The Sparks Between Us | Five Hargreeves x Reader

TWENTY-TWO

—————༻☂︎︎༺—————
༻ Y/N'S POV ༺

Diego, Allison, Five, and I piled out of the car, stepping onto the cracked pavement in front of Harold Jenkins' small, unassuming house. It was a quiet neighborhood—too quiet. The kind that felt as if it had seen better days, with peeling paint on the houses and weeds sprouting from every crack in the concrete.

We all approached the house cautiously, each step deliberate. The air felt heavier, thick with the tension of what we might find inside.

"Be careful, okay? We don't know what Peabody's capable of," Allison said, her voice low but firm.

"Yeah, well, he didn't seem dangerous when I first saw him. Kinda scrawny," Diego said with a shrug.

"Yeah? So are most serial killers and mass murderers," Allison replied, casting him a sideways glance. "Look at them." She gestured toward me and Five.

"Thanks," Five said dryly, not breaking his stride.

"Good point," Diego muttered. "So, what's this guy want with Vanya?"

None of us answered, but the question hung in the air like a weight. When we reached the front door, we all hesitated for a moment. Diego stepped forward, holding out an arm to stop us.

"Whoa, whoa. Hey, look. I'm gonna burst through—" Diego started.

But Five, as usual, had no patience for theatrics. He grabbed my hand, and in an instant, we teleported inside the house, landing silently in the middle of the dimly lit living room. The air smelled faintly of dust and something metallic, and I immediately began scanning the surroundings.

Diego, determined not to be outdone, crashed through the glass door seconds later, shards scattering everywhere as he hit the ground with a groan.

Five and I turned to see him sprawled on the floor, groaning in pain. Allison entered through the back door, looking unimpressed as she joined us.

"Subtle," she said, crossing her arms.

Five walked over to the front door and casually turned the knob, revealing it had been unlocked the entire time. "You know the door was unlocked, right?" he said, his tone dry.

Diego brushed glass off himself as he got to his feet, wincing slightly. "Yeah, well, my way works just fine. Spread out. Yell if you, uh... you know, find something—or you're in trouble," he said, trying to recover some semblance of authority.

Five gave a sarcastic tone. "Ah. Inspiring leadership. One of the greats." He glanced at Allison. "Why don't you head upstairs and take Y/n with you? We'll sweep the downstairs."

Allison nodded, already moving toward the stairs. "Come on, Y/n."

I followed her, glancing back at Five as I ascended the creaking steps. "Bye, Y/n," he said, a rare softness in his tone.

I turned back and gave him a small wave before continuing up with Allison.

When we reached the top of the stairs, Allison paused and looked at me. "Scan the upstairs."

I nodded, stepping forward as my systems activated. My vision flickered, switching into scan mode. The dull hum of my processors filled my head as I mapped the space. Three rooms detected. Attic access located at the end of the hallway. No signs of life present.

The first room to the left was the bathroom. My sensors swept the area quickly: No threats detected. Standard human hygiene products present.

—. Space clear.