The Umbrella Academy is not mine.
Update: edited a few things in the chapter and added a new flashback I totally forgot to add OG!
We Only See Each Other at Weddings and Funerals
i
"Running just as fast as we can
Holdin' on to one another's hand
Tryin' to get away, into the night."
- I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW - Tiffany
THE CAR RIDE TO THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY was as listless and dull as the day was grey.
Halyn sat beside a sullen Vanya in the back of a cab, the two not speaking a word as the driver soundlessly chauffeured them towards their childhood home. The air was thick with depression, and the Sioux girl found it almost suffocating- but she dared not break the silence.
What words could she say?
She had half a mind to reach over and take her friend's hand, but hesitance welled up within her and she pushed the thought away. Halyn could tell Vanya was in her own little world as she stared blankly out the cab window, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to be disturbed or not. A deep sorrow had settled within Vanya, and it twisted with her feelings of anxiety at coming home.
With a heavy sigh, Halyn tucked her hands into her jacket pockets and turned her own attention to the grey, rain-filled world that surrounded them. It seemed oh so fitting for the day to be dreary as they made their way to a funeral of sorts. Sir Hargreeves didn't deserve a bright and sunny day.
Her hands shifted in her pockets, fingers coming in contact with a small piece of cool metal. Intrigued, Halyn pulled out the small object and studied it in her hands. A melancholic smile quirked her lips upwards, an idea forming in her mind.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Vanya blinked as the girl beside her broke the silence. She glanced over, a twinge of nostalgia pulling at her heart, as Halyn extended a penny towards the quiet brunette. She looked almost expectantly at Vanya with a soft smile.
"I haven't heard that in forever." Vanya admitted with a light frown. Regardless, she reached over and grabbed the penny from her friend. Halyn continued to smile gently at the girl, maintaining an air of openness, and Vanya toyed with the small copper piece in her hands before looking back at the teen beside her, "I'm just nervous to be back home, I guess. I haven't seen anyone since I, uh…" She cleared her throat with a light shake of her head, "since I published my book."
Halyn hummed in acknowledgement, her own heartrate picking up as the cab rounded a familiar corner, and the building that haunted her nightmares came into view. Vanya followed the girl's gaze, an aching feeling gnawing at her stomach as her eyes settled on the Umbrella Academy.
The cab came to a halt before the building, Halyn quickly paying the cab driver before turning back to her companion. She patted Vanya's knee, "Being nervous just means you care, Vanya."
"I'm not sure about that."
Halyn shrugged, mind suddenly not able to focus on their conversation as her own nerves flared. There was more she could've said- should've said- to help calm Vanya down, but at the sight of the Umbrella Academy before her, a place she wished to never visit again, she just shut down.
"Oh, it's not good to be home."
The grand foyer came into view as Vanya hesitantly pushed open the entryway doors. Familiar mahogany walls and marble pillars greeted the two girls, and Halyn spun around, taking the room in.
An iron-wrought chandelier hung from the ceiling, but its light barely made a dent on the darkness that consumed the entryway. It added to the eerie atmosphere the old building seemed to forever carry, and Halyn marveled to herself at just how dark and gloomy the place still was.
Some things never change.
Halyn stopped herself in front of the grand staircase, taking in its familiar wooden features. Children's laughter flittered across her eardrums, and her eyes took on a spacey hue, mouth going dry, as fond memories playing in the foyer when she was younger danced across her vision.
A young boy disappeared in a ball of blue light, easily reappearing at the top of the staircase in another bright flash of light. A cocky smirk was stretched across his face as a young girl raced up the stairs after him.
"Five!" She childishly whined, the sound causing her teleporting companion to laugh, "Using your powers is cheating!"
"It's called being strategic, Halyn." Five flashed his teeth as he grinned at the annoyed girl.
When a young Halyn reached his side, she promptly punched his shoulder, using her own powers to give it a little extra hurt. Five glowered at the girl, the look eliciting a soft giggle from Halyn, and he complained, "What was that about powers being cheating?" He rubbed his now sore shoulder.
"I'm just being strategic, Five."
Eyebrow twitching every so slightly, Five made a move, but the image of him and young Halyn faded away as Vanya called out to her friend, drawing her back to the present.
"Halyn?" The Sioux teen blinked, turning slowly to face a concerned Vanya, "Are you okay?"
She sucked in a breath, "Uh, yeah." Halyn shrugged, sparing a glance where she last saw the small figures. Her heart panged, "Just didn't realize how much it'd hurt being back here."
Vanya nodded and swallowed thickly, "I can relate. It's hard to separate the good memories from the bad here." Halyn wrapped her arms around herself, her head tilting ever so slightly in agreement. She didn't respond however, and instead moved around the foyer.
Stepping in front of the nearest entryway, Halyn felt her breath hitch as her eyes took in the room before her. A majestic fireplace stood in the center, marble coating it, as a roaring fire basked the room in heat. A soft figure sat in a chair before it, but the girl paid it no mind, her eyes instead finding focus on the illuminated painting that hung like a shrine above the mantle.
Five.
Halyn's chest tightened as her eyes took in the familiar boy- one that she missed oh so much. Her eyes took in his own, a lifeless blue, and she found herself in an unofficial staring contest, unable to tear her gaze away. The painting didn't do the teleporter any justice, however, as it failed to truly capture his cocky and arrogant essence. Sir Hargreeves used the boy's portrait as a warning to his other children, one that told them to 'be wary of becoming too greedy with their powers'.
It was therefore ironic that he was the one who pushed Halyn and her powers, which cost the girl almost half of her life.
"Hey, mom." Vanya appeared at Halyn's side, and the girl ripped her gaze from Five's painting. The figure in the chair didn't acknowledge the two girl's presence, and Halyn instantly recognized her as Grace- the Hargreeves' caretaker and mom figure.
Though a sweet woman and someone Halyn did care about immensely, while the other children she grew up with dubbed her 'mom', she was simply 'Grace' to the girl.
As Grace sat, unmoving, before the fire, Halyn called out to her, "Grace, can you hear us?" She wasn't daft to what Grace really was and seeing as she had been with the Hargreeve's for a few decades now, it seemed likely her programming was slipping away.
Vanya shared a sad look with her friend, the same thought running through her own mind, and Halyn stepped into the room. Just as she made a move to call out to the woman once more, a familiar voice- one she hadn't heard so close in years- echoed in the foyer.
"Vanya?" Heels clacked against the wooden staircase, Vanya turning to face her sister, "You're actually here." Allison actually sounded relieved, and Vanya nodded in response.
"Hey, Allison." She greeted softly.
"Hey, sis."
A somber moment passed between the duo, Vanya shifting unsurely as Allison approached her. Halyn watched silently from the doorway as Vanya fidgeted awkwardly, obviously not knowing what to do in the given situation. Her sister wasn't deterred by this action, and with a soft chuckle, she embraced Vanya.
The hug was short lived, but one Vanya appreciated regardless, and as she pulled back from Allison, her gaze shifted to Halyn. She had watched the sister's embrace with a small smile, and when Allison noticed Vanya's gaze was over her shoulder, she turned.
"Halyn."
Allison's eyebrows shot upwards as she focused on Halyn, the latter suddenly freezing up at the attention. A sudden feeling of unease pooled in the pits of her stomach, and she bounced on her heels as Allison gaped at her, a million and one feelings battling within the actress.
After making a reappearance in the world of the living, Vanya had been the only one Halyn had any luck getting a hold of. Luthor was on the moon, while Diego and Klaus where god knows where. And while she tried to reach out to Allison, apparently all famous actresses have uppity managers who refuse to pass on a message from a long-lost sister-figure because, and I quote, "A billion girls claim to be the missing Umbrella Academy girl all the time just to get to Allison."
Halyn wasn't sure at the time if she should be flattered or offended people tried to pass themselves off as her all the time.
The last member of their dysfunctional 'family' Halyn had yet to interact with was Juliet- but the Sioux girl struggled to find the courage to even face her childhood friend.
So, not only was this a funeral for Sir Hargreeves- a man that wasn't her father, yet somehow impacted her life significantly- but it was also a grand reveal that, 'hey, she was back!'
"Uhm, hey, Allison." Halyn waved shyly at the taller girl.
Allison still seemed at a loss for words as she stared at the Sioux girl, blinking slowly. Halyn looked the same as she did the day they lost her all those years ago, and Allison was having a hard time processing her appearance as she stood before her. Just the sight of her caused a heartbreaking sense of nostalgia within the actress, and a whirlwind of excitement, relief, anger, and love tore through her.
"When did you- how did you?" Her voice was soft and hesitant, laced with shock and disbelief.
Halyn shrugged, tucking her hands into her pockets as she toed at the floor shyly, "About six months ago." That answered the when part of her friend's question, but as for the how? Even Halyn didn't have an answer to that question.
Allison hesitantly stepped towards Halyn. A million questions and thoughts raced through her mind, but she pushed them away to do one thing first.
Halyn suddenly found herself wrapped up in the taller girl's arms. Allison held the girl close, her grip tightening ever so slightly as if Halyn was going to go poof and disappear from her life once more, and the Sioux girl could've sworn she felt wet droplets on her shoulder.
Melting into the hug after a few seconds, Halyn's eyes slipped shut at the contact. Allison had been one of her closest friends at the academy, and she had missed the girl immensely. Watching her success from afar made Halyn proud, but it also hurt knowing she couldn't talk to her friend.
Eventually- after who knows how long- the two pulled away. Allison's hands still gripped Halyn's shoulders, and she smiled fondly down at the now shorter girl, "I'm-" She took in a shaky breath, corners of her lips tweaking upwards, "I'm just so glad to see you."
A warm feeling spread across Halyn's chest, the worry of facing her closest friends after basically being gone all these years washing away as Allison smiled warmly at her, "I missed you too, Allison."
Allison opened her mouth to say something- or ask something- more, but instead, Diego's voice wafted into the foyer, "You don't belong here." His voice was clipped as he brushed past the three girls, barely paying them any mind, "Not after what you did." It was obvious his statement was aimed at Vanya, and Allison dropped her hands to turn and glare at him.
"You seriously gonna do this today?" She shoved her hands in her pockets, and Halyn moved to place a hand on Vanya's shoulder as the self-conscious girl curled in on herself. She looked like a kicked puppy, and the Sioux girl bristled.
"Good to see you haven't changed, dickwad." Halyn called out to Diego's retreating form. Allison tossed the shorter girl a look that said, 'cut it out', but she ignored it in favor of glaring at the passive aggressive man's back.
The taunt caused Diego to suddenly freeze on the staircase, as a voice he hadn't heard in years flittered across his eardrums. He slowly turned around, eyes widening ever so slightly as they landed on the living form of Halyn- who he somehow missed when he passed by. She had a hand on Vanya's shoulder, a dark smirk stretched across her lips, and Diego was surprised at how young she looked.
Not many people had the audacity to talk back to him like that and call him names, but it had been a staple of his and Halyn's relationship growing up. She didn't take his crap, and he didn't take her shit. Diego would never admit it to anyone, but he had actually missed the Sioux girl.
Though his face said otherwise.
"Halyn," The name felt foreign on his tongue, "Welcome back to the land of the living." His tone was dry, and Halyn honestly didn't expect much of a greeting from the vigilante. She merely lifted an amused brow at his statement, not at all surprised when he turned back around to finish retreating up the stairs without another word.
Diego had never really been one for affection.
"You've got to be kidding me." Allison muttered under her breath. One of their fellow Umbrella Academy members had returned after years and that was his response? The actress looked at Halyn expectantly, but when she only got a shrug out of the girl, Allison rolled her eyes and called out to her brother, "Way to dress for the occasion, by the way!"
"At least I'm wearing black."
Halyn snorted at Diego's snide retort, and Allison elbowed her gently, a subtle hint to not encourage him. Vanya glanced at the two unsurely before turning to make her way to the door. An overwhelming feeling of unwelcomeness washed over her, and she just had to get out, "You know what? I- maybe he's right. And I shouldn't-"
"Forget about him." Allison interrupted. A reassuring smile settled on her perfect lips, "He's being a-" She glanced at Halyn, smile faltering for a second before she rolled her eyes and faced her sister, "A dickwad, as Halyn so eloquently put it." The younger appearing girl grinned up at her taller friend, but Vanya still didn't seem so sure. Allison's face took on a more serious expression, "I'm glad you're here. Both of you."
Vanya glanced down at her feet shyly, still fidgeting, before looking back to her sister once more. A hesitant smile pulled at her lips, and she nodded her head, a voiceless statement that said 'okay, I'll stay'.
Allison smiled warmly. She still had a lot of questions in regard to Halyn's sudden reappearance, but for the time being, she was content that her two sisters were here beside her- though they were still down one Juliet, who Allison knew would be fashionably late with doughnuts from Griddy's. Regardless, a comfortable feeling of familiarity eased away some of the actresses worries in regard to the days upcoming events, and she basked in it.
It was important to focus on the positive things- such as the fact her family was gathered back together again.
The upstairs of the Umbrella Academy was just as eerie as the downstairs- maybe more so if Halyn was being honest. It appeared as if Sir Hargreeves didn't believe in adequate lighting, but rather he believed in lighting that would set a mysterious mood, and the upstairs of the academy sure fit that vibe. Lights were either dimmed or just straight up didn't exist, and eerie shadows flickered on the walls.
Halyn didn't remember the academy being so dark.
While Vanya had wandered off to reminisce on her own, Allison had gestured to Halyn to follow her upstairs. She presumed it was to catch up or something, and she felt the palms of her hands go sweaty at the idea of talking about what she had endured for all those years. It was a subject she had yet to disclose to anyone yet, and the only person she wanted to talk to about it was gone, and it didn't seem like they were returning anytime soon.
The two strolled past various rooms, and Halyn found her eyes staring into each other with curiosity. Most were empty, as Sir Hargreeves had a mansion built for dozens of people, yet only twelve- and Pogo- lived here at one time. She had always been curious as to why the building was so large, but her curiosity was always shot down as unimportant, and thus she never got an answer.
Halyn wasn't sure if Allison was waiting for the younger girl to start talking or not, but they continued on in silence as the actress lead the duo down one of the halls. They crossed through an opening, one that looked down into the living space below, and the familiar voice of Vanya wafted upwards, her words causing Halyn to freeze in her tracks.
"How long has it been since Five disappeared?"
Allison, upon realizing she no longer had a companion, paused. She turned around, finding Halyn standing next to the railing, silently watching the scene below her. Allison opened her voice to call out to the Sioux girl, but she hesitated as Pogo spoke.
"It's been twelve years, four months, and fourteen days. Your father insisted I keep track."
Halyn's hands clutched the wooden railing before her like a lifeline, knuckles going white as she stood there, breath suddenly shortening. Hot flashes of tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, and she stared right into Five's painted eyes. If Five had been gone that long, then that meant-
Eleven years, ten months, and twenty-two days was how long Halyn had been trapped.
Wood began to creep up her arms as she dissociated. Every time she thought about that damn number, panic would rise up within her. Her fear became palpable once more, and when comparing how long she was gone to how long it's been since Five disappeared, Halyn wanted to throw up.
It was hard to believe she had been gone for over a decade.
A soft beeping noise was the first thing Halyn registered as she slowly woke. It was constant and even, and it called out to the girl. Her eyes flickered, and suddenly the beeping began to pick up in pace, tone pitching in volume as consciousness consumed Halyn.
"Ah, Number Four, you are awake."
The voice of someone Halyn never wanted to hear from again called out to her.
Sir Reginald Hargreeves stood at the bedside of Halyn, his signature monocle glinting ominously in the grim light of the infirmary. An alert had gone off in his office about a change in heart rate from the unconscious girl, and he could only assume it meant Number Four was waking up, so he set off for the infirmary, Pogo and Grace on his heels.
Halyn shifted, her body screaming at her from lack of use. Everything felt too stiff, as if her body was stone, and it was an uncomfortable feeling.
"W-what h-happened?" She managed to choke out, voice barely above a timid whisper. It was dry and achy, and it hurt to talk.
Lifting an irritated brow, Sir Hargreeves shifted to the side as Grace offered the young girl a glass of water. His next reply was short, and Halyn didn't like the disappointment in his voice, "You let your powers get the better of you."
Halyn stared up at him blankly, barely registering as Grace gently pulled the IV out of her. She had sucked down the water she had been offered, and it was Pogo this time who went to get her some more. Before he left however, the kind old ape flashed the girl a deeply sympathetic look. It made Halyn uncomfortable.
Her mind was fuzzy at best, and she was having a hard time putting two and two together. It hurt to think about anything before her just now waking up, and Halyn's lips pursed ever so slightly.
When she didn't speak anymore, and instead continued to stare up at Sir Hargreeves with an empty expression, he took that as his cue to continue speaking. A look of disappointment still contorted his elderly features- Halyn didn't remember him looking so old- and it merged with a look of irritation.
"The year is 2018, Number Four, specifically November the 12th. Pogo, tell her how long its been."
Pogo had reappeared as Halyn processed Sir Hargreeves words, and she felt her throat constricting. The heart monitor she was hooked up to began to beep louder and more rapidly as a feeling of dread spread throughout the Sioux girl. Their ape companion gently handed the glass back to Halyn, and with a sorrowful look and a deep sigh, he complied with his master's wishes, "Yes sir." He faced the ever distraught Halyn, holding his cane close like a crutch.
"Miss Halyn, it has been eleven years, four months, and ten days since you had become entrapped in stone."
And that's when it all came flooding back to Halyn.
"Halyn?" Allison called out cautiously, Vanya and Pogo's conversation moving forward below. When the girl didn't answer, she stepped closer to her, "Are you okay?" The actress reached out, placing a soft hand on her shoulder.
The touch seemed to snap Halyn out of whatever trance she had been pulled into, and when she glanced up at Allison, she pushed her tears away, "I'm fine." Liar. Her hands returned to normal.
Allison's eyes narrowed, "Okay?" She obviously didn't believe Halyn, but whereas the Sioux teen could get people to open up with a stupid penny, the actress had a harder time getting through to people. But when she glanced over at Five's shrine above the fireplace- the object of Halyn's attention- something clicked, "You miss him."
Halyn furrowed her brows, a soft 'who' leaving her lips before she followed Allison's gaze back to Five's painting and she realized what the actress was referring to. She swallowed the thick lump in her throat. Though not what she had been on her mind just then, Halyn nodded her head as the hole in her heart Five's disappearance left ached, "More than I care to admit." She confessed lowly.
Allison squeezed Halyn's shoulder, "We all miss him."
All Halyn could do was continue to nod her head, lest she start crying again or something. Just as Pogo mentioned something about peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches, the Sioux girl pulled herself away from the railing and walked off. Allison spared one last look at Five's painting, concern for her brother's whereabouts evident in her eyes, before she turned to follow after Halyn.
Where are you Five?
With some slight resistance, the door to Sir Hargreeves private office slid open, revealing the pristine contents within. Allison peered inward first, a melancholic expression toying with her pretty features, and Halyn reluctantly followed the actress inside the office. She wasn't sure why Allison had chosen this room of all places to enter, but she kept her thoughts to herself.
Halyn glanced around the once forbidden room, studying the contents with mild curiosity. This room had always been off limits to the academy children, and growing up, Halyn could only remember getting sneak peaks into the room every now and then.
Grace lined the children up behind the pocket door that lead to Sir Hargreeves office. Halyn fidgeted in her spot beside Five, and he elbowed her softly as she bumped into him. She rolled her eyes, a frown on her face as Grace cheerily looked upon the children.
"Oh, Klaus." She murmured sweetly, reaching forward to fix up said boy's pajama top. The top buttons were off, and it looked a bit wrinkled. Grace quickly fixed him up, Klaus smiling brightly up at her, before she did one more quick sweep over the children.
Satisfied that they were presentable, Grace turned and knocked on the office door. She received no response, yet her smile never faltered. The motherly robot simply slipped into the room, smile still ever so cheery, as she went to speak with Sir Hargreeves.
Halyn kicked at the floor, the dark expression on her face a sharp contrast from her normally cheery personality, "This is stupid." She muttered under her breath. Every now and then, Grace insisted on the children saying goodnight to their 'father'- or Sir Hargreeves as Halyn would forever know him as.
It may have been a mouthful, but Halyn had a real father- even if he did give her up to Sir Hargreeves.
"You're stupid." Five shot back. He knew Halyn wasn't particularly fond of his father, and didn't view him as such either, but Sir Hargreeves was the only father figure he had ever known, and in his own way, Five did care about him.
Halyn opened her mouth to say something back to the boy beside her, but she caught Luthor's stern look. Shutting her mouth, she plastered on the fakest smile she could muster, which earned a glare from Number One himself and a smirk from Five.
The door to the office suddenly slid open, and the children righted themselves. Grace beamed proudly at her children as she stepped to the side once they were in full view of Sir Hargreeves. Halyn watched from the back as her friends all smiled at their father, and detest churned in her stomach as the man of their affection continued to ignore his children.
Grace fidgeted awkwardly as Sir Hargreeves continued to write at his desk, purposefully ignoring the gathered children before him in favor of his work. Glancing from the busy man to the upset children, Grace wrung her hands together.
"Okay!" She suddenly spoke, stepping before the children and ushering them away, "Time for bed now, kids. Come along now." The children hesitated, Halyn included, and Grace continued to steer them away, "Come along now."
Five rolled his eyes, jaw clenched as he turned to walk away. Halyn placed a hand on his shoulder, doing her best to comfort her best friend, but he brushed her hand off. It fell to her side, and she just barely caught his dejected look.
The rest of the Hargreeves filed out, until it was only Allison left in the doorway. She looked annoyed, hurt even, and Halyn watched her sadly.
Grace wrapped her arms around Allison, aiming to steer the young girl away, "Come along now, Allison, your father's busy." She tried to keep a chipper tone as she addressed the dejected girl.
Allison rolled her shoulders, effectively brushing Grace's arms off of her, "He's always busy." She scoffed darkly, not bothering to hide her irritation. Halyn was sure Sir Hargreeves heard her, but he just continued to write in his stupid journal.
Halyn felt for her friend, and when Allison passed her by, she tossed her own glare Sir Hargreeves way. She was certain he couldn't see it, but it still made her feel better, "Some father." She muttered under her breath.
"Halyn," Grace spoke, tone a weird mixture of scolding and soothing, "It's time for bed for you as well." And with that, the motherly robot ushered the last of the children away, sparing one final, concerned glance at the man writing behind the desk.
It was intimidating being in Sir Hargreeves office- that much Halyn was certain of. The room was both cluttered and yet organized at the same time, something only Sir Hargreeves himself could somehow achieve. The painting of him that hung behind his desk was grim, and Halyn felt as though he was staring into her soul. She could feel his disappointment in her, and though he was gone, the feeling sent a shiver down her spine.
"Where's the cash?"
Allison and Halyn shared a look as the grand desk rattled, drawers clattering. The two stepped towards the desk to check it out, the actress taking point as she strode towards it at a faster pace. She pursed her lips and leaned over the desk, the desk chair moving as whoever was rummaging around bumped it.
"Klaus?" Allison called out, and Halyn's interest was piqued. Her and Klaus had always been semi-close, "What are you doing in here?"
A scruffy head of hair appeared from beneath the desk, looking rather disoriented. Klaus's eyes were unfocused, and it took him a few seconds to register the girl before him, "Oh, Allison!" With an airy voice, he slowly picked himself up from the ground, "Is that you?"
Bemusement at her brother's antics danced across Allison's features, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Klaus stood up full. He was wearing a long coat lined with fur, a purple boa draped lazily around his neck. Leather pants adorned his legs, a mesh shirt showing off his stomach. The outfit wasn't exactly what Halyn was expecting from the necromancer- but then again, it had been eleven years since she had seen the boy.
Time tended to change a lot of things.
"Hey, come here." Klaus pulled his sister into a hug, Allison giving in with a small smile, "Long time. Too long." He pulled away with a lazy smile, and Halyn shifted closer. Her movement caught the not-totally-coherent boy's attention, and his expression brightened significantly when his eyes landed upon her.
"Is that?" Klaus glanced between Halyn and Allison, disbelief evident on his face. When Allison nodded, silently confirming that yes she could also see Halyn, he beamed, "Oh, little Halyn!"
Halyn held her arms open, a coy grin on her lips, "Hey, Klausy." The necromancer pushed past Allison and fell into the shorter girl's arms. Klaus's arms tightened around her waist, Halyn's curling around his neck, and he lifted her upwards.
That proved to not be a good idea, as Klaus wasn't totally there nor prepared to lift her weight. The two stumbled into Sir Hargreeves desk, Halyn laughing as she heard a few things tumble roughly to the ground below. The two paid the stuff no mind, and she patted Klaus's back. He pulled away, hazel eyes staring into her own brown, a lazy grin on his face.
"I knew you weren't dead!" Halyn giggled at Klaus's declaration, and he tilted his head towards Allison, who watched the two affectionately, "Didn't I, Allison?" He drawled.
She nodded her head, softly grinning, "Yeah, you did, Klaus."
Halyn swallowed thickly as Klaus faced her again, her smile fading away. Klaus didn't notice the change in her attitude, however, and he smiled wistfully at her, "Yeah, when you… Medusa'd yourself-" Medusa'd? The Sioux girl frowned. That's what they were calling it? "-everyone seemed to think you were dead or something. I tried to conjure you but-" As Klaus continued to prattle on, Halyn glanced over at Allison. Her soft smile had shifted into a glare at her brother, and Halyn felt her heart sink at his words.
She knew Klaus meant well, and he wasn't totally himself right now, but she had never really thought about how her entrapment affected the rest of the Umbrella Academy. The experience had been harrowing for herself, but seeing as she had become trapped soon after Five disappeared, she couldn't imagine the pain her friends felt.
"Klaus!" Allison called out, voice a bit clipped. Klaus immediately stopped talking to face the actress.
"Yes, dear?"
It was good to know somethings hadn't changed.
"You never answered my question; why are you in here?"
Klaus faced Halyn once more, and she quirked a brow at the loving smile on his face, "Oh, Halyn." He pressed sloppy kisses to both her cheeks, the Sioux girl squealing at the contact before shoving the boy away. As she wiped her cheeks, Klaus pressed his hands over his heart, "It is so good to see you." Another fond smile was aimed her way, and Allison looked ready yell at the necromancer once more before he faced her, "I was actually hoping to see you!" He pointed a lazy finger at the actress.
"Really?" Allison quirked a brow. It didn't exactly answer her question, but she supposed she shouldn't have expected too much from Klaus.
"Yeah, yeah!" Klaus staggered over to the actress, firmly placing himself before her, "I, wah, uh, I wanted to get your autograph." His voice pitched upwards, hands moving to sit under his chin as he smiled innocently up at Allison, "Add it to my collection~!"
Allison rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the smile that graced her lips, and Halyn laughed. It was short lived, however, as Allison noticed the white medical band that adorned Klaus's wrist, "Just out of rehab?" She questioned, an air of accusation to it.
Halyn had heard from Vanya that Klaus's drug addiction had severely worsened, and he had spent the past few years- well, decade even- in and out of various rehabs. It hurt to see Klaus disregard his body so, and hear about how he basically tossed his life away, but she also remembered why he felt the need to distract himself so wholly.
Halyn's nose crinkled in disgust as Klaus blew out a thick stream of smoke. The smell was nauseating, and it was the last thing she wanted in her bedroom. Klaus smiled brightly at the girl before him, mind already feeling the effects of the drugs he was smoking, and he was daft to the annoyance his drug habit brought the girl before him.
"Halyn!"
"What do you want, Klaus?"
"I'm feeling a little… snack-y." He patted his stomach for emphasis, "Got anything good in stock?"
Halyn quirked a brow, a cherry dum-dum hanging from her mouth. It wasn't a secret that she had a candy stash in her bedroom- one who's location was frequently changed due to a certain teleporter- and the siblings would often trade her goods or other favors for a pick at her sweets.
"And what do you have to offer today, Klaus?"
The necromancer took a hit of his joint, mind further becoming frazzled. Klaus had the decency to look the other direction as he blew the smoke outwards, and he looked contemplative for a moment.
Klaus then held his joint outwards for Halyn, "Eh?" He already knew she wouldn't accept it.
The Sioux girl looked from the blunt and back to Klaus, an unamused brow quirked, "Is that all you got?"
"Well, yeah?" He frowned, "I spent every last penny on it." Klaus did his best to look pitiful and sorry, brown eyes hazy and wide.
The look worked on Halyn and, with a heavy sigh, she rolled her eyes before stepping backwards. Klaus pulled his joint back, taking another hit of it, and Halyn spoke, "If I give you some candy, will you leave me alone?"
"Absolutely!"
"One second."
Halyn disappeared into her room, shutting the door on Klaus before retrieving her stash. She dug through it for a few of Klaus's favorite things- mainly chocolate items- and turned to place her stash back in its hiding spot.
"Care to share your goods?"
Halyn scowled, "Damn it, Five!" He was suddenly perched on her bed, legs crossed and sporting his pajamas. Five's eyes were wide with innocence, but Halyn knew he was anything but. She tossed the grinning boy a glare, irked that yet another hiding spot of hers had been compromised.
I really need to put a bell on him. She thought to herself. Without another word, she reached back into her stash. Halyn grabbed a bag of sour candies before she turned and chucked them at Five's head. The teleporter caught them with ease, smile never faltering, and he winked at Halyn before disappearing in a blink.
Pinching the bridge of her nose and internally cursing Klaus's munchies, she gathered up the sweets she had snagged for him. Pulling open the door, she wasn't surprised to see Klaus even more out of it. Halyn shoved the sweets into his hands, the necromancer blinking before chirping, "Danke!"
Klaus turned to leave, joint hanging loosely from his mouth as he waved at her with a hand full of treats. She stared at him before calling out.
"I still don't understand how you can do that stuff, Klaus."
His reply was almost instant.
"Trust me, honey, if you saw half the shit I did, you'd be high every chance you got, too."
And she best believed him.
"No, no. No, no, no, no." Klaus denied, pulling his hand away from Allison. He studied the medical band for a moment, and Halyn watched as he stepped behind Sir Hargreeves desk, "No. I'm done- done with all that!" He sighed, "I just came down her to prove to myself that the old man was really gone." Klaus's tone flared at the end, a hint of drama in it. Allison looked at him in disbelief, and Halyn snickered as he feigned being choked up. "And he is!" Klaus suddenly clapped, voice pitching upwards. "He's dead. Yeah!" He cheered. Allison couldn't help the smile on her face.
It may have been morbid, but they were all better off without Sir Hargreeves in their life.
"You know how I know?" Halyn quirked a brow as Klaus carried on. He glanced from Allison to the Sioux girl, "Because if he were alive, not one of us would be allowed to step foot in this room." Klaus emphasized the last few words with a point, face looking finite, and Allison glanced away, "He was always in here, our whole childhood, plotting his next torment, right?"
Halyn snorted in agreement and Klaus tossed himself into Sir Hargreeves chair. He lazily kicked his feet up onto the desk, not caring about the papers that littered it. Allison studied a letter she pulled from a book on the desk, and Halyn found herself fiddling with a telescope.
As Allison dropped the letter back onto the desk, Halyn shoved her hands into her pockets, eyes shifting upwards towards Sir Hargreeves painting, "Ugh. Remember how he used to look at us?" Her nose crinkled in disgust, "Always scowling."
It was true, the world's most eccentric billionaire had no other emotion but scowl.
"Yeah, yeah!" Klaus laughed in agreeance, "That scowl?" He pointed towards the painting, directing Allison's attention to it, "Thank Christ he's not our real father so we couldn't inherit those cold, dead eyes!" To further his point, Klaus pulled his eyes open with his fingers, making them as wide as he could as he glanced between Halyn and Allison.
The look was disgusting, and Halyn couldn't help but laugh at Klaus's childishness. It was refreshing to be around his strange humor, and she didn't bother to point out the fact that Sir Hargreeves was not her father in any way, shape, or form.
"Aaah!" Klaus screamed with a laugh, Halyn snickering at the expression on his face. Allison shook her head with a light chuckle, and the necromancer turned his wide gaze to her, "Number Three," He imitated Sir Hargreeves, voice mocking as he faced Halyn, "Number Four-"
"Get out of his chair."
Halyn immediately ceased laughing as the wet blanket of the Umbrella Academy stepped into the room. She turned around to face the newcomer, eyes widening as she took in the huge form of Number One, Luther Hargreeves.
Evidently, she wasn't the only one surprised by Luther's bulky appearance, "Oh, wow, Luther!" Klaus shifted in his seat, and Halyn fidgeted uncomfortably as Luther stared at her in surprise, "Wow, you really uh…" Klaus kept talking, not giving Halyn and Luther a chance for a reunion- not that there was necessarily going to be one.
Luther was a man of order, and when Halyn showed up and shuffled that order up- even if he stayed Number One- he kind of held it against her.
"Children, I want you all to meet Number Four."
Seven sets of eyes settled on the newcomer. Her dark hair was neatly braided into two pigtails, bangs pulled back with a handful of bobby pins. Dark brown eyes were full of unsureness, and she fidgeted uncomfortably at Sir Hargreeves side. The eccentric billionaire paid no mind to how uncomfortable the young girl was, and instead focused his cold gaze on his current children.
The new girl was the same age as the others- six- and it was safe to assume she was just like them. Why else would she be at the Academy?
Klaus looked back and forth between his siblings and the newcomer, clearly confused before he raised his hand. Sir Hargreeves turned his attention to him, "Number Six, do you have a question?"
Ben's brows furrowed at being called on, "No, I don't have a question? Klaus does." Klaus still held his hand in the air.
"Number Seven, you were not given permission to speak."
Ben looked taken aback at being reprimanded, and the confusion was evident on his face as he shared a look with Klaus. Vanya blinked, and she glanced from her father to her brother and back again, unsure if that statement was aimed at her or not, "I- I do not understand?" Her voice was soft, and obviously just as confused as her siblings.
"Same goes to you, Number Eight. I did not give you permission to speak." Vanya quickly nodded her head, making the connection that she was Number Eight. She almost mumbled out an apology, but thought better of it and held it in.
Luthor, obviously feeling the need to take charge of the situation, called out, "Father."
Sir Hargreeves glanced at him, "Number One?" Klaus still had his hand in the air.
"I'm afraid we don't understand, sir. Who is Number Four?"
With an irritated sigh, Sir Hargreeves's hand clamped down firmly on the new girl's shoulder. She flinched slightly at the harsh contact, but with the way this man carried himself, the young girl didn't dare say anything, lest she be scolded herself. Through a tearful and confused goodbye, her parents had made her promise to be on her best behaviour- and she was determined to do just that.
Even if this was the last place on earth she wanted to be.
"It's rather obvious, isn't it?" A cocky voice spoke. Sir Hargreeves eyed Number Five, not bothering to reprimand his son as he explained the situation before them, having easily figured it out, and all eyes snapped to him, "Klaus is now Number Six, Ben Number Seven, and Vanya Number Eight." Five pulled a hand out of his pocket and gestured at the new girl, a smirk toying at his lips, "She is Number Four."
Something within her snapped, "She is named Halyn, not a number."
Five quirked a single brow as Number Four- Halyn- levelled him with a dark glare. His signature smirk still sat on his lips, hands shoved deep in his pockets, and his smirk only grew as she continued to glare at him. Despite being so young, his intelligence was beyond his years- and that just lead to an overly inflated ego.
"Silence, Number Four." Sir Hargreeves spoke, voice even. Her glare fell as she glanced up at him, a feeling of intimidation replacing her annoyance before she dropped her gaze to the floor. Five almost felt sorry for the girl- almost- she had no idea what she was getting herself into.
"Five is correct." A smug smirk danced on the boy's lips, his siblings rolling their eyes. He always had to be right. "This," He pushed the new girl forward slightly, "is the new Number Four. Number Four is now Number Six, Number Six is now Number Seven, and Number Seven is now Number Eight." Sir Hargreeves confirmed Five's theory.
Soft murmurs spread throughout the young kids, all but Five sharing perplexed glances. Diego rolled his eyes and nudged Juliet as if to say 'what gives?' while Klaus looked mildly sad at being renumbered. Meanwhile, Five's gaze was focused on Halyn. Her head was cocked to the side as she studied the siblings before her, and when she caught Five staring at her, she didn't break eye contact, even as his smirk continued to grow.
"Quiet now, it is imperative that you all quickly learn to adapt when the status quo changes." Sir Hargreeves spoke to the children as if they were teenagers and not young kids, but it was his every intention to make them grow up fast and make them wise beyond their years.
They needed to learn if they were going to survive.
"Why didn't Five get a new number?" Klaus whined, his hand finally falling from the air.
Sir Hargreeves straightened himself up, "That is not for you to worry about, Number Six."
"But I-"
"Number Six." Their father's voice was harsh, and the tone caused all the children to tense up. Klaus's eyes widened and he immediately clamped his mouth shut, eyes falling to the floor, "This conversation is over. Do you understand?" There was a soft chorus of 'yeses' from the Hargreeves siblings- and Juliet-, and Sir Hargreeves jaw twitched, "I said: do you understand?"
"Yes father!" All the children- minus Halyn- spoke together, each one suddenly at attention. She watched them with uncertainty, and an unnerved feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. She just wanted to go home.
She wanted her mom.
"Good." Sir Hargreeves sniffed, "Now, you will all do well to make Number Four feel at home here."
Halyn and Luther had never been that close growing up. They didn't necessarily hate each other or anything, and as Allison was one of her closest friends, the Sioux girl did her best to befriend him, they just had personalities that tended to clash growing up. Halyn had always been a bit more free-spirited and easy going, while Luther liked order and feeling superior- as being Sir Hargreeves favorite had easily gone to his head.
Despite their lack of an actual relationship of sorts, Luther was still upset at her loss. And given the fact that he kept flashing his surprised gaze from Allison to Halyn, she wasn't sure who he was more surprised to see- or what exactly he was feeling.
Klaus- bless his soul- was ignorant to the tense atmosphere, and just kept on speaking his mind as soon as the thoughts came to him, "You really filled out over the years, huh?" Klaus flexed for emphasis, and even Allison looked surprised at his form.
"Klaus." Luther's tone was warning.
"Save the lecture." The necromancer held out a finger, "I was already leaving." Halyn shifted awkwardly, finally meeting Luther's confused gaze, and Klaus pointed his fingers back and forth between Allison and Luthor, "You guys can, uh, talk amongst yourselves." He chuckled softly, and as he rounded the desk, he latched onto Halyn's arm, "But I'm taking little miss Halyn with me!" He pouted and booped her nose, Halyn smacking his hand away with an annoyed sound, "We have a lot of catching up to do~!" Klaus ended his sentence in a sing-song voice.
Klaus pulled Halyn along with him, making a beeline towards the door Luther had entered from. Before they could reach it, however, the bulky man gently grabbed Halyn's wrist.
"Halyn."
The Sioux girl looked up at him. Luther's mouth opened and closed, and he fumbled with words to say. Halyn knew words weren't his forte, so she just smiled up at him kindly, glancing at Allison out of the corner of her eye, "We can talk later, Luther." She glanced back up at him.
"I, uh, yeah…" He nodded, still at a loss for words, "Okay." Luther released the grip he had on her hand, and Klaus continued to pull the young girl with him.
They were almost to the doorframe when Luthor called out to them once more. This time though, his voice wasn't soft. It was accusatory, "Klaus."
Klaus gave a dramatic eyeroll, turning to face Luther with some extra flair, "Yes, big brother?"
"Drop it."
"Ex-squeeze me?"
Luther's eyes narrowed, and it was obvious he wasn't playing any games, "Do it. Now."
A stare down began between the two, Klaus glaring up at the taller man while Luther glared down at his necromancer brother. Halyn sighed heavily, sharing an annoyed look with Allison from across the way. When it came to stubbornness and defiantness, there was more than plenty to go around in the Hargreeves family.
Finally, before Halyn or Allison could intervene, Klaus relented, "All right. All right." He scowled at Luthor, giving Halyn an apologetic look before he dropped her arm and stormed melodramatically back towards Sir Hargreeves desk.
Klaus began to dig in his fur coats pockets, pulling out little trinkets from hidden places within the number. He allowed them to fall on the ground, not really caring as he glared at Luther, "It's just an advance on our inheritance! That's all it is!" With his pockets now empty, his glare shifted into a scowl as he walked back towards Halyn's side, "No need to get your little panties in a bunch." As if to drive his point home, Klaus grabbed his crotch, voice sarcastic.
Halyn shook her head, bemused, and Luther just look exacerbated. He had been in the same room as Klaus for five seconds and he was already sick of him. And the feeling seemed to be mutual on Klaus's part.
"Come on, Halyn!" Klaus pouted, re-looping his arm with Halyn's and pulling her out of the office, "I can tell when I'm not wanted." The door shut with a hard thunk behind the duo, leaving Luthor and Allison alone in Sir Hargreeves office.
Klaus's pace suddenly picked up, and he kept nervously looking over his shoulder as he pulled Halyn down the open hall. She finally dug her feet into the ground when they were practically running, and Halyn tore her arm from Klaus's grasp.
"Klaus, what the hell?"
The jittery necromancer faced Halyn, eyes periodically glancing over her shoulder and towards the door they had just exited. Klaus seemed to think for a moment, an internal debate happening in his spacy mind, before he beamed at the girl before him, "Luther thinks he's so smart," He mocked, Halyn looking at him confused, "Well I showed him!" There was great excitement in his voice, and Halyn wasn't sure if she even wanted to know.
"Alright, Klaus." She snapped her fingers in his face, pulling his attention back to her, "What are you talking about?"
Klaus began to reach into his pants, and Halyn regretted ever saying a single word to him. He fidgeted and danced about for a few seconds, until he finally pulled free his prize- a golden-inlayed, ornate box that just looked expensive.
"Nicked it from dad's office." Klaus looked rather proud of himself, but then a brief moment of panic flooded his body, and he faced Halyn, eyes wide, "You won't tell big, badNumber One, will you?" The necromancer latched onto Halyn's shoulders, shaking her slightly and the girl laughed.
Maneuvering herself out of Klaus's grip, she shook her head, "No, Klaus, I won't tell Luther."
"Good! Because snitches get stitches." He stated matter-of-factly, lips pursed comically, and his finger brushed against her nose. Halyn rolled her eyes and Klaus kissed his newfound treasure.
She grimaced, "Ew, that was just on your ass."
"Oh, honey, I'm more than okay with kissing my own ass." Halyn snorted at his snide reply, not even the least bit shocked by it anymore. Klaus smiled sweetly at her, pulling her into another hug. This one was shorter than the last, and he pulled away after a few seconds, "I would love love love to catch up but-" He held up the ornate box, giving it a brief shake, and Halyn wondered what was in it, "-I have some, prior engagements to attend to. Muah!" He pressed yet another sloppy kiss to the Sioux girl's cheek, but she just accepted her fate, before he darted off, obviously immensely proud of himself.
Halyn wasn't an idiot. She knew exactly what Klaus was going to do with that box, but she just didn't care. Maybe it would've been the responsible thing to stop him so he didn't buy more drugs, but on the flipside, her letting Klaus run off with Sir Hargreeves stuff was a way to stick it to the old man.
Plus, Klaus was his own person. When they were kids, he'd never really listen to her- or the others- about getting sober, and she figured nothing had really changed now. Halyn would just keep an extra eye on him for precaution.
"Klaus, what are you-" A voice Halyn hadn't heard in a long time spoke, and the girl froze. She slowly turned towards the source, finding Klaus standing at the top of the stairs, and a stunned Juliet beside him. The older woman's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as she gaped at the teen before her, her hand on Klaus's chest to keep him in place.
Halyn knew Juliet would be here today- I mean, why wouldn't she be- but she hadn't been prepared for a reunion just yet. She figured she had more time to prepare, but that obviously wasn't the case as she fidgeted awkwardly.
"Klaus, I'm not high off your second-hand smoke, am I?" Juliet's voice was shaky as she questioned the necromancer.
He turned, Juliet's hand falling from his chest, as he eyed her stunned expression, "Oh, no," Klaus drawled, following the woman's gaze to Halyn, "I'm fresh out of drugs, honey. Halyn here is the real deal." As if to prove his point, Klaus sauntered back up to the Sioux teen. She eyed him cautiously, immediately smacking his hands as he pinched her cheeks, "See?"
"Klaus." Halyn grumbled, and seeing Klaus interact with the girl, and actually hearing her voice, had Juliet crumbling.
"Halyn." She breathed out, and before the teen could even react, she was swept up into a pair of arms. Halyn felt warm tears dampen her jacket, Juliet's chest shaking, and she immediately returned the hug.
"Hey, Jules."
Klaus swooned at the reunion, Halyn glaring at him over Juliet's shoulder, before he waggled his fingers, flashing his 'good-bye' tattoo before disappearing down the stairs. She rolled her eyes at his antics but brushed them away as Juliet continued to hold onto her.
The two had been almost inseparable when they were younger, as both were kind of 'outsiders' in the academy, and Halyn felt great comfort at being back in her friend's arms. She had missed her like crazy, and based on Juliet's reaction, she could tell she felt the same.
"I- I can't believe you're back." Juliet blubbered, pulling away from the teen. She kept her hands on Halyn's shoulders, a mild fear that if she let her go of the girl she'd disappear, nipping at the back of her mind, but the Sioux girl didn't mind the contact.
"Yeah, yeah I am." Halyn felt her own tears prick at the corners of her eyes, and she buried herself in Juliet's chest once more. It was strange now, that her best friend was physically fourteen years older than her, but she paid that thought little mind.
Juliet was still her best friend- and nothing would change that.
Halyn fidgeted uncomfortably from her spot on the couch next to Vanya, leg bouncing up and down at a rapid pace. The silence in the room was deafening, the only noise being the occasional crackle of the fire, and the clinking of bottles as Klaus fixed himself a drink. You could slice the tension in the room with a knife, and Halyn wasn't sure the last time the Hargreeves were all in one room together.
But she'd place a good amount of money on the answer being a long ass time.
Allison sat on a spare chair, sipping a glass of whiskey slowly. Diego sat closest to her in front of the fire, looking off into the distance as dramatic as always. Juliet sat on the couch closest to him, arms crossed as she leaned back in her seat, and Luther sat beside her.
Luther stood up from the couch opposite of Halyn and Vanya, eyes scanning over his gathered family and friends. His oversized coat did nothing to hide his large form, and Halyn watched as he squirmed under the attention of those gathered.
"Uhm… I guess we should get this started." He cleared his throat and gestured to no one in particular, "So, I figured we could have a sort of memorial service in the courtyard at sundown. Say a few words at dad's favorite spot."
Allison looked confused, "Dad had a favorite spot?"
"You know, under the oak tree?" Luther tried to explain, but everyone just stared at him in confusion- all minus Halyn at least. Under the oak tree was a very familiar location for her, but not for the same reasons as Luther, "We used to sit out there all the time. None of you ever did that?"
Juliet rolled her eyes, "Not all of us were his favorite, spaceboy." Luther glared at the girl, and Diego chuckled at her snark. Halyn bit her lip to keep from laughing, shifting in her spot as Klaus rounded the couch.
"Will there be refreshments?" A joint loosely sat in his left hand, his right occupied by a glass of liquor and a trophy- where he got the trophy, Halyn had no idea, "Tea? Scones? Cucumber sandwiches are always a winner!"
Luthor stared at him, bewildered, and Halyn's lips quirked upwards, "What? No." He pointed to the joint, and Klaus took a drag of it, "And put that out. Dad didn't allow smoking in here."
"He also didn't allow fun, but that didn't stop us." Halyn teased. Allison chuckled, and Luther glared at the young girl.
"Not helping." Halyn shrugged.
Klaus stepped towards the couch Vanya and Halyn were sitting on. He gestured to them to scoot, and the two slid apart to make some space for the mentally distant man. Just as he went to sit down, however, Allison called out to him.
"Is that my skirt?"
"What?" Klaus looked over at his sister before nodding his head, "Oh, yeah, this?" The necromancer gestured to the black skirt he was sporting- and honestly pulling off- that reached his ankles, "I found it in your room. It's a little dated, but it's very breathy on the bits." He not so shyly gestured to the area his man parts sat, and Halyn smacked his hip.
That earned her a wink from the cheeky man, and he flopped onto the couch in the now open spot between Vanya and Halyn. He didn't really consider the open drink in his hand, and some of the liquid spilled over the rim, "Oopsies." Klaus giggled, and Halyn reached over, pulling the drink from the necromancer before he could spill anymore.
Klaus didn't protest, instead taking another drag of his joint, looking Luther dead in the eyes as he did so. The bulky man flashed him an are you serious look, and smoke billowed from Klaus's mouth slowly as his lips quirked upwards mockingly.
Halyn rolled her eyes at the necromancer's antics and took a light sip of the alcohol she stole from him. The liquid burned her throat- and not in a good way- and she coughed, "What the hell is in this?" She turned to Klaus once her throat was cleared.
"Oh, you know, just some whiskey, a little bourbon and rum and-" Klaus pulled the drink back from Halyn, taking a deep sip. He shivered as the harsh liquid slid down his throat, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, "-ah, a little bit of vodka!"
"It's disgusting."
"That's life, sweetheart."
Luthor, looking as annoyed as ever, glared at the two and cut their conversation short, "Alright, listen up." Halyn pouted, and Klaus tossed an arm over her shoulder. She felt a fuzziness creep up in her mind, a warmth spreading in her chest as the alcohol- despite taking such a small sip- finally hit her. She never really had a high tolerance for the stuff.
"Oh, I'm all ears, big guy."
"Klaus." Allison warned. The necromancer shrugged, mumbling something incoherent into his glass as he took another sip from it, enjoying the burn it gave him.
A vein throbbed in Luthor's forehead, fingers clenching at his sides, "There's still some important things that we need to discuss, alright?"
"Like what?" Diego finally spoke.
Luther glanced around at all of them, debating his next words carefully. In the end, he opted to just go for it, "Like the way he died."
Juliet rolled her eyes, Diego sighing in annoyance, "And here we go."
Halyn slouched back against the couch, arms crossed over her chest, and Vanya eyed her brother in confusion, "I don't understand. I thought they said it was a heart attack?"
"Yeah," Luther nodded, "according to the coroner."
"Pretty sure the coroner is the medical expert, Luther." Juliet quipped, and when he glanced at her she shrugged, "Wouldn't they know?"
"Theoretically."
"Theoretically?" Allison leaned forward in her seat, trying to gauge whether or not Luther was serious.
It wasn't lost on Luther that his family didn't seem to believe him, but the burly man didn't seem deterred by this fact as he carried on with his theory, "I'm just saying, at the very least, something happened. The last time that I talked to dad, he sounded strange."
Klaus side-eyed Halyn, and she quirked a brow as he gargled his alcohol, "Oh, quelle surprise!"
The Sioux girl shook her head. She honestly wasn't quite sure what Luther was insinuating. It's hard for a strange man to sound strange- and Sir Hargreeves was, by all means, a strange man. Who else would take in nine, well eight really, superpowered children and train them to be half-ass superheroes?
Yeah, strange was the perfect word for him.
"Strange how?" Juliet decided to humor the burly man
"Well he- he sounded on edge," Luthor revealed with a shrug, once more glancing around at the people gathered, "told me I should be careful who I trust."
Diego shook his head, jaw clenched firmly, and he stood up from his chair, "Luther, he was a paranoid, bitter old man who was starting to lose what was left of his marbles." His eyes were dark, and he internally pleaded with Luther to stop being a paranoid idiot like their father was.
Luther stared his brother down, but Diego wouldn't fold so easily. They entered into a heated glare-off, and Juliet rolled her eyes before standing up. She pushed herself between the two men, Halyn watching with mild amusement as Diego immediately backed down as soon as he caught Juliet's eye.
The knife-wielder sat back in his chair with a huff, and Juliet stared up at Luther once more, "He was an old man, Luther. Old men die. It's the circle of life."
"No," The burly man shook his head, rejecting her theory, "He must have known something was going to happen." Luther turned to Klaus, who was fluctuating between smoking and drinking as he sat dazed on the couch, "Look, I know you don't like to do it, but I need you to talk to dad."
Klaus scoffed and leaned forward, removing his arm from Halyn's shoulders. He took a deep drag of his joint, purposefully drawing out the inhalation to annoy his brother. When the smoke finished billowing from his mouth, Hayln using her hand to wave it away from her face, he spoke sarcastically, "I can't just call dad in the afterlife and be like, 'dad, could you just stop playing tennis with Hitler for a moment and take a quick call?'"
Luther's head tilted, eyebrows furrowed, and Halyn held back her snort at the imagery of Sir Hargreeves playing tennis with Hitler, "Since when? That's your thing?"
Even Halyn, who had been gone for years, knew Klaus wasn't big on the whole 'conjure the dead thing', despite that being his power. It was the reason he was… Klaus. The drugs, the drinking, it was to block his so called 'superpower'.
"I'm not in the right… frame of mind." His gestured vaguely to his head, and Halyn rolled her eyes as Luther looked at his brother, puzzled.
"He's high." Halyn supplied. Finally getting sick of the smoke from his joint, she reached forward, plucking the lung-cancer-in-a-stick from the necromancer's hand. The alcohol and whatever drugs he was on were obviously in effect, as he was slow to react to her theft. Halyn dropped the half-smoked joint into Klaus's drink, and he pouted.
"Hey, I was still smoking that!" The Sioux girl shrugged, the rest of Klaus's siblings looking a bit annoyed, and he eyed his drink, now garnished with a burnt-out joint. Swirling it around some, Klaus said fuck it and took a sip, not minding the added smokey flavor.
"Klaus, focus."
The necromancer blinked owlishly up at Luther and lowered his drink, just now processing the rest of the conversation, "Oh, well, yeah. Halyn's right of course. I mean-" He leaned back on the couch once more, using his drink to gesture pointedly at Luther, "how are you not, listening to all this nonsense?"
"Well, sober up. This is important."
Sarcasm dripped from Klaus's tongue as he spoke, "Oh wow, I haven't thought of that before. Just 'sober up, Klaus!'" The necromancer dropped the octave of his voice, mimicking Luthor's deep baritone. Halyn held a hand up to her mouth, stifling a laugh, and she could see the other's watch Klaus with a mixture of amused and annoyed expressions.
Luther's jaw twitched, but his brother wasn't done with his mini tirade. He smacked himself in the face, ping-ponging his cheeks back and forth in his hands, "Sober up, Klaus! Sober up!" His drunken and high movements came to a sudden halt and he leveled his brother with a sardonic gaze, "Oh, darn, looks like I'm still not sober! Who would've thought?"
"Are you done?" Luther questioned shortly, not acknowledging anything else he said.
"For the time being, yes." Klaus dropped back into the couch without any further fight.
Luther glared darkly at his brother before shaking his head and redirecting the conversation, "There's still the issue of the missing monocle."
"Who gives a shit about a stupid monocle?" Diego sneered, exasperated.
"Exactly!" Luther agreed, and the knife-wielder blinked, clearly not expecting that response, "It's worthless. So, whoever took it, I think it was personal. Someone close to him. Someone with a grudge."
The accusation was strong in his voice, and Halyn's eyes narrowed. Juliet voiced the question, however, "Luther, just what exactly are you getting at?"
"Isn't it obvious, Jules?" Diego called out, reaching out to pat the woman's arm, "He thinks one of us killed dad."
There was a sharp silence that blanketed the Umbrella Academy alumni as they each soaked in Luther's blatant accusation. They stared up at him, a mixture of glares and heated looks boring into the burly man, and he fidgeted under their stares. Halyn scoffed, fingers thrumming against her arm, and she shook her head, "You have got to be kidding me."
"You do?" Klaus breathed out, the satire obvious in his voice.
"How could you think that?" Vanya- the quietest of the bunch- asked in surprise, betrayal evident in her eyes. Luther swallowed thickly, taking in the hurt and upset expressions of his family and friends.
It was such a far-fetched notion that any one of them had the capacity to kill Sir Hargreeves. Halyn may have hated the man with every fiber of her being, but she would never murder him- she could never give him that satisfaction. And she trusted the others felt the same way. Halyn knew Luther had spent the past few years on the moon, but had his time in space really made him that daft?
Diego suddenly stood up, pulling Juliet up with him. He patted his brother's chest sarcastically as he walked by, not bothering to hide his disdain, "Great job, Luther. Way to lead." The venom in his voice was strong, and Luther watched with conflicted eyes as the duo exited the room, Juliet not bothering to look at him.
"That's not- that's not what I'm saying!" Luther tried to clarify, but the damage was already done.
"You're crazy, man." Klaus stood up from his seat, "You're crazy, crazy." The necromancer offered Halyn his hand, but she waved him off. Klaus shrugged, taking his drink, and skirt, and making his way out of the room.
"I'm not finished." Luther protested.
Klaus held up his drink, "Sorry, I'm just going to go murder mom. Be right back!"
"That's not what I was saying. I didn't-"
Halyn watched as, one by one, the rest of the Hargreeves poured out of the living room. Luther ran a hand through his short hair, desperately reaching for Allison as she passed him by. She glared at him, easily avoiding his grip, and taking her leave as well.
"Jeez, that went well."
"You think?" Halyn climbed to her feet, and Luther startled slightly. She folded her arms, quirking an expectant brow.
"Halyn I-" He swallowed, "I thought you left alongside the others."
"You thought wrong."
An awkward silence settled over the duo, and Halyn watched as Luther shifted uncomfortably. Serves him right. She thought, but she quickly pushed it aside. Luther could be hard-headed, sure. Whenever he got a certain idea in his mind, he sometimes tended to hyper fixate on it, letting it consume him until it boiled over- for better or for worse.
This time around, his idea was that someone from the Umbrella Academy murdered Sir Hargreeves. And rolling with it wasn't his brightest idea.
But he was also fiercely loyal, to a degree it was almost annoying, but it was also admirable. He had been the one closest to Sir Hargreeves, so Halyn could see why he would've been impacted by his death more than the others.
Halyn wasn't exactly sure what compelled her to stay- or even ask her next question- but as she reached into her pocket, hand brushing against a familiar cool material, she couldn't bring herself to leave. Not when Luther looked like a dejected puppy.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Luthor blinked and glanced over at the girl. She flipped a penny into the air, catching it with ease before tossing it his way. The coin fumbled clumsily in his hands as he caught it, the small penny looking out of place in his large mitts as it settled. He stared down at it for a moment before looking back at Halyn, who was staring at him keenly. Luther scoffed lightly, unsure of how to proceed, "You're still doing this?"
"Old habits die hard."
The bulky man sighed deeply, "Yeah, they really do."
"So," Halyn shoved her hands in her jacket pockets and shrugged, "You gonna answer my question or do I have to throw more pennies at you?"
Luther chuckled softly, and he was surprised at how genuine it was- even if it was just a small laugh. It felt good to have some happy nostalgia grace his body. He sat back down on the couch and examined the penny. It was an old one, from 1962, slightly tarnished and damaged like himself. It seemed fitting.
"I spent four years in space. Completely isolated, with dad as my only contact. He died while I was up there." Luther's voice had gone soft, and Halyn was mildly surprised her penny trick had worked on him. If there was anyone immune to it, it was typically Luther- and Diego as well, but he was another story. She slipped into the open spot on the couch beside him, content with just letting him speak about whatever it was he was comfortable with, "I can't help but feel that if I was here, that I could've done something?"
"And what could you have done, Luther?" Halyn prodded gently, "He died of a heart attack."
"But what if it wasn't? Something about this doesn't feel right and I-"
Halyn squarely faced Luther and placed her hands on his hulking shoulders. The burly man stopped talking, and her hands felt tiny in comparison to his large frame, "Luther, stop. You've got Sir Har- your father- on such a high pedestal, that you feel compelled to try and avenge his death- when it doesn't need avenging! You can't really think anyone of us would actually kill him, right?"
Luther sighed heavily after a minute's worth of silence, "No, I don't actually think that." He ran a shaky hand through his short hair and rubbed the back of his neck, "but I've spent my whole life believing I was extraordinary, and for dad to die of something so… so normal? It's just hard to think that a heart attack is what took him, because if something so normal, so human can take him, what about me? What about us?"
"Luther," Halyn dropped her hands, a kind smile on her lips, "We are human. No matter how extraordinary we may be, we are still human through and through. That's nothing to be ashamed of."
"No, I know, but…" Luther exhaled through his nose and shook his head, the words he wished to speak suddenly gone. Halyn eyed him curiously, and he glanced up at her, "but enough about me. I tried to find you in the courtyard when I first got back." He admitted softly, completely changing the subject.
Halyn had said they'd talk later, and this was definitely more talk than she had imagined she'd get from the spaceman. She felt her heart speed up at the topic change, and she shrugged her shoulders, insecurity gnawing at her insides, "Yeah, well, here I am…"
Whereas Halyn liked being someone people could talk to about whatever, she didn't do well when you flipped the roles on her. There was something about feeling like she was in control that caused her to be at her best when listening versus feeling weak when someone was listening to her.
"What happened?"
Isn't that the million dollar question?
"I- I don't know." Halyn admitted flatly. And that was the honest truth. One minute she was trapped, consciousness floating aimlessly, and the next she was in the infirmary of the Umbrella Academy. How the two points connected, the Sioux girl wasn't sure she'd ever know. She glanced back at Luther, "I woke up in the infirmary six months ago looking like…" Halyn glanced down, gesturing vaguely to her sixteen-year old body, "like this, and little to no memory of how I got there."
"You look the same as the day we lost you."
"So I've been told."
Sensing the end of the conversation, and the fact Halyn was growing increasingly more uncomfortable with the subject matter, Luther cut the conversation short, "If it's any consolation, I'm glad you're back." He patted her shoulder awkwardly, still unsure about affection himself, "It feels like a win, you know? Getting you back. We've lost so many people that it feels good to get someone back for once."
Halyn smiled, ignoring the tears that pricked at the corners of her eyes. Her head settled on Luther's bulky arm, her small frame a stark contrast to his larger one, "Thanks, Luther." Gaze trailing over to Five's painting for what felt like the fiftieth time that day, she couldn't help but sigh, "Now, if only we could get someone else back."
If only she knew.
A/N: Told you an update would be rather quick~
Gonna give it about a week before posting the next part. Hopefully I can do something like an episode a month at the very minimum! At this rate, I think episode one should be three or four parts, but we'll see.
Thanks ya'll for the support so far~ 33
-SnowWolf22