[Jaykobell]

It was already night out by the time he had started to walk back home. He had come to enjoy this peaceful walk under the stars: he could take his time, watch the animals in the park, feel the breeze go through his fur, listen to the sound of his feet walking on the cobblestone paths.

It was relaxing. It was a time for him to decompress. He could breathe slowly, take deep breaths, enjoy the crisp night air.

[Jaykobell]

He had to. He had to, because the moment he got home, it was possible for his entire night to turn completely sour in a heartbeat.

If he was lucky, his parents would be asleep, or busy doing something. It didn't matter whether it was his mom cleaning after dinner, or his parents watching television together, or the two of them arguing and spewing shit about divorcing.

It was all so much better than when they had nothing better to do than speak to Matteo.

[Jaykobell]

His heart dropped as he approached his home, crushed at the sight of the lights being on across the two top floors. The odds were not in his favor: his parents were awake, and knowing them, they would intercept him the second he walked through that front door.

Both of his parents worked, but so did Matteo. Yet, it was always a competition: they worked very hard, and they were very tired; but Matteo was young, so he couldn't possibly be tired compared to his parents.

[Jaykobell]

Some nights, it wasn't really anything big or time-consuming. It was something like washing the dishes, do laundry, take out the trash. They weren't very hard, but they could easily accumulate; and some nights, his parents whined and guilt-tripped him into doing all of them.

And if he denied them, it only made everything worse. There was truly no winning with his parents: they had done everything for him, and so he owed them with his very life, forever.

[Jaykobell]

With a heavy heart and an uncomfortable lump in his stomach, Matteo unlocked the front door and stepped inside.

Immediately, he could make out the sound of the television. Ah, perfect. He relaxed a little bit, and he hoped, with every fiber of his being, that his parents were too busy watching a show or a movie to bother checking up on him.

He said nothing to announce his presence. He didn't want to be noticed; and the door had been loud enough, anyway.

[Jaykobell]

He headed straight for the kitchen. He would nab something to eat, and then escape to his basement room. Once he shut himself down there, his parents usually didn't bother to speak to him or annoy him. They just let him do his thing.

He looked through the fridge. There wasn't really much in terms of food. Usually, his mom did the groceries once a week, and they ate and prepared dinner with whatever was on special that week.

[Jaykobell]

So sometimes, well, the food didn't really grab his appetite. He would sometimes go out of his way to stop at a cheap, unhealthy fast food joint before coming home. Hell, with the prices of meats and everything else, it was often more economical to do that than to bother cooking anything at home.

He looked at the leftovers. Some chicken breasts, completely unseasoned, most likely dry. Green peas. Some mashed potatoes. Some pre-made rice in a bag you shoved in the microwave.

[Jaykobell]

None of it looked appetizing, not really. The alternative was to eat something absolutely not considered to be dinner, such as ice cream, a chocolate bar, cookies. Much more delectable, if he had to be honest, but not really nutritious. He wasn't a health nut, but he tried to establish a semblance of structure in his life.

Ah, well. He pulled out the chicken, the peas, and the rice from the fridge. He would have to settle for this.

[Jaykobell]

He pulled out a bowl and distributed some fair portions into it between the three ingredients. A bowl might look strange, considering, but it was just a lot more convenient to carry to and from the basement. Little risk of spilling, this way.

He shoved the food in the microwave. It would now be even drier, and it would become rock-solid in a matter of minutes. But, eh, it was quick and easy. He didn't want to risk heating up the oven.

[Jaykobell]

He put the food away and back into the fridge as the microwaved hummed away. He looked in the door of the fridge and pulled out a large bottle filled with water. He loved his water freezing cold, and since he hung out in his basement, he made sure to have a literal jug. Kept him from doing trips all the time just to refill a glass.

Finally, he heard the beep of the microwave. Just a few moments more, and he could escape to the basement.

[Crystal Synthesis Complete]