The Christmas Proposal [Five Hargreeves]

chapter 17 - nice but confused feelings

The shop was full of different things, Y/n really liked old stuff. There was a lamp that looked like a flower and a wardrobe with paws as legs.
"Hey look at-" She started but when she looked at her future husband he was intrigued into looking at this green sage shelf, with leaves in relief painted white and gold, filled with tomes and leather covered books. "Of course" she thought as she looked at him caressing the back of the books reading attentively at the names and authors. Her boss was passionate about books, of course he was going to take a look as soon as he saw books.

She stood there looking at him like she always did at work, Five was a ruthless person that rarely showed a softer side, yet when he was in the privacy of his office, he would let go slightly while reading books, while checking the amount or the summaries she'd write down, he'd have this expressions he wouldn't usually make and she was probably the only one to notice so. She smiled slightly happy that finally he was a little calmer than the rest of the time they have spent here.

He picked out a book, a little poof of dust following, who knows how long this books have been sitting there.
"Do we have a Temples of warriors from Hunter McKeny at the office?" He asked turning around slowly, fast reading the short summery on the back of the book. He looked up catching her already looking at him, she pulled a smile trying to cover the fact she was staring and shook her head.
"I am not really sure, I don't think I even know the book." She said walking closer leaning a little in his personal bubble to read what he had read. Five looked at her doing so, their shoulders touching, her scent faint but present. Did she use the shampoo of the house? She'd usually smell like peaches and not like mango.

"Wow!! I know this book, I've read a bunch of references. We definitely don't have this at work." She said softly taking the hold of the book, her cold fingers on his warmer ones as she did so.
"Sorry." She had felt the difference in temperature just like he had and hoped it didn't bother him. He didn't know if he should have said that he was fine with it... or anything else. Thankfully the owner of the shop came back ending the window of possibility for him to reply to Y/n.

"Have you found something of your liking?" She asked as she walked behind the counter towards an old looking register. Y/n smiled at woman as her and Five walked closer.

———

As the two of them walked out, the woman called with a cheerful voice. "Beware of the mistletoes."
And the door closed beside them with a soft thud, in the mean time it started snowing slightly. As Five was looking up at the snow falling you checked the bag to make sure the book wouldn't get wet.
"Let's hope it doesn't get ruined, it would be a shame," She mumbled as she closed the bag on it-self making it look like an amazon package. Five glanced at her work scoffing a slight laugh.
"Hey! I'm doing my best over here. What are you doing?" She whined looking up at him.
"I'm buying you everything." He smirked as she snapped her head away like a offended child but with a smile, were they playing a little? It felt nice. Five almost chuckled but he was still in control of himself to not do so.
"Let's just go home now." Y/n puffed as she resumed her normal behavior, no more faking being offended.

"Y/N, Five!" Grace voice was graceful even when screaming, from down the road Five's mother, Allison and Klaus were walking up to them.
"Look a mistletoe" on cue the two soon-to-be fake spouses looked up spotting what Klaus was yelling about, a green mistletoe, with red and gold ribbons, right over them. The two looked at each other in hesitation, they weren't used to the kissing and cuddling yet, and technically will never have to be, but they could not do nothing in that situation... They could feel the gaze of the three family members expecting the two of them to just passionately but elegantly kiss each other.

"We have to..." She mumbled as she hoped she could know what Five was thinking, only if she could really read his mind she would now that strangely Five wasn't too contrary to the idea. He held her side pulling her a little closer, the action a little unexpected as he kissed her first without a word. She wasn't prepared to physical contact, she wasn't ready for him to give in so easily without a forced expression or something similar.
Her response was late as he was already detaching himself from the soft contact, she pulled him back, the intention and the action non able to be stopped and they kissed again, lips on lips. It wasn't like the kiss in the house when they first got there. That one was light and frankly really fast. This one was present, she could fell the softness of his lips and how cold they were, much like hers, She could feel his grip tightened on her side as she held on his jacket.
Whistles broke the magic of it, the realization of the length they were kissing for hitting them. They detached slowly really conscious of their positions and who was looking at them.

"You two are adorable." Grace squealed as she rubbed the shoulder of her son, Five glanced at her softly as a warning to not start her usual mom stuff and she chuckled knowing exactly what he meant.
"We have to steal your bride, is dress time." Y/n eyes widened as Grace said that and she looked at Five like she didn't want to do that. No she really didn't like trying clothes with other people, she could go get a dress by herself, Have her drama moment where she would swear at herself or praise herself without anyone else watching. Her hand was lightly holding on the side of his jacket still and even if he couldn't read her properly he got the hint that she wasn't comfortable. This being the first time she ever appeared so.

"I think I should come along," He said looking at his mother that was ready to go against it. "I know you are all about traditions Mom but I know Y/n taste better than anyone here."
Grace closed her mouth pensive, she wanted to do things according to Y/n's likes so what Five was saying was logical, who better than the future husband to help the bride pick up the dress?
"Come on Mom, is 2023, They are not getting married in a church either." Allison backed his brother up as she understood Y/n's actions.
"They have probably bedded and done a lot of other things that aren't traditional." Klaus whined holding himself the tightest he could, the man was feeling the coldest ever.

"Thank you..." Five gratitude wasn't real gratitude, it was laced with a spike of irritation about the unneeded implication of their private life.
"I suppose it's fine, if the bride is fine with it." Y/n nodded at the woman with a relieved face. The group gave them a big umbrella and together they walked on the streets towards the tailor shop.

Walking had never been so stressful for Y/n, she was holding on her boss arm but felt like it was too close and that he surely felt uncomfortable at the touch, yet it wasn't like she could be sure about it because obviously when Five was in discomfort he showed it with his posture or little creasing on his face but right now he looked fine... or maybe he was just pulling a better show because his family would read him more easily then the CEO of their company... she didn't know what to think.
"You are squeezing my arm, love." He said as he looked down at her catching her a little of guard with the nickname.
"Sorry..." She mumbled letting go completely of his arm and looking forward. He gazed at her a little longer wondering why she let go, but his assistance had proven to be a wildcard various times before so he just gulped in the uncharacteristically feeling of liking her touch and looked forward too hopping the day would end soon.

As the group of 5 walked in a shop they were greeted with two tailors, one older and the other pretty young. Grace was not going to waste time, as everyone got rid of their jackets she informed the two women about the trying of bride dresses. It felt like easter because the two got pretty excited about it, Y/n could figure that probably half of the village never expected for Five to get married to anyone.
"Ok sweetie, we'll pick some dresses and see whatever suits you better, obviously we will only take it in account if you like it." The older woman with a sweet voice explained the process holding her hand and pulling her around with Grace and Klaus. Y/n was pleading with her eyes to his fake fiancée but he also was under watch of someone, Allison standing beside him looking at the scene with amusement.

"She really is not liking this isn't she?" Asked Allison with a slight laugh, her brother smiled finding funny too that she was so distressed about the dress, more then she was with the whole actual situation.
"She is just really dramatic." And he wasn't lying, there was no occasion where she wouldn't put up a show, most of the times it would be intentional, but it was just how she was also in normal situations, it was her personality.
"I'm surprised, you coming home with a chick you work with, she is the complete opposite of you, she bursts joy from every pore and you are just the bringer of realism as she seems to be leaving in a idealistic thought of the world," Five hummed thinking about her words. "Honestly? We all thought you were coming back to ask Dolores to marry you, when we read about the marriage with someone else we were all surprised."

At that he remembered about the talk he had with Y/n the night before, her voice hushed telling him that she basically thought he could change, that he had changed. She would be the first one to thinks so and she was basically no one in his life.

"That's because none of you ever met someone like her before."