[jordans house–about eleven a.m., tuesday morning]
RON TAPPED his foot on the ground, glaring at Jordans closed door. Everyone but his brother and Five where downstairs, eating terribly made pancakes. He'd been sent to go wake them up, but t appeared hat they where already up; voices—their voices—could be heard through the door.
Ron took a deep breath and then pushed the door open.
"Morning," Jordan said to him. He was laying in the bed, his head hanging off the edge, and Five was sitting in a chair. "You good?"
Ron narrowed his eyes. He liked Five, but they both seemed perfectly awake; why hadn't they come downstairs hours ago? Had they been sitting up here talking?
"We're eating breakfast, if either of you care to join," Ron spits out; both of the other boys exchange worried looks. Before anyone can say anything, Ron turns in his heel and goes back downstairs.
~
Jordan sighs and sits up, shaking his head so his curls fall back into their natural positions. Five stands up and stretches.
"When are you going to call Tate?" He asks. Jordan shrugs.
"I don't know. I should probably do it today, but..." he hesitates, glancing out the door to where Ron had just been. "Ron already seems pissed off at me."
"It's okay," Five said, and then he goes to the door. "Everything will work out."
Jordan smiled and then followed the boy downstairs.
~{}~
Tate frowned and tapped his foot anxiously. Nico looked at him from where he lay on the floor.
"What's the matter?" Nico questioned. The two of them where sitting in Tate's room, studying for the final.
"Nothing," Tate said. He couldn't exactly tell Nico what was wrong. What would he say?
Hey, Nico, I know you're leaving soon and everything, but the reason I've been so anxious is because my best friend, Jordan? Yeah, he's got the entire Umbrella Academy living with him! And they went to go save one that got kidnapped by some evil people! And Ron, Jordans little brother, he promised to call me when they got back but he hasn't and now I am freaking the fuck out!
No, he couldn't say that.
"Are you sure?" Nico asked, moving so that their faces where closer. Tate glanced down at the other boys lips and nodded.
"Yeah. It'll all work itself out, I'm sure it—"
The phone on his nightstand rang, and Tate practically shoved Nico off the bed as he threw himself across the mattress and yanked the phone to his ear.
"Hello? This is Tate," he says breathlessly.
"Hey," Jordans voice is like an angel in Tate's speaker, which is ridiculous to think but for a while Tate thought his friend died. "Are you free to babysit?"
"Excuse me?" Tate blinks, feeling taken aback. Jordan went off the grid, into a dangerous place to save someone, and then calls him up to ask him to babysit? What the fuck?
"Are you free to babysit? For a couple of days?" Jordan repeats.
"What the hell!" Tate snaps. "Can I babysit? Can you use your brain?"
Nico arched an eyebrow. Jordan sighed on the either end of the line.
"I'm fine, Tater-Tot. Nobody died, we're all safe, we got everyone home. I just...we might not stay safe. And, well, I don't want Ron around when it's not."
Tate huffs angrily. God, sometimes he really does hate Jordan. "Fine," he snaps. "I'll be over around dinner time to pick him up. When do you want me to bring him back?"
"Three days," Jordan says. "That's it. Please."
"Good. And you owe me, dipshit," Tate said. He can hear Hordan sigh.
"I love you, Tator-Tot."
"Yeah, I love you too." Tate rolls his eyes. "And make me an extra plate or something, because I'll be there for a couple'a hours."
"Sounds fine. See you then."
"Yup."
Jordan hangs up. Nico touches his arm.
"Everything good?" The guy asks. Tate nods.
"Yeah. I'm going to Jordans for dinner. Can you drop me off?"
Nico smiles and nods. The two go back to studying.
[jordans house]
"I am not going to eat that," Five scrunched his nose up at the plate Klaus had placed in front of him with a flourish.
The other boy scoffed at his brother, and Ron snickered. Jordan was still on the phone with Tate down the hall, and Allison was chatting with Vanya on the couch. Diego (Ron still couldn't quite get over the fact that his idol was sitting right fuckin' next to him) was sitting next to Ron and laughed as well. Luther was cleaning up the mess that Klaus had made when he'd attempted to make breakfast.
"And why not?" Klaus asked, putting his hands on his hips. "It's a perfectly fine meal, you ungrateful little twat."
"Twat?" Diego arched an eyebrow. "That's new."
Klaus grabbed the towel and flicked it out at Diego, who dodged it easily. Ron's smile grew as he watched the family interact, Five picking at the mostly burned piece of toast and eggs, Diego and Klaus bickering, Luther continuously piping in. Allison and Vanya could be heard giggling, and Jordan was hardly visible as he talked to the phone.
Thoughts of what would happen when Billie showed up flitted through Ron's mind, but he did his best to ignore it as he tried his best to find the edible part of Klaus's cooking.
"So," Five pushed the plate away and laced his fingers together. "We need to discuss a course of action."
"Oh, come on," Klaus whined. "Couldn't this wait until after breakfast?"
"It really could," Allison yelled from the living room.
"Well, we could just be totally unprepared for whatever the hell Billie decides to throw at us," Five said sarcastically.
"Sounds like a plan," Klaus said with a wink. Luther looked up from the counter, where he'd been trying to scrub off some egg yolk.
"I, personally, think that we should go with Five's route."
"Oh, yeah? And I, personally, think that we should wing it," Klaus smiled at his brother.
"Hey, Ron?" Jordan has apparently finished his conversation on the phone and has walked into the kitchen with a anxious look on his face. "Can we talk?"
Ron shrugs. "Sure." He drops his fork and leaves his food, following his brother upstairs. The Hargreeves are left, bickering amongst themselves.
"So?" Ron asks, crossing his arms. "What's up?"
"You're going to stay with Tate," Jordan blurted.
"Uh, no, I'm not." Ron smiled without teeth and shook his head. "I'm staying here. Mom hasn't shown her face, and this is the best thing to happen to us. Ever."
Jordan sighed, rubbing his eyes. Ron could already feel himself getting angry again—would his brother ever listen?
"Please, Ron," Jordan said, looking down at him through his fingers. "Please go to Tate's."
"I won't," Ron stepped backwards, clenching his jaw. "You can't make me."
"Ronnie, come on—"
"I'm not Ronnie." Ron snapped. "My name is Ron."
"Right, I know, I know, I'm sorry, Ron," said Jordan, and he groaned. "Look, Ron, Mom is missing. We had a voicemail—some guy named Micheal told the police she hasn't been seen. They're going to come out here soon. Hopefully, we can hide until they leave. But we have bigger issues than that."
"What?" Ron whispered. He felt like the world had turned. Mom was missing? It's not like he'd ever really loved her, but...she couldn't be missing.
"Yeah. And, with Billie and the Commission fucking around here, it's just not safe. You—you can't be here." Jordan said. His voice cracked, and he squeezed his eyes shut. "You can't, okay?"
Ron clenched his jaw. Who cares if Mom is missing? He wasn't leaving. He wouldn't.
"No." He said. Jordan frowned. Ron felt a twinge in his heart as he saw his brothers eyes slowly start to fill with tears, but he wouldn't miss this. "I am not leaving, Jordan."
"Whatever," Jordan snapped, and his voice was like ice; despite the tears sparkling in his brown eyes, it seemed like something had snapped. "But I'd still have a bag packed."
The two stared at each other. Then, Klaus yelled for Jordan.
Ron's older brother walked downstairs without a word, and Ron turned on his heel and went into his room.
Slamming the door shut as hard as he could, he stared to pack a bag.
A/N:
wow that was exactly 1,400 words that makes me feel satisfied.
here is the last chapter for today (unless i get bored lol) but be ready for another five or so tomorrow!!!!!! i hope you all have a wonderful day!!!!!