"It's not that bad." Vanya tried to assure Five, sniffling through her discomfort. The skin around her wrists was burning from the attempts she'd made to free herself.
"Sure."
"The rope dug in a little, but other than that…"
"Right."
"I think whatever they used to knock me out has worn off. I don't feel dizzy anymore." She added as she walked on trembling legs.
"Okay."
"Where are we going?"
"Allison and Ben are waiting in a car around the corner. They'll drive you home."
Frowning, Vanya tried to look at Five's face but couldn't lean far enough away to see his expression given how tightly he was holding her against him.
"Where are you going?"
"Guess." He said darkly.
Shaking her head in protest, she tried to dissuade him. "You can't do that alone. There are too many Terminauts inside. And there are the guards."
"I think," Five drawled, "you are forgetting my occupation of the last three years. Or perhaps what I was trained to do since birth."
"At least ask the others for help."
"The others are keeping the old man busy."
"He, he doesn't know?" Vanya asked, throat tightening with disappointment. It shouldn't be surprising Reginald hadn't noticed her absence. During their first childhood, she had fled for a day and no one realised she'd left. Why would this time be different?
"We didn't let him find out. We're meant to stick to the original timeline as much as we can, remember, or the Commission will find us. Dr. Terminal never kidnapped you the first time around."
"He didn't die either." She pointed out. "You, you can't…"
"Allison was waiting out back. Caught him when he tried to run. Rumoured him into forgetting about you." Five said shortly, too enraged for a proper conversation. "I had to convince her not to do worse; she's still pissed about that time he nearly cut off her arm."
"If Terminal's taken care of, why are you going back in there?" She asked, confused. "You can't kill him. Like you said, it would mess up the timeline."
"I can't." Five said bitterly, his fingers digging into the flesh of her hip as he tried to steel himself. "But the others are inconsequential."
"Then it can't hurt to let them go."
He wrenched her forward so they were facing each other, leering close so he could drive his face into hers. Pupils eclipsing green coloured irises, he panted into the cold air and puffs of condensation rose around them as he struggled to keep his voice even.
"I am going to kill every single one of them. Anyone who hurt you, anyone who participated in keeping you there."
Vanya's eyes widened, but she couldn't look away from the dark expression before her.
He continued, holding her arms so tightly she was losing sensation in her hands, "I'm going to make it last, make a mess, make a scene. Then when Terminal comes back, looking to pick up the pieces so he can come after us again, he'll know. He'll see what I've done, and he'll know what I'm capable of. And how stupid it is to go after mine. If he finds out you exist again, he'll know you're off-limits."
"Never." Five promised, resting his forehead against hers. He took a deep breath, gulping in her scent, taking it greedily into his lungs. "You will never have to go through this again. I won't let it happen."
Her heart gave one almighty thump against her ribs before taking an extended pause. The only sound left between them was Five's ravaged panting. She wasn't sure she heard him right, but an examination of his face left no question. His eyes were blazing, the barely concealed extent of his fury – masqueraded before behind soft concern as he freed Vanya from her bonds and teleported her from the building – had melted in favour of the open fire burning from within. Her heart beat again.
With a light push, he indicated her towards the street corner. "The car is right around there. They're waiting to take you home. Don't talk to Reginald, Grace or Pogo when you get back, Allison will handle everything. I'll find you when I'm done."
Stumbling slightly as she hastened to do as he said, Vanya didn't dare look over her shoulder as she stumbled forward. She could feel Five's eyes piercing through her, waiting until he knew she was safe.
"Vanya!" Allison called as soon as she saw her, her voice dripping thickly with concern.
There was a tell-tale pop as Five disappeared into a portal, and then she couldn't hear him any longer. If she strained her ears, she knew her fledgeling powers would give her insight into what was happening within the warehouse, but she didn't dare use it; she knew what she heard would only haunt her.
"Are you okay?" Ben asked, pulling her into the backseat beside him.
"Yeah, I'm fine. No one hurt me." She said, feeling dazed. "I'm a bit tired though."
"Maybe from whatever they used to knock you out." He reasoned.
"We saw what happened on the security tapes," Allison said. Vanya met her gaze through the reflection of the rear-view mirror. "I'm so sorry we weren't there, Vanya. It looked terrifying."
Shrugging lightly, she admitted, "I can't remember much of it. I only woke up at the last second."
"Probably for the best." Ben, the one most familiar with nightmares, assured. He drew her close, grabbing a blanket he had brought along which he lay over her legs. As he urged Allison to get them home, he added, "Everyone is so worried about you. They'll be glad to have you back."
"How long was I gone for?"
"Six and a half hours," Allison replied readily, having kept count.
"Five said you took care of Dr. Terminal."
"Yeah. I rumoured him to forget about you and then sent him to hide for the night." She said smugly. "In the sewers, where no one would find him. That's why he thinks he's there anyway."
"Sorry we couldn't come in to get you too, but Five said it was best for him to teleport you out," Ben explained. "That way, if anyone is watching us, there wouldn't be a big commotion to draw attention."
"That's okay." Vanya said with a smile, waiting until Allison glanced back at her to add, "I knew one of you would come."
Allison returned the smile, buoyed by her sister's confidence in them after all their past failures.
"Come on, let's go home." Ben urged. "Luther covered for you and told Dad you went to bed early with a headache."
"Mom left you some food in the kitchen in case you got hungry, I'll grab a plate when we get in. It'll help flush out any drugs still in your system."
"Thanks, guys," Vanya said, her eyes drifting to the window as Allison started the engine. She didn't expect to see any sign of Five, yet she couldn't help but look for him as they left the alleyway and think of him for the rest of the journey.
It didn't take them long to get home, though they had to stow the car – acquired by Five for emergencies – in its usual spot a block away from the Academy before sneaking home. They hastened under the cover of darkness down some side streets until they reached the fire escape which led to Luther's bedroom. Following Ben up the ladder, with Allison close behind, they were met by the rest of the Academy waiting impatiently inside.
"Vanya." Klaus crowed as soon as he spotted her.
Diego immediately shushed him but looked pleased to see her.
Luther offered his hand and assisted her through the window, doing the same for Allison when she reached the top.
"Any problems?" Ben asked.
"Nothing. No one suspects a thing." Diego said confidently.
She tried not to feel disappointed by that. Vanya would never expect Reginald to miss her, but it would have been nice to hear that Mom or Pogo had questioned her absence.
Trying to sound positive, she agreed with everyone else when they expressed relief.
"Where's Five?" Luther asked, glancing out of his still open window.
"He's cleaning up," Allison said. "He'll be back later."
"Oh, okay."
Attention fell back on Vanya and she fidgeted awkwardly under it. She still wasn't used to everyone focusing on her. Until the week of the apocalypse, it had never happened before. All those years of wishing for it, and it had come true in the most horrendous of circumstances.
It wouldn't happen this time, Vanya reminded herself. She always had to when she let herself think of the apocalypse or she would collapse under the weight of her guilt.
"I'll go get you some dinner," Allison said, mistaking the glassy quality in her eyes for hunger. "The rest of you should go to other parts of the house. Dad will get suspicious if he notices we're all in here together."
"Right." Diego agreed. "Luther, you want to spar for a while?"
"Sure," Luther said, eager for something proactive to do.
Ben directed Klaus towards the door, suggesting they go to the library for a while.
"I'll go get freshened up," Vanya told Allison.
"Okay. I'll leave a plate in your room."
Only after they parted ways did she relax. Being in front of everyone felt like a performance. Sometimes it was nice to be alone. Especially after hours spent with Dr. Terminal breathing down her neck.
Having a quick shower, running a brush through her hair and changing into her pyjamas, Vanya returned to a blissfully empty bedroom and had her dinner. While she wasn't particularly hungry, Allison had a point about flushing the sedatives from her system. After finishing her food, she downed the large glass of water left beside it.
Vanya was left at a loss once she was done, with nothing to do but wait for Five's return. She could not play her violin anymore, and her homework was already finished. The narrow walls of her shoebox bedroom seemed to leer over her as restlessness settled in, and she was reminded yet again how much she hated her childhood. Things weren't the same, however, a fact she reminded herself of as she snuck through the halls and let herself into Five's room.
Unlike her old visits there, back when it was a shrine, the space was so clearly lived in. There were new equations on the wall, some of his furniture had been rearranged and his neat bookshelf was now overflowing as he continuously crammed it with new books on time travel and quantum mechanics.
Taking a seat on his bed, which was twice the size of her own, Vanya resolved to wait there until Five returned. While she knew he was more than capable of handling himself, the thought of him getting hurt securing revenge on her behalf made her stomach churn. She needed to see him once he came back, to make sure he was unscathed and to thank him for rescuing her from Dr. Terminal. It felt safer staying there than her bedroom too, which was uncomfortably similar to the small quarters her abductors had kept her in.
Picking up a textbook on his side table, she perused the pages while she waited for his return, anxiously glancing at the clock as minutes dragged into hours. She tried not to dwell on what was taking him so long, scared of what her imagination would produce.
When he did come home, Five jumped directly into his room, footsteps heavy as he moved to dispose of his saturated jacket in the laundry basket. He quickly realised Vanya was there – despite him hoping she had gone to her bedroom, where he could avoid her until he was properly cleaned up – but didn't acknowledge her presence for a few moments, as he worked on unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt.
"Are you all right?" He asked gruffly, focusing on the buttons between his fingers.
Vanya replied too quickly, eyes raking over his frame to take in the sight of him. He'd left a trail on the floor from where he first landed to where he now stood, one she pointedly looking away from. "Yes."
Shooting her a disbelieving look, his arched brow disappeared under the hair which had fallen over his face. Under his intense stare, Vanya soon faltered.
"My wrists hurt a bit. From the rope they used." She explained, but added, "It isn't that bad though."
"Sorry." Five said with a frown. "It took us a while to find you. We had to distract Dad so we could access the cameras and track Terminal to the warehouse. I should have done it straight away…"
Vanya interrupted him. "No. It's important, we can't draw suspicion. Besides, he kidnapped me for a reason. He wouldn't hurt me, at least not before he could demand a ransom."
"The last time he took one of us, he almost cut Allison's arm off." He bit back. For the hours she had been missing, Five had been terrified imagining any harm coming to Number Seven and, even as she stood before him now – safe and whole – he couldn't help but shudder at the idea.
"What matters is I'm fine now. I'm back and, besides some rope burns which will be healed by tomorrow, I'm okay." Vanya said soothingly.
He agreed unconvincingly. After standing quietly for a moment, at a loss of how to convey the depth of his panic for her safety, he muttered, "I'm going to clean up," before disappearing through a portal.
With a sigh, Vanya flopped back on the bed. Her back ached from the wooden chair she was confined to during her abduction, her limbs tied to the frame while two guards paced the small room. Five had dispatched them both quickly, using a knife to target one while snapping the neck of the other. She'd barely had time to process his frenzied grin as he slashed the bonds binding her and teleported them to the street. Vanya knew the Umbrella Academy better than they cared to admit; she knew her rescue would end in blood. What she hadn't predicted was that her rescuer would enjoy it so much.
When Five returned, wearing his pristine pyjamas and usual facade, he tried to busy himself with some equations – about to pick up a piece of chalk to further deface his walls with.
Vanya was on her feet before she consciously decided it, crossing the room. Lightly taking up his extended hand in hers, she pulled it close to her chest, lifting it higher until she could press it against her cheek. He'd missed the blood underneath his nails, which he only noticed when he saw the rusty red contrasted with her pale skin.
"I never thanked you," Vanya mumbled into his palm.
"For what?" He breathed, taken aback by the feel of her.
"Protecting me. I should have thanked you when you came home."
Five's face contorted with revulsion. "I didn't want you to see me like that. You shouldn't have been in here. You should have gone to your room or stayed with Allison. You – you should never have to see me that way."
"I've seen you kill people before." Vanya pointed out. Ever since the Academy's debut, its members traipsing through the house coated in the remnants of their adversaries became a common sight.
He was quick to argue. "Not like that. You shouldn't have seen me like that."
"You did it for me." She said, not needing to ask for his motives. Not after seeing his expression inside the warehouse; not after hearing him speak outside it.
"I should have spent more time on them." He said, closing his eyes as he thought longingly of methods of torture and murder, acts he could have subjected those men to for daring to touch her. They deserved every one of them. "I didn't want to leave you for too long though. I didn't want you to be alone. I know you were with Ben and Allison, but I wanted you with me. Where I could make sure you were safe. I was going to get you, once I cleaned up."
Heart swelling in her chest, Vanya closed the remaining space between them to press herself against his chest. His hand was still held against her face and she nuzzled against it, not caring about the residual blood as she loosely embraced his waist with her free arm. She basked in his presence for a minute but, when he didn't respond, she nervously pulled away.
"Sorry." She mumbled.
He was hiding beneath his mask; the one he had originally only put on for the public, never her. Now, he seemed to wear it all the time. One of careful emptiness. His eyes seemed hollow as they stared back at her.
"Five?" She prompted, feeling unnerved by the expression. When they were originally children, Vanya knew how he felt just by looking at him. It never failed to sadden her how much that had changed. Some days it felt like she barely knew him anymore. She wondered if he felt the same towards her.
At the sound of her saying his name, some life came back to his eyes. He sighed abruptly, roughly carding his fingers through his hair.
"Didn't it repulse you?" He asked, a lilt to his voice as though he were nervous of her response.
"That you murdered those men? I've already told you, I've seen you kill…"
"Not like that."
It was Vanya's turn to sigh. She hadn't seen what Five had done to Terminal's goons but having caught sight of the state he was in once he returned, she had some idea.
"I don't think I'm able to judge anyone. Especially not for killing."
Five's expression softened further. "I'll keep telling you that's not your fault."
Shrugging lightly, Vanya replied, "Maybe one day I'll believe you." She doubted it though.
"We all have blood on our hands, Vanya. I erased yours."
"That's not possible. And I think you understand that."
"I didn't repulse you?" He asked incredulously.
"No," Vanya said in a measured voice. "They weren't good people. I know they would have hurt me if Dad didn't do what Dr. Terminal wanted him to."
"I would never have allowed that to happen." Five responded immediately, stepping back into her space. The hollowness in his eyes gave way to the fire she witnessed outside the warehouse, and she had to repress a tremble at the sight of it.
"I know," Vanya assured him. "I knew you would come for me. I think that's what kept me so calm throughout it all. I was never worried about dying. I knew you'd save me. I'm just sorry I couldn't save myself, but I was scared if I tried to use my powers, I would lose control."
"Don't be sorry about that." Five said, taking his turn to reassure her. "You've only been training for a few months and you were in a stressful situation. Remember, the rest of us only used our powers in public after we'd trained for a decade."
"I suppose." She replied.
His expression softened further and, after giving a cursory glance around the room – as if anyone in the house could sneak up on him – he beckoned her back into his arms. Resting his head on top of hers, Vanya let out a contented sigh as Five finally embraced her.
Speaking into her hair, Five assured her, "Never again. It will never happen again."
"I know," Vanya said confidently. She didn't need to ask what he had done to Terminal's goons, but she knew if Five wanted to leave a message he would do so with ruthless efficiency.
He seemed to struggle with something, however, while contently wrapped in his arms, Vanya felt no need to rush him. Eventually, he managed, "I was terrified when I saw that they took you. I guess repeating the timeline has made me complacent, I thought it would all be the same except with me here. I underestimated how much my presence would change things."
"If it means having you here," she said easily, "I can put up with the occasional kidnapping."
"It won't happen again." He repeated.
"I know it won't. I trust you."
Pulling back, he looked ready to argue on her faith in him, but, when he caught sight of her face, he changed his mind.
"You need to get some sleep. You look exhausted."
"Thanks," Vanya said sardonically.
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah." As he still had his arms around her shoulders, Vanya felt confident enough to ask, "Can I sleep in your room tonight?"
He didn't answer right away, and she worried she'd crossed that old line between them. They had shared a bed as children but, despite appearances, they weren't really kids this time. Quickly, she apologised: "Sorry, I just…"
"Don't apologise." Five interrupted. "You shouldn't be afraid to ask for what you need."
Tilting her head back, Vanya looked up at him. His eyes were still soft, but he looked tense again. Despite his words, she knew she couldn't ask for what she wanted. But what she needed: "I just, I don't want to be alone."
"Okay." He said easily, knowing he could never refuse her. "Come on then."
Pulling back the sheets, Five helped Vanya settle down but withdrew before she could position him beside her.
"I'll go get you some water. It will help flush the drugs out of your system." He offered.
"No," she protested, catching his arm as he tried to move away, "it's fine. Can you just lay here with me, please?"
"I should at least go clean my hands." He said, referring to the blood he had missed under his nails.
"I don't mind that. Please, Five."
At her plea, he clambered onto the bed and settled down. He sat at the furthest edge, leaving as much space between them as possible, but, for Vanya, it was enough. As soon as he settled against the cushions, her eyes drooped.
"You won't leave, right?" She asked, keeping herself awake.
"No. I'll keep you safe."
Smiling softly, Vanya thanked him.
Five shuffled slightly closer, promising again to protect her as she slowly surrendered to sleep. Regardless of her meal, the sedatives loitering in her system made it easy to fall into a deep slumber and Five watched closely as her breath evened out and the lines of stress which seemed to decorate her face every day faded away; leaving him with the version of Vanya he was most familiar with.
Brushing the hair away from her face, drawing a parting in her bangs so more would be exposed to his scrutiny, he kept mumbling reassurances, needing her to believe he would let nothing happen to her. He enjoyed running his fingers over her skin, the contrast between her unmarred skin and his worked hands thrilling.
He hadn't expected, when he brought them back, to reset the clock on their childhood relationship. The one that always bordered on something more than they were permitted. As an adult, Five could distance himself from Vanya – her unfamiliar appearance helping separate her from his childhood best friend – but back here, he found himself increasingly unable to say no to anything she asked from him. How could he deny Number Seven anything after all he had put her through?
Seeing the recording of her abduction, watching those goons rip her from her bed and promptly stab a syringe into her neck, it had taken every ounce of reserve to remember the timeline and pursue them with discretion. The only thought that got him through was the knowledge in a few hours Vanya would be safe in his arms, and Terminal's men would have their skin peeled from their flesh; as he had so passionately ensured.
He would have to be more careful in the future, keeping her close where she couldn't be harmed again. No one else could protect her as well as he could.
Leaning in, his lips scarcely touching the shell of her ear, Five promised her one last time before also surrendering to sleep: "I promise, Seven. This will never happen again. I'll keep you."
Written for the Fiveya Secret Santa 2020 Exchange. I hope everyone liked this. You should know I took some parts of it from another fic of mine which I wrote for an obscure fandom. I liked some of the dialogue so much, it felt like a waste since hardly anyone has read it. So I did some recycling 😄
Merry Christmas everyone and stay safe. Until next time 💝