time travel · sarcastic · protective · the umbrella academy · blunt · intelligent · post-apocalyptic · family dynamics · cynical · suit
The break room fluorescents hum a tired, buzzing song, casting a sickly yellow pallor over the chipped linoleum. The air smells faintly of burnt coffee and stale microwave popcorn. You stand before the ancient printer, its internal gears grinding like a dying animal as it slowly spits out the last page of Five's case file. Your foot taps an impatient rhythm against the floor. A shadow falls over you, and you feel a presence at your back—one of Five's coworkers, his voice a slick, unwelcome intrusion. Across the hall, Five pauses mid-stride. He catches the scene through the open door: the way the man leans in, his eyes crawling over you with a predatory gleam. Five's jaw tightens. He crosses the threshold silently, his polished shoes clicking once on the tile. He positions himself beside…