Author's Note: I've always wondered what kind of person Mac and Terrence's father had been. Plus their family life might have been a lot brighter pre-pilot (less financial/personal burden to Mac's mom). Being an older sibling, I can relate to Terrence a little (although he's a pretty mean brother!). Even so, there aren't as many Terrence fics here, so why not focus the first chapter on him? Plus I love angst (I know, I'm such a horrible person).
I don't plan to continue this as of now, and I'm still wondering whether or not to finish Trapped due to several reasons. But hey, here's a whole page just for you while I'm at it! Win-win for everyone.
And sadly, I don't own Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.
Baby
"Mine!"
"Wait a minute! That's mine!"
"Mine!" the little baby cried.
"No, it's not! Give it baaaaaaack!" The grown man whined. His wife rolled her eyes at the two pouting children in front of her (one of them had a valid excuse: Terrence was barely a year old).
"Honey, please stop. I want Terrence to see you as a model of good behavior," she finally said.
Her husband gaped in horror. "But he's trying ter steal my most treasured family heirloom! I've had it fer over 20 years!"
"Uh huh. Since when did your teddy bear become a treasured family heirloom?"
"His name," he pronounced, highly offended, "is Mr. Fluffy."
Terrence looked up with those big, sad doe eyes, and his father's eyes widened.
"Oh no. Nuh-uh! You sir, cannat take Mr. Fluffy!" His father protested, narrowing his eyes in accusation. "Yer still a baby! And don't hide it - we all know what babies do ter big fluffy toys!"
For a minute, there was nothing but silence. Then Terrence cocked his head, and to the shock of both parents learned a new word.
"Baby!" Terrence gurgled happily, pointing at his father.
"That's right," his mother agreed, stifling a laugh. "Your father's a big baby."
"Hey! Oh, all right," he grumbled. "Take it. But be caref-wait! Don't chew on it-aw nooooooooo! Mr. Fluffy!"
"Baby. Baby!" Terrence giggled again.
His father sighed. But meeting his wife's amused eyes, he eventually cracked a smile. "You're right. Ah am a big baby."
Upside Down
Terrence was confused. He blankly stared at the happily babbling baby crawling on the living room carpet. His mother's hugs and soothing words, once reserved for him, were now showered upon his younger sibling. Suddenly, it was all "Mac this" and "Mac that," and there was no time for Terrance.
"Shhh. Mac's trying to sleep, Terrance. Let's watch your movie later."
"Terrance, just give your brother the puzzle pieces. You can play with them later."
"Terrence, I'm busy with Mac right now. Tell me about school later, okay?"
No, it was not okay. Filled with hurt, Terrence took one last glimpse at his mother fussing over Mac, who was now sucking his thumb. Mac had suddenly flipped his entire world upside down.
Secret
One day, his father saw him huddled in the bedroom corner crying.
"Terry, wha's the matter?" His dad said in that funny, warm-hearted accent of his that never failed to make him laugh.
Instead, Terrence sniffled sadly. "Mom doesn't love me. She loves Mac more."
"Of course yer mom loves yeh! She just wants to make sure Mac becomes a good kid like his older brother." He winked good-naturedly, then whispered conspiratorially. "Yah want to know a secret, Terry?"
"A secret?"
"A really special secret. Just between you an' daddy. 'think you can handle it?" Terrence nodded eagerly. His father suddenly scooped him up in a bear hug and growled playfully.
"Terry, you'll always be mah favorite. If yah ever think mom's siding with Mac, you come tell me, 'kay? I'll always be there."
"Promise?"
"Ah swear it upon mah honor."
Terrence happily ran off in high spirits. His father stood there, smiling. Then a few seconds later a woman's voice hollered from the kitchen-
"Wait a minute, I so do NOT play favorites!"
Too Late
It was quick. Well, at least that's what the strange policewoman had told them. Terrence had angrily shut himself in his room, angry at the stupid rain and stupid drunk driver and stupid world. Flashbacks of his father raced through his head: playing baseball, eating homemade French Fries at the burger store around the corner, helping ride his first bicycle: All gone because of a stupid car crash.
His mother didn't cry, but sat at the kitchen counter with blank eyes. Three-year-old Mac had cried at first, scared about their mom's sudden spiral into indifference, begging her to wake up, asking Terrance when daddy was coming back and why mommy was acting so sad. But he was filled with his own hurt, and it hurt so much that Terrance finally spat out to those annoying brown eyes, "Sod off! Dad's gone, okay? HE'S NEVER COMING BACK, NEVER! Don't you get it, doofus?" and left, slamming his bedroom door, letting out his own tears and choked sobs.
"He promised..."
Terrence had never gotten along well with his brother after that.
Replacement
One month. That's how long his mother maintained the mask of indifference, Terrence raged at everything, and Mac retreated from chatterbox to quiet shell. It was the same routine every single day: go to school with Mac, return home, eat dinner in stony silence, then sleep. Then the cycle started over again like some sacred ritual, a broken tape recorder. Sometimes, his mom would have the strength to tuck her sons into bed, hover around their bedsides awkward and uncertain about what to say, and then leave the room hurriedly.
One laugh changed all of that. Wide-eyed, Terrance had leaped out of bed and hurried down the stairs, almost bumping into his astonished mother along the way. In the kitchen stood Mac - his brother who barely said anything - laughing as if dad had cracked a corny joke, only this time it was Bloo telling one. Energetic, funny Bloo slowly drew his mother out of her brooding state, and within the week, she returned to her senses, trying to regain what she had lost with her children. But Bloo's creation only watered Terrence's resentfulness toward Mac, and his hatred and jealousy thrived.
For Bloo did not replace his father, but replaced Terrence as the older brother Mac never had.