𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞

Chapter Four

It's morning, and the breakfast buffet is bustling with activity. Five makes his way to the spread, grabbing a plate and filling it with eggs and toast. The Hargreeves siblings are seated at a table, sharing a quiet breakfast together.

Klaus is the first to break the silence, offering a cheerful "Good morning, Five!"

Five responds with a curt "Morning," and he starts eating his food. The table remains silent for a moment, and Five can feel the weight of their collective gaze on him. Looking around, he notices his siblings staring at him.

"What the hell do you guys want?" Five grumbles, irritation evident in his tone.

Diego sighs, breaking the uneasy silence. "You're better off without her," he offers, and the rest of the siblings nod in agreement.

Five scoffs and drops his fork onto the plate. His anger surfaces, and he addresses them with a sharp tone. "I don't give a shit about Y/N anymore. I don't need your guys' pity.

Luther, concerned, speaks up, "We're just trying to look out for you, Five."

This triggers an angry response from Five. "I'm fine, and I don't need you guys looking after me like I'm some sort of baby!" he retorts, frustration and anger evident in his tone. Luther sighs, taking another bite of his food, realizing that pressing further might only exacerbate the situation.

Allison chimes in, "She had no good intentions left anyway."

Five, unable to contain his anger, bangs his fist on the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. The shock is palpable as his siblings turn their gaze toward him.

Lila, attempting to diffuse the tension, speaks up, "You need to calm—"

"I am calm!" Five snaps, cutting her off. "You guys need to leave me the fuck alone." With that, he abruptly gets up and walks away from the table, leaving his siblings in stunned silence.

"He didn't even finish his eggs..." Viktor's observation about Five's untouched eggs hangs in the air as everyone at the table exchanges worried glances. The collective concern for their brother is palpable, his abrupt departure leaving them with a sense of helplessness.

Five walks to his hotel room, his footsteps echoing with a certain heaviness. As he reaches his door, he slams it shut, a physical manifestation of the inner turmoil he's grappling with. Once inside, he directs his gaze toward the bathroom floor, sighing as he notices the broken shards of glass still scattered from the night before.

Walking over to the bathroom, he shuts the door, creating a barrier between himself and the remnants of his emotional outburst. Five then moves to his bed, lying down on his back, his eyes fixated on the ceiling. In the solitude of his room, he mumbles while rubbing his eyes, "I need to get my shit together."

Running his hands through his hair, he sits back up, the weight of the past and the present converging in a tangled mess within his mind.

Five, feeling the weight of the past and present on his shoulders, turns his attention to a mirror on the wall. His gaze scrutinizes his reflection from top to bottom, the schoolboy uniform a constant reminder of a life he never wanted. A heavy sigh escapes his lips as he contemplates the possibility of shedding the uniform for something more fitting to his current circumstances.

In the quiet solitude of his room, he murmurs to himself, "I'll ask around the lobby for a change of clothes." The idea of finding a more suitable attire feels like a small step toward regaining control over his life, a symbolic act of breaking free from the constraints of the past.

With determined resolve, Five stands up from his bed, ready to seek out a change that goes beyond the superficial, a change that reflects the internal transformations he knows he must undergo.

Faith's House

Y/N and Faith are seated at the kitchen island, engaged in conversation. The warmth of their newfound connection permeates the air, creating a supportive atmosphere.

Faith, ever caring, asks Y/N, "Do you need help getting back your belongings?"

Y/N hesitates for a moment, contemplating the idea of facing her past. Eventually, she confesses, "I do, actually. I need at least a ride to Tod's house."

Faith nods understandingly, "Of course, I can give you a ride." She then looks at Y/N with genuine concern and asks, "Are you mentally ready to go and confront Tod?"

Y/N takes a deep breath, her expression displaying a mix of determination and resilience. She gives Faith a warm smile and replies, "Yes, I'm ready."

"Okay," Faith says, rising from her chair. They both stand up, ready to face the task at hand. Faith walks into her closet, retrieving an extra coat for Y/N to wear outside. She hands the coat to Y/N, who smiles appreciatively and thanks Faith.

Faith nods, grabbing her own coat from the closet and shutting the door behind her. She puts on her coat and retrieves her keys from a nearby table. Meanwhile, Y/N takes her phone off the charger, placing it securely in her pocket.

Standing by the door, Faith looks at Y/N with a hint of concern. "Are you sure?" she asks.

Y/N nods confidently. "Yes, I'm sure."

Faith opens the door, gesturing for Y/N to go first. Y/N steps out, enveloped by the warmth of Faith's borrowed coat. The chilly exterior air contrasts with the supportive atmosphere they've cultivated within Faith's home.

Y/N walks around Faith's car and hops into the passenger side, while Faith locks her front door and joins Y/N at the car. Faith takes the driver's seat, shutting her door, and Y/N fastens her seatbelt in the passenger seat. Both women buckle up, preparing for the journey ahead.

As Faith starts up the car, Y/N takes out her phone and opens the GPS. Typing in Tod's address, she props her phone on a holder attached to Faith's dashboard. Faith glances at the directions and starts to pull out of her driveway.

"Here we go," Faith says, a note of reassurance in her voice.

Y/N takes a deep breath, looking out of her window as Faith begins to drive. The gentle hum of the engine becomes a backdrop to the mix of emotions swirling within Y/N as she braces herself for the confrontation with her past.

Faith, still focused on the road ahead, reassures Y/N, "This is all going to go well. You'll just pack your stuff and leave. You don't even have to talk to him if you don't want to."

Y/N turns to Faith as she speaks, sighing with a faint laugh. "He'll only rub it in my face, telling me how bad of a person I am and that I got what I deserved."

Faith's smile drops slightly, her gaze fixed on the road. "You are not a bad person, Y/N. Some people are just misguided. That's not your fault."

Y/N sighs, her eyes focused on the road ahead. "No, Faith. This is all my fault. I could have tried to change sooner. I had so many chances to change. But I never did." A single tear escapes from Y/N's eye as she admits, "Five had every right to shut me out of his life."

Faith glances at Y/N with sadness in her eyes but then shifts her attention back to the road.

"Don't you dare put yourself down like that. Sure, you hurt him and didn't mean to, but you can salvage your relationship with him, Y/N. I know you can," Faith says, her voice filled with sincerity.

Y/N wipes away her tear and looks at Faith again, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "You really think that?" she asks.

Faith nods, glancing at Y/N. "If you try hard enough, and show him that you've changed, I know he'll take you back. I'm sure he truly loves you dearly and is just a bit heartbroken."

Y/N smiles slightly at Faith's reassuring words, looking back at the road. "If you say so," she responds, the weight of uncertainty still lingering but Faith's encouragement providing a flicker of optimism in the face of the challenges ahead.

Word count: 1395