. . .

“It’s very nice to meet you,” says Linus, after a moment.

Tom flashes him an infectious smile — as if to say, this isn’t about you — before going right back to glaring at his Mom. Linus wobbles a little.

“This is supposed to be a house of science,” Tom says.

“I’m a renegade alchemist!”

Tom looks away. He stares at a dust bunny skittering across the floor.

“Do you even know how to feed him?” He glares back up at Amelia. “An antichrist is a big responsibility! What if he needs human souls, huh?”

Amelia breaks down laughing. She leans against the counter.

“You can’t share my room,” says Tom, to Linus. “Well, you can’t have the good half, anyway. And no soul-eating! That’s strict house policy!”

“I don’t eat souls,” says Linus.

“Me neither,” says Tom. He glares at his mom. “This isn’t over, snowflake.”

“My name,” says Amelia, inaccurately, “is mother.”

“Bah,” says Tom. He glares at her and then to Linus. “Do you want to see my chemistry set?”