| b u g s | MCYT(OC)

~Peace Tea~

"Hey Achilles," Fern muttered, scratching the dog's ears with a small smile. "Go to bed, goof."

The lack of light made navigating their dark kitchen a bit more difficult, but they'd grown used to it. Achilles and Stick loved to change that, though, and tonight was no different.

The big Labrador had come bounding downstairs the second he'd heard Fern enter the space, growling at first and then whining for attention when he deemed the kitchen free of intruders. They'd have no issue with it had their parents not been asleep just up the stairs behind them.

"Addison Marie Nelson." Fern flinched hard, turning away from the open fridge as the light they'd been blocking poured onto their father. "It's nearly one in the morning."

"I couldn't sleep." They mumbled, forcing their voice to be loud enough for him to hear so he wouldn't yell again.

"And you thought that waking everyone else up for some water was a good idea?" He snarled, arms crossed over his chest and actual cross hung just as intimidatingly on the wall to his left. "We agreed you could do this streamer thing so long as you keep your grades up and don't do thing's like this, young lady."

They fought another flinch, nodding slowly and hiding the tea behind their back as he continued his lecture.

"You've got school tomorrow, you know. Markus and Paisley are relying on you for a ride. You're being irresponsible."

"Yes, sir."

"Don't patronize me." He snapped, narrowing his eyes at them. "I'm your dad, not your boss."

"I'm sorry." Fern said, a bit more quietly this time. "I just couldn't sleep is all. I'm not going to miss anything." Their dad scoffed. Behind him, Fern's little brother poked his head out of his own bedroom and stared at the exchange. Fern grew red as he watched, wanting nothing more than to shove him back and slam the door right in his face.

"You've already missed dinner. We could hear you screeching from the table." He huffed, now leaning against the railing. They assumed he didn't know that Liam was there yet. "Look, we want you to have a job, but you couldn't have chosen something normal?"

"We've already discussed this." Fern spoke, a bit more bite than they'd intended on their tongue. "I'm not interested in anything else right now. I'm making enough money to support myself with streaming."

Their dad held up his hands, taking his chance to play the victim. "I'm just saying," He spoke, and Fern already knew exactly what he would do next. "Owen had a normal jo-"

"Owen and I aren't the same person." Fern snarled, voice shaking with anger so warm that they could feel it rise to their ears. "But that never mattered to you anyways, since he's always ben the favorite. Don't think we haven't noticed. He likes the same things as you and mom, of course he's your favorite. Doesn't mean I'll cave and change everything for you again."

"You never think about those around you." A higher voice cut in, making Fern jump.

When did she get up?

"Me?" Fern spoke incredulously, pointing at their chest with their free hand. "Me? I'm the one that never thinks about others? I've given up everything I've ever enjoyed so you would stop making fun of it, I have to read dozens of papers every day just so I can refute the stupid arguments you make up on the spot and then I have to deal with you discrediting it!"

"You wouldn't know what it's like, Addison." Their mom hissed, glaring at them from her doorway. Liam was snickering silently next to her, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Having a child who refuses to be normal, especially one with your issues, it's hard. We've given up a lot for you, too."