[✓] 𝐼𝑁𝑇𝐸𝑅𝐿𝑈𝐷𝐸 | 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒

𝐟𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧. 𝑎 𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘

Word count: 2225

1963

𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 stood in the alleyway just outside of Elliott's place, turned to face the street as they waited.

Five held a plastic bag tightly in his right hand, picking at the blood that was caked between his skin and nails with the other hand.

The plastic bag that he held was filled about halfway with water that they had stolen from a nearby table at the inn (was it really stealing if no one would even care? Yes?). Swimming around in the 'borrowed' water was the goldfish, whose life they had spared, and who had been unattached from the rest of his human body.

Valerie frowned as her eyes drifted over the boy next to her. Blood was splattered onto him from head to toe, staining both his skin and uniform. He was clearly lost in his thoughts as he chewed on his lower lip and stared at his bloodied fingernails, his grip unconsciously tightening and untightening on the plastic bag every now and then.

His eyes flickered from his nails to her face as he noticed her stare, and he raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"Just . . . ," she mumbled as she took a step closer to him and lifted his chin. She used the sleeve of her blazer and began to gently rub the blood off of his face, not minding as the blue became redder and redder.

Five gazed at her as she did so, wincing slightly every now and then whenever the pressure of her sleeve was too much.

After a few moments, he murmured to her, "Are you okay? After . . . doing all of that?"

Valerie paused for a moment, the edge of her sleeve resting on his cheek as she pursed her lips and furrowed her eyebrows.

Was she okay? Under normal circumstances, she'd probably be freaking out—she had just broken her long-standing moral code after all, and severely at that. But these weren't normal circumstances, these were desperate circumstances. It was what she had to do.

So in conclusion, she was okay. Ish.

She gave a small shrug and continued wiping as she reassured him, "I'm fine."

His eyebrows furrowed at her response. "But are you—"

"Really, Five." She stopped rubbing and planted a small kiss on his now-clean cheek before firmly telling him, "I'm okay."

He sighed as his grasp tightened on the end of the plastic bag. "But if—"

"Shh." The click of heels filled Valerie's ears, causing her to step backwards. Her eyes moved past Five and towards the woman in pink that was stepping toward them. "She's here."

"Well?" the Handler questioned, an excited expression displayed on her face as she raised her eyebrows and waited expectantly.

Without looking at her, Five thrust the plastic bag back towards her. His jaw clenched as she grabbed the bag and cackled.

"AJ!"

Five shook his head slightly before turning to face her, putting his hands inside the pockets of his shorts.

The Handler lifted the bag up and peered at the fish, cooing at him for a few moments. She then turned to Five, the corners of her lips tugged upwards as she said, "You know, you're really starting to fill out those tight little shorts of yours."

Five didn't respond, instead looking off to the side with a small exhale.

"Why so quiet?" the Handler queried, a small pout on her face as she lifted her eyebrows. "Thought you'd be buzzing after this morning's slaughter."