The Space Between Us (S2) || Five Hargreeves x Reader

☕️ Chapter Fifteen ☕️

We all took a seat at a table and ordered some drinks, where the Fives basically have a staring contest. Well, it's not really a staring contest, but that's what it feels and looks like.

Luther sighs. "Well, this is nice, isn't it? The four of us being together like this."

"No." Both Fives growl.

I go in Luther's head. 'That was a really shitty way to strike up this conversation.'

"Somebody explain to me how it is I'm having a pint of Guinness with my brother, sister, and younger self when they weren't even born in this timeline." The old Five remarks.

"Older self, actually." Five corrects. "I'm you, just fourteen days older." He's sweating up a storm, which means he's rocketed on up to stage six.

"I have pubic hair smarter than you." The old Five retorts, making me want to rest my face in my hands in slight disgust, but I don't. "How's that possible?"

"I can explain." Five replies. "You see, one hour from now, on the grassy knoll, before the president is killed, you break your contract with the Commission. I already know you're thinking about it. All those years in the apocalypse, we never stopped worrying about our family, especially her." He points at me.

He continues. "Well, today you are going to do something about it. Today, you are going to attempt to time travel forward to 2019. However, you are going to screw up the jump, making yourself and Y/n end up in these bodies trapped forever. You'll be small, pubescent-"

"Ok." The old Five looks down. "Even if I were to believe you, what am I supposed to do about it? Not jump?"

Five shakes his head. "No, no. I need you to jump. If you don't jump, I cease to exist. What I need from you is to jump correctly."

"I'm listening." The old Five informs.

"The first time through, I got the calculation wrong." Five admits. "That's how I ended up in this body."

The old Five nods at me. "Why is she in that body?"

"Where she was in our head the entire time in the apocalypse, we think that's what changed her when we jumped to 2019. It's still a mystery to us." Five explains. "That's off topic though. Now, I know the correct calculation."

"What is it?" The old Five asks.

"I'll be glad to tell you...in exchange for that briefcase you're holding under the table." Five offers.

Luther kind of nods to himself. "Yeah, yeah. So, you go back to 2019, as planned, but this time with the right math, so you remain a full-grown man. In exchange, we get that briefcase that you no longer need."

I stare at Luther, dumbfounded. "That's basically what Five just explained, dumbass."

"Timeline restored, paradox resolved." Five continues. "Everyone goes on existing happily ever after."

"That's quite a bit to take in." The old Five notes.

I lean back in my chair and cross my arms. "Well, what do you think?"

"I think..." He leans closer to Five. "I need to piss." He gets up, taking the briefcase with him.

I take the napkin out from under my drink and begin wiping off Five's face, since there's sweat all over.

"Well, other than all that flop sweat. I think that went pretty well, am I right?" Luther asks.

Five gently pulls my hand away from his face. "Something...something doesn't feel right about this..."