The Sparks Between Us | Five Hargreeves x Reader

FOURTEEN

—————༻☂︎︎༺—————
༻ Y/N'S  POV ༺

The faint hum of my systems stirred me from stillness. A pulse of light flickered across my vision, and one by one, my functions began to reboot.

[SYSTEM REACTIVATION SEQUENCE: COMPLETE]
[ALL REPAIRS: SUCCESSFUL]
...
[WELCOME BACK, Y/N.]

My internal diagnostics ran quickly, assessing the results of my recharge. Damaged circuits repaired. Power levels at 100%. I blinked once, my vision stabilizing as the faint overlay of my HUD recalibrated. The air in the room felt different now, still and quiet, the way Five's room always was when he wasn't there.

I flexed my fingers experimentally, feeling the smooth precision of my movements restored. Rising from the chair, I scanned my surroundings. Everything was in order.
The chair creaked softly as I got up.

I glanced around Five's room, noting its stillness. It was untouched, exactly as he'd left it. He hadn't returned last night. My systems instinctively scanned the entire academy, every room and corridor. Nothing. No sign of him anywhere within the building.

He wasn't here.

I processed the timeline. We both understood it might take some time for him to extract information about the prosthetic eye from the doctor, but now an entire day had passed. No updates. No signals. No signs.

I couldn't ignore the growing urgency in my circuits—I needed to find him.

Steeling myself, I stepped out of his room and pulled the door closed behind me. The faint click echoed in the quiet hallway.

I moved down the hall, my steps measured, and descended the stairs. The academy loomed behind me as I stepped outside, the heavy door clicking shut. The air was warm, but thick with the weight of clouds hanging low in the sky, muting the sun's glow.

I paused on the front steps, taking a moment to observe the world beyond. The streets were alive with motion—people strolling purposefully, cars weaving through lanes, the faint hum of the city underscoring it all.

Standing there, I recalibrated. Focus.

I stepped onto the sidewalk, blending into the current of pedestrians. My internal systems began scanning the areas around me, sweeping for any sign of Five, any anomaly that might indicate his presence. Radar empty, for now.

Still, I pressed forward, my pace steady, each step a quiet determination to locate him.

It had been nearly twenty minutes of walking when I approached the car still parked outside the lab. Peering through the window, I scanned the interior, but it was empty—no sign of Five. My systems recalibrated, and I moved on, scanning for any trace of him as I made my way down the bustling street.

I passed storefronts and strangers, my sensors picking up the ordinary details of urban life. Then, a faint blip—a presence registered nearby. My head tilted slightly as I focused on the signal. It wasn't Five.

I stopped and turned, scanning the area, and spotted Vanya standing a short distance away, engaged in conversation with a man I didn't recognize. Curious, I started walking toward her.

"Hello, Vanya," I said, my voice calm as I approached.

Vanya turned sharply, surprised. "Y/N, hi. What are you doing here?" she asked, her tone uncertain but polite.

"I'm looking for Five," I replied. "He hasn't returned since yesterday."

Her brows furrowed. "Have you found anything?"