IGNIS : the umbrella academy [COMPLETE]

III

     CARLA WAS IN THE BACK OF THE CAR AS IT SPED DOWN THE ROAD, lying out across the back three seats, her legs crossed at the ankles. There was silence. Too much of it.

     Her and Five had ignored the whole situation earlier had ever happened, which probably wasn't the healthiest thing to do, but it was certainly less problematic.

     She sighed, "Can you put the radio on?"

     Luther glanced into the rear-view mirror, and upon seeing her lying down, frowned, "I'd rather you put your belt on."

     "We're going to try and bargain with two time-travelling assassins, and that's what you're worried about?" she asked, staying the way she was.

     Luther sighed, "Carla, if you end up dying because of your lack of seatbelt, that's on me."

     "Why you?" Five asked.

     "I'm the responsible adult here," he replied, "So please, sit up straight."

     "But why would I when I'm so comfy the way I am?" Carla questioned, before saying again, "Put on the radio."

     "Not until you put on your belt," Luther said firmly.

     Carla scoffed, "Are you serious?"

     "Does it look like I'm joking?" he said, and Carla squinted as she examined his face. She thought she'd try one more time.

     "Put on the radio."

     "Put on your belt."

     Carla huffed out a "Fine," before sitting up and doing her seatbelt with a click, "Happy now?"

     Luther just smiled, turning on the radio, "See? That wasn't too hard, was it?"

     She crossed her arms over her chest, "Don't patronise me."

     Five turned his head to look out the window, making sure Luther couldn't see the large grin that had worked its way onto his face.

---[]---

     They pulled up on the deserted road Five had agreed to meet Hazel and Cha-Cha, greenery on either side of where they were parked.

     Five unbuckled his seatbelt, and there was a silence, before he spoke up, "You know, I never enjoyed it."

     "What?" Luther turned to face him.

     "The killing," Five said, "I mean, I was good at my work, and I took pride in it, but it never gave me pleasure."

     Carla listened from her position in the back. When the two had been working on the plan, Five had explained to her about the Commission and the Handler.

     He had told her about his past, and in all honesty, Carla didn't blame him, or even think of him as any different.

     She knew that things had to be done in order to survive, and obviously it was a better option to become a hitman than to shrivel away in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

     Five sighed, "I think it was all those years alone... solitude can do funny things to the mind."

     Carla knew this was true. She had spent years by herself on the streets before she met Klaus, but for Five to spend decades by himself made her stomach twist in pity.

     "You were gone for such a long time," Luther spoke, "I only spent four years on the moon, but that was more than enough. It's the being alone that breaks you."