Gnosis

CHAPTER 1: RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED II

Word Count: 6509

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Five's heart pounded in his chest as he stood frozen, staring at her. She looked just as he remembered. The familiar arch of her brow, the set of her lips when she was deep in thought—it was all still there. But the clothes she wore now were different, a modest dress from a that fits 1963, and it suited her. Though it lent her an unfamiliar air, making her seem like a stranger in her own skin.

But it was unmistakably her.

The breath Five has been holding for what felt like eternity finally escaped him, but just as his relief began to flood through him, her expression stopped him cold.

Her eyes, those eyes he knew so well, didn't light up with recognition. Instead, they were clouded with confusion—no spark of familiarity, no shared history, nothing but a mild curiosity. It was as if he were just another stranger.

He saw her frown; her gaze flicking between him and Elliot, who stood awkwardly nearby. The warmth that should have been there between them was missing, replaced by an uncomfortable distance.

"Do I know you?" she asked.

"Of course you forgot," he muttered to himself as he nodded. He lifted his eyes to hers again, searching for any glimmer of recognition. "I know you can't remember me, but it's me, Five," he said. "We've been through this before—dozens of times. You've forgotten, but I'm here to remind you."

(Y/n)'s frown deepened, and her puzzled expression grew more pronounced. She shook her head slowly; the words leaving her lips with a sort of apologetic confusion. "I'm sorry," she said. "But I really don't recognize you." Her gaze shifted to Elliot. "Elliot, who is this guy?"

Elliot, who had been nervously shuffling beside them, glanced between the two, clearly at a loss. He opened his mouth, floundering for a response. "I—well, we just met, and—"

Before Elliot could finish, Five cut him off, stepping forward. "I know it's confusing," he said, his voice rising. "But you probably went unconscious or fell asleep, and you didn't check your notepad. So, if you would just let me—"

He took another step toward her, and she instinctively stepped back, her back hitting the railing behind her. The growing unease in her expression was palpable now, her body tensing as if preparing to bolt at any moment. Her hand shot up, a physical barrier between them.

"You're freaking me out," she said, her voice shaky, her eyes now wide with alarm.

Five felt the distance between them grew and his mind raced almost immediately—he couldn't lose her, not again. So, without thinking, without a plan, he did the one thing he thought might break through to her.

He dove in and kissed her.

For a split second, the world seemed to freeze around them, his lips pressing against hers as if willing her to remember, to feel the connection that had been theirs for so long. But just as quickly as the moment began, it shattered.

(Y/n)'s reaction was immediate. With a forceful shove, she pushed him back, her hands striking his chest with a strength that caught him off guard. His body stumbled backward, his mind still reeling. And then — SMACK.

Her hand cracked across his face, the sharp sting resonating through his skin. The slap was swift and unrelenting, leaving a bright red mark on his cheek. Five barely had time to register the pain before her angry voice cut through the air.

"OKAY! Too close there, buddy!" she snapped. Her eyes blazed with rage as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand, as if erasing the kiss. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"