Vide Noir | The Umbrella Academy

Forty

Chapter Forty:

"Stop sweating."

"It's not my fault it's a hundred degrees."

Della suppressed a laugh, glancing over at the boy stomping beside her. "When's the last time you showered?"

Five's lips formed a straight line, eyes narrowing in contemplation. The fact that he had to think about it wasn't a good sign, "More than two weeks."

"And you don't like to change?" She questioned, "Or is that school uniform glued to your body?"

"Adella, can we focus on more important things right now?"

She nodded, "So you really haven't showered in more than two weeks?"

He glanced over his shoulder, peering around before itching his chest. Della sighed, shoving him. "Stop that."

"I'm not doing anything."

"Is delusional apart of the paradox?"

Five shook his head, "No."

They were approaching a bridge, no doubt a short cut. He paused at the first step of many, leading up over train tracks. She snorted, linking her arm through his and hauling him up. "Stop itching."

"I'm not."

"If you say you're not itching while itching, then you're itching."

He glared, "You're supposed to be helping."

"No, actually, Luther is." She pointed out, looking to the two men who lead the way a good distance in front of them. "I think he likes older you better."

"They're planning something. He's planning something."

"I think you're paranoid, Five."

He rolled his eyes, "You know I'm right."

Della pursed her lips, nodding in defeat. The two men in front of them were totally planning something, it wasn't too hard to decipher with Luther constantly looking over his shoulder at them, adverting his gaze quickly to whisper something to the older version of Five.

"Yeah, they're planning something."

A group of kids slipped by as they reached the bridge, no more steps to haul Five up whenever he stumbled. He glared at the group, "What are you looking at?"

Della let go of his arm, shoving him forward. He spun on a duo of elderly folks, "Look!" He yelled, "See something funny!"

She snorted, picking up her pace as he continued on. He looked crazy, staring around, spinning in circles. He hardly blinked, as if he did, he'd miss something important. Della could see the sweat on his forehead from her spot behind him.

"Yeah, actually." She called out, nodding apologetically to the old couple as they passed by.

"Mind your business!" He yelled back at her. Della rolled her eyes, rushing up to his side. He kept itching his neck, shaking his head.

"Okay, really, you need to stop."

Five shushed her, whispering, "If I could, I would."

It was odd, seeing him like this. He seemed totally unlike himself, which he was, but others didn't know that. Five was never paranoid, or he wouldn't let anyone know if he was or not. He kept bouncing around, hand still itching his neck.

"You're gonna give yourself a burn or something."

They were almost at the end of the bridge, she wondered how far they were from their destination. Five swirled to the side, glaring at two teenagers who wandered by gripping school bags. "You wish you could pull off these shorts!"