.

"Look," he started, his patience visibly thinning. "You two wanna go save the world? Knock yourselves out, alright? I've already got a job." He motioned vaguely around them, his expression bored as he took a step back, attempting to escape the conversation entirely.

Five's expression darkened, and his lips pressed into a tight line as his frustration boiled over. His fists clenched at his sides, and for a moment, it looked as though he might throttle Luther then and there.

(Y/n) grimaced, her eyes flicking back and forth between the two brothers. "Wait... you work here?" she asked Luther, her tone tinged with disbelief as she glanced around at the gaudy neon lights and the low thrum of music in the background.

Luther straightened up, as if her question had struck a nerve. "Yeah. Well, my boss owns the place. I'm his body man," he replied with a nonchalant shrug, though the hint of pride in his voice didn't go unnoticed.

(Y/n)'s confusion deepened, her brow arching as she struggled to make sense of his response. "His what?" she asked, her lips quirking slightly, unsure whether he was being serious.

Five, still bristling from the earlier exchange, couldn't help but snort at the ridiculousness of it all. "Like a masseuse or something?" he asked dryly, a teasing edge creeping into his voice. The image of Luther—this giant of a man—giving someone a massage was so absurd that (Y/n) couldn't suppress a laugh.

Luther's face flushed slightly as he scowled at the both of them, clearly annoyed by their reaction. "Okay, you guys can make fun all you want," he said defensively, his voice rising just a bit as he met their teasing stares. "But I take good care of Mr. Ruby."

(Y/n)'s laughter died abruptly, her face shifting from amusement to confusion. "Wait, Ruby?" she repeated, her brow furrowing as something clicked in her mind. "As in The Jack Ruby?"

Five's head snapped towards her instantly, his eyes narrowing in sudden focus. His entire demeanor changed, the teasing and irritation fading away, replaced by a sharp, calculating gaze. "Wait, you remember?" he asked, his voice lower, edged with anticipation.