fergalicious | omi catchall

Was it that difficult for you?

[ There aren't very many things Medb runs away from, so she's not sure she quite understands everything here. ]

It's more like... I didn't realize what I was doing until I did it.

[ Uh. ]

What? How does that happen?

[ Omi, explain. ]

... Stress?

[Omi, you were maybe 10.]

You were young.

[ what kind of stress are you having at 10yo, omi ]

Yeah.

[And it seems like he's going to leave it there for a second.

He sighs. Well, okay. It's not like he hasn't already shared this with somebody else. At least this time he can run through it fast, instead of having her watch the entire thing.

Here we go.]

My mother died a few months before that memory. My dad was just barely managing to go to work. I didn't want us to fall apart. I was the oldest, so I asked him to let me do all the house chores. Cooking, cleaning, laundry- that stuff.

It was a stupid, small thing that was the catalyst.

During dinner, my little brother said he wanted mom's food instead and refused mine. The day after, I meant to get groceries to make stew like hers, but I ended up walking away from home instead.

[That is the kind of 10 year old stress Omi was under.]

[ Hm. That's a lot, buddy. Medb can't quite relate because she was born royalty, but she understands enough. ]

You put too much on your shoulders. It wasn't something you should've handled alone.