Not Quite Yet ~ Number Five x reader

1 - We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals - Part 4

17 years ago,

"Nietzsche once said, 'man is as a rope, strechted between the animal and the superhuman. A rope over an abyss. It is a dangerous crossing, a dangerous looking-back, a dangerous trembling and halting.'"

There they all stood, at the bottom of the stairs in their green jumpsuits, waiting for the signal to start running. Their father stood at the top, scribbled something down in his notepad and threw a look to Vanya, who was standing next to him in her uniform. She blew the whistle, as the seven children took off at a fast pace up the seemingly countless amounts of steps.

"As much as you must strive for individual greatness, and strive you must, for it won't come to you of its own accord."

Y/N held a steady rhythm, being just behind Diego at the front, feeling pushes in the back as Luther caught up to them.

"You must also remember, that there is no individual stronger than the collective."

Five spatial jumped up the steps, gaining an unfair advantage on his siblings.

"That's not fair! Five's cheating!" Diego protested.

"He adapted."

Y/N swung around the banister, sprinting up the stairs. If he could cheat and get away with it. So can she. She lifted her hand and pulled him back to the landing beside her, hitting him off the wall in the process. He left out a quiet yell of pain as he crashed against it.

"That's what you get for cheating." Y/N announced as she took the lead.

"I adapted!" He objected.

"So did I!"

-

"The ties that bind you together, make you stronger than you are alone."

She winced slightly as the excess ink splattered on her wrist. The needles dug into her skin and a quick rate, leaving no breaks to relieve the pain. Her hatred towards her father grew immensely. As if he wasn't bad enough, he's now branding them. That's all it was, not a tattoo, a branding.

"They will make you impervious to the pain, and hardship the world will thrust upon you."

Y/N was one of the first to get her tattoo done, the pain had died down a bit as she sat there emotionlessly, watching Diego get his tattoo done while Klaus was conforting Allison.

"And believe me when I tell you, life will be hard. It will be painful."

Five continuously shifted nervously in his seat, a worried expression on his face. Y/N stood up and walked over to him. Placing her hands on his shoulders.

"I'm gonna be blunt, Five, it hurts, a lot. But the pain dies down after a few minutes. Plus, it's easier to get it over and done with right?"

He nodded.

"Look at me, I'm fine. You will be too. I promise, it's not AS bad as it looks. Ok?"

Five responded with a weak smile, taking the girls words into account.

The H/C haired girl looked past Five and onto the stairs, noticing Vanya standing there with a marker in her hand.

"Promise." She said finally to Five as she walked over to the brown haired girl.

"Want me to draw it for you? It's gonna be hard trying to draw it yourself." The girl just looked at her in silence. "Trust me. It's a lot less painful than this shit." She held up her tattoo that was still raw and red.