Ficlet: hearsay
An Umbrella Academy ficlet. Luther/Allison (incest), PG, 300 words.
hearsay
The thing about the stuff Rumor says is that it wasn't true before she said it. Luther knows he didn't grow up wanting to kiss his sister. He remembers that his first crush was on the pizza delivery girl, who was ten years older and blonde and said, "Hey, kid," with a grin whenever she came to the house. Now he also remembers staring across the empty box at Allison's lips gone shiny with grease. He remembers seeing her new costume the first time and tracking the red stripe down, all the way down the side of her leg and all the way back up. He remembers walking out on the biggest battle of their lives, flames roaring and Number Five screaming his name, to get her help.
The thing about the stuff Rumor says is that after she says it, it's true. Luther sits in the hospital chair, ass and legs squashed into its narrow frame as best he can, and holds her hand in his paw. Her eyes turn towards him whenever she opens them and sweep back down into rest once she's found him. Sometimes Abhijat comes by and urges him to go lie down for a while, or at least eat something, but he isn't hungry and he isn't tired. When her eyes slide closed he feels the faint pressure of her thumb, and he remembers her arms around his neck on the rooftop, her tongue moving softly, almost hesitantly against his, her body pressed against his chest. He avoids looking at the bandages around her throat, and instead studies each separate strand of her hair lying in its bright streaks against the pillowcase.
The thing about the stuff Rumor says is that it stays true until she says something different. Luther sits, and he waits.
hearsay
The thing about the stuff Rumor says is that it wasn't true before she said it. Luther knows he didn't grow up wanting to kiss his sister. He remembers that his first crush was on the pizza delivery girl, who was ten years older and blonde and said, "Hey, kid," with a grin whenever she came to the house. Now he also remembers staring across the empty box at Allison's lips gone shiny with grease. He remembers seeing her new costume the first time and tracking the red stripe down, all the way down the side of her leg and all the way back up. He remembers walking out on the biggest battle of their lives, flames roaring and Number Five screaming his name, to get her help.
The thing about the stuff Rumor says is that after she says it, it's true. Luther sits in the hospital chair, ass and legs squashed into its narrow frame as best he can, and holds her hand in his paw. Her eyes turn towards him whenever she opens them and sweep back down into rest once she's found him. Sometimes Abhijat comes by and urges him to go lie down for a while, or at least eat something, but he isn't hungry and he isn't tired. When her eyes slide closed he feels the faint pressure of her thumb, and he remembers her arms around his neck on the rooftop, her tongue moving softly, almost hesitantly against his, her body pressed against his chest. He avoids looking at the bandages around her throat, and instead studies each separate strand of her hair lying in its bright streaks against the pillowcase.
The thing about the stuff Rumor says is that it stays true until she says something different. Luther sits, and he waits.