Disclaimer: Obviously own nothing but my headcanons.
A/N: These will be Luther x Vanya fics otherwise Luthanya.
WARNING: Probably incest?
O.O.O
Violin and Records
It was the noon which meant recess for the hero groomed children. Five, Ben and Diego went off to play their sport of the day, Klaus was ravaging through the liquor cabinet as usual, and Allison had gone to a photo shoot and interview. As for Luther, he was walking along the hallways to his bedroom to clean his records to keep them at tip top shape.
However he stopped to the sound of violin strings being played. Curious, he followed the musical notes to the music room wher he finds Vanya with her eyes closed, and her hands concentrated in trying to make a piece of classical music come to life in her fingers. He could see by her small whispers and slight wincing and furrowing of the brows of how much she was trying to play her music.
At the end, she took a deep breath, feeling disappointed in her playing. She had missed some notes and played too many either too softly or with a terrible screech. She just couldn't feel the music the way she wished she could in order to let out the best performance.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
She turned to the strong clapping to see Luther applauding her with an approving smile. "You did well, Vanya." He tried to say maturely, though his child-like innocence overwhelmed it. "I didn't know that you could play the violin."
Vanya was deeply surprised to be face to face with Luther when the boy was practically a magnet that only stuck to either their father or Allison. She shyly spoke, "Not really." She felt awkward when she thought she sounded rude for sounding dismissive.
However, Luther remained interested, "I always wanted to learn an instrument but dad thought it would be a waste of my studies, and I should focus on taking my lessons as the leader seriously. I heard that playing an instrument is practically a second language."
Vanya felt a weird foreign glow inside her when she felt an in for a conversation for the first time. "It...It was hard. Mom helped me learn how to play, and I'm starting to form bumps on my fingers." She felt like that was a lame thing to say. Her back felt coldly tense that her stomach was doing flops.
But then Luther was even more engaged, and even more child-like as he let his grown-up leader act go. "Bumps? Can I see?"
Vanya hesitated for a moment, but showing something awkward felt better than remaining stiffly awkward. She opened her hand and Luther's eyes widened in amazement at the small little bumps on her fingers.
"Cool! You get these from playing a string instrument? I always wanted to play the wind instrument: the trumpet like the legend Louis Armstrong. Have you heard of him? He was the great jazz trumpeter of all time. I wanted records of his music, but dad forbade jazz in our home. But sometimes I would pretend to play the trumpet while looking up at the moon at night." He looked up at the sky through the window, and then put a foot up on a chair and did an air trumpet with a wild flair.
Vanya found herself giggling. She never imagined that Luther, the number one child of their father, could be playful since he never really played with the other boys. She just had to ask, "How come you don't play with Five and the other boys?"
Luther looked over to her and replied, "I...don't know. I guess it's because I spend so much time with Allison."
Vanya nodded understandingly, "It must be nice having someone to be that close to."
Luther couldn't deny that, "Yeah. I can always count on her. Klaus, not so much."
Vanya smiled at that little mean joke, "He can't be that bad."
"You say that but you haven't seen him try to do a magic trick during our umbrella academy meetings where the magician pulls the rope out of their mouth, but he ended up vomiting on our shoes."
"Gross!" Vanya wanted to sound louder and more passionate, but she couldn't, so felt rude, but Luther didn't look like he minded, so she didn't shrink back.
"Honestly, you'd be a better addition than he is." Luther cared for Klaus, but he had only so much patience for the brother who did nothing during their missions, except sometimes act like their look out but not a very good one.
Vanya was taken aback by that claim. "But...I'm not special."
Luther retorted with a sure mature voice, "Of course you are, Vanya. You may not have powers, but you are a part of this family, and have been a great help assisting father during our training and our missions. On the behalf of the Umbrella academy, we tha-"
"NUMBER ONE! NUMBER SEVEN!"
The children were startled. They looked over to the man who they referred to as father, though that title never seem to fit him well.
"What are you two doing?!"
The two looked at each other, seeing that the other was spooked. Yet Luther calmed himself to answer firmly, "We were only talking, father. It is our recess."
"And what could there possibly be to talk about between the two of you?" He stared at the two as if they were an odd painting that confused the brain. He sternly chided them, "You're supposed to be a leader, Number One! And Number Seven, you should've known better than to distract him!"
"I was the one who initiated the conversation with her." Luther defended her, taking the blame for this odd situation they didn't understand why they were being scolded for. They didn't dare ask, but Luther did say, "I apologize, father, for worrying you."
The man didn't seem pleased by the apology. Instead he ordered, "Number one, go to your room and get ready for the next lessons. Number Seven, you won't be joining us."
Vanya's face fell at the punishment. Luther was also shocked, and said, "But father, she didn't do anything wrong."
"ENOUGH! Number One, to my office! NOW!"
"Yes, sir." Luther reluctantly agreed. Reginald turned away, which gave Luther the opportunity to tell Vanya, "It will be okay, Vanya."
Vanya wanted to say something. Anything of comfort, but nothing came out. She felt her face flush and tears build up in her eyes as she watched Luther follow their father to his office.
In that office, Luther was ready to explain himself, and try to keep Vanya out of trouble.
He opened his mouth.
"You disappointed me, Number One."
The mouth shut close.
"I thought I trained you well as a leader, as my Number One, but it appears that I've been mistaken. You must understand that I'm upset with your actions towards Number Seven due to the fact that you dare let yourself be accompanied by someone less than extraordinary."
A part of Luther wanted to argue, but a bigger, more uncomfortable part of him told him to just shut up and listen and obey.
"You must understand, Number One, that you are part of something greater. That you are special. And being special comes with a responsibility, a disassociation of sorts in order to complete your missions. And you can't be the leader I hope for you to be if you let yourself get close to what is less than extraordinary. Less...special."
Luther was confused. He didn't understand how he failed as a leader by just talking to Vanya. He barely ever got to talk to her, and it was recess. But...he couldn't disappoint his father. Yet he pointed out, "But Vanya is part of this family. She's been helping you train us."
"So she could be under my watchful eye because children should never be left to their own devices for too long without my supervision. There's nothing special about Number Seven, and you shouldn't delude yourself into thinking otherwise, Number One." Luther wanted to think differently, but he felt himself bury that thought and instead focused on his father's wisdom. "You are to never have this 'chit-chat' with Number Seven again unless advised to do so or under extenuating circumstances. May it be for the sake of the mission or never at all."
Luther felt the words spill from his mouth like an avalanche. "Yes, sir."
Reginald observed him for a moment before stating, "You are dismissed."
Luther who had been standing in attention, went into parade arrest and then curtly turned away. Yet he paused, and then turned back to Reginald. The man was surprised to see him rebel like this, though it was such a small action. Luther felt himself tensed up a bit, but he found the courage to say, "Father...Will Number Seven still be attending our lessons then?" he silently swallowed, "As the leader of the Umbrella academy, I wish to know if all members, including our assistant will be attending our lessons."
Reginald thought on this, and replied, "Yes."
Luther nodded, curtly turning away with a small faint smile on his lips.
After that day, Luther followed his father's instructions to never speak to Vanya unless he absolutely had to. He didn't feel right doing that, but as time passed, it was an attitude he adapted to having around her.
Vanya was not surprised. Reginald had her understand that she was the outsider of the family who served as a mere distraction if she included herself with them, especially with Luther who was far too important to bother. But it wasn't easy for her to accept, yet as time passed by, she learned to accept it, or at least passive aggressively curse her treatment that she knew was forced upon by her father.
She had been the last one to leave the mansion after Diego, Klaus and Allison.
"Wouldn't it be better to leave?" She asked Luther at the entry hall.
Luther answered, "I can't. The world needs me."
"Yeah..." Vanya wasn't sure of what to say since they were still in the mansion and their father hadn't let them be this close since that fateful day. She wanted to be more natural and helpful to Luther, but for being so ordinary, she couldn't really do much. Instead, she cautiously spoke, "Kind of hesitant to leave to be honest because Five might come back."
Luther formed a slight smile by that. "It's alright, Vanya. If he comes back, I'll be sure to inform you and the others of his reappearance."
Vanya slightly smiled at that. "Thanks. Well." She hesitated to put her arms up since she wanted to say goodbye in a good way, but wasn't sure if this was the correct way between two strangers in this horror of a household. but Luther already stepped forward to give her a hug. The very first hug the two ever shared.
"Be safe, Vanya." He told her, worry inked into his voice.
Vanya for a moment didn't want to leave, but she knew she had to. She had to get away from all of this, and with the amount she was given so she could live decently for a year and find a job, she hoped her life would be better.
The two stayed in that hug for awhile as they looked back to their childhood years. Luther had brighter ones compared to Vanya, yet their futures were the opposite. The two let go after Pogo cleared his throat for their attention. Him and Grace came to say their goodbyes, and Luther inquired where dad was. Pogo sadly informed him that Reginald was not going to join them for today.
Vanya was not surprised yet still disappointed. Luther was also somewhat disappointed but dad was a busy man so surely everyone understood that. He walked Vanya to the door when the cab arrived. The young woman took a deep nervous breath, and wished that she hadn't have to go through the progress and just skip to happy. She instinctively wanted to pop a pill, but she didn't like to do it in public. So for a moment of free emotions, she looked back to Luther and said, "You know if...uhm..."
Luther looked at her expectantly yet patient. She took another deep breath and said, "Once I get my address, you can always come by to visit." They both knew the chances of ever seeing each other again was slim since they both believed that Reginald needed Luther within reach for a good cause, but the fact was that Reginald was keeping them like tools in a tool box for his own selfish agendas.
Luther however replied, "I would like that. Good bye, Vanya."
"Yeah...good bye." She reluctantly turned away, yet felt a weight off her shoulders once she stepped out into the cold chilly air as a free woman.
Years went by since with a new book coming out and a new body being formed which led to a relocation. Things got complicated when they were forced to see each other again after the death of Reginald, which led to a chain of many complicated events above a swamp of complicated what ifs and what nots.
But eventually in the end, Vanya found herself holding Luther hands to help him position the violin and bow by his chin at her apartment. Luther had always meant to learn the trumpet, but he didn't mind settling with an instrument that Vanya passionately loved. He was terrible at first, but as time went on for the better between the two, they spent breaking many quiet evenings with the sound of smooth Jazz.