The Sparks Between Us | Five Hargreeves x Reader

ELEVEN

—————༻☂︎︎༺—————
༻ Y/N'S POV ༺

The streets were quiet as Five and I walked back toward the academy. The rain had stopped, leaving behind a cool dampness that clung to the air. Five carried his duffel bag slung over one shoulder, the broken pieces of Dolores carefully tucked inside. I followed closely, keeping pace with him in the stillness.

"I appreciate you taking me to meet Dolores," I said, my voice soft but sincere. "She was... kind."

Five glanced at me, his expression unreadable, though I caught a flicker of something—perhaps amusement or something more complicated—before he looked ahead again. He didn't respond, but I didn't mind. The silence between us felt natural, not strained.

Suddenly, he stopped, placing a firm hand on my shoulder to halt me. His gaze fell to the bullet hole in my arm, where the synthetic skin had peeled back to reveal faintly glowing circuitry.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath, leaning in slightly to examine it. "You should've told me earlier."

"It's a minor wound," I said, tilting my head as I scanned his expression. "My systems are operational."

Five's brows furrowed. "Still, I'll patch that up when we get back. Then you can recharge for the night."

"If we're addressing my injuries, then we should address yours too," I replied. "Neglecting damage isn't efficient."

A faint scoff escaped him as he shook his head and started walking again. "We'll see about that," he muttered, his tone dismissive but not unkind.

We reached the academy before long, its looming structure bathed in shadows. The lights inside were dimmed, and the air was heavy with stillness as we entered. Five led the way up the stairs, the faint creak of wood underfoot breaking the silence. As we reached the top, voices echoed from the landing.

Allison and Luther were standing there, deep in conversation. They stopped abruptly when they noticed us, their eyes widening as they took in our disheveled appearances.

"Five?" Allison said, her tone sharp with surprise.

"Y/n?" Luther added, his eyes narrowing. He glanced at my shoulder, his gaze locking on the visible damage. "What the hell happened to you two?"

"Good evening, Luther. Allison," I said calmly, standing beside Five.

"Jesus," Luther muttered, stepping closer. His attention remained fixed on my shoulder. "That's a bullet wound." He raised a hand, seemingly intent on inspecting it, but he didn't get the chance.

Luther furrowed with concern. "Are you sure? If there's anything we can do to help—" he started.

Five moved quickly, grabbing Luther's wrist before he could touch me. "Don't," Five snapped, his voice cold and commanding.

Luther froze, startled by the sudden reaction. Five held his gaze firmly, his voice softening but retaining its edge. "There's nothing you can do. None of you can. This is something we'll handle ourselves." Then, releasing Luther's wrist, he stepped back and walked past them, heading toward his room. His duffel bag swayed slightly with the movement, and I watched him go before turning my attention back to Allison and Luther.

The two of them were still processing what had just happened, confusion and concern written all over their faces.

"Goodnight," I said politely, preparing to follow Five, but Luther's voice stopped me.

"Wait, Y/n," he called, hesitating before continuing. "I, uh... I never got to thank you. For what you did at the funeral—you know, stopping that blade. You saved me."