Chapter Text
Although Reginald usually gave the Hargreeves tedious and harmful training sessions, he sometimes let them do other type of things to improve their skills, specially when they were very young.
Once, when they were just eight years old, he ordered them to build a tree house.
It couldn't be any three house, obviously, it was not a family activity, no, they'd have to build it alone, it would have to be big and strong and it would have to be done in less than three hours. According to him, it's intention was to make them learn the task each one had and sense the team work.
And after a lot of insistence, he also let Vanya participate.
There they were, on the middle of the woods, with just a box of tools and some wooden stumps.
It seemed impossible, but they still tried their best.
Allison's and Klaus's powers we're kinda useless, so they would be in charge of building the treehouse, five would teleport from the floor to them and give them the necessary tools each time they asked, Ben liked drawing so he would make the plans of the house, Diego would go around grabbing any thing that fell to the ground, he had better reflexes so it was the best option, and Luther would be the one charging the wood, because literally no one else was strong enough to break the tree stomps.
Vanya wasn't sure about how to help, they told her she could do any job she liked, like helping Ben with the design, explore around to search for new materials, help Klaus and Allison...
But she didn't want to do any of those things, nuh huh.
As soon as she saw Luther breaking and molding the wood, moving it with his bare hands... She wanted to help him!
She didn't exactly know why, because she wasn't interested in sports, she was more of a creative kid, but Luther looked like those manly cartoon superheroes that appeared on the TV when Diego had the controller.
And she wanted to be one of those to!
She got close to Luther and gently grabbed his shirt, he turned around with a smile.
Lu: Hi Vanya! Are you ok?
Vanya... She didn't know why but she hated her name.
Anyways.
Va: I want to help you with the wood!
Ben, who was close to them, started laughing, not with a mean laugh of course, more compassionate.
Be: There's no way you can even hold up half the weight he is holding.
Vanya felt offended, she wasn't as strong as Luther, no one was, but she wanted to try.
Va: I know! I just wondered if I could at least give it a try!.
Five appeared next to them to.
Fi: Vanya, you could get hurt.
He said and disappeared again after grabbing a hammer.
Va: But I-.
She couldn't reply because he was no longer there.
She felt frustrated.
Va: Why can't I just try!?.
Lu: Why do you want to help me tho? There are plenty of other jobs that won't get you hurt!.
Vanya frowned.
Ve: I want to be a hero! Like superman! Or batman!.
Diego looooved superheroes, as soon as he heard those names, he joined the conversation.
Di: No! I am batman! You can be wonder woman!.
Wonder woman? She didn't like wonder woman!
Yeah, she was cool, she had powers and all, but... She was a girl, and she wanted to be a male superhero!
Va: But I don't want to be wonder woman!
But no one was listening anymore.
She had to try hard not to cry, something just didn't feel right.
Luther saw it, and he hated watching others cry, because he didn't like crying and he knew it felt bad.
He turned around.
Lu: Wonder woman is strong to! And she has more powers than Batman!
He said with a smile, trying to cheer her up.
Va: Yes, but I don't want to be wonder woman! I just don't!
Luther didn't understand it, why?
Lu: Who do you wanna be then?
Vanya thought about it.
Va: I want to be Superman!
Luther laughed.
Lu: But superman is a boy!
Vanya felt something break inside her.
She didn't know why she wanted to be a male superhero, something about it just resonated with her, being a boy and having superpowers... It's all she ever wanted.
But she was a girl, a girl with no power...
Luther hated the sad face Vanya had.
Lo: N-no! Don't cry! You can be Superman!
Vanya smiled a bit.
Va: Really?
Luther nodded while breaking some more wood.
Lu: Yeah! And I'll be Hulk!
She laughed, playing superheroes was fun when she could choose who she wanted.
Luther looked around, he knew the other's would kill him if he saw him doing something that could hurt Vanya, specially Five, but he was going to be careful not to overcharge her with weight.
When he was sure no one was watching them, he broke some wooden sticks and gave them to her, they were by far much lighter than the ones he was working with, but it was still hard for her to hold them.
But she was doing it!
And she smiled, because she looked like superman!
Luther could not have the most brilliant mind, but he had a brilliant heart, since he was just a kid.
He felt happy when he saw the smile on Vanya's face, and he understood that it didn't matter if Vanya didn't look like Superman at all, because is she wanted to be Superman, she could! No one had the right to say otherwise!