888 ✺ Five Hargreeves

FIVE: in a few

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         Grace rung the dinner bell loudly, waiting patiently for her Eight children to come down to eat her warm meal. The children quickly bounced their way down to the dining room, standing in place behind their chairs silently as they waited for their father to join them. 

Eventually, Reginald approached the table in a quick pace before stopping in front of his chair at the head of the table. He set down a large leatherbound book before straightening his posture. The children mirrored his actions, straightening their backs as well. He took a deep breath before commanding, "sit."

The did as they were told, sitting in their assigned seats before they dug into their food. Luther and Allison sent one another flirty smiles from where they sat while Diego and Ben were lost in their own thoughts. Eight sat to Klause's left while he used her as a human shield to roll his own spliff, she only allowed this because he promised he would share it with her later. Five sat across from Eight as he watched the table with an annoyed expression on his face. 

Before she was able to ask what had been the issue, he had stabbed his steak knife down into the wood of the large dinner table. Everyone jumped in shock with the exception of Reggie, who continued to read the book in his hands, "What is it, Five?" he asked, bored. 

Five raised his head in his father's direction, "I have a question." he simply stated, to which Reggie simply dismissed him, "Knowledge is an admirable goal, but you know the rules. No talking during mealtimes. You are interrupting Herr Carlson." 

Eight watched the interaction with an intrigued look in her eyes, interested to see where the conversation was going to go. "I want to time travel." Five announced, speaking through his teeth. 

"No." Reginald simply dismissed.

"but I'm ready. I've been practicing my spatial jumps, just like you said." Five complained, showing off his blinks for his father. The other children continued to eat their dinner, but Eight was too distracted by the current situation to even notice that she was hungry. 

Without as little as looking up, Reggie only countered, "A spatial jump is trivial when compared with the unknowns of time travel. One is like sliding along the ice, the other is akin to descending blindly into the depths of the freezing water and reappearing as an acorn." 

"Well, I don't get it." Five spoke, putting his hands in his pockets out of annoyance. 

Reggie only continued, "Hence the reason you're not ready."

Annoyed, Five moved his gaze off the bitter man. His eyes landed on Eight's as she slightly began to shake her head no, wanting him to back off. It wasn't that she wanted to dampen his ambition, she just didn't want to see him get into trouble for it.

Five looked down to his feet momentarily, "I'm not afraid." 

"Fear isn't the issue." Reggie denied, using his knife to eagerly cut his dinner to pieces, "The effects it might have on your body, even on your mind are far too unpredictable. Now, I forbid you to talk about this anymore."

Eight watched intensely as Five only continued to grow more ambitious on his plan to time travel. Without another word he quickly turned on his heel, making a move for the front door, "Number Five!" Reggie called out, "You haven't been excused!" 

Winona widened her eyes at the outburst and stood up in from own chair, rushing for the boy in the direction he left, "Number Eight!" Reginald yelled in anger, "come back here!"