To When We Were Young (Umbrella Academy Diego Hargreeves)

You

2 Years Ago...

Yells and shouts filled the hallway of the Hargreeves apartment as two children's feet quickly ran from their shared bedroom to the kitchen. There, their mother sat on the island, waiting for the twins to come back with extra blankets. 

"Mummy! Where did we put the bug repellent?" A little girl's shout from the bedroom echoed down.

"I think you left it in the bathroom from your soccer game two days ago!" She answered, getting off to help her daughter look for the spray. Halfway to their bedroom, she saw her son carrying a mountain of blankets that seemed to be taller than him.

"Okay! We're good!" He yelled, muffled from the blankets.

The drive from the city to a nearby park wasn't that long and the twins bounced from excitement in their seats, eager to see the stars again. It's been a while since they did that and once their mother offered to take them, not a second passed until happy agreements filled the room.

"Mummy, are we there yet?" Artemis asked, catching her mother's smile through the rearview mirror.

"Almost there, love."

Apollo and Artemis were sensitive of bugs and were always paranoid that it would go in their bodies and make bug babies in there due to a documentary they saw in National Geographic. Cassie had to beg them to get out of the house since they were terrified to step out until they slowly got over it. However, they were still cautious and refused to lay on grass or on the ground.

"Poly, need help with that?" Artemis giggled at her brother's nickname while her brother glared.

"No, and stop using that nickname Mum. I'm not a girl." He pouted, refusing the affectionate name.

"You sure sounded like one when we saw that spider yesterday," Artemis laughed.

"Don't sound so tough because you were-"

"Okay, stop it. We're here to stargaze, not fight, right?" Cassie gave them a pointed look before they nodded.

They finally finished setting up, laying on each of their mum's side. Above them were a sky full of stars and bright diamonds glistening.

"Mum, can we see your star?" Artemis asked.

"Yes, it's right up there. See it?" The children stared in awe and Cassie giggled. 

"Why did you name us after myths, Mum? I mean, we could've been John and Jane," Artemis sat up and stared at her brother in horror. Those were the worst and simplest names for twins ever.

"First of all, your namesakes is a Greek god and a Greek goddess. I couldn't resist naming you two after powerful beings as you will also be powerful, someday. Second, I have a special memory about your uncle Ben and we mentioned the names of Apollo and Artemis. Since then, I loved the names and decided to name the two greatest people in my life after that."

The twins smiled, loving hearing stories about their mom's family, especially when Aunt Allison comes over. Those times were when they can imagine a little bit of their aunt and uncles, the ones that grew up with their mom. If they were anything like her, they were good people too.

"So you named us for uncle Ben?" Apollo spoke, feeling a weird connection to his uncle.

"He would've loved you two. Truly. You would've been the light of life, never getting enough of you. I thought that since he was gone, your names could be that bond from him with you. I can see him and I in you both."