Ocean of Lies | Five Hargreeves

Golden Glow

A soft murmur of voices fills the room, like a distant hum of bees. Gradually, the sounds become more distinct, breaking apart into individual words and phrases. I hear the clink of a spoon against a cup, the creak of a chair, and the rustle of papers.

I try to open my eyes, but they are heavy with sleep, and it takes a moment for the world to come into focus. As my vision clears, I see slivers of sunlight peeking through cracks in the curtains. The room is bathed in a warm golden glow, and dust motes dance in the air.
I stretch my limbs and feel the cool sheets against my skin. The snuggly cocoon of the bed envelops me, and a warm, happy feeling spreads throughout my body. I bask in this sense of contentment, blissfully unaware of all the troubles that await me. Slowly, I become more awake and aware of my surroundings.

Wait... this isn't the hotel. Where am I?

"So... you were a hitman?"

My body jolts up. The sounds and smells of the city come into focus: the honking of horns, the smell of car exhaust mixed with freshly brewed coffee, and the sounds of footsteps and chatter outside the window.

My gaze shoots toward the two boys in the room, and my eyes widen.

"You're finally awake," says Luther.

"Where am I?" I croak. My cheeks heat up at the sound of my groggy voice.

Five shifts his body so his back is no longer facing me. "You are quite the deep sleeper, Cecilia."

I roll my eyes and take in my surroundings. The room is unfamiliar, yet cozy, with its worn wooden floors, many lamps, and knickknacks lining the walls.

"Uh, anyways," says Luther. His face suddenly contorts into a look of uncertainty as he rubs the back of his neck. He inches closer to Five and whispers, "Does she know about you and your...uh..." He makes air quotes with his fingers. "...work?"

"What work?" I interrupt their conversation.

"Want some eggs? Coffee?" Luther motions towards the stove. "I just made him some."

I lick my cracked lips. "Can I have some water, please? I don't like eggs."

Five gives me a strange look. "What idiot doesn't like eggs?"

"What idiot does like eggs? Anyways, what work? And where am I?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you ask too many questions?" He flashes me a mocking smile.

"Nobody but you."

Luther hands me a glass of cool water and I drink it eagerly. "This is Diego's place. He's out right now, but he'll be back."

"And how and why am I here exactly?" Fragments from last night come running back to me. I quickly piece together why I woke up in the same room as Five. My stomach drops. Oh my God. My hands cover my face. "Oh my God," I groan. I peek through my fingers to catch Five staring at me with an unreadable expression.

Wait a second...

"Was I asleep here the whole time?" I question through muffled fingers.

"Yeah," replies Luther. "I mean, after we picked you two up from the library, at least."

Building up the courage to take my hands away from my face, my eyes frantically zip around the room.

Five leans back against the headboard. "Looking for something?" he says with a hint of amusement in his voice, clearly relishing my discomfort.

I awkwardly clear my throat and try to play it cool. "Just checking to see if you brought any other prisoners here to your secret hideout," I say with a glint of sarcasm, attempting to hide my embarrassment.

Five raises an eyebrow and a smirk plays on his lips. "Sorry to disappoint, but it's just the three of us. "

The tension in the room is palpable, and I can feel the electricity between us. It's obvious Five is feeling it too, but we're both too stubborn to admit it. Taking a deep breath, I ask, "Can you explain what happened last night?"

Five gives a small shrug, still wearing that stupid smirk on his stupid face. "Well, after a wild night at the library, Luther and Diego brought us home to sleep it off." He pauses for a second as if purposefully building up my growing anxiety. "From what I'm told, we were out like a light."

I release a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Thank God.

Luther, who has been quietly observing the exchange, speaks up. "Uh, guys? Can we maybe not make this a big deal? I mean, it's not like anything really happened. We figured it would be safer to bring you guys here, and it was easier to keep an eye on you."

Five and I ramble simultaneously.
"Obviously nothing happened we were just—"        "---Who's making it a big deal–-"
"---It's not a big deal it's—"        "---Why would you think anything happened–--"

"Alright, alright– alright!" he cuts us off. "I didn't mean– I don't know what you guys think I meant, but can we stay on track here? Focus."

Suddenly, the door slams into the wall. "Piece of shit." Everyone's attention turns to an angry Diego marching toward Five. "Do you have any idea what you just did?" Luther holds him back to negate his attempts of attacking Five. "Nope, let me– get your ape hands off me!"

What the hell is happening?

"I can do this as long as it takes you to calm down," Luther says as he easily holds Diego above the floor.

"Fine," Diego pants.

"Now, wanna tell us what you're talkn' about?"

"Our brother's been pretty busy since he's got back." He glowers at Five. "He was in the middle of that shootout at Griddy's, and then at Gimble Brothers after the guys in masks attacked the Academy–"

"--Guys in masks?" My eyes widen. Oh no.

"--looking for him." Diego shoves his finger in Five's face.

"None of which is any of your concern," Five replies coolly.

"It is now." Diego pauses as if preparing himself for his own words. "They just killed my friend." Tears pricked his eyes, and I almost feel sorry for him.

Luther turns to Five. "Who are they, Five?"

"They work for my former employer. A woman called the Handler. She sent them... to stop me."

"Stop you from what?" I ask. The apocalypse.

Luther's mouth falls open. "Hold on a second. She doesn't know?!"

"Yeah, why wouldn't you tell her?"

Five shrugs. "She doesn't need to know."

"Tell me what? Know what?"

"Well...uh..." Luther mutters the rest under his breath.

"Huh?"

"Dah rird is gung o rnd."

"Christ, stop mumbling and speak up!"

Five rolls his eyes and says, "The world is going to end, is what he's trying to tell you. And I'm trying to prevent it from happening."

"Wait, what?!"

____
this was a fun chapter to write, especially the beginning with all the description and details. i hope you guys liked it!!

it's my birthday this tuesday and im so excited omg