smoking kills - klaus hargreeves | the umbrella academy

chapter six

"what in the world?" allison said.

"oh! it's marie!" klaus quickly opened the window and climbed outside, motioning for his siblings to follow him out. neither of them did.

diego cautioned, "she seems mad, man. i don't know if you want to—"

klaus waved at the girl. "hello, marie! what brings you here? and why are you throwing things at my window to get my attention? normally i'm the one who has to beg for yours." he wiggled his eyebrows at marie, ignoring her obvious anger.

"would you like to explain why i've just been denied entry into the umbrella academy?" marie asked, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes.

"god damn it," diego muttered to himself. he pushed past klaus and leaned over the railing to meet eyes with marie. "what do you want from klaus? he didn't do anything to you."

"hello?" she said, sarcastically, to the new boy on the fire escape. he was dressed in similar pajamas to the rest of them. he had slick, jet black hair and tan skin. she took a moment to look him up and down, then she continued, "idiot, he manipulated me."

diego shot a look at klaus, who immediately got defensive. "what? i didn't do anything!"

"sure," diego said. he turned back to marie. "manipulated you how?"

"he made the umbrella academy sound super cool and awesome, making me want to join. that's manipulation, right there, klaus. don't even try to deny it!" marie said. "anyone who knows anything would try to join an academy that gives them fucking superpowers."

diego went quiet for a moment, then bursted out into laughter. klaus muttered, completely confused, "what the fuck?"

marie curled her hands into fists, trying to seem confident and not embarrassed. "you guys all have powers. you all go to the same school. i just wanted to— you made it seem like the academy gave you powers. that's not my fault."

diego kept laughing, and slapped a hand onto klaus's shoulder. "shit, klaus, you've really done it this time, huh?"

"i didn't mean to do that! i don't really think that's on me anyway because five was the one who explained the powers—and by the way, he never said that the academy gave us powers," klaus said. "so that's on you, babe."

"you fucking manipulative piece of—"

"i heard a rumor you shut your mouth." allison finally cut into the conversation. even though she hadn't used her power on diego and klaus, they kept their mouths shut and moved out of her way. allison leaned over the railing and looked down.

marie couldn't open her mouth. she made muffled noises as she tried to talk—getting increasingly panicked when she realized she couldn't.

allison made eye contact with her and gave an apologetic smile. "sorry, marie, for using my power on you. it'll wear off in a moment. and i'm sorry that my brothers are idiots. they don't know how to explain things. and diego is an antagonizer. and i kind of just wanted you guys to stop fighting. anyway," she took a breath, "we were born with these powers. we didn't gain them from being a part of the academy. we were all born the same day, to mothers who hadn't been pregnant the day before. no one knows why. then, well..."

marie stopped panicking about not being able to talk. she looked at this new girl with very long, curly hair and brown skin. she was very pretty, and obviously put more effort into her appearance than the other two. "so," marie said, after she could talk again, "i was making an idiot of myself. i get it. i understand now. sorry for bothering you guys."

"you never bother me, marie." klaus flashed her a smile. "i forgive you."

"thanks," she said, sarcastically. "i still think it's your fault."

klaus said, "hey, you're the one who misunderstood!"

"i would like to point out," allison placed a hand on klaus's shoulder, "it doesn't matter who's fault it is. it's just a misunderstanding, which places a little bit of fault on both sides. so don't worry, you weren't being an idiot—"

"disagreed," diego interrupted.

allison rolled her eyes. "ignore him. like i said—antagonizer. and you know, even if you're not a part of the umbrella academy, you're still welcome here when our father is asleep and can't kick you out."

diego turned to allison, his eyebrows scrunched together. "no, she's not."

"what, why? like allison said, dad can't kick her out if he doesn't know she's here," klaus said, singing the last part.

"she's not one of us."

"she's a friend. i say she's welcome!" klaus smiled at marie.

"we're friends?" marie asked, with one eyebrow upturned.

"yeah! why? do you think we're more than that?" klaus asked, with a sly smile. he put a hand over his heart. "oh marie, i thought you'd never come around!"

"i thought we were closer to... not quite acquaintances... it's like someone you go to school with, so you know who they are, and maybe you've asked for a pencil once, but that's it," marie said. after a second of silence, she added, "oh shit, you guys don't go to school— okay nevermind. i don't know how to explain—"

"why don't you come up here and i'll show you my room? hopefully that will get us to acquaintances, even to friends if you decide to stay!" klaus interrupted.

"what makes you think that i want to go up there?" marie asked.

"because it's the next step in our relationship!" klaus said confidently. "to becoming friends! or more, if you're so set on it."

"i think i'm set on leaving and never coming back," marie said, dryly.

diego gave allison a confused look. she shrugged. she didn't know what was going on between them either.

"wait, don't! i'll stop it with the flirting, i swear. it would just be nice to have a friend that i can talk to face to face." klaus said. "instead of shouting down the alley."

marie thought for a moment. "okay. i'll go up there."

"that sounds nice." allison smiled.

diego started, "i still think—"

allison quickly cut him off. "shut it, diego. i could rumor you out of here."

"you don't want to get powers involved, allison. you know not to threaten me like that," diego said.

"i just did." allison and diego locked eyes, staring at each other.

"so.. am i allowed up there or...?" marie asked awkwardly.

"sure, come on up. diego can't really stop us," klaus said. he laughed to himself, "what's he gonna do? tell dad and then get us and himself in trouble?"

marie shrugged and started climbing up the ladder. diego groaned. "we barely even know this girl! she could be an enemy spy or something!"

"what enemies do we have, diego?" allison asked.

"i don't know! dad is old, he's probably made some enemies. he says to always be careful of strangers because there's a lot of people who don't like what he's doing," diego said.

"i'm a 12 year old girl with nothing much special about her. i'm sure you could take me in a fight if i prove to be an enemy," marie said, reaching the balcony.

diego rolled his eyes. "that was never a question. being an enemy in the first place is what i'm worried about."

"oh, can it, diego. come on, marie." klaus wrapped an arm around marie. "let's go inside."