a mannequin and a boy • the umbrella academy ON HOLD

volume two, issue 11

The moment Dolores stepped into the dinner party behind Reginald, she knew she was screwed. She was scared and nervous that Five would see her and feel betrayed. She was also scared of Reginald. 

She really couldn't catch a break.

Despite being in her spirit form, Klaus gasped when he spotted her, pointing her out to Ben quietly. Ben's eyes widened, and Dolores just vigorously shook her head, motioning for the two to not bring her presence to everyone's attention. 

"Not only have you burglarized my lab, set my chimp loose, conned your way into the Mexican consulate, repeatedly stalked and attacked me, but you have, on numerous occasions, called me  "Dad," Reginald began, looking at Klaus with an odd expression as he sat down with a drink and Ben behind him.

Ben took that opportunity to walk over to Dolores, worried. "Can he see you? Hear you?" He asked quietly, unsure of why she was here. 

"I think he knows I'm here, but he can't hear me, nor see me, I think," Dolores responded. 

"Why are you here?"

"I didn't have a choice, Ben. I hate it but that awful man has me wrapped around his finger," Dolores responded, watching as the siblings and Reginald spoke. More like, watching Five. 

"Dead, yes, but I'm here, Klaus!" Ben hollered at the boy, trying to make sure Reginald knew that he was there. Klaus dismissed it, continuing his drink. 

Even as the chaos ensued of everyone showing off their powers to their father and then accusing him of trying to assassinate the president, Dolores didn't pay any attention. She took a nearby metal platter and held it up to her face, observing every imperfection in her formerly perfect reflection. 

Her hair was matted. Bags under her tear-strained eyes. Her lips had a thin, chapped line above them. She had bruises along her arms and cuts across her neck, all from resisting Reginald. 

She didn't want to admit it, but ever since the poor, abused monkey was released, it seemed that Reginald replaced him with her. She also still felt pain from the fight that ensued not long ago, when she got punched and beat around, but luckily she couldn't feel pain in spirit form. 

In fact, she didn't look like this in spirit form-- oddly enough she's noticed that she can see her human form in mirrors and reflections even while being a spirit. Which was good for her. Who knows what fit Ben and Klaus would have if they saw this?

She quickly put the platter away, out of paranoia that someone would see it, and tuned back into the conversation. 

"You're the special ones. Why won't you just band together and do something about it," Reginald responded to Five. Dolores tilted her head, noticing a single tear streak the boy's cheek. 

Dolores started laughing as she saw Ben attempt to speak to Reginald through Klaus but end up exhausting the boy. Then she kept laughing as Luther made a whole dramatic speech about his daddy issues. 

It probably wasn't a good time to laugh, but as long as it didn't affect her at the moment, she didn't care. 

"You in the culottes," Reginald said, pointing to Five. "A word, in private?" Reginald motioned for him to follow as he exited the messy room, appearing weirded out. 

Five eagerly followed, and Dolores trailed carefully behind. The men sat down at a sort of bar, seated next to each other despite the unresolved tension between them. Dolores stood within listening distance. 

"I said in private, but it's fine, you may listen too," Reginald mentioned, confusing Five. Dolores gulped, her gaze flickering between the two. 

"You seem to be the sensible one of the bunch," Reginald started, his hands clasped together.

"That's because I'm the oldest. You know, technically, I'm older than you right now." 

"The other night you quoted Homer at home. Why?" 

"You forced us all to learn it as kids. In the original Greek, no less," Five paused. "This world ends in five days if we don't get out of the timeline."  

The two went back and forth about time travel, which didn't interest Dolores, until Five mentioned being stuck in the apocalypse. Then, she was definitely invested. 

"What did you do for all that time?" Reginald cut in, glancing over to Dolores.

"A lot that I regret. The only thing I don't regret is..." Five trailed off, a looming sadness hidden in his eyes. "Well, it doesn't matter now, she's gone." 

All Dolores wanted to do was hug the boy, or scream, just to tell him she's here. 

"So it's a girl you like? What's her name?"

"It doesn't matter, I mean it. There's nothing I can do to bring her back." Reginald looked over at a trembling Dolores, who was on the verge of tears. He couldn't see her, sure, but he sure knew she was there.

"It's weird, though. She was in that picture that Diego showed you earlier," Five mentioned, but shook the idea out of his head, not wanting to give himself false hope.

"I gave you such a hard time as a kid." He deserved it, Dolores thought, wiping away at the water in her eyes. "I didn't know any better." 

"No skin off my teeth, old man," Reginald joked, taking a sip of his drink. Five sighed, finishing his. 

Dolores shifted her feet a little bit, noticing a small mirror right in Five's eyesight. If she could just take a few steps to the right...

Reginald stood up loudly, bidding him ado. Dolores's eyes widened as she panicked and threw a nearby fork to make a clang sound against the wall beside the mirror, trying to get Five's attention. Five looked at the mirror but made no sort of reaction, even though Dolores knew her reflection was clear in it. 

"Well, I must be going now. Goodbye and good luck," Reginald mentioned, shooting a glare at Dolores as he left quickly. 

Dolores would have to pay for that later, she figured, and it wasn't even worth it. 

author's note 

hey hey heyyy guys! wow look at me I updated... oops. ill get them out soon enough, I was just so busy with school this past month. happy new year!! I am so happy 2020 is over, though it didn't feel like it, at all. it still feels like September. 

question of the chapter: do you have any New Years resolutions?

my answer: not really, I forgot to make any. just be happy, I hope!! 

thanks for reading!!