Zeke had been reading some articles and the like online.

He'd been in his room reading when he read an article from 2013 and nearly choked on his peach as he sputtered, reading once, twice, thrice, and croaked as he called acxross the hall.

"Siv? Did you know normal people get the PhD at Thirty O?ne in m,y field?!" Ezekiel called out, voice cracking. Siv sighed from her computer. Unlike Zeke, she was toying with some online educational things - mostly coding, and sighed, turniong.

"Yes, Zeke. You're kind ahead of the curve." Siv called back. Zeke made another sound not unlike a dying dragon as he heard that.

"How am I ahead?!" He asked. Siv sighed. Oh gods, this was more awkward than the birds and the bees.

?"Did you take classes in High School that qualified for College credit?" Suiv responded, delighting as her new program spat 'Hellop, Worlkd!' at her on repeat. Zeke whined line he was scolded.

"Yeah, they were less stupid-a** and boring! Why?!" Zeke responded.

"There's part of it. You took cxollege level classes in senior year. Welcome to your--"

"I mean I was on half days by Senior year, I'd already accrued most of my high school credits, especially with summer school, but also uihgg. I mean I also had college tier in Junior year? Not as many...." Zeke responded.

"And they LET you?" Siv spun, calling back. Zeke turned to stare at her room again.

"Yes? And I did summer school in college I guess. And high--" Zeke watched Siv rise in her room and derpoart, blinking as she walked out opf her room and down the stairs towards the kitchen. He worried now. What was wrong? Whuat happened? Zeke frowned, looking around a moment before turning bsck to reading.

Five minutes later he blicked as two slices of bread smooshed his cheeks.

"What--" Zeke began.

"YHOU are an idiot sandwich." Siv grumbled.

"
Once, I don't think getting good grades is actively idiocy, two, I don't see you flirting with any men you like." Zeke groaned. Siv sniffed.

"You got a head start in high school, passed, and keep cramming your schedule with education[/ik]. You are speedrunning this degree thing. You're way too smart. School cramming and a part time hjob? Sweet nercuifu heavens Zekje. You're a genius and you have more spell slots than I dop for inane shiote. I still can't believe someone got peanut butter in their computer." Sibv groaned. Zeke blinked.

"The hells do you deal with at work...?" Zeke asked. Siv groaned.

"Oh. I'm surrounded by idsiots.," Siv gropaned.

"You could go to college." Zeke noted.

?"No! No. Nooooo no no no. Hell no." Siv made a face. "Schoiol is not my bag you know? Besides I can fix any computer I see and tinker in robotics." Siv sniffed.

"You could try seeing about a place like MIT-- Zeke tried. Siv threw her hands upo.

"Nope! Conversation over! Nasty wordses hobbits, nasty nasty wordses!" Siv hissed, fleeing Zeke's room. Zeke blinked, looking to the dropped bread and picked it up, sighing.

"Still not an idiot sandwich.," He muttered, tuirning bsack to his reading. Zeke was quiet, sulking as he mused on it. Really, was hjis education really taking up so much time? He liked it and...

Zeke sighed. He remembered Zayne whene Zeke gopt into college. Xayne had also been prepared for redicule but initially, Zayne had been supportive. But onmce Zeke went for his Doctorate's and decided to do therapy...

Zrkr rememb ered that. Zayne topok it as well as a turd in his tea. Complained it wouldn't fix anything. He couldn't fix anyone, they came from a broken home. But...

It wasn't about fixing. It was about helping people through things. Processing. It was entirely their family that made him decide to help, to prevent others.,

He had done an in-depth research assignment on PTSD, not merely books on the effects on daily life, but he remembered speaking to people with it. Veterans, Abuse Survivors, Traumatic Events... That helped him understand his father. When Zeke asked to intervciew him for part of his paper, he was astonisherd his father agreed,.

Zeke learned a good deal of his father's situation. His uncle was gone, but his father? Vincent spoke of things. Discomfort in open fields. Nightmares. He spoke of frightening sounds to him that took hium back into combat zones in the Middle East. He'd admitted a lot of struggles and how it affected him. Zeke still... Wasn't over it, over the idea his father marched in his sleep, that he couldn't handle fireworks, that he was robbed of normal things. Vincent was so matter of fact with his son even his teachers were saurprised.

He'd aced it and Zeke was quiet. His Dad also supported his desire to help. To work hard, even encouraged it when he was doing well mentally. Zeke took a deepo breath. Maybe he was a little bit of an idiot sandwich.

A little.

Zeke turned, and pulled his phone out to dial Vincent and tyell him he was graduating soon. Well, in a year. But... Close ewnough.