OɹǝZ ɹǝqɯnN (An Umbrella Academy Fanfic)

We Hold Secrets Closer Than We Thought

I was walking down the street to the coffee shop to meet Vanya, passing by joggers and mothers with strollers or screaming toddlers. I was almost there when a young girl ran into me. She had bright red hair and beautiful blue eyes. She looked about four or five. I held down my hand to her to help her up. Her mother appeared behind her with a baby strapped to her chest and two sleeping toddlers in a stroller.

"Vivi! I told you not to run off like that!" The mother said to her daughter. Her daughter looked down.

"Sorry, Mama." She whispered. The mother took her hand and looked up to me.

"I'm so sorry." She said defeatedly. I smiled warmly.

"Hey, it's okay. You seem to have your hands full. Besides, she didn't cause any trouble." I said. The mother smiled tiredly.

"Thank goodness." She muttered as she took her daughter by the hand and continued on her way, the little girl waving at me as they left. I waved back before turning and heading into the coffee shop up the street. The bell on the door chimed as I scanned the room for Vanya. I found her sitting at a table near the very back. I sighed and headed towards her. She looked up from her coffee as I sat down. She smiled.

"Hey, Nix." She said. "I didn't think you were coming." I took a breath.

"Yeah, sorry. Had a long night last night. Klaus woke me up just in time." I looked down at the coffee in front of me. "Thanks," I said as I took a long sip, the warm liquid running down my throat. Vanya watched me quietly.

"Somethings on your mind, huh?" She asked. I slowly placed my cup down and looked at the table, running my gloved fingers over the table's design.

"Just all the memories came flooding back when I walked through the academy's doors. The bad and the good. And now Five's back and my powers have been acting up. It's just so much all at once." I said as I stared intently at the pattern of the table. "I really thought I was never coming back," I said quietly. A silence fell over us, it was eerie yet calming. Vanya was always good at that. Making you feel like you weren't alone even if no one was talking. Eventually, she put her hand on mine causing me to look up.

"I'm glad you came back, Onyx. We all really missed you." She said with a smile. I grinned with a scoff.

"Yeah, some of you more than others." Vanya raised an eyebrow at me. I chuckled. "You know who I mean," I said and Vanya laughed, nodding.

"Of course. Pogo, right?" She said teasingly. I hit her playfully on the arm, laughing. Finally, we stopped laughing and Vanya smiled. "Thanks for having coffee with me." She said as she checked her watch. "I have lessons, I better get going." She said as I leaned over and hugged her before standing up.

"Okay, love ya'," I said before leaving my half of the bill and heading out. I decided to head back to the academy and figure some stuff out. My face and arm were still throbbing like mad. I was lucky that only my arm bled the night before, I thought for sure my face was going to split open again. I sighed as I opened the iron gate and headed inside, the house was quiet except for whispering in the foyer. Curiosity got the better of me as I tip-toed to the double doors and listened, crouching down to be out of sight.

"We need to tell them." Allison's voice was strained and defiant. I heard Luther sigh.

"I know, but it's not going to go well," Luther said. I decided that was the best time to head in.

"Tell us what?" I asked. Luther and Allison turned to me with wide eyes. Allison stepped forward.

"We have to show you something." She said, her voice sounded uneasy. I looked at her skeptically.