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It was already late in the evening when he sat on the bed, still wide awake while it was past his bed time. And even though the door to his room was shut close, he could hear them at the end of the corridor. Yelling,... barking at each other endlessly and debating about who's fault it was in the end.
It was the same as so often...
The young one hardly remembered when there was a day they didn't argued. Often about the smallest bits, wether he was around or not, it didn't matter. Sometimes it felt like it was worse when he was with them while it happened, because he was dragged in into all this mess. So he prefered to stay in his room or further away from them if possible.
Seth's glance went over to the door once more and he sighed, looking back at the plush in his hands, being greeted by a soft smile. Stroking over the soft fabric calmed him. It couldn't distract of course, he still heard every word, but at least he felt less lonely this way.
He just didn't know why they were like this? And couldn't understand why other parents seemed so happy and yet his were angry at one another all the time. Sure others would argue too. But did they argue as often as his? Had it been different before?
Only if they had visitors everything felt different. Then they'd pretend like nothing was wrong, even kissed another, hugged and laughed. And though he knew all of this was kind of false...he enjoyed moments like these. They were rare but made him feel better, like they were a normal family. Other than the usual commotion over the day.
Most of his time Seth spend with his father. His mother wasn't really up to play or just do anything, saying she was tired or busy whenever he asked. And even if he just tried to talk she would not listen for long and just tell him to do something else, let alone play with him. It would make her 'aggressive' as she claimed.
Before there too had been his grandfather, who had been around for as long as he could remember. Usually he was the one to watch him, play with him and just spend time, showing him things like how he played the piano and tell of old stories. Even cook and bake with him.
But that wasn't the case now...not anymore.
So of course he'd stick to his father, who was apparently more interested in him and actually willing to do things. Sometimes taking him along to the knights' training.
To the outside they looked like a regular family probably. When in the night they returned to what was happening right now...
Though it wasn't hard to say if this was worse or the nights when his father wasn't there.
As a knight who served loyally his father was out in the night more often than by day, so his mother would be at home with him alone to take care of him.
It was when he'd frequently hear the clinking of bottles til late into the night. Sometimes his mother would head over to his room to check if he was asleep. At the start he didn't really mind, even if it woke him up a couple times. It was becoming more strange however when she started to stand in the door and just wait for anything to happen. Minutes would pass before she'd shut the door again and leave him be. So much to a degree that whenever he heard her footsteps or make any noise, he'd wake up. Because it scared him.
Seth didn't liked being watched like this and neither that she sometimes would wake him up only to ramble about his father and how much of a horrible person he was.
More often than not she would be accompanied by a glass of wine, alongside the smell of it.
There was this certain gaze she always gave him...he couldn't describe it but she never had this gaze other than in moments like these. Paired with an indistinctable smirk on her lips, a twitch under her left eye...
The young blonde reached for a music box on a cabinet next to his bed and winded it up before returning to it's original place. While trying to concentrate on the soft melody Seth curled back up under the blanket and into the pillow, holding his plush close.
His parents were still very audible from outside, but he hoped to find some sleep and comfort with the melodies' help.