Something very mature, obviously.

"None of your business, that's what." Paul folded his arms.

Amelia blinked. She darted her eyes to their mom. "Moom!"

"Honey," sighed an exasperated Mrs. Goodhart, "be nice to your sister."

"She's not nice to me." As if to say 'she started it', Paul stretched an open hand her way.

"Because you're a dumb slob..."

"See?" Paul emphatically pushed his arm against the air.

His mom frowned, asking Amelia what she had said, which the girl replied with a coquettish 'nothing'. Paul groaned; a familiar morning argument ensued.

While they exchanged battling words, another thud hit the carpet. A somewhat taller, boyishly pretty, slim girl passed by Amelia and entered the kitchen. "Why couldn't I have had normal siblings," she lamented with a mutter.

"Morning, sweetie." The oldest of the present unit smiled at her as she pushed aside the salt and pepper on the counter. The war of attrition between Amelia and Paul continued in the background unfazed.

The young woman nodded to their mother before grabbing some chilled grapes and walking right on back, taking the same trajectory she'd walked in on.

"--yeah, well, I'm, like, RULER of the universe!"

"No you're not!"

"Am too!" Paul adjusted his non-existent collar. "An angel dude told me in my dream, just this morning! Watch!" With a flick of his finger, Amelia's PJs zoomed down her legs, baring her panties and toned stalks to the kitchen occupants. Amelia instantly looked down, then back up at Paul, blinking, eyes wide. Their mom was sort of doing the same, before butting in.

"...um, honey looks like your pants got a little loose there."

Pinking, Amelia hastily grabbed her PJ pants and pulled them back over her legs. "I know, I don't--I mean..." Trailing off, she made a show of tightening them up around her waist while Paul slapped his face.

"It was me, people! I just did that, obviously!"

"With what," Amelia, bewildered, looked at him as if he had lost his rocker, "invisible string? That..." Flushing, she continued, "...that was just coincidence! Stop trying to make the world revolve around you! Mom!"

Mom looked at Paul sternly. "Paul, you were standing right here. Stop shouting nonsense. And also stop shouting -- both of you."

Paul, with a roll of the eyes, flicked his finger again. This time, it was his mother's robe that loosened and fell from her shoulders, baring her naked breasts for him and Amelia to witness.

Gasping, Amelia reacted, of course, with a shout. "M-Mom, you're naked!" She looked away, embarrassed by proxy, only to look at Paul with an epipihany forming in her eyes. "You... you did... you... no," she suddenly shook herself out of it. "You're playing some trick on us, and when I find out, you're going to be in big trouble, bro!"

Amelia stomped away. Meanwhile, their mom was tieing her robe back into place hurriedly. Paul was about to speak, before she shot him the death glare.

"Young man," she echoed, "I don't know what you're up to, but it stops this instant. Now, I won't ground you, because I hate grounding you -- but if you don't quit this silly pranking habit of yours I will tell Ingram's paarents to stop letting him come over here. Not unless you behave."

"But--"

"No buts." She drew back her finger. "I'm very grateful you're letting me get a PS5. But I still have a parental obligation over you. Now go apologize to your sister while I make your pancakes."

Begrudgingly, Paul left the kitchen, eyes aimlessly roaming their spacious living room, littered with random accoutrements; picture frames, wreaths, a clock above the TV, a coat rack by the door. The same sight. The same big fat nothing. His eyes glided up the steps; up to where his room lay, as well as Amelia's, and their oldest, Maven's. And their parents' bedroom, off to the left, with a miscellaneous restroom smack dab at the end of the hall.

And he dug his indignant lip into his cheek.

"Why did I have to live with so many GIRLS?"