How to Kill Time (Reader x Five Hargreeves)

Chapter 6

After an hour of searching for a hidden entrance, we give up and head out again.

"I told you. Sarcasm." I remind to Five. He just tiredly rolls his eyes and wipes the sweat off his forehead with his sleeves. "Now." I expectedly hold my hand out. "For my troubles."

"Your troubles didn't mean shit." But he still hands me a 10 dollar bill and I happily shove that into my pockets as well. "You know, you seem pretty happy for a person that learned they're going to die in 8 days. Actually, 7 days now."

"I stopped worrying for my future a long time ago. I could die this second or 7 days later, it's all the same to me. My life's nothing to me by now."

He pauses for a second. "In the apocalypse, when I lived there for, what, more than 4 decades? I realized that no matter how much I wanted to die, at the edge of life, you tend to cling on. You tend to care no matter what you think."

I process his thoughts for a while before I realize what I'm doing.

"What, you becoming a guidance counselor now?"

"45 years of free time tends to give you a lot of thinking." Five clears his throat. "By the way, the directions that I asked you yesterday?"

"You're seriously going to the mall? Now?" I snort. "Says the man who always says No time you sure seems to have a lot if you're going to the mall."

"It's worth another 20 bucks." he says.

"Deal. But I'm still going to ask you about it. Also, where are you even getting the money from?"

He shrugs. "I have my sources."

#

"You know, I can show you around for payment. You know, first time, confusing, and all that." I say as I hop out of the car to follow him.

"Leave me alone."

"Yeah, but if-" 

And with a flash, he's gone.

"Well, there goes my chance." I mutter. The mall is dark and abandoned and silence echoes through the walls. Then I hear a slight creaking on the floor above me. Five. Curious, I quickly run up the stairs and look at the direction of the occupied shop. Gimbel Brothers. Huh. The door creaks slightly as I open it and I curse in my mind. But Five seems too entranced, walking slowly across the room. 

"Dolores." he whispers slightly. I could hear the smile in his voice. All I can see are mannequins in front of him but I keep looking. "It's good to see you."

Oh.

Dolores.

She's...

"I've missed you...obviously. Well...I- It's been a rough couple of days." He keeps talking to her, as if speaking a conversation I'm not aware of. Then, I hear another set of sounds.

Quiet, slow footsteps. Two, actually. A squeak. A whoosh. Then...

Click.

A gun.

"Five! Watch out!" I shout. He spins his head around and ducks just in time as the mannequin gets hit by the bullets instead of him. 

"No!" He shouts. The mannequin's torso falls off as he goes to hide in the nearest clothing rack. "Shit." I hear him say as I run off to hide as well. "It's them."

The sound of gunshot rings in my ears and I collapse onto my knees, breathing heavily.

"You will need to learn how to reduce pain as much as to increase it. Bring yourself out, Number 8."

I step forward in front of the rest of the academy.

"You too, Number 2"

Diego steps out as well.

A desk with a gun lies on the nearby table.

"Number 8, stand in front of the target."

I walk towards the target. 

"Number 2 pick up the gun."

Diego picks up the gun.

"This is a bullet that does not pierce your skin, but stimulates pain from a bullet wound. You will need to repeat this until you do not feel anything. Understood?"

I nod

The room flashes with gunfire and I stand up and look around me, trying to locate the source of the gun. Not now. Anytime but now. The shooter's face was turned back and I shouted to get their attention.

"Hey!" When they turn, I concentrate my force on them, but nothing comes. I realize something. Their face was covered. 

Then sound warps around my ears and Five presses me to the ground, collapsing on top of me as a consequence. His eyes are round of panic-filled adrenaline as he looks at me, concerned.

"Are you alright?" he asks. I nod my head, trying to form a coherent sentence within my gaps of breathing heavily. "I'm going to jump again." he says slowly. "Try not to make a sound, okay?"

"Okay." I answer. Then light moves around me and my head bangs against the floor. I stifle a groan as I stand up, the gunshots ringing in my ear.

"Stay." he orders. He picks up a knife from the nearest rack and goes off. I grab one too and hide in the racks, trying to get my breathing to a normal pace. Then I hear voices.

"You go that way and we'll meet in the center." Footsteps slowly approach me and I grab onto the handle tighter until I hear it right next to me. I throw my arms next to me and I hear knife pushing through flesh and I stimulate the pain, over and over. The attacker screams out in pain and grab my wrists, forcing the handle of the knife out of my hands

Then Five enters from my sight, grabs my hands and teleports me out. He lies down on the floor next to me, panting. His forehead glistens with sweat and his hair is ruffled and the bag oh his back looks full and heavy.

I try to take the bag from his back but he hisses and jerks away. "It's weighing you down, you fool." He surrenders and goes limp as I take it off his shoulders.

I sling it over me as he starts to talk.

"I'm gonna try to blink out of here." he says, letting out his palm. I clench my hands into his and blue light glows from his hands and....fades. 

"Shit!" he exclaims silently. 

"Wait. Let me try something. Look into my eyes." He looks at me obediently and I start to concentrate.

His hands start glowing again and this time, we're out of the shop. We run down the stairs and I slam open the door, throwing the backpack to the back seat and throwing myself in as well. I slam my foot down the accelerator and the car lurch forward.

I don't know how much time passes by before I start to regain the control over my body.

"Y/N?" Five asks softly.

"What?" I snarl.

"You can let go of my hand now." My fingernails are digging into his palms and his fingers are starting to grow pale.

"Sorry." I say as I awkwardly let go. 

"Is your power activated by sight?"

"Not technically, no. I can still stimulate pain if there is something causing pain in the first place. But I can't make it out of nothing."

"Hmm."

Silence stretches out between us and I tap my fingers on the wheel.

"Who's they?" I ask the question bursting to get out. "I feel like I have a right to know since I nearly died. Twice."

"You know I can't answer you."

"You owe me."

"I know."