#lulu reads the doomsday books

[libraryleopard]

Dual POV adult historical romance set in 1810s England

When a Gareth, London clerk, unexpectedly inherits his estranged father's baronetcy in Kent, he moves to the Romney marshes and realizes that Joss, the man who runs the local smuggling clan, is the same one who he had several clandestine assignations with–before they abruptly things ended on bad terms

The two end tangled in conflicts between rival smuggling clans and the local authorities even as they find themselves drawn back to each other

Very grounded in historical politics, setting, and language

Gay main character; biracial Black/white, gay main character; M/M romance

[linus-wickworth]

August 2023 Reading Recap

I managed to squeeze in a total of 95 books for this month, which is much too long to not have under a read-more. But here's my total stats:

Total: 95 books and 1 short story. Oldest: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848). Longest: Les Misérables (1463pg). Average Pages: 289. 64% were YA. 56% were read as e-book or audiobook. 56% were written by female authors. Rep: 28% queer, 35% mental health, 25% POC, 15% disability.

5 Stars:

Pedro & Daniel by Federico Erebia The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson Negative Space by B. R. Yeagar Head Case by Sarah Aronson A List Of Cages by Robin Roe How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox A World Without You by Beth Revis The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt The Vanishing Place by Theresa Emminizer The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris A Death on the Wolf by G.M. Frazier

4.5 Stars:

Lost Girls by Ann Kelley Beauty of the Broken by Tawni Waters Honeybee by Craig Silvey Bang, Bang, You're Dead! by Narinder Dhami We Need to Do Something by Max Booth III We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver My Father's Scar by Michael Cart Phoenix Rising by Karen Hesse More Than This by Patrick Ness Born to Serve by Josephine Cox Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson You Asked for Perfect by Laura Silverman

4 Stars:

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte A Very, Very Bad Thing by Jeffery Self Double by Jenny Valentine Tattoo Atlas by Tim Floreen The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak The Escape by Hannah Jayne My Abandonment by Peter Rock Brother by Ania Ahlborn Counterfeit Son by Elaine Marie Alphin The Escape from Home by Avi Les Misérables by Victor Hugo Young Pioneers by Rose Wilder Lane Elantris by Brandon Sanderson Let's Call It a Doomsday by Katie Henry Raven Summer by David Almond The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson The Hole by Hye-Young Pyun The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain Pandemic by Yvonne Ventresca Ashfall by Mike Mullin

3.5 Stars:

10 Things I Can See from Here by Carrie Mac Lord of the Flies by William Golding Calvin by Martine Leavitt The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan Complicit by Stephanie Kuehn Surviving Bear Island by Paul Greci Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez

3 Stars:

They Never Came Home by Lois Duncan Five and the Stately Homes Gang by Claude Voilier Five Go On Television by Claude Voilier Five and the Golden Galleon by Claude Voilier Ten Mile River by Paul Griffin Five in Fancy Dress by Claude Voilier Pig Boy by J.C. Burke Five Versus the Black Mask by Claude Voilier The Meaning of Birds by Jaye Robin Brown Five and the Pink Pearls by Claude Voilier The Trouble With Half a Moon by Danette Vigilante I Am David by Anne Holm I Am The Cheese by Robert Cormier Five and the Secret of the Caves by Claude Voilier The Fear by Spencer Hamilton Five and the Z-Rays by Claude Voilier Hold Fast by Kevin Major The Disturbed Girl's Dictionary by NoNieqa Ramos Five and the Knights' Treasure by Claude Voilier

2.5 Stars:

The Rag and Bone Shop by Robert Cormier Five and the Mystery of the Emeralds by Claude Voilier Five and the Missing Cheetah by Claude Voilier Outside Looking In by James Lincoln Collier Tears of a Tiger by Sharon M. Draper The Hobbit by J. R. R Tolkien Too Soon for Jeff by Marilyn Reynolds Mine by Delilah S. Dawson Five And The Cavalier's Treasure by Claude Voilier Five and the Blue Bear Mystery by Claude Voilier Supermassive by Nina Rossing Five And The Strange Legacy by Claude Voilier

2 Stars:

The Island Keeper by Harry Mazer The Winter Children by Lulu Taylor 33 Snowfish by Adam Rapp Five and the Hijackers by Claude Voilier Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard The Story of King Arthur and his Knights by Howard Pyle

1.5 Stars:

Aliens in the Family by Margaret Mahy The Kingdom By The Sea by Robert Westall The Nightmarys by Dan Poblocki

[hargreeveslftv]

The Occult: DOOMSDAY | an umbrella academy series

prologue + chapter one | word count: 3,382

PROLOGUE ( song | dangerous - big data (ft. joywave) )

The rain pelted the windows of the store, illuminated by the neon sign hanging inside the glass.

Her arms filled with books to put away, Melanie Hargreeves gazed upon the rows and rows of bookshelves lining the back wall of the room, each section organised by use, placing the books back into their spaces as she moved back and forth in front of them.

As lighting strikes outside, the woman jumps slightly, startled by the loud clap of thunder rolling not far away.

Knowing now that she would be drenched by the time she got home, Melanie let out a heavy sigh, and dropped the remaining books on the counter behind her to be sorted in the morning.

She takes a round of the building, switching off the neon sign and the various other lights brightening the store, the swirled letters reading “Psychic” now dark as she walks through into the back room.

Melanie makes quick work of putting on her jacket and scarf, pulling the hood of her coat up over her black and purple hair as the radio in the back room cracked in protest at the weather disturbing its signal.

As she moves to turn it off, her fingers hesitate to press the button, the breaking news tune stopping her in her tracks and immediately catching her attention.

“We’re going now live to a breaking story. Eccentric billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves is dead, with his cause of death currently unknown. Sir Hargreeves was the founder of the illusive-" With a sharp shove to the radio, it skids back into the wall, the sound of rain and heavy breathing the only soundtrack playing in the darkened room.

And with that, Melanie becomes an orphan yet again.

CHAPTER ONE | when we bury our friends… ( song | I think we’re alone now - tiffany )

It took years for Melanie to train herself out of waking up at six am every morning, an act of spite towards her upbringing, but today, it seemed like the progress she had made was out the window.

Instead, Melanie laid on her side, watching the early morning cartoons playing on her TV, the muted pictures doing little to occupy her mind as the fears and thoughts of the day swirled through her head.

Would anyone else show up? Would Klaus finally make an appearance after disappearing last month? Would Mom be okay now with ol’ Reggie dead?

The endless questions raced through her brain as she decided to abandon her bed, walking through her small apartment to her fridge and grabbing a cold bottle of water to drink while she got ready for what she hoped wouldn’t be an eventful day.

As she walked back down the hallway, she couldn’t help but stop in front of the bedroom door that sat beside her own.

Slowly, Melanie opened the door quietly and hopefully, a spark inside of her wishing that her best friend had made his way home in the night.

Yet, her stomach drops, as she sees Klaus’s bed undisturbed for yet another night.

Today would mark day thirty-one since she last saw him, and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t worried about him. While Melanie understood her brother’s issues and addictions, knowing he would follow whatever desires he had at the time, he was still her only best friend that she could talk to properly these days, given…

Melanie shakes herself out of her thoughts, closing the door and moving into her own bedroom to get ready.

The rain from the night before had passed, leaving Melanie grateful as she starts the trek back to the one place she avoided like the plague, the academy.

She knew Klaus went back more often than she did, but never bothered to ask him about what he saw there when he did venture back. The only times Melanie bothered was mother’s day and the anniversary of Ben’s death, the two days a year when she would even pass through the same street as the building she grew up in.

The death of her father barely passed as an excuse to go back, but she wasn’t going for him, she was going for herself.

Melanie took a deep breath as she finally rounded the corner, and stopped dead in her tracks as she looked up at the tall, dark, towering building in front of her.

With shaky hands, Melanie walks through the front doors, the smell of the building immediately sending her back to her childhood, visions of her past playing before her eyes before she’s pulled out of her thoughts by a man dressed in all black walking down the stairs.

"Hey, Diego.” Melanie greets softly, happy to see she isn’t the first to arrive.

“I didn’t think the family reunion would be starting this early.” He comments, making her laugh bitterly as she shoves her hands into her pockets.

“Yeah, you and me both. How’d you find out?” She asks, leaning against one of the large pillars to the side of the room.

“News. You?"

"Radio.” She shrugs.

Diego scoffs as he looks to the side, before glancing down to his feet.

“Was nice of Pogo to only call Luther and not the rest of us.” He says bitterly, earning a nod from the equally annoyed woman standing across from him as she pushes herself away from the pillar.

“Who’s here, just me and you?” She asks, glancing through the large doors leading to the living room.

“Allison’s somewhere, Luther should be back on earth too. Not sure about the others."

Just then, a loud crashing comes from the end of the living room, causing both Diego and Melanie to shift into their default fighting positions.

Positions that relax when Klaus stumbles into view from beside the bar, making both siblings sigh as Melanie storms into the room, picking Klaus up and pulling him into a tight hug.

"Oh, hey Mellie, how’s it hanging?” Klaus asks casually, hugging his sister before cowering back as she smacks the side of his head.

“And where the hell have you been for the last month?” She asks angrily, watching him closely as he lifts his hand to rub at the sore spot on his head.

Her attention is caught by a white band on his wrist, reaching up and spinning it around to read it.

“Don’t they have phones in rehab?” She asks.

Klaus looks at her guiltily as she stares at him, sighing and throwing his head back as he walks around her, flopping down practically on top of Diego as he sits on one of the couches.

“I got caught again and didn’t want to worry you, besides you already had enough on your plate as it is.” He replies, excuses rich in the air and making Melanie roll her eyes.

“I thought we agreed you’d stop making decisions for me?” She reminds him.

“I take it you guys are still close.” Diego comments, shoving Klaus onto his own side of the couch.

“Like traumatised peas in a pod, Mellie and I.” Klaus muses, gesturing to her as she sits down opposite them.

“Is Ben here?” She asks Klaus, immediately feeling energy beside her after speaking his name.

“You tell me, I’ve already been into daddy’s liqueur cabinet.” Klaus says with a wave of his hand as he falls face first into the plush throw cushion beside him.

“Well it’s either that or Dad’s a friendlier ghost than a parent.” She jokes, turning to where she feels the energy next to her.

“Hey Ben.” She greets.

“So,” she asks, both Melanie and Klaus unable to hear Ben’s soft response with Klaus’s drugged up state, “when’s the rest of the gang getting here?”

Just over an hour later, for the first time in years, all the living Hargreeves children sat in the same room.

With Allison and Diego sitting beside the fireplace, Luther on a couch of his own, Melanie and Vanya opposite him and Klaus shuffling around in the bar, the only thing lifting the awkward silence was the sound of clinking bottles.

“Um,” Luther speaks, “I guess we should get this started."

He stands up, looking over his siblings before looking back down to the coffee table in front of him.

"So I figured we could have some kind of memorial service, in the courtyard at sundown. Say a few words, just at Dad’s favorite spot.”

Allison frowns as she looks up to Luther over her drink.

“Dad had a favorite spot?” She questions.

“You know, under the oak tree.” Luther explains, frowning at everyone, “We used to sit out there all the time, none of you ever did that?"

"Will there be refreshments?” Klaus interrupts as he waltzes through. “Tea? Scones? Cucumber sandwiches are always a winner."

"What? No. And put that out, Dad didn’t allow smoking in here.” Luther scolds in reference to the cigarette cradled between his fingers, but is interrupted by Allison.

Melanie leans back into the couch and stares at the ceiling, wishing she was anywhere else but here as Klaus crashes into the spot between her and Vanya, throwing his arm around her shoulder and making her regrettably look back into the room.

“-there’s still some important things we need to discuss.” Luther says.

“Like what?” Diego asks suspiciously.

“Like the way Dad died."

"And here we go."

"I don’t understand, I thought they said it was a heart attack.” Vanya speaks up, with Melanie quick to back her up.

“Yeah. Diego said the official autopsy concluded it was heart failure. What’s there to discuss?” She asks, head tilting to the side.

“Yes, according to the coroner.” Luther nods.

“Well wouldn’t they know?” Vanya defends.

“Theoretically."

"Theoretically?” Allison asks.

“I’m just saying, at the very least, something happened.” Luther defends. “The last time I talked to Dad, he sounded strange.”

“Oh, quelle surprise!” Klaus gurgles, spitting droplets of alcohol onto Melanie that she brushes off casually.

“You shouldn’t make fun of his accent, Lulu, the… bigger guy than you, doesn’t smile upon those who talk ill of the dead.” Melanie jokes, grabbing the drink from her brother’s hand and taking a sip from the deep rounded cup.

“Strange how?” Allison asks, waving off the antics of Klaus and Melanie.

“He sounded on edge, told me I should be careful who I trust.” Luther explains, earning a groan from Diego.

“Luther,” he says as he stands up, “he was a paranoid, bitter old man who was starting to lose what was left of his marbles."

"No. He must have known something was going to happen.” Luther argues, before turning to Klaus.

“Look, I know you don’t like to do it, but I need you to talk to dad."

Klaus looks up at him in surprise, gesturing to himself before he speaks while Allison scoffs as she takes a drink.

"I can’t just call Dad in the afterlife and be like, "Dad, could you just… stop playing tennis with Hitler for a moment and take a quick call?”“ He explains, taking the cup from Melanie’s hand and leaning forward.

"Since when? That’s your thing?” Luther challenges, more annoyed by the second.

“I’m not in… the right frame of mind!"

"You’re high?” Allison asks.

“When isn’t he?” Melanie muses as Klaus laughs, agreeing with Allison.

“Yeah! I mean how are you not, listening to this nonsense?” He asks, falling back into the couch again.

“Well sober up, this is important.” Luther demands, before looking up again. “Then there’s the issue of the missing monocle."

"Who gives a shit about a stupid monocle?” Diego asks rhetorically.

“Exactly. It’s worthless. So whoever took it, I think it was personal. Someone close to him. Someone with a grudge."

"What’s that supposed to mean Luther?” Melanie asks, sitting forward and frowning up at him.

“Yeah, where are you going with this?” Klaus asks.

“Oh, isn’t it obvious guys?” Diego asks, taking a step closer to Luther. “He thinks one of us killed Dad."

Luther looks around the room, a slight trace of guilt on his face not distracting from his silence at the accusation.

"You do?” Klaus asks, shocked he could ever accuse them of something like this.

“How could you think that?” Vanya asks with hurt in her voice.

“Great job Luther, way to lead.” Diego mocks.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Melanie argues, defenses building by the second.

“That’s not what I’m-"

"You’re crazy, man. You’re crazy.” Klaus argues, done with whatever bullshit family meeting they were having.

Diego is the first to leave the room, with Klaus not far behind.

“Sorry I’m just gonna go murder Mom, be right back.” Klaus responds to Luther’s protests.

Vanya quickly follows the lead of her brothers, with Melanie tagging along behind her with her hands clenched into fists.

“Pogo should have let him stay on the moon.” Melanie says under her breath.

With each of the siblings splitting off to calm down, Melanie bypasses her room, not having ventured back into it in years, and instead moves to the room where she knew she could get comfort instead of flashbacks that made her toes curl.

As Melanie opens the door, and carefully sits down on the end of Ben’s bed, she lets out a deep sigh of frustration from dealing with everything that’s already happened throughout the day.

“If you were here right now, I’d be dragging your ass to get donuts and blow off the rest of whatever is going on here.” She speaks aloud, hoping that Ben’s energy would make an appearance in the room.

It was a complicated situation, the one between Melanie and her departed best friend.

The easiest thing for Melanie was to sense when Ben was near, and when she could, she would talk to him, and fill him in on everything he might have missed while following Klaus, knowing he was more strongly tethered to him than her.

Some nights, when Klaus would come home for once, Melanie would sit with her books and try whatever she could to bring him back, him sitting with her though the sleepless nights, trying as hard as he could to manifest to her.

It was easier for Ben to manifest when both Klaus and Melanie were in the same small area, Melanie explained to him one night, after talking to some of the mentors she had picked up after leaving the academy.

“For ghosts to manifest, it’s easier if the people they’re tethered to are in close proximity, meaning they can roam between them more freely, and conduct energy from both to communicate.” Melanie read from her book out into the air, candles lit around her, chalk drawn in intricate patterns across the floor, and Ben sitting across from her on the cushion she placed for him.

“So while Klaus can see you whenever he’s sober enough, it’s a bit harder for me to see you cause I don’t have his abilities. If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll figure out how to hear you again so you can be the one talking again for once.” She joked bitterly, her hope for a proper reunion slipping away with every failed spell and conjuring.

“I’ll always be here for you either way.” Ben tries to reassure her, but just like every other time, his words fall on deaf ears.

As she sat in his room, she couldn’t help but remember their first mission together. The bank robbery that unveiled the umbrella academy to the world.

Melanie killed two men that day, hovering into the building through the hole in the ceiling Luther had made on his way in, and snapping the men’s necks with the dark purple beams extending from her hands as they raised their guns towards Diego.

She remembers Reginald walking in after everyone was dead or incapacitated, an arm filled with their coats and a handkerchief handed to Ben to help with the blood drenching the boy. Melanie rolled her eyes behind her father’s back, taking Ben’s hand and leading him to the water fountain after grabbing a box of tissues from the front desk. She carefully cleared the blood from his face, asking him in a whisper to tell her about the book he was currently reading to try and distract him.

Ben was thankful, and told her quietly about the novel he had snuck into the academy, recommending it and knowing she would actually read it if he did. He did his best to ignore the fact she was staring at him as she helped, and she did her best to comfort the person who’s sadness made her heart ache.

She still remembers standing beside him on the steps of the bank, the bright camera flashes popping in their faces as Reginald spoke to the gathered media.

Melanie stopped her reminiscing as she suddenly felt Ben’s energy beside her, reaching up to wipe the gathered tears away from her face with the sleeves of her shirt.

“Hope you know I still miss the shit outta you every day.” She laughs.

“I miss you too."

Melanie is pulled out of her thoughts as the sound of music starts playing throughout the house, something their father never allowed.

"Luther.” Melanie shakes her head, a small smile on her face as she stands up.

After all of the stress, maybe it was a good idea to try and shake it out instead of holding onto it.

Standing in the center of Ben’s room, Melanie starts slowly swaying to the music, the Tiffany song reminding her of all the times she’d collect Luther for dinner and hear it playing in his room.

As she got into the groove, and danced around the room, she couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t the first time she had danced alone in this house, but knowing someone wasn’t about to bust in and punish her for having fun? It felt like she was actually allowed to breathe.

But then, her breath catches in her throat as loud thunder and crashing is heard from outside.

Melanie nearly crashes into Allison and Luther as the siblings bolt down the stairs, Diego being the first one to crash through the back doors as everyone follows him out.

“What is it?” Vanya asks as Melanie follows her, standing between her and Diego as the giant whirling blue portal filled the courtyard.

“Don’t get too close!” Allison warns, grabbing Luther’s arm to stop him from moving forward.

“Melanie is this one of yours?” Diego asks, to which she shakes her head furiously.

“Definitely not mine.” She denies as the wind whips her hair away from her face.

“Looks like some sort of temporal anomaly. Either that or a miniature black hole. One of the two.” Luther muses, confusion covering everyone’s faces.

“Pretty big difference there, Paul Bunyan.” Diego says sarcastically as Klaus finally makes an appearance, running out and crashing between Luther and Diego.

“Out of the way!” He yells, fire extinguisher in hand.

“Klaus don’t get too close!” Melanie calls as he tries to put the portal out.

When the extinguisher fails, he throws the whole thing into the portal, Allison calling out to him once it disappears.

“What is that gonna do?"

"I don’t know! Do you have a better idea?” Klaus asks dramatically.

The portal cracks with electricity again, the whirling noise near defending.

“Everyone get behind me!” Luther demands, Diego stepping to his side.

“Yeah get behind us.” He agrees, Melanie clinging onto his arm in fright as her other hand reaches to hold Vanya’s.

“I vote for running, come on!” Klaus encourages, but none of his siblings move to follow him.

The sound of screams come through the portal, and Melanie swears she can see an old man through the static.

But before she can ask if anyone else sees him too, a person falls out of the portal and onto the ground in front of Ben’s statue, laying motionless for a moment before starting to move and pull themself up.

Cautiously, everyone takes a step forward towards them, their eyes going wide at the sight in front of them.

“Holy shit.” Melanie says under her breath as she steps out from behind Diego, still holding Vanya’s hand.

“Does anyone else see little number Five, or is that just me?” Klaus asks.

Five looks down at himself, before looking back up at his siblings.

“Shit."

chapter two out now

[hargreeveslftv]

The Occult: DOOMSDAY | an umbrella academy series

prologue + chapter one | word count: 3,382 | masterlist

PROLOGUE ( song | dangerous - big data (ft. joywave) )

The rain pelted the windows of the store, illuminated by the neon sign hanging inside the glass. 

Her arms filled with books to put away, Melanie Hargreeves gazed upon the rows and rows of bookshelves lining the back wall of the room, each section organised by use, placing the books back into their spaces as she moved back and forth in front of them. 

As lighting strikes outside, the woman jumps slightly, startled by the loud clap of thunder rolling not far away. 

Knowing now that she would be drenched by the time she got home, Melanie let out a heavy sigh, and dropped the remaining books on the counter behind her to be sorted in the morning. 

She takes a round of the building, switching off the neon sign and the various other lights brightening the store, the swirled letters reading “Psychic” now dark as she walks through into the back room. 

Melanie makes quick work of putting on her jacket and scarf, pulling the hood of her coat up over her black and purple hair as the radio in the back room cracked in protest at the weather disturbing its signal. 

As she moves to turn it off, her fingers hesitate to press the button, the breaking news tune stopping her in her tracks and immediately catching her attention. 

“We’re going now live to a breaking story. Eccentric billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves is dead, with his cause of death currently unknown. Sir Hargreeves was the founder of the illusive-" 

With a sharp shove to the radio, it skids back into the wall, the sound of rain and heavy breathing the only soundtrack playing in the darkened room. 

And with that, Melanie becomes an orphan yet again. 

CHAPTER ONE | when we bury our friends… ( song | I think we’re alone now - tiffany )

It took years for Melanie to train herself out of waking up at six am every morning, an act of spite towards her upbringing, but today, it seemed like the progress she had made was out the window. 

Instead, Melanie laid on her side, watching the early morning cartoons playing on her TV, the muted pictures doing little to occupy her mind as the fears and thoughts of the day swirled through her head. 

Would anyone else show up? Would Klaus finally make an appearance after disappearing last month? Would Mom be okay now with ol’ Reggie dead? 

The endless questions raced through her brain as she decided to abandon her bed, walking through her small apartment to her fridge and grabbing a cold bottle of water to drink while she got ready for what she hoped wouldn’t be an eventful day. 

As she walked back down the hallway, she couldn’t help but stop in front of the bedroom door that sat beside her own. 

Slowly, Melanie opened the door quietly and hopefully, a spark inside of her wishing that her best friend had made his way home in the night. 

Yet, her stomach drops, as she sees Klaus’s bed undisturbed for yet another night. 

Today would mark day thirty-one since she last saw him, and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t worried about him. While Melanie understood her brother’s issues and addictions, knowing he would follow whatever desires he had at the time, he was still her only best friend that she could talk to properly these days, given… 

Melanie shakes herself out of her thoughts, closing the door and moving into her own bedroom to get ready. 

The rain from the night before had passed, leaving Melanie grateful as she starts the trek back to the one place she avoided like the plague, the academy. 

She knew Klaus went back more often than she did, but never bothered to ask him about what he saw there when he did venture back. The only times Melanie bothered was mother’s day and the anniversary of Ben’s death, the two days a year when she would even pass through the same street as the building she grew up in. 

The death of her father barely passed as an excuse to go back, but she wasn’t going for him, she was going for herself. 

Melanie took a deep breath as she finally rounded the corner, and stopped dead in her tracks as she looked up at the tall, dark, towering building in front of her. 

With shaky hands, Melanie walks through the front doors, the smell of the building immediately sending her back to her childhood, visions of her past playing before her eyes before she’s pulled out of her thoughts by a man dressed in all black walking down the stairs.

"Hey, Diego.” Melanie greets softly, happy to see she isn’t the first to arrive. 

“I didn’t think the family reunion would be starting this early.” He comments, making her laugh bitterly as she shoves her hands into her pockets. 

“Yeah, you and me both. How’d you find out?” She asks, leaning against one of the large pillars to the side of the room. 

“News. You?" 

"Radio.” She shrugs.

Diego scoffs as he looks to the side, before glancing down to his feet. 

“Was nice of Pogo to only call Luther and not the rest of us.” He says bitterly, earning a nod from the equally annoyed woman standing across from him as she pushes herself away from the pillar. 

“Who’s here, just me and you?” She asks, glancing through the large doors leading to the living room. 

“Allison’s somewhere, Luther should be back on earth too. Not sure about the others." 

Just then, a loud crashing comes from the end of the living room, causing both Diego and Melanie to shift into their default fighting positions. 

Positions that relax when Klaus stumbles into view from beside the bar, making both siblings sigh as Melanie storms into the room, picking Klaus up and pulling him into a tight hug. 

"Oh, hey Mellie, how’s it hanging?” Klaus asks casually, hugging his sister before cowering back as she smacks the side of his head. 

“And where the hell have you been for the last month?” She asks angrily, watching him closely as he lifts his hand to rub at the sore spot on his head. 

Her attention is caught by a white band on his wrist, reaching up and spinning it around to read it. 

“Don’t they have phones in rehab?” She asks. 

Klaus looks at her guiltily as she stares at him, sighing and throwing his head back as he walks around her, flopping down practically on top of Diego as he sits on one of the couches. 

“I got caught again and didn’t want to worry you, besides you already had enough on your plate as it is.” He replies, excuses rich in the air and making Melanie roll her eyes. 

“I thought we agreed you’d stop making decisions for me?” She reminds him. 

“I take it you guys are still close.” Diego comments, shoving Klaus onto his own side of the couch. 

“Like traumatised peas in a pod, Mellie and I.” Klaus muses, gesturing to her as she sits down opposite them. 

“Is Ben here?” She asks Klaus, immediately feeling energy beside her after speaking his name. 

“You tell me, I’ve already been into daddy’s liqueur cabinet.” Klaus says with a wave of his hand as he falls face first into the plush throw cushion beside him. 

“Well it’s either that or Dad’s a friendlier ghost than a parent.” She jokes, turning to where she feels the energy next to her. 

“Hey Ben.” She greets. 

“So,” she asks, both Melanie and Klaus unable to hear Ben’s soft response with Klaus’s drugged up state, “when’s the rest of the gang getting here?”

Just over an hour later, for the first time in years, all the living Hargreeves children sat in the same room. 

With Allison and Diego sitting beside the fireplace, Luther on a couch of his own, Melanie and Vanya opposite him and Klaus shuffling around in the bar, the only thing lifting the awkward silence was the sound of clinking bottles. 

“Um,” Luther speaks, “I guess we should get this started." 

He stands up, looking over his siblings before looking back down to the coffee table in front of him. 

"So I figured we could have some kind of memorial service, in the courtyard at sundown. Say a few words, just at Dad’s favorite spot.”

Allison frowns as she looks up to Luther over her drink. 

“Dad had a favorite spot?” She questions. 

“You know, under the oak tree.” Luther explains, frowning at everyone, “We used to sit out there all the time, none of you ever did that?" 

"Will there be refreshments?” Klaus interrupts as he waltzes through. “Tea? Scones? Cucumber sandwiches are always a winner." 

"What? No. And put that out, Dad didn’t allow smoking in here.” Luther scolds in reference to the cigarette cradled between his fingers, but is interrupted by Allison. 

Melanie leans back into the couch and stares at the ceiling, wishing she was anywhere else but here as Klaus crashes into the spot between her and Vanya, throwing his arm around her shoulder and making her regrettably look back into the room. 

“-there’s still some important things we need to discuss.” Luther says. 

“Like what?” Diego asks suspiciously. 

“Like the way Dad died." 

"And here we go." 

"I don’t understand, I thought they said it was a heart attack.” Vanya speaks up, with Melanie quick to back her up. 

“Yeah. Diego said the official autopsy concluded it was heart failure. What’s there to discuss?” She asks, head tilting to the side. 

“Yes, according to the coroner.” Luther nods. 

“Well wouldn’t they know?” Vanya defends.

“Theoretically." 

"Theoretically?” Allison asks. 

“I’m just saying, at the very least, something happened.” Luther defends. “The last time I talked to Dad, he sounded strange.”

“Oh, quelle surprise!” Klaus gurgles, spitting droplets of alcohol onto Melanie that she brushes off casually. 

“You shouldn’t make fun of his accent, Lulu, the… bigger guy than you, doesn’t smile upon those who talk ill of the dead.” Melanie jokes, grabbing the drink from her brother’s hand and taking a sip from the deep rounded cup. 

“Strange how?” Allison asks, waving off the antics of Klaus and Melanie. 

“He sounded on edge, told me I should be careful who I trust.” Luther explains, earning a groan from Diego. 

“Luther,” he says as he stands up, “he was a paranoid, bitter old man who was starting to lose what was left of his marbles." 

"No. He must have known something was going to happen.” Luther argues, before turning to Klaus. 

“Look, I know you don’t like to do it, but I need you to talk to dad." 

Klaus looks up at him in surprise, gesturing to himself before he speaks while Allison scoffs as she takes a drink. 

"I can’t just call Dad in the afterlife and be like, "Dad, could you just… stop playing tennis with Hitler for a moment and take a quick call?”“ He explains, taking the cup from Melanie’s hand and leaning forward. 

"Since when? That’s your thing?” Luther challenges, more annoyed by the second. 

“I’m not in… the right frame of mind!" 

"You’re high?” Allison asks. 

“When isn’t he?” Melanie muses as Klaus laughs, agreeing with Allison. 

“Yeah! I mean how are you not, listening to this nonsense?” He asks, falling back into the couch again. 

“Well sober up, this is important.” Luther demands, before looking up again. “Then there’s the issue of the missing monocle." 

"Who gives a shit about a stupid monocle?” Diego asks rhetorically. 

“Exactly. It’s worthless. So whoever took it, I think it was personal. Someone close to him. Someone with a grudge." 

"What’s that supposed to mean Luther?” Melanie asks, sitting forward and frowning up at him. 

“Yeah, where are you going with this?” Klaus asks. 

“Oh, isn’t it obvious guys?” Diego asks, taking a step closer to Luther. “He thinks one of us killed Dad." 

Luther looks around the room, a slight trace of guilt on his face not distracting from his silence at the accusation. 

"You do?” Klaus asks, shocked he could ever accuse them of something like this. 

“How could you think that?” Vanya asks with hurt in her voice. 

“Great job Luther, way to lead.” Diego mocks. 

“You have got to be kidding me.” Melanie argues, defenses building by the second. 

“That’s not what I’m-" 

"You’re crazy, man. You’re crazy.” Klaus argues, done with whatever bullshit family meeting they were having. 

Diego is the first to leave the room, with Klaus not far behind. 

“Sorry I’m just gonna go murder Mom, be right back.” Klaus responds to Luther’s protests. 

Vanya quickly follows the lead of her brothers, with Melanie tagging along behind her with her hands clenched into fists.

“Pogo should have let him stay on the moon.” Melanie says under her breath.

With each of the siblings splitting off to calm down, Melanie bypasses her room, not having ventured back into it in years, and instead moves to the room where she knew she could get comfort instead of flashbacks that made her toes curl. 

As Melanie opens the door, and carefully sits down on the end of Ben’s bed, she lets out a deep sigh of frustration from dealing with everything that’s already happened throughout the day. 

“If you were here right now, I’d be dragging your ass to get donuts and blow off the rest of whatever is going on here.” She speaks aloud, hoping that Ben’s energy would make an appearance in the room. 

It was a complicated situation, the one between Melanie and her departed best friend. 

The easiest thing for Melanie was to sense when Ben was near, and when she could, she would talk to him, and fill him in on everything he might have missed while following Klaus, knowing he was more strongly tethered to him than her. 

Some nights, when Klaus would come home for once, Melanie would sit with her books and try whatever she could to bring him back, him sitting with her though the sleepless nights, trying as hard as he could to manifest to her. 

It was easier for Ben to manifest when both Klaus and Melanie were in the same small area, Melanie explained to him one night, after talking to some of the mentors she had picked up after leaving the academy. 

“For ghosts to manifest, it’s easier if the people they’re tethered to are in close proximity, meaning they can roam between them more freely, and conduct energy from both to communicate.” Melanie read from her book out into the air, candles lit around her, chalk drawn in intricate patterns across the floor, and Ben sitting across from her on the cushion she placed for him.

“So while Klaus can see you whenever he’s sober enough, it’s a bit harder for me to see you cause I don’t have his abilities. If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll figure out how to hear you again so you can be the one talking again for once.” She joked bitterly, her hope for a proper reunion slipping away with every failed spell and conjuring. 

“I’ll always be here for you either way.” Ben tries to reassure her, but just like every other time, his words fall on deaf ears. 

As she sat in his room, she couldn’t help but remember their first mission together. The bank robbery that unveiled the umbrella academy to the world. 

Melanie killed two men that day, hovering into the building through the hole in the ceiling Luther had made on his way in, and snapping the men’s necks with the dark purple beams extending from her hands as they raised their guns towards Diego. 

She remembers Reginald walking in after everyone was dead or incapacitated, an arm filled with their coats and a handkerchief handed to Ben to help with the blood drenching the boy. Melanie rolled her eyes behind her father’s back, taking Ben’s hand and leading him to the water fountain after grabbing a box of tissues from the front desk. She carefully cleared the blood from his face, asking him in a whisper to tell her about the book he was currently reading to try and distract him. 

Ben was thankful, and told her quietly about the novel he had snuck into the academy, recommending it and knowing she would actually read it if he did. He did his best to ignore the fact she was staring at him as she helped, and she did her best to comfort the person who’s sadness made her heart ache. 

She still remembers standing beside him on the steps of the bank, the bright camera flashes popping in their faces as Reginald spoke to the gathered media. 

Melanie stopped her reminiscing as she suddenly felt Ben’s energy beside her, reaching up to wipe the gathered tears away from her face with the sleeves of her shirt. 

“Hope you know I still miss the shit outta you every day.” She laughs. 

“I miss you too." 

Melanie is pulled out of her thoughts as the sound of music starts playing throughout the house, something their father never allowed. 

"Luther.” Melanie shakes her head, a small smile on her face as she stands up. 

After all of the stress, maybe it was a good idea to try and shake it out instead of holding onto it. 

Standing in the center of Ben’s room, Melanie starts slowly swaying to the music, the Tiffany song reminding her of all the times she’d collect Luther for dinner and hear it playing in his room. 

As she got into the groove, and danced around the room, she couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t the first time she had danced alone in this house, but knowing someone wasn’t about to bust in and punish her for having fun? It felt like she was actually allowed to breathe. 

But then, her breath catches in her throat as loud thunder and crashing is heard from outside. 

Melanie nearly crashes into Allison and Luther as the siblings bolt down the stairs, Diego being the first one to crash through the back doors as everyone follows him out. 

“What is it?” Vanya asks as Melanie follows her, standing between her and Diego as the giant whirling blue portal filled the courtyard. 

“Don’t get too close!” Allison warns, grabbing Luther’s arm to stop him from moving forward. 

“Melanie is this one of yours?” Diego asks, to which she shakes her head furiously. 

“Definitely not mine.” She denies as the wind whips her hair away from her face. 

“Looks like some sort of temporal anomaly. Either that or a miniature black hole. One of the two.” Luther muses, confusion covering everyone’s faces. 

“Pretty big difference there, Paul Bunyan.” Diego says sarcastically as Klaus finally makes an appearance, running out and crashing between Luther and Diego. 

“Out of the way!” He yells, fire extinguisher in hand. 

“Klaus don’t get too close!” Melanie calls as he tries to put the portal out. 

When the extinguisher fails, he throws the whole thing into the portal, Allison calling out to him once it disappears. 

“What is that gonna do?" 

"I don’t know! Do you have a better idea?” Klaus asks dramatically. 

The portal cracks with electricity again, the whirling noise near defending. 

“Everyone get behind me!” Luther demands, Diego stepping to his side. 

“Yeah get behind us.” He agrees, Melanie clinging onto his arm in fright as her other hand reaches to hold Vanya’s. 

“I vote for running, come on!” Klaus encourages, but none of his siblings move to follow him. 

The sound of screams come through the portal, and Melanie swears she can see an old man through the static. 

But before she can ask if anyone else sees him too, a person falls out of the portal and onto the ground in front of Ben’s statue, laying motionless for a moment before starting to move and pull themself up. 

Cautiously, everyone takes a step forward towards them, their eyes going wide at the sight in front of them. 

“Holy shit.” Melanie says under her breath as she steps out from behind Diego, still holding Vanya’s hand. 

“Does anyone else see little number Five, or is that just me?” Klaus asks. 

Five looks down at himself, before looking back up at his siblings. 

“Shit." 

chapter two coming monday, sep 14th