Number Five Imagines

One step at a time

Five Hargreeves x reader

A/N: This was a request from a Tumblr User. It deals with a serious topic and I really hope that I managed to deal with it respectfully. As always, tell me what you think

Warnings: eating disorder, self conscious

It was a quiet evening at home, the kind of night Five Hargreeves had come to cherish. The chaos of his past—the timelines, the apocalypses, the relentless battles—felt like distant memories in moments like this. His life had slowed down, settled into a rhythm of normalcy that he never thought he'd appreciate. And a large part of that peace came from his wife, Y/n.

She was in the kitchen now, moving around with quiet efficiency as she prepared dinner. But something was off. Five had always been observant, and over the past few months, he had noticed subtle changes in her behavior. The way she pushed her food around her plate, or how she'd excuse herself from meals with a quick "I'm not really hungry." It hadn't bothered him at first—everyone had off days—but as time went on, it became more frequent.

Tonight, though, he decided it was time to say something. He watched her as she set the table, her movements slower than usual, almost as if she were trying to be invisible. Her face was pale, and there was a sadness in her eyes that she tried so hard to hide. Five's stomach clenched as he realized that Y/n had been quietly battling something she hadn't told him about.

As she placed the last dish on the table, she turned to him with a small, forced smile. "Dinner's ready."

"Thanks," Five said, his voice steady but gentle. He sat down and waited for her to join him. She took her seat across from him, but her fork barely touched the food on her plate.

Five studied her for a moment before speaking. "Y/n, are you okay?"

She blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You haven't really been eating," Five said carefully. "I've noticed it for a while now."

Her eyes flicked down to her plate, and she let out a shaky breath. "I'm just... I don't know. I've been stressed, I guess."

Five leaned forward, his voice soft and full of concern. "Y/n, it's more than that. I can tell something's been bothering you, and I want to help. You don't have to go through this alone."

She looked away, her hands trembling slightly. For a long moment, she didn't say anything. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words. Finally, she whispered, "I don't like how I look, Five."

Five's heart ached at the vulnerability in her voice. He reached across the table and gently took her hand. "What do you mean?"

Y/n swallowed hard, her voice barely audible. "I've always struggled with... with how I see myself. It's been worse lately. I just—I look in the mirror, and I don't like what I see. And when I eat, it feels like I'm losing control. So I stop. I stop eating because it's the only thing I can control."

Five squeezed her hand, his chest tightening with a mix of sadness and frustration. He hated that she felt this way, that she had been suffering in silence. "Y/n, you're beautiful. Inside and out. I've never seen you as anything less."

Her eyes glistened with tears as she shook her head. "You don't understand. I feel... I don't know. Like I'm not enough. Like if I could just look better, I'd be happier."

Five stood up and walked around the table, pulling her into his arms. She leaned against him, her body trembling as she fought back tears.

"Y/n," he murmured into her hair, "I love you exactly the way you are. You don't have to change anything for me or for anyone else. You're enough. More than enough."

She buried her face in his chest, her voice choked. "But I don't feel like it."

Five gently tilted her chin up so that she was looking at him. His eyes were full of love and concern, his voice steady and calm. "I know this is hard for you, and I can't pretend to understand everything you're feeling. But you don't have to go through this alone. We can work through it together. Let me help you."

Y/n hesitated, her tear-filled eyes searching his face. "I don't know how."

"One step at a time," Five said softly. "We don't need to fix everything at once. But we can start by being honest with each other. When you're feeling this way, I need you to tell me. I want to be there for you, even if it's just to listen."

Y/n nodded slowly, her voice small. "I'm scared."

"I know," Five whispered, holding her closer. "But you're not alone. We're in this together."

They stood there for a long time, wrapped in each other's arms, the weight of her struggles shared between them. It wasn't a solution, but it was a start. And for Five, that was enough.

Over the next few weeks, Five made a conscious effort to be there for Y/n in every way he could. He didn't push her to talk if she wasn't ready, but he made sure she knew that he was always there to listen. He started taking over the cooking, making meals that they could share together. Slowly, they found a balance.

One evening, they sat on the couch together, their hands intertwined as they watched a movie.

"How are you feeling?" Five asked gently, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

Y/n smiled softly, resting her head on his shoulder. "Better. I'm not where I want to be yet, but I'm getting there. Thanks to you."

Five kissed the top of her head, his heart swelling with pride. "You're strong, Y/n. I always knew that."

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'll never have to find out," Five said with a smile, pulling her closer. "I'm not going anywhere."

As the night wore on, they sat together in comfortable silence, their hands still linked. For the first time in a long time, Y/n felt a sense of peace. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress.