ZERO! the umbrella academy

trente-huit

RUNAWAY

TELEPORTING IS WEIRD.

I mean, I guess that's the understatement of the century (no matter which one I was in), but regardless of how many times I've spatial jumped with Five, I'll never truly get used to it.

It's like all your atoms are being torn apart and rearranged. One minute, I was lying on the cold ground of an unfamiliar room surrounded by lifeless dolls with glassy eyes, and the next, I'm inside Elliott's place, flooded with warmth and light.

And don't even get me started on time travel.

Five unfurled his arms from around me, and the first thing I saw was Lila hovering over Diego's almost naked body on the couch with some kind of tool. Alarm bells went off in my head, and I jumped to my feet.

"Oh, my God, what happened?" I rushed towards them and knelt at his side. There was what looked like a stab wound in his stomach. My head snapped to glare at Lila. "What did you do to him?"

"I didn't do anything. I found him like this." Lila gestured to his obviously injured state.

My brows shot up in surprise. "You were following us?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and if I hadn't, he would still be bleeding out. So you should be thanking me."

Five walked in behind me, his hands in his pockets. He surveyed the scene apathetically. "Oh. He isn't dead."

"Disappointed?" Lila asked him.

"Oh, to see you? Always," he shot back, flashing her an over exaggerated grin. He bent down and reached for a napkin, clutching it to his wound to stop the blood.

"So much hostility in such a tiny package." Her tone was condescending. "Did you cut yourself shaving? I could teach you to shave like a big boy."

"No, we just ran into an old family friend," he grumbled, dabbing at the cuts on his neck.

Soft snores rose into the air, drawing our attention. Five and I both looked over to see Elliott still tied up and sound asleep. His head was tilted back at what I had to imagine was an uncomfortable angle with his mouth wide open.

Five whipped around to look at Lila. "You didn't untie him?"

She quirked a challenging brow at him. "Was I supposed to?"

He switched his gaze to me. "Stay here. I'll untie him." He started to move towards him.

I rose from my place on the ground. "But, Five, you're hurt."

He held out a hand to stop me before I could come any closer. "I already told you, Lee. I'm fine." He jutted his chin out at Diego. "You take care of him now."

He disappeared into the back before I could object any further. I let out a huff before squatting back down next to the couch. I looked up at Lila, who was still leaning over his body. "Do you mind? We need a minute alone."