17 Years Ago
"During extreme weather conditions," the man, Herr Carlson, says on the record, "A climber must possess the wisdom to determine..." Mum rings the bell for breakfast time, standing in the entrance with a pretty yellow dress on, "When evacuation is inevitable."
All eight of us come pushing down the stairs. "A controlled alpine descent begins with the girding of one's ioins." Mum offers us one of her bright smiles as we walk through the archway to make it to the dining table, and I give her a great big smile back. "And the anchoring of the climbing robe to one's enemy, the mountain."
I stand behind my usual seat next to Five and politely place my hands at the back of me as we all wait for Dad to arrive. "The Dülfersitz rappel is the preferred method for decent when rope is the only available tool." Dad finally arrives, and mum gives him another happy smile. "But it must be regarded as a last resort."
Dad makes his way to his seat as the very end of the table, "Sit." He commands us, and so we do. The man's voice on the record sinks into the background as we all begin to eat.
Luther and Allison, who were sitting diagonally facing each other, with Luther closest to dad, were making goo goo eyes at one another, trying not to blush as they smiled at one another. Diego, who was sitting next to Luther facing Allison, was busy carving whichever profanities he could think of into the side of the dining table, and Klaus was sneakily rolling a blunt underneath. He was sitting next to Allison, and Ben, who was sitting in front of me and next to Klaus, had his head in a book like usual. He seemed to be the only sensible one, along with Vanya, who sat at the other end of the table, facing Dad.
Usually, Five and I were shoving insults into each other's faces and nudging one another to show the other that our broccoli looked like Bob Ross. It mostly ended up with a dispute between us, with dad giving us a sanction and no supper. However, today, Five didn't seem like he was in the mood to talk or mess around, as he didn't touch his food and only glared at our dad. Despite me kicking his leg three times to get his attention, he didn't look at me once.
I look over to dad to see that he has seen Fives strange behavior but decides to ignore it— no talking during meal times. Five didn't like this one bit, and so to get his attention once more, he swiftly picks up his knife and stabs it into the table with a loud clang. I flinch slightly, seeing that the knife is rather close to my hand. The abrupt action doesn't just get the attention of dad but all of our other siblings.
"Number Five?" Dad gives Five a questioning look to explain why he has just ruined a perfectly fine table.
"I have a question." He snarls.
"Knowledge is an admirable goal, but you know the rules. No talking during mealtimes," Dad lifts his knife up. "You are interrupting, Herr Carlson." He explains.
Five shoves his plate of food away, not letting dad just ignore him. "I want to time travel." What? But Five said he'd take me with him, so surely he'd let me know when he was going to do it, right?
Dad shuts his idea down immediately, "No."
"But I'm ready. I've been practicing my spatial jumps, just like you said." Five says standing up and jumping right next to dad to show him what he meant.
"A spatial jump is trivial when compared with the unknowns of time travel. One is like sliding along the ice; the other is akin to descending blindly into the depths of the freezing water and reappearing as an acorn." Dad doesn't look at Five as he speaks and takes a sip of his drink instead.
Five places his hands in his pocket, "Well, I don't get it." Yeah, neither do I, pal.
"Hence the reason you're not ready." Dad places his glass down and begins to eat once more.
Five looks over to Vanya and me. Vanya shakes her head, telling him to stop, while I just give him a disproving look— he's not going to stop.
Five turns to dad again: "I'm not afraid."
"Fear isn't the issue. The effects it might have on your body, even on your mind, are far too unpredictable." Dad seems to have had enough as he suddenly throws his napkin onto the table and turns to Five. "Now, I forbid you to talk about this anymore."
Five gives me a look, and I know exactly what he's going to do. After giving dad one last scowl, Five runs off.
"Number Five!" Dad yells, "You haven't been excused!"
I quickly stand up and go to chase after Five, but Vanya grips my arm, "Number Eight! I demand you sit down!" Dad glares at me from across the table. However, his words fell upon deaf ears, and I shoved Vanya off as I continued to follow Five out of the house.
"Come back here!" Dad demands in an angry voice.
Pushing open the already swinging iron gates, I see Five stomping off to my right. "Five!"
He turns around, and his once annoyed eyes are full of excitement and hope, making me frown a little. "I was waiting for you, Y/N. Come on!" He tries to grasp my arm to pull me along, but I jerk away from him.
"No, Five! We can't just leave our family." I explain with a gloomy face, looking everywhere but his eyes, not wanting to see his disappointment.
He looks confused. "I thought you wanted to come with me?" He questions.
"And I do, but we can go another time, when we're older and we know more about it." I try to take hold of his arm, but this time it's him that pulls away. "Five."
"You don't think I can do it?"
"Five, that's not what I meant. I-"
He scoffs a laugh, cutting me off. "You're just like him, always thinking you're better than everyone else."
I look down at the floor, not liking his words one bit: "You're wrong." I grit.
"Then prove it to me! Come with me, Y/N!" Five exclaims, latching onto both of my hands.
"Five!" I had to snap him out of his weird delusions. "Dad was right, you're... You're not ready yet. You're just a kid! We might not be able to come back, and if we did, we could be all messed up! This is real life, Five!" I shouted, looking directly into his gorgeous eyes, which I had grown to love.
He goes to say something, but instead looks down and lets go of my hands. He turns around and walks off without another word.
"Five?" I question, quickly following him, trying to grab at his clothes, but he's too fast as he starts to jog. "Five, please don't! I'm sorry!" Before I could even finish speaking, he left. He left me, heartbroken and looking stupid, in the middle of the street. Tears threatened to spill down my rosey cheeks, and my bottom lip trembled. However, I try my best to suck it up as I slowly make my way back inside and tell myself he will be back after realizing his mistake.
Oh, how wrong I was.
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I looked up at the portrait dad had only just put up. I guess he did it as a way to remember Five and not forget his face, though I doubt he actually cared. As much as I hate to say it, the painting is really well done and catches the realness of all of Five's handsome features, including that chiseled jaw.
Five has been gone for over four months now, and I was actually kind of lonely. Sure, I had Klaus and Ben, but it just isn't the same. Klaus always tries to make me feel better by telling me that Five ran off with his girlfriend to Japan, and funnily enough, it just makes me feel worse.
Mine and Fives relationship was a strange one. We'd have these really nice moments when we were both vulnerable, where we'd just talk to one another about anything and everything, but most of the time it would be Five and me at each other's throats, yelling and throwing insults around. I would literally have to force myself not to skin the loser alive.
I did miss five. A lot. Even if all we did was bicker.
"Y/n, dear, It's time to say goodnight." It was mum. She stood in the doorway with her usual bright smile. I must have been too caught up in my own thoughts to have heard her walking down the old stairs.
"Oh. Yes, I'm coming now." I reply, hiding my sadness with a smile just like hers.
"Okay then, sweetie." She swiftly turns around and retraces her steps back up the stairs to probably continue to put my other siblings to bed.
With one last sad look at Five's dashing portrait, I also make my way upstairs.
Please come back home, Five. For me.
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Present Time
I woke up in my old bed after a much-needed sleep. Golden rays of morning light pierced through the clouds and into my bedroom, casting a now-pink, airy glow.
Last night Five dropped me back off just in front of the academy and sped off without saying goodbye, which I thought was pretty rude, but whatever. However, I did need to speak to him about why he's actually back. There's no way he finally came back to his family after all these years just because he missed us, especially with those weirdos last night attacking both him and me in the diner. We also can't forget the mysterious address he needed.
With a huge yawn, I decide it's time to get up and be productive, the first thing on my list to find five. I was actually hoping that he would just automatically return to the academy after he did whatever he went to do, so I wouldn't have to actually search for him.
After washing my face and brushing my teeth and hair, I put on another one of my Umbrella Academy uniforms, since it's all that fits me, and head to the kitchen for some much-needed brunch.
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Mum had been in the kitchen when I got there, and she kindly offered to make me some food. I obviously let her, and her poached eggs were perfectly yellow and yolky, and the bacon cooked just enough to be crispy but not too much for the bacon to be dry. It was lovely.
I now sat at the kitchen table alone after mum had left to do one of her usual chores, and much to my luck, Five walked in, "Ah, there he is." He looks at me for a moment, not even saying hi, before looking around the kitchen.
"Where's klaus?" I roll my eyes at him as he gets straight to the point of his appearance.
I stand up and ignore him. "Want some coffee?" I ask, walking over to the kitchen counter.
Five looks surprised as he nods. "I thought dad didn't have any coffee?"
I hum going into the fridge, and Five looks even more confused. "Oh, he doesn't; I was just kidding." I laugh, taking out a cold jug of water and pouring myself a glass. "You can have some water, though."
Five let out an annoyed sigh: "We don't have time for this." He quickly swivels on his heel to go, I assume, looking for Klaus.
"Ah, ah, ah. Sit your ass down, Five." I stop him. I hear him make some incoherent complaints before he complies and turns back around to slump down onto one of the kitchen chairs.
I place a glass of water in front of him and return to my own seat next to him with one of my own in hand. "Why are you back, Five? And don't give me some bullshit lie about how you just missed your family." I warn.
Five sighs, taking a long sip of water before answering, "I was going to tell you this before dad's funeral and last night at the diner, but you asked to go home before I could." He explains, "The word is going to end in seven days, Y/n, and I still don't know how to stop it." Erm, what(the sigma)?
The world is going to end? No way! But Five wouldn't just come back to lie about something this severe, would he? He said so himself that he was going to tell me this yesterday. Twice. However, I'm going to need a lot more than a pubescent boy telling me that the end of the world is near for me to believe it.
A puzzled look covers my whole face. "What? But how do you—" I cut myself off. "Okay, Five, humor me."
He looked relieved that I didn't just shut him down and call him crazy. "When I traveled into the future, I went too far, and I ended up in the apocalypse that ended the world." He glanced at me to ensure I was listening, and I was, "Y/n, there was no one left. Everyone else was dead."
I was in total shock at the information. Everyone dead? So, me too? Luther? Diego? Vanya? Allison and Klaus?
I swallowed the salvia that had collected in my mouth. "How did you end up getting back then?" I ask, leaning closer.
"A lady, The Handler, found me after many years in the apocalypse. She offered me a deal: 5 years of service, and I would be able to settle anywhere at a time of my choice. I broke my contract before it ended to come back here and save you— my family." I was slowly piecing it together.
"So, the guys in the diner? they were from that place?"
"Yeah, the commission." So, that's what it's called.
I begin to speak, but Five interrupts me. "You believe me, don't you?" He desperately asks.
"Oddly enough, I do, Five. And I want to help you stop it." I say. He didn't need to know that I didn't fully believe him, but I might as well help and feed his delusions since I've got nothing better to do.
He looked extremely grateful. "Do you have any, I don't know, leads?" I ask, standing up and taking his now empty glass to put in the sink along with my own.
"I do, actually." His hand dives into his pocket for a moment, searching for something. "This." He pulls out a small object covered by a dark blue cloth. He delicately removes the cloth to reveal a fake eyeball.
"Ew, Five, you could've warned me." I grimace.
"Don't be such a baby," he scolds. I guess it was a 'serious' matter.
"I found this clutched in Luther's hand in the apocalypse; he must have ripped it right from our culprits faces." Five explains looking at the eye in awe.
Five saw Luther dead. Did he see the rest of us dead too? Poor Five.
"Oh, well, I say we go to the place that it was manufactured—" Five cuts me off in an annoyed tone.
"That's why I was looking for Klaus." He spits.
"You don't have to be so rude, you know, Five." I roll my eyes. "I'll be able to hear you all the same with you not cutting me off."
"Whatever, Y/n," He abruptly stands up from his seat, "Come on, we need to get Klaus."
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After a long search, Five and I found Klaus half-naked in the lounge, talking to himself. Five explained to Klaus that he needed him to pretend to be his dad. Which I thought was a terrible idea, by the way. Klaus was hesitant at first, but gave me a massive hug along with a kiss on my forehead and immediately accepted when I threw in 20 bucks. Five told Klaus to get on his smartest and most presentable outfit and meet him in his room straight after we were finished. I went with Klaus as instructed by Five to, I quote, 'Make sure Klaus doesn't disappear into thin air and not come back'— I found this quite hypocritical of Five.
However, Klaus decided it would be a funny idea to scare Five by hiding in his closet and jumping out when he made it back to his room. That's where we are now.
I was in a wardrobe with a stinky Klaus, and he wouldn't even shut up.
"Will you shut up? How are we supposed to scare Five if you're busy being so loud and annoying?" Klaus says to the empty space next to him: I give him a funny look. Maybe he's speaking to a ghost? Ben, maybe?
"Klaus, I assure you that the ghost you're speaking to doesn't make any sound." I chuckle to myself, and Klaus looks at me with a surprised face.
"You can see him?" He grabs my cheeks, letting out a weird moan.
"What? No," I push him off, feeling all hot and bothered. "I'm saying I can't hear anyone nor see anyone besides you."
Suddenly, the wardrobe door opens.
"AHHH!!" Klaus screams murder into my ear and holds onto me for dear life.
"Klaus, stop! It's just five!" I struggle to shove him off me as he keeps a tight grip.
"What are you two doing? I thought I told you to meet me in my room." Five awards us with a judgmental look: "Whatever, we need to go." Five offers me his hand to help me up out of his wardrobe, but he pushes me back down onto Klaus as he hears footsteps coming up the stairs. He slams the closet door shut in our faces. Stupid fucking Five.
"Oh, thank God," we hear— Vanya? "I was worried sick about you."
"Sorry, I left without saying goodbye." Five apologies.
"No, look, I'm the one that should be sorry." I hear the footsteps of somebody, probably Five, walking towards the entrance of his room. "Yeah, I was dismissive, and... I guess I didn't know how to process what you were saying." Ah, it's about Five telling Vanya about the apocalypse last night, "And I still can't, to be honest."
"Maybe you were right to be dismissive," Five scoffs. "Maybe it wasn't real after all." I could hear Five move away. "It felt real. Well, like you said, the old man did say time travel could contaminate the mind." I guess Five doesn't want her on his back, worrying, when he's trying to save the world.
"Then maybe I'm not the right person for you to be talking to. Look, I used to see someone. A therapist. I could give you her information." Vanya offers.
"Thanks, but... I think I'm just going to get some rest. It's been a long time since I've had a good sleep." Five declines.
"Okay." Vanya sighs, and we hear her walk out.
Without warning, Klaus pushes the closet doors open, and I fall forward onto my tummy. "Klaus!" I scorn.
He ignores me. "That's so." Klaus gets out of the wardrobe and nearly trips over me. "...touching, all that stuff about family and dad and time. Wow!" He places a hand on his heart and walks over to the window.
"Would you shut up? She'll hear you." Five tells him off angrily.
"I'm moist." Klaus, let's let us know. I can't believe I was stuck in a wardrobe with him for 20 minutes.
Five looks Klaus up and down: "I told you to put on something professional." Five judges this outfit, looking at me on the floor and giving me a pointed look as well.
"Why are you looking at me? You only told me to look after him." I shut him down. Five only rolls his eyes and offers me his hand to help me up. I thank him, dusting off my skirt and blazer.
"What? This is my nicest outfit." Klaus says in confusion.
Shaking his head in disapproval, Five responds, "We'll raid the old man's closet." Five turns on his heel, heading to, I'm guessing, dad's room.
"Whatever, as long as I get paid." Klaus looks at me.
I roll my eyes, "Yeah, when the job is done, Klaus."
"Okay, Y/n," He gives me a wink. "But just so we're clear on the finer details, I just have to go into this place and pretend to be your dear old dad, correct?"
Five turns around to listen to Klaus's babbling. "Yeah. Something like that." He seems unbothered.
"What's our cover story?" Klaus suddenly asks.
"What? What are you talking about?" Five looked baffled, not thinking we needed one.
"Ohh, yeah!" I agree, wanting to hear the weird yap Klaus would come up with.
"Right? See, Y/n agrees. We need, like, a backstory. I mean, was I really young when I had you? Like, 16? Like, young and..." Klaus places both his hands on his heart as he gets into character. "Terribly misguided?"
"Sure." Five doesn't seem to give a shit.
"Your mother, that slut. Whoever she was, We met at the disco. Okay? Remember that." Five nods as Klaus chuckles, "Oh, my God, the sex was amazing~" Klaus exaggerates his hand movements.
"Klaus, no." I shake my head.
Klaus ignores me and continues, "And you, Y/n, you can be my new wife." He pulls me to his side.
"Klaus, I'm 16 again." I deadpanned.
"Oh, right," He chuckles to himself as he thinks, "Ah! You can be Fives girlfriend. You can be, like, high school sweethearts. You were each other's first everything. Romantic, right?"
I hum and Five nods with a tight-lipped smile.
"Your first time was really sweet, but after a couple times, it was all rough and sweaty—"
"Klaus, you perv!" I shout, a strong blush covering my face.
"What a disturbing glimpse into that thing you call a brain." The tips of Five's ears burn a soft pink as he abruptly turns around and walks away.
"Don't make me put you two in time-out!" Klaus points.
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Hey!! I have finally finished this chapter WHOOOO🥳
I have no idea why this chapter took me so long.
Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed this one I'll try and get the next chapter out either tomorrow or the day after.
If there are any spelling or grammar mistakes please point them out so I can change them🙏
THANK YOU!!