Against the odds . Five Hargreeves fanfic

Chapter thirty

The night was quiet, the kind of stillness that pressed in on you, making every sound seem louder than it was. I tried to focus on making a sandwich, hoping the familiar task would drown out the mess of emotions swirling in my head. But, of course, peace didn't last long.

Five walked into the kitchen, his presence immediately filling the space. He didn't say anything at first, just leaned against the counter, watching me in that way that always made me feel like he could see straight through me.

"You planning on avoiding me all night?" His tone was laced with frustration.

I didn't look up from the sandwich. "Maybe. Why does it matter?"

He stepped closer, his voice softening slightly, though the frustration was still there. "I thought we were getting somewhere, Evangeline. But now it feels like we're back to square one."

I finally turned to face him, unable to hold back the frustration any longer. "You were a jerk, Five. I needed space. If you can't handle that, then maybe it's better if we keep our distance."

For a moment, he just stared at me, something unreadable in his eyes. "Fine," he muttered, turning on his heel and leaving the kitchen without another word.

I stood there, the half-made sandwich forgotten, feeling a confusing mix of anger and sadness twist in my chest. I couldn't keep doing this—couldn't keep letting him get to me.

That night, as I grabbed my pillow and blanket, the thought of going back to his room felt unbearable. I needed space, real space, and I couldn't find that if I was around him. So, I made my way to Allison's room, hesitating only a moment before knocking softly.

"Come in," Allison's voice called from inside.

I opened the door to find her and Klaus sitting on the bed, chatting quietly. They looked up in surprise when they saw me standing there with my makeshift bedding.

"Hey," I began, trying to keep my voice steady. "Can I stay here tonight? I just... I can't stand Five right now."

Allison's expression softened, and she immediately nodded. "Of course, you can stay here. No problem at all."

Klaus grinned, though there was a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "Trouble in paradise?"

I rolled my eyes, though the teasing helped ease some of the tension. "Something like that. I just need some space from him."

I settled onto the floor, hoping that being in a different room would help clear my head. But just as I was starting to relax, there was a soft knock on the door. Before anyone could respond, Five pushed it open slightly and peered inside.

"Can I talk to Evangeline?" he asked, his voice softer than usual.

Allison didn't hesitate. "Fuck off, Five. You've been a dick. Leave her alone."

I felt a pang of guilt, and before I could stop myself, I spoke up. "Allison, that's too mean."

But Klaus shook his head, giving me a stern look. "No, he deserves it, Evangeline. You need to stop letting him off so easy."

Five stood in the doorway, clearly torn between arguing and just leaving, but eventually, he sighed and closed the door softly behind him. I could still feel the tension in my chest, but I knew Klaus was right. Five needed to understand that there were consequences for how he'd treated me.

Despite my resolve, the night was restless. I tossed and turned, haunted by vivid nightmares that left me shaking and breathless. The quiet of the room felt suffocating, and no matter how hard I tried, sleep wouldn't come.

Finally, I gave in to the gnawing anxiety and found myself creeping down the hallway to Five's room. The door creaked softly as I pushed it open. He was lying on his bed, his back turned to me. For a moment, I thought he might be asleep, and I nearly turned to leave.

But then his voice broke the silence. "Nightmare?"

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Yeah..."

He shifted slightly, patting the space beside him. I hesitated, my pride warring with my fear, but eventually, I gave in and climbed into bed next to him.

"This is the last time I'm doing this. I swear," I muttered, more to myself than to him.

Five smirked, though his eyes were serious. "First of all, you came here. And second, you said that last time."

I cursed under my breath, hating how easily he could see through me. But as much as I didn't want to admit it, being near him made the fear fade away.

When morning came, I woke up first. The realization that I needed to get out of there before Allison and Klaus found out where I'd spent the night hit me like a cold splash of water. I tried to slip out of bed quietly, but Five reached out, his hand wrapping around my wrist.

"Stay," he murmured, his voice thick with sleep. "Just a bit longer."

I shook my head, gently pulling away. "I can't. If Allison and Klaus find out I came back here after what happened last night, they'll kill me."

Five's grip tightened for a moment, and I saw a flicker of desperation in his eyes. "Please, Evangeline. Just stay."

For a brief second, I almost considered it, but the weight of everything that had happened between us made me shake my head again. "I can't," I whispered, more to myself than to him.

He let go of my wrist, his expression unreadable as I quickly got out of bed and made my way back to Allison's room. I settled onto the floor, feeling a strange mix of relief and frustration. The night had only made things more complicated, and I knew I couldn't keep going back to Five.

But as I lay there, I realized that despite everything, I still felt the pull toward him. And that terrified me more than anything else.