it's like a Michelle Branch song

[scubatankfilledwithfarts]

He doesn't think about it, much. Whether they're eating okay, or if Amy's siphoned off too much from her allowance, if Rei's got his hands full, if Pearl's got a boyfriend again--

[it's for the good of the family, he tells himself. he's tired of it, he tells the twinkling, dim lights lightyears away, drowned out by the city light's cheap imitations]

This is mostly because when he's there, he's worrying just as much. For instance, the picture sent to the entire family group chat. Eury doesn't much enjoy showing his philosophical side, but this calls for it.



It comes from Rei's ID, he's got the responsible personality of an older brother on those broad, 30 year old man shoulders of his. He wouldn't waste food.

Pearl? Maybe she'd forgotten them, intent on some new beauty scheme [not for her, obviously, his sister is gorgeous; no, she's going to scam some local boy wanting to bone some local girl]. But as Eury understands so many things about women, this just doesn't add up, scientifically. Sensually.

Amy's out, the little squeaker runs on candy and turkey and cheese sandwiches.

Sighing, Eury gently palms his forehead. The fact it took him this long through the process of elimination either says something about his family, or the lack of sleep he's had.

So he leans over and pounds a fist against the wall, shouting, "Jett! Get your beans out of the hall, now! If I step in them I swear I'm gonna pour 'em in your ears."

It isn't a minute later when he hears, perfectly clear from the paper-thin wall,

"Those aren't mine! Why do you keep accusing me of weird stuff like that, I've been in here innocently sleeping! I don't scheme in the middle of the night, that's what your pervert ass is for."

The single thing that motivates the Evans siblings more than money, more than new tech or boots--

A scream renders the night, shatters the tranquil stillness as Eury busts through Jett's door to immediately launch himself at him, smelly socks bundled into a weapon fit for a Knight.

Rumpled and sweaty palmed, Eury and Jett don't notice the ominous rumble until it's too late, until all the breath that could have been used to make startled gasps has already been torn from them.

There, silhouetted against the backdrop of blue from Amy's monitor's across the hall, Pearl stands, one hand cocked on her hip, the other wrapped around a baseball bat.

The boys freeze. No one dares to breathe.

"For about a second I hoped someone was trying to break in...steal our loot, the usual. But no, I should have known better-- not only was it the two of you--"

She flips on the light, stalks across the room and shoves a damp, suspiciously sweet smelling foot under their noses--

"Why the fuck did I step in beans?! I know I'm feeding you, that can't be it!! Are you experimenting? I almost wish you were doing drugs, with all the dumb crap you get up to..."

Jett unwinds his arms from where they'd been wrapped in a fear-hug around Eury's neck, lower lip jutted out.

"Hey, that's not right. I give just as much as I got to this family! I got us ham to go with the beans....I'm gonna start charging 3 dollars a pop for every time you guys hurt my feelings."

Another thing an Evans man knows is when to duck out. Probably something they learned from their piece of shit father. Either way, Eury begins to crawl oh so silently out of the bed, sliiiiink across the room--

the baseball bat clatters dangerously close to his face just inches from the door frame. Pearl's single eye blazes.

"Where do you think you're going, little bro? Jett over here has convinced me these beans can be worked into some kind of beauty experiment--"

"Not on you, sis, you're gorgeous! You knock 'em dead with one look! They drool--" Jett pipes in, since the bastard clearly doesn't understand what kind of danger he's in. The one year difference between them is as vast as any canyon.

"And we need to get the whole family involved," Peal continues. A deathly calm saturates the room.

Jett and Eury make for the door as one, screaming their heads off, Pearl at their heels.

Even as his heart races, as Jett cries and blames him all in the same breath, as Rei silently closes his bedroom door and Amy emerges from her lair to watch the show-- even as all this happens, Eury doesn't miss it at all. He hadn't missed this place at all.