MIDAS ⇾ THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY

~ III ~

A fire crackled in the hearth as the family gathered in the main room. Alexis leant on a pillar close to the door, next to Diego. Luther, the gigantic man, cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I guess we should get this started. So, I figured we could have a sort of memorial service in the courtyard at sundown. Say a few words, just at Dad's favorite spot."

"Dad had a favorite spot?" said Allison.

"You know, under the oak tree."

"We used to sit out there all the time," said Luther. None of you ever did that?"

He trailed off.

Klaus, living up to his reputation, chimed in, waving his cigarette around.

"Will there be refreshments? Tea? Scones? Cucumber sandwiches are always a winner."

Diego looked away in disgust, but Alexis laughed inwardly.

"What? No," said Luther. "And put that out. Dad didn't allow smoking in here."

Allison interjected incredulously, looking at Klaus, who was waltzing round the room, a drink in the other hand.

"Is that my skirt?"

"What? Oh, yeah, this. I found it in your room. It's a little dated, I know, but it's very breathey on the bits."

He gestured lazily. Alexis smiled, and caught Klaus' eye. Luther's expression hardened.

"Listen up. Still some important things that we need to discuss, alright?"

"Like what?" said Diego, boredly.

"Like the way he died."

"And here we go," Diego murmured to Alexis, who raised her eyebrows. She saw what Diego meant about Luther.

"I don't understand," said Vanya. "I thought they said it was a heart attack."

"Yeah, according to the coroner."

Alexis looked over skeptically.

"Wouldn't they know?" she said.

Luther looked over.

"Who even are you?"

"She's with me," said Diego defensively.

"She's not really your type, Diego," added Klaus. "You usually go for-"

"-we're not together," said Diego defensively. "We're friends. She isn't into... men."

Alexis threw her hands up in defeat as Klaus gave her a wink.

"Come on, Diego," she complained.

"And she's smart," he added hopefully.

Luther sighed, shuffling uncomfortably. Alexis eyed him suspiciously. 

"Yeah, wouldn't the coroner know?" asked Vanya.

"Theoretically."

"Theoretically?"

"I'm just saying, at the very least, something happened," said Luther. "The last time that I talked to Dad, he sounded strange."

"Oh, quelle surprise!" said Klaus, halfway through swallowing.

Alexis blanked out momentarily as they kept talking, those memories still fresh in her mind. She took a slow breath, and slipped out of the room. Diego met her eyes, nodded slightly, and looked back to the others. She went to the staircase, and sat on the second step, staring unfocusedly at the front door. She wasn't sure why they always came back so vividly. She did everything she could to block them out, to forget, but nothing seemed to work. She screwed her eyes shut, trying to think of something, anything, to keep herself from falling back into it again.