Hazy Shade of Winter [ON HOLD FOR NOW]

04

The dinner bell rang and the Hargreeves children walked into the dining room in their number order. They stood behind their assigned spot awaiting their father. Sir Reginald appeared and stood at the head of the table. Vanya was at the opposite end. Allison was sitting to the left of her father, Klaus and Ben to her left. On her father's right were Luther, Diego and Five. Sir Reginald looked at his children and told them simply, "Sit."

The children sat and started eating.

Five stabbed a knife into the table and pulled his hand away while he glared at their father.

"Number Five?" Hargreeves asked.

Five took on his all too familiar sarcastic tone. "I have a question."

"Knowledge is an admiral goal, but you know the rules. No talking during mealtimes. You are interrupting Herr Carlson."

"I want to time-travel."

"No." Sir Reginald replied.

Five narrowed his eyes. "But I'm ready. I've been practicing my spatial jumps, just like you said." He stood up and spatial jumped to their father's chair. "See?"

Sir Reginald turned to Five. "A spatial jump is trivial when compared with the unknowns of time-travel. One is like sliding along the ice, the other is akin to descending blindly into the depths of the freezing water and appearing as an acorn."

Five's eyes narrowed further. "Well, I don't get it."

"Hence the reason you're not ready," Sir Reginald answered as he lifted his glass into the air.

"I'm not afraid."

"Fear isn't the issue. The effects it might have on your body, even on your mind, are far too unpredictable."

"Now, I forbid you to talk about this anymore." Hargreeves said harshly. Five glared and turned away before walking off. "Number Five. You haven't been excused!"

---

Adriana made her way to the Umbrella Academy mansion, taking in Five's warning about the end of the world. What did that mean for everyone? Would she survive? Would Five? Would the other Umbrella Academy members?

When she'd started panicking, he'd handled it expertly; almost like he'd handled it before. She suspected he had especially considering he seemed to know her.

She wandered through the halls and as she passed the family room, she noticed someone in colored underwear. She sighed and got a cup of coffee before seeing what was going on. Unsurprisingly, it was Klaus who was half-naked.

Adriana raised a brow. "Do I want to know?"

He shook his head. "No, definitely."

The two turned as they heard a throat clear. They saw Pogo standing in the doorway. "Master Klaus, I have a query for you."

Klaus raised an innocent eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Items from your father's office have gone missing. In particular, an ornate box with pearl inlay."

Adriana studied his expression. He looked about as guilty as a guilty man came.

Klaus shook his head and turned back to Pogo. "Really. You don't say..."

Pogo frowned at Klaus. "Any idea where it went?"

Klaus's face took on an innocent look. "No, no, no. No idea." He sighed. "Sorry."

Adriana frowned at him, figuring he was lying.

"Liar."

Klaus narrowed his eyes at an empty space. "Drop dead."

"Low blow."

"Would you shut up!" Klaus said harshly.

Pogo frowned. "Excuse me?"

Klaus tried defending himself while Pogo continued. "The contents of that box are priceless. Were they to find their way back to the office, whoever took it would be absolved of any blame or consequences."

"Oh, well, lucky bastard."

Pogo clicked his tongue. "Indeed." He studied Klaus for a moment and walked out.

When he was gone, Adriana turned to Klaus. "Where is it?"

He frowned at her. "How do you know I took it?"

"You look guilty. Where is it?"

Klaus sighed, knowing he would get nowhere with her. "Okay, don't tell Pogo, but I might have pawned the box."

"Wow. Smart move."

"Really?"

"I'm being sarcastic."

"Oh. Right."

"You're impossible."

"Welcome to the family."

"Not part of one."

---

Klaus and Adriana, who was scrunched into him, rather uncomfortably, sat in a tiny wardrobe while he listened to Five and Vanya talk. As soon as the footsteps faded, Klaus opened the wardrobe doors, hoping it was Five who was there. Adriana tumbled out with a soft groan and Five pulled her up.

Klaus put a hand to his chest. "That's so touching... All that stuff about family and Dad and time. Wow!"

Five glared at his brother. "Would you shut up? She'll hear you."

"I'm moist!"

Five looked Klaus up and down. "I thought I told you to put on something professional."

Klaus looked at his outfit. He'd put on a frilly blouse that he really liked. "What? This is my nicest outfit."

Five sighed. "We'll raid the old man's closet."

Klaus nodded in satisfaction. "Whatever. As long as I get paid."

"When the job is done."

Klaus stopped a few feet before the stairs. "Okay, but just so we're clear on the finer details, I've just gotta go into this place and pretend to be your dear old dad, correct?"

Five shot him an irritated look. "Yeah, something like that."

"Speaking of, what's our cover story? I mean, was I really young when I had you two? Like, 16? Like, young and terribly misguided?"

Five shrugged. "Sure."

Klaus frowned. "Your mother, that slut. Whoever she was. We met... at the disco. Remember that." He groaned dramatically. "Oh, my God, the sex was amaaaazing."

"What a disturbing glimpse into that thing you call a brain." Five walked down the stairs.

Adriana shuddered. "What a disturbing thought."

Klaus glared at him. "Hey! Don't make me put you two in time-out."