CLOSE BEHIND | F. Hargreeves²

04

To be perfectly clear, Beau knew from the start that Luther would little to no help in their situation, with the realisation that his mission to the moon wasn't an important task and his father lying to him more times than he could count, Luther was feeling sensitive and depressed with a slight bit of aggression poking through. Beau didn't exactly blame his reaction but it still made him irritated to see up close, which possibly made him an apathetic person in most cases but who was he to care?

Five had convinced Beau to meet the man that had helped him find him, Diego and Luther and will later help find the others. Beau was sceptical as he usually was but he went along with it for Five's case, noticing how much stress this new mission to save the world was giving him, and maybe something else that he was hiding rather well.

Beau stopped himself from calling Five out on it and instead followed him into an electronics store, taking the stairs to find a mousy looking man amongst a mess of papers that appeared to be finding the truth on extraterrestrials, including the Hargreeves' sudden arrival into the past via large blue light.

"Elliott, this is Beau." Five motioned to the both of them nonchalantly, "Beau, Elliott."

Elliott's wide eyes widened further, "Another one? This is- wow."

Beau frowned at the strange man, watching as he twitched and rambled on about how 'amazing it all was', "Who is this guy and why is he acting like that."

"Area 51 fanatic." Five shrugged.

"Makes sense."

"Where's the other one that came with you? The woman?"

"Oh, you mean his wife, Rosie." Five seemed to smirk up at Beau, mischievously trying to get a good reaction out of the older appearing man. Beau glared half-heartedly, feeling as though, despite Five's knowledge and acceptance of Rosie, there was something truly bothering the boy.

"Wife?!" Elliott shouted in shock.

"She's not my wife. Not anymore."

"Where is she?" 

The presence of Rosie was close as she listened in on the conversation, the nosy woman she was. Even if she was Beau's subconscious, it sure felt like she had a mind of her own. "She's around." Beau shrugged.

"I saw her appear out of nowhere."

"Yeah, she often does that."

Beau hadn't seen Rosie in physical form for months but she was always there if needed and always under the surface of Beau's very being, she couldn't be suppressed or ignored and he would never want her to be. 

Completely distracted from the conversation, Five looked over some photographs on the table nearby, seemingly interested but not in whatever was depicted in them, "Elliott, did you develop these photos yourself?"

Elliott nodded enthusiastically, "Of course. Can't exactly drop that stuff off at the neighbourhood Fotomat. Government has eyes everywhere."

Not bothering to participate in matters he didn't care much about, Beau inspected the living room with mild curiosity. There we grainy photos of each other Hargreeves, as well as Beau and Rosie who clung to him as he tried his best to walk down the alleyway with a bloodied head and concussion.

"Can you develop this?" Beau heard Five ask, turning to see him handing over a roll of film to the older man.

"Hmm? Huh. 'Frankel Footage.' Friends of yours?"

"Cousins on my robot mother's side." Five casually spoke without an ounce of deception and it made Beau chuckle, "Can you do it or not?"

"Sure I can."