1999

4. That Moment

The morning light filtered through the cabin's small window, casting a soft glow on the wooden walls. Y/n slowly stirred awake, blinking groggily as she tried to piece together where she was. The sharp pain in her neck was a stark reminder of the events from the night before. As she sat up, she noticed the absence of Klaus. The cabin was eerily quiet, save for the faint crackling of the dying embers in the fireplace.

Her eyes drifted to the small dining table where Five sat, hunched over with a cigarette in hand. He was surrounded by a haze of smoke, his expression distant, lost in deep thought. The sight was unnerving—Five, usually so composed, seemed troubled, the lines of his face harder, his eyes darkened by something she couldn't quite place.

Y/n hesitated, unsure whether she should disturb him, but the silence was suffocating, and she couldn't shake the unease that had settled in her chest. Clearing her throat, she greeted him softly, "Morning."

Five's head snapped up at the sound of her voice, as if he'd forgotten she was there. He blinked a few times, his focus sharpening as he locked eyes with her. The usual sharpness in his gaze returned, but there was still something off about him, something simmering just beneath the surface.

"Morning," he replied, his voice rough, almost hoarse from the cigarettes. He took a long drag, the end of the cigarette glowing brightly before he exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Sleep well?"

Y/n nodded slowly, though in truth, her sleep had been restless, filled with unsettling dreams and the lingering pain in her neck. "Yeah, I guess," she said, her tone guarded as she studied him. "Where's Klaus?"

Five shrugged, the movement casual but there was a hint of irritation in the way his shoulders tensed. "He left early. Had some things to take care of." His response was clipped, giving nothing away.

Y/n frowned, sensing there was more to it than what he was saying, but she didn't press further. Instead, she watched him as he stubbed out the cigarette in an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts. His movements were mechanical, as if he'd done this a thousand times before, but the tension in his frame betrayed the calm facade he was trying to project.

"Everything okay?" she asked, her voice carefully neutral.

Five glanced at her, his eyes narrowing slightly as if weighing whether to give her a truthful answer. After a moment, he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Just thinking," he replied, his tone dismissive.

Y/n didn't push, but the uneasy feeling in her gut only grew stronger. Something was definitely off with Five this morning, and the fact that Klaus had left without a word didn't help. She wrapped the blanket around herself, trying to shake off the chill that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room.

Five stood up suddenly, breaking the silence. "You should eat something," he said, his voice taking on a softer edge. "There's some food in the kitchen. Help yourself."

Y/n nodded, though she was more concerned about what was going on in Five's head than her hunger. Still, she got up from the cot, her body stiff from the uncomfortable sleep. As she moved toward the small kitchenette, she couldn't help but feel Five's eyes on her, watching her every move. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, and Y/n knew that whatever was bothering him wasn't going to stay hidden for long.

Y/n crunched on the dry cereal, the lack of milk making each bite feel oddly dissatisfying. She had found the cereal box tucked away in a dusty corner of the kitchen, and after rummaging around for a bowl to no avail, she'd decided to eat straight from the box. It wasn't the breakfast she was used to, but it was better than nothing. As she sat down at the dining table across from Five, she couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes on her.