Skipping Through Time 》Number Five x Reader 》 The Umbrella Academy

Chapter 7 - Guilt

     After a few more minutes of catching up, Five went to his room to get changed. I decided to get changed too, being in the same uniform for sixteen years couldn't be that hygienic, even if I was technically a living statue.
     So I changed into a new, fresh set of uniform and walked down the stairs to see Five stood in the living room all by himself. The fire was lit and the crackling of the flames filled the room as Five stood, staring at a painting on the wall.
     'What are you -- oh, my god.' When I got a proper look at the painting, I saw it was of me and Five. We were sat next to each other, I was smiling wide and he was smirking. It was very strange to look at.
     'Wow, we haven't aged a day, have we?' I ask sarcastically as I sit down on the edge of the coffee table next to him.
     After a few moments of silence I spoke up once more. 'I wonder, what would've happened if we both stayed here, living normal lives. Well, as normal as we could get them.' I looked up at Five the same moment he looked down at me, we both shared a look of wonder.
     'Well, for starters we'd look sixteen years older and my consciousness would be twenty-eight years younger.' Five said as he placed his hands into his pockets.
     'What was it like? Being alone all that time?' I asked, suddenly feeling guilty that I hadn't asked him how he felt.
     'Well, it was hard at first. I survived on whatever I could get my hands on. Canned foods, scraps, sometimes even cockroaches if the hunger became too unbearable.' I furrowed my brows at his response, I knew the end of the world would be bad but I would never have thought Five had gone through all that. 'Oh, and by the way. Twinkies don't have an endless shelf life. Believe me.' Five said jokily, earning a giggle from me.
     'Oh, Five, I'm so sorry that happened to you.' I stood up and hugged him, not wanting to let go. He hugged me back and we stayed like this in comfortable silence before our thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind us. We both turned around - it was only Vanya.
     The two of us let go of each other and looked back up to the painting, I resumed my place back on the coffee table as Five spoke.
     'Nice to know Dad didn't forget us.' Five said, taking his eyes off the painting.
     'Hargreeves.' I corrected him, I wanted nothing to do with the old sod.
     Vanya didn't say anything to either of us, she just gave me a pleading look before looking back to Five.
     'Read your book, by the way.' Five stated, I could tell by the look in his eyes that something must have been wrong. He may have been able to hide it from Vanya but I knew him better than that. 'Found it in the library that was still standing.'
     'Wait, wait.' I said, standing up, 'You wrote a book? When we're you going to tell me? What is it about? Could I read it?' I asked, both confused and interested at the same time.
     'Oh, you don't want to read it, it's not that -'
     'I thought it was pretty good, all things considered. Yeah, definetely ballsy, giving up the family secrets.' Five said, cutting Vanya off before she could finish as if he thought that what he had to say was more important. What did he mean by 'Giving up the family secrets'?
     I know she always felt singled out but she wouldn't do that, would she?
     'Sure that went over well.' Five continued, looking at her with both sympathy and slight annoyance.
     I crossed my arms, thinking about what secrets there were to give up. Maybe how Hargreeves treated us, or how we were never schooled - just trained. I hope she didn't say anything about me. Although, I kind of hope she did just so I know what she really thought of me.
     'They hate me.' Vanya had responded quickly to Five, as if she didn't want him to hate her too.
     'Oh, there are worse things that can happen.' Five stated as I walked over to him, still wondering what Vanya could have possibly said about me.
     'You mean like what happened to Ben?' Vanya asked, anxiety present in her voice.
     'What happened to Ben?' I questioned, I know I've been gone for the past sixteen years but you would've thought they'd fill me in on a few things.
     'He ... died ... just after you and Five had disappeared.' Vanya replied reluctantly, obviously not wanting to tell me and still finding it difficult.
     I felt guilty, in a way. Maybe if I hadn't been so selfish and done what I did then maybe Ben could still be here. I could've stopped whatever happened to him.
     My thoughts trailed away as Five spoke once more.
     'Was it bad?' He received no verbal response from Vanya, just a simple nod of her head. Her eyes seemed to swell up with tears momentarily before returning to normal again.
     I looked down, I felt a sudden twinge of loss in my heart. It's weird when you don't know how much you'll miss something until it's gone, isn't it?

¤¤¤¤¤

     About an hour had passed since Vanya, Five and I talked in the living room. Since then, I had scoured the library for her book and had been successful. It was on one of the shelves near the back and seemed to have never been read as when I took it out, the spine was still stiff.
     I flipped the book over and read the blurb:

Vanya Hargreeves is well known for her virtuosic skills as a violinist. Less understood is the role she played as one of Reginald Hargreeves' adopted children, standing alongside - but never counted among - the famous Umbrella Academy super kids. This is her story, in her own words.

"An incredible read ... a revealing portal into the amazing life of Vanya Hargreeves and the life she has lived. I couldn't out it down!"

-Gerard Way

     I read it through a few more times over in my head. 'Less understood' 'never counted among'. Short phrases like this kept flashing into my mind, it annoyed me only because we did try to include her. We did but we had no choice. Hargreeves forced her out. Hargreeves isolated her. Not us.
     And who the hell was 'Gerard Way' anyway?
     Taking the book up to my room, I hid it in the drawer of my vanity to read it later.