OVERLOOKED ㅤkotlc

073

My return home is best remembered through a drunken haze.

I think the house was empty. Despite everything, a part of myself had expected my homesickness to dissipate the moment I returned. (And it would've been a welcome distraction from the home I'd freshly lost.)

But the emptiness of Rimeshire only echoed my own.

I might've wandered to the kitchen and rummaged through the cupboards. I had secretly, innately, craved Mom's food for months now. But it was empty, and I remembered faintly that she cooked only on Fridays. It was a Thursday.

Then maybe I'd traveled to Rex's room. I think I wanted to see it before I slept. When I opened the door, the walls were a different color. I closed it quickly to save myself from a breakdown.

I think I slept in my room after that. I only allowed myself to look around once I woke up, and I was—for some reason—overwhelmingly relieved when it looked the same.

Now, I hear whispers at the door. I recognize them immediately as the triplets, ignoring how unfamiliar their voices had initially sounded. "You can come in, you know."

The whispers halt.

I'm a little surprised by how desperate I am for interaction. By how hurt I am at the idea of them avoiding me.

The door opens before I can feign indifference with a "Whatever, go away," and I'm immediately torn by how tall Bex has grown in my absence.

They stand there awkwardly at first. We stare at each other. I wonder if I look different.

"You look awful," Lex announces with his usual grin. He holds a tray of custard bursts in his hands—probably because his are the most steady, because Rex would trip over the stairs. Probably because his are the least greedy, because Bex would've eaten half.

"That doesn't sound like my problem," I shoot back, sitting on the edge of my bed. "Did Mom really bake on a Thursday? Just for me?"

Bex laughs. "It's Friday, stupid. You, like, slept forever." A pause. "She would've baked, though, if you were awake. Why didn't you tell us you were coming home yesterday?"

"I didn't know." There's a rawness in my voice that I didn't know how to omit.

They regard me carefully. They don't know how far they can push, but they exchange a glance, and I'm surprised by their concern. It's weird to be mothered by them.

"What flavor are those?" I ask finally.

Bex and Lex exchange an unsure look, but I know they don't know, because it's always Rex who helps Mom. Sure enough, he replies, "Lushberry. We were gonna make chocolate, because we know you like those better, but Dad bought way too much lushberries last week."

Despite myself, I smile. "It'd be kinda burnt either way."

Rex laughs. "I swear we're getting better!"

"My poor tastebuds say otherwise, bro."

"You haven't even tried them!"

"I can literally smell smoke."

"Okay, but these ones aren't burnt."

"I don't know, man... Bex hasn't even taken any yet."

Now, she grins. "He said it, not me," she tells them. I imagine them traveling up the stairs: Bex grabbing for them, Lex dodging her, and Rex chastising them both.

She takes one off the tray and pops it into her mouth. Her eyes light, and she does this little dance she always does when something tastes good. She isn't even aware she does it.

"It's awful," she decides. "I'll take those off your hands, Dex. You're welcome."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I return from the Neverseen and the first thing you do is steal my food? That's not so live-laugh-love of you."

"That sucks," Bex says happily. She takes another one. "I'm saving you. Rex definitely messed it up."

"What? No I didn't!"

"Yeah you did! So trash at baking. You need way more practice."

"You literally like it!"

"I hate it." She eats another. "So gross."

"Bro, those are Dex's!" Rex protests. He takes one, with the intention of tossing it to me, but Lex plucks it from his fingers and takes a bite. Rex is comically exasperated.

Lex conceals his joy better than Bex, but he can't stop himself from reaching for another one. "This sucks," he says as he chews.

"You suck," Rex groans.

I laugh, not really at anything in particular. Just at how, despite their changing walls and heights, they're still the same.

I only end up with two custard bursts, but I feel better already. Strangely, the sound of their bickering has finally taken me home.

˚ ༘ 🌷 ── author's note!

posting this bcs i wanna get back into writing D: it's been way too long since ive touched this haha! (like a year. im doing great)

& my writing style is in shambles as u can tell

i hope ur doing well it has been a While! :,,)

things have been mid for me recently, so im looking forward to focusing on this (hopefully)? we'll see :]