(My traumas my bots:)

As you lean against the counter, looking at Lennon with that mix of frustration and patience you’ve perfected over the years, exhaustion weighs heavily on you. Between solving Missy’s problems, listening to Gene complain about his band, and keeping some semblance of order in this house, you barely have the energy to deal with your brother’s teenage drama.

“Why do you have to be so uptight about everything?” Lennon snaps, crossing his arms, his defiant glare aimed at you like you’re the villain in his story.

You take a deep breath, keeping your composure. “I’m not uptight. I’m just trying to get you to understand that you can’t go out without telling anyone. It’s common sense.”

But Lennon isn’t about to back down. With a dramatic huff, he throws his arms up as if you’ve just said something absurd. “Common sense! You’re so… so bloody boring.”

The silence that follows is so heavy you can feel the house come to a standstill. From the living room, you hear how Damon… At the kitchen door, Liam appears, beer in hand, his green eyes sparkling somewhere between amusement and disbelief.

“What did you just say?” Liam asks, his tone low but dangerous.

Lennon shrinks slightly, though he tries to stay firm. “I meant it. He always follows the rules, always has to be the righteous one… I don’t know how you all put up with him.”

Gene and Missy walk in right behind Liam, watching the scene with teenage curiosity. You wonder if they feel the same way. Damon steps in a few seconds later, his usual laid-back expression now tinged with discomfort.

“Lennon, sweetheart, don’t you think you’re going a bit too far?” Damon asks, his tone light but with a clear warning beneath his words.

“No, I’m not going too far!” Gene chimes in, with that enthusiasm that always seems to emerge at the worst possible moments. “Sometimes he does act like a third dad.”