I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do
"What's wrong, Theo?" Blaise stared hard at the pale boy, who was sitting hunched up on the sofa opposite to him, a book in hand. He didn't seem to be reading though; he was just staring at the pages blankly. Blaise hadn't heard the paper rustle as Theo turned the page for hours.
Theo didn't look up. He sighed and placed his book down. "I've just been thinking."
Blaise moved to sit next to Theo. "About what?" he asked.
"My parents," said a reluctant Theo, voice lacking emotion. He fiddled with a page of his book, folding the corner down and smoothing it back out again repeatedly.
Blaise didn't say anything. He knew Theo didn't like talking about his parents, and he respected that… But he never knew what to say when he did mention them. It was always so… awkward. He had never had any problems when he was growing up, yet it seemed Theo had so many. So he said nothing, but placed a hand atop Theo's instead, feeling that if he could not offer words, he might offer comfort in actions.
Entwining their hands together, Theo looked up and smiled. He had been feeling so very strange these past few days: he'd been suddenly plagued with guilty thoughts and memories about his mother, and, even more strangely, his father. He didn't know what to make of them all. He didn't think of his parents very often, choosing not to as it never led to anything good, and then all of a sudden they would pop into his head randomly; voicing their snide opinions where they weren't wanted, interfering with Theo's life. And the dreams… nightmares, even. There were a lot of things about his childhood he hadn't told Blaise – that he hadn't told anyone. And these were all reflected in his dreams, which were definitely bewildering and often upsetting, although he tried not to show it.
"I'm sure they did the best job possible, you know," piped up Blaise suddenly. That had always been his view on the matter. People could only do what they could do, and no more, even if everyone else thought differently. It was a fair and honest statement, in his opinion. He smiled at the boy next to him, who didn't smile back. Instead, Theo laughed humourlessly.
"Yeah. Right." Theo opened his mouth as if to say something, argue back, but changed his mind, instead shaking his head. "You wouldn't understand."
Blaise looked mildly offended. "Why not?"
"Because your childhood was perfect," answered Theo without hesitation. "You never had any real problems. Your mother doted on you, and she still does. You never went days without food. You never witnessed your mother get-" Theo stopped suddenly, and untangled his fingers from Blaise's, moving away from the dark boy. "Look, I don't really want to talk about it anymore, okay?"
Blaise shrugged, feeling as if Theo was overreacting, but not wanting to voice his opinions. He had noticed Theo's avoidance of something or other, but didn't want to press the issue. "Whatever."
Sighing, Theo picked up his book again.
Blaise would never understand.