Hey Ferb! I know what were gonna do today!

The green haired boy mentally rolled his eyes at his brother slash best friend, everyday it was the same they would pore over a pile of blueprints that he had drawn the other day, and then after careful consideration (and a little help from some friends or a certain annoying sister)they would pick one and make it.

"And if we put the switch on this side and the change the panel there.." Phineas mused, curling a hand beneath his chin and nibbling slightly on his bottom lip in thought.

"Did you remember to compensate for the copper?" Ferb asked quietly, British accent clear even at such a low volume, grinning subtly he held up a hand and counted slowly raising a finger at a time.

"That's it Ferb, you're a genius!" Phineas cried shooting up from the ground in front of their huge oak tree, "the copper would unbalance the engine, un less we add aluminium!"

Ferb chuckled and shook his head, he would never tire of his brothers antics, the barmy summer days they spent together creating crazy devices and structures that amused their friends and incensed their sister.
He was so grateful that his father Francis Fletcher had married Linda Flynn, and he had gained a kindred spirit in her son Phineas.

Ever since he was a child he had very few friends, he was quiet by nature and had even been classified as a selective mute by a few psychologists that his desperate parents had brought him to when he wouldn't talk at school.

He had never felt safe enough to trust the children at school with friendship, wouldn't trust them with his fascination with building things and mechanics, besides he had always been told by his mother...
No, he was not going to think about that, he had buried those memories deeply within his brain, determined to forget the nastiness of his past, even if he couldn't quite escape them completely.

"Hey boys" Linda smiled gently as she entered the back garden, "did you have a good day?"

"Yeah mum, it was great" Phineas smiled "we played cricket, a sport from England!"

"Well, i'm glad you had fun, now who wants Pie?"

Both boys scrambled to their feet, scurrying into the house as fast as they could until Ferb was stopped in his tracks by a hand on his shoulder.
"Ferb" came a stern voice "what did you do to your trousers!" Linda cried as she tugged on a serious tear in the fabric, "if you were going to be playing in the garden and messing around, you know very well that you should change into old clothes! I am very disappointed in you, you know better!"

Ferb you stupid boy, you know better than to do that, I am very disappointed in you. I expect you to stay quietly in your room!

He froze and hung his head in shame, he had completely forgotten and had destroyed his trousers now and disappointed Linda, he would never be good enough no matter how hard he tried.
"Go to your room young man, no pie for you and i dont want to see you for the rest of the day" Linda scolded, pointing up the stairs that led to the boys bedrooms.

A couple of years ago the boys had decided that they needed some time apart and a sliding screen door had been installed across the middle of their room, once closed it could be locked and they essentially gained separate rooms.
Ferb trudged sadly up the carpeted stairs and slid the screen shut with a soft whoosh and a barely audible click announced the lock sliding home. He threw himself sadly onto his bed and curled up in a ball, shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs as he wrapped his arms around his knees and buried his head.