Chapter Text
(Phineas’s POV)
“Please, please leave her alone.” I scream “Please, I beg of you. Take me instead. I don’t have much left. Please!”
“PHINEAS!” I hear my father yell, “GET DOWN HERE!”
I quickly arose from my bed, with sweat trickling down my back and water coming from my eyes. Just another nightmare. Goddamn it, these are getting worse by the day. I don’t know how much more I can take. “Coming!” I quickly threw on an orange-and-yellow striped long-sleeve from my wardrobe, along with a pair of dark blue jeans. I look at my desk, seeing an unfinished storage device just sitting there with Perry sleeping on the chair nearby. Gotta finish that soon. I meander my way around my room and come across a calendar circling a date: October 16. That day still stings, I’ve lost my parents. I only live with my dad and Perry, who leaves everyday to fight his nemesis.
I nearly sprint down the stairs, nearly tripping a couple of times. Opening the door, I find my father with some random person from his company at the dinner table. “Phineas, wouldn’t you be a dear and brew us a pot of coffee. Straight black, thank you.” he asked me.
“O-okay dad.” I grab the coffee pot, fill it about ¾-full of water and pour some coffee grounds into a filter on top. “Phineas, get us some toast while you're at it.” I hold back a retort, instead just nodding in silence. I can hear them talking in the other room, about some kind of deal that may get him some more money for booze. From what I can make out, it's probably something to do with the malfunctioning heating system.
“Put some butter on that.” I hear from the dining room.
“A-alright”
30 minutes passed, with the coffee pot finally done brewing, with pouring myself a small cup silently so that my dad won’t notice. I put ice cubes in his, just the way he likes (for some reason) and nonchalantly carry it over. The other guy at the table just glances up and nods, noticing my presence. My dad just gives me what appears to be a death glare, You’re in deep trouble young man.
“Took ya long enough.” he remarked
“Just having some trouble waking up is all” I stammer.
“Just, go back upstairs and be quiet getting ready. I’ve got to finish this.” he says as I feel a lump in my throat.
“O-okay”
“Alright, I’ll see ya Perry. Good luck against Rodney today.” I greet Perry before exiting my room. He just gives a reassuring chatter. I don’t know what exactly he’s been doing, but ever since he got reassigned to Rodney from Dr. Doofenshmirtz, he’s been returning home with more scrapes and bruises every day. I hope he’s alright. I quietly close the door behind me. Trying to not make any noise going down the staircase, and bolting silently toward the door, I manage to almost make it outside, only for my father to catch me as soon as I open the door.
“Where do you think you're going, young man?” I heard my father ask sternly.
“S-school?” I replied, more like a question.
“Not so fast there bub, we still have to have a ‘talk’” he said, raising his voice slightly.
“O-o-okay” I stammer, all jittery now. My dad leaves the dining room, heading into his study. I just sit there and shiver, knowing what’s going to happen next. Ah, crap. I couldn’t recount how much time passed between him leaving and returning, but I see him return with a slipper duct taped to a whip.
“So, what gives you the right idea to stand there and embarrass me like that, huh?” he started interrogating.
“I-I don’t know.” Crack! The whip snapped
“You don’t know how much that might’ve cost me! You could’ve been taken away from me! I’ve already lost Candace to that scoundrel Jeremy, and Linda to the above. You’re all I have left!” he snapped, as I just stood there and quiver. “Look at me when I’m talking to you boy! That’s no way to treat your father.” He unleashed the slipper-whip on me, resulting in a few bruises on my arms and cheek, with a few tears rolling down my cheeks. “See, now you’re crying, ya baby. When you get home, I want you doing the chores by the time I get back. Failure to do so, and tonight’ll be much worse than you could ever imagine.” I just stand there, still shivering, and nod my head silently. “Good, that’ll finally get instilled in that tiny brain of yours. Now, go. Go before I change my mind.” I just gulp and bolt out the door, not looking back. Just a few more days, I keep telling myself, even though realistically, not much would happen. I get interrupted with my thoughts by a familiar, angelic voice.
“Hey Phineas, whatcha doin’?”