002 ☂ [ Filtered to The Umbrella Academy ]

[numberthree]

[ Allison's message that goes out includes text and video because it should for all the rest of her siblings sake, even though her words appear the way they have for weeks, as text at the bottom of the video of herself sitting in front of her communicator. ]

After all of what happened last week, and how far apart we all were during it, while everything was changing in the cities at the speed of every person's thoughts, I think we should all consider relocating somewhere closer:

[ After the word closer a file pops up on all their devices:

Attachment

The file contains photos, a lay out, mockup documents, and a location: Nonah. ]

Comments

text;

[the_horror]

wait, you want us all to move in together?

Re: text;

[numberthree]

I think we should consider it seriously.

text;

[the_horror]

considering the seven of us, is that really such a good idea?

text;

[deadlycurves]

You think we shouldn't?

text;

[the_horror]

I don't know...

I guess.

text;

[hellogoodhigh]

what like umbrella academy 2.0?
you really think that's a good idea given what happened last time?

[numberthree]

I think it's a lot better than wondering whether any of the rest of us are in danger and dying, and in the middle of situations even something like the porter wouldn't be fast enough to get us to whoever might need help.


I think Luther and Five were both right about at least one thing: we're stronger together. All of us.

[hellogoodhigh]

so what suddenly getting the band back together after 12 years of being apart?
i mean yeah something to look into but like...
why not start with the same city?
why jump to the same house?

text;

[deadlycurves]

You think we'd honestly do or be or treat any of each other like Dad? Please. We're adults. We can co-exist.

[hellogoodhigh]

not what i meant, diego
i meant like a mansion 2.0
christ if anyone started acting like dad i'd strap them down and start performing an exorcism

text;

[stuckintime]

Are you sure that's a good idea?

[numberthree]

I don't know about "good," but sensible? Yeah.

You spent seventy years trying to get back to us, and then convinced everyone in the last minute, before a whole planet went up in flames, to let you pull them back through time to fix the problem before it could be one. I would have thought you'd be the last person to question whether we stop now, still in the middle of it all.

[stuckintime]

We're stronger together but I don't think everyone will agree that living together is the best idea.

text;

[deadlycurves]

What's the issue?

video;

[deadlycurves]

Apparently, so far, I'm the only one that agrees with you. ["And Luther, probably." sits at the end of his tongue, but he doesn't let it slide past his lips. It isn't the time for that. His tongue is pressed against the inside of his cheek, annoyed somehow that no one thinks this is the solid plan that it is. Not good, necessarily, that's relative, and not really ever relative to the Hargreeves, honestly. But.... Sensible. Smart. Solid. Necessary. And it isn't just the mess of the last week and things going bottoms-up across states and the yes-no-maybe accessibility of the porters to drop them in the appropriate city at the right moment that has him leaning into this agreement, hard. It's home. And everything of that week-- and, fuck, he hasn't even started unpacking those boxes yet, thanks. The Apocalypse. The fact that, ultimately, it was a three-decades-deep culmination of isolation, shutting out, separation that led to it. Sure, there were other parts, other players on the board, but it all started there. Then. When they were kids, and maybe not really responsible for following the path their father paved. But still. Apart, they were still the broken, crumbling messes on that stage. Together... well, he doesn't know what they might be, but it would at least feel better to try.] It's the smart thing. It's not like anyone's going to be policing each other and the hours they keep or something. We're adults, who would happen to share a living space. I don't see how anyone can't see the value in all of us. Together. [A beat. And sharper, this time: ] Like a family.

text;

[hellogoodhigh]

"not going to be policing each other"

can i hold you to that?

Re: video;

[numberthree]

[ If anything Allison finds herself holding two-three beats too long after Diego's words finish. Like she's still not quite sure if the other shoe is going to drop. Except it doesn't. Except he's agreeing with her. And maybe if there'd been people to disagree with her, for good reason and just for sheer spite of pattern, it'd been Vanya and Diego.

Vanya, she was sure, wouldn't be anywhere near this today. It made sense, after everything, and their brothers keeping her in the dark here for a month, too, didn't make that better. And, Diego. Well. It was Diego. You could peg Diego to not want to do almost anything else someone else wanted at times.


She doesn't look down to type anything.

In fact, she just doesn't type anything.


But there's a relaxation of her features, even without lowering her shoulders, that gives the very faintest hint of the relief in her face, in the set of her mouth, when she gives him the smallest bit of a nod. She's not looking to kick any support in the mouth right now, and they're all that's left, and all they've got. ]

video;

[whiteviolinist]

[ Vanya watches the conversations between the others as they come in, glad to see she's not the only one with doubts about the whole arrangement. She is, however, the only one who had destroyed their former home — would any of them really want to live with her after everything she'd put them through? ]

I think it's a good idea for all of you. You should get the team back together, just in case.

[ She's just not sure she fits into all of that now. Had she ever really? She'd never been part of the Academy, she'd hurt them all with her book, and then...

And then. ]

I don't think everyone will want me there, though.

video;

[hellogoodhigh]

What? No. I want you there.
I’m sure Ben and Five would, too.

[ Because as awkward as things are between him and Vanya? That’s still his sister. His sister who’s dealing with new powers, who’s been on drugs to suppress them all her life, who was shut into a cell by their father and not allowed to come out until he said so- ]

If you’re in? I’m in.

[ He’s not abandoning her again. ]

video;

[deadlycurves]

[There is... a lot humming in the background when he finds this one. Guilt is one of the loudest, even if he won't look at it head-on yet. Vanya saying no, assuming no one wants her around, is the most easily guessable of all of these responses. It's an easy, automatic assumption for her to leap to-- even before the mess back home happened, they had never been the best at including her. Everything else just makes it that much easier to slide into that well-worn expectation.]

You're part of the family, Vanya. You ['belong' almost tumbles out of his mouth before he hesitates, knowing that isn't the right word, and will only point to all the reasons and ways she never did, belong, or fit, or get to be a part.] should be here, too.

[numberthree]

[ Allison has been waiting for Vanya to sign on and respond since nearly the moment she hit submit. Since the moment she prepped the message. Because she might have been wrong about Diego being out, but Vanya's expression looks as conflicted as she thought it would.

But the words she says?

For a moment, Allison snags on what she knows will hit Luther.
Not just house, but Team. But what makes her move is the last part.

She starts typing and damn the consequences. She doesn't care. ]

If anyone feels that way, then they don't belong there.
You're one of us. You're our sister.

Nothing can change that. Ever.

text; private

[the_horror]

It's a new start, Vanya. For everyone. If any of us didn't want you there, we'd be such an asshole. That said, if you keep your small place, I'm still going to come over and visit. Can't get rid of me that easy. ~_^

text

[obediences]

[ Luther's been keeping a careful, wide berth of her since that first night. Keeping tabs on Vanya through the others, but otherwise respecting her space when he can (when an inexplicable dream-world isn't slamming them together, that is). But it's inevitable that that couldn't last forever, and so he finally reaches out. Because the silence would be even more conspicuous. Cowardly. There's a rift to be fixed here, though he doesn't even know how to start. ]

I know I'm part of the problem. So I understand if you're uncomfortable.

[ Straight and to-the-point. Some things, he doesn't beat around the bush for. ]

But the place looks pretty big. So for the record: I wouldn't mind you being around. We don't have to be bosom buddies, but you're a Hargreeves. You're still our sister.

[ And he'd actually prefer her being closer. Keep an eye on those abilities. ]

text

[obediences]

Weirdly, I kinda like my roommates.

But I'm in.


[ Predictable. No matter how much he's enjoying this strange new second chance at real life -- roommates, a job, bills to pay, a commute to wander through, an outside world, buying coffee on the street corner -- the Umbrella Academy still hunkers down between his ribs. When it tugs the leash attached to the metaphorical chain around his neck, Number One answers. The prospect of having any of his siblings back under one roof, after they abandoned left him so many years ago... he can't turn that down. ]

[numberthree]

[ The relief that came with Luther finally weighing in -- last, when she didn't know if he wasn't answering, or was still considering, or didn't agree, or maybe had a problem with the fact she hadn't brought it up to him fisty -- was so large, Allison could both hear the shakey breathe she let out after reading his words, and feel the way it came out, shaking her bottom ribs.

Something foundationally necessary,

even if it was bound up in the obviously deepest problematic. ]


Good.