Bliss - Vanya Hargreeves FF *previously Sour Candy*

CHAPTER NINE

Did something happen?" Grace asked  innocently, looking around at the full faces of the remnants of the umbrella academy.

"Dad died, remember?" Allison asks, looking confused at the woman's words.

"Oh. Yes of course." Her happy expression was replaced by a solemn one and she diverted her gaze to the floor. Vanya and Florence, who stood with their arms linked, sharing an umbrella, exchanged a look of concern. Florence chewed her lip in thought as Allison asked Diego if she was alright and he convinced her everything was normal.

Florence could feel the cool raindrops sliding off of her wings tucked against her shoulder blades; they were too large for her to fit under the shared umbrella but didnt mind in all honesty.
By the time the questions all stopped, Pogo approached and began a solemn speech after no one else opted to speak, recalling what a great man their father was and how he shall be missed.

Florence began humming a melancholy tune to herself, catching Vanya peek at her out of the corner of her eye. She didnt want to be at the funeral. She didnt care what memorial their father got. He didnt deserve her tears or effort.

"He was a monster," Diego interrupted, shooting Pogo a look. "He was a bad person and a worse father. The worlds better off without him." Klaus chuckled at this and Florence found herself agreeing.

"Diego." Allison warned, and tensions rose as Luther turned his glare to his brother.

"My name is number two," Diego stated forcefully, trying to get his point across. "You know why? Because our father couldnt be bothered to give us actual names. He had mom do it."

"Would anyone like something to eat?" Grace asked sweetly, not picking up on the growing tension.

"No, it's okay, mom." Vanya assured her gently with a smile.

"Oh, okay."

"Look, you wanna pay respects? Go ahead." He continued without an ounce of regret. "But at least be honest about the kind of man he was."

"You should stop talking now." luther warned, stepping forward with his fists clenched by his sides.

Florence rolled her eyes at the damp floor. "Why? Because you're too much of a coward to face the truth?"

Luther shot his glare at her and it didnt phase her one bit.

"He was an abusive prick." She stated.

Luther stepped towards her. "He did what was best for his kids-"

"-right, because forcing kids to get tattoos at ten is great parenting!" She retorted, a sardonic smile on her face as Luther grew more enraged. She remembered Vanya telling her the story, expressing to her how she wanted to be a part of it - she'd relieved the same tattoo weeks after her arrival and had hated him for it. Vanya grew to see the negatives to the symbol. "You're blinded by your loyalty."

"You never shut up, do you? Always have to make a comment, always have to be heard during a conversation," he hissed. "No one even wants you here."

A flash of hurt crossed her face before she swallowed it down and focussed on Vanya's tight grip on her arm. She bit her tongue this time - pogo she respected to an extent, and he looked upset at the arguments. But her comments about Sir Reginald remained truth - He never showed me an ounce of respect when he was alive, why should I bother now hes dead? She thought bitterly.

"You know, you of all people should be on our side here, number one," Diego diverted the attention from Florence, not comfortable with how close he was getting to her and how he knew she wouldnt hold back if things got messy. Diego and Luther were both hungry for power, wanting to be the leader, neither acting like it - just like when they were kids. Number one and two fighting was as regular as having breakfast at that point, though for Florence this was refreshing.

"I'm warning you," Luther got closer, more and more enraged as the seconds passed. He grit his teeth.

"After everything he did to you? He had to send you a million miles away." Diego continued ruthlessly.

"Diego, stop talking!"

"That's how much he couldnt stand the sight of you!" Diego shot at his brother, who seemed to snap finally. Punches started to be thrown as the siblings broke out into a violent fight.

Florence pulled Vanya and mom back out of the way, stepping in front of them protectively as Pogo shouted for the boys to stop. To no avail, they continued.

Vanya tried to yell for them to stop, but her words fell upon deaf ears.

The two brothers danced around eachother, dodging hits before going in for brutal punches. This was so normal for Florence that she didnt grow worried until they started to get closer to Ben's statue.

Every yell and shout rang in her ears like a bell, loud and piercing. She winced, overwhelmed, and turned to bury her head in Vanyas shoulder. She rubbed her shoulder gently.

"Sorry for yelling." She apologised in a whisper.

Florence simply shook her head, indicating that she wasnt the problem. Her wings flared angrily at her back and Vanya watched her brothers worriedly.

Diego dodged out of a last second punch from Luther, and his fist drove straight into the statue behind him with such a force that the stone cracked and the statue began to fall. Florence's heart sunk as the sound of metal crashing against the concrete met her ears; felt small vibrations in her feet from the impact. She closed her eyes tightly.

Klaus seemed to be enjoying the show while Allison was the polar opposite. Number Five had grown tired of his siblings bullshit and stormed inside, muttering something about time that she barely caught out of earshot next to the door slamming.

Suddenly, the arms holding her tensed. "Diego, no!" Vanya shouted and Florence lifted her head just in time to watch Diego throw a knife at Luther, cutting his arm from across the courtyard.

She heard the sound of it tearing into his skin, through the fabric. Silence washed over them and all she could focus on was the heavy rain hitting the earth.

Florences head ached as everyone turned to go back inside. Vanya spoke up.

"You never know when to stop, do you?"

Diego spoke harshly. "You got enough material for your sequel yet?"

Florences wings flared at her back and shs stormed over. He watched with caution as she approached, and stood by Vanya's side with a threatening look on her face.

"He was my father too," vanya murmured, hurt. She turned to leave, looking back to Florence who remained standing in front of Diego. She sighed and headed inside, knowing it was best to leave Florence when she was like this. Shed come back to her straight after.

"Have you always been such a bastard," she narrowed her eyes, tone quieter. "Or do you actively try?"

He smiled bitterly down at her. "Your pets not here anymore, Florence. You can stop your little guard dog act. Its getting old."

Florence took a step back and scanned his face, heat building in her chest. "Just leave her alone."

"Or what?" He asks.

Florence hesitates, an answer dancing on the tip of her tongue. He looks down at her like shes a kid, like shes nothing, like shes scum of the earth. God, she hated that look. Made her want to scream.

"Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, you're not as much of a good guy as you think you are?" She whispers back, knowing that his hero complex was where to hit him.

Florence was tired now. She didnt want to do this anymore. Opened her mouth to say something then closed it, shaking her head, and turned away. "Forget it. You're all the same, always will be..."

Vanya could tell something was bothering her when she walked back inside, cheeks tinted red with frustration, wings drawn close. Vanya gave her a shaky smile in an attempt to calm her and she appreciated it, but she was beyond done at this point.

Shed reached a new stage of exhaustion. Years of being alone in that stupid house, the others having left, only able to visit Vanya when she wasnt at work - everyone else coming back for the funeral, and acting just like they had when they were teenagers.

She was exhausted as it was the same old routine.