Man on the Moon
Touch starved.
He was touch starved.
Winnie and Five had laid down in the back of the van, awaiting dawn to (nicely) confront Lance the doctor/suspect. They had a good 4 hours to catch up on some sleep before then.
It was 2 hours into the night when Winnie had her realization.
Fives head rested heavily on her chest, with and arm wrapped across her waist for comfort. He was so peaceful and calm. Without such stressful and strenuous thoughts weighing down his every action, Winnie finally saw the boy she fell in love with all those years ago.
And with that, she started to recognize some very innate differences. Not like the obvious differences when he was awake like his cold, off-put personality or his general ease with the world. Not anything superficial, either, like his clothes or height.
No, the fundamental differences.
Five- never used to hold her like that when he slept.
He never used to crane into her touch, when she went to brush his hair. And he most definitely, never used to shutter like he lost his breath, when Winnie tried to move.
Winnie gently took her hand to his cheek and rubbed the soft skin of his temple. Five breathed in... and sighed contently, sinking a little more into Winnie. His arm tightened around her waist.
Oh no oh no oh no. Winnie felt her her heart spike as she thought this over. Five. Her Five. So many years without her, or anyone that could touch him like that. Oh no. So many years. Oh god.
(Why was getting shot at so much easier than figuring out how badly her loved one hurt?)
Sure, she knew he was a little messed up from not having anyone around growing up. He was weird. Withdrawn, even. It wasn't hard to see!
This... was. Touch Starvation. Easily hidden beneath her own need to touch him. Easily buried in the back of the closet where the rest of his skeletons sat.
Five used to sleep on his back, Winnie thought. Always insisted on it. Logistically, he'd once told her, it was the best way to sleep. But they both knew it was because Winnie liked to nap on his chest during their lazy Sundays.
Winnie rubbed his cheek gently once more, and again he subconsciously shifted toward it. Winnie felt her breath catch in her throat.
He was starved. Oh god, what cruel fates would deny basic comfort to someone like Five? He was starved.
Winnie didn't know she was crying until her tears fell hotly off her face, leaving cold trails in their place. She didn't know she was sobbing, either, until she had to muffle the sound. Both of her hands were brought up to cover her mouth.
Her Dad was dead. Her siblings were fighting, and trying to kill her Mom. She was being hunted down by killer mascots. Oh yeah, and the world could possibly end in few days.
But Winnie Hargreeves, with all her stress... she cried for Five.
Five woke up with a start, and quickly pulled himself up and to the side of Winnie. He scanned her for a moment wordlessly, stopping to look at her watery blue eyes.
"Whats wrong dear?" He asked in a low voice, still dazed from lack of sleep. He reached over her and delicately wiped off a tear from her opposite cheek.
It only made Winnie cry harder. His eyes widened and he went to pull away, like he hurt her, but Winnie caught his hand. She clasped both her hands around his and breathed a soggy breath.
"I wa- wasnt there for you." Winnie warbled out. Her chest shook from a sob and her lip quivered traitorously. Five only blinked.
"In the- the apocalypse! I wasnt there!" Winnie forced out, tears streaming freely down her cheeks. Her nails lightly dug into Fives hand. "And now your starved."
Five was a genius by anyones standards. He was an Einstein. A Tesla! His mind was revolutionary, and could tackle any complex problem he could put his mind too. There wasn't an equation he couldn't crack! He was brilliant!
But Five was also a boy. So forgive him if this strange awakening was one mystery he couldn't crack immediately.
"What?" He asked. Winnie sucked in a breath and cried some more about 'touches'. It wasn't particularly coherent at that point though.
"Hey, hey. Im fine. Im fine, Winnie." Five took his hand back from her, and caught her chin between his fingers.
Her tear filled eyes settled on his, and he found out that there was something terribly primal within him that just then- threatened to peak out.
He did not want Winnie to look at him like that ever again. So much sorrow. So much anguish. Five had a very specific set of skills, and every one them he would utilize for her in that very moment.
"I was- wasnt there for you though." Winnie hiccuped after a moment of his reassurance.
Five raised a cynical, confused brow, "And?"
Winnie pouted childishly and poked his cheek. "And it hurt you. Like- like Changed you."
"Broke me?" Five interpreted. He finally caught on to what she had suddenly began crying about. His beautiful eyes softened and a crooked grin took over his features, almost guilty looking.
He thought he could get away with his chronic contact hunger. A hidden flaw, almost like a scar. Something he wasn't proud of, and could easily be kept secret and undiscovered. It was going well too...
But, god, it always felt so good when she touched him.
It was only a matter of time before she caught on how deprived he was. How utterly debilitating it left him at some moments. His subconscious yearned for it, even when he was deep asleep.
Five rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and shrugged truthfully "Its nothing really you could have prevented."
Winnie hiccuped again, "But to have it so bad-"
"-To have it so bad is merely the product of my past circumstances, and not because of you." Five whispered firmly.
His words rung in her head. She mulled them over, tasted them. Product of a past circumstance, huh? What a very Five way to say that.
Silence rose as she thought.
And then fell again within a few sleepy minutes.
Because Winnie had decided something, whilst thinking over Fives exhausted but logical words. She had decided that yes, Five had suffered awfully during the apocalypse without touch, and yes there really was nothing she could have done about it.
So finally, by that means, she decided that he would never suffer the lack of touch again.
She and Five stared at each other through the veil of the night. His was a touch more anxious than hers, as he had no idea what to expect. Winnie didn't cry often, so it left him rather worried.
"Come back and hold me Five." Winnie said softly.
It took less than a second for Five to fall back onto her and pull her close.
She could feel his breath steady and he relaxed back into his life. Relaxed back into her, with a heavy arm and a heavy head but a soaring heart.
Winnie dried her useless tears. Honestly... the lack of sleep and underlying pressure to save the world was getting for her;
(She almost forgot that she had a lifetime of touches to cure him.)
Not to mention her war declaration from his department store kiss...
Winnie wiped away her tears and held Five just a tightly as he held her. She breathed in his coffee stained scent, and felt her sadness and fears melt away.
Yes, it seemed Winnie had jumped the metaphorical gun, as it was very clear that Five would receive many kisses and touches in his future.
**
"Who carries a dog like that!"
"It is strange."
"Its terrible!"
Winnie pouted and crossed her arms on her spot atop of Fives lap. Five had his head comfortably rested on her shoulder and hands on her hips, as they both viewed a somewhat 'controversial' sight.
Lance the doctor/suspect carried his dog under his arm as he walked across the street. The couple were waiting until he was fully in the car, first, to ambush him.
"I like dogs! I think you should treat them as creatures, not accessories." Winnie said indignantly.
"Do you want a dog?" Five asked, without lifting his eyes from Lance as he walked.
Winnie looked up and then said quietly, "Yes. Yes, I do."
Fives eyes drifted for a second to the see the profile of Winnies face. The subtle curve of her nose to the full fan of her eyelashes- she was so cute. He was a lucky, lucky boy. He tucked his head into the cradle of her shoulder.
"Lets get one then."
Winnie felt a warm fuzzy feeling ignite in her stomach. She squealed excitedly and a giant goofy grin stretched across her face. She wiggled happily for a moment before Five held her firm, reminding her that she was still atop his lap. She just pressed a big kiss to his face in response.
"I love you." She said with closed eyes. She couldn't wait to save the world now, a wonderful future was ahead.
Five felt strength in her words. He always felt a hundred times more confident in himself whenever Winnie was with him. She built him up, and made him better.
"And I, you." Five said, then paused to look back over her shoulder. "Lance is in his car. Shall we?"
Winnie hummed her agreement and laced her fingers with his. He hesitated in that moment though, and Winnie shot him a questioning look.
"Did you want to do the confrontation? It was your idea." He gestured vaguely to the knife dangled loosely in his free hand. The same knife she had dug excitedly from the Vans hidden depths.
"And miss you handling a knife in such a... striking way?" Winnies eyes shined, "Never."
Five raised an interested eyebrow. Then, the couple disappeared in a swirl of neon blue energy.
When they reappeared, Winnie was settled in the back seat of the car with a doggy right beside her. Five was up front in the passengers seat, waiting for the moment their driver, Lance, would turn his head.
"Oh Jesus!" Lance cried. Once more, it was not Jesus.
Five pulled his knife quickly, and settled it against the soft part of Lances throat. Winnie bit her lip as Five steeled himself in his position.
"One chance. Thats all you've got." Five spat. "One chance to tell me exactly whats going on in that lab."
"I-I manufacture prosthetic devices to fake patients." Sputtered Lance quickly. He held his breath and stared down at the blade.
"Mmhmm. Keep going." Winnie encouraged sweetly from the back. The doggy licked her cheek and she cooed at it. Lance shuttered.
"I bill the insured companies and then sell them for cash on the black market." He added meekly.
"Including eyeballs?" Five asked.
"Ye-ah. They're my best seller. They sell like hotcakes. Ive got a list, a waiting list, probably 20 buyers."
"So the serial number I told you." Fives jaw clenched and his lips formed in a scowl. The Doctor felt a chill run up his spine but he had to respond.
"..could have already been bought, yes.."
Five practically growled his next words, "I need that list Lance. Names and numbers and I need it now!"
"I dont have it." Lance shook his head, "Not on me! Its- its at the lab."
Winnie shifted forward in her seat and popped her head right next to Five. She used her pointed finger to press the knife a little harder into Lances throat. The man felt it just barely nick his skin.
"So the obvious next step would be?" She teased childishly. Fives eyes flickered with amusement and Lance had never felt more terrified.
"D-drive t-the car?" He stuttered in unabashed terror. Wicked teenagers. The both of them. Why were they always so at ease?
"Bingo Daddio." Winnie flopped backwards into her seat. Lance hurriedly started the car.
"Give the dog a bone." Five commented in a smooth manner. The dog in the back woofed and Winnie cooed once more.
**
Lance... was a terrible driver under pressure. Winnie almost felt sick from his sudden nervous stops and anxious accelerations. He zoomed past no less than three total red lights and several yellows. Of course the knife at his thigh and blonde to his back couldn't have helped much.
When they arrived, they found a shocking sight;
The entire building was in flames!
"Oh my god!" Winnie shrieked and ran out of the car.
Five and Lance, with the knife back at his gullet, ran after her. Though it quickly became apparent Lance couldn't keep up with the spritely children and was left in the dust. Winnie was much more important than the hostage.
"Dont get too close!" Five yelled after her.
Winnie stopped at the enterance of the building. Heat radiated off of the walls and singed the air around her. She clenched her fists at her sides as she stared upwards at the flames.
"No! No!" Winnie cried. The eyes! The list! Why did this happen?
Something strung harshly in her. Her vision kaleidoscoped suddenly and viciously, like the future was suddenly... switched. She need to paint something- anything! Someone changed the future.
For whatever it entailed, important details were then ripped from their place in time. Better or worse, Winnie certainly couldn't tell. Not ever.
She was stuck in a painful trance- a type she had only bared once before when Reginald Hargreeves purposely made her disobey one of her predictions. It felt like the universe was strangling her for it.
She had only broken out of the trance last time with help, and very lucky for her; that help just happened to travel with her.
"Winnie!" Five yelled, and grabbed her arms. Winnies head rung, but her eyes at least softened with his touch and she could almost see her surroundings again.
"Get back!" He continued and tried to drag her further away.
He was too late though. The building exploded. The couple was blown several feet into the air, crashing down to the fiery ground. Ash and rubble showered their bodies.
"Five!"
"Winnie!"