Vide Noir | The Umbrella Academy

Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Six:

"Those Tacos were good." Della blinked, laying on the floor of Allison's workplace. Her arms and legs were stretched out in a star position, eyes counting all the little holes in the ceiling tiles above her. "They were really good."

Allison snickered, "Was it the tacos or the drinks Klaus kept giving you under the table?"

"Hmm." She pondered, a small laugh leaving her lips. "The tacos."

Klaus snorted, eyes closed as Allison brushed through his hair. Allison had locked the door behind them, drawing all the curtains closed. Vanya swivelled back and fourth in her own chair, absentmindedly listening to Allison rant about her husband.

Her own eyes fluttered shut, normally Della could hold her own, no drink could sink her, but apparently after loosing count, having had made a bet to see how many drinks Klaus could get her before anyone noticed— had been one too many. The manager had thrown them out, Della laughed the whole time.

She felt light, like nothing mattered. She didn't care, it is what is it she told herself, and more likely than not they were all gonna explode in a matter of days. Why not have a little fun? Della never let loose, she joked around a lot, but it was all to distract her from herself. To hold up an image only she cared about, a reflection of what the commission wanted.

"You should tell him the truth." Della blurted, "Even if he doesn't believe you."

Klaus' brows knotted, "Is the world really gonna end in six days?"

"Well, it did last time, and we did everything Five could think of to stop it."

Della raised her arm up, tracing a finger in waves. "He cares about you all, you know."

"Yeah."

Her hand dropped to the ground as she pulled herself up, bringing her knees to her chest. "No, like he really loves you guys. Everything he's done, it's been for you. And you all yell at him and don't give him time."

Klaus giggled, lost in his own thoughts. "Wouldn't it be weird if Five grew up all hot?"

"What?"

"Wouldn't that be weird?"

"Ew!"

Della suppressed a laugh, "It would be, but it doesn't happen. He has a comb over and a gross moustache that half the time is kinda brown cause his coffee stains it."

"Well, that's rude."

She snorted, "I didn't look so great, either."

Klaus' chair squeaked as he spun from Allison's grasp, pulling himself up. "How'd he managed to pull you?" He took a sip from his flask, "Comb over and all."

She shook her head, "He never pulled anything. We hated each other. Yet, he was my only friend."

Allison wandered over, extending her hands down towards the floor. Della accepted the gesture and grasped the woman's hand as she was hauled up onto her feet, "He seems to like you."

"Mhm," Della nodded, "Who wouldn't. But, I do recall Luther mentioning something about the both of you, and I'm quite interested-- and a little grossed out if I'm being honest, to know exactly what the hell he was talking about."

Klaus laughed, puckering his lips. "They were lovers."

"We have never even kissed!" Allison protested.

Della looked over at Vanya whose eyes were wide, trying to dissect the scene. It had to be weird for her, being told your their sister, but having no idea who they really are or anything about them. She was finding it all out again, even the weirdest bits.

"Yeah, but you guys were making little sick moon-dog eyes at each other all through puberty and breakfasts and all that."

"Aren't we all brothers and sisters?" Vanya finally chimed in, "Or...?"

"Not me." Della quipped, sinking back to the floor. It was surprisingly comfortable, and the coolness of it felt good on her bare arms. "Thank god."

Allison took a breath, "Well, technically--"

"Technically?" Klaus snorted, "If you have to word... if you have to use the word 'technically,' you're already in trouble."

Della burst out in laughter, her lungs protesting as it went on and on. Everyone was joined in, shaking their heads at this stupidity. The world was ending in six days, and they were all here, drunk out of their minds.

"Okay, can... can we focus?"

Della blinked, wiping her eyes.

"I mean, clearly we're not saving the world tonight, but maybe, maybe we could at least try to save my marriage."

"Marriage is for suckers." Della snorted, "Being alone is where it's at."

"Exactly!" Klaus nodded, taking another sip from his flask. He was by the door now, swaying back and fourth. "No we can't try to save your marriage, Allison! That's like asking a nun how to hump someone's leg. I mean, who in this room knows shit about relationships? This one--" He pointed to Vanya, "In secret love with some farm Frau."

"Her name is Sissy." The woman huffed, picking at her nails.

Klaus went on as if he never heard her, "Which is an improvement on her previous love interest, the serial killer."

"What?" Della sat up, "A serial killer?"

Vanya's mouth opened and closed quickly, shrugging her shoulder's in confusion. "Don't criticize her!" Allison laughed, pointing a comb in her direction. "Look at Five, he's basically a serial killer!"

"Yeah, but he's not my—"

"Meanwhile--" Klaus spoke louder, drowning everyone else out. "I'm carrying a torch for a solider I haven't technically met yet, and Luther is in love with his sister."

"Okay, again, we are not biological." Allison said defensively.

"That you know of." Della mumbled.

Klaus snickered, shouting, "That you know of! Ha! Face it, alright, the healthiest long-term relationship in this family was when Five was banging that mannequin."

Allison shot Della a look, to which she snorted. "His name is Five, what were you expecting? A normal childhood?"

"Will you all just listen to me?" Klaus huffed, "The only thing the Umbrella Academy knows about love... is how to screw it up!"

Della sighed, staring at the ground. The room filled with the soft music that was filtering from a radio at Allison's station, more songs she'd never heard of before. She shouldn't be here, she should be back at Elliott's, waiting for everyone to come back, or with Five, no doubt coming up with another plan on how to get the hell out of here.

"How do you guys deal with this?" Vanya asked softly, "All of it? The time travel, seeing the dead, the end of the world."

Klaus pursed his lips, "Well, I get really high. Allison... Allison lies to herself and you suppress all your emotions deep, deep down until you... you blow shit up."

"What about you?"

Della looked to Vanya, "Me?"

The woman nodded as Della pulled herself off the ground and began backing up towards the door, shaking her head. "I do what you do, on top of all the lying. I just have yet to blow shit up."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to Elliott's."

Klaus snickered, "Give Five a kiss for me, huh?"

"I will shove that flask down your throat." Della called our, her hand grasping the door knob.

He surpassed a laugh, looking to Allison, "I see why likes her, can you--"

She slammed the door behind her, a smile forming on her face as satisfaction settled within her when the sound of metal clanging on the floor echoed. She laughed, taking off down the street.