THROUGH TIME & SPACE ★ FIVE HARGREEVES X READER

CH. XVI

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RUN BOY RUN

"yes, we're both stuck in the same boat,
the world doesn't seem to get us though"

2019

A BOY STOOD IMPATIENTLY WITH a hand in his left jacket pocket and another holding a prosthetic eyeball in his other, rolling the object around in between his fingers. The building he was standing in was painted a perfect titanium white — almost blinding him — as a majority of the walls were nothing but clear glass panes overviewing the city from above.

Five had been waiting for a while now, and he was starting to get sick of it. It didn't help that he had to be there alone. If only (Y/N) had following him to MERITECH that morning...

A man wearing a white doctor's suit strutted out of his office, walking towards the reception desk, but caught sight of the young boy, who had refused to take a seat, in the lobby. Looking back and forth between him and the receptionist, the doctor said, "can I help you?"

Five turned around, finally glad to have someone to get this task over with but didn't show it. Holding up the eyeball, he said, "I need to know who this belongs to."

"Where did you get that?"

"Why do you care?" He snapped back at the man, before realising his mistake and keeping his cool. "I... I found it... at a playground, actually. Must have just..." he clicked his tongue, "popped out."

The doctor didn't seem very convinced with the boy's story, but let him continue.

"I want to return it to its rightful owner."

"What a thoughtful young man." The receptionist sitting behind the counter had been listening to the interaction and smiled brightly at the two of them.

"Yeah. Look up the name for me, will ya?" Five pressed his lips together tightly to form a smile.

"I'm sorry, but patient records are strictly confidential." The doctor said, "that means I can't tell you—"

"Yeah, I know what it means."

"But I tell you what I can do." The man tried to desperately not to lash out at this rude, young boy thinking he could speak to whoever he wanted however he wanted. "I will take the eye off your hands and return it to your owner. I'm sure he or she will be very grateful, so if I can just—"

When the doctor tried to take the eye, Five moved his hand away from him. "Yeah, you're not touching this eye."

Well, that was enough.

"Now, you listen here, young man—"

"No! You listen to me, asshole." Five, making a great feat, grabbed the man by the collar of his white doctor's coat and yanked him down to his own eye level. "I've come a long way for this, through some shit your pea brain couldn't even comprehend, so just give me the information I need, and I'll be on my merry way." He said with his lips curling up into a venomous smile, "and if you call me 'young man' one more time, I'm going to put your head through that damn wall."

"Oh dear..." the receptionist said with her eyes glued on the boy, left arm slowly reaching for the telephone.

"Call security," the doctor said shakily. The woman gladly did so, quickly speed-dialling the number for help with her free hand.