•Lonely is more than an adjective• || A Number Five x Reader Story

Chapter 10 - History repeats itself

I barely missed the vase sat upon the small mantle as I spun around the small room. My wings settled back into place seconds before Dad walked in, causing him to miss my act of indecency.
"Number Eight! Have you seen Number One?" The fact he needed to conduct such authority over me even whilst asking such a mundane question only showed how little he cared, so I merely directed him upstairs and moved on, as to not start any unwanted conversations that would lead to more training again. I took the back stairs and headed to my room, before a hand wrapped around my wrist and dragged me into the adjacent room as I passed it on the way to my own. The door shut behind me as I came face to face with Five, an odd sense of glee in his eyes.
"I think I got it!" It was odd not seeing the straight faced glare that was almost always etched into Five's features, but the smile was a welcome change.
"Think you got what?" He smirked at me lightly and disappeared from my line of sight.
"I think I mastered my jump." His voice came from behind me, so close to me I could feel his breath as he leant into my ear to whisper. I jumped, startled, and turned around to see him.
"Christ almighty! Never do that again." I held my hand over my heart, other hand clutching Five's shoulder for balance as I leaned forward in an attempt to slow my heart rate.
"Note taken. Do that many more times." He chuckles lightly as I glared up at him. He pulled away from me, moving to sit on the bed tucked in the corner of the room.
"You doing any better?" He smiled up at me, signalling for me to join him.
"Dad's made me fly that spiral staircase so many times I can do it with my eyes closed." I stretched out my wings behind me letting the rest against the wall, spanning past the length of the bed and drooping lightly over the duvet.
"Finally going to beat me up it then." He leant back into the feathers now lining the wall.
"You've won your final race, my good friend." He chuckled at my announcement, holding out his hand.
"I'll bet on that." I clasped his hand in my own and gave it a firm shake. Suddenly the academy was filled with the sound of the alarm. Dads voice echoed through the halls as he summoned everyone for a mission. It had been a short while since we'd all been out together. I split off from Five's room to grab my own gear before reaching the meeting point of the hall right before Dad wandered in, scolding anyone who arrived after me.
"A large group of gunmen have taken hostages and are demanding a ransom. Go in, take them out. Go!" I watched as everyone piled into the car, taking off as the car's engine reved and following it closely from above as it scooted down the small streets and towards the mission site. I landed as Five exited the car, now tucked into an alleyway so no one could see the group arriving on the scene. It departed as soon as the final body left the car, leaving the seven of us stood in an alleyway to defuse the situation alone. We split into our respective groups silently, leaving me with One and Five for a roof entrance, being the only three who could make it in from the height. All the weightlifting is endured still hadn't readied me to lift One comfortably, the mass of muscle compacted into his body doubling the weight he should be. I made it to the roof, dropping One quite suddenly to the ground as my arms gave out. I shot him an apologetic look as he look back at me a little disgruntled. Five had managed to jump all the way up to the top of the building, leaving us to wait, watching down through a window, until the others made their entrance into the building. I found the area the hostages occupied, which was easily reachable from all sides. Not the smartest gunmen then. A loud crash signalled the second groups arrival as Two announced himself by leaping through a glass door, followed by Three, Four and Six, all of whom used the door normally. Enough chaos ensued from their arrival that me and the others could drop into the room unnoticed. One took out the guards so the other men wouldn't notice and me and Five took to quietening the hostages. Five was yet to figure out how to jump with a companion, leaving me only on capable of removing the group of people silently. A far few I got out no sweat, letting them out on the room and pointing them to a ladder that would lead them straight to the police. A larger woman however poised a small problem in which I couldn't even think about lifting her without grounding myself. The noise outside settled as the others seemed to have taken out the remaining men. Five went out to check before signalling it was safe and letting the remaining hostages run out of the doors and into the street.
"Job done. Wasn't too bad this time." One swung his arm around my neck, forcing me forward and he hugged me from the side in joy.
"I did all the heavy lifting, that's why! That should be your job, muscle man." He laughed at me, letting go of me to head towards Three. I tucked my wings behind my back to decrease my body span as I followed behind the other towards the door.

A gunshot rattled the building, bringing everyone to a halt and they turned to see a shaking gunman, his weapon pointed at my back. The barrel smoking the from the shot he'd just fired straight forwards.