Chapter 14: Dinner Table War
(Jay's POV)
Dinner time in our house was supposed to be peaceful.
Keyword: supposed.
But peace had never survived more than five minutes with Aries and Percy around.
Everyone was already seated at the table. Dad was reading something on his phone, Mom was serving food, Percy was sitting proudly like some royal prince, and Aries was drinking water like he had just returned from the desert.
I was quietly eating when I noticed something suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Percy had tilted his spoon slightly.
And he was looking at it.
Not at the food.
At his reflection.
I froze.
Then slowly looked at Aries.
He noticed too.
Our eyes met.
Oh no.
We both knew exactly what was happening.
I cleared my throat.
"Percy."
"Hm?"
"Why are you staring at your spoon?"
He immediately straightened up.
"I'm not."
Aries leaned closer.
"You literally tilted the spoon like a mirror."
Percy crossed his arms.
"I was just checking something."
"What?" I asked.
"If my face still looks handsome after a long day."
The table went silent.
Mom closed her eyes.
Dad slowly put his phone down.
Aries looked at me like he had just discovered a new species.
"Did he just say that?"
I nodded slowly.
"Yes. Yes he did."
Percy pointed proudly at his face.
"Look at this face."
Aries leaned forward.
"We are."
Percy smiled confidently.
"Exactly."
I stared at him for a moment.
Then I sighed.
"Percy."
"Yes?"
"If confidence was beauty… you'd be the most handsome man alive."
Aries choked on his water immediately.
Percy smiled proudly.
"See?"
Then I continued.
"But unfortunately… confidence is not beauty."
Aries started laughing so hard his shoulders were shaking.
Percy looked betrayed.
"You are just jealous."
Aries wiped tears from his eyes.
"Jay."
"Yes?"
"I think the blue-eyed monkey is evolving."
Percy slammed the table.
"STOP CALLING ME THAT."
I pointed at him.
"You literally stare at mirrors like you're in love with yourself."
"I appreciate my appearance!"
Aries grabbed his glass of water again.
"Bro… you appreciate it more than the mirror does."
Percy glared at him.
"At least I'm not shaped like a giraffe."
Aries gasped.
"PERSONAL ATTACK."
Mom sighed deeply.
"Please just eat your food."
Dad muttered quietly.
"This house is exhausting."
But I wasn't done.
I leaned toward Percy again.
"Serious question."
"What?"
"If you got trapped alone on an island…"
"Yes?"
"…would you survive by staring at your reflection in the ocean?"
Aries lost control.
The water he was drinking exploded out of his mouth.
Unfortunately…
It flew directly onto Percy's face.
Complete silence.
Water slowly dripped down Percy's nose.
Mom froze.
Dad stopped chewing.
I covered my mouth.
Aries looked like he had just committed a crime.
Percy wiped his face slowly.
"…You."
Aries panicked.
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO!"
Percy stood up dramatically.
"YOU SPIT ON MY FACE."
Aries started laughing again.
"I'M SORRY— I SWEAR—"
I slammed the table laughing.
"I CAN'T BREATHE."
Mom grabbed napkins quickly.
"ARIES!"
Dad looked at him calmly.
"Son."
"Yes, Dad?"
"Why did you spit on your brother?"
Aries pointed at me while laughing.
"She roasted him!"
Percy pointed at me too.
"THIS IS HER FAULT."
I raised my hands.
"I only asked a question!"
Percy grabbed a glass of water angrily.
"Oh really?"
Before anyone could react…
He splashed the water directly onto Aries' face.
Mom screamed.
"PERCY!"
Aries sat there dripping wet.
Everyone froze.
Then Aries slowly wiped his face.
"…You chose war."
Percy stepped back.
"Oh no."
I immediately grabbed my plate and moved away.
"I'm not involved."
Aries grabbed the jug of water from the table.
Mom shouted.
"DON'T YOU DARE—"
Too late.
Aries poured the water over Percy's head.
Percy screamed.
Dad stood up.
"STOP!"
But it was useless.
Now both of them were wet and shouting at each other while Mom tried to save the food from getting soaked.
I sat there laughing so hard my stomach hurt.
Dad finally managed to separate them.
"ENOUGH."
Both brothers stood there dripping like two angry wet cats.
Mom stared at them in disbelief.
"This is dinner. Not a water park."
I wiped tears from my eyes.
Percy glared at me.
"This started because of you."
Aries nodded.
"Yeah."
I shrugged innocently.
"Worth it."
Dad sat down again and sighed.
"Next time… we're eating in silence."
Mom nodded.
"Yes."
There was a long pause.
Then Percy glanced at the spoon again.
Aries noticed instantly.
"Oh my GOD HE'S DOING IT AGAIN."
And the chaos started all over.