Title: Lucky Ones
Summary: Vanya is in for an unexpected visit and even more unexpected proposal.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
For Pomarome :)
Vanya woke up feeling lightheaded that morning momentarily wondering if she shouldn't call in sick to work. It wasn't something she did very often, but she was sure she wasn't completely okay and genuinely could allow herself a day off. She wasn't a slacker or anything. She could use a day off, right? Allison told her she should take care of herself more as she threw away some of her clothes during her last invasion of trying to become a better sister. Maybe it wasn't the worse of advice she ever received from her famous actress sister.
The brunette made it to the kitchen. She concluded that she needed a quick cup of coffee while she would make her decision. Maybe she needed more sleep or maybe she wasn't drinking enough water. It was definitely a possibility. Even Vanya herself had to admit, she didn't spend a lot of time taking care of herself or living a healthy lifestyle. She didn't have to energy, time for it, and necessary care for herself to follow through with such a thing.
When she heard the familiar sound of rapture in space, she sighed and picked up another cup from the cupboard. It had been seventeen years, but with that first jump he made when he came back, Vanya became once again familiar with Five's powers recognizing them whenever he decided to show up for an announced visit.
'I have a door you know,' she couldn't help but comment. She could feel a phantom smile crossing her face as Five was the only one from the family, Vanya ever allowed herself to be cheeky. Even if he argued with her afterward, she had a hidden feeling he liked it when she was like that more often than not pushing her into a situation, she would be regardless of her outburst and never retaliating the way he would with their other siblings. She would like to think it was a part of their special bond. One which they shared with each other and no one else. One which made them closer than with the others. One which she cherished and missed the most after he disappeared.
'You gave me a key,' came a voice which caused her to abruptly turn around knocking her elbow into the counter. The instant pain shot from the hurt spot, but Vanya didn't let out a single sound as she was too busy staring at the man in front of her.
She stood there in utter shock looking at the man in his early forties or late thirties with dark hair and even darker gaze standing in front of her in the middle of her living room areal in a nice suit.
What the heck?
Her shock and fright melted into confusion as her brain went into overdrive taking the man in. He wasn't as tall as Luther or Diego just tall enough to tower her (which wasn't all that hard given her 5'1 height status), his hair was raven dark with an occasional grey hair drawing her eyes toward them. His eyes, however, weren't dark by their color quite the opposite she realized, his eyes were a bright color even from the distance she could see it, but by their gaze, they seem extremely dark. It was compelling and confident revealing how much the man was in control. It made his face appear calculative and reserved almost cold to an outsider, but not to her.
What gave him away, in the end, was his posture. It was too straight, too impressive, and too forceful. He made it seem like this was how he always stood, straight with his hands behind his back like a professor or a leader would. And maybe it was true, but Vanya also knew it was something he learned by trying to imitate their father, their role model, their caretaker, and leader in order to appear just as great and powerful as him. It stuck to him, but it wasn't all it was.
'Five?' she asked softly even though she already lowered her guard recognizing him.
'Good,' he said his voice all grown-up, deep, authoritarian although all in all softer, kinder than she assumed it would be if it was anyone else, he was speaking with, 'it would have been annoying if I had to prove it to you that it was me.'
Vanya would have rolled her eyes or shake her head, but she was still puzzled by how was it that he looked like this. She wasn't complaining or being rude. He looked…nice and handsome, she was just curious and confused about it.
'What happened?' she asked wondering if she should come closer to him or not recalling the events of the past few days. He came back shortly after dad's death for his funeral, came to her apartment and got upset with her not believing his speech about the apocalypse, and then disappeared for several days leaving her worried and angry with him until he came back acting as nothing happened even apologizing for leaving and scaring her again.
He walked toward her, and Vanya would be a liar if she didn't feel a sudden pressure inside her stomach the closer the handsome older Five came to her, 'I told you I'm older than the rest of you,' his face hardened for a moment not necessary at her, but he was definitely angry about something that crossed his mind now, 'It was more than seventeen years for me, Vanya.'
She blinked recalling what he said in the kitchen, 'B-but you said you were fifty-eight. You…you look thirty-five?'
He glanced at his right hand leaving the left one still behind his back as he continued to walk closer to her, 'Close to forty. The calculations weren't perfect, but it was better than the alternative of waiting another five or six years while dealing with half-witted teenagers.'
Vanya allowed a small chuckle to escape her lips upon hearing the annoyance in his voice. No, he wouldn't be good with teenagers. He wasn't good with them when he was an actual teenager himself. Come to think of it, Five was always a grumpy old man even before he got old.
His face softened and a hint of a smirk appeared on it as he stepped closer again.
Suddenly she became very aware that she was dressed in her PJs and that Five was suddenly closer and very handsome.
Her stomach did a flip startling her with the sudden intensity and feeling she didn't feel in years.
She turned her back to him hoping to calm herself down and cut the strange tension that was slowly building itself around, 'I'm making coffee.'
She felt him rather than heard him make the final few steps until he was literally behind her. She tried to work adding coffee and sugar into her mug and no sugar just coffee into his. She wasn't sure why she was nervous all of a sudden and painfully self-aware. Maybe she missed a pill. She definitely didn't take one. Her lightheadedness was gone though as she had more pressing manners to deal with.
She licked her lips and hoped to swallow down the pressure and nervousness she was feeling blaming it on the lack of caffeine and Five's different appearance. It was just strange and new…not attractive or anything like that-well alright it was definitely attractive, but most importantly it was just new.
'So uh…how have you been? I-'
'I came to ask you something,' Five said cutting her off with a confident and quick voice and took her elbow just as she finished turning on the electric kettle.
She let him turn her around not sure how would she be able to stop him even if she could.
He was so close to her his body heat warmed her body and made her very aware that although he wasn't the tallest man ever, he was certainly taller than her. It caused her stomach to do another flip and almost made her bit her lower lip which she purposely ordered her teeth not to do right now as he would clearly see her doing it.
How come he was suddenly so attractive?
'Marry me,' he said and with his free hand which wasn't holding her arm probably as an assurance that she wouldn't run away, he pulled out a small black box which left little room for fake excuses of what could have been hiding inside.
'What?!' she asked once she managed to actually form words again. The whole scene so bizarre for a moment, she wasn't sure she wasn't still dreaming. She did feel lightheaded, and she never actually saw adult Five's face, so maybe this was a random handsome face her sleepy brain picked up off some nice-looking man on the street.
Did he actually say that? Did he actually ask her that?
That didn't seem right. It was a dream, right? It was a trick? Some part of his plan for whatever? This couldn't be-? He couldn't really mean-? He couldn't actually-?
She looked up from the box to his face feeling her heartbeat speeding up and her breathing almost as loud as the noise coming from the kettle.
'W-what?' she asked again just as shocked as the first time. She still had a problem wondering if it wasn't a dream. She still couldn't believe this was actually happening right now. That he really said what she thought she heard him say.
Needless to say, Vanya was an utter mess right now.
He gave her a look. For a moment he looked annoyed, but not in a way she was expecting an insult from him toward her just in general annoyed with the situation before his face softened completely which caused her chest to feel tight because he was incredibly handsome when he wasn't frowning in annoyance. She had seen his face this soft and almost kind the first time he showed up but unlike then now he didn't look sad. He looked happy as his lips pulled into a smirk that was so incredibly delicate, she would almost believe it was a smile if she wasn't so sure Five wasn't capable of those. Or was he?!
His chuckle was warm and wholesome, and it caught Vanya even more off guard enjoying the nice sound, 'I just asked you to marry me.'
'No, you didn't!' she said loudly in shock and because the kettle was too loud now finishing boiling up the water.
Five's smirk returned to its common shape, 'I didn't?'
'You didn't ask,' she said more softly now as the stupid machine finally turned off leaving the room in silence, so they were forced to only hear one another.
'Aha, I'm sorry, you're right, I didn't ask,' he said before she could even dare to say anything else or figure out what she wanted to say, 'Vanya, will you marry me?' he asked, and she shook her head, 'What-what is this?' she demanded wishing he would take a step back because her body was playing a prank on her with her elevated heart rate, breathing and the weird sensation in her stomach.
'A marriage proposal,' he deadpanned, and it was enough for her to snap her from her shock to shot him a glare, 'Don't make fun of me.'
She could tell he bit into his tongue to avoid another comment which would make her even more upset.
Her eyes fell from his stupidly handsome face to the small black box shaking her head, 'Why are you doing this? What does it mean?'
'I want to marry you,' he said simply, and she saw his shoulders moved in a nonchalant shrug. He looked calm. Not worried at all. Nothing like what would a man who was waiting for a woman to answer his marriage proposal would. This has to be a joke or some sort of a plan for something. Why wasn't he nervous?!
Because he was Five, and he was never nervous, but why was he doing this to her?
She shook her head feverishly, 'Why? Why on earth-'
'Because I love you,' his words were calm yet on point the way, Five usually was when he was talking about things which were facts.
Vanya snapped her head back up to his face upon hearing that quicker than ever before.
Five's smirk was soft again and his eyes revealed something, she often told herself she didn't see behind them growing up. Something which made her hard to breathe and think straight as a teenager wondering if it really would be so absolutely horrible if someone as ordinary as her would love someone amazing and extraordinary as Five.
'Why else?' he asked calmly while looking at her.
She was left in absolute speechless shock staring at him not sure what to say to that for a few seconds stunned by the fact that Five of all people said those words and to her, nevertheless. She was confused, shocked and her heart wasn't doing her any favors beating even faster than before by the sound of those words coming from his mouth.
'You make no sense,' she said carefully and slowly turning away from him grabbing the kettle to put the water into the coffee mugs she prepared when she thought it would be a simple morning with a short-lived visit from Five, and not this.
She heard him let out a long sigh probably from annoyance although his voice was surprisingly still calm as he asked, 'Why doesn't it make any sense?'
'Because you just showed up looking like-' my type, 'and asked me to marry you and that you-you…,' she spun around again looking at the box, 'Why? Why now?'
'I just came from the jewelry store. They open at 7,' he said with reason, she simply couldn't grasp in that very moment given everything that was happening.
She blinked and looked at the box again before she took in a deep breath wondering if her face was as red as she suspected with the blood rushing to her cheeks and her whole body going warm, 'Okay, why though?'
'I think we've been over this. As I said I love you,' he gave her a look which made her feel like an idiot and annoyed her enough to look away, 'No, but why? You've…. You were gone. You came back, and you came back and you didn't-you didn't say anything…'
His hand came to her face and brushed her cheek causing her to look at him again. His green eyes were gentle. More than ever. Almost the way she remembered them back when they were kids, and she would be sad by something the others told her or by what dad did or by just feeling alone. They always looked at her so gently. The others didn't believe Five could be soft. He was Five. The pragmatist. The one who was always in control and filled with confidence. He didn't do soft. But Vanya knew. She used to know him better. She used to think she knew him better than anyone. She liked his cocky nature. She admired it since she knew she could never be like that. But at the same time, she adored the moments he revealed he could be gentle especially with her since she felt no one was gentle with her like that not in a way that didn't mean they thought she was fragile but in a way that meant they cared about her, 'When I came back, I had to put on longs soaks and shorts. Would you prefer I asked you while still not having pubs?'
'Five!' she gasped, but before she could chastise him further the hand still pressed against her cheek stroke it lightly barely touching, but enough to make her forget her name for a second. It was electrifying when his fingers brushed her skin.
'I had to stop the apocalypse, remember?' his voice was calm when he asked her that his eyes still on hers.
She blinked not sure what to say, but he carried on seemingly not annoyed that she didn't reply, 'Besides wouldn't you reacted worse if I did it back then?'
She swallowed knowing he had a point, 'So you wanted to ask me-'
'I wanted to ask you for forty years,' he clarified with no shame or embarrassment about being so honest about his feelings. He was never ashamed. Confidence and being one of the favorite children would do that to a person, but he was rarely this open about his feelings for someone else. He cared of course she knew he did. But it was different to sense it with her own heart and to actually see it with her own eyes and hear it with her own ears.
'I was in love with you since before I knew what it meant,' his voice quiet down a bit and a pained look covered his face. He must have been recalling what happened to him. What actually happened to him because if he was here looking like this, he had to be telling the truth when he came the first time claiming he was alone in the future.
A shiver ran through her body cooling it down as she imagined it all again, him alone for decades, but just barely because the hand against her cheek and eyes gazing into hers were impossible to ignore and overcome.
'Once I finally understood my feelings it was too late, but I promised myself to ask you when I would come back and fix the timeline. Obviously, I needed to save the future if I wanted us to have any in the first place, and I planned to do it with you being the shorter one of the two of us.'
She would have made a remark about the last part, but the moment seemed too intense to be caught off by a joke of any kind. She was still stunned by his confession, but at least it made more sense now that he at least tried to offer some explanation.
She licked her lips instinctively, 'So you wanted to… all this time?'
It was still hard to accept that Five would have wanted this for such a long time. Yes, they cared for each other before he left, and maybe if he never left in the first place there could have been more between them. Sometimes Vanya imagined it if she was completely honest with herself. In her young girl's mind, she wondered if maybe she and Five couldn't leave the house one day and end up living together? They could have stayed just friends and adopted siblings. She wasn't brave enough to often allow her thoughts to wander into wild assumptions and possibilities. She liked to imagine they would be together. They were always easy to deal with one another. They were always close. She could practice her violin while Five would work on his equations. It would be nice. Perfect even. Maybe…maybe they would become even closer than just friends. Maybe they could be something more. She never thought of marriage. But maybe in the darkness and safety of her room growing up, she imagined they could be closer than they were back then. Maybe she even imagined them kissing and growing old together with the way a couple could…yes, those were her lovely innocent ideas for the future back then when she was just a child. But she never thought that Five would actually be interested in something like that. She never actually thought that Five would ask something like this of her. She never even dreamed of him saying that he…that he loved her.
She should have shot it down. This was hardly the time for irrational decisions based on-what exactly? A crazy thought about an end of the world? They were adults and rational people, they couldn't just act like this. People didn't just get married overnight like this. Even people who were close. Even people where one of them was a handsome childhood crush who looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world-and he needed to stop looking at her like that and allow her to think.
This was insane.
'Yes,' he said and sighed not annoyed but a bit irritated, 'so will you marry me? I feel like I repeated myself enough already.'
She looked away again feeling her face was on fire her thoughts and feelings running wild causing everything inside her to spin around with them, 'You can't just uh…ask me that out of the blue.'
He was quiet for a moment, but then she felt his hand force her face back toward him which caused her to look at him biting her lip again trying to come up with a good enough excuse why this was a stupid and crazy idea, and he should admit so himself, apologize and leave.
Well, maybe not leave since she already made him a cup of coffee, but at least call the whole thing off.
Right?!
To her absolute shock, Five didn't look annoyed anymore as he smirked in a predatory and dark way that definitely caused most of the heat inside her body to float toward one particular body part.
'You didn't say no,' he said like the devil himself his eyes dancing with amusement the same way his smirk was screaming trouble.
'No!' she said quickly and loudly but not violently more like she was being hysterical than defensive.
He sighed losing some of the amusement before he raised his eyebrows, 'Do you really want to say no, or did you just say it because I told you that you didn't?'
She tried to remain her composure or get her composure since she was sure she was shaking and Five could see right through her, 'I don't know.'
This was insane. They shouldn't even be talking about it. This wasn't something people talk about the way they were right now.
She reached out and touched her chest. It was in no way good for her to feel this warm and for her heart to be beating this fast. She was pretty sure of it.
Five smiled a bit, and now she could tell for sure it was a smile. He smiled at her. It shouldn't cause her to feel so stupidly pleased, but it did, 'Would you like to see the ring?'
Her eyes snapped to the tiny black box again which he was still holding out for her, 'I didn't say yes.'
'No reason for that to be an obligation to have a look,' he said and let go of her face which helped her to breathe a bit lighter while still haunted by what he said and did. Not to mention the lack of touch caused a momentary disappointment to arise from inside her chest.
She tried to tell herself she should snap out of it, but it didn't appear her body was listening to her demands.
When he opened the box, Vanya was sure she fell through a black hole into another universe where all of this was normal and should have happened all along and made perfect sense.
The ring…was magnificent.
She wasn't a material person. Not really. She grew up in a house that had everything and yet nothing. The only thing she actually cared for was her violin. She carried that philosophy through most of her life. In her modest apartment wasn't a single valuable thing she would regret losing except for the violin. She didn't buy expensive things whatsoever.
But this ring….
This stupid ring, she had no doubt costed a fortune, was absolutely breathtaking and brilliant, and Vanya couldn't help her mind wander into a dark place where it let out a small secret thought she should never even joke about especially since this whole situation was crazy and not the way it should have been at all, and most likely would backfire any second now.
It's mine.
She didn't realize she was holding her breath until she gasped when Five spoke again, 'Try it on.'
She looked up at him. He looked so confident and pleased with himself. She had no doubt he planned this. He knew the ring was perfect, and she would love it, and it would make her wonder and question her life and every decision and his stupid proposal and-
He took the ring out of the small black box and grabbed a hold of her wrist.
Her fingers were already spread so it would be easier for him to put the ring on. It was so beautiful. Vanya felt like a stranger to herself. She never thought of things that way. They were things. They could be pretty. They could spark adoration and liking, but not this level of affection. She shouldn't feel weak in her knees as Five's hand carefully set the piece of jewelry on her finger like it always belonged there.
'It suits you,' said Five's voice which was dark and alluring, and Vanya briefly wondered if he didn't poison the ring with some love potion because she didn't think she ever heard a more hot and nice voice than Five's.
'Do you like it?' he asked, and she looked up at him shaking all over the more he spoke, 'I picked it up especially with you in mind.'
His eyes were honest, and she wanted to touch his face so badly it was almost painful that she didn't, 'I saw it before. On a job for this…organization. Back in the nineties. I always dreamed I would make it home. Back to you. But the more time passed it became hard to stick to it. It was hard to stay hopeful. When I saw this ring, I started to hope again and wonder. I told myself if everything went the way it should, and we would have a shot, I would go back for it and give it to you. It made me think of you,' his thumb stroked the ring and her fingers, 'It was almost like I was looking into your soul when I look at it. Like I could almost picture it. All kind and lonely. A bit bitter, but with enough love to save anyone who needed to even if they didn't deserve or ask for it. Like you. Pretty crazy, don't you think?' he asked looking into her eyes causing everything inside her to shift off balance. She never heard Five spoke like that. She never heard anyone speak like that. She never had anyone speak like that about her.
'I love it,' she said softly still hypnotized by his eyes. Still captured in the moment and the feelings and everything in between feeling everything she ever felt for him the love, the longing, the sadness mix into this wonderfully thrilling and scary feeling only to mold back into love.
'I love you,' she admitted feeling in her heart that it was the truth even after all those years. Even after him leaving her twice without a goodbye. It was just. It would always be the truth. It was painful and cruel, but it was her fate to always love him no matter who they were, no matter how long they were separated, no matter what would happen next. It was just the way it was and always would have been between them, and Vanya was tired of pretending and denying it. Of denying something good for herself.
Five took a hold of the back of her neck gently nuzzling it with his fingers while looking down at her with an excited look on his face, 'Will you marry me?'
'Yes,' she said before his lips touched her in a soft but longing kiss revealing just how much he was holding himself back for her benefit. It was warm almost burning yet Vanya found her hands taking a hold of his shoulders and her fingers digging into the fabric of his clothes as she allowed the heat to take her like a wave. She was defenseless against its strength not that she wanted to fight that all that much. She submitted to the way Five tilted her head exploring her mouth with his own completely and happily enjoying every second of it. Five was always better in taking the lead, and Vanya didn't mind it one bit if he would continue to make her feel this good. His lips weren't as soft as some of the other people she kissed, but the firmness was a welcome change and further added to the fact that Five's kiss would always stand out from all her past ones not just by the feelings of heavy and wonderful first falling in love.
When they broke the kiss, she felt lighthearted for a completely different reason.
She broke the kiss so they could breathe for a moment. Their faces were close. Still touching at least with her cheek against his chin, her eyelashes tickling him as they moved, 'But I want dates first…and dinner, and all those-'
'Okay,' he said and kissed her again this time somehow even more intensely and brutally making her forget everything she wanted to say her head spinning in the enchanting delirium of Five's lips skillfully ruining her with every single move.
When he broke the kiss, she was pretty sure she must have been dreaming because nothing in her life ever made her feel as good as this little kiss did, 'whatever you want, dear wife.'
She chuckled before they kissed again. Her hands flew around his neck as he pressed her harder against the counter the coffee long forgotten which in Five's case meant a lot.
Both of them let themselves fall through the backdoor of dull reality into the wonderful feeling of each other lips and touches pulling themselves closer and closer until they knocked one of the mugs.
'Shit,' she let out breathless not even realizing when did Five sat her up on the counter until she was forced to hop down and go find some kitchen towel to wipe the mess while Five unbuttoned his jacket.
He didn't seem that interested in helping her until he was suddenly behind her taking her hand in his and licking the side of her palm, 'Five!'
'Leave it for now,' he said already spinning her around not that she was protesting too hard already dropping the towel and forgetting all about the second cup ready for another kiss as she put her arms around his neck, 'Since when do you don't care about your precious coffee? I'm pretty sure you once rather let Luther cut his finger than to put the mug down.'
'Different situation,' he said and leaned down toward her again, 'My wife is the only thing more important than coffee.'
She giggled just as his mouth pressed against hers which caused their faces to shake a bit. It was a nice feeling one that caused the lustful heat to shift into adoring warm again. It appeared to be a constant battle inside her not that she minded all that much.
She stole a glance of the back of her palm behind Five's face, mainly of her ring finger and the ring that was now proudly placed on it. She still found it bizarre, but decided that if it was a dream, she should get the most of it before she would wake up to some harsh reality, 'Lucky me.'
Five's lips pressed tenderly against her forehead for a longing moment before he looked down at her again. His green eyes adding to the look of happiness his smile already brought up from his face, 'I'm the lucky one.'
With that, he kissed her again, and not even close for the last time.
Koniec
A.N: Merry Christmas :) This is a Secret Santa fic for Pomarome :) I hope you enjoy it. :D It wasn't dark or very angsty since it's Christmas, and I wasn't in the mood for it. You mentioned in your prompt that you would want them to imagine their future together so I thought a marriage proposal would be nice. Everyone else thank you for reading and the support :) Stay safe and take care. Have a nice day :)