Before A Fall- Umbrella Academy FIVE X Female Reader

Chapter Ten: A Biological Matter

Hastily, you hold Five to you and kiss his forehead once, twice, three times. Clearly bewildered, he brings a hand up to your back to reciprocate but you pull away too quickly.

"You need shut the fuck up, listen and not ask questions."

"What?"

You take Santi's hand and shout for Viktor. Already poised for an emergency, you hear him approach on the run.

Sloane is still staring at Five's shoulder, still holding the scissors open, pointed at the ceiling. "It's gone...it's gone!"

Five follows her gaze and brings his hand up to touch the new skin, disbelievingly. As Viktor skids into the room, Klaus waves his focus towards Five's shoulder.

"It was Santi"

You ignore this and kneel in front of the terrified little boy. His round face is anxious.

"Don't be scared. You just did something amazing."

You feel your brain whirr and you look sharply over your shoulder at the adults.

"I have a theory. Hear me out," you turn back to Santi, "tell me how you felt when that happened."

He stutters and hesitates a little but when you take his hand, he manages.

"Like my tummy was scared. It was tingly."

Five interrupts,

"What are you?-"

"Shut up Five!" you say, harshly. "Just listen for once!"

You don't turn back to Santi immediately, holding Five's eyes in a glare. Your tone has clearly taken him by surprise; he actually looks cowed. The look suits him. You turn back to Santi.

"Sorry, sweetie: your tummy felt tingly like you were scared? Anything else?"

"I felt sad...and my shoulder hurt a little."

"Ok...did you feel like that when you hugged Alyssa in the hospital?"

His brow furrows slightly at this, surprised, "Yeah. A bit. I got the tingle."

"Any times before that?"

"The first time was..." his calf's eyes shift upwards as he recalls, "I think when I was crying. Alyssa hugged me because Cole called me stupid."

Cole?

"Was this the week before Mommy and Daddy got married?"

"Uh...I think."

You think for a few moments. He can replicate...

You turn back to the others, most still stare at where Five's wound was, Viktor shaking his head.

"We know Santi can replicate organisms, right? Simple ones now, but maybe more complex ones later? And once his body's 'remembered' a bug, he can make one anywhere right?" your head whips back to Santi, like you're watching a tennis match, "could you make a spider for me right now, if I wanted?"

He nods his head and holds out a hand as if to create a dupe, but you put yours on top.

"No, there's no need. Illnesses are much less complex than animals: they're just biological matter- cells, organisms. If Santi's had a wound heal before, then maybe it's like an immune response. Maybe his body can replicate the cure."

And maybe the complaint too. If he wants.

"When you hugged Alyssa before the wedding, you were ill for a while, weren't you?"