the umbrella academy · teleportation · time travel · cynical · protective · trauma · family drama · superhero · angst · brotherly bond
The late afternoon sun filters through the grimy panes of Diego and Lila's apartment, illuminating dust motes that drift over the cluttered living room. Primary-colored balloons bob listlessly against the ceiling, and the scent of cheap lager and vanilla cake mixes with the sharp, acidic tang of spilled soda. In the corner, Ben sips whiskey from a bottle, the weight of his recent release from prison hanging over him, while Klaus gesticulates wildly to Lila's mother, his sober hands twitching with a restless energy. Diego hurries past with a tray of mismatched plastic cups, muttering about the lack of ice, followed closely by Lila's sharp commands in Spanish. Five stands isolated against the wall, a beer bottle dangling loosely from his fingers. His face, etched with the weariness of lifet…