RUN BOY RUN- reader x Five Hargreeves

Part Ten

The taxi screeched to a halt, and we hopped out, approaching the store's locked door. Five suddenly grabbed my hand and leaped through the entrance. "Uh, Five?" I said skeptically. "Why are we here?" The store was pitch black, save for the glaring red exit signs. He dashed over to a bin and retrieved a flashlight, handing one to me. He led the way, venturing deeper into the shadows while I followed like a lost puppy. As we walked down an aisle of jeans, we stumbled upon a cluster of mannequins. He paused, letting out a sigh. "Delores," he murmured. Oh, this must be Delores. "I'll give you two a minute," I said, stepping away to examine the jeans. Suddenly, the door swung open, and two armed figures entered, their guns pointed directly at me. "No!" Five shouted, diving to pull me out of harm's way. I looked up at him, biting my lip as we scrambled for cover. The mannequins seemed to come to life, their voices clamoring around us. We crawled back behind them, and Five snatched the top half of Delores, glancing at the shooters with an expression of dread. "Oh shit, it's them," he mumbled. "Friends of yours?" I gasped, breathless from the adrenaline. "More or less," he replied, his eyes fixated on Delores. "Hold her and stay put," he instructed before leaping toward one of the masked intruders. "Wait, Five!" I called after him, glancing down at the mannequin. "Sorry, honey, but duty calls," I said, gently setting Delores down. I approached the other assailant from behind and swept their legs out from under them. Using my powers, I pulled a piece of the ceiling down, crashing it onto them. Five quickly jumped back to my side, grabbing my waist before leaping again to retrieve Delores. We sprinted through the aisles, dodging gunfire. When I ducked into a toy aisle, I shouted over my shoulder, "Now might be a good time to jump us to the Academy or out of the store!" He nodded but hesitated, trying to activate his powers. "What the hell is taking so long?" I yelled, panic rising in my chest. "Ugh, I'm too tired!" he groaned. "We have to find another way out." I stood up, but the light from the guns swung toward me. 

They aimed, and just as they were about to shout, the blare of police sirens pierced the air. Seizing the opportunity, I dropped down, pulling Five and Delores behind the counter for cover. I breathed heavily, glancing at Five, who looked between Delores and me. He reached for my hand, but I quickly withdrew it. His expression fell, but he clutched Delores close. Once we found a way out, we sneaked through the back. As we emerged, Five started walking toward the Academy, but I took a different route. "Hey, where are you going? The house is this way," he called, pointing in the direction he was headed. I remained silent, pushing forward. He grabbed my hand, but I ripped it from his grip. "Come on, let's go home," he said gently. "I'm not going home—not with you. Not after I almost risked my life for a freaking mannequin!" I shot back, turning away from him. He looked offended. "Don't talk about her like that," he said, anger creeping into his voice. "Why not? She's just a hunk of plastic. I can say whatever I want because she doesn't have feelings—unlike me, who is actually quite hurt by what just happened! Do I mean anything to you? Did I just disappear when you went into the future?" I yelled, frustration bubbling over. "Yes. I mean no. I mean, come home, Y/n. We can talk about this," he pleaded, taking a step closer. I scooted back, shaking my head. "No, please. I don't want to get in between you and your loved one," I said, turning toward the city gardens, a place I often went to calm down. As I walked away, I felt the weight of everything pressing down on me, desperately needing to find solace.

Switch to Five's pov

I stepped into the house, Y/n's words echoing in my mind. What have I done? The one person I came home for was hurt—and hurt badly. Tears welled in my eyes as my thoughts turned to her, the weight of my guilt heavy on my chest. Dragging my feet up the stairs, I felt sluggish and defeated. At the top, I found Allison and Luther waiting for me, concern etched on their faces. "Five? What the hell happened? And where is Y/n?" Allison asked, her voice laced with worry. I looked down, unable to meet their gaze. I didn't even know where she was. "Are you okay?" Luther pressed, reaching for my shoulder. "There's nothing you can do," I replied, brushing past them as I made my way to my room. "There's nothing any of you can do." I trudged down the hallway, but Allison's voice called out, halting me in my tracks. "Five!" I turned to face her, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Where is Y/n?" she demanded again. "She ran off. I don't know," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. With that, I finally reached my room and sank onto the bed, the world around me fading into darkness. Suddenly, I was transported back to that devastating day I had jumped into the future. 

I stood amidst the chaos, surrounded by ash and bodies strewn across the ground. My eyes darted to Luther, who clutched an eye in his hand, the horror of our situation sinking in. I scanned the area, my heart racing as I spotted the lifeless forms of my siblings—Allison, Klaus, and the others—each one a painful reminder of our loss. Except for Vanya. Then I saw her. No, no. Not Y/n. She can't be gone. The thought shattered something inside me. I rushed to her, cradling her lifeless body in my arms. "No. Y/n, please let this be a joke. I need you now. More than ever. Please," I pleaded, my voice breaking as I rocked her gently back and forth. "I love you, Y/n," I whispered, pressing my lips against hers, desperate for a miracle. But there was no response—only the crushing weight of grief as I cried for her, my heart shattering into a million pieces. The memory consumed me, and I found myself back in my room, tears streaming down my face. I buried my head in my hands, replaying the moment over and over, haunted by the fear of losing her. How could I let this happen? I needed to find her and make things right before it was too late.