—————༻☂︎︎༺—————
༻ Y/N'S POV ༺

The sharp knock at the academy doors echoed through the quiet space, cutting through the low hum of jazz still playing in the background. Five's head snapped toward the sound, and instinctively, so did mine. I started to rise, but before I could take a step, Five turned back to me, raising a hand to stop me.

"I'll get it," he said, grabbing his margarita as he stood, taking a casual sip before making his way to the door.

I watched him go, my fingers tightening slightly around the glass of water in my hands. I could already hear the faint murmur of voices, and it didn't take much effort to identify one of them.

Hazel.

Moments later, Five returned, and behind him, Hazel stepped into the room, his usual lumbering presence filling the space. As soon as his eyes landed on me, his expression flickered—recognition, maybe even surprise.

"You here to kill us?" Five asked, settling back onto his stool like they were discussing the weather.

Hazel scoffed. "Oh. Shit. Sorry. Old habits."

I studied him carefully as he shifted uncomfortably, glancing between us.

"Well, I can understand why both of you might feel that way," Hazel continued. "You know... history and all."

Five's jaw tensed slightly. "History like you and your scientist buddies trying to turn Y/n into a killer? Or maybe the time you attacked my family and kidnapped my brother?"

Hazel exhaled. "Look, there's not much I can do about the past. I'm not the only killer in this room." His eyes flicked between Five and me. "You both have your own bloody history. Speaking of which, that job you did in Calhoun—shit's legendary. Can't believe I'm actually sitting here talking to you after all—"

"I don't need the flattery, Hazel," Five cut in sharply. "Why are you here?"

Hazel shifted on his feet, hesitating. "Well, I'm—"

Before he could finish, a blur of movement shot past me, and suddenly, Diego was there. He didn't hesitate. In one swift motion, he kicked Hazel straight in the chest, sending him stumbling backward.

The fight broke out instantly. Diego moved fast, landing a hard hit to Hazel's jaw, but Hazel barely flinched before grabbing Diego by the arm and throwing him into the wall. I tensed, ready to intervene, but before I could move, Five reached out, pressing a firm hand against my arm.

"Not yet," he said, his tone almost amused as he lifted his glass to take another drink. "Let's see how this plays out."

I hesitated but nodded, sinking back into my seat as my optics tracked every movement.

Diego wasn't backing down. He lunged again, driving his knee into Hazel's stomach before grabbing him by the collar. Hazel grunted, pushing back with brute force, and the two struggled for dominance.

And then—Diego bit him.

I blinked.

Five sighed, exasperated, setting down his drink. In a blink, he teleported behind Diego, gripping a glass vase from the counter, and—without hesitation—smashed it over Diego's head.

Diego crumpled to the floor.

I immediately moved forward, kneeling beside him. My fingers pressed against his pulse point, feeling for any irregularities. A steady—if slightly sluggish—heartbeat thrummed beneath my touch.

"He's still alive," I confirmed.

Five nodded, adjusting his blazer as he stepped back. "Good. Y/n, take him out and leave him by the stairs."

I glanced at Five, then at Hazel, then back at Diego before nodding. Without another word, I grabbed Diego's ankles, lifting them just enough to drag his unconscious body across the floor. The sound of his heels scraping against the wood filled the silence as I pulled him out of the room, leaving Five alone with Hazel.

As I stepped out, I cast one last look over my shoulder. Five was already facing Hazel.

—————༻☂︎︎༺—————

I dragged Diego's unconscious body to the stairs, carefully lowering him until he was sitting upright against the railing. His head lolled slightly to the side, and I scanned him, my optics processing the faint rise and fall of his chest. His vitals were stable, but the cut on his forehead—from Five's rather forceful use of a vase—was still bleeding.

I extended my finger, the tip shifting mechanically as a small compartment opened, revealing a bio-spray applicator. With precision, I aimed it at the wound and released a fine mist of regenerative solution. The substance adhered quickly, beginning the rapid healing process as I focused on ensuring the application was even.

Once I finished, my finger retracted back to its normal state. I glanced down at my own arm, peeling away one of the spare bandages I had been given during my repairs. It was clean, unused, and new. Carefully, I pressed it against Diego's head, smoothing it into place with a gentle touch.

I studied his face for a moment. Even unconscious, there was tension in his features—like his body refused to fully relax, even in rest.

The faint sound of footsteps caught my attention, pulling me from my thoughts. I lifted my head just in time to see Hazel making his way toward the exit. He walked with purpose, but there was something almost... uncharacteristically solemn about his departure.

"It was nice seeing you, Hazel," I said, my voice even.

He stopped at the threshold, pausing before turning back to look at me. For a moment, he just studied me, his expression unreadable. Then, with a small nod, he took a step closer.

"It was nice seeing you too, Subject A-412."

I stared at him, the designation ringing in my mind—cold, impersonal. A relic of what I was before.

My fingers twitched slightly before I reached out, gripping his offered hand. My hold was firm, steady, intentional.

"Y/n," I corrected.

Hazel held my gaze for a beat before nodding again. "Y/n," he echoed.

With that, he released my hand, stepping back before finally turning away. I watched as he disappeared through the academy doors, leaving me alone with Diego's steady breathing.

As Hazel shut the academy's front doors behind him, I remained still, watching his figure disappear from sight. The room was quiet again—only the soft hum of my internal systems and the faint sound of Diego's breathing remained.

Then, a low groan broke the silence.

I turned my head, observing as Diego stirred, his face twisting in discomfort. His head tilted slightly, and I noticed the bandage I had placed on his forehead beginning to slip. Just as I reached out to adjust it, his hand shot up, gripping my arm tightly.

I didn't flinch. I didn't move. I only looked at him.

His eyes, still clouded with confusion, locked onto mine. "What are you doing?" His grip was firm, his body tense.

"Your bandage was beginning to fall off," I replied evenly. "If you keep still, I will place it back."

Diego blinked, still processing my words. His free hand reached up, fingertips brushing over the bandage. He frowned, clearly trying to piece together what had happened.

"What the hell..." he muttered, looking back at me. "You patched me up?"

Before I could answer, another voice cut through the air.

"She's still recovering from losing that arm, so I'd advise you let her go before you end up losing yours."

Diego and I both turned to see Five leaning against the bar, his drink in hand, watching the exchange with his usual calm detachment.

Diego's eyes flicked between us before he abruptly released my arm, pushing himself upright. His movements were still sluggish, but the moment he got his bearings, his expression hardened.

"Where is he?" Diego asked, his voice sharp.

I stood as well, adjusting my sweater sleeve over my repaired limb. Five took another sip of his drink, unbothered.

"I let him go," Five answered simply.

Diego snapped his gaze to him. "You what?"

He stormed toward Five, his frustration clear, but Five remained seated, unaffected. I followed quietly, stepping back toward the bar.

As the tension thickened between them, Five leaned back against the bar, unfazed by Diego's anger.

"Now that the apocalypse is over, it's time for the fighting to stop," Five said plainly, swirling what remained of his drink. "Hazel didn't kill Patch. His partner, Cha-Cha, did."

Diego's jaw clenched. "So what?"

Five and I both turned our attention to him, watching as he wrestled with the weight of his emotions.

"They were both there that night," Diego added, his voice low but firm.

Five exhaled through his nose, already anticipating Diego's resistance. "This half of the partnership gave me both of their guns. Which will clear you, because the ballistics will match Patch's crime scene." Five set his glass down and fixed Diego with a level stare. "Hazel came here looking for a way out. He wanted a fresh start. And he happened to have in his possession the only thing that could do our family a little good. So it's time to move on."

Diego scoffed, shaking his head. "Not a chance."

Five sighed, clearly done with the conversation. "Suit yourself." He stood, making his way toward the table where Dolores sat. Lifting her carefully, he turned back to Diego, an almost amused glint in his tired eyes.

"I am curious," Five said as he adjusted Dolores in his grip. "Your girlfriend, Patch—what did you like about her?"

Diego's face hardened for a moment, as if he didn't want to dignify the question with an answer. But after a beat, he relented. "A lot of things. Cute butt. Nice legs."

Five arched a brow. "Anything a little more profound than that?"

Diego's smirk faded, his expression turning solemn. "She believed in people. No matter how much shit and filth she saw on the streets, she always saw the good inside."

Five nodded slowly, considering his words. "Well," he said, tilting his head, "I'm sure she'd be proud to know that you're honoring her memory by hunting down Hazel and Cha-Cha for revenge."

Diego stiffened, his fingers twitching at his sides, but he didn't say anything. Five's words had landed exactly where he intended them to.

Silence settled between them, heavy and unspoken.

Five turned to me. "Let's go, Y/n."

I stood, my movements smooth and precise, and walked past Diego without a word. As I exited the room.

—————༻☂︎︎༺—————
༻ FIVE'S POV ༺

I was about to follow Y/n when Diego's grip caught my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

"Don't think you're so different," he muttered, voice low and sharp. "You and I both know if Y/n were in Patch's place, you'd burn the whole town down for her."

I didn't look at him. My gaze stayed on Y/n as she walked ahead, her movements smooth, calculated—still adjusting to the new parts of herself, still trying to figure out where she fit in a world that wasn't made for her.

Diego thought too small.

If someone tried to lay a finger on her, I wouldn't stop at a town.

I'd burn the entire world to the ground.

—————༻☂︎︎༺—————
༻ Y/N'S POV ༺

I stopped and turned as Five broke free from Diego's grip, walking toward me.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, my voice soft as I observed his movements.

"Fine," Five replied, his gaze locked on mine.

"What now?" I asked, the uncertainty clear in my voice.

Five looked down at Dolores in his hands, then back at me. "I think it's time to start new."

I nodded slowly, the idea settling in. "Right."

"Come on," he said, his voice steady, and I followed him upstairs, the quiet resolution between us more palpable than ever.

—————༻☂︎︎༺—————

Five and I walked through the town, the rhythmic sound of our footsteps echoing in the quiet morning air. He carried the duffel bag with Dolores inside, his plan clear: he was going to put her back where she belonged. I noticed the cars whizzing past, the faces of strangers who paid no attention to us as we moved through the streets.

When we reached the store, we stopped just outside the door. Five turned to me, his expression unreadable.

"You sure you want to stay out here?" he asked.

I nodded without hesitation. "It feels needed."

Five's gaze softened as he looked at me, understanding. "She's important to you. She was with you before the Commission. It seems right for you to say goodbye alone."

A small, gentle smile tugged at the corner of Five's lips. "I'll be back," he said, his voice steady, before stepping inside.

I stood there for a moment, watching the door close behind him, the weight of the moment settling in.

—————༻☂︎︎༺—————

I stood there, letting the evening settle around me. The sky was darkening, the fading light of the sun slipping behind the horizon. Streetlights flickered to life one by one, casting a soft glow over the pavement. The air was crisp, but it wasn't the cold that made me pause—it was the sound of a laugh.

I turned to see a couple, their voices light and carefree, laughing at something on her phone. They walked hand in hand, their fingers intertwined as they moved down the street. I watched them for a moment, how their steps matched, how natural their closeness seemed, how effortlessly they leaned into one another. A quiet yearning stirred inside me, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I glanced down at my hand, the emptiness where it should've been filled by something, someone, and I felt a pang.

They were gone before I could even blink. The warmth of their presence evaporated, but the thought lingered—what was that feeling? What was it that made the emptiness so sharp?

And then, as if the world had shifted, the door to the store opened, and I didn't have to turn to know it was him. Five. I felt him before I saw him—his presence, a quiet certainty in the chaotic world around me. He stepped out, and for a brief moment, the weight of everything else slipped away. I smiled, trying to push aside the thoughts swirling in my head.

"Feel better?" I asked, keeping my tone light.

"Much," Five answered, his voice steady, though there was a soft edge to it. Like something was lingering beneath the surface, something unsaid.

I glanced at his hand—just for a moment—and then back at him. Something in me reacted, almost instinctively. Without thinking, I reached out, my hand trembling slightly as it hovered between us. He looked at it, then back at me, his expression unreadable, but his eyes softened, understanding something unspoken between us.

Then, he smiled. It was small but warm, the kind that made my heart skip a beat. Without hesitation, he placed his hand in mine.

And in that moment, everything changed. My system, my thoughts—they all stopped. It wasn't just the warmth of his hand in mine, the closeness that seemed to hum with something undeniable. No, it was the feeling that radiated from him, from us. I felt his heartbeat—steady, strong, as if it echoed in sync with my own. My pulse quickened, and for the first time, I realized what that feeling was.

It was a sparks.

The sparks between us that no words could explain, no systems could calculate. It was real, raw, and it set something deep inside me ablaze. I didn't know what it meant, but I didn't need to. All that mattered was that in that instant, it was undeniable.

Five's fingers tightened around mine as we began to walk, side by side, like two pieces of a puzzle falling into place. The world around us seemed to disappear, fading into the background as we moved forward together, hand in hand. There was no question, no doubt.

A spark between us. And I had no idea what would come of it, but in that moment, I didn't care.

We kept walking, and everything felt like it was exactly where it needed to be.

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WORDS WRITTEN:
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