𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞 || ▹Umbrella Academy

family trouble

Klaus' eyes trailed above to the window she had come from, remembering that Five had jumped from that very same window only moments before. "Were you in Five's room?"

Confused, Thea cocked her head. "Yeah?" she asked, unsure. "What's wrong with that?" Looking down at he attire, she turned slightly pink. "Ah, I see. I forgot." She had not known exactly when Five would return and so had changed into something comfier before waiting in his room. It had been so late when they'd finished talking that she'd fallen into a deep sleep within seconds of her head hitting the pillow. "Maybe a jacket would have been a good idea..."

The shirt belonged to Ben, an old bit of memorabilia from one of the rare days they'd been able to leave the academy and have fun. It was clearly too big on Thea, despite the many years that had passed since its purchase, the neckline slipping to reveal pale collarbones. It looked well-loved and by the goofy grin on Ben's face, Klaus could only assume he'd come to the same conclusion. The idiot looked like Christmas had come early.

"Whatever, why were you in Five's room?"

"Jealous much?" she rolled her eyes. "I wanted to talk to him about some stuff, you know, with how things ended before he disappeared..." she averted her eyes. "I didn't want him to hate me. I missed him so much."

Klaus' expression softened. When they were younger, Klaus often found himself subject to the burning ache of jealously. He couldn't help it. Five and Thea just clicked in a way that he'd never quite understood, and become easy best friends. Klaus could understand, in a way. Ben was his best friend, and he'd always known where'd he'd stood in their little trio. Ben couldn't replace Klaus, because what Thea felt for him was something deeper than friendship or family. What Thea and Ben felt for each other was a different kind of love. Klaus hadn't ever had a reason to feel threatened...

But Five. Klaus had always restrained himself from acting snarky around the other boy. Thea liked Five, he knew, and Five acted differently around her than he did with anybody else. He opened up with her, showed a vulnerability that he would kill anybody else over. 

However, there were no romantic feelings to separate their bond from his own with Thea. At least, none on her part... and Klaus was self-aware enough to admit – deep, deep down – that he was annoyed at their closeness.

He was only assuaged by the single fact that, out of everybody, only he had any biological claim.

Klaus had not really grown much since his childhood, and often acted like he still believed himself a teenager at times. However, at seeing the morose expression on Thea's face he swallowed back the snarky comment he wanted to make.

Ben's insistent voice demanding that he do something, say something, didn't help.

"It's not like I can do anything," Ben muttered bitterly.

Klaus made his way, rather awkwardly, up the fire escape towards his sister. When he finally reached her, he held her hands in his own. "I'm sure he doesn't hate you."

Thea sniffed before giving him a smile. "I know, I'm just so happy that he's back. It's like we're all a family again... if only Ben–" she choked on his name, snapping her mouth closed.

By her side, Ben smiled sadly.

"I-I'm sure if he were...ever to appear, he'd um, he'd want you to be happy," Klaus said with an awkward earnestness.

Thea smiled at his efforts, endeared. "Oh, I know he would, the big softie." She grinned lovingly at the thought of the boy who haunted her memories, leaving behind a bittersweet longing.

Ben wore an affronted expression at the description of being a big softie and Klaus couldn't help himself. He laughed at them both.

This, right here, what they had, was enough.