Promise [Number 5 X Reader]

- Prepare For Trouble -

"It's a really long story, Five," you answered as gently as possible, resulting in a slight strain in your voice. "Unfortunately, I don't really have the time to delve into all of that . . . There's someone who really needs to talk to you."

Reaching out behind you, your fingertips brushed against the blazer sleeve you were looking for as the owner of said sleeve stepped out from behind a pillar to stand beside you. "Long time, no see," the smaller Five said sarcastically.

XxX

The tension at the small table the four of you sat around was so thick you doubted even Vanya would've been able to cut through it.

You and Luther were both awkwardly sipping drinks while the two Fives were busy glaring daggers at each other. It was like they were trying to see who could glare a hole into the other one first.

"This has been going on for what feels like an hour. Can one of you say something?" you pleaded, taking a sip from your glass.

"Okay," started Commission Five. "Someone tell me how I'm here in a pub with my younger self?"

"Actually, I'm older by two weeks," Teen Five snarked.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Right before Kennedy gets shot, you run from the Commission," the brunette Five explained. "I know that even decades after (Y/n) died, we still worried about everyone at the Academy." You could feel both of them glance at you while you stared down awkwardly at your drink. "You jump forward - on your own - to 2019. However, in the process you fumble a calculation and end up in the body you see in front of you."

"So what do I do to fix it?" the mustached man asked.

"The first jump resulted in this because of a miscalculation," your Five said slowly. "I know where I went wrong. I need you to do the jump right this time around." You looked over at him a bit curiously, but he didn't meet your gaze as he was preoccupied meeting the other Five's stare. "In return, you have to give me the briefcase you were given for this mission."

"So you go back to 2019 in the right body," Luther explained cheerfully, "and we get the case that's pretty much useless to you!"

"No paradox, our timeline continues as usual, no new problems."

The middle-aged Five glanced between the three of us silently. He visibly gulped before stating slowly, "This is . . . a lot to process, even for me."

The teen-aged Five let out a long breath. "Do we have a deal, or not?"

Across the table, the other version of himself worked his jaw in thought. "I need to use the facilities." Without any other words, he stood up from the table and walked away - taking the case with him.

Luther reached with a napkin to dab at your Five's forehead with a grin, "I think that went smoothly, how about you, (Y/n)?"

Before you could comment on how Five was trembling, he growled, "I don't trust that guy. At all."

You shared a look with Luther across the table, both of you thinking the same thought: Stage Five. You both smothered smiles at the coincidence.

A few moments later, Luther excused himself as well, heading in the same direction the other Five had. A tapping directed your attention to the lean brunette beside you. His leg was shaking in big, rapid movements, while his index finger was hitting the table anxiously.