ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴅɪᴠᴏʀᴄᴇ
'ʟᴀᴍʙ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰʀᴜɪᴛ ꜱᴋᴇᴡᴇʀꜱ'

"This is officially worse than the apocalypse" Five said, tearing his eyes away from Luther and Sloane as they had their first dance.

"Oh, stop complaining" Inanna leaned her head against Five's shoulder, rubbing her thumb over the Umbrella tattoo on his wrist which was hidden under his suit. "You owe me a dance" Inanna mumbled flicking her eyes up to Five briefly.

"Since when?" Five asked.

"Since 1963, you promised me a dance if I attended the Gala with you" Inanna responded.

Five gave Inanna a short nod, recalling that he had in fact promised her a dance which they had missed out on thanks to the Swedes and Reginald Hargreeves.

"Can we at least go to the buffet first?" Five glanced towards the long table over food behind them.

Inanna shook her head as she spun on her heel to stand in front of him. "And let you keep all your toes intact for a little longer?" Inanna scrunched her nose up as Five tilted his head back slightly to avoid her gaze.

Inanna stepped closer to Five, placing both her hands on his face as his arm dropped to his side. Inanna grasped Five's face, tilting his head down to force him to look at her.

"Just one dance" Inanna's gentle blue eyes, which Five had loved since the day he had met her, stared into his green ones, causing his expression to soften. "And then you can do whatever you want" Inanna bargained. "Yeah? One dance for the price of-".

"Yes" Five struggled to nod with Inanna holding his head in place, but as he agreed to the dance her grip loosened and her hands fell to his shoulders.

Inanna hooked her arms around Five's neck, and pecked his lips twice as she mumbled "This is why I married you", causing a smile to spread across his lips.

Five caught Inanna's hand when she dropped them to his chest and he stepped to Inanna's side as he spun her around so she was facing the dance floor again. Five looped his arm around hers as he lead her to the dance floor.

"They are disgustingly cute when they want to be" Lila said leaning into Diego who had his arm over her shoulders.

"You wanna join them?" Diego asked nodding his head over to the dance floor.

Lila led Diego to the dance floor and Klaus followed after while Delaney dragged Anna along with her, the latter appearing more hesitant than she actually was.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look?" Five pulled Inanna into his chest as she laughed quietly at Klaus who was dancing alone with no care of how crazy he looked with his arms raised above his head.

"You can tell me again" Inanna caught Five's free hand, placing it on her waist as she tore her attention away from Klaus.

Five dropped his head closer to hers. "You are very beautiful" Five whispered.

"I know" Five rolled his eyes and Inanna chuckled leaning her head against his. "So are you".

Once the song ended and the next began playing, Five instantly blinked himself and Inanna over to the buffet, giving her no time to argue as he shoved a plate in her hands. Inanna wasn't going to put up a fight, she had made a deal with her husband and she planned on sticking with it, even if she liked the song that played throughout the room.

"Stop stealing my food" Inanna slid her plate further away from Five as he tried reaching for the lamb off her plate.

"You don't even like lamb" Inanna slapped Five's hand away as he tried reaching for her plate again. Five himself wasn't even a big fan of lamb, but he didn't want to watch Inanna poking around at her food because of her hatred for the meat. He wanted to enjoy what could possibly be her last meal.

"Well, well-" Inanna looked from Five to the lamb, which Luther had slapped onto her plate, poorly hiding her disgust. "Maybe I've changed my mind, it's been a while since you and I have had a proper sit down meal, six years in fact, how do you know I don't like lamb?".

"Other than the clear horror on your face-" Five pointed at Inanna's face. "-What about the baby sheep?".

Inanna stared at Five, wishing that she had never told Five about her hatred for eating lamb all those years ago at the beginning of the apocalypse. Five reached for her plate again, but before he could grab it Klaus came over to their table holding a glass of champagne.

"Cinco! Mi hermano" Klaus pointed at Five as he sat down next to Inanna. Five muttered "Oh God".

"What do you want?" Five asked.

Klaus ignored Five as he picked up Inanna's hand, muttering 'Little firefly' before kissing the back of her hand, causing Inanna to chuckle quietly.

"Klaus?" Five raised his brow, encouraging his brother to answer his question.

Klaus leaned back in his chair, looking from Inanna to Five. "Listen to me-" Klaus started and Inanna knew it wouldn't be good. "Dad is upstairs right now with a plan to save everything. So what say you two and I pop up to the suite for a little chitchat?".

"No" Inanna shook her head, immediately against Klaus's suggestion to speak to Reginald.

"Are you like Frick and Frack with the old man now?" Five asked.

"This dad's different" Klaus argued. "He's a turtle-" Klaus continued as Five ate the fruit off his plate. "Hard on the outside, but all cute and wrinkly and occasionally delicious on the inside".

Five dropped his head with a sigh before looking back to his brother. "Klaus?".

"Yeah?" Klaus mumbled.

"Old dogs like me and him never change. He has never had our best interests at heart" Five picked up a shot dropping it into a glass of alcohol that sat on the table in front of him. "So, my plan for tonight is to get fucked up beyond all recognition and spend a few hours with my lovely wife" Five set his hand on Inanna's thigh under the table.

Klaus looked between them, knowing that Inanna wasn't going to change her mind even if he spent half an hour trying to persuade her.

"Sure" Klaus lifted his glass and clinked it against Five's. "Have at it".

"We shall" Five responded.

Klaus turned on his chair, his eyes locking on his next target, Diego, who sat alone while Lila made her way back to their table with a plate of food.

"You think your dad really has a plan?" Inanna dropped her voice to a whisper as she leaned her arm on the table, blocking out Klaus and Lila from her conversation.

Five shrugged. "What I think doesn't matter because we-".

Inanna set her hand on Five's neck, rubbing her thumb across his jaw. "It does matter" Five sighed, subconsciously leaning into Inanna's touch. "It matters to me".

"No" Five took Inanna's hand off his face, sitting both her hand and his on his thigh. "Even if he does have a plan, it won't work the way we want".

"And what is it that you want?" Inanna asked.

"You" Inanna scoffed lightly at his response but Five was serious. "The universe is ending and the only thing I want at the end of it is my wife" Five said with a shake of his head as a smile appeared on Inanna's face.

"You really have gone soft" Inanna chuckled leaning back in her chair as Klaus left the table.

Five glared at Inanna, ignoring her momentarily as he ate a piece of melon off a stick. "You have become more irritating" Five said as he chewed his fruit.

"Oh" Inanna tilted her head. "I'm irritating?" Five nodded. "That's very different from what you said the other day in our hotel room, what was it now?" Inanna tapped her finger against her lip, feigning that she was struggling to recall what Five had said to her. "Was it-" Five clamped his hand over Inanna's mouth, silencing her words.

"Don't talk about my wife like that" Five spoke as seriously as he could and Inanna's smile growing underneath the palm of his hand, further made it difficult for Five to hold back his own smile.

Inanna shoved Five's arm away from her, muttering "Idiot" under her breath as she leaned across the table grabbing her plate of food.

"You two are vile" Anna was instantly shushed by Delaney as the couple approached the table and Inanna slid her plate towards Five, giving in and letting him take her lamb even if he secretly didn't want it either.

"Can we sit?" Delaney gestured to the table as Anna dropped her arm from around Delaney's waist.

Five didn't respond, leaving that decision up to Inanna. Inanna nodded, taking Five's hand in hers again underneath the table.

Delaney sat down next to Inanna and Anna sat on the opposite side of her girlfriend. "This is all a little odd, right?" Delaney asked leaning closer to Inanna. "Why aren't you all sat together on the same table?" Delaney asked.

"Because we barely tolerate each other" Five replied with a mouthful of lamb.

"Yeah" Inanna mumbled.

"Oh, we know" Anna smirked. "The little fight that broke out with Allison and Viktor at the academy after you almost killed your brother-in-law" Anna kissed the tips of her thumb and fingers and her smirk turned into an almost excited smile as she threw her hand in the air — choosing to ignore Delaney who had scolded her for mentioning the fight at the academy. "You should make a reality tv show, it would be a big hit".

"I'm sure you'd love to watch that" Inanna said taking a grape off Five's plate.

"You know what, I'd be the-" Delaney shushed Anna and pointed towards the elevator which had opened for a fifth time, revealing Reginald Hargreeves who had come to the wedding even after being told by Luther that he wasn't wanted there. "Well tonight is officially ruined" Anna mumbled, dropping her gaze to the table as Reginald crossed the room to the buffet table.

Delaney set her hand on Anna's cheek "Just don't give him the time of day" Delaney spoke softly, well aware of the anger that Anna held for her father.

Reginald grabbed a plate of food before making his way over to an empty table while his children muttered amongst themselves.

Once he was sat, Klaus pointed at him across the room and gestured for Reginald to smile. Reginald nodded and did as Klaus said while looking around at his children.

Inanna grabbed Five's wrist, holding his hand, which held a fruit skewer, still, as she averted her gaze away from Reginald who had locked his eyes with hers. Inanna bit the cube of watermelon off the stick, leaning closer to the table so the juice fell onto the plate and not onto her dress.

Chet who had taken photographs of everyone including Five and Inanna, approached Reginald without warning and snapped a photo of him, almost blinding the old man with the flash.

Inanna didn't let go of Five's wrist until she was finished chewing, somehow forgetting the hold she had on Five while she was busy watching Reginald.

Five only subtly raised his brow at Inanna's actions but didn't say anything as he continued eating the fruit off the skewer, leaving the lamb on Inanna's plate with a few bites missing from it.

"If I leave you two for thirty seconds while I grab another drink-" Delaney looked between Inanna and Anna. "- will you set the hotel on fire?" Delaney asked.

"Can't promise anything" Inanna and Anna spoke at the same time, making their faces twist with disgust. "Stop doing that" Anna glared at Inanna.

"Me?" Inanna narrowed her eyes. "You're a copy of me, if anyone needs to stop it's you".

Delaney sighed, leaning back in her chair. "A copy of you?" Anna scoffed. "How do you know I'm not the original?" Anna asked with a shrug.

"Because i've been alive thirty four years longer than you have. That's how I know" Inanna responded.

"Okay" Delaney stood up from her chair, grabbing Anna's hand. "You can come with me" Anna stood up from her seat as Delaney tugged on her arm. "It was lovely talking to you both" Delaney gave Inanna and Five a smile before pushing Anna in front of her to leave the table.

Five nodded and turned his attention to Inanna once Delaney and Anna began weaving their way through the tables to the drinks by the buffet. Inanna leaned back in her chair, crossing one arm over her chest while she pulled at the necklace that sat at her skin.

"Well you and Anna seem friendly" Five said picking up his glass. Inanna rolled her head to the side, watching as Five pushed the glass against his lips and drank the alcohol.

"Two peas in a pod, she and I" Five hummed as he sat his glass back on the table. Inanna dropped her gaze from Five, letting her eyes roam over his tattoo which peaked out from underneath his sleeve.

"I am the original Inanna, right?" Inanna mumbled, instantly regretting her question as soon as she asked it.

"How should I know?" Five asked, Inanna shrugged. "Time is a complicated thing, love. You might be the first but you could also be the fifth-" Five turned in his seat and leaned closer to Inanna, Five could tell that Inanna wasn't upset, but he could see that Anna's words were playing on her mind, twisting and churning themselves around her thoughts. "But you're the original to me".

Inanna mumbled out a thank you as she sat her hand over Five's on the table, feeling an embarrassed flush creep up her neck.

Reginald had stood up from his seat, holding the microphone in his hand and to gather the attention of his children and their partners, Reginald clinked his spoon against his glass of champagne while Five lifted Inanna's hand to his lips to kiss her knuckles.

"Oh, this will be delightful" Inanna muttered as she and Five turned towards Reginald Hargreeves.

Reginald started his speech by saying that it was customary for the father of the bride to make a speech before turning to look at Sloane and Luther. "Sloane, ever since you were a little girl, I've always known you were exceptionally bright. And though I can't say I know Luther all that well, from the few moments we have shared, it seems you found yourself an adequate partner".

"He just called Luther adequate" Five chuckled as he turned to the table to grab his glass of champagne.

"I acknowledge that, as a father, I was not without my faults. I hope these shortcomings will be seen as only a rough patch on an otherwise verdant lawn".

"Rough patch" Inanna scoffed. "It's a little more than a rough patch" Inanna mumbled grabbing her glass of champagne.

"I'm proud to call you my children" Reginald continued. "Even those whom I raised in a revenant version of myself. I hope that tonight we can create a few special memories in whatever precious little time we have left-" Inanna's attention was pulled away from Reginald briefly, missing part of his speech as Allison's voice caught her ear, making her glance over her shoulder to the buffet where Allison and Viktor argued.

Inanna had caught the end of the argument, and she could only assume that Viktor was trying and failing to make amends with his sister, which was confirmed when Allison walked away from Viktor, heading towards the elevator while Reginald continued his father of the bride speech.

"The sun rises over a lily's field. A mother veiled, her lips concealed. The mourners come in droves of black to bury what their hearts unpack. With shallow breath and time eclipsed, I pray you miss death's gentle kiss" Reginald finished his speech and raised his glass into the air.

Klaus jumped up from his seat clapping his hands and shouting "Beautiful! Bravo, Dad! Bravo!".

"I didn't think the old man had it in him" Five muttered and Inanna mumbled "That was the strangest wedding speech I have ever heard" as she turned back around in her seat.

Reginald handed the microphone back to Chet. "Alright! Alright!" Chet spoke into the microphone. "Time to turn those frowns upside down! This one is for all the party people in the place".

As the music started playing, Five set his glass on the table before standing up. Inanna tilted her head back, narrowing her eyes at Five.

"Don't look at me like that" Five placed his hands on Inanna's cheeks, rubbing his thumbs across her skin as Inanna mumbled "Like what?".

"Like you're surprised I want to dance with you" Five responded.

"I thought you only wanted one dance" Inanna pulled Five closer to her by the bottom of his waist coat.

Five shrugged as he leaned down to her. "Just promise you won't step on my toes" Five whispered.

Inanna shook her head and lifted herself up in her seat slightly to meet his lips with hers in a fleeting kiss. "I'll try" Inanna mumbled, unable to hide her smile which grew larger as Five gave her a short nod.

Five dropped his hands from Inanna's face as he took a step back from her. He extended his hand out to her and nodded his head towards the dance floor where the others were quickly making their way to.

Inanna took Five's hand and stood up, using her free hand to tug down her dress which had ridden up her thighs while she had been sat at the table.

━━━━━

Needing a break from the party, Inanna and Five took a moment to themselves outside. Five sat down with his back against the balcony wall and Inanna sat in between his legs, kicking her black heels off.

"Why couldn't we have had this view in the apocalypse?" Inanna leaned back into Five's chest, admiring the red and orange sky that the Kugelblitz had left behind as it destroyed the universe.

"I don't think what we had was too bad" Five said running his fingers over the necklace he had gifted Inanna before the wedding.

"For the end of the world, I think we did alright" Inanna mumbled. "Do you miss it?" Inanna asked turned her head so she could see Five.

"Do I miss the apocalypse?" Five asked, Inanna nodded. Five shrugged. He missed how simple things were in the apocalypse for him and Inanna, but he didn't miss how hard each day was.

Inanna missed the apocalypse. Not the survival or the first years, but she missed their 'homes' and the random belongings they had collected and claimed as their own, and she missed the peace she and Five had as the last two people alive.

"What do you think our lives could have looked like if the apocalypse had never happened? And say, you and I met somewhere else" Inanna brushed Five's hair out of his face and frowned when the strands fell back in front of his eyes.

Five thought for a moment, unsure if he should say the first thing that came to mind, but the soft smile that Inanna gave him as she studied his face made him feel comfortable with sharing his thoughts, "I think maybe we would have had a kid at some point".

"Two at most" Inanna added. "I'd be the one pushing them out-" Inanna grabbed Five's arm as an idea came to mind. "Because this world is hypothetical, they're twins. One pregnancy and one labour. Get it over and done with".

"Okay" Five chuckled quietly. "If we had a girl, she'd have to have Inanna in her name somewhere. We can't go ruining your family tradition" Inanna hummed with a nod. "Maybe something like Ivy Inanna" Five suggested. "Keep the 'I' names going too".

"You've really thought about this".

Five nodded "You would have been a good mother. I might have made a questionable father but you could have steered me the right way" Five whispered.

"You would have been a good father" Inanna rubbed Five's arm as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "With or without me".

"Maybe" Five mumbled kissing the side of Inanna's neck which was exposed with her hair pulled over her other shoulder.

It fell silent between Five and Inanna for a few moments, leaving Five's mind to wander further, picturing the normal life he and his wife could have had, while Inanna's brain replayed their argument to her as if she was watching it on a cinema screen.

It didn't seem right to bring it up, not when they were happy for the first time in a while, but she and Five had avoided the talk they both desperately needed and with the possibility that neither of them would wake up the next day, Inanna wouldn't be able to sleep if she hadn't spoken with him.

"Five" Five hummed as he ran his fingers up and down the side of her neck. "I don't blame you for the apocalypse" Five stopped his movements almost instantly. "You had to be sure and although I wish you hadn't had watched those films... I'm glad you got the confirmation we needed" Five didn't response, letting Inanna continuing talking until she wanted his input. "I wish you would have told me what the Handler had done sooner. She might not have succeeded in killing me, but she ruined my entire life" Inanna felt her throat tighten and she leaned her head back against his shoulder, casting her eyes across the sky again. "I don't want to die tomorrow and have you think that I hate you for what you did, because I don't..." Inanna wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "I just wish you would have handled it differently".

"I never meant to hurt you" Inanna shifted away from Five, turning towards him as he spoke. "Before I married you all I ever wanted was to keep you safe and the day I married you, I promised that above everything I would put you first-" Five shook his head, dropping his gaze momentarily from Inanna as he strung his words together and dropped his hand to his knee which was pulled up. "And that's what I thought I was doing by keeping the truth from you. I know I was wrong. It's not my place to decide what you get to know and I should have told you the truth a long time ago" Inanna's eyes fell to Five's hand on his knee, noticing how he scratched his thumb with his finger, anxiously. "Can you forgive me?".

With Five's question that came out quieter than he had expected it to, Inanna looked back to his face, softening her own frown as her brows raised subtly.

"Yes" Inanna nodded once. "I forgive you".

Five moved his hand from his leg, tucking Inanna's hair behind her ear and revealing the bandaged cut on her forehead. Five closed the small space between himself and Inanna and pressed a kiss to her forehead next to the cut as she wrapped her arms around his waist, underneath his suit jacket.

The next hour that passed flew by in a blur for Five who had decided to drink his own weight in alcohol while Inanna chatted with Delaney and Anna — well more so, Delaney as Anna had decided that she wanted to forget the night completely and was almost as drunk as Five.

"He's not half bad" Delaney chuckled, leaning into Inanna as they watched and listened to Five who sang 'Come In Mr Lonely' into the microphone, while Luther and Sloane danced slowly in front of him and Anna did shots with Klaus and Ben.

"He's alright" Inanna crossed her leg over the other, mumbling her words against her glass of champagne which Five had handed her before he stumbled across the room. "He's better when he's sober".

"He looks happy at least" Delaney said glancing to Inanna, who continued watching Five as she sipped her champagne. "And you can't take your eyes off him" Delaney lightly hit Inanna's arm,

"I'll be the responsible one if he falls of the balcony" Delaney scoffed at Inanna's response.

"You are a terrible liar" Delaney chuckled grabbing her drink off the table.

"I'll have you know, Delaney, I am a very good liar" Inanna said tucking her free hand into the pocket of Five's suit jacket which he had given to Inanna when they gone back inside from the balcony.

"I don't believe that for a hot second" Delaney argued.

Inanna went to respond but her attention was pulled away from Five when she noticed Viktor approaching the table she and Delaney sat at.

"Hey" Viktor looked between Inanna and Delaney before his eyes settled on Inanna. "Can we- can we talk?".

"Me?" Inanna pointed at herself. Viktor nodded. "Do you really want to? Your conversation with Allison didn't go well. You think ours will?".

"I think we both deserve an apology, don't you?" Viktor asked.

Inanna shook her head as she sat her glass on the table. "I owe you nothing, Viktor".

Viktor's body tensed. He knew it wasn't going to go well. "You killed my friend, Inanna" Viktor said.

Delaney looked between them, hoping that their argument wouldn't escalate into a physical fight.

"And maybe he could have lived if you hadn't lied to me and to everyone else, but here we are. You lied, he died".

Viktor sighed with a shake of his head. "I know you, you-".

"You don't know me".

"No" Viktor mumbled. "I do know you. You're not this cold hearted woman that you try so hard to be. You're kind and sweet, and I know that you don't really believe that he deserved to die, it was Allison. Allison she-".

Inanna leaned forwards, lowering her brows. "What do you think Allison did to me?" Inanna asked. "Do you think Allison rumoured me? Is that what you meant when you said Allison used my grief to avoid getting her hands dirty?" Inanna laughed in disbelief as she leaned back against her chair and Viktor didn't respond. "Allison didn't rumour me-".

"Let's not do this now" Delaney looked from Inanna to Viktor, pleading with him with her eyes for him to just walk away and leave it.

Inanna ignored Delaney. "I killed Harlan because he deserved it, that was my choice. So if you want an apology, you aren't getting one".

Viktor stood almost frozen. He didn't want to believe the words that Inanna had said, even if a part of him thought they were the truth.

Inanna stood up to leave the table, she didn't expect Viktor to say anything and decided that if he wasn't going to leave her alone, she would go somewhere else. The last thing she wanted was for a fight to break out at Luther's wedding.

"If Five asks where I am, tell him I've gone to the bar in the lobby" Inanna spoke to Delaney as she looked over at Five who was still on the stage.

"But-" Delaney's eyes flickered between the old couple as Inanna began leaving the wedding. "What if he falls off the balcony?" Delaney shouted.

The lobby, although brightly lit, left Inanna feeling unsettled as she stepped around the bar, grabbing a bottle of whiskey off the shelf. Without the other hotel guests, the hotel felt abandoned and much larger than it had felt days before, and Inanna could have sworn she had heard hushed mumbles over her shoulders — which Five would have said was just the old hotel pipes.

"Did you miss me, baby?" Inanna whispered to the whiskey as she twisted the lid off the bottle. "I didn't miss you if you're wondering" Inanna drank from the bottle as she reached across the bar grabbing a glass.

Inanna crouched down, putting her eyes level with the bar as she sat her free hand on the edge of the table. Inanna tilted her head, leaning it against the cold bar and began pouring the golden liquid into the glass. "All we need now is some music and then you and I have a party for two" Inanna continued talking to the alcohol, secretly wishing that she had invited Five down to the bar with her instead of leaving him at the wedding, but she was okay with being alone.

Inanna stood up and rested her arm against the bar as she sat down the bottle of whiskey and picked up the glass of whiskey. Inanna clinked her glass against the bottle and with a small smile she mumbled "Cheers".

gonna go cry over
ivy inanna hope-hargreeves
and her unnamed twin...