𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐄𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 ━ five hargreeves¹

21│TWO WRONGS MAKE A FIGHT

-

Some days, he found himself talking to the mannequin, though mostly out of pure whim. He told himself that it was better to talk through the equations than figuring them out in silence as he'd always done with Alexa, but a part of him knew that the quiet had become unbearable. One thing he refused to do was give the mannequin a name. That would be a sure sign his sanity was going downhill, he told himself.

-

Five Hargreeves had never given much thought to his sanity, anyway. Almost a year later, he'd found a stash of alcohol that survived the destruction and had eagerly turned to it thinking that it might relieve the weight on his chest. What it actually made him do was throw up several times and mumble drunkenly to the mannequin.

"You know," he said in slurred thoughtfulness, "your eyes are kind of similar to hers. I mean, you're fake, obviously and she isn't, but you're more real right now, you know? I don't think I could call you by her name, though— but you should have one." He laughed, a strange sound in the dead world. "I never gave much thought to names, really. I mean, I never even had a real name myself. The nameless naming the named." He paused for a moment as a memory from what seemed like long ago suddenly flashed through his mind. "I think I'll call you Dolores. It means sadness, did you know?"

-

Dolores' personality was strikingly similar to another blue-eyed girl's and he often complained about both of them to the mannequin that sat next to him. They'd spent nearly ten years together and it seemed like no time at all but that's what happens when you're in love, Five thought. He snorted. He'd never believed in such emotions when he was younger but he'd been a fool. Sometimes he could close his eyes and remember bright blue ones that had always sparkled with amusement, quick to crack a joke or make any situation seem better than it truly was to buoy up their team.

He sighed and opened his eyes. Five glanced at the mannequin next to him. "You're a lot like her, you know? I should've told her before I left but I was a stubborn bastard about it." He snorted again. "I suppose I still am I guess, but here goes nothing." 

He turned slightly to look into the plastic woman's blue eyes and imagined the once-familiar spark in them. Hesitantly, he raised his hand to place one of his fingers on Dolores' nose. Feeling both incredibly silly and shy at the same time, he gave a quiet "boop."

☂☂☂

Alexa felt gentle fingers brush against her own in reassurance but that didn't make her relax and her form remained tense as Hazel spoke: "hey old timer."

"Do you have my sister?" Five asked. "If not, would you like a margarita?"

When the man didn't respond the boy turned and twisted lightly out of the blonde's grip. "C'mon."

Alexa's eyes never left the man as he entered the house even as they made their way back to the bar where they'd been sitting previously.

"Are you here to kill me?" Five asked, too casually in Alexa's opinion (she was very glad she'd taken the action that she had.)

"Oh, shit," Hazel said, realizing his gun was out. He stowed it away. "Sorry, old habits die hard, though I can understand why you might feel that way."

Five gave Alexa a glance, probably reproaching her in his head at her unnecessary use of power but she didn't care. She was never willing to gamble with his life.

"Well, you attacked our house, tried to kill my family and kidnapped my brother," Five pointed out.

"Well, there's not much I can do about the past— don't forget I'm not the only killer in this room; you've got your own bloody history, pal. Speaking of which, that job you did in Calhoun, that shit's legendary. I can't believe I'm actually sitting here talking—" Hazel rambled.