CH.1/V.3

Five appearing out of a vortex of Lightning was not the only shock Vanya Hargreeves experienced the day her father died, nor was Allison's hug, Klaus's apparent attempt at being cordial, Luther's lukewarm reception to her, or even the fact that Diego even said a full sentence to her was just as big of one. Albeit they were cold, burning ones that warned her to go, leave, before she got dragged into their sibling's eternal drama, and got hurt in the process. His concern and hurt at her book warring in his posture as he trotted up the hardwood stairs.

What shocked her most was that he listened to her, curving his knife at the last second to graze Luther's arm.

The only times he listened to her, or was openly kind, was when he stumbled into her apartment at 3 a.m. half delirious from whatever new wounds (and eventual scars) he acquired that night, his hair a mess, the dark circles under his eyes more apparent than ever, and bleeding onto her couch as she got up and grabbed her medkit hidden in the back of her bathroom cabinet out. He wasn't normally chatty when he came. Normally he was too tired or hurt to really say much but a slurred and stuttered th-th-thanks as his hazel eyes burrowed under her skin then move to her crowded bookshelf searching for anything new.

She had become an expert on stitching his wounds, cleaning the blood out of her couch, and deciphering his different silences. He was lucky she always had a talent for stitching and that her stomach had strengthened over the years.

She still flinched when the knife grazed Luther's arm, but it was the moment of eye contact when he threw his knife while she screamed Diego, no! that sent a rush of relief through her. The begrudging fine in his eyes let her body relax temporarily.

It was the tightness in his shoulders, the way his eyes stalked Luther's hulking form that told her she needed to do something and quickly. So, she resorted to the only way she knew, throwing verbal barbs until he responded with his own.

"You never know when to quit, do you?" Her voice was stronger than she felt, strong confident, and in control. Focus on me, not him, I'm here he's not. I can handle it, she thought as scorching Hazel eyes met hers. His posture still tight, ready to strike—always ready to strike, she thought—relaxed ever so slightly. Shifting his weight from his shoulders to his back.

His body moved closer to hers, heat radiating off him, and she suppressed a shiver. She could almost feel his breath on her face. "You have enough material for your sequel yet?" His voice matched his eyes, scorching, burning, and cutting through her like one of his knives. Go, run, get away from them while you can, you'll only get hurt if you stay. He seemed to say as she straightened.

Liquid heat rushed through her body as she held his gaze, only if you calm down, she returned her thin jaw clenching. "He was my father, too." The rain pelted his black coat.

If she were anyone else, the minute twitch of his hand and the clench of his jaw wouldn't be a suppressed flinch, but a sign of anger. She turned away, and walked inside, leaving the drab grey bricks and their adoptive father's ashes behind for the warmth of inside.

Now she stood in the front room right where she started, knowing that Diego was right, I shouldn't have come. She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder.

"So, what was that all about?" Klaus said, his words slurring slightly pulling her out of her musings.

"Huh?" was her reply. Brilliant response Vanya, good going. She thought.

"You know, the amazing display of sexual tension in the backyard with Diego. It honestly was the best entertainment all day, except Diego kicking Luther's ass maybe. That was brilliant!" A shit eating grin spread on his face that only spread as Vanya paled.

"That wasn't sexual tension," she said as she swallowed hard as she shifted from foot to foot.

"Oh, sweet little sister yes it was, and you two honestly gave Luther and Allison a run for their money." She felt herself suck in a shaky breath. "Don't worry, I won't tell, I'm just feeling nosy."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said her voice small. "We've always been like that," she sighed.

"Well, if you ever want advice that won't be spread around, you know who to talk to." His brown hair, black really, she thought, was wild sticking in every direction as swished his skirt. She felt the air rush out of her lungs before she registered the relief.

"Thank you," she said almost a whisper. "Actually, I'm leaving, I already called a taxi."

"I'll tell everyone, stay safe Vee-vee." He waved his goodbye hand and dramatically turned around towards the kitchen.

At least it was just Klaus, she thought taking in a deep breath as she waited. She ran a shaky hand through her wet brown hair. It could have been Five, or even worse Allison. Thank god it wasn't them. She forced herself to breathe and take one of her pills. Besides, that was how he always is recently, unless he's at the end of his patrol, then he's almost kind. Almost.

When she heard Pogo she turned around, answered his questions the best she could, and rushed outside into her cab. She felt her phone buzz in her back pocket. The cracked phone she hadn't bothered to replace the screen on lighting up in her hand with two messages from Diego.

Leave your window unlocked.

Please?

She hesitated then sighed, at least he gave notice this time. And, he said please. Her pale shaking hands typed out the only word they could.

Okay.

She hoped she wouldn't regret this later, like most things.