tacenda || f.hargreeves (0): A PREQUEL (COMPLETE)

Part 4: Formulas

~

(Fourteen Years Later)

"No, no," Nine mutters, squinting her eyes as she focused on the writings on the wall in front of her. Biting her lip, she taps the marker on her forehead and slightly tilted her head. "This doesn't seem right. It should be the opposite way, right?" She asked herself, sighing.

It has been exactly five hours since she's been calculating and retracing each of her equations. But, she still didn't get the right result she wanted. 'It's supposed to be in tact,' she thought to herself, 'Everything is supposed to be in tact, so what am I missing here?'

"Gosh, what am I doing wrong?" Nine groans.

"Nine?"

Nine turns around, and smiled. There stood her fiancé, Five with a confused look. His hair was a mess, indicating that he had just woken up from his sleep. His black beard was turning grey that matches a few strands of the hair still in tact on his head. He rubbed his right eye with his hand, yawning. "What are you doing?" He questioned, his voice greeting her with a deep rasp in it.

Nine turns her attention back at the wall behind her. She hums, "Well, I'm just trying to correct and retrace my equations. I'm still wondering why I'm getting the wrong one."

Five takes a few steps behind her, and snaked his arms around her waist. A small smile crept unto Nine's lips. It's been exactly 26 years and she had realized that Five had a mannerism on wrapping his arms around her, and he would always do it subconsciously. It all started when they were just young, even before having a crush on each other which Nine finds it cute. How he had so much confidence on doing so, still confuses her to this very day.

Five scans the wall, pursing his lips into a thin line. He clicks his tongue, "I don't see any mistakes here. Hmm..." He paused, resting his chin on her shoulder. He noticed a few erasures on a specific part of the wall, and similar formulas written besides it. He couldn't put a finger on which equation is which. He narrowed his eyes, "Did you try other formulas to solve it?"

"Yes, I did. Multiple times, actually. I always get the same results."

"Which is?"

"Losing a limb," Nine answers, sighing. Five hums, and buried his face on her neck. "I don't get why you're getting the wrong equations, sweetheart. I mean, there are a few confusing ones written but they are all correct. At least, that's what I see."

Nine taps a finger on her chin, "I don't think losing a limb is the right result, though. Maybe I got a sign wrong? Do you see anything?"

"No, I don't see anything."

Nine lets out a deep sigh, "Well, I'll just have to restart again." 

"Okay," Five simply replies, "But, I think we should get something to eat first. I'm hungry." Nine turns to face him, and laughs. Five gives her a wide grin before giving her a few pecks on her lips.

(cont.)

"How many do you want?"

"What?" Nine asked, taking a few bites from the can of beans they found not long ago. She turns her head towards Five, who seemed to be playing with his food. He clears his throat, "How many do you want?"

Nine tilts her head, "What do you mean?"

"Children,"

"Oh..." Nine mumbles, immediately turning red. She scans for his own reaction, and he seems to be blushing as well. It has been 14 years since Five had proposed to her, and they would always be shy to each other even if it's the smallest things. Nine chuckles, "Well, how many do you have in mind, Five?"

"Um, well..." Five whispers, his lips twitching upwards. He gave her a hopeful look, "Eight, maybe?"

Nine's eyes agape, "Eight?!"

Before Five gives out an explanation, Nine lets out a cheerful laugh as she hold her stomach with her hand, dropping the can of beans she had from before. Five's face reddens more, and he held his cheeks with his shaking hands. He begins to speak up, "I mean, since we're all eight, you know? Our siblings and us?"

"Christ, Five," Nine's laugh dies down, coughing. She clears her throat and wipes a few tears that had escaped her eyes. "You do know how hard it is to give birth, right? Just the thought of it scares me. I mean, sex and everything will be great and all, but giving birth? Sheesh. And you wanted eight? That's gotta be a lot harder for me than it is for you." She admits, cracking a smile at him as he gave her a pout.

Well, that was indeed, a fact. Nine shudders at the thought of giving birth. She's excited on making one with him, but she isn't really a fan of giving birth to one, let alone to eight babies. It was one of her biggest fears. That, and she wouldn't be able to do much when she's carrying a child in her for nine months. It was honestly so bizarre to her until now.

Five pressed his lips together in a thin line. "Well, yeah, I get that." Nine raises an eyebrow at him, "Why don't we tone it down a bit?"

"Um..." Five mutters, scrunching his eyebrows to think. Nine patiently awaits for his answer, and giggles. She finds it cute when he gets all flustered and confused, it's something she always admired from him. He would look less intimidating, as far as she could put it. Five hums, "Okay, what about two? Does that sound good to you?"

Nine scans his face, and could immediately tell that he was upset. The glint of hope in his eyes saddened as soon as those suggested words came out from his mouth. She understood his feelings, of course, and also respected it. But, somehow... It was giving her false hope. She sighs deeply, "It's bothering you, is it?"

Five shakes his head, "What? No, of course not! Why would you think that?"

"Do you seriously want to start a family with me?" Nine simply asked, her face turning into a stoic expression. Five's body tensed, his hands sweating, and he cringed. They haven't been sexually active for the past couple of years, and it has been killing him deep down inside. He knew that they both needed to wait for awhile until they found a solution to get out of the place they were in. But, Five was slowly having doubts with himself. They were both getting older and older as years pass by. Christ, they're 34 years old! Who knows if his buddy could still secrete healthy fluid if they ever have sex? Who knows if he could still get impregnate her?

Nine frowns at him. She knew exactly what his answer was, and could tell that he was hesitating to tell the truth. She knew he was afraid, and she was too. If they didn't get their formulas and equations correct, who knows if they'd still be together? What if one of them starts to bail? Or worse?

"You know what," Nine spoke up, startling him. She quickly stood up to her feet, "Don't answer that. I'll just get on with my equations, okay? I'll talk to you later."

Five stays silent as he watched her nod her head before warping away to leave him alone. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. How could he tell her the truth? Why didn't he just tell her the truth? Why is he such a coward when it comes to her?

"Ah, shit." He cursed to himself, "I really fucked up, didn't I?"

He drops his own can of food before also warping away, in hopes of finding his fiancée and apologizing to her.

~

A/N: I kinda have a cold. It sucks.