a mannequin and a boy • the umbrella academy ON HOLD

volume one, issue 4

"I know what it's like to be stuck. I might just never time travel again unless I need to; so I suppose, getting in your little doll form is hard, too. Could you ever leave her?" Five asked, curious as he tilted his head. He started talking out of nowhere as they walked together down to his favorite coffee shop, walking a few feet apart.

"No," she responded, worried that she'd start crying again. She faced away from him, embarrassed. Five saw an innocent girl in her, one that's seen too much; that's been scarred.

"I don't think you believe me. And I can't prove it. But I'm seventy-two, Five, and I have seen so much already. I saw your life fade away with no family except for a mannequin. And I was that mannequin, Five," Dolores continued, truthfully, and Five leaned back a bit, blinking. What if she was telling the truth? What if, all of this time, Dolores the mannequin was a real person?

"Okay. I'm not about to sacrifice everything I've worked for just to trust you, because if you're Dolores then you'll know that it took years of research, but..." He paused, sighing. "I'm not about to leave you alone. Especially since... something's about to happen."

"The end of the world, you mean."

Five took a moment to ponder this. The only people that currently know about that are the commission, and himself. And, potentially, Dolores (the mannequin version). This girl has already cried, and that's not what the commission does. But he chose to let himself be doubtful first, skeptical to place his trust in the potential imposter, and not comment on it.

He did also mention it in the grocery store. Maybe she just thought this whole thing was an ongoing joke. He wished it was.

"Yes. That. The end of the world."

<->-<->

At least Five knew now that Dolores wasn't part of the commission- after all, why would they hold her at gunpoint and cut her up if she needed to work? That would not go well in the Human Resources department.

He looked around the convenience store the two stopped by before, shaking his head. He really got himself stuck in trouble again.

Currently, there was a black woman and a chubby man, both in masks, shooting around them. The chubby man, one that Five knew as 'Hazel', was holding the gun to Dolores's head. The only costumers there either ran, or were very good at hiding. Dolores has a gun between her eyes, and she appeared surprisingly calm. That's how she appeared, but Five knew that kind of look in someone's eyes. She was worried.

He just hoped that her little facade fooled the officers, or she'd be exposed and used as a bait.

And Five would do something, too, but there wasn't much opportunity to do so. Any sudden movements and he'd have to shoot; any other sudden jumps and they'd just start shooting more. The man holding the gun was very dedicated to his job, too. It wasn't like Hazel wanted to kill a kid, but if that's what he had to do in his dying moments, that's what he'd use his last energy to do. That's what it seemed, anyways.

"It's me you want, right?" Five's voice was also calm. But that was probably because this wasn't the most intense situation he's been in. So what if someone else was involved, and so what if that someone else was innocent but still about to die? Five didn't care, he trained himself not to care.

Even if he did panic, Five always kept his cool, even in situations like this. His expression never really showed vulnerability; if it did, he'd have to be under influence.

"So let the damn girl go," He grunted, glaring, with his hands in his pockets. Five was obviously getting annoyed with how much trouble he was in now.

"Will you come with us, if I do, then? I really don't wanna have to do this," the chubby man's hand was slightly trembling as he spoke, though he was trying to steadily hold the gun. Five sighed.

"One of your guys already said that, a few days ago after pulled that gun out on me. Know what happened after that? I killed him!" Five spat, glaring, trying to control himself. He noticed Dolores wince.

"Yeah, but that was you. This is some random girl. Who are you, anyways?" He asked the small and quivering girl at the end of his weapon.

"Five," she whispered out, glancing between the gun (which was hard, because it appeared she never knew how to cross her eyes) and the man's menacing eyes.

"Your name is Five too? Awkward."

"No. Five. It's okay."

Hazel faltered, and Five tried to take that opportunity of hesitation to take his butter knife and throw it at him. He was no Diego, but he managed to hit Hazel. However, it wasn't a major wound, and it shot off a nerve and proceeded to activate the gun.

Time seemed to slow as the gunshot rang out, and Dolores paled as she realized the bullet was aimed right at her head.

author's note
cliffhanger perhaps?? hah, I hope you don't hate me. leave a comment if you want, but you reading this chapter is enough for me :)

question of the chapter: who is your favorite ship from the show?
my answer: the original Dolores (mannequin) and Five, of course (:

edit (03/19/19): changed the cafe to be the store scene, so Dolores escapes only after Five lets her go again.

THANK YOU FOR ONE THOUSAND READS!!
until the next time!

edited on June 21st, 2020- this chapter is completely different! go ahead and leave a comment if you want if you liked it better before, where Dolores has a panic attack and five has to find her, or just the little convo in the beginnning :) Thanks!