Life as We Know it [Five]

Seven

Out of the four seasons, which is your favorite?

When Emery awoke the next day, it was to the sound of Five rummaging around. He had changed back into his usual uniform and was peering out the window.

"Your friend left." Five said. "About an hour ago. I know you said we'd leave at the crack of dawn but you looked so peaceful. It'd be wrong of me to wake a sleeping baby."

"Thanks, Five but if the world ends in nine days like you said it will then we don't have time to sleep in."

"Be grateful. This is probably the last full night of rest you'll let for the rest of the week."

"Don't remind me," Emery groaned, rolling out of bed and getting ready for the day.

"Come on! We want to get there before Elliott decides to take a walk or something." Five called out before Emery had a chance to shrug on his shirt. There was a 'thump' and the sound of the door closing and Emery cursed as he pulled his socks on, and nearly fell out of the washroom and out the door, shoes tucked in hand. 

"Come to think of it, those few months of solitude were the best months of my life." He grumbled as he caught up to the boy, now outside.

"I'm wounded." Five replied dryly, keeping up with his relentless pace as Emery struggled to keep up. Walking in time by shoving his foot into the soles of his shoe.

Five made it crystal clear how he should have woken Emery up at the crack of dawn just to spite him by blindly crossing streets and taking shortcuts without any thought of his own self-preservation. It was only when they came to the front of Morty's Television AM/FM Radio store did he finally slow down, entering through the front and rounding up the stairs where he didn't even bother knocking before he grabbed Emery's arm and teleported them inside.

"Elliott," Five said, not wasting another moment. "did you develop these photos yourself?" They were looking at the black and white photos plastered onto a wall, wholly dedicated to the strange appearances that were the Hargreeves family and entourage.

"Of course. Can't exactly drop that stuff off at the neighborhood Fotomat. Government has eyes everywhere." Elliott said, heartbeat regulating when he got over the abruptness of their visit.

"I've never seen a darkroom." Emery frowned. "Where do you develop them?"

"Yeah, I converted the hallway closet. It's not your fault you never saw, Emery. You just never put your shoes away properly." Elliott teased.

"Very nice." Five said distractedly. "Can you develop this?" He asked, handing the man the box.

"Huh. 'Frankel Footage'. Friend of yours?" Elliott asked, gazing at the film.

"Cousins on my robot mother's side."

Elliott blanched. "Robot... mother... wait. You guys aren't related?" Elliott asked.

"Not technically. Look, can you do it or not?"

"Sure I can. Well, I mean, I'm running low on acetic acid." Elliott thought aloud. "Beekr's Cameras is open today, but it's two miles away. I mean, I'd have to take the bus. On the other hand, Gibson's is only ten blocks away, but I gotta cut through the park and there's pigeons--"

"Elliott." Five interrupted impatiently.

"It's like five, maybe six hours." Elliott conceded.

"Attention all units, we have a code 3-15 at the Holbrook Sanitarium." A voice over the radio sounded, drawing the trio's attention toward it.

"The hell is a code 3-15?" Five asked.

"Fugitives on the run." Emery muttered aloud, ignoring Five's wonderous gaze. "Wonder who that could be." Emery added sarcastically. Five cursed as he trod towards the radio and leaned in to listen to the rest of the report.