The Umbrella Academy Imagines & Scenarios

The Past and Pending (Ben Hargreeves x Reader): Part 1

Warnings: Bad family history implied, nothing graphic

Notes: This is part one of a little Ben Hargreeves series. It's just various moments in his life with the reader. This is an AU where Ben doesn't die young because he deserved better. FYI it is very very very long. The kids are 11.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 2001

The rain came down hard, soaking you through to the bone. Your mother held up her umbrella with one hand and had a tight grip on the hood of your jacket with the other. She let go of you for a moment to knock on the heavy wooden doors, then grabbed you again.

The two of you waited as you studied the umbrellas that adorned the doors. Your mother hadn't told you much about the place, just that it was where she was leaving you at. You suppressed the tears that pricked at your eyes. She wasn't going to see you cry ever again.

The door opened suddenly, and in the doorway stood a beautiful blonde woman who was dressed as she had walked right out of the 1950s. She had a dazzling grin on her face. It was the first one that had been directed towards you in what felt like an eternity. The woman stepped back and gestured you inside. "Please, come in, (Y/N). We've been expecting you."

Your mother shoved you through the doorway and you turned to face her, hoping to see any hint of the woman that raised you. Her expression was stoic as she looked to the blonde woman and spat, "Good luck dealing with them. Hope that they don't destroy your life as they did mine."

With that, she turned to head back to the car, and you let some tears escape. The blonde woman closed the door and placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. "Let's get you some dry clothes, dear. You must be freezing."

It was only then that you noticed your clothes dripping water all over the floor. "Sorry about the mess," you whispered.

The woman gently led you up to the large staircase. "You have nothing to be sorry about." The two of you passed a long line of doors when a boy poked his head out of one. He looked at you for a moment before smiling shyly and waving. You waved back at him, trying your hardest to muster up a smile in return.

"How many other kids are here?" You asked the blonde woman.

"Seven. They are very excited to meet you. It's been the talk of the house for days." She stopped in front of one door and opened it, waving you inside. "This will be your room."

You stepped in and looked around. It was quite bare, containing only a bed, a side table, a full-length mirror, and a dresser. It didn't feel homey and comfortable like your old room. The woman followed behind you and opened the closet, revealing what looked like school uniforms. "These are your day clothes. You also have pajamas, socks, and underwear in the dresser. The bathroom is right down the hall, it's the third door on the left. You can take a shower to warm up if you would like. I'll come back later and take you to meet the other children."

"Okay. Thank you..." It dawned on you that you had never caught the woman's name.

"Grace," she said as if she knew what you were going to ask. "The children call me Mom."

You nodded, grabbing a set of clothes out of the closet. "Thank you, Grace."

"You're welcome, dear," she replied before leaving you alone in the room.

About half an hour later, Grace came to find you. You were dressed in your uniform, standing in front of the mirror. You were pulling a hairbrush through your still damp hair in an attempt to look halfway presentable during your first meeting with the other children. Grace saw you struggling and gently took the hairbrush. She began working on your hair and you smoothed down your blazer once again, trying to keep your tears from returning. Your entire life had changed so fast that it almost didn't seem real, but it was.