Five cursed under his breath as soon as we spotted the man blocking our path. Before I could even react, the man grabbed Five by his collar, attempting to slam him against the wall. But Five teleported just in time, vanishing from the man's grasp and reappearing a few feet away. The man, realizing Five had escaped, shifted his focus to me. My heart pounded as I backed away, but he was too quick. His fist connected with my face, sending me crashing into the wall and then onto the ground.

Dazed, I looked up to see him advancing toward me, a predatory look in his eyes. I tried to move, but my back hit the wall—I was trapped. Just as he raised his fist to strike again, Five reappeared behind him, kicking the back of his knee. The man stumbled, and I couldn't help but be shocked by Five's swift intervention.

"Y/n, leave!" Five shouted at me, his voice urgent.

I scrambled to my feet, bolting down the hallway toward the staircase. But before I could get far, the man grabbed Five and flipped him over, slamming him onto his back. I froze for a split second, torn between running and helping, but before I could decide, the man was on me, grabbing my coat and pinning me against the wall by my neck. I gasped, struggling for breath as his grip tightened, his cold eyes boring into mine.

Suddenly, Five appeared beside him, landing a solid punch to his face. The man stumbled back, releasing me, and I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. Five bent down, his face filled with concern. "Y/n, are you okay? Breathe."

I nodded weakly, trying to reassure him, but my throat burned with every breath. Before I could fully catch my breath, the man began to get up again. Five tried to teleport us out of there, but nothing happened.

"Five, blink us out of here!" I choked out, panic creeping into my voice.

"I can't!" he replied, frustration clear in his tone.

Before he could react, the man punched Five in the face, knocking him backward. I dodged out of the way, crawling to the other side of the hallway, desperate to put some distance between us. As I did, I saw Diego coming up the stairs, his eyes widening as he spotted me.

"Y/n?" Diego called out, his voice filled with confusion and concern.

"Diego!" I shouted, my voice hoarse. "Behind you!"

Diego turned just in time to see another man, similar to the one fighting Five, approaching from behind. Before Diego could defend himself, the man grabbed him, choking him by the staircase railing. Panic surged through me—I couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

Without thinking, I rushed toward them, jumping onto the back of the man strangling Diego. I wrapped my arms around his face, trying to block his vision. He released Diego, but began thrashing wildly, slamming me against the walls in an attempt to shake me off. Pain shot through my body as he rammed me into a doorframe, and I slid down, hitting the floor hard.

I winced, pain radiating through my back, but I pushed myself up, trying to get back on my feet. The hallway was a chaotic mess—Diego was struggling to catch his breath, Five was squaring off against the first man, and the second man was turning his attention back to me.

I watched in horror as Diego and the man tumbled down the staircase, locked in a vicious struggle. My mind screamed at me to do something, anything, to help. I was about to run down to them when I heard the distinct sound of a knife hitting the wall in the hallway behind me. I turned, heart pounding, and saw the other man, the one who had been fighting Five, standing over him, landing brutal blows. Five looked like he was barely holding on.

Desperation flooded through me. I spotted the knife that had been thrown and rushed over, yanking it out of the wall. Without thinking, I charged at the man attacking Five, plunging the knife into his neck. The man let out a strangled cry, releasing Five as he turned toward me, pulling the knife from his own neck. Blood gushed from the wound, but the look in his eyes was still terrifyingly focused on me.

I backed away, my breath coming in ragged gasps, but before he could come after me, Five lunged at him, tackling him to the ground. I glanced back at Diego, who was still grappling with the other man at the other end of the wall. They both seemed locked in a deadly embrace, each one trying to gain the upper hand.

Footsteps echoed on the staircase. I whipped around to see Lila coming up, her eyes quickly assessing the chaotic scene. Relief washed over me—until she did something I didn't expect.

"Lila! Do something!" I shouted, my voice cracking with fear and urgency.

She hesitated, her gaze flickering between Diego and Five. I watched in shock as she ignored Diego's pleas for help and instead rushed to Five, her decision made in an instant. My heart twisted in confusion and disbelief—why did she choose Five over Diego? I didn't have time to process it.

Lila's intervention gave me the window I needed. I ran down the end of the hall to Diego, who was still being choked by the man. With everything I had, I kicked the man's knee from the side, causing him to stumble and loosen his grip. Seizing the opportunity, I smashed his head against the wall. The sickening thud echoed in the hallway, and blood splattered the wall as the man crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

Breathing heavily, I bent down and helped Diego to his feet. "You alright?" I asked, my voice trembling with exhaustion and concern.

"Yeah," he coughed out, his voice raspy but steady.

I turned to check on Five and Lila, but they were gone. Panic rose in my chest. "Where are they?" I asked, my voice rising in pitch.

Diego didn't answer right away. Instead, he stared out a nearby window, his expression hardening as he muttered, "Dad."

It was the same man I'd seen earlier in the room with Five—the one they had been talking about. My heart sank as the realization hit me. "Come on!" Diego's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He grabbed my arm, and we both bolted down the staircase, racing through the hall as fast as our legs could carry us.

Me and Diego finally rushed outside, we stood next to Five and Lila, as they all look at car pulling away, leaving the party. Five watched as well as Diego. That was there dad.

—-

I watched the car drive away, feeling the weight of everything that had just happened pressing down on me. Five's voice cut through the silence, his usual sarcastic tone barely masking the frustration simmering beneath. "You know, I'm starting to get the feeling Dad's avoiding us."

Before I could respond, Lila chimed in, "Hate to be the boring one, guys, but uh, it's time to get the hell out of here. Come on, Y/n..." She started to walk off, expecting me to follow. But I couldn't. My feet felt glued to the ground, my body too drained to move.

Lila stopped when she realized I wasn't with her. "Y/n, come on..." She called out again, her voice softer, almost pleading.

Before I could make up my mind, Five stepped in, his tone firm. "No, she's staying with us."

Lila's eyes narrowed, her concern obvious as she pointed at my injuries. "You kidding? She's clearly hurt, and we need to help her."

Five's gaze hardened. "When you say 'we,' who exactly are you referring to?" he asked, his voice edged with suspicion.

"There wasn't a lot of ambiguity in that sentence," Lila added, trying to keep her voice.

"Listen," Five began, his voice dropping into a dangerous calm. "I don't know who you are or where you came from, but whatever it is, I'd advise you return posthaste."

Lila's expression shifted, irritation flashing across her features. "She's right, Five. We gotta get outta here," Diego cut in, his voice strained but urgent.

Lila's frustration boiled over. "I just saved your lives, you little shit. If I hadn't stepped in, you would've been dead, and all that would be left of you would be a blazer and bloody socks."

Five didn't back down, his gaze piercing. "And that's the problem. You're too good. You ask too many questions. You know too much. And you fight like you know exactly what you're doing."

Diego nodded in agreement, which took me by surprise. I looked at him, confused and a little hurt. "So, I can handle myself, and that makes me the bad guy?" Lila asked, her voice tinged with bitterness.

Five's gaze didn't waver. "Well, certainly when you chose to save my ass instead of getting Y/n out of there to safety," he said, his tone sharper than I'd ever heard it.

Lila seemed to falter, her eyes flicking between Five and me. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again, clearly conflicted.

Five took a step closer, his voice low and deadly serious. "Whoever you are, you're in our way. If I see you again or around Y/n, I will kill you."

He then grabbed my hand, his grip firm but gentle as he pulled me away. I glanced at Lila, feeling a little gilt within me. We walked away leaving her a Diego alone.

———

The drive back to my place was enveloped in a heavy silence. The tension from the night's events clung to us like a dense fog. The only sound was the low hum of the car engine and the occasional bump in the road that made me wince, reminding me of the bruises and cuts I'd sustained. Every time I glanced at Five, his expression was a mix of concentration and something unreadable. I wanted to say something, to break the silence, but the words seemed inadequate.

When we finally arrived home, the house was quiet except for the soft breathing of my dad and the man sleeping on the couch. They looked peaceful, completely unaware of the chaos that had transpired. I glanced at Five, trying to gauge his reaction to the sight of his brother.

"That's Luther, right?" I asked softly, trying to ease the silence.

Five nodded, his gaze fixed on the sleeping figures. "Yeah, that's him."

I turned back to Five, noticing the bruises on his face more clearly now. His lip was badly swollen, and there were darkening marks around his eyes. My heart ached seeing him like this. "Come on," I said, heading toward my room. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Five followed me silently, closing the door behind him once we were inside. I retrieved my small first-aid kit from the drawer and gestured for him to sit on my bed. He obeyed, but his eyes never left me. I opened the kit and took out a cotton ball, dabbing it with antiseptic before gently pressing it against his cut. His face was stoic, but his eyes were soft and focused on me.

"I should be the one taking care of your injuries," he said, glancing at the cut on my forehead.

"I'm fine," I replied, continuing to clean his wound. "You're the one who looks worse off."

He scoffed lightly, causing me to smile despite everything. There was a warmth in his expression that seemed to break through the tension. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, looking down at his lap.

I paused and met his gaze. "For what?" I asked, genuinely curious.

He looked uncomfortable, his voice barely a whisper. "I promised your dad I wouldn't let you come back with a wound on you."

The sincerity in his voice made my chest tighten. I continued to dab at his cut, trying to reassure him. "Hey, we're alive now. You did save me, after all."

He offered a small, rueful smile. "You pretty much saved me. That knife move was unexpected."

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "Well, I was pretty shaken up too. I've never done that to a person before," I admitted.

"You'll get used to it," he said, his smile growing a little. The way he looked at me made my heart flutter.

"There, all better," I said, putting the first-aid kit away. I looked up to see Five touching his lip, seemingly reassured by the treatment.

"Let me take care of you now," he said, gently taking my arm and guiding me back to sit on the bed. He carefully applied antiseptic to my forehead, his touch surprisingly gentle.

I couldn't help but notice how green his eyes were up close. "Your eyes are very green," I said softly, almost to myself.

He met my gaze, and for a moment, everything else seemed to disappear. His eyes were intense, and there was something vulnerable about them that drew me in. He leaned in slowly, and I found myself doing the same. Our lips met in a soft, tentative kiss that felt like a spark igniting. It was gentle but filled with an electric tension that made my heart race. I could feel the warmth of his hand as it cradled my jaw, and for a moment, it was as if the world outside ceased to exist.

When we finally pulled away, we just looked at each other, both of us breathless and flushed. The intensity of the kiss lingered between us, and I felt a lightness in my chest that I hadn't felt before. His smile was soft and genuine, and I couldn't help but return it.

"You should leave before my dad sees us," I said, trying to break the spell of the moment, though a part of me wished he didn't have to go.

He raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "You want me to leave?"

I shook my head, my smile widening. "No."

He leaned in again, and our lips met in another kiss. This one was deeper, more confident. The sensation was even more exhilarating than before, filling me with a sense of warmth and connection that I'd never experienced. Every touch, every brush of his lips against mine felt like it was meant to be.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing heavily, our foreheads resting against each other. The closeness, the intimacy of the moment, felt like a promise of something more, something beautiful amidst the chaos. Five's dimples appeared as he smiled at me, and I knew that despite the danger and uncertainty, this was a moment I would cherish.

———

The early morning light filtered through my curtains, casting a soft, golden glow across the room. I awoke slowly, feeling the gentle warmth of the sun on my face. As I stretched and yawned, my eyes fluttered open, and I looked over the edge of my bed to see Five still asleep on the floor. He told him he could stay in here, which his is respect he choose to lay on the ground. He was curled up beneath one of my blankets, with a pillow he had used propped under his head. His blazer was draped neatly over the headboard, and he had discarded it in favor of a more comfortable arrangement. The sight of him looking so peaceful and relaxed was endearing, a stark contrast to his usual sharp and aloof demeanor.

I couldn't help but smile at how serene he looked. Despite his tendency to be a smartass, he had an unexpectedly cute side when he was asleep. His messy hair and the way he was wrapped up in the blanket made him look almost vulnerable, and I found it oddly comforting.

I rubbed my eyes and was about to lay back down when I heard a knock on the door. My dad's voice drifted through, cheerful and slightly muffled.

"Y/n. Dear, I'm making breakfast. Are you hungry?"

Panic surged through me as I realized that I needed to keep Five hidden. I quickly scrambled out of bed and hurried to the door, opening it just enough to peek out. I tried to block the view of the room from my dad's perspective.

"Hi, Dad. Yeah, I-I will be out in a second," I said, hoping my voice didn't betray my anxiety.

"Okay. You alright?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"Yeah, perfect. Why do you ask?" I replied, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Well, you sounded a bit out of breath, and it seemed like you were trying to close the door quickly," he observed, his tone filled with fatherly concern.

I glanced nervously back at Five, hoping he hadn't heard our conversation. "You know... I'm just very tired from last night, that's all," I said, attempting to reassure him.

"Is it your time of the month, Y/n?" he asked, causing my face to flush bright red with embarrassment.

I stared at him, my mind racing. "Dad, what!" I exclaimed, horrified.

"I read a book once about dads raising girls, and these are some signs," he said matter-of-factly, as if this was a normal conversation.

I was mortified, especially at the thought of Five possibly overhearing. I turned back to my dad, desperately trying to regain my composure. "Dad, stop! It's not that! I'm just tired, that's all."

"Are you sure?" he pressed, though his tone was softening.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'll be out in a minute. I just need to get dressed," I said, hoping to end the conversation.

"Okay, hurry up. Your food will get cold," he said, turning to walk away. I quickly closed the door and leaned against it, taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart.

I turned to see Five stirring, a smile slowly spreading across his face as he woke up. "Get up. I know you're awake," I said, trying to sound nonchalant despite my lingering embarrassment.

Five stretched and sat up, his smirk returning. "How much did you hear?" I asked, feeling my face flush with color.

"Enough to know about the 'changes of womanhood,'" he said with a teasing grin.

I groaned, feeling a mix of irritation and embarrassment. "Ugh, shut up," I said, trying to hide my red face.

Five chuckled softly and stood up, straightening his blazer. I quickly gathered the blanket and pillow from the floor and placed them on my bed. "How did you sleep?" I asked, attempting to shift the topic away from the awkward conversation.

"Good. Thanks again for letting me crash here," he said, his tone sincere.

"Anytime," I replied, smiling warmly at him.

He walked over to me and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. The contact was tender and filled with a surprising warmth. I closed my eyes, savoring the moment, and when he pulled away, I looked up at him, feeling a rush of happiness and affection.

"I'll head out now and talk to my brothers about what's next," Five said, his voice soft but determined.

I nodded, a smile on my lips. "Okay. I'll join you soon. Just need to get ready."

He gave me one last, lingering look before blinking away. I stood there, feeling the warmth from his kiss linger on my skin. My heart raced as I touched the spot where his lips had been, savoring the memory of his tenderness.

As I got dressed, I replayed the morning's events in my mind. The way he had looked at me, the gentle kiss, and the genuine concern he had shown—all of it made me feel like I was standing on the edge of something new and exciting. I took a deep breath, readying myself for whatever the day would bring, knowing that whatever challenges lay ahead, I would face them with Five by my side.

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