Goosebumps crawled over your arms as you stepped from the cold, rainy day into the cozy warm house.

The smell of cigarettes was in the air.

Annoyed, you frowned.

Some of those godforsaken fuckers had lit themselves a few cigarettes despite your clear instructions that they weren't allowed to smoke inside.

"So this is what I get by not being around for two fucking seconds.", you growled to yourself and turned on your heel in search of an ashtray.

You would have preferred that no ash got on the carpets or anywhere that wasn't supposed to.

Most things in your childhood home were antiques. Not valuable by money standards but your mom had always said that the stories that things had to tell were priceless.

It would have been a shame if anything got damaged because of your families pure ignorance.

"Family...", you huffed and pulled a face in a bitter manner.

About almost all of these people were as much family as the dirt under your shoes.

On your way down to the kitchen, you rounded a corner only to be surprised by aunt May and little Felix.

Their faces gloomy with shadows and their head held low, they stood in front of one of the old family paintings that your dad had insisted on being custom painted every year.

Your mother had always chuckled about how serious he took this. But to him it had been a family tradition.

May's gaze was glued to the image of your dads face, a younger version of him, from all the way back when you had been barely a few years old.

You wanted to approach as you noticed them whispering. You knew that it wasn't the polite way to do it, but you took a step back to hide behind a corner.

Somehow you felt the need to ear drop.

"He wasn't as great as everyone makes him to be.", Felix mumbled, audibly not pleased.

His eyebrows drew together as he looked up to meet your dads painted eyes.

"Have some respect.", May sighed and pulled out a pack of cigarettes to light herself one.

You frowned.

Aunt May wasn't a smoker.

She looked at the picture with half interest while threads of grey smoke came out from between her open lips.

First she looked at your father. A strange expression was on her face. Then her eyes moved to your mother.

Amused, she had to snort.

"You are not enviable, my dear.", she said, taking a deep breath from her cigarette to blow the smoke into your mother's face. "Good thing you died first."

With a weary sigh, Aunt May rubbed her forehead, one arm folded under her chest.

Felix watched her with conflicting eyes. He seemed disgusted by her behaviour. But she was his mother so he said nothing.

"We should get back.", he cleared his throat. "(Y/N) is probably already looking for us."

"Huh...", a sigh escaped your aunt. "Yes. Such a good child. The pride of the family."

Again she snorted, dropped her cigarette on the carpet and stomped it out.

Felix stared at the dark stain.

"Someone will notice.", he noted with narrowed eyebrows.

May shrugged her shoulders.

"The whole family is a bunch of parasites. Someone will be able to be blamed for it.", she slipped her hand under his arm and smiled. "Now come on. The will is waiting."

Taking a deep breath, Felix slumped his shoulders. You knew him as if he were your own brother.

Felix didn't want to go to the reading. He didn't care what was written on a piece of paper. All that mattered to him was being at the funeral and saying goodbye one last time.

But Aunt May dragged him along with her without any ifs or buts. She had always been a good-hearted but strong-willed woman. If one told her no, there had to be a damn good reason.

And Felix obviously didn't have one.

Holding your breath, you retreated into the shadows as the two of them walked past, back up the hall to rejoin the rest of the family.

Your eyes tracked them as a dull feeling spread through the pit of your stomach.

Death and money really did seem to bring out the worst in people.

But you didn't want to believe that May was after anything. Your father had been a generous man, certainly he had left her some kind of wealth. But it would never be enough to be comfortable forever.

It didn't sit right with you that she suddenly behaved like everyone else who was in for the money.

But maybe that was just the stress.

Your parents and aunt May had always been close. Family had always come first. If there had been a problem, it had been a shared problem.

She was grieving.

And yet you couldn't help but look after her with a furrowed brow.

Your gaze flitted briefly to Felix. He seemed subdued, saddened by the origin of this visit. But you couldn't see anything strange about him.

Deciding to give Aunt May the benefit of the doubt, you shrugged your shoulders and set off again in search of an ashtray.

"Excuse me.", a voice suddenly sounded behind you.

Startled, you flinched.

"Michael!", you gasped with relief as the familiar old eyes met yours as you turned around. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

With a tired smile he lowered his head to apologise.

"I didn't mean to.", he said.

"I would never dare accuse you of such.", you noticed the worried look on his face. "Is everything alright?"

A sigh made his shoulders slurp.

"The guests. Some got into... a heated discussion."

Your eyes flinched.

"They are fighting?! In my house?!", with your teeth clenched with anger you rushed past him, ready to make some heads roll.

But he quickly grabbed you by the wrist before a disaster could happen.

"(Y/N).", Michael said softly. "They are arguing. I just wanted you to come back to make them settle down."

Lips pressed into a thin line you let your tongue poke against the inside of your cheek.

"They are being disrespectful.", you hissed, eyes burning with tears of frustration. "In my childhood home. At my fathers funeral. And all just because of money."

Tired, he hummed.

"I know, child. I know."