Vanya checked herself in the mirror one last time before she went to the door. She decided early on that she wouldn't butcher her feet with heels she didn't even know how to properly walk and wouldn't make her that high anyway, and stick with silver and black flats.

She picked those based on Allison's idea that she should wear the black dress, she gave her for her birthday. She hadn't wore it yet and with how slightly guilty she felt about not telling Allison who she was going to dinner with it seemed like a perfect choice. Well, not dinner, a date.

She knew they would have to tell their siblings at some point. They spent time with them and actually cared for one another unlike last time, but both of them just sort of agreed that they wanted to enjoy the honeymoon period while it last because once their siblings would get into it, there would be no rest for the wicked. She loved them, but...they were still family. And apart from the trauma and destructive uprising they all had there was also the whole dynamic and their personal behaviour. They were just family. Everyone loved their families, but no one wanted them to meddle in their relationships.

There should be something strange about calling dinner with someone you share a bed with a date. If you live together and everyone thinks your his wife dinner at a restaurant shouldn't be really a date, it should be just a dinner between two people who are in a relationship.

And yet as Five put his hand on her cheek as he stepped out of the shower that morning whipping out the toothpaste from her face with his wet thumb like the was the most casual thing in the world and asked her for a date, she felt flushed like a schoolgirl and not a 2x adult who have pretty much been living and in a relationship with Five for what felt like ages now.

Funny, how that works.

Before the whole wife thing, Vanya's brain didn't even caught on to the fact that all of those little things between them and what they did could be interpreted as something more than just siblings affection or friendship, now she couldn't help, but wonder if all those times they were doing things like that they weren't secrets signs of how much they cared for one another as humans, as lovers even.

Now they were living together and spending time together filled with kisses and touches and touches, and all she could think about was that they could have been doing this from the start. It should feel strange to love Five someone who she grew up with and called brother like it meant something, but it didn't. It just felt like loving and caring for someone for possibly the first time ever because the moment they kissed it was like she was never kissed before. Like all those other kisses didn't matter in the great scheme of her and Five finally being together. To her absolute shock the moment, she woke up after their first night together with Five's arms around her and their fingers entwined, she realized she was never in love like this before. It was never so wonderful and adoring and nerves wrecking like this before. She never felt like she wanted to spend every minute with him even after she was already living with him, walking to and from work with him and even going to lunch with him. She just felt greedily wanting more time with him, more him knowing from the possessive way he held her or how he kept on touching her every her all over all the time, he felt he same.

This was love, Vanya realized after she watched him sleep looking completely ravished from the previous night, yet peaceful and satisfied in his sleep. This was what real love was. When you felt like you couldn't breathe without the person and everything was so intense and yet so soft you were worried it would break between your fingers like leaves of a butterfly.

This is love.

As she walked outside her apartment, she rarely spent time over the past few weeks that she was in Five's, she couldn't help but subconsciously fixed her hair trying to hide the awful reddish mark on her neck as best as she could.

When she first noticed it the other morning, she flipped out a bit on Five, who looked more than amused enjoying every second as she tried to put some makeup over it only to realize the stupid hickey was still visible.

'What are we thirteen?' she demanded feeling embarrassed and frustrated, that she would have to go to work looking like a vampire without teeth tried to have some fun with her, as she feverishly tried to cover the red mark.

Five stepped behind her and hugged her, that traitor, knowing that would work on her, smoothing her anger, 'I didn't get to do that when we were thirteen.'

He pressed his lips against the shell of her ear making her giggle but also feel very hot all over, 'I'm making up for lost time.'

She rolled her eyes at that, but she couldn't hide the fact that she was enjoying the whole thing just as much as he was. And by thing she meant their relationship, not the hickey.

Five was waiting for her outside.

Despite telling him she would come to his apartment on her own, he always wanted to walk her everywhere. Even before they started this, Five liked to know her routines making sure she always had someone to walk with her never going anywhere alone. Usually, he himself took that role. It was ridiculous a little. He saw her end the world and knew that if she wanted she could tear up anyone who would even look at her funny. A feminist part of her she was growing during her second growing up was a little bit annoyed with such behaviour from him, but the whole rest of her thought it was kind of sweet in a way, that she knew he cared for her and felt like he could breathe easier if he knew she was safe. Five was always protective of her even when they were kids, real kids, when he came back, she was sure whatever connection they had was long lost between her loneliness and his life in the post-apocalypse world. However, once they all went back in time, it was like he grew even more attached and protective almost to the point of obsession. She noticed how he watched her now. Even before, it was like he always needed to know where she was constantly having his eyes on her. At first she was worried it was because he didn't trust her and her powers, but as she learned control it was clear it was just his way feeling and acting toward her. She accepted it, and in return made sure he was alright, always checking up on him if he wasn't working himself too hard or ignoring common needs because he was forgetting he was in the world which was safe and alive again. They took care of one another like that.

As she took the last step toward him he turned around his mouth open looking like he wanted to say something, but the moment his eyes fully took her in, he was left mouth open wide just looking at her like she stole his voice, or breath, or manners or the ability to properly think. She had to admit, she didn't mind such a reaction one bit.

'Thank you,' she said feeling a bit busted on the confidence.

He coughed a bit finding his voice, 'I didn't say anything.'

'Oh, it was implied by the doe caught in the car lights look,' she said smartly earning a chuckle and Five to shake his head. He didn't even look annoyed with her comment just smiled, 'You look...beautiful.'

She couldn't help the wide smile which pushed itself at her face, 'Thank you. You cleaned up nicely too.'

He offered her his arm, and she took it as they walked to the already waiting cab for them.

The restaurant looked lovely and the waiter was very polite talking to the both of them and advising them on the choice of desert. It was a nice affair as they talked and ate. It was definitely the nicest date Vanya ever had which was a bit sad come to think of it, but she didn't see it that way. Somehow even all the bad past experience were good for one thing. They made every second with Five all the more wonderful.

At one point, however, Vanya couldn't help, but noticed a woman by the table one place over looking at them and, she blinked confused.

'What?' asked Five and turned around as well before he let out a sigh and waved at the woman.

Vanya watched the woman, 'You know her?'

'The dean's wife,' he said sounding a bit annoyed, just as the woman in her maybe late sixties waved back and stood up walking to them, 'I thought you looked familiar, my dear.'

Vanya smiled now briefly remembering the woman from several events, 'Yes, hello, how are you?'

'Oh, excellent, we're just here for our forty-one year anniversary. We're so glad we're passed the previous year. We prefer the more private event. What about you two? Are we by any chance sharing the date?'

Vanya smiled at her and looked over at Five, who looked a bit strangely tense at the woman, 'Just dinner.'

'Ah, well, it's still nice to have time for dinners and dates even after you tie the knot. You can't let the spark fade, you know?' said the woman, and Vanya couldn't help but felt a bit cringy after those words.

The woman talked a bit about marriage in general, and Vanya could tell by Five's unimpressed face, he was moments from telling her to leave them.

'Perhaps, we could go on coffee sometimes,' said Vanya suddenly shutting the woman up. She practically threw herself to the wolves, but it was better than for Five to be the wolf and eat this woman alive.

'Maybe next week?' offered Vanya quickly so the woman would take the bait.

'Oh, well, sounds lovely,' she touched Five's arm, 'Your wife is adorable.'

She looked back at Vanya, 'We'll get in touch then and talk more. Enjoy your evening,' she said as goodbye as she left.

Five turned to look at Vanya, 'I'm not gonna lie. It was very bold of you, but also very stupid.'

'But I thought that was the Hargreeves' family motto,' she said pretending to be serious earning a chuckle from Five although she could see something was on his mind now.

Their evening afterwards was a bit silent one. Vanya couldn't help, but wonder what did dean's wife say which caused him to act like this. Maybe because she touched his arm? Five wasn't big on touches from strangers. Vanya witnessed more than once how quickly he could flinch from someone's touch. Never from her though. She was a bit hesitated when they first started to get physical with each other, but it was obvious Five was completely at ease and opened to any touch from her.

They went straight to his place afterwards, even though they spoke about taking a walk before they were interrupted. It was clear the air was a bit tense now.

Vanya easily got out of her dress and into her PJs. Neither of them felt for any late night activities after the dinner date, and Five's silent behaviour. She usually saw him like this when he got too much into his work and equations tuning the rest of the world out, but now he wasn't holding a chalk and writing, he was just slowly undressing himself giving her short answers whenever she asked something.

They laid down and both turned off the lights at each side. For a moment, it felt to Vanya as if they really were married, but instead of a happy couple they were after a fight knowing neither of them could leave because they were married and they had to stay in one bed.

But the thing was they weren't really married.

'Should I go to my place?' she asked softly into the dark. It didn't feel right to call it home. Her home was here with Five, but if he was like this she didn't feel like she was home honestly.

The bed immediately shifted as Five sat up looking started by the simple idea that she would leave. Well, him being worried about her leaving had to mean they were still good in some way, 'What?'

'You're acting strange. Did something happen?' she asked sitting up as well the only light coming from the partly open curtains of the bedroom window which was letting the moonlight in.

Five was silent for a moment, and Vanya couldn't help feeling like her heart was ready to jump out of her chest from the worry and anticipation of what he would say.

'I'm a bit scared,' confessed Five suddenly, 'No, not even scared just...I love you, and I guess, I got a bit overwhelmed when she started to talk about them having been together for so long and realized that I didn't say it yet.'

Vanya felt warm creep into her cheeks like she was a crushing teen, 'I love you too.'

She took his hand into hers, 'Is that what this was about? That you didn't say it yet? You know you didn't have to. You already said it in so many ways.' It was true. She felt the love in the way, he pulled her close into his embrace, pressing kisses into her hair, in the way he kissed her causing her knees to go weak, or in the way he laid her down taking her so softly and with care like no one ever did.

'Not really. It was about when she started to talk about it all, about their anniversary, and kids...,' he said and Vanya blinked surprised since this was the first time Five ever mentioned the topic. Apart from Claire, Vanya used to think Five didn't like kids at all.

'And then she started to ask us, and I felt so weird because well at this point we were acting like it was a sealed deal. Like we just accepted that everyone thought we were married so we were like okay we're married, and that's actually alright. I really like it because I think I would go insane if I had to go around courting you and wonder what's on your mind and how do you feel about me and...I have been doing it for two hours today and it seriously sucked.'

Vanya couldn't help a chuckle, 'Courting? How old are you again?'

'You know how old I am,' he said now sounding a bit annoyed that she was teasing him before she smooth his frustration with her lips against his in a soft and tender kiss, 'Five, you're rambling. Just tell me what you're trying to say, please.'

He sighed and brushed her hair lovingly, 'What I'm trying to say is...I want to marry you for real.'

She titled her head, 'Like in a church or city hall or -'

'Or on a boat, wherever. I...don't make fun of this.'

'I'm not!' she defended herself and pressed a hand against her chest, 'I'm just...surprised a bit. I honestly half thought we would just act like we're already married forever.'

'Me too, but after hearing dean's wife talk today, I don't want people to just think you're my wife,' he brought her hand to his and kissed the back of it lovingly, 'I want them to know you're my wife.'

Vanya watched him for a moment before she said, 'It didn't sound like a question.'

She heard the relieved sigh escaping from his lips, 'Vanya, will you do me the honour of being my wife? For real not just for my co-workers and people in our dinner and my landlord and the cab driver-'

She cut him off with a kiss letting her fingers curl around his hair before she leaned away, 'Yes, Five, I will be honoured to be your wife.'

He put his hand on the back of her neck and brought her closer kissing her forehead in the most sweet and caring and intense way all together, 'I love you so much, Vanya.'

'I love you too.'

When they kissed again, meeting one another half way, it was clear they weren't too tired for a little bit of late night activities after all.

A.N: Thank you all for reading and supporting this. It means a lot. Final chapter will be up tomorrow. If you want leave some feedback. :)