PYROMANIAC - (Umbrella Academy) X Five Hargreeves

2:12

(A long chapter for you fools. Enjoy it as much as I did writing it ;)

After searching upstairs for Five and not being able to find him or Diego, Lena figured he must be snooping so well that even she couldn't figure out where he was. So after doing a quick sweep of the floor from the vantage point of the grand staircase and being unable to even spot Lila's turquoise gown, she was about to count her losses and find something stronger to drink in a hidden cupboard somewhere when a head of stark blonde hair caught her eye making its way through the crowd.

Recognition hit her and she made her way swiftly and elegantly down the stairs, heels clicking, eyeing his pathing with calculating eyes.

From what knowledge she did have of the Swedish brothers, the one she had her eyes on was the youngest. The name wasn't something she'd thought about long enough to remember.

Without faltering in her path, Lena glided by one of the tables set out with plates of fancy snacks and cutlery; she plucked a knife from one of them and seamlessly hid it amongst the fabric of her skirt as she continued on her warpath through the dancing and chatting guests.

Her eyes never left from the young man as he adjusted his collar and walked in her rough direction, looking to exit the thrum of people without actually seeing her yet.

As she rounded another dancing couple, she kept her head down and accidentally knocked shoulders with him. As he turned to get out of her way, Lena slid her hand beneath the cream fabric of his jacket. "Act normal," she grit out with a casual glance around them. She latched her other immediately at his upper arm like a vice, turning them both in time with the music and forcing him to face her directly. The man grabbed her other arm with brutal force.

His narrowed, cold eyes met hers as he felt the sharp pressure of the knife just under his ribcage, and it only took a second for recognition to set in. Stiffly, he pressed his lips into a thin line and glanced left and right at the couples dancing around them where they stood still.

Lena flashed him a charming smile, eyes lit with the challenge. "Dance with me. Lets have a little chat."

After a few moments of no movement from either parties, she forced him to move out of the way of a young couple dancing and he followed her stiffly, taking slow steps back and forth in time with the classical music flowing through the room.

She scanned his face. His jaw was tense, eyes flickering around the room rapidly in search, likely, for his brothers to come to his rescue.

"What are you doing?" He asked harshly in broken English.

"Talking," She flashed him an innocent smile. "My name is Lena-"

"-I know who you are," he said roughly, eyes pricing through her own. "Everyone does. Torka haxa."

Her eyes lit up like a candles flame for a second. "Excellent. Then you'll know this will hurt more coming from my own hand," she dug the blade in a little more under his ribs for emphasis. "Who sent you and your brothers?"

He grit his teeth and turned them slowly, grip bruising on her arm even more. "You know already."

"The handler?"

A flash of confusion lit in eyes. "I don't know this Handler."

Her mind works quickly to connect the dots. She kept her expression blank.

Had the Handler been demoted? Had she been fired? Had she found another calling? A tiny part of her wanted to grin. Either way, the woman had got what was coming to her. And yet somehow, she probably still had her hands pulling at some strings because that was exactly the type of person he was. She was bound to be involved somehow.