A/N: Hello, everyone. You've probably noticed a lot of things getting updated today. It turns out when you try really hard to write one thing (coughcoughTHINKINGcough) you can write literally everything but. Like, for example, this rather depressing double drabble.
If you guys are ever looking for something to read, I'd reccommend Because Family Matters, by scribbler123. It's a Chase-centric series, and while a couple chapters are slightly uncomfortably unrealistic, or OOC, most of them are very interesting. It'll completely change the way you look at Spike, too, let me tell you.
Episode: None. A reflection fairly late in the show, but not anytime specific.
Rating: K+
Warnings: Angst
Inspiration: Watching the siblings' relationship change over the show. Once again, taking things supposed to be funny and unquestioned, and exploring them.
Be the reason someone smiles today! :)
It took Chase a long time to notice it, but when he did, it was like a punch to the stomach. He should have noticed earlier, because it was something involving him. Most importantly, to Chase, something involving his siblings.
Back when it was just them in the lab, living together, fighting for each other, they were so close. They didn't have much choice, but that didn't matter. They loved it.
After leaving, though, going to school, going on missions, when they should have been getting closer, they were inexplicably driven apart. The pranks became more destructive, the banter grew meaner, and the insults were actually meant to be insulting. They became jealous, distrustful, trying so hard to fit in that they deserted one another.
Maybe it was because they all wanted so badly to do well in the new world available to them. Thrown into a dog-eat-dog world, they did just that, snapping up even members of their own pack to make it to the top. What was worse, they didn't realize until it was much too late, and this new way of life was habit, easier not to question.
Even though it was slowly tearing them to pieces.