In the Hands of Time (Five x reader)

Fifteen

~ (y/n)'s P.O.V. ~

"Care for dessert?" I shook my head at The Handler's offer. Five placed his cup of water on the desk, also shaking his head. 

"I had a bad Twinkie in the apocalypse once. It kind of put me off desserts." Five replied. The Handler smiled, gesturing to her candy bowl. 

"Please, indulge me. I know (y/n) doesn't like the candies very much, but you can have as many as you'd like." The Handler pushed as she finished off her lunch. Five sighed, grabbing one of the candies and eating it, while the Handler took out her lighter and lit her cigarette. "What's that taste like to you?" The Handler asked. Five sat back in thought, gently grabbing my hand and lacing our fingers together. 

"The 1950s?" Five guessed and The Handler nodded. 

"Precisely right. Out clever metaphysics division concocted a way to perfectly distill an entire decade into a single candy. This one's modeled after the Fudge Mutt. America's favorite in 1955." Five nodded. 

"Remarkable." Five noted. The Handler pointed at us. 

"It is the very division that could potentially create you new bodies that fit to be your age, but I thought you both might have wanted to put an emphasis on a clean, new slate. We can have them start on new bodies, though, if you both would like." The Handler said, raising a brow at the both of us. I swallowed, glancing at Five. He was still chewing on the candy, but he still shook his head, running a finger over the knuckles of my hand. 

"No, I think we're okay. Thank you." The Handler hummed, her eyes studying the two of us. 

"While I am thinking of it, though, I do have a gift for the both of you." She pressed the intercom. "Carla? Would you bring the box in, please?" 

"Certainly." The Handler let go of the button, and within seconds, Carla walked in with a small box in hand. The Handler stood, moving to her cabinet where she kept her cameras, then she came to stand across from us as the box was put on the desk, then Carla left. 

"Go ahead. Open it." The Handler told us, waving a hand to the box. I stood, pulling Five up with me. "Actually, wait, you're both a mess, hold on." The Handler went to Five first, brushing his hair to the side, trying to form it back to the part it had held before I ruined it, then she straightened his vest and jacket. When The Handler turned to me, I knew there'd be less to fix, yet I let her brush her hands through my hair anyway, but then she paused. "Is that a hickey?" I felt my previous embarrassment flood through me as I slapped a hand over the mark on my neck. 

"No?" I squeaked out. The Handler pinched my cheek, smiling. 

"You're the cutest liar. Now, go on, the both of you, open the box." I stepped closer to the desk, ready to grab the lid of the box, but Five did instead. Inside was a set of keys. I picked them up, turning them over.

"Are these office keys?" I questioned. The Handler smiled and nodded.

"That they are, dear. An office made for you and Five to share. Or being made I should say. You remember the one floor being completely redone?" I nodded.

"Thank you, Auntie Handler." I ran my thumb over one of the keychains. It had our names engraved on a silver metal lined with wood. (y/n) and Five Hargreeves. I felt my cheeks heat at the fact it already coupled my name with his last name. Five gently took the keys from me, nodding his head. 

"It's a very kind gift." Five added, snaking an arm around my waist and holding me against him as he leaned against the desk. The Handler shrugged. 

"It's the least I could do. I've been doing thinking over how well you both work together, back then and now. I'll be moving you both to a bigger case that you can work together. Soon, you'll be the power couple of the Commission. Now, say cheese." Five wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me to his side as my Aunt lifted her camera. I tilted my head, smiling as she snapped the picture, then within moments the little camera printed the photo out. 

The Handler held her hand out and I took the keys from Five, handing them to her. She smiled, flipping the photo to us briefly. "Aren't you both adorable?" I felt Five shift, beside me as she slid the photo into a slot in the metal with our names on it, then she handed the keys to me. I pocketed them as Five turned, pulling me with him. He pointed at The Handler's shelf of weapons. 

"Is that a Chinese Flamethrower?" Five asked as his other arm went around my waist, holding me closer. 

"Good eye." The Handler hummed in approval. Five then pushed off the desk, going to take a closer look. I followed behind him, keeping my hand in his. I had seen this shelf a thousand times, having also watched The Handler's collection of weapons grow over the years. "War. Such a fascinating concept. A temporary salve for a permanent human flaw. Course, it's a bit easier to see from 30,000 feet." The Handler let out a light chuckle, appearing at my side. 

"She's collected these over the years through traveling, before and after becoming The Handler." I explained to Five. The Handler smiled beside me, nodding. 

"M26 grenades from the Vietnam War." She picked one of them up, bouncing it in her hand, then putting it back down. "And this, the most noteworthy, perhaps. My Walther pistol." She picked it up and I glanced at it, already familiar with the small handgun. "The very one Hitler used to kill himself. We're not supposed to take these kind of things, but he wasn't gonna use it anymore." The Handler smiled, putting her cigarette back in her mouth. "Feel... how perfectly balanced that is." She aimed the gun forward, then passed it to Five. Five grabbed the gun, carefully holding it in his hand. 

"She used to take me to the shooting range with some of the weapons. I shot that one once or twice. Ammo is limited, but it was cool when I was fifteen the first time round." I told him. Five turned the gun over, humming. 

"I have some thoughts I think we should run by to improve Commission protocol." Five suddenly spoke again. I furrowed my brow at Five as he faced The Handler, giving the gun back to her. 

"Mm! Shaking things up already. Go on. Do tell!" The Handler said. She placed the gun back on the shelf then walked back towards her desk. I sent Five a look. 

"What are you doing?" I whispered. Five glanced to me, but didn't do anything else as we walked back to the desk. 

"Gloria. The tube operator. Wouldn't it be simpler if case managers were to send their own messages?" Five questioned. The Handler sat back in her seat.

"I appreciate the thought. I really do. But everyone loves Gloria. I- I would never hear the end of it. She's been with the Commission family for years, and she's this close to making pension." The Handler held up two fingers close together to emphasize, then there was a knock on the door. We all turned, seeing Dot in the doorway. 

"Sorry to interrupt. May I have a moment alone?" Dot asked. The Handler blew out the smoke from her cigarette. 

"Of course. Duty calls. We'll continue this discussion later, Five." The Handler told him.

"Sure. May I?" Five gestured to the candy. The Handler smiled. 

"Please." Five grabbed a small handful, pulling my hand to lead me out. "Oh, And (y/n)?" I paused, looking back at her. "I need to have a one-on-one conversation with you later as well." I nodded, though I knew Five didn't want us here that long. 

"Okay, Auntie Handler." She smiled at me, then I turned and left her office.