I Hate You Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy)

18: I Love You

We drove in complete silence aside from the radio playing classic rock on a low volume. Neither of us dared to speak or knew what to speak about. A lot has happened in the last fifteen minutes alone. I still don't even know if I should cooperate in Five's efforts to get us to be a couple or if I should just run now.

When the headlights landed on Gimbel Brothers ahead of us and Five turned the key of the car to pop them out, I was more than a little confused. "Gimbel Brothers is closed at this time of night. Does she work here or something?"

"Just... just come with me." He spatial jumped to the other side of the car and opened my door. I don't know if he feels like he needs to be near me at all times because he genuinely wants to or if he's just afraid that I'll try to make a break for it. To be fair, I'm not sure where I stand on that decision either.

We walked up to the entrance to see the lights off as can be assumed at this time of night. He didn't stop though, and took my hand to blink us inside.

"Okay. I'm confused," I muttered as I scanned the desolate room.

He continued walking, dragging me along with him really, then abruptly stopped in front of a display of mannequins. "Abigail, meet Delores."

"...Are you serious? Five! I understand that you were alone for forty-five years in that hell hole, but a doll? Are you kidding me?" He let me be jealous of a freaking mannequin this entire time?

Five's fury inflamed. "It wasn't like that! I was alone and Delores—"

"And Delores what, huh? Kept you sane?" I unrightfully snapped. I knew it was wrong the moment it left my mouth.

"Yes, actually!" he fired. "She kept my mind from turning to mush and gave me someone to talk to instead of my thoughts rattling around my head until I really went insane. I was alone for fifteen years before I found her—the only thing that resembled a person that wasn't rotting away."

My eyebrows came together and eyes lightly filmed over not in anger but in pity. How a person was strong enough to survive on hope alone that he would come back to this moment and save the world was unbelievable, but he did it and I'm stomping on that hard work. I'm telling him that I never want to see him again when he spent a lifetime trying to do the opposite.

Five ran his fingers through his perfectly swept hair. "Between the loneliness and having to see everyone that ever was here, including my family like that, dead, trying to stop the apocalypse without me there dead along side them, I went a little crazy." He chuckled and tugged his hair. "I spent the entire time with immense guilt for having Delores around because I might actually get back!"

I pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm sorry... I can't even imagine," I mumbled then buried my face in his neck. "I'm so so sorry, Five." He stroked my hair for comfort. "I only had to live seventeen years without you. You had to for forty-five years. It's not fair... And I have nothing to hold against you which infuriates me almost as much. I'm here now though. You don't have to be lonely anymore."

At first he was at a standstill about my change of tone all at once, then he gathered that I'd actually said it and nuzzled his face into my hair. "I missed you... so much," his voice cracked. We sank to our knees, still holding each other. "I, I need to say goodbye to her. Will you wait?"

"Yeah, of course... I'll be right over there." I brushed his cheek then started away to the racks of clothes. He can't possibly enjoy being in his old uniform.

He looked back at me striding away to give them some privacy then sighed. I halfway watched from a distance while trying my best to not make any noise as Five looked up at the display of mannequins. "Delores. It's good to see you. I've missed you... Obviously. Well, I... It's been a rough couple of days. I would, um, like you to finally meet Abigail. She's–" Bullets suddenly soared through the air, hitting the mannequins. "No!" He jumped up.