| 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐍 | 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐗 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐂

Chapter 7

(17 YEARS AGO)

Noah lay in Five's bed sleeping while Five worked on Noah's homework for him, making sure to occasionally make some wrong so Pogo wouldn't think Noah cheated. Grace rang the supper bell and Noah shot up, "I'm not sleeping!"

Five chuckled, "Good afternoon, sleepy head."

"Oh, it's just you." Noah yawned, rubbing his eyes with his fists. "Wait, what time is it? Oh shit, my homework." Noah exclaimed panicked, sitting up straight in the bed.

"Don't worry, I finished it for you. Well, almost. You just have the last question to do. And it's supper timer." Five informed with a small smile.

"You're a lifesaver." Noah sighed in relief.

"You know it, c'mon, let's go eat." Five said, standing up from his desk.

"M'kay," Noah muttered. He got to his feet, stretched, and walked over to the mirror. Eight fixed his blazer and ran a hand through his hair, he looked at Five, "All good?"

"Yep, you look fine."

Noah nodded and the two walked downstairs together, and like usual, they were the last ones in the dining room. Reginald was already standing at his seat and stared them down as they stood behind their seats, Noah was between Diego and Five.

"Sit," Reginald ordered and everyone did as they were told.

A record of Herr Carlson played in the background while everyone ate, well, most of them ate.

Luther would give Allison a charming smile, causing her to blush and look down at her food shyly. Diego scratched drawings into the arm of his chair with his knife. Klaus was rolling a joint. Ben was reading. Vanya was watching Noah sadly and taking slow bites of her food. Noah was staring at his food with a fork in hand and his knee bouncing like every meal whenever he had to sit at that table. He had ate half of his peas as soon as he sat down but refused to touch the potatoes and steak. Five glared at his father from across the table.

Suddenly the boy stabbed his knife into the table and everyone looked up at him.

"Number Five?" Reginald questioned.

"I have a question." Five announced.

"That's a bit of a dramatic way to claim you have a question." Noah chuckled.

"Knowledge is an admirable goal, but you know the rules. No talking during mealtimes. You are interrupting Herr Carlson." Reginald informed the boy, not looking up from his food.

"Yeah, Five, seriously. You're going to get in trouble after supper and we won't be able to do anything together." Noah whispered, his anxiety heightening for his friend.

Five ignored Eight and shoved his plate into Vanya's, "I want to time travel."

"No." Reginald denied him in a monotone.

"But I'm ready. I've been practicing my spatial jumps, just like you said." Five stood up, pushing his chair back. He balled his fists and blinked beside their father, "See?"

Reginald didn't even glance at the boy, "A spatial jump is trivial when compared with the unknowns of time travel. One is like sliding along the ice, the other is descending blindly into the depths of the freezing water and reappearing as an acorn." He informed, taking a sip of wine from his glass.

"Well, I don't get it."

"Hence the reason you're not ready."

Five looked at Vanya and Noah. She shook her head and Noah leaned forward in his chair and mouthed, "Don't you fucking dare."