°you shouldn't have come along°

▪︎part seven▪︎

Five found himself in the living room staring at the portrait of himself hanging on the wall. He felt bitter towards it, knowing it was only up because he had gone missing and that it wouldn't have been placed there if he hadn't. "Nice to know Dad didn't forget me." He muttered turning towards Vanya who silently walked into the room. "Read your book, by the way. Found it in a library that was still standing. I thought it was pretty good all things considered." He continued as he walked around her, looking over the walls of the home he had grown up in.

He had forgotten what it looked like after the lifetime he spent away. "Yeah, definitely ballsy, giving up the family secrets. Sure that went over well." Five remarked turning towards her. "They hate me." She stated looking down. "Oh, there are worse things that could happen." He said with a pained sigh. "You mean like what happened to Ben?" Vanya asked and Five paused unsure if he wanted to know exactly what happened. "Was it bad?" He asked cautiously. Vanya nodded her head sadly as her mind wandered back to her deceased brother. Five looked away grief-stricken.

Suddenly a scream rang out through the halls and Five shot his head up in concern. "That sounded like Y/n." Vanya said worriedly making her way out of the living room. Five instantly spatial jumped to Y/n's room, ready to handle whatever was threatening her. However he froze staring at Y/n as she screamed looking into her mirror. Allison frantically tried calming her while Luther stood to the side, also unsure. "What the hell happened to me?!" She cried gesturing to her body.

Her black dress shirt and pants no longer fit and were baggy on her body, much like his had been. "We don't know, sweetie." Allison said before mentally cursing herself for having called her that. She just was so used to the only child around her being her daughter. "Don't call me that! Please I'm 30 years old, same as you!" Y/n argued. "I know and I'm sorry, it's a habit. Look we don't know what happened. Since Five came back-" Allison began to explain but Y/n cut her off. "Five?" She asked Allison and she nodded before looking towards the doorway. Y/n followed her gaze before locking eyes with the boy she adored.

She froze, holding her breath. Luther looked between the two and awkwardly gestured for Allison and him to leave. Five stepped further into the room as they slipped past, shutting the door behind them. "What happened?" Diego asked Luther followed by a 'yeah' from Vanya. Allison 'shh'd them and their footsteps hurriedly echoed down the hall.

Five turned back to Y/n who still stared at Five as though she was seeing a ghost. "Hello Y/n." He said tenderly. She didn't reply for a moment. She just stared. He felt as though he was going to break under her gaze and turned away. Sobs began to fill the room and he immediately looked back at her to see her body quaking in cries. "Five?" She cried stepping forwards. He softly smiled at her, "Yeah its me."

She covered her mouth with one hand while the other reached out to touch his face. She brushed her thumb over his cheek trying to prove to herself that he was real. He held her hand, leaning into her touch. "I've missed you so much." He gasped. She cried harder as he pressed his forehead to hers, "I missed you too." She said quietly as he pulled her into his arms. They stood like this for what felt like hours. He held her, her face pressed to his chest and his chin atop her head.

She soon pulled away looking up at him. "Wait how did you get back?" She asked. "It's a long story." He chuckled. She looked down, guilt washing over her again. The guilt she felt everyday since he left. "Y/n? Hey, what's wrong?" He asked placing a hand on her shoulder. She shook her head looking down.

"You shouldn't have been there. All those years there, alone." She said biting her lip to fight the tears that threatened to fall. "I should've stayed. You should've left, not me. It isn't right." She said, angry at herself. She hastily wiped the dried tears looking away. "Y/n no. Stop it." Five snapped. She stared into his eyes which held an emotion she couldn't place. "You shouldn't have followed me there. I was being stupid and naive. I sent you back because I didn't want my mistake to ruin your life or possibly end it. I sent you back and that wasn't your fault." He said sternly.

"You should've let me stay. We could've shared the burden together instead of like this. I knew what was going to happen too but I couldn't do anything about it! Only you could! Do you know how hard it is living in a world you know will cease to exist, unable to do anything?!" She yelled growing anger rising within her. But she wasn't frustrated at him. Down in her heart she could never be mad at him.

"You don't think I know that?!" He barked turning away from her. "I sent you back to protect you!" He cried. "Maybe I would've been safer there." She whispered. She couldn't stand fighting with him. She didn't see a point. They loved each other and fighting was arrogant. "What did you say?" Five asked turning back to her. "Nothing ok? I have to change." She said looking down at her clothes. She turned around walking towards her old wardrobe. "No Y/n what did you say?" Five pressed, appearing in front of her. "Please Five drop it." She said pushing past him. He stood there defeated.

She was stubborn, he knew that. And it was going to be especially hard getting her to talk since it seemed to be such a painful memory for her. He sighed, "Ok. Ok, just please promise me you'll talk to me when you're ready. I won't rush you or force you, just...I can't let you suffer alone." He told her and she turned back to him. "Alright. I promise. Now I need to change." She said quickly changing the topic so that she didn't have to relive the traumatic events from her childhood.

She opened her wardrobe letting her eyes scan over the neatly hung identical uniforms. "Fuck." She mumbled to herself and Five smirked sitting on her bed. "Yeah I guess I should've warned you." He said as she reluctantly plucked one of the suits from a hanger. "Nah I should've guessed since you're wearing that. I don't think school boy uniform is really your style these days." She said setting down the uniform beside Five. He chuckled adjusting his tie. "What? Do you not like it? It's just like old times, Tag." He said using her old nickname she had gotten from her siblings. She froze a second as a sweet smile came onto her face. "I haven't heard that name since I was 13." She laughed. "Well you are 13, technically speaking." Five replied as Y/n began to unbutton her shirt.

"Whoa what are you doing?" Five asked, eyes wide. Y/n raised an eyebrow, confused. "Uh changing?" She replied. "Well I thought you'd wait till I left." He replied looking away embarrassed. "Come on Five we're both adults, technically, well I don't really know the rules but I don't really care either." She said tugging off her blouse. His face grew red as he looked away uncomfortable. "You act like you've never seen a girl undress before. How old are you?" She joked turning around to where only her back was visible as she slipped on the uniform button up top. "My conciousness is 58 but I-well I-uh..." He stammered and she turned towards him shocked. "58?" She asked. "It's a long story." He replied and she narrowed her eyes, getting back on topic. "You haven't seen a girl undress have you?" She said astonished as he crossed his arms. "Well there aren't exactly people in the post-apocalypse so I guess not." He defended making her giggle.

"Wow. Innocent little Five." She teased changing out of the baggy pants and slipping on the plaid skirt. She tucked the shirt into her waistband before pulling the plaid sweater over it. She sat beside him grabbing her tie. "I'm kidding Five." She said and he shook his head fighting back a smile. "You know, I thought you were the innocent one." He said and she laughed. "Well uh adulthood changes things I guess, and having Klaus with you too often." She joked handing him the tie. "Hey could you...I-I can never do it right." She mumbled and he nodded draping the tie around the back of her neck before pulling it to the front and tying it.

"Thanks." She said and he nodded as they sat in silence for a moment. Five stared at her letting his mind wander to what life would've been like if she had stayed in the apocalypse with him. Would they have been together all the 45 years he was there? Would they have had a life together? Maybe even a family? He leaned forwards cautiously reaching out to cup her cheek. She let him, leaning in as well.

"Hey guys Luther said to-whoa!" Klaus said walking into the room. Five groaned as Y/n waved to Klaus. "Gasp! What is this I see?" Klaus cried dramatically. "Little Five and Y/n back together again? What are your intentions with my sister young man?" Klaus joked with a stern tone before giggling and hugging them both. "Anyways, you love birds, Luther said to come down the funerals about to begin." He said before leaving the room with a flutter of his robe.

"Is he high?" Five asked and Y/n hummed in response before slipping on her socks and shoes and grabbing her uniform coat. "Let's get this over with shall we?" She beckoned, walking to the door.