Chapter Text
<< Why not? >>
Five rolled his eyes and sank a little deeper into his world of calculations.
<< We all have one, now. >> Seven, or whatever she had begun to call herself now, kept going. << I’m sure Mom could help you find a good one, if you can’t think of anything you like. >>
<< I told you, I don’t have time for this. >>
<< Come on, don’t be dramatic, it’s not gonna take longer than... >>
<< This is already taking more time than what I intended. >>
He turned another page, forcefully ignoring the glare his sister was no doubt firing at him.
<< Don’t you even want to know mine? >> she asked after a pause.
Five sighed and dropped his book. Apparently, quantum physics had to wait.
<< What is it? >> he said, turning his chair in surrender.
His sister’s face lit up.
<< It’s Vanya. >> she said with some sort of clumsy pride. << Like in Chekhov, you know. >>
An awkward silence, Five’s brows furrowed.
<< I thought it was a male name. >>
<< Well, yes, but you know, I liked it that way. >> Seven – no, Vanya – said, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. << Mom said it was alright. Better than Number Seven, anyway. >>
<< Nice choice. >> he considered, taking in the new piece of information.
Uncle Vanya, an old man whose unrequited love brings him to consider how useless his life has been. As an unemotional early teenager genius he could appreciate the cold humour behind it.
<< It actually suits you. >>
<< You think? >> asked Vanya in a cheerful voice.
But Five had already turned back to his desk once again.
<< I’m sure you could find a good one as well. >> she said, trying to be supportive.
It was nice, for once, to do something all together.
<< As I already told you, I don’t care. >>
<< You know, at the beginning when it was just Diego I also thought it was stupid, >> she said, knowing she was pushing her luck, there. << but now that I’ve got one, I have to say that... >>
<< Listen, Vanya, I am really glad you’ve found a name that makes you happy, but I really don’t have time for this, now. >> he sort of snapped, trying to keep his voice from shouting at her. << I need to study, I need to concentrate. And... who the hell is Diego? >>
<< It’s Two. >> she said quickly. << He thought it was cool. >> she added awkwardly.
<< Of course he did. >> Five mumbled sarcastically.
<< Come on, don’t be mean. >> she tried to soothe him. << We all are in this together, for once. All of us. Why can’t you just get along? >>
<< Dad will never bother learning them anyway. >>
<< So what? I thought you didn’t care what he thinks. >>
<< I don’t, but I see why he wouldn’t. >> Five snapped a little harder this time. << Look, Vanya, we don’t have time for this, names are just meant for ordinary people. They’re not functional, they’re just one more factor to consider, one more useless nuisance to commend to memory while you’re trying to focus on something more important. >>
<< I’m sorry I am not as extraordinary as you are. >>
Five gritted his teeth. That was what happened every time he didn’t think it through.
<< That’s not what I meant. >>
<< No, that’s okay. We all know that’s true. >> Vanya said in her usual small voice. << We just thought... I mean, both me and the others, we all thought we could do this together, but I know how much you care about this time-jumping thing. I just thought we should let you know. >>
Five listened to his sister’s steps, as his finger drummed over the page he was on.
<< Vanya. >> he called her before she was too far.
Her face reappeared from behind the door.
<< I promise I’ll think about it, okay? >> he said, looking away. << Just, after I finish with this. >> he added nodding at the book.
<< You mean when you finish reading it? >>
<< I mean when I can jump through time. >> he said in a voice that admitted no reply. << I’m sure it won’t take me that long. >>
The doubting look on his sister’s face made something click deep down in his guts, and he got ready to get defensive. He didn’t need another lecture about how impossible it was that their father was wrong.
<< Would you like me to write down some suggestions? >> she asked, instead.
Five’s neck relaxed in his collar.
<< Whatever. >> he shrugged defiantly. << As long as you do it out of my room. >>
Vanya smiled cheekily and disappeared once again.
Vanya.
Diego.
He wondered for a split second what ridiculous name Four had come up with. Or One.
But he didn’t have time for this. From the top of the page, Aleks Woszkzina’s printed name looked up at him in what looked like a suggestion.
He moved to the next page. He had work to do.