Ice Queen (Five Hargreeves)

chapter twelve

"your mother, that slut!" klaus' voice sounded from the top of the stairs.

florence walked up towards five's room to look for him. it turns out he was coming down the stairs already.

five hadn't noticed her yet, so he was surprised to hear florence's angelic voice come from behind him.

"klaus, what the hell are you wearing?" florence snorted as she looked at her older brother. the frills on his shirt were really amusing her. she lifted up five's arm from the banister, as it was blocking her path, and gently placed it at his side. she stood next to him on the top step.

"what? this is my nicest outfit," klaus waved his arms around whilst florence gave him a questioning look. she turned to the silent boy who was stood next to her.

"where are you guys off to anyway?" she asked curiously.

"back to the lab. klaus is going to pretend to be my dad."

"great, i'm coming with you," florence announced as she grabbed five's arm and began to pull him down the stairs.

"what? no! you can't come with us." five shook his head at her.

"why not?" florence asked him with a hard stare.

"yeah, why not? loosen up, old man. she's probably the only chance you have of getting laid." klaus said from behind them. five slowly looked at him and tilted his head.

was that really necessary?

five considered it for a moment before turning back to look at florence. he huffed in defeat, "fine, you can come. but, i'm doing the talking. that goes for both of you," his finger moved between the two of them.

florence did a little jump and clapped her hands together. five tried to hide the smile that was beginning to form on his face at the sight of the joyful girl.

"before we go though," florence immediately turned serious, "klaus, you're changing out of that. it's hideous."

"fine, whatever. i don't care what i wear as long as i get my money." klaus began to walk down to their late-father's room to search for something less... frilly.

five looked down sheepishly. he knew florence was trying to stop klaus' drug problem.

"money? five, you're seriously giving him money? how's that supposed to help him with his problems? it's just fueling him to do it more!" florence asked him. she couldn't believe he would do that.

"it was the only way to get him to do it. plus," he lowered his voice, "i'm probably not even going to give it to him."

florence rolled her eyes, "that's not the point. come on. we should go and choose an outfit for him since he's incapable of choosing a formal one himself."

"like i said to your son earlier, any information about the prosthetics we build is strictly confidential."

florence was really beginning to regret coming. she was slouched in a chair by the door, playing with her powers in her hands. the other two were further across the office, talking to the prosthetic eye manufacturer.

time moved so slowly. she wasn't paying attention to anything that was happening because honestly, she wasn't interested.

"are those snowflakes in her hands?" she looked up when the attention was moved to what she was doing. the three men were all looking at her. she was shocked to see five with a busted lip and klaus with glass and blood on his head. a broken snow globe lay on the floor.