Timeless[Soulmate AU][Five X Reader]

Chapter 6

"During extreme weather conditions, a climber must possess the wisdom to determine…" The record says before Mom rings the bell and the children come running down the stairs.

"Come on. Let's beat them to the dining room," Five says, holding Y/n's hand before spatial jumping them to the bottom of the stairs from his room.

"…when evacuation is inevitable. A controlled alpine descent begins with the girding of one's loins and the anchoring of the climbing rope to one's enemy, the mountain. The Dülfersitz rappel is the preferred method for descent when rope is the only available tool, but must be regraded as a last resort. Begin by looping the rope…"

"Sit," Their father said before the children took their seats.

"A screen anchor must be used if the rope is to be successfully retrieved from the face of the mountain. Tightly knot the ends of the rope. Once anchored, thread the doubled rope through the legs, front to back, and around the buttocks. It is of utmost importance that the rope be drawn under the gluteal muscles and not through the crevice between the gluteus. Proceed by holding the rope diagonally."

Luther and Allison were flirting through their eyes. Diego was busying carving something into his chair using his favourite knife—most likely his name.

Klaus was secretly getting high, his supply under the table. And Ben was reading as per usual. The recording was interrupted by Five slamming a knife down onto the table when he met his father's eyes as Y/n instinctively grabbed his hand from the fear.

"Number Five?" Reginald asked.

"I have a question," Five states.

"Knowledge is an admirable goal, but you know the rules. No talking during mealtimes. You are interrupting Herr Carlson," Reginald said as the record continued and Five pushed aside his plate.

"I want to time travel."

"No."

"But I'm ready. I've been practicing my spatial jumps, just like you said. See?" He asked, teleporting to his father's side.

"A spatial jump is trivial when compared to the unknowns of time travel. One is like sliding along the ice, the other is akin to descending blindly into the depths of the freezing water and reappearing as an acorn."

"Well, I don't get it," Five said.

"Hence the reason you're not ready," Reginald says as Vanya shakes her head at Five.

"I'm not afraid," He presses.

"Fear isn't the issue. The effects it might have on your body, even on your mind, are far too unpredictable. Now, I forbid you to talk about this anymore!" Reginald scolds before Five runs out the door. "Number Five! Number Eight! You haven't been excused. Come back here!"

"Five, wait!" Y/n yelled, running out the gate before he disappeared.

He didn't come back. Y/n stood and stayed rooted to her spot, her failure at keeping Five safe practically already eating at her.

Her tears fell and her body trembled as she made her way back home. She opened the door, immediately heading for the stairs and not wishing to continue lunch. The others immediately made their way to her.

"Where's Five?"

"Did you argue?"

"Is he alive?"

"What did he do to you?"

"What did you do to him?"

One look into her sad eyes and they knew their answer.

"He did it, didn't he?" Allison asks.

They didn't need any sign of answers from her. They knew it.

Five was always stubborn that way. Five had time travelled, and he wasn't coming back. Not for a long time, at least. She sniffled quietly before making her way to her room.

She entered her room, sitting on her bed and hugging her pillow before full on crying her eyes out.

Crying is strange, isn't it? We never wish to cry—even though it was supposedly healthy. The tears sting and the sadness eats at us, rotting away in our body.

There are times sadness affects us so much to where our heart seems to burn from the mental pain. Yet, despite all this, crying was a sign of being human. And crying over someone was proof that you loved them with all your heart.

Weird, isn't it? Crying hurts so bad, but shows that we are still human—Crying was like a bitter candy.

Present

"I survived on scraps. Canned food, cockroaches, anything I could find," Five chuckled. "You know that rumor that Twinkies have an endless shelf life? Well, it's total bullshit."

"I can't even imagine," Vanya says.

"You do whatever it takes to survive, or you die. So, we adapted. Whatever the world threw at us, we found a way to overcome it."

"We? You mean, Delores?" Y/n asked.

"You got anything stronger?" Five asked Vanya.

"You think I'm crazy," He says as he sips on rum.

"No," She says. "It's just… it's a lot to take in."

"Exactly what don't you understand?" Five asks.

"Why didn't you just time travel back?"

"Gee, I wish I thought of that," Five replies.

"Five," Y/n warned as he gave an apologetic look.

"Time travel is a crapshoot. I went into the ice and never acorn-ed. You think I didn't try everything to get back to my family? To get back to Y/n?"

"If you grew old there, you know, in the apocalypse, how come you still look like a kid? And why is Y/n a kid too?" Vanya asks.

Five scoffed. "I told you already. I must have got the equations wrong."

"I mean, Dad always used to say that time travel could mess up your mind… Well, maybe that's what happened?"

"This was a mistake. You're too young, too naïve to understand."

"No. Five… Five, wait! I haven't seen you in a long time, and I don't want to lose you again. That's all. And you know what, it's getting late, and… I have lessons early, and I need to sleep, and I'm sure you and Y/n do too. Here," She said, giving them a blanket. "We'll talk in the morning again. Okay? I promise. Night."

"Night," The two 'children' replied.