RUN BOY RUN- reader x Five Hargreeves

Part Thirty-Five

The next morning, Five and I stepped out of our room, greeted by the sight of not just Diego and Elliot but also Luther, who was already bustling about in the kitchen. The air was thick with the aroma of brewing coffee, which was my first priority. I headed straight for the coffee maker, filling the pot as Diego paced the cramped kitchen, his frustration palpable. "I don't understand why they keep following me," Diego whined, agitation coloring his tone. His restless movements made the small space feel even smaller. "Wait, who?" Luther asked, his focus on a mountain of eggs sizzling in the skillet. Just the sight of it made my stomach churn—a reminder of the chaos that had become our daily lives. "Those Dutch sociopaths," Diego stressed, his eyes darting around as if expecting them to burst through the door any second. So he had encountered them before? The revelation hung in the air, adding to the tension. "They're Swedish, you idiot," Five interjected, his irritation evident as he shot a glare at Luther, who seemed unfazed by the correction. The older man, currently acting like a petulant child, merely shrugged in response. 

"Have you guys interacted with these freaks before?" I asked, pouring steaming mugs of coffee. Diego nodded, gripping his mug tightly. "They were my welcome package," Five said, sauntering over to me. I handed him a mug, and he winked down at me, a flicker of warmth amidst the chaos that made my heart flutter. "Why now?" Diego interrupted, his voice rising in frustration. "I mean, I was fine for three months until you showed up." There was a hint of desperation in his tone, as if blaming Five for the return of chaos in his life. "And I've been here for a year, and nobody's tried to kill me," Luther countered, a smirk tugging at his lips as he leaned against the counter. "And what about Y/N? She was written about in multiple national newspapers, and nobody ever got to her," Diego added, renewing his reputation for acting like a man-child. His voice rose again, echoing in the small room. "To be fair, I did have an alias," I smirked, taking a slow sip of my coffee, my eyes twinkling with mischief. Luther chuckled at my response, and we all turned to him, curious. "What? That's a funny word," he said with a shrug. Tired of the childlike antics, I snatched the spatula from Luther's hand and gave him a playful whack on the arm. "I deserved that," he replied, feigning innocence as he rubbed his arm dramatically. "Can we please get back to what's important?" Five interjected, his tone suddenly serious. 

The atmosphere shifted, and I could see the concern etched on his face. "We only have six days until the world ends, and the closest any of us have gotten to Dad was in that driveway." He glanced at each of us for a moment, his gaze lingering on me. I could feel the weight of his words settle over the room, and for a moment, silence hung in the air. "Well, that's not exactly true," Luther spoke up, his voice tinged with a hint of unease. We all sat down at the table, bracing ourselves for his story. He recounted his attempt to convince Dad he was his son, a tale that unfolded like a tragic comedy. "I thought I could reason with him, you know? Show him I was still his boy," Luther said, his voice faltering as he recounted the moment he opened his mouth, only to have Dad dismiss him with a wave of his hand. "That's pathetic," Diego scoffed, shaking his head as Luther finished. "Yeah? Well, at least I didn't get my ass shanked," Luther shot back, trying to pick a fight. "No, bro, he shanked your heart," Diego retorted with a smirk, his eyes glinting with amusement. I couldn't help but snort at the exchange as I stood up to rummage through the fridge for something to eat. "Look, no matter what, he knows something about time travel," Five said, getting up to refill his coffee. 

His tone was more serious now, and it felt like a weighty reminder of the stakes we were facing. "Why don't you do your thing and time travel us out of here?" Elliot timidly suggested from the doorway, his voice barely above a whisper.  Five turned to me, his eyes expectant, and I could sense the gears turning in his mind. "Five has time-traveled three times in his life," I began, taking a deep breath. "The first time, he got stuck in the 2019 apocalypse. He had to jump back just before that to try and stop it, but he ended up stuck in the body you see before you." I paused, gauging their reactions before continuing. "The third and final time was to get me out of it, leading to us being separated across different points in Dallas over three years." "Is that how you got stuck like this?" Elliot asked, his curiosity piqued. I laughed, shaking my head as I took my sculpted bowl of fruit into the room Five and I shared, leaving the others to dissect our deranged father. 

... 

As I finished tying my hair with a ribbon, Five knocked gently on the door. "Hey, you ready, love?" he asked when I stepped out for him to see me. A smile spread across his face as he crossed the room, wrapping his arms around my waist. The warmth of his embrace sent butterflies fluttering in my stomach, a feeling I didn't know I needed. "Where are we going?" I asked, wrapping my arms around his neck, feeling safe in his presence. "To get Allison. I found her address. Plus, I've been doing some thinking." His voice held a note of determination, and I raised an eyebrow, teasing him. "That sounds dangerous," I joked, winking at him. He rolled his eyes, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Sorry, thinking about what?" I pressed, genuinely curious. "We're going to get your powers back," Five said, pulling away to take my hand.