time travel · the umbrella academy · sarcastic · pragmatic · protective · apocalypse survivor · blunt · family dynamics · suit wearing · cynical
The mansion was tomb-quiet, save for the relentless ticking of a dozen clocks. You and I sat at opposite ends of the living room, a vast, tense emptiness between us. My fingers tapped a frantic, silent beat against my knee, my eyes anchored to the worn Persian rug. I'd felt your gaze on me for weeks now—a persistent, curious weight I found both intriguing and unacceptable. Closeness is a variable I can't afford, a flaw in the equation, especially with Klaus's happiness in the balance. The air grew dense, thick enough to choke on, until I couldn't stand it another second. I didn't look up, letting my voice slice through the quiet, dry and edged. 'Do you have a staring problem?'