She with The Flowers in Her Hair| Number Five

🌼CHAPTER 41: Vanya🌼

It was unusually sunny that day, so unlike the day of the Hargreeveses first reunion. It was safe to say that Vanya was all over the place. Her hair was frizzy and a mess. Her lips chapped and her skin was almost gray. To be quite frank she looked like a walking corpse with the permanent expression of distraught etched on her face. The young woman climbed out of the taxi, her shoe clad feet met the concrete sidewalk that led to the academy's front door. The building only brought Allison's memory back into her head. Guilt bubbled in her stomach as the events of her slashing Alli's throat replayed in her mind.

She opened the door and entered the foyer. She looked around the halls wondering why they were so empty, expecting at least Klaus to be lurking. "Hello..." She called out, half hoping that someone wouldn't answer.

"Vanya." Luther said making his presence known, his voice startled the woman momentarily. She looked up to see her brother leaning over the railings, his eyes trained on her.

"Is Allison..." Vanya tried to say, but bile came up at the mention of Allison.

"She survived." Luther said quickly putting her out of her misery.

The revelation eased Vanya a little. She let out a shaky breath she wasn't even aware she was holding. Her hands began to shake as well, her knees felt like they were going to collapse from underneath her. She didn't notice Luther walk down the stairs, and when she did he was already in front of her.

"What happened?" The big man asked bellowing throughout the small space.

"We got into an argument. And things got out of control. I didn't mean to hurt her. Please you have to believe me." The woman pleaded. Luther's face softened as Vanya pleaded for his trust.

"I do believe you." His voice turned into a whisper, as if offering her security and comfort given her disheveled state.

"It was an accident. And I was... I was angry, and... uh, it just happened." She stumbled over her words when she tried to explain, looking for words but found none of the right ones. "Could I see her?" She ended up asking, looking up to her much taller brother with eyes filled with hope. Luther shook his head regretfully at her request before responding

"She's resting now. Maybe later." Vanya nodded in understanding, fidgeting in her place as she planned what to do.

"Is it okay if I wait here for a bit?"

"Of course Vanya. This is your home." Luther's tone was low, as if keeping it in a low volume would prevent Allison's rest from getting disrupted. He watched as Vanya began to tremble again, her eyes filled with tears and her body began to twitch subtly. He felt bad, truthfully he didn't like to see his sister like that, so he opened his arms, welcoming her to hug him. Vanya sobbed from his actions and hugged him tightly, whispering sorry into his chest over and over.

Luther's soft expression slowly morphed into a vicious one, as he listened to the small woman's apologies. Just like his face, his grip began to become harsher as he squeezed Vanya.

"You're hurting me." the woman groaned in his arms. She began to struggle in his grip, another consequence began to ensue. The building began to shake as Luther gripped harder. Sawdust poured out of the ceiling as Vanya's gasps and sobs intensified. It only took Luther a second to get the woman to fall limp into his arms, and for the shaking to cease.

~~~

On the other side of town, Ellie felt something completely off. She and Five were walking home when she felt an overwhelming amount of anxiety press onto her skull. Her heart sped up as she looked around for possible reasons for it but found none. It was echoing from far away and it alarmed her, and her expression didn't escape Five.