PYROMANIAC - (Umbrella Academy) X Five Hargreeves

1:18

Lena tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Five to meet her. Her room was dark, with only a soft glowing lamp on in the corner - it was all that she was allowed, and she expected him to be here already.

He wasnt.

It was rare the two of them got time off from their jobs, both shared and on their own. They had finished a joint mission earlier that evening, ate dinner together on the account of having time to spare, and got back to complete their reports. They had done what was asked of them and all she wanted was to meet up with her husband like they often did (in the secrecy of one of their own rooms, the only times they were able to wear their rings on show for their own safety). That night, it was her room where they'd meet.

That night Five was late.

Pushing herself up, she paused behind her door, leaning against the metal with her arms crossed and listening closely. Five was never late but she could hear footsteps approaching and waited to see if they were his, spinning her ring around her finger in anticipation.

They stopped outside her bedroom door and she exhaled a sigh of relief. Lena reached for the handle when-

"Five, what are you doing up so late?"

Lena froze, her heart leaping into her throat at the sound of that womans voice. She heard Five take a single step away from her door, perhaps closer to the Handler, and she realised it was her heels clicking that she had heard earlier.

She pressed her ear to the door, straining to hear with her heart in her throat.

Fives voice sounded tense.

"I could say the same for you." She could imagine him with his hands in his suit pockets, an uncomfortable but regulated smile on his face.

Out of the two of them, he was the talker. The performative one. He did what he had to do to keep in the Handlers good graces while Lena wasn't so good at it.

The handlers laugh echoed in the empty hall, and Lena fought the urge to rip open the door and pull him inside, slamming the door in that wicked woman's face.

Her voice was playful, smooth. It made her sick. "I was just passing by. Thought I'd pay a visit to our dear Lena."

"Why is that?"

She shifted. The Handlers voice grew closer.

"I could ask you the same," her voice teased and she could imagine that awful smile.

Five did not respond.

"Oh come on, Five... we're friends, aren't we?" She shuddered at the thought. "You can tell me, surely."

There was a tense silence then the handler continued. "You know I've always wondered about you two."

This piqued his interest. "How so?"

Lena's breath hitched.

"You're very friendly," she said simply. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"I dont follow," Five responded easily.

"That's so interesting," she chuckled. "You know when she was first brought here she never got along with anyone. I mean, everyone hates that mouth of hers. You've been here for a year and already you're thick as theives."

There was another click of her heels.

Five inhaled sharply. Lena's fingers twitched at her sides.