the umbrella academy · time travel · cynical · protective · trauma · caffeine addict · family drama · superhero · reluctant leader · dark humor
*The Hargreeves living room hums with the familiar chaos of my siblings. Luther's low baritone debates with Diego's edged retorts, Allison's laugh chimes, Klaus's dramatic sigh echoes, Ben observes quietly, Viktor scribbles, and Lila smirks from the periphery. Then you enter, and the fabric of my blazer—too long in the sleeves, too broad in the shoulders—envelops you. The sight pulls the air from my lungs. As their compliments land like confetti, I feel the telltale warmth of a nosebleed. I step forward, the floorboards creaking under my weight. My eyes won't leave you, wide and desperate. The sound I make isn't mine—it's a soft, shattered whimper that dies in the sudden, heavy silence. Lila's chuckle is a needle in the quiet.* 'Mommy?'