Wet hair, clean bodies, and a bedroom that no longer looks like a hurricane hit it, we've somehow created order from chaos in record time. My bed's made, the safe is locked, and the evidence of our afternoon activities has been thoroughly cleaned away. Not bad for three people who were rolling around like animals less than an hour ago.

"Do we really have to put on clothes?" Rose whines, tugging at the hem of her black t-shirt like it's personally offending her. "It's so restrictive."

I catch her hand as it starts to inch the shirt upward. "Yes, clothes stay on."

"But Seth," she pouts, her green eyes widening in that puppy-dog look she's perfected, "Didn’t you like me better bottomless?" Her hand breaks free and slides up my chest, fingers leaving a trail of heat through my t-shirt.

I press my index finger firmly into her sternum, stopping her advance. "We act like civilized people around Christopher, okay?" My voice comes out surprisingly firm, not at all the pushover tone I usually default to with them.

Rose freezes for a split second, her eyes widening at my unexpected assertion. Then something shifts in her expression, a flash of heat that makes my stomach flip. She steps closer, deliberately pushing against my finger until we're chest to chest.

"Oh, you're cute when you're acting tough," she purrs. Her breath is warm against my face as she leans in, close enough that I can count each of her eyelashes.

"I'm not acting," I reply, though my voice betrays me by cracking slightly.

Lilly clears her throat from where she's perched on the edge of my freshly made bed, her legs crossed primly at the ankle. "As entertaining as this power struggle is," she says, checking her watch, "Christopher will be home soon.”

"And Evelyn will be with him," I add, stepping back from Rose with reluctance. The mention of Evelyn's name is like a bucket of cold water on whatever was building between us.

Rose groans dramatically, flopping backward onto my bed and narrowly missing Lilly, who shifts just in time to avoid being landed on. "God, I hate that woman. The way she looks at you makes me want to stab something."

"Hey, come on," I say, running a hand through my still-damp hair. "You only just met her this morning! And she's been taking care of Chris since he was little. We need her."

Rose sits up, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Need her? For what? We could take care of Chris."

"Taking care of a kid isn’t that simple," I sigh, feeling the beginnings of a headache forming behind my eyes. "She's a part of our lives, whether you like it or not. Can you please just try to get along with her?"

Lilly stands up, smoothing down her jeans with precise movements. "I don't think she wants to get along with us, Seth," she says, her voice cool and analytical.

I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Look, I get it. Things are awkward. But at the very least, can we agree to no scenes around Chris? He's just a kid. He doesn't need to be caught in the middle of... whatever this is."

Rose and Lilly exchange one of their silent twin communications.

"Alright," Rose finally says. "No scenes around the kid. But if she starts something when he's not around..." She lets the threat hang in the air, unfinished but crystal clear.

The sound of a car door closing outside makes us all freeze. I hurry to the window, pulling back the curtain just enough to peek out. Evelyn's sedan is parked in the driveway, and I can see Chris next to it, his backpack almost as big as he is.

"They're here," I announce, letting the curtain fall back into place. "Remember what we agreed on. Best behavior."

Rose rolls her eyes but nods, pushing herself off the bed with exaggerated reluctance. Lilly is already heading for the door, her posture perfect as always. I follow them downstairs, my heart racing with a mixture of excitement and dread.

We're barely at the bottom of the stairs when the front door swings open. My breath catches in my throat as Evelyn enters first, her expression unusually somber. Something's wrong. Chris trails behind her, his small shoulders hunched forward, his normally bright eyes rimmed with red. One look at his face and I know he's been crying.

"Chris?" I move toward him automatically, alarm bells ringing in my head.

He looks up at me, his bottom lip trembling. "I'm so sorry," he whispers, his voice cracking on my name.

My heart shatters into a thousand pieces. I drop to one knee in front of him, bringing myself to his eye level. Behind me, I can sense the twins hovering, but all my focus is on my little brother's devastated face.

"What happened, buddy? What's wrong?" I ask gently, reaching out to rest my hands on his shoulders.

He sniffles, tears welling up again. "I failed my math quiz again," he admits, each word heavy with shame. "I only got three problems right out of ten."

I pull him into a tight hug. "Hey, it's alright”.

"Please don't be mad at me," he pleads.

Something about his desperate tone makes me wonder if the other Seth was too strict with him about grades. The thought makes my chest tighten uncomfortably.

"Hey, it's okay," I assure him, pulling back just enough to look into his eyes. "It's not the end of the world, okay? It's just one quiz."

Chris wipes at his tears with the sleeve of his hoodie, leaving damp streaks across his cheeks. "But I tried so hard to learn it," he says, his voice small and defeated. "I really did.”

"I know you did," I say, brushing his hair back from his forehead. "And we'll figure something out, okay? I promise."

"You're not disappointed?" he asks, searching my face with those big brown eyes that have always been able to wrap me around his little finger.

"Never," I tell him firmly. "I'm proud of you for trying. That's what matters most."

Evelyn steps forward, ruffling Chris's hair with a gentle hand. "See? I told you Seth wouldn't be mad. Your brother loves you no matter what."

Chris looks up at me, his eyes still wet with tears. "But last time you said one more bad math score and I'd be in big trouble." His voice is small, uncertain.

I mentally curse my other self. What kind of brother threatens a nine-year-old over math scores?

"I'm sorry I made you nervous, Chris," I tell him, my voice thick with genuine regret as I stand up. "That was wrong of me. Everyone struggles with different things, and putting that kind of pressure on you wasn't fair."

The relief in his eyes is immediate, his small shoulders relaxing as the tension drains away. He gives me a wobbly smile/

Lilly steps forward, crouching down to Chris's level. Her usual analytical expression softens as she looks at my little brother.

"You know," she says, her voice gentler than I've ever heard it, "my little sister was a lot like you once. She used to get so upset about math that she'd hide her tests under her bed."

Chris's eyes widen with interest. "You have a little sister?"

"Well, technically…" Lilly begins.

"I didn't come out second on purpose," Rose cuts in from behind me, her voice sharp with annoyance. "The doctor just grabbed her first."

Lilly glances at his backpack and then back at his tear-stained face. "How about tomorrow afternoon, once you've had some rest, I'll help you go through that quiz? We can figure out exactly where things got confusing."

Chris's face lights up like someone flipped a switch inside him. "Really? You'd do that?"

"Of course," Lilly says with such natural warmth that I barely recognize her as the same girl who was suggesting breaking Evelyn's bones a few hours ago.

I catch Evelyn's expression from the corner of my eye. Her jaw is clenched tight, lips pressed into a thin line like she's physically stopping herself from speaking. The look in her eyes as she watches Lilly with Chris makes me uneasy, but I push the feeling aside.

Chris is practically bouncing now, all traces of his earlier despair gone. "Can we do it right after breakfast? I want to learn division super fast!"

"Absolutely," Lilly agrees, her eyes crinkling at the corners when she smiles at him.

I can't help grinning at the transformation. It's like watching a wilted plant perk up after water, Chris standing straighter, eyes bright with renewed hope. The kid who walked in devastated is already planning his math comeback.

"Hey buddy, why don't you go watch TV?" I suggest giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You've had a rough day."

Evelyn clears her throat. "I'll join you, Chris. Make sure you're watching something age-appropriate." Her voice is professional again, all traces of earlier tension carefully masked.

As they head into the living room, I hear the TV click on, cartoon voices immediately filling the silence. The sound creates a buffer between us and them, a thin wall of privacy.

"That was really sweet of you," I tell Lilly once they're out of earshot. "The way you handled that."

Lilly smiles at my compliment, her eyes warming slightly. "Someone needs to help him. Math anxiety can be crippling if not addressed early."

Rose suddenly steps between us, her eyes narrowing as she looks from me to her sister. "Why does today feel like Lilly's day?" she demands, a hint of jealousy creeping into her voice.

Before I can respond, she grabs me by the collar of my shirt, pulling me close enough that I can feel her breath on my face. Her green eyes flash with that dangerous spark that sends heat racing through my veins.

"Tomorrow, you better make me feel special too," she whispers, her lips curving into that predatory smile I've come to both fear and crave. Her fingers tighten in the fabric, making it clear this isn't a request.

My face flushes hot as I nod, swallowing hard. "Of course, Rose," I manage to say, my voice embarrassingly breathless.

She holds my gaze for a moment longer, seemingly satisfied with my response, then releases my collar with a little pat to smooth it back into place.

"Good.”