she's insignificant

chapter 2: welcome home

"number eight! this is serious! if you do not train properly you will not be allowed to join your siblings on missions."

"number eight! that's not how you behave!"

"no, number eight! how many times must you do this before you get it right?"

"no! not like that, number eight! you must be quicker, smarter, stronger! you'll be a liability"

"no! again, number eight!"

"number eight!"

"number eight!"

she wished it was stop. the yelling. the shouting. the insults. the pain. the training. all of it. her head hurt. she could feel the anger swirling around, growing. control. she needed control. relax.

she took a deep breath. again. again. she pushed herself over and over until she collapsed. she worked herself to the bone only to always be left with disapproving stares. the scowl. the glare. and then she was alone, forced to pick up the broken pieces and put herself together. she didn't have her other siblings. their family dynamic wasn't much of a family dynamic but just once she wished one of them could be there. even just to see what she was going through. it hurt that she was alone. she hated alone.

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"um.." luther slowly stood, unsure. "i guess we should get this started" he looked around at his siblings sitting in parlour. they all sat separately with klaus making drinks at the bar in the back.

"are we having a family meeting?" y/n stepped into the room, confused. she paused as realisation crossed over their faces. "..you forgot me"

"sorry, y/n, we didn't mean-" allison started, trying to defend them. y/n shook her head.

"no, no, don't apologise. it's okay.. let's just get this over with" she waved off any concern, taking a seat beside vanya. in her lap sat a familiar book.

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"you'll be okay" ben spoke softly, gently bandaging y/n's arm. he gave her a small smile. the pair sat in the back of the library, secluded and separate. the others were too wrapped up in themselves to care.

vanya stepped over a moment later. she frowned at the tears on y/n's cheeks. taking a seat beside her she offered them the cookies she had stolen from the kitchen. they weren't meant to have any until dessert but ben and vanya found this much more important. y/n sniffled, taking the cookie in her good arm.

"thanks v" she gave a watery smile, eating a big bite of the cookie to stop the sobs about to escape her mouth. ben and vanya shared a frown over her head.

"should we read something?" ben offered, pulling a random book off the shelf behind him. y/n merely nodded, she needed this to calm down her raging emotions. these two were the only two who understood. if her emotions went haywire so would her powers.

"hm, little women? i didn't think dad would have this" ben smiled at the cover.

"pogo got it for me" y/n murmured softly, listening to her brother's soothing voice as he read. she smiled, they were always able to calm her down.

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"so, i figured we could have some sort of memorial service in the courtyard at sundown, say a few words" luther started again, "just at dad's favourite spot"

"dad had a favourite spot?" allison asked, confused.

"yeah, you know. under the oak tree" luther nodded, eyebrows furrowing. "we used to sit out there all the time.. did none of you ever do that?"