THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY
fragile || five hargreeves x reader
CHAPTER FIVE: MY GRANDFATHER HATES TWINKIES
Written By: peachyhxlland
°•.☆.•°
"I survived on scraps. Canned food, cockroaches, anything I could find." Five slightly chuckled as he stroked down your hair absentmindedly. "You know that rumor that Twinkies have an endless shelf life? Well, it's total bullshit."
"I can't even imagine."
"You do whatever it takes to survive, or you die. So we adapted. Whatever the world threw at us, we found a way to overcome it."
"We?"
Five ignored her question and had a question for her instead. "You got anything stronger?"
Vanya poured down liquor in a glass for Five while Five put your head down and finally placed a pillow so you could get comfortable. He took the glass and drank it. He noticed Vanya's expression causing him to sigh. "You think I'm crazy."
"N-No." Vanya stammered. "It's just... it's a lot to take in."
"Exactly what don't you understand?"
"Why didn't you just time travel back?"
Five scoffed, realizing that scoffing is one of his habits now whenever he gets annoyed or impatient. "Gee, wish I'd thought of that." He said sarcastically. "Time travel is a crapshoot. I went into the ice and never acorn-ed. You think I didn't try everything to get back to my family? To (Y/—" Five stopped himself and took a deep breath.
Vanya sighed. "If you grew old there, you know, in the apocalypse, how come you still look like a kid?"
Five scoffed again, shaking his head. "I told you already. I must have got the equations wrong."
"What about (Y/n)? Were you the one who caused her this? To be stuck in a 15-year-old body like you?"
"I never knew how she got back to her 15-year-old body. Heck, she doesn't even know how she got back to her younger self." Five went to Vanya's kitchen and poured more drinks on his glass.
"Dad always used to say that... time travel could mess up your mind. Well, maybe that's what's happening?"
"This was a mistake. You're too young... too naive to understand." Five placed the glass down and head towards the door to leave.
"No. Five... Five, wait." Vanya pleaded. "I haven't seen you in a long time, and I don't want to lose you again. That's all."
Five looked down, unable to reply back. Vanya looked at the time and crossed her arms. "And you know what, it's getting late, and... I have lessons early, and I need to sleep, and I'm sure you do, too."
Vanya took out a blanket and gave it to Five. "We'll talk in the morning again. Okay? I promise. Night." Vanya walked away and Five stared down at the blanket that Vanya just gave him. "Night."
Vanya closed the door to her room while Five sat down beside you, examining a fake eyeball that he found on the apocalypse. Five saw an address at the back of the fake eyeball and he sighed.
He turned to you and saw you sleeping peacefully. "Wish I could stay longer to see you waking up but I have to go."
He placed down the blanket on you, making sure you won't feel cold. "I'm doing this for you and for our family. I'll save us." Five leaned in but stopped as he thought for a moment. Five sighed and pressed his lips on your forehead before standing up and leaving the apartment quietly.
The next morning, you woke up from the blinding light that was shining from the window. You instantly got up and looked around to see an unfamiliar place. 'Am I kidnapped or am I dead?'
"Morning." You turned around to see Vanya sipping her coffee. You were confused and puzzled as you rubbed your eyes tiredly. "Vanya? How did I get here?"
"Five took you here. Remember?"
You sighed in relief, putting your hand against your chest. "Oh my God. I thought it was a dream."
"What is it?"
"I thought Five coming back here was just a dream... I-I often dream about him returning that I can't tell the difference between reality and fantasy."
Vanya smiled sadly at you as she abandoned her coffee to sit beside you and hug you tight. "You're no longer dreaming, (Y/n). I'm here. Five's here. Well, somewhere but he's back."
You returned her hug by hugging her back. "Thanks, Vanya." You looked at your hands and noticed that you're still in your 15-year-old body. "Of course. Me in my younger body isn't a dream." You groaned.
Vanya chuckled and pulled away from the hug, holding your hands. You looked around. "Where is Five?"
"He left. Probably after he woke up or just left last night."
"Do you have an idea where he might have went?"
Vanya shook her head with a frown. "Nope. Probably trying to stop the apocalypse he kept on saying."
"Apocalypse?"
"Yeah. Five said he went to the future, right? He said there's an apocalypse in the future and survived with scraps and some canned goods he found along the way. He said there are only eight days left until it happens. Well, maybe seven days now."
"He found some Twinkies?"
Vanya looked at you in disbelief before chuckling and shaking her head. "Nope. He said it was total bullshit."
"I hate Twinkies. Total bullshit if you ask me. It doesn't even taste that good."
The memory you just remembered made you smiled. Your sister noticed this and wondered what were you smiling about. "You alright there?"
You nodded and stood up fixing yourself. "Yep. Just remembered some things. My grandfather hates Twinkies."
"And where are you going?"
"Gonna find him. It's been years since I've seen him."
"What about Five?"
You stopped in your tracks on your way to Vanya's bathroom. "Come on, Vanya, an apocalypse? How is that even possible. Mind if I use your bathroom?"
"Uhh.. sure."
'Surely the apocalypse isn't real, right? Five must have lost his mind...
Right?'
°•○●○•°
You stood in front of your grandfather's house, hesitating on whether to press the doorbell just beside the door. 'Oh screw it.' You pressed the doorbell twice and you heard a man answered.
"Hold on!"
You waited patiently and looked at the streets. It was a busy day for the people and sometimes you wish if you could be like them now that you're stuck with this body. As you waited for the door to open, your mind wanders off to some realities you thought of: what could have been your life.
What if your mother never brought you to Reginald or maybe if Reginald himself denied adopting you?
What if your powers were different?
What if you never slept for so many years and were never stuck on your younger body.
What if you were never born on the 12th hour on the first day of October 1989?
Maybe you could've been born in a different year? A different month or day?
Or just simply doesn't exist at all.
You sighed and turned when you heard the door opening. Your grandfather opened his door and looked down to see you waving at him. He squinted his eyes to see clearly who you are. "Am I dreaming or is that you, (Y/n)?"
"Please don't have a heart attack." You pleaded, afraid that seeing you like this might gave him one heart attack. "Yes, it's me. Apparently, I'm stuck on my 15-year-old body."
"You were raised with children who have powers like you by a billionaire, (Y/n). Nothing seems to surprise me anymore when it's about you." Your grandfather smiled. "But I do want to know why you're back in 15. Come on inside."
You nodded and followed him inside the house. He was old and has an illness but he still looks strong. He can still stand on his own without any cane, his eyes weren't that blind but he still needs to use glasses. He looked like he was in good shape but deep inside, there was a sickness that's unable to cure.
And now your grandfather is just waiting for his sickness to kill him.
Your grandfather sat down on the couch with you and patted your back. "Now tell me the story."
You sighed heavily and held your hands together. "I actually, uh, don't remember how it happened. One night I was asleep in my apartment and when I woke up, it's 2019 and I'm back on being 15 again."
"Maybe your siblings know?"
"They don't know anything. We separated years ago."
"What about your robot mother or that old monkey?"
"Mom is malfunctioning sometimes and Pogo... well I haven't asked him yet."
Your grandfather sighed and leaned on the back pillow. "I knew you'd experience weird shit around you from the moment you stepped inside that house. I begged for your mother to let me take care of you but she won't let me."
"But that's because you're sick, Papa." You call your grandfather like that because he insisted when you were young.
"Your mother lied. To you and to that old Hargreeves. I just got sick like a year ago."
Your eyes widened and were lost of words. He wasn't sick before... so why didn't your mother just let her father take care of you. Your grandfather looked down at you and noticed the confusion written all over your face. "She lied because she wanted to protect you."
"From what?"
"From me."
"Wh-Why...?"
Your grandfather stood up and looked around the pictures hanging in the wall as he tucked his hands on his pockets. He was looking at the pictures when he was young. "I killed few people, (Y/n)."
"Because you were in the war?"
"No. I never joined the war. Who said that to you?"
"My mother did."
"Well, that ain't true. I killed three guys and one woman when I was 18."
"By accident?"
"Some might say those were accidents. Some might say it was purposely. I'd say both." Your grandfather turned back to you with an expression that you couldn't describe. "I had to kill the first guy because he hurt my sister so bad she killed herself.
"What about the rest?"
"They were trying to kill me. One man and one women were a couple and tricked me on going on a ride with them but they're just gonna kill me. The last man was a sheriff and was furious when he found out I killed his little sister."
You didn't really know what to say but you know that your grandfather is a good person. Your mother just thought that he was a bad one.
"I've done bad things because I have to not because I want to, (Y/n). I'm not a bad person, I swear. My daughter just found out about my story and freaked out, thinking that I'll probably kill again. She didn't understand. And it's alright if you don't too. You can just walk away and forget about me."
You stood up from your chair and hugged him. "I understand. Killing those people probably traumatized you, Papa."
"It did." Your grandfather sighed deeply and hugged you back, kissing the top of your head. "Understand the people close to you, (Y/n). You think you know them but they may be hiding something. Maybe they need help or comfort. Don't turn your back on them and try to understand them."
°•○●○•°
Vanya and you entered the Academy and Vanya called out for Five while you followed her from behind, thinking back to your grandfather's words.
"Don't turn your back on them and try to understand them."
Vanya and you made it upstairs and looked for Five in the rooms until Vanya finally found him, staring at the window. "Oh, thank God. I was worried sick about you."
You leaned your back against the wall and crossed your arms, looking at both of them. Five turned to Vanya with his hands tucked in his pockets. "Sorry I left without saying goodbye." He apologized. He turned to you and pointed at you. "Does your head hurt or stomach? You were pretty drunk last night."
Your serious expression fell and your mouth hung open. "Wait. I was?"
"She was drunk?" Vanya questioned, finally knowing the reason why you were so passed out last night.
"She was probably drinking since morning and didn't realize she was drinking a lot." Five smiled at you with a hint of teasing. "You didn't even realize you were drunk until you followed me."
"What the hell happened last night?" You questioned Five, wanting to know more about what happened but Vanya apologized to him last night that Five instead turned his attention to.
"Look, Five, I should be the one who's sorry. I was dismissive, and... I-I guess I didn't know how to process what you were saying. And I still can't, to be honest."
"Maybe you were right to be dismissive." Five told Vanya causing her to blink in confusion. "Maybe it wasn't real after all. It felt real. Well... like you said, the old man did say time travel could contaminate the mind."
You couldn't really tell but you knew he was lying or maybe pretending that it wasn't real. You guessed that he was talking about the apocalypse and he just lied to Vanya that maybe what he saw wasn't real.
It's been years since you've seen him but you can still know if he's lying or not.
"Then maybe I'm not the right person for you to be talking to. Look, I used to see someone. A therapist. I could give you her information." Vanya suggested but Five denied the offer.
"Thanks, but... I think I'm just gonna get some rest. It's been a long time since I've had a good sleep."
Vanya nodded and turned to leave. She stopped by the door to see you not moving, staring at Five. "(Y/n)?"
You huffed and followed Vanya to leave the room. You and Vanya head downstairs until you heard items clattering in the room where Five is. You tapped Vanya's shoulder and pointed back. "I'll just check on something and I forgot to say something to Five."
Vanya smiled and stuffed her hands inside her jacket's pockets. "You're finally gonna confess your love?"
"What? No! And I don't love him, stop it, Vanya."
Vanya chuckled and pointed at your face. "Your red blushing face says differently, though. I'll go now. Take care."
Once Vanya's gone, you touched your cheeks and felt a bit warm. You pouted and head back to Five's room. "I'm not blushing." You mumbled every step you make. Then you heard voices inside the room.
"Would you shut up? She'll hear you." You heard Five scolded.
"I'm moist." You heard... Klaus said. 'Uhh... what?' You leaned against the wall, continuing to listen on whatever they're talking about.
"I thought I told you to put on something professional."
"What? This is my nicest outfit."
You heard Five sighed. "We'll raid the old man's closet."
"Whatever. As long as I get paid."
"When the job is done."
Five and Klaus stepped out of the room before you could even run and hide but they found you leaning against the wall. "What are you doing here?"
'Play dumb!' You blinked as you think of what reasons you can say to Five. "I'm hugging the wall." You blurted out in panic. 'Okay, not that dumb!'
Five cocked an eyebrow at you sternly while Klaus waved at you. "You coming with us?" Five instantly turned to Klaus and shook his head. "Nuh-uh."
"Uhh, yeah-huh." You said sternly.
"Nuh-uh."
"Yeeaah-huh!"
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yeah-huh!"
Klaus was standing between you two, clearly enjoying you two like you two were kids arguing.
"Come on, Five. We all know that's impossible."
"It could happen!"
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yeah-huh!"
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yeeaah-huh!"
You and Five were arguing about something unnecessary and not even worth arguing about. Your siblings were just there shaking their heads while Klaus was laughing his ass off.
"You two sound like an alarm." Klaus giggled.
"No, we're not!" You and Five scolded Klaus but instead of flinching, Klaus burst more into laughter and you and Five continued to argue with 'nuh-uh's and 'yeah-huh's.
"Nuh-uh. You're not coming with us."
"Whatever you two are planning, I'm coming."
"This is not your business, Eight." Five sighed, rubbing his temples in stress.
"And it's also not your business on telling me what to do, old man. Whether you like it or not, I'm coming."
-•-°-•-°-☆
All chapters were made and ready to publish. I'll post the next chapter on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 6 pm (Philippine Time).
I want to know if you guys have recognized the grandfather's backstory. If you do, comment it down :)
Also, if you guys still haven't noticed, I tried not to make the reader tag along with Five so much since some scenes would be boring especially if you guys have like memorized the scenes. And besides, most of the fanfics here on Wattpad did that where the reader follows Five along wherever he goes.
Don't worry I made sure the reader will still follow Five in some scenes.