𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄
—𝚛𝚞𝚗 𝚋𝚘𝚢 𝚛𝚞𝚗, 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚝𝚠𝚘—
𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐃 not been paying much attention to the time; that would be the only explanation as to why she and Five spent nearly two-and-a-half hours in the small café, rambling on about their lives before they had met one another. It was peculiar to think, but the raven-haired girl felt as though she had changed drastically within the past twenty-four hours — considering both the fact that she had been heartbroken by Spencer, faced down a group of armed men, and had met a boy who could read her mind like he was staring at an open book. It wasn't her personality that had changed exactly, it was the way she looked at things now. Everything was in a new light, and it was both comforting and terrifying at the same time. She knew nothing outside of the line her parents had drawn for her, yet Mariana felt as though she needed to explore the boundaries and be okay with adventuring outside of them.
Here, right now as she stares at the grinning boy across from her, she feels completely carefree — she feels like painting. Not because she has to, but because she wants to; she wants to sketch out her emotion so that when she feels low, a simple glance to the painting would send her into an instant memory of how easygoing she had felt when she was with Five. Near him, Mariana could finally relax and be herself — the button-nosed girl that didn't need to worry about what the strangers around her would do if they discovered her capabilities.
Now they were so deep into conversation that she felt as though she had known Five for her entire life. The way he spoke so surely, it felt familiar and gave her a sense of peace.
"My family and I did so much together when we were young," Number Five sighs, twirling the straw in his milkshake between his fingers, "everything was stable then. Now all of us are at different places in our lives — obviously — and I couldn't ask them to help with something like this."
Finding out that the apocalypse was in seven days truly messed with her head, if Mariana was being honest. But, of course, who wouldn't be confused? A week seemed so soon, and she almost didn't believe it — more like she didn't want to.
"I could help," the Carson girl suggests, lacing her fingers together as she watches him. "If you want me to, that is. I couldn't do much, but I'm sure it would be better than doing everything yourself."
And, for a heartbeat, Five considered her offer. He did need help — much of it, actually. But then his eyes locked with hers, and he realized that there was no way in hell he would drag such an innocent and caring girl into a situation she knew little to nothing of. Mariana was so selfless that she was openly throwing herself into chaos; and it was all solely because he seemed stressed about the ordeal. She was too pure for a reckless world like this one.
Mariana Carson deserved so much more than the life she was given.
"I couldn't ask you to do that, it's too much, Mariana," Five shakes his head, pausing to pull his hand away from the milkshake. "Besides, I'm sure Klaus wouldn't mind getting his hands a bit dirty."
"Klaus is your brother, right?" Mariana asks, sipping her drink.
"Yes," he nods, "I think you'd get along with him. Maybe Diego, too — once you get past the fact that he's a narcissistic asshole."
"If they're anything like you, I'm sure they're great." Mariana gives the boy a kind smile, before glancing to the waitress that joins them again.
Number Five was all too caught up in her words that he almost didn't hear the blonde-haired woman speaking to him. Quickly shaking his head from the daze, he glances over to her. "What?"
"I was asking if you were finished," the woman chuckles lightly, gesturing to his empty glass on the table. It's then that he realizes she had already taken Mariana's.
"Oh — yes," Five says, his cheeks flushing a pale shade of pink. "Thank you. And the check?"
"It's on the house," she replies steadily, her pearly teeth flashing at them. "You come here all the time, it's the least I could do."
The waitress disappears without another word, which really doesn't bother Five — he had already thanked her, and he had other things to focus on. The apocalypse was coming soon, he knew, and eventually he'd have to do something about it. The glass eye he had found practically burned a hole in his pocket, begging for him to find the answers the world desperately needed. This problem could only be avoided if he were to do something about it, and now he needed to act fast.
As he was caught up in thought, Number Five didn't realize that he had begun to self-consciously rub the bandage on his forearm.
"What happened?" Mariana notices the red that peeks through the bandage. "Did those guys cut you last night?"
"I cut out a tracker," the boy shakes her question off, pulling his sleeve back down to cover the damage.
"A tracker?" She presses on, her honey eyes focused on his arm before she looks up at him. "Are you alright?"
"It's a long story," Five explains, "one that you don't need to hear."
He suddenly felt as though he had already told her too much — or gotten her into too much. Mariana had already experienced the attack on him the night before, and that was well over enough. And now that she was here, and he was opening up, he wanted so hopelessly to take it all back. She didn't need to be caught up in such an extensive subject like the apocalypse, or his unfinished business as a time traveler. From the concerned expression she shows, he was growing too mellow — too soft to be the person he needed to be.
Somehow, in the matter of a few hours, she was beginning to change him completely. He didn't need to be changed, Five needed to be strong. That's what the world needed. But Mariana Carson didn't need for him to be a savior, nor did she want him to be.
"Oh," the girl falters, her face falling, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry." Her concern had drawn too deep, and it was hard to refrain.
She was so effortlessly kind that a smile was nearly always on her face, and now that it was gone, Five wishes he hadn't been so harsh. He only meant well, but it had come out differently than he wanted. So, instead of sticking to his previous self-scolding thoughts, he decides to change his mind. If the world was doomed to be destroyed within the week, he might as well make the most of it — that included being honest with his only friend (other than Delores, of course). Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out the satin-wrapped eye, glancing down to it for a short moment.
"Actually, you can help," Five says. "I have things to do today — weird things that you couldn't possibly imagine doing in real time, but it's required if we're going to save the world."
"So . . . " Mariana trails off, biting her lip to hold back a smile. "Are you asking me to come with you?"
"Does this mean you'll be joining me?" He raises an eyebrow.
"Absolutely," she chuckles, "I wouldn't miss this."
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
When arriving at the medical prosthetic center, Mariana was more than confused with Number Five's motives. Why, of all places, did he decide to bring her here? Of course she had heard him when he spoke of saving the world — but what did this building have anything to do with it? When entering, she found herself looking to the windows behind the front desk; it was mesmerizing to look at, how the skyline was so perfectly clear, and the sunlight outside glared and fragmented off of the glass surface. The entrance was wide with space, but buzzing with workers and the receptionist that was speaking with someone on the phone.
It was sterile, and everything around was white, including the sleek marble walls — the fluorescence was mostly the light from the shifting sun, and the room smelled of bleach. Mariana didn't mind the clean scent, though, as she was too preoccupied with the Hargreeves boy's actions. Five shows her the eye, along with the description on the back.
"I found this when I traveled too far into the future," he explains. "I think it means something — well, the owner does, anyway. All I know is that we need to find out who it belongs to, and get to them quick."
"You just found it lying around?" Mariana questions, refraining from touching its shiny complexion.
Five's lips parted as he prepared to speak, but was cut off when a doctor entered the lobby, his shoes clicking against the floor to announce his arrival. The two teenagers look to him immediately, finding his expression to be one of utter confusion.
"Uh, can I help you?" The man asks, straightening his plaid tie as he stops next to the front desk.
Five was quick to respond, holding up the glass between his fingers and walking towards the man, "I need to know who this belongs to."
"Where did you get that?" He asks, looking closely at the object.
"What do you care?" The boy counters.
Mariana places a calming hand on his shoulder, earning a glance from Five — he needed to be more peaceful while going about the situation, and Mariana knew that if he didn't start now, Five wouldn't receive the information he wanted. He sighs, before glancing down at the eye. "I . . . I found it . . . at a playground, actually. It must have just popped out." Number Five clicks his tongue for effect, giving the doctor a sly look.
He pauses, before continuing on, "I want to return it to its rightful owner."
"Oh, what a thoughtful young man," the receptionist smiles, flashing her pearly teeth.
"Yeah," he grins, "look up the name for me, will you?"
"Uh, I'm sorry," the doctor interjects, holding up his hands, "but patient records are strictly confidential. That means I can't tell you—"
"I know what it means," the boy scoffs.
Mariana was quite surprised at his tone, not having seen this side of Five before. While he was with her, he was always so kind . . . so why was it that he was being rude now? Perhaps her company brought out the better side of him.
"But I'll tell you what I can do," the man stuffs his hands into his pocket, giving them a fake smile, "I will take the eye off your hands and return it to the owner. I'm sure he or she will be very grateful, so if I can just—"
It was then that he began reaching out for the eye. Luckily, Number Five takes a cautious step back, pulling Mariana with him and clutching the glass in his palm. "You're not touching this eye."
The man narrows his eyes at Number Five's disrespect, "Now, you listen here, young man—"
Five jerks forward, shoving Mariana's hand away and grabbing the doctor's collar while scowling. "No! You listen to me asshole. I've come a long way for this — through some shit your pea brain couldn't even comprehend — so just give me the information I need, and we'll be on our merry way. And if you call me young man one more time, I'm going to put your head through that damn wall."
Mariana goes stiff in her spot, slightly shaken by his tone and his anything-but-empty threats. The girl hadn't heard him speak in such a way, and it was beginning to worry her.
"Oh dear," the dark-skinned woman murmurs, looking to Mariana for help. The Carson girl simply looks back to the two in front of her, unsure how to diffuse the situation — she wanted to stand with Number Five, but was terrified of the tingles that began in her fingers.
"Call security," the man tells the receptionist, just before she nods and begins dialing a number.
"Five, relax," Mariana says softly, moving beside him to place a warm hand on his flushed cheek. "Please."
Five takes a lasting look at the man before shoving him backwards and gritting his teeth. He proceeds to turn and walk away as the man fixes his jacket, clenching his fists as he steps into the elevator with Mariana.
With her heart beating rapidly in her chest, the brunette decides that it would be best not to speak; Five was obviously annoyed at the moment, and she didn't want to add onto the burden by questioning his intentions. Instead, she stays quiet, and stares at the floor. The boy turns to her, his eyes downcast to study her features.
"I'm sorry you had to see that," he apologizes, frowning when thinking of his previous actions. "I just got upset. You shouldn't have saw that side of me."
The Carson girl was relieved that he was the first to talk, and had broken the silence between them. With a gentle smile, she shakes her head and meets his eyes. "There's no need to apologize, I understand."
"I wonder how I got so lucky," he says aloud, not afraid to speak of the very thing that had ran through his head all night, "to be blessed with your presence."
Mariana's cheeks flush a rosy pink as she hides a bigger smile, glancing at his grin. "You think my presence is a blessing?"
"Absolutely," he nods, "somehow you understand everything about me, even more so than my family. It's crazy to think that I know you like the back of my hand, and I can read you from a mile away."
"Oh really?" She laughs, crossing her arms over her chest. "Then what am I thinking right now?"
"That you would just love to meet my siblings," Five replies, just as the elevator door opens once again. "At least I hope so, because I have to go see a few of them before we come back here."
Without thinking, on their way out of the large building, Number Five reaches down to take Mariana's hand in his own. While lacing their fingers together, he wonders if it was a coping mechanism — her touch did soothe him, but it also felt natural to have her close. It was as if that's where she was always meant to be; right there, taking on the world alongside him. Mariana stares down at their hands, not bothering to hide her smile.
"So who will I have the pleasure of meeting?" Mariana grimaces once they're outside, just as the cold wind rushes to meet them. She moves closer to him, almost hiding behind his shoulder to be sheltered from the frigid wind.
"Klaus, and maybe Vanya," he says, before dismissing the topic as he notices her position. "What is it? Are you cold?"
"No," she lies, her teeth chattering, "let's just keep moving. How far away is your house?"
"A block away," Five tells her, before stopping and dropping her hand. Instantly, she felt even colder — his touch was gone, and she so desperately wished for it back. But she finds that he's removing his blazer, just before placing in around her shoulders. "Better?"
Leaning into his side, she nods with a content sigh, "definitely. Thank you."
"No problem."
Mariana can vaguely remember a time like this; she was much younger, and her parents had brought her out late on a winter night to roam the streets to sightsee. Christmas decorations and lights were strung up nearly everywhere, and snow was falling lightly from the dark sky above — times were so simple then. She didn't have to worry about the stress certain things would cause, or potential problems. She had fun constantly, and had no regrets about any of the things she had ever done. But that was before she could bend water.
Five thinks the exact opposite in this very moment. His life used to be based around nonstop pressure and straining, but now that he had found someone that he could talk to, he felt so different. His heart feels lighter with their fingers laced together, and his mind is almost completely clear. Mariana had that effect on him, and for some reason, he had mixed feelings about it. It was that shit that he didn't like, yet ached for at the same time.
Things were moving too fast for the two of them, and they couldn't quite keep up — they were feeling things they hadn't before, and now the world was in danger. Mariana had exposed her powers the night before, and Five was being urgently hunted. So how was it possible that they were finding a way to balance it? The answer was simple, really; they had one another.
But sometime, whether they wanted to admit it to themselves or not, they would have to talk about their feelings.
"Here we are," Number Five announces, gesturing to the monumental home to their right. "Come on, let's get you inside before you freeze to death."
Pushing past the charcoal gate, Mariana and Five make their way into the extensive, palace-like structure. The inside was just as impressing as the outside architecture, displaying sculptures and art of all kinds; Mariana was astonished. With her lips parted, she pauses in her steps, taking the scene in — it was much more beautiful than the mall, and reminded her of the princess castle she always dreamed of living in as a child. That dream was far gone now, but while she was here, it was somehow alive again and she was stepping inside of it.
"Wow," her face glows, her beautiful eyes filling with the utmost of joy. Five was glad she was impressed — it was his childhood home, after all. If only he had grown up next to her, things could've been so different . . . maybe he wouldn't have ran away. "This is amazing, Five, I can't believe you live here."
"Let's go upstairs," the boy chuckles, leading her through the home.
It was quiet in the Hargreeves household. Perhaps too quiet. Wasn't anyone home? Five had hoped there weren't many that were, but knew it was a big desire to have. Once in his room, he strolls over to the window that overlooks an alley, staring into the distance with his mind in another universe. The Carson girl seats herself on his bed, slipping her arms into his blazer and allowing her eyes to graze over the many drawings on the baby blue walls.
In the short time that he's preoccupied, Mariana takes to looking at the finer details of the room — drawings he had likely done as a child. One was in crayon; a picture of the boy himself, his siblings, and another woman that were all labeled by name. His mother was in the picture, but Reginald Hargreeves was nowhere to be found. With a slight frown, Mariana's eyes find another picture with improved drawing skills that showed the same family as it did before. She wonders if all of the children had the same relationship with their father as Number Five did. It was acceptable, of course, considering all the things the boy had told her about him.
Downstairs, the front doors open and close, before Mariana hears footsteps on the hardwood flooring. Then an unknown voice begins to call out into the open space, "Five?"
Number Five doesn't turn at the sound of his name, nor does he move in the slightest. With his hands tucked away in his pockets, he is so encased by his own thoughts that he doesn't notice his sister yelling for him. Mariana doesn't move either, only staring at the open doorway of Five's room, expecting to find the woman to which the voice belongs.
"Oh, thank God," the woman says with a sigh upon stepping inside, her eyes on Five as he finally turns around. "I was worried sick about you."
She's short, Mariana notices — her hair is cropped, and her clothing is very casual. But her eyes are anything but that, and are burning with the fire of concern.
"Sorry that I left without saying goodbye," Number Five's tone is gentle towards his sister.
"Who's this?" Vanya looks at Mariana, who sits comfortably on the mattress while listening to the two.
"This is my new friend, Mariana Carson," Five grins in pride. "Mariana, this is my sister, Vanya."
"Hello," Vanya greets the young girl, giving her a small smile.
"It's nice to meet you," Mariana nods, giving the Hargreeves woman a warm smile. Instantly, Vanya relaxes in her spot, and glances back to Five.
"No, look, I'm the one who should be sorry," Vanya tells her adoptive brother, stumbling on her words a bit. "I was dismissive, and . . . I—I guess I didn't know how to process what you were saying. And I still can't, to be honest."
Taking a few steps towards her, the boy shakes his head as he scoffs, "Maybe you were right to be dismissive. Maybe it wasn't real after all. It felt real . . . well, like you said, the old man did say time travel could contaminate the mind."
"Then maybe I'm not the right person for you to be talking to," Vanya hesitates. "Look, I used to see someone — a therapist. I could give you her information."
"Thanks," Five keeps her from continuing, "but I think I'm just going to spend some time with Mariana."
The woman looks over to the teen, giving a slight nod, and kindly waving at Mariana. "Okay."
And then she left the room, just as quickly as she arrived. Mariana gestured to the door, before saying, "She's nice, I like her."
"And I'm sure she likes you—"
With several loud noises, a man falls from the cupboard at the corner of Five's room, his hair ruffled and his eyes smudged with the remnants of black eyeliner. Mariana flinches at his grand entrance, her eyes wide with confusion.
"That was so touching, all that stuff about family and Dad and time. Wow!" The man chuckles, shoving away from the clutter on the carpet.
The man is tall, his dark eyes flashing like he's not completely there. His style in clothing is quite different from what she's seen before, so Mariana has to stifle a giggle.
"Would you shut up?" Five sighs. "Vanya could hear you."
"I'm moist," the man complains, before his eyes land on Mariana. "Oh, you must be her. Five told me all about you last night, and I'd just love to get an autograph." He laughs, clutching his chest as he looks back to Five.
"Klaus, told you to put on something professional," the boy squints at his choice of clothing.
"What?" Klaus asks incredulously. "This is my nicest outfit."
Five groans, "We'll just raid the old man's closet." The boy holds out his hand for Mariana, and once she takes it, he leads her down the hallway with Klaus following behind.
"As long as I get paid," the man shrugs.
"When the job is done."
"Okay, but just so we're clear on the finer details," Klaus stops, holding up his hands so that the two teens turn to face him, "I just have to go into this place and pretend to be your dear old dad, correct?"
"Yeah," Five nods, "something like that."
"What's our cover story?" Klaus tilts his head to the side with a satisfied smirk.
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean, was I really young when I had you? Like, sixteen? Young and . . . terribly misguided," the man chuckles at his own ideas, before gasping. "Oh, and your mother. That slut — whoever she was. We met at . . . the disco. Remember that, okay?"
Number Five stands still while Mariana giggles and buried her face in his shoulder. Klaus, enjoying the laughter that he receives, continues on with the story. He snaps his fingers, "And oh my God, the sex was amazing."
"What a disturbing glimpse into that thing you call a brain," the younger brother scoffs, turning to take Mariana's hand back, before descending the stairs.
"Don't make me put you in time-out," Klaus threatens. "So are we stopping for ice cream on the way there, or am I gonna have to rob the place on our way back?"
"You can buy all the ice cream you want after we're finished." Five replies, opening the door to his father's bedroom.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Once Klaus was dressed appropriately, the three made their way to the prosthetics building again — but this time, Five Hargreeves knew he would come back with the information he needed. He wouldn't give up otherwise, so eventually he'd get what he wanted. The trio are currently in the empty elevator, with Klaus asking endless questions about Mariana and her life.
"Say, Mariana, you wouldn't happen to be thirty-one and stuck in a teenager's body, would you?"
"Oh no, I wasn't born in 1989," she assures the man with a kind smile.
"But you do have powers, correct?" He stares down at her expectantly.
"I prefer not to use them, but yes."
"If it's not too much to ask, could you show them to me?" Klaus raises an eyebrow.
"Maybe someday," she hesitates.
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Five assures the girl. "He can be prying at times."
"I just want to help," Klaus rolls his eyes. "I know how it feels to stay in the dark and not know your own capabilities."
"I appreciate that," Mariana places a hand on Klaus' arm. "When we get some free time, I'll be sure to come find you."
And in that moment, despite Number Five thinking that his eyes were deceiving him, Klaus Hargreeves smiles. A genuine smile — one that rarely graces his face, a once-in-a-blue-moon type ordeal. Somehow, Five had found the one girl that not only made him feel welcome, but had managed to make Klaus feel the same.
If Mariana was being honest, the thought of opening up and exposing her powers to a stranger was terrifying. She barely knew anything about Klaus, except for the facts that he had been in the Umbrella Academy, and Five was his adoptive brother. The man seems kind, even though it's obvious to see that he's lost. So she adds this onto the list of her self-chosen obligations; help Klaus Hargreeves, while finding herself at the same time.
Upon entering the familiar lobby, the same doctor from earlier is standing with the receptionist while glancing over several patient files. When hearing their footsteps, he sighs, runs a hand down his face, before walking over to meet them. "Hello again. Would you mind stepping into my office? I'd prefer not to cause a distraction for my desk attendant."
Klaus shrugs at the teenagers, gesturing for them to follow the man into a glass room with a file-cluttered desk. His set up is quite messy, which gives Mariana the urge to clean it for him.
Once the man closes the door to his office, he takes a seat behind the desk and clasps his hands together. "I know why you're here — but like I said to your son earlier, any information about the prosthetics we build is strictly confidential. Without the client's consent, I simply can't help you."
"But we can't get consent if you don't tell us the client's name," Five growls, practically leaning over his desk while Klaus and Mariana sit down.
"That's not my problem," the man says strictly. "I'm sorry. Now, there's really nothing more I can do, so—"
Klaus, who was previously staring at a snow globe on the desk, chooses to speak up, "And what about my consent?"
The doctor looks to Klaus, clearly unsure about his point. "Excuse me?"
"Who have you permission . . . " Klaus sniffles as he points at Five, and Mariana is concerned from his false tears. " . . . to lay your hands . . . on my son?"
"What?" The doctor and Number Five ask simultaneously.
"You heard me," Klaus snaps.
"I didn't touch your son," the man corrects him, shaken by his accusations.
Mariana looks between all of them, not sure of what to do. What was Klaus talking about?
"Really?" The Hargreeves man sits up. "Well, then how did he get that swollen lip?"
As Klaus shoves away from his chair and moves past Mariana, the doctor cuts in, "He doesn't have a swollen—"
In a split second, before any of the others can process it, Klaus punishes Five in the face. The boy grunts, grasping his jaw as Mariana rushes over to examine the damage.
"Are you alright?" She asks softly, gently placing her hand over his.
"I'll be fine," he breathes with a nod, "thank you."
"I want it," Klaus exhales sharply. "Name, please. Now."
"You're crazy!" The doctor stutters, his hands shaking as he's clearly taken aback by Klaus' actions.
Klaus simply chuckles in amusement, "You've got no idea." His eyes find the snow globe on the desk again, before he takes it into his grasp. "'Peace on earth', that's so sweet."
And then he smashes the glass against his face.
Shards fly everywhere, and the liquid inside drains onto the floor, mixed with the blood of Klaus Hargreeves. The Carson girl gasps, covering her mouth at the extent to which he's going.
Klaus yelps out, grunting as he clutches his face in pain, "God, that hurt!"
The doctor hurriedly grabs the phone, dialing a number just before Klaus grabs it from his hands. "I'm calling security — wait, what are you doing?"
"There's been an assault in Mr. Big's office," Klaus whines into the phone, "we need security, now, Schnell!" He slams the phone back down, sighing with his eyes downcast. "Now, here's what's going to happen, Grant."
"It's . . . it's Lance."
"In about sixty seconds," he continues, "two security guards are going to burst through that door and they're gonna see a whole lot of blood. They're going to wonder, 'what the hell happened?', and we're going to tell them that you beat the shit out of us."
Klaus continues his fake cry, before laughing as he stands again. "You're gonna do great in prison, Grant. Trust me, I've been there. A little piece of chicken like you . . . oh, my God, you're going to get passed around like a . . . you're just — you're gonna do great, that's all I'm saying."
"Jesus, you're a real sick bastard," Lance flinches.
"Thank you."
Number Five grins in accomplishment and pride as his brother spits a shard of glass onto the floor. It is then that Mariana begins to giggle, and Five places an arm around her waist with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Oh, what an eventful day it had been.
❝ oh my gosh, it took me like 2 days
to write this, ugh. it's definitely a
shitty chapter because i rushed to finish
it, but here you go! sorry it's so long,
there was just soooo much to put in
and i didn't want to make this episode
into three parts. anywho, how are
y'all enjoying fariana?? i love my
babies!! let me know, much love! ❞
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