𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙐𝙉𝙆𝙉𝙊𝙒𝙉 𝙉𝙐𝙈𝘽𝙀𝙍 ➸ No. Five

Chapter 5: "It Was Just A Nightmare."

status: unedited

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I'm in a dark room. It's like all the light in the world has been transformed into a smothering darkness.

"Hello? Is anyone there? Please, let me out!", I cry out, banging my palms against the walls. Hot tears start running down my face and I curl up into a ball, wishing for freedom.

At this exact moment, all I want is for someone to rescue me. And the prince in shining armour that comes to mind is Number Five. He's the one who rescued me from the hellhole that was my previous life.

Suddenly, I hear a door creak open and a silhouette forms in the doorway. "Five? Is that you?", I question eagerly. "No, idiot. It's me, your mother and you're late coming home."

She raises her arm and slaps me. Over and over, again and again. I scream, begging for her to stop but she just continues without a care. My vision is obscured by black spots and a red haze of blood.

Just then, I spot someone else standing in the doorway. I crawl to them with the last of my energy, "Please... save me." I look up to be met with the forest green eyes of Five. He holds my stare for no longer than minute before shoving his hands into his pockets and saying, "You've got to learn how to look after yourself."

He walks away, oblivious to my pleads for him to come back. "Your punishment isn't over, Y/N," my mother cackles as she drags me back into the corner.

"Five! No, please! Five, help me!"

I scream and wake up, covered in a cold sweat and panting hard. Five's eyes are bright with curiosity and concern beside me.

"Y/N, are you alright?", he asks me worriedly. "How much did you hear?", I query abruptly. "What? No, that doesn't matter. I need to know if you're okay."

"I asked, how much did you hear?" "Okay, okay fine. I just heard you begging for help, from me especially," his voice trails off. "It was just a nightmare. About my mother. She was... hurting me," I avert my gaze and clench the blanket in my fists.

He taps in chin in thought for a few seconds before grabbing my hand gently. "Come on, I know a place to help you calm down and relax." I look at him uncertainly and he asks "Do you trust me?" "I mean, I do, but we just met so I don't trust you that much," I reply in a joking tone. Five rolls his eyes and says "Well, that's enough. Let's go!" He ties a blindfold around my eyes before leading me out of the room. 

We walk up some stairs with Five kindly guiding me up each step. "Where are we going? It feels like we've been walking forever," I groan. "Relax. It's a surprise! Also, if you can't take this, how are you going to survive training?" That causes me to keep quiet and suck up the pain. I don't want to go back to mother's house.

Finally, we stop and Five unties the blindfold. As soon as my eyes are uncovered, I gasp in awe. We're on top of the Academy, looking over the city under a sky full of stars. Five gazes at me hopefully "Do you like it?" "I don't like it," I reply. His face falls before hardening and he opens his mouth to speak but I cut in "I love it!" Five grins widely at me.

The view here is stunning. You can see the few cars racing down the highways, the flickering lamplights, the midnight blue sky and the glimmering stars. My jaw drops at the wonder of it all. Taking a seat at the edge of the building, I let my legs dangle down. Five plops down next to me with a smirk. 

"So, what did you think of my room? Not that I care, of course," he questions, attempting not to appear too eager. I make a show of thinking hard before delivering the verdict. "It's great! Although you could have done better with the colour scheme." 

Five is visibly pleased. Some of the tension dissipates from his shoulders and he grins. "As if your room looks superior to this," he retorts. My face falls.

My bedroom in mother's house was plain and drab to say the least; the wallpaper was old and faded, the floor was cracked and the mirror was chipped.

"It really doesn't," I force out a laugh and look away. Five notices my sudden change in demeanour and frowns. He cups my cheek gently, asking "Are you okay?" I shrug off his touch but instantly miss it, "I'm fine, really."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"No."

"Yes."

He sticks his tongue out at me and I do it right back. We both collapse in laughter. Lying on the floor, I ask him "Why were you so quiet earlier? And mean too! I thought had done something wrong to annoy you!" Five looks me right in the eye, "Never feel that you have made a mistake. You're too perfect to do so." I blush before replying snarkily "Thanks for the compliment but you still haven't answered my question..."

"Ugh, fine. I don't know, to be honest. I just clam up around the others. They don't really know anything about me. I just met you but you know more about me than the people I've known my whole lives. Do you know what it's like to live with the same people your whole life? Most of them don't even talk to me. Vanya never talks to anyone, Allison and Luther only talk to each other, Diego talks to Mom and Klaus and Ben have each other. Though at least the two of them try to include me sometimes," he rants. His expression is so vulnerable and so sad. It must be the first time he has ever opened up to someone.  

My heart goes out to him. Slowly, I place my hand over his and smile. "Well, now I'm here for you. And you can talk to me anytime you like." He glances at our intertwined hands and back at me before whispering "Thank you." I lean my head on his shoulder and the two of us enjoy the scenery before us in comfortable silence.