✧ WE ONLY SEE EACHOTHER AT WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS ✧

˚✧˳✧˚✧˳✧˚✧ ☂️ ✧˚✧˳✧˚✧˳✧˚

(Y/N) Hargreeves

I FOUND MYSELF ONCE AGAIN, gazing at Five's portrait by the fireplace like I always did before going to sleep, that is, the time before I was comatose.

I went downstairs out of boredom after he kicked me out of his room. This house feels less dull with him finally around on his schoolboy shorts. Did he even know how many tears my pillows have because his stupid ass disappearing?

"Nice to know Dad didn't forget me." I jumped in fright as I hear someone's tiresome tone. I shifted my position to see Five in the Umbrella Academy uniform. He oddly looks good wearing it.

For a moment, it felt like I was seeing a 9-year-old Five asking if I wanted to play with him. I didn't realize that I let out a wistful smile just by a simple and brief memory replaying in my mind.

'Damn'

"Like what you see?" He chuckled wearisomely. I covered my mouth, realizing I said it out loud. "I meant damn, you look like shit." I solemnly swear, raising a brow, saving myself from an obvious mistake.

He takes his position beside me, taking a peek at his photograph. "You said the P.B.S worked, right? What did you see?" I asked, desperate to hear what he was going to say. "Nothing much, really."

"And you're also 16 again."

"Yeah, and so are you." He takes a deep sigh, beginning to loom around the area while I followed his tracks, eventually getting an excellent view of our memorabilia which were exploits of things such as magazines and posters. "Is that it? What about technology and crap like that? And who's Delores?" I pressed a few questions more into him, hoping he would eventually confess what he saw.

"Just someone I was with while I was in the apoca—" He cuts himself as he grabs a book from the bookshelves that was in front of our view.

"What's that?"

He's holding a book that seems to have Vanya as the cover and the black figures of us as kids.

'EXTRA-ORDINARY; MY LIFE AS NUMBER SEVEN'

"I never knew that Vanya wrote a book." I snatched the publication from his hands and started skimming on the pages then only to found myself on the front page where a written note stands in black ink. 'Dad, I figured, why not? - V'. I wonder if dad even cared enough to have this on his hands.

"Found it in a library that was still standing. I thought it was pretty good, all things considered. She revealed you were in a coma too. Sums up the knowledge about your... Interesting incident."

"Oh yeah, how'd that go?"

"Yeah, it was ballsy, giving up the family secrets to the public." He explained. I gave a shocked expression. "We're talking about Vanya as in 'Vanya' here, right?"

"Of course, dimwit."

"Then that didn't end well then..." I mumbled, putting it back to where it came, feeling bad for Vanya. No wonder why Diego glared daggers at her.

"So you knew about..."

"Ben?" He finishes my sentence and laid his eyes on me intently. He came closer when he observed the disturbed state displayed on my face. "Was it bad?"

The terror in Ben's eyes was the last thing he gave me before his lifeless body dropped. It was a traumatizing experience that left all of us scarring for what we caught sight of.

"Yeah..." I choked. He places his right hand on my left shoulder and strokes it soothingly making me feel at ease. It soon turned to him holding me close to his chest and him fondling my back with his hands.

Five can be a pain in the ass but he always knew when to stop being one.

˚✧˳✧˚✧˳✧˚✧ ☂️ ✧˚✧˳✧˚✧˳✧˚

One by one, we all emerged from the mansion, standing outside in the pouring rain. It cued when it was nearing to start dad's funeral. I chose my spot to the right of Five next to Klaus, who had a transparent pink umbrella.

The atmosphere was gloomy and our vibes; not that much considering we all grew up with hatred against this man who we even have the balls to call him 'dad'. Even I wasn't sure what to feel, should I be jumping up and down, rejoicing that our dear father finally goes to hell playing tennis with Hitler. I mean, I would if they would, to be honest.

"Did something happen?" Grace asks, completely disoriented of what was happening. She was literally wearing a black formal dress matching with the event how could she not know? We all gave her a confused look.

"Dad died. Remember?" Allison reminded still lost at mom's word. The grinning teeth that were plastered on her lips soon dissolved into a frown. "Oh. Yes, of course."

"Is mom okay?" Allison asks, troubled.

"Yeah, yeah, she's fine. She just needs to rest. You know, recharge." Diego vindicated looking at mom worryingly. He has always been a mama's boy.

Luther who has the fancy urn along with Pogo takes a step forward.

Finally, he pours out dad's remains but only to get muddied up because of the weather, making it look less dramatic. I repelled at the sight of it. Luther looks up, taking a glimpse of us. "Would've been better with some wind."

"Does anyone wish to speak?" Pogo asked looking around but only to be answered with silence and avoided eye contact. Klaus was even brave enough to smoke.

"Very well. In all regards, Reginald Hargreeves made me the creature I am today. For that alone, I shall forever be in his debt. He was my master, and my friend, and I shall miss him very much. He leaves behind a complicated legacy—"

"He was a monster." Diego butts in the middle of Pogo's eulogy. Klaus couldn't handle it and let out a laugh. The old chimpanzee looks troubled.

"He was a bad person and a worse father. The world's better off without him--"

"Diego," Allison calls out, trying to break off what he was saying.

"This will not end well," I whispered. "You bet." Five answers exhausted, clearly tired of everyone's shit while Klaus looked like he was watching a comedy show. I completely agree with Diego, but as if it would change the past we all have.

"My name is Number Two. You know why? Because our father couldn't be bothered to give us actual names. He had mom do it." He fulminates soaked in the rain.

"Would anyone like something to eat?" Mom asks cluelessly, unaware of what was occurring in front of her. "No, it's okay, mom," Vanya answers quickly. "Oh, okay..." Mom replies, looking down feeling dejected.

"Look, you wanna pay your respects? Go ahead. But at least be honest for the kind of man he was."

"You should stop talking now."

"You know, you of all people should be on my side here, Number One. After everything that he did to you."

"I am warning you." Luther clenches his jaw, trembling from hiding his fury within.

"No, you sat on the moon like a good little doggie you are. He had to send you 240,000 miles away,"

"Diego, stop talking." Luther raises his voice, almost losing his cool.

"Ooh, fight, fight, fight." Klaus chants softly, still wanting to see what happens.

"That's how much he couldn't stand the sight of you!" He shouted, pointing his finger harshly on Luther's chest but only to be swayed by him and then him blocking the punch he gave. Luther was strong and Diego was fast.

Klaus raised his arm towards our direction backing us up like that's gonna do anything. As for Five, he shoves it down.

Everyone got their eyes on the two.

"Hit him! Hit him!" I gave a slap on Klaus's shoulder, warning him they might also let him in with the brawl if he continues to cheer.

But to be honest, even I was interested to watch the battle between the two and just have it finish naturally, but I knew this was foolish and it has to end. "One, Two, that's enough!" I loudly notified but neither of them even cared and continued their deadly sparring. "This has to stop! You're not kids anymore, this is ridiculous!" Gripping on my umbrella, I hollered.

"We don't have time for this." Five grunts before walking out of the place hurriedly.

"Come here, big boy!" Diego provokes doing a taunting motion with his hands while taking his stand in front of Ben's figure. Luther pants and gathers all his strength to throw a big punch, only to be ending up on what was behind.

My eyes widen in shock as Ben's bronze sculpture falls to the ground. Its head decapitated on its body.

"And there goes, Ben's statue," Allison said, disappointed at the two have become, storming off.

When I saw Diego pull out a knife, that's when I knew I had to barge into their fight. "That's enough, Diego!" I roared, dashing in Luther's position, activating my power the exact moment before it strikes any of our skin. The sharp object diverted carelessly, landing on concrete.

"Like the old days? Hm—Diego?" I snapped, annoyed by his childlike behavior. It was I that always end their nonsense whenever the situation between him and Number One is getting worse since they always fought and were sworn enemies since day 1.

"Oh yeah? And what do you know? You've were not in attendance for 12 years." Diego spits out.

"Yeah, at least I didn't grow up to become an asshole," I reproached, deactivating my force fields.

"You never know when to stop, do you?" Vanya comes near the hot-headed man in the black suit. "You got enough material for your sequel yet?" Diego affronts referring to the book she wrote that exposed the Hargreeves family. She looks at him for a few seconds, insulted. "He was my father, too."

"Diego. Inside. Now." I pointed towards the door, instructing him to quit the drama and go off the site. "Are you for real?" Diego shook his head derided, his large ego, offended. "I'm not leaving till' you step inside the door, Diego," I commanded, not breaking any eye contact as he tried to compete for superiority. "Fine. Okay. You. Win." He jeered.

Walking pass by him, we glowered at each other as he was going towards mom leading her inside as he should.

˚✧˳✧˚✧˳✧˚✧ ☂️ ✧˚✧˳✧˚✧˳✧˚

17 YEARS AGO

"Nietzsche once said, 'Man is as a rope stretched between the animal and the superhuman. A rope over an abyss is a dangerous crossing, a dangerous looking-back, a dangerous trembling, and halting.'"

As the whistle blows in Vanya's care, the seven congregated children in white striped, green tracksuits from below accelerated their way up the stairs, fastening their pace, trying to be above all others.

"As much as you must strive for individual greatness, and strive you must, for it won't come to you of its own accord... you must also remember that there is no individual stronger than the collective."

Decoys and images of people imitating crime doers flooded the wall as a way to entice the youth group into an abomination. "(Y/N) come on. You're too slow." Five hastily grabs the clueless girl's hands and took her with him in a spatial jump, which resulted in her feeling like neuralgia.

"Warn me first before doing that next time, huh?" The dizzy girl whined.

"That's not fair, Five and Eight are cheating!" Diego makes a fuss while the two continued to gallop their way up. (Y/N) being displeased with his choice of words, she lets out a small circled shape force field that caused Diego to trip but luckily catching himself before hitting the floor.

"They adapted." Reginald defended while (Y/N) look back to the exasperated Diego from behind, sticking her tongue out in a teasing manner.

˚✧˳✧˚

"The ties that bind you together make you stronger than you are alone."

There came a new time where all the members gathered downstairs to have their famed umbrella symbol engraved on their skin. Diego was always scared of needles. He was forcing all his tears back to his eyes, trying to act tough as he clutches his fist in great pain. Grace saw the tortured feeling in him as she tried to comfort him, only to be stopped.

Allison was crying while Klaus comforts her, brushing his dried-up tears on his cheeks.

"They will make you impervious to the pain and hardship the world will thrust upon you. And believe me when I tell you, life will be hard. It will be painful."

(Y/N) received shivers just watching the tattoo artist do his work. Even Five looks worried about receiving him.

"We can accomplish anything when we accept responsibility together. This is what creates trust."

˚✧˳✧˚

"10 seconds." Reginald Hargreeves who was watching from the other side of the glass alerted the agitated 13-year-old who was forced to accomplish a task.

"Dad, I don't think I'll be able to do it." She manages to blurt out after gathering the confidence to averse her Father's arrangement for her training.

"Don't be silly, Number Eight. We shall begin no more excuses!"

"But I'm not feeling well, I do--"

"In 3..."

"I can't do it."

"2..."

"Dad, please I'm going to die!" The little girl cried out loud, but he disregarded her request and didn't have the slightest love to even have second thoughts of her undertaking a difficult practice.

"1..."

"No!!"

BOOM!

(Y/N) opens her eyes to see herself safe from the launched rocket-propelled grenade. She was in a sitting position with her half body going the opposite way while both her hands in a safeguard position on her side that contraries the rest of her body. She was inside a violet tinted, three-dimensional force field. It was that day she first achieved that ball force field.

The old man wipes his monocle and fixes his gaze once again on his bizarre daughter with powers that could withstand world wars and nuclear fusions. It amazed him at what the small Number Eight was capable of.

(Y/N) breathes heavily, she felt like she was about to throw up her heart, which was beating non-stop.

"Together, you will stand against the reign of evil."

˚✧˳✧˚✧˳✧˚✧ ☂️ ✧˚✧˳✧˚✧˳✧˚

Both (Y/N) and Allison enter the kitchen to find Klaus cuddling with an electric guitar, being his usual self, and Number Five storming his hands on the pantry area.

"Where's Vanya?" Allison asked, looking around.

"Oh, she's gone." Klaus answers.

'Diego was too harsh with Vanya that she had to leave? I feel sorry for her, I hope she comes home safe.'

"That's unfortunate." Five says.

"Yeah."

"An entire square block. Forty-two bedrooms, nineteen bathrooms but no, not a single drop of coffee." Five rants placing down a small pitcher which looks like to be the possible storage for the condiment he was trying to find. "Since when did you start liking coffee?" I asked placing a hand on my waist raising a brow.

"Since ninety-sixties-non-of-your-business." Five lets out bitterly as if his life mattered on coffee. "Well, someone has anger issues." I let out a playful chuckle.

"Dad hated caffeine." Allison refreshes us about father's dislike.

"Well, he had anger issues and hated children, too, and he had plenty of us." Klaus chortles.

"I'm taking the car. You're coming with me." Five exclaimed, almost demanding, looking in our direction. "Me?" Klaus question, his tone increasing.

"Not you idiot. I meant the woman beside you." Five marked.

"What? Why?" I asked even though I'd still come anyway regardless of where he was taking me. "Because I told you so." Five proclaimed in a proprietorial way, inserting his hands in his pockets.

"Where are you guys going?" I was about to ask, but the drunk man in old ragged clothes spoke instead.

"To get a decent cup of coffee." He answers, irritated.

As much as I want Klaus to tag along there will be zero chances of Five agreeing to take him with us. Klaus and I used to hang out to do all sorts of trickery against dad such as putting spicy sauce on his food before being served. And for whatever reason, he doesn't seem to be bothered with all our pranks. He's a horrible dad, plus he's boring to get reactions from.

"Do you even know how to drive?" Allison asks as I nodded at her question being curious about it too.

"I know how to do everything." He grabs my hand assertively. When he does this, it's usually his taking me somewhere, and not by walking, no. He's doing that spatial jump thing.

"Hey wa—!" But before I could even finish my sentence. He already teleported us to our garage.

˚✧˳✧˚✧˳✧˚✧ ☂️ ✧˚✧˳✧˚✧˳✧˚

Fun Fact: Five read in Vanya's book that (Y/N) used to stay in his room to read or to patiently wait for him when he disappeared.

A/N: I'm so tired of school omg

QOTD: Why am I so lonely? pain