Before A Fall- Umbrella Academy FIVE X Female Reader

Chapter Four: Socialist Sesame Street

The other adults have mixed responses to Five upon seeing him again, leaning against one of the many LEDs screens, eyes scouring the ingredients on the back of a can of JUICED. Some tsk in disapproval, most ignore him but the odd person tries to talk, worriedly. These he shuts down; politely but firmly. One man approaches him with aggressive swagger, presumably the same man who had objected to his interruption back in the auditorium.

"Hey, son."

He'd hoped the diminutive terms of address would be gone by now. Apparently not. He looks up at the man. He's solidly built with a cap pulled down tightly on his bald head.

"You made a real ass of yourself in there."

Five returns his eyes to the ingredients list, one hand falling naturally into his pocket, "I wasn't craving your opinion on my behavior but thanks for the feedback I guess."

The man bristles, "You got a kid in second grade? Got a girl pregnant when you were a freshman or something?"

"I'm in loco-parentis."

"What?"

Five sighs, "I'm Santiago Pitts-Hargreeves' uncle. I'm in charge while his parents are away. Now, can I help you?"

"I'm just telling you." he gestures to the can in Five's hand, "My Sean drinks it every day and he ain't got cancer. You one of them conspiracy nuts?"

"Depends on the conspiracy."

This answer clearly doesn't put this Dad's mind at rest, "Listen, you're crazy bastards, you're scared of everything. First the soda gives kids cancer, then they faked the moon landing-"

Five speaks as if to finish his list, "-then there's widespread pedophilia cover-ups in the catholic church. Not everything that sounds crazy is false."

The guy reverts tactic, "Like I say, JUICED is all my kid drinks. Nags and nags until he gets it. If it caused cancer, he'd for sure have it."

"Well," says Five, inclining his head and raising his eyebrows with a hint of sardonicism, "Then I'd suggest you get him tested. Just in case."

You and Santi had watched and enjoyed the latest Pixar offering. He had laughed at you when you'd left the theatre with tears in your eyes. You'd decided to spoil him tonight; this kid was having the toughest of tough times. After the email Five mentioned to you, at least half of you is convinced that you'll arrive home tonight to learn that Alyssa has died.

Partly due to this preoccupation, you'd allowed Santi to spend an inordinate amount of money on movie-theatre candy and he was still riding the sugar high. He sits, swinging his legs at your McDonald's table and chatters happily about how fries taste a jillion times better if you dip them in ketchup and then BBQ sauce but not the other way around. You, of course, try it both ways and pretend to taste a difference in the result.

"Wow you got a real sense of flavour. You think you're going to be a chef?"

"Nah I got to use my power. I can save the bees and maybe one day pandas and tigers and everything."

"Cool" you say. While you have your doubts about the long-term genetic stability of duplicated creatures, you run with it anyway, "I bet you will."

You pause a second, your mind flashing back to his conversation with Five. Is there an opportunity to be a different voice?

"That's a really kind thing to do for the animals. How else might you save them?"

He looks a little confused.

"I'm asking because when there aren't enough animals it's usually because of something people have done accidentally or on purpose. You can duplicate animals, but if people have built on their homes, then where will they live?"