MHA # 2 | Sunday Evening

[knife_bender]

The whole family dinner thing had not been Diego's idea. In fact he made it abundantly clear that he thought it would be a disaster. But it was three against one, so Diego ordered a couple pizzas and invited Five and his abomination over to eat with them.

This was the weirdest goddamn weekend.

[For Hargreeves and Hargreeves adjacent]

Comments

[knife_lights]

"Yeah, but Claire's, like, thirty." Which meant Claire could be anywhere from twenty-five to forty years old in their timeline, helpfully. "So she doesn't hang out much."

[knife_lights]

Ben looked over at Tim with a smile on his face for a moment before laughing. "Yeah, she really hated it when we asked if she got any gifts from her uncle-stepfather that one Christmas."

In case if anybody was wondering if Allison and Luther got over that weird thing between them at any point in life.

[apocalypsehow]

Five's face said all he needed to say about that.

"Thankfully I left before they hit puberty."

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie was kind of clearly working to keep her face somewhat neutral, because no, she had no idea about Luther and Allison, and now she had Questions. Plus the twins were, like, talking to that mannequin like it was talking back, and she was just going to have a little more of her margarita to deal, here.

"I think it's really nice how it sounds like everyone sees each other at holidays and stuff," she contributed, because that seemed like a safe enough thing to comment upon. Plus it totally meant the apocalypse went fine, you guys. Totally fine!

[knife_bender]

"Sure, that is a word for it." He could only imagine what kind of holiday-themed fights happened.

[apocalypsehow]

"How many fist-fights break out on average?" Five had to ask.

Because both he and Diego knew better than Annie.

[knife_lights]

"Depends on if Uncle Luther's there," Autumn supplied, darting a glance at her father before looking over to Ben. "Most of us just use our powers."

Did that make anything better? At all?

[knife_bender]

“If Luther’s there then there’s more fights,” Diego explained to Annie.

Just ignore he was leaving out there’s more fights because Diego was the one starting them.

[apocalypsehow]

"Luther and Diego lack brain cells when placed in the same room together," Five said for Annie's benefit, squinting at the bottom of his empty margarita.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I was gonna say, it's not like Luther's fighting by himself," Annie said with an amused little lift of her brows towards Diego. "Well, at least the kids aren't hitting each other, I guess?"

She'd take it as a win.

[knife_bender]

“How could you even fight Tim?” Diego asked.

[betterthanacube]

Tim was suddenly behind Diego. Because you he was totally able to fight! Via psychological warfare, mostly.

Sorry not sorry, Diego.

[knife_lights]

"Yeah, you generally don't want to piss off Tim," Autumn offered casually, totally unfazed by this change.

"Tick off," she amended with a slightly guilty look towards Annie.

[knife_bender]

“That is the creepiest fucking thing.” At least Diego was old enough to curse in public.

[apocalypsehow]

And they didn't even know about Christopher yet.

"Well, you did goad him," Five said with a sigh. "Are there more margaritas?"

Yes, get your pre-teen brother drunk.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I made a pitcher. It's in the kitchen." Don't mind how she had a hand up like she was going to blast Tim. It was a reflex thing, okay? And now she was just going to go back to her pizza. "Thought we might need it."

Though she was still watching the twins after that stunt earlier.

[knife_lights]

"I'm confused--why does Uncle Five get to drink if he's a child?" Ben asked.

[apocalypsehow]

Five was already teleporting away from the table to grab the pitcher. "Because I'm older than everyone in this room."

[knife_lights]

"But Ben and I are closer to twenty-one, like, physically?" Autumn tried. "So I think we should be allowed to drink, too."

Just putting her opinion out there.

[knife_bender]

"You can drink underage once you've been through an apocalypse." Which was the closest Diego would ever come to outwardly sympathizing with Five.

[apocalypsehow]

"Thank you," Five said, brightening considerably. "You know, it's so nice when the young respect their elders."

[knife_lights]

"Man, I thought it was weird how young Mom and Dad are," Autumn muttered.

Like, Mom probably wasn't old enough to rent a car, sure, but Uncle Five looked like an eighth grader, come on.

[knife_bender]

"Okay, we can't possibly look that much older in the future." If they kept bringing it up, Diego was going to get a complex. Well, another complex.

Maybe the long hair and beard aged him up?

[apocalypsehow]

"Does he go grey?" Five had to know.

[knife_lights]

"We really shouldn't say too much," Autumn said, taking a prim bite of pizza. "Paradoxes, you know."