Chapter Text
Everyone was finally asleep. The living room had gone quiet except for the soft, steady rhythm of breathing and the occasional creak of an air mattress when someone shifted.
Felix's mom had left one of the battery lanterns on the coffee table turned down to its lowest setting not quite off, but dim enough to cast a gentle glow across the hardwood and the brick fireplace.
She knew Felix was almost eighteen and tried hard to treat him like it, but she also knew he had hated the dark since he was a little kid. That fear never quite left him, no matter how much he pretended it had. To her, he would probably always be her baby in some way.
Felix stirred awake in a cold sweat, heart hammering against his ribs like he had just run a mile. The dream had been weird and hazy something about the long driveway outside twisting into an endless road, shadows moving between the trees that didn't look like branches anymore.
It spooked him enough to jolt him upright, gasping quietly. He blinked hard a few times, letting his eyes adjust to the dim lantern light. The outlines of everyone else were still there:
Mom and Dad curled together on their mattress near the fireplace, Rachel and Olivia tangled in blankets on theirs, and Channie right beside him. Seeing them all safe and sleeping helped his pulse slow down. It was just a dream. Nothing more.
He looked up at the ceiling for a long moment, catching his breath, the cool night air making his damp skin prickle. Then he turned his head to the side and checked on Channie.
His cousin was sprawled out on his back, one arm flung above his head, drooling a small wet spot onto the pillow. The sight was so normal it almost made Felix smile despite the lingering unease from the dream.
Channie looked completely at peace, like the move, the new house, and the pizza guy's weird comment hadn't bothered him at all. Great. Now Felix had to pee.
He thought it with a quiet groan, rubbing his face with both hands. He checked his phone, the screen lighting up his face in the darkness. 3:07 a.m. Perfect. Middle of the night in a brand-new house he hadn't even fully explored yet.
He didn't remember seeing a bathroom downstairs earlier, but a place this massive had to have one. It just had to.
Felix sat up slowly, careful not to wake Channie, and crossed his arms over his chest. The early morning air had crept in, chilling the room enough to raise goosebumps on his arms.
He shivered once, then stood up as quietly as he could, the air mattress making a soft plastic sigh beneath him. He tiptoed across the living room in his socks, stepping over the edge of Rachel's blanket that had slipped onto the floor.
The lantern's dim glow barely reached the edges of the room, leaving the rest in soft shadow.
He moved into the foyer, the hardwood cold under his feet.
The house felt different at night bigger, quieter, the high ceilings swallowing sound. He started checking doors one by one, trying to remember the quick walkthrough from earlier.
The first door opened into what looked like an at-home office: a big desk, empty bookshelves, and a window that faced the side yard. Nothing. He closed it gently.
The next was a guest room, still empty except for a couple of stacked boxes from the van. He peeked inside anyway, just to be sure, then moved on.
The third door surprised him. He turned the knob and found himself staring into what had to be an in-home movie theater. Rows of seats faced a large blank wall where a screen would eventually go, the room still smelling faintly of fresh paint and old carpet.
Felix stood there for a second, imagining what it would look like once they set it up... popcorn, movies with the family on weekends. But right now it was just another dark, empty space. He pulled the door shut and kept going.
At the end of the short hallway off the foyer, he spotted another door. This one had a beautiful rose-gold handle with engraved lions on it, the metal cool and smooth under his fingers. It looked fancier than the others, like it belonged to something important.
Hope flickered in his chest. Maybe this was it. He turned the handle slowly and peeked inside, leaning forward.
Instead of a bathroom, he was met with a pitch-black opening. Stairs loomed downward, disappearing into complete darkness.
The air that wafted up was cooler and heavier, carrying a faint smell of concrete and old stone. A basement. The pit in his stomach dropped instantly, cold and heavy. Felix's breath caught.
He could practically feel the darkness reaching out, thick and waiting. No way. Not tonight. Not ever if he could help it.
"Fuck no," he whispered to himself, voice barely audible. "Not today, Satan."
He closed the door quickly but quietly, the latch clicking shut like a period at the end of a sentence he never wanted to read. His heart was beating faster again. He stood there for a few seconds, arms wrapped tighter around himself, listening to the house settle around him.
A soft creak came from somewhere upstairs, probably just the wood adjusting to the temperature drop. Still, it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
He turned away from the basement door and kept searching, moving toward the edge of the kitchen. The oak cabinets loomed in the dim light from the lantern behind him. Finally, tucked almost out of sight near the pantry, he found it a narrow door that opened into a small half-bath.
Relief washed over him so hard his shoulders sagged. He stepped inside, flicked on the light switch, and closed the door behind him. The bulb overhead buzzed softly to life, bright enough to make him squint after all the darkness.
Felix stood at the sink for a moment, staring at his reflection in the small mirror. His hair was messy from sleep, eyes a little wide. He looked tired. The move, the long drive, the new everything it was all catching up.
He shook his head, turned to the toilet, and finally let go. It felt like he was peeing forever, the stream loud in the quiet bathroom, echoing off the tile. He zoned out a little while it happened, mind drifting back to the dream, the basement stairs, the pizza guy's words. A lot of people have moved into this house. They never stay long.
He flushed, washed his hands with cold water that made him shiver again, and dried them on the small towel hanging by the sink. The rose-gold lions on the other door flashed in his memory.
Why did that basement door have such a fancy handle anyway? It felt weird. Out of place. Like the house was trying to hide something behind pretty metal.
Felix turned off the light and stepped back into the kitchen area, the sudden darkness making him pause. The lantern in the living room was still glowing faintly in the distance, a small beacon.
He took a slow breath and started walking back, tiptoeing again so he wouldn't wake anyone. The foyer felt longer on the return trip.
Every small sound the soft pad of his socks, the faint hum of the refrigerator kicking on seemed amplified.
As he passed the movie theater door again, he hesitated. What if the dream wasn't just random? What if the house really did have something off about it? Channie would laugh if he said that out loud. Rachel would turn it into a game. Olivia would probably want to explore the basement in daylight just to prove she wasn't scared.
Mom would tell him it was normal to feel unsettled after a big move. Dad would say to man up but then check on him later anyway.
Felix shook the thoughts away and kept moving. He reached the living room and carefully stepped over the blankets again, lowering himself back onto the queen air mattress beside Channie.
The plastic shifted under him, but Channie didn't stir, still drooling peacefully. Felix pulled the sleeping bag up to his chin and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling once more. The dim lantern light made the shadows softer, but they were still there, stretching across the brick fireplace and the high walls.
He checked his phone again. 3:18 a.m. Only eleven minutes had passed, but it felt longer. The house was quiet now, the kind of quiet that pressed in on your ears.
No traffic noise like back in California, no distant waves, just the occasional creak of old wood and the wind brushing against the windows outside.
Felix closed his eyes, trying to will himself back to sleep. The dream flickered behind his eyelids for a second the twisting driveway, the moving shadows but he pushed it down. Tomorrow the truck would come.
Tomorrow they would fill the rooms with their stuff, their noise, their life. The movie theater would get a screen, the office would get Dad's desk, the guest room would have visitors someday.
This place would become home. Still, as sleep started to pull at him again, Felix kept the lantern's glow in his peripheral vision. Tonight, in this massive new house with its fancy basement door and its long, quiet hallways, the dark felt a little too close.
Channie mumbled something incoherent in his sleep and rolled closer, one arm flopping across the mattress. Felix let out a small, tired breath and relaxed a fraction.
At least he wasn't alone. The family was all here, scattered across the living room floor like always on moving nights. That had to count for something.
The house creaked again, softer this time, almost like it was settling in with them. Felix listened for a while longer, then finally let his eyes stay closed. Sleep came back slowly, dragging him under.
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The next morning Felix was woken up by the rich, warm smell of pancakes, bacon, and eggs drifting through the living room.
That smell always hit different it wrapped around him like a familiar hug and made him feel like the day could actually start right, no matter how weird the night had been.
He sat up slowly on the queen air mattress, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Everyone else was already out of bed. Blankets were folded messily, pillows stacked to the side, and the dim lantern from last night had been turned off.
Channie appeared in the living room entry arch, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed and a half-grin on his face. "Auntie told me to come wake you up, but I guess you beat me to it, lazy ass."
Felix yawned wide, stretching his arms overhead. "What time is it?" Channie checked his phone. "It's 8 a.m. The movers will be here in the next hour, so come eat before it gets cold and eat so you have the strength to haul your shit up and down those stairs all day."
Felix pushed himself up off the air mattress, the plastic groaning under him one last time. He did the most outrageous stretch arms reaching high, back arching, then a full-body shake before cracking his knuckles and rolling his shoulders until his back popped loudly.
"God, I cannot wait to get my actual bed in my room. The air mattress did the job, but I've got that full sized bed with the memory foam. That shit feels like heaven. You sink right in and it just melts around you."
He waddled toward the kitchen, still half-asleep, and threw on the hoodie he'd left draped over the back of a chair the night before, pulling the hood up over his messy hair.
The early morning chill had settled into the house overnight, making the hardwood feel extra cold under his socks.
"Hey, can we like crank the heat? It's freezing in here," Felix called out as he entered the kitchen.
Olivia and Rachel were already at the table, wrapped in their fancy robes one pink with little bow prints, the other bold leopard print.
They looked like they had stepped out of a California morning even in Vermont. Both nodded quickly in agreement.
"Yeah, this house is like an ice box," Olivia said, pulling her pink robe tighter around herself. "My toes are numb."
Rachel adjusted the collar of her leopard-print robe. "Seriously. I thought Vermont was supposed to be cozy, not this cold on the first real morning."
Their mom stood at the stove, flipping the last of the pancakes with a spatula, the sizzle of bacon still popping in the background. She glanced over her shoulder with a small smile. "You guys are just used to Cali weather. But it is getting a little colder here. I mean, it is fall, so what do you expect?"
She walked over to the thermostat mounted by the back door, reached up, and tapped the button until it clicked up to 80. "You guys should be toasty in no time. But don't touch my thermostat, got it? I don't need it cranked to sauna levels every five minutes."
They all nodded in unison, a quick family chorus of "Got it" and "Okay, Mom."
Channie was already settled at the breakfast nook, phone propped up against a glass of orange juice while he watched a replay of a surfing competition back in Cali.
The waves looked huge on the small screen, the commentator's voice low in the background. He would have attended that event if they had stayed he had been training for it but instead he had chosen to move with the only real family he had left. The choice still sat heavy sometimes, even if he rarely said it out loud.
Felix slid into the seat across from him, grabbing a plate Mom had set out. The stack of pancakes was golden and fluffy, bacon crispy at the edges, and the scrambled eggs fluffy with just the right amount of cheese melted in. He loaded his plate high, the smell making his stomach growl loud enough for Channie to snort.
"Save some for the rest of us, bro," Channie said without looking up from his phone, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You eat like you haven't seen food in days."
"Shut up. I earned this after sleeping on that stupid air mattress," Felix replied, drizzling syrup over the pancakes until it pooled at the edges. He took a big bite, the warm sweetness hitting first, then the salty crunch of bacon.
"These are actually really good, Mom. You didn't burn anything this time." Mom laughed from the stove, plating the last few strips of bacon. "Watch it, kid. I can still take your plate away."
Rachel leaned over and stole a piece of bacon from Felix's plate before he could stop her. "Hey! That's mine."
"Finder's keepers," Rachel said, popping it into her mouth with a grin. Her leopard-print robe slipped off one shoulder as she reached for the syrup. "Besides, you're the one who slept through half the morning. Early bird gets the bacon."
Olivia, still huddled in her pink bow robe, poked at her eggs with a fork. "Can we talk about how weird it is that the house is this cold? It's not even winter yet. Back home the mornings were still warm even in fall."
Mom sat down at the table with her own plate, smoothing her hair back. "It'll take time to get used to the temperature swings here. The house is big, so it holds the chill longer.
Once the movers get the furniture in and we close off some rooms, it'll warm up faster. And the fireplace in the living room will help once we get wood for it."
Dad walked in from the foyer, phone in hand, looking like he had already been up for a while checking emails. "Movers texted. They're about forty-five minutes out. Everyone eat quick so we can start clearing paths for them. Felix, your room is ready for the bed, right? No more last-minute rearranging."
Felix nodded around a mouthful of pancake. "Yeah, it's good. I just want my bed set up first. That memory foam is calling my name after last night."
Channie finally put his phone down, pausing the surfing replay. The screen froze on a perfect cutback wave. He grabbed a piece of bacon and pointed it at Felix. "Your Funko collection is gonna be crazy to bring in from the truck."
Felix laughed, swallowing his food. "It's not that big. And you're the one with the surfboard taking up half the garage already. We're gonna have to find a new home for that thing since there's no ocean here."
Channie's expression softened for a second, but he covered it with a shrug. "Yeah, well... it's coming with me anyway. Memories and all that."
The table went quiet for a beat, the clink of forks and knives filling the space.
Olivia broke it first, wiping syrup from her chin. "At least the kitchen is nice. These counters are big enough for actual breakfasts instead of eating over the sink like we did sometimes in Cali."
Rachel nodded, stealing another small piece of bacon from Felix's plate when he wasn't looking. "True. And the movie theater room? Once we get the screen in, we're having family nights every weekend. No excuses."
Mom smiled, watching them all. "That's the plan. Make this place feel like home. Unpack, settle in, and actually stay put for once."
Dad took a sip of coffee from his mug. "Speaking of staying put, the neighborhood looks quiet. A couple of the other houses down the street have similar styles, but they've added modern touches. We'll fit right in once we're done."
Felix ate slower now, the warmth from the food and the rising heat from the thermostat starting to chase away the morning chill. The hoodie felt cozier, the kitchen brighter with the morning light coming through the windows.
Channie went back to his phone, replaying the surfing footage with the volume low, but his foot tapped under the table like he was still riding those waves in his head.
Felix took another bite, the syrup sweet on his tongue, and tried not to think about the basement stairs he had seen last night or the way the darkness had felt too heavy at 3 a.m.
The doorbell hadn't rung yet, but the movers were coming soon. Felix finished his plate and stood up, stretching again with a loud crack of his back. "Alright. Let's do this."
Channie grinned, pushing his chair back. "Race you to the stairs when they get here. Loser carries the heaviest box." "You're on," Felix said, the competitive spark waking him up fully.
The kitchen filled with the sounds of chairs scraping, plates clinking, and light banter as the family finished breakfast. The thermostat clicked softly as it kept pumping heat into the big rooms, slowly chasing away the chill.
Outside, the Vermont morning light filtered through the trees lining the long driveway, promising a full day of work ahead.
The movers finally arrived after what felt like a lifetime. The doorbell rang out with a loud but simple melody that echoed through the big empty house.
Felix's mom paused mid-sip of her coffee, eyes lighting up. "Oh wow, the doorbell sound is beautiful. The original owners really thought of everything, didn't they?"
Dad set his mug down and headed for the front door. "I'll get it." He opened it to two guys in matching company polos, clipboards in hand.
They had him sign some papers on the spot, quick scratches of the pen while they talked logistics... where to put the heavy stuff, how many trips up the stairs, careful with the fragile boxes.
All the kids pushed past them almost immediately, spilling out toward the big moving truck parked at the top of the long driveway.
They had to wait for the furniture to come off first like the couch, beds, dining table, and dressers before they could start grabbing their own boxes from the far back.
Dad stood by the truck ramp like a traffic cop. "Stay back for now. I don't want anyone getting hurt. I'll tell you when it's safe to start hauling your stuff."
Olivia and Rachel wandered off to the side of the front lawn, already deep in conversation. Olivia, still in her robe under a light jacket, gestured toward the empty flower beds along the house. "Next spring we should do tulips and those big hydrangeas. Maybe some lavender too. It'll smell amazing."
Rachel nodded, tugging her robe tighter against the morning chill. "Totally. And if we can convince Dad to get us a small greenhouse, we could grow herbs and stuff year-round.
He's always talking about fresh ingredients. We just have to hit him when he's in a good mood after the furniture's in."
Channie had wandered a little farther down the lawn, phone pressed to his ear. He hadn't heard from Hannah and Lucas in almost a week, but he always picked up no matter what.
He tried not to bother them too much they had their new life down south with the rich family that adopted them but they were still his world. The only blood siblings he had left.
"Hey, Hannah," Channie said, voice softening the second she answered. "Yeah, we made it. House is huge, kinda old-school, but it's nice. How's Lucas? He still obsessed with that video game?" He listened for a moment, a small smile breaking through. "Tell him I said he better not let the new school kids beat him at basketball.
I'll send him some new sneakers when I get paid from that part-time thing I lined up... No, I'm good. Really. Just miss you guys. Call me whenever, okay? Even if it's late."
He paused, kicking at a patch of grass. "Love you both. Talk soon." When he hung up, he stared at the phone for a second longer than necessary, then shoved it in his pocket.
Felix walked the lawn slowly, hands in his hoodie pockets, taking in the big trees that lined the property. The leaves were just starting to turn at the edges, gold and orange hints showing through the green.
Flowers in the beds were dwindling, petals dropping as autumn settled in. Fall had always been his favorite season, but back in California it never felt like a real one just hot weather that slowly cooled off a little.
Here, though, it actually felt like fall was coming. Crisp air, changing colors, the whole thing. It was kind of exciting. Then his eyes drifted toward the end of the long driveway.
A figure was standing there, half-hidden by the last big oak. Felix couldn't quite make out the face, but the person was wearing a leather jacket and holding something up... binoculars, it looked like. Watching the house. Watching them.
Felix's stomach tightened. "Hey! You clown! What the fuck are you doing spying on us?"
The figure stumbled a little, clearly caught off guard, then turned to walk away fast, practically tripping over their own feet on the gravel.
Felix didn't think he just started running down the driveway, sneakers pounding the stones.
The person didn't realize how close Felix was getting until the sound of gravel crunching behind them grew louder. They started to jog, but Felix was faster, fueled by adrenaline and annoyance.
He reached out, grabbed the shoulder of the leather jacket, and spun the guy around hard.
"Why are you stalking us? Who the hell are you?"
The guy froze, eyes wide. He looked about eighteen or nineteen, sharp features, dark hair falling into his eyes.
For a second he didn't say anything, like he was deciding whether to talk or pretend he hadn't heard the question.
Felix didn't let go of his shoulder. "Well? It's too late to lie now."
The guy let out a breath and raised his hands slightly. "Uh... I'm your neighbor. Lee Min-ho. But you can call me Leeknow if that's easier."
Felix blinked, still gripping the jacket. "Well, Leeknow, it's nice of you to tell me your name and all, but why the hell are you watching us with binoculars?"
Leeknow shifted on his feet, glancing back toward the house where the movers were already unloading the big couch.
"I didn't wanna bother you guys. You looked busy with the truck and everything, so I used these to see what was happening."
He held up the binoculars like evidence. "That house had been empty for almost four years now. Until you guys showed up. People around here... they get curious when someone new moves in. Especially that place."
Felix finally let go of his shoulder but stayed close, arms crossed. "Curious how? The pizza guy last night said the same weird shit that families don't stay long. What's the deal with this house?"
Leeknow rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable but not exactly scared. "Look, it's probably nothing. Just old stories. The last family that lived there left in a hurry. Before them, another one only lasted six months.
Stuff like lights turning on by themselves, weird noises at night, cold spots... classic old-house crap. Most people around here think it's bullshit, but when the For Sale sign finally came down after four years, everyone noticed.
I was just checking if you guys were normal or... I don't know, if the house was already acting up on day one."
Felix stared at him, the morning sun catching the leather of Leeknow's jacket. The guy seemed genuine, a little awkward, but not threatening. Still, the binoculars and the sneaking around didn't sit right.
"So instead of walking over like a normal neighbor and saying hi, you pull out binoculars?" Felix asked, voice flat.
Leeknow gave a small, sheepish laugh. "Yeah... bad move. I'm not great with new people. Sorry about that." He tucked the binoculars into his jacket pocket. "Welcome to Lakewood Drive, I guess.
If you need anything like tools, directions to the good pizza place that isn't the stoner delivery guy... let me know. I live in the gray house with the red door, two down on the left."
Felix nodded slowly, still processing. Behind him, he could hear Dad calling his name from the truck time to start hauling boxes. "Alright. Just... don't spy on us again, man. We're normal. Mostly."
Leeknow raised a hand in a half-wave and started walking backward. "No more binoculars. Promise. See you around, new neighbor."
Felix watched him go for a second, then turned and jogged back up the driveway toward the moving truck.
Channie was already carrying a big box marked "Felix Room," Rachel and Olivia were arguing over who got to carry the lamp, and Mom was directing traffic like a pro.
Dad spotted him. "Where'd you run off to?"
Felix grabbed one end of a dresser drawer the movers had set down. "Just met the neighbor. Weird dude with binoculars. Said the house has a reputation."
Dad raised an eyebrow but didn't push it. "Focus on the heavy stuff first. We'll talk later."
Felix lifted his side of the drawer, the weight solid in his hands, and started toward the house.
The morning felt busier now with movers shouting directions, his sisters laughing on the lawn, Channie hauling boxes while still thinking about his phone call. But in the back of his mind, Leeknow's words lingered.
That house had been empty for almost four years.
As he stepped back inside, the big wooden door creaking behind him, Felix couldn't help but wonder why.
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The movers had been hauling furniture for hours, and the house was finally starting to feel alive. Boxes were stacked in every hallway, the big couch was in the living room facing the brick fireplace, and the dining table was set up in the formal area off the kitchen.
One by one, the family started moving their personal stuff into their rooms for real.
Felix was in the middle of carrying his memory foam mattress up the stairs with Channie when he heard Rachel's voice from down the hall, way too excited.
"Oh my god... Felix, you have got to be kidding me."
He dropped his end of the mattress on the landing and jogged toward his room. Rachel was standing in the middle of it, hands on her hips, staring at the attached bathroom with the double sinks and the massive walk-in closet she had just opened.
"This is so fucking unfair," she said, turning to him with wide eyes. "You have your own bathroom? And this closet? It's practically a whole extra room. Felix, come on. You're the youngest boy. You don't need all this space."
Felix crossed his arms, still catching his breath. "I picked it first. And I already put my boxes in here. Nice try, Rach."
Rachel stepped closer, using her best big-sister voice. "But look at it. The shower is huge. I could actually do my makeup in here without fighting Olivia for mirror space. You can have my room.
It's still nice. It has that slanted ceiling that's kinda cute."
Before Felix could answer, Olivia appeared in the doorway, her arms full of throw pillows. She took one look at Rachel standing in Felix's room and her face twisted.
"Are you serious right now? You're trying to steal his room? I heard you from the hallway!"
Rachel turned, still playing innocent. "I'm not stealing. I'm negotiating. Felix is seventeen. He doesn't need a bathroom this nice. I'm nineteen. I have actual responsibilities."
Olivia dropped the pillows on the floor with a thud. "You always do this! You did the same thing in California when we moved last time. 'I'm the oldest, I need the bigger closet.' Now you're doing it again. Felix picked it fair and square. Stop being so selfish!"
"I'm not being selfish," Rachel shot back, voice rising. "I'm being practical. Look at that closet. I could fit all my clothes and still have room for a chair. Felix just wants it for his dumbass comics and skateboard stuff."
Felix stepped between them, hands up. "Hey, my stuff is not dumb. And I'm not switching. I already told Channie I'd help him set up his room after this. You two can fight over the bay window room or whatever, but this one is mine."
Olivia pointed at Rachel. "See? Even Felix knows you're being extra.
Rachel's eyes narrowed. "At least I don't throw tantrums every time I don't get my way like a little baby."
"Tantrum? This is not a tantrum!" Olivia's voice got louder. "This is me calling you out for always trying to take the best stuff because you're Dad's favorite!"
The argument was heating up fast, both sisters talking over each other in the middle of Felix's room while movers carried a dresser past the doorway, pretending not to listen.
Dad's voice cut through the noise from the hallway. "Enough!" Everyone froze. Dad stepped into the room, looking sweaty and tired from directing the movers all morning, but his expression was firm.
"I am sick and tired of the fighting. You think I want to hear that? You know how much I had to do to get us here? The paperwork, the money, the long damn drive.. everything so we could have a fresh start in this house. And the first real day we're moving in, you're already arguing over rooms?"
Rachel opened her mouth, but Dad held up a hand. "No. Rachel, back off. Felix picked the room first. You had plenty of time to look around yesterday and this morning. No switching now."
Rachel crossed her arms, cheeks flushed. "But Dad—"
"I said no. I don't want to hear the 'I'm the oldest' speech again. We're not doing this every move. This house is big enough for all of you without fighting over bathrooms and closets on day one."
There was a beat of tense silence. Rachel muttered something under her breath about it not being fair, but she didn't push it. Olivia shot her sister a small, satisfied look, which earned her a warning glance from Dad.
Felix let out a breath. "Thanks, Dad."
Dad clapped him on the shoulder, the tension easing a little into something more tired than angry.
"Don't thank me yet. You're still helping carry the heavy stuff upstairs. And if I hear one more argument about rooms, I'm making everyone sleep on air mattresses again for a week. We're supposed to be building a home here, not turning it into a battlefield."
Rachel rolled her eyes but cracked a reluctant smile. "Fine. But I'm still calling the best parking spot in the garage when my car gets here."
Olivia laughed despite herself. "You wish. Channie called that spot already."
Dad shook his head, the corners of his mouth twitching. "See? Already negotiating again. You three are going to be the death of me."
He pointed toward the hallway. "Now go help your mom with the kitchen boxes before the movers leave. And Rachel no more slick comments."
Rachel gave Felix one last dramatic sigh as she walked out. "You owe me for this, little brother."
Felix grinned. "In your dreams."
Channie appeared in the doorway a second later, leaning against the frame with an amused look. "I heard most of that from downstairs. You good?"
Felix nodded, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Yeah. Just typical sister stuff. At least Dad shut it down before it got worse."
Channie chuckled. "Welcome to family moving day. Come on, let's get your bed frame up here before they start arguing about something else. I still want that longboard you promised me."
The two of them headed back toward the stairs, the house now filled with the sounds of furniture being positioned, boxes sliding across floors, and the distant voices of Rachel and Olivia already bickering lightly about something new in the hallway.
Felix glanced back at his room one more time: the big window, the built-in bookcase, the attached bathroom, and that ridiculous walk-in closet. It felt like his. For now, at least.
Downstairs, Mom's voice carried up. "Who wants to help unpack more of the kitchen so we can actually eat lunch like normal people?"
Felix smiled to himself and kept walking. The house might have its stories, but right now it was loud, chaotic, and starting to feel like theirs.