Boredom is an old friend of mine. A near-constant companion. it's one of the things that helped Harry diagnose me with psychopathy. It seemed wherever I looked, I could find it. If I went too long without focusing on my interests, it became hard to find my way back to anything. I felt the buzzing in my head and I'd get irritable. if I got too bored or stressed, hunting was all that could alleviate it.

Boredom was hell.

Debra Morgan was rarely boring.

Harry Morgan had all kinds of ways to help alleviate my boredom. Focusing on my mask and my training was helpful. Taking time out to watch slasher flicks, violent media or intellectually stimulating mysteries or documentaries or programs on serial killers helped. Occasionally, viewing certain kinds of pornography (or any with the right mindset) could help (I learned that trick on my own)

Deb shared some of my interests, sure. But she also cared about volleyball and the bizarre world of interpersonal politics. Things I had no real interest in. Yet somehow she'd regularly make them fascinating. Not all the time of course. Many times I'd feel my attention drift, but often enough I'd be drawn in. Just because it was something she was passionate about.

I didn't really know why, but Deb was an interesting person to me.

"Dex, I'm bored." Deb said. It was summer. Her friend Sofia was occupied with...something. I don't remember I wasn't paying attention. She was wearing shorts and a tank top. Tiny clothing to avoid suffocating in the heat.

The TV was on to some godawful daytime TV show. All talk shows were about either picking on freaks or patronizing to freaks and it felt cruel to me.

"...I'm kinda bored too." I said. I was reading some crime book. it was half decent, but I wasn't really in the mood for reading.

"We should do something." Deb said. Uh oh. She was expecting something from me. She was looking at me with eyes that seemed to indicate my input was important.

"...Like what?" I asked.

"I dunno. What do you want to do. I'm chill with anything as long as it's more fun then fucking this." Deb said.

"...I don't care either. Don't you have any ideas?" I asked. Deb was a ceaseless motor. she could drag just about anyone to do anything and they'd probably have a fun time. or hate her. but they'd never be bored.

"I want to do what you want to do. You always make me pick." Deb said.

I frowned. I felt like this was a criticism, and I didn't take that well. I tried to be a good brother, alas, I wasn't built for it. I was interested In weird, creepy things that were not appropriate or wise to show my sister. The code was explicit In not involving my sister in any Dark Passenger or Dark Passenger adjacent activities.

"You're the younger sister. Aren't I supposed to let you pick?"

"Well...yeah I guess, but not all the time." Deb said.

"I pick movies to watch sometimes."

"That doesn't count! Plus I almost always decide when it's movie night.' Deb said. The few times she hadn't it was recommended to me by Harry, but she didn't need to know that.

"Ok. So I can pick anything I want?" I asked.

"Yes! Anything please. I want to have fun doing something you like to do Dex." Deb said.

"Would uh...video games work." I asked. She gave me a look

"Video games? Really? You are such a geek." she said affectionately.

"Would it?"

"Yes, dork. Video games count. But I better be able to play to or I'm kicking your ass in real life." Deb said.

Despite the fact I was at once older, physically stronger, and better trained than Deb, I didn't doubt she could.

"What game is it anyway?"

"Only the best fighting game ever. Street Fighter 2." I said. I was only wrong on the technicality, Mortal Kombat had yet to be released. Ah. Good times.

"Eh OK. sounds cool I guess." Deb said.

She was a quicker learner than I expected. I chose Ken, she choose Chun Li. I beat her in the first few matches, but she won a couple of rounds in the next few and came terrifyingly close to beating me the next two.

"Fuck! Dex, you are supposed to let your younger sister win. At least a couple times shit."

"I feel that would be setting a bad example. I want you to earn your victories."

"Right. Or your too much of a competitive dickhead to ever want to lose." Deb said a twinkle in her eyes. Teasing

"Well, I would be the laughing stock in my admittedly limited social circle if it got out I lost to my kid sister at Street Fighter. "

"Hey! I'm not a kid." Deb said defiantly.

"You do realize that just makes you sound more like a kid right?"

Deb punched me in the shoulder. As usual, it was playful. And as usual, it hurt just a bit more than you'd expect from a skinny teenage girl not seriously trying to hurt her older brother.

"Ow."

"Now, whose the baby. Cmon, dork, another round."

"You like this?" I asked.

"Sure. What's not to like? I get to play as a super badass chick who can kick the shit out of people." Deb said.

"It is pretty fun." I said. I admired that spark in her. Deb was interesting.

"Plus, it's kinda cool she's a cop." Deb said.

"Yeah. It kinda is." I said.

"Now cmon! Another match."

"Ok fine. I'm gonna need some lunch soon, though. It's nearly 2. I'm starving."

"After that insane breakfast you ate? Ok fine. Make it Chinese. As much as I love it we've had Pizza like practically all week. " Deb sid.

"It's a deal."

For the rest of the day, I forgot to be bored.