Requested by @Cobalt-CC-1043, thanks for requesting! Hope you like it. Also this is actually the first oneshot I've ever written where the reader won't be present. It's pretty sad but i hope that it's good!

"Rod! Todd! " Ned said with a cheerful grin as he greeted his two sons that morning at the breakfast table. "How are my two favourite boys doing on this fine morning?"

"Great, dad!" Smiled Rod as he poured his cereal.

"Alright i guess" Todd answered in a dull tone.

"Something the matter, Todd?" Asked Edna with a raised eyebrow.

"No; why do you ask that?" He answered in a strange way.

"Well there's either something up or you just enjoy your cereal with orange juice!" She pointed out 

"Oh!" The boy exclaimed. "I'm just tired, that's all" He lied. Well, it wasn't a total lie as he wasn't exactly feeling very enthusiastic about today. Ned and Edna just shrugged this weird behaviour off as the boys left for school, Todd dragging himself to the bus.

He carried on this unusual behaviour and was lost during lessons and unresponsive whenever anyone spoke to him. He was polite, but he just made it obvious that he wasn't in the mood for talking as he sat on his own away from everyone, avoiding the other kids, even his brother, Rod, and the others were taking notice.

The school day came to an end and he hopped on the bus and sat by himself, looking subdued out of the window.

"Hey, Todd! Come sit here with me!" Rod shouted and waved.

"Not today" Todd responded, not looking away.

"What's up with Todd?" Bart asked the boys brother. 

"Beats me" Rod shrugged.

Bart, not assuming there to be much wrong with him, rolled up a spit was and fired it at his unsuspecting victim.

"Ouch! Who did that?" He asked in annoyance and looked around the bus. It didn't take a genius to figure out it was Bart as he heard the kid cackling. He didn't respond, only huffing and returning his attention to the window.

"Aww, don't be like that! Said Bart. "Something wrong?" He asked, figuring it might actually be something serious.

"Nothing, I'm fine"

"Bart! Can't you see he's obviously upset?" Argued Lisa. "He doesn't need your immature pranks" She flicked away the offending spit wad and sat down next to Todd, smiling like an angel. "Come on Todd, I'm your friend, you can tell me what's wrong"

"That's nice to know, Lisa, but there's nothing wrong, now please just leave me alone" She tried again and failed and just left him alone to brood.

"Poor kid" She said to her brother as they watched him in sadness, though neither of them had the faintest idea what was the issue with him.

///*\\\\

Later that afternoon, the Flanders visited the Lovejoys, much to the latters annoyance. Ned was just pestering the reverend like he always did and Jessica was back from boarding school and staying with them, which means she got wo see the boys. They were both familiar with each other, being the kids of the two most religious families in Springfield.

"hey Rod, Todd" The girl greeted them with a mischievous grin. "Long time no see! Sup?" She sat herself next to them as Ned chatted away in the background, making Lovejoy regret ever getting into this profession.

She talked with Rod for a bit and then noticed how Todd was sitting quietly in the background. "Are you eavesdropping?"

"No" Todd sighed and go up.

"What's with all the sighing? Something the matter?" She asked and raised an eyebrow.

"I keep telling everyone! No!"

"Yeesh! Well, can't say i didn't ask" SHe rolled her eyes and strolled off casually, though she couldn't shake off the feeling there really was something up with him.

Evening came and he barely spoke a word all day. No one could get a word out of him all day, though Ned knew exactly what the issue was.

"Todd, would you like to say grace before dinner?" Ned offered in an attempt to try and cheer him up.

"Actually i'm not that hungry, i'm gonna go lie down" He got up and left for upstairs as everyone watched in concern.

"What's wrong with him today? He's been acting up since breakfast" Edna asked her husband.

"Well, it's just that today is the anniversary of...well, Maude's death" Ned explained.

"Oh"

"He'll be alright, it's just hard for him at his age, i mean at least with me i found you, i've found happiness again, but it's a little harder for him" 

"Poor kid, listen, i want to go up and talk to him, it probably won't help but i just want him to know i'm there for him"

"Well you do you that" He smiled as she left the room and went upstairs. She saw him lying there on his bed.

"Todd?"

"Go away" She got a muffled reply.

"Todd? Your dad told me what's wrong" She sat down and put her arm around him.

"I miss her so much!" He sobbed and she felt terrible to see him like this.

"i know, everyone does and i know nothing i say or do is going to soften the blow, but i just want to say that you'll see her again one day and i'm sure that she thinks about you every single day"

"Really?" he sniffed and looked at her through glazed eyes.

"Really" She smiled. "Everyone knows and cares about what happened and it wasn't fair on you, but everything will be ok, i can promise you"

"thanks!" He smiled and hugged her. She was taken aback but she hugged him back, feeling happy to be part of the Flanders clan.

"I won't be leaving you anytime soon" SHe patted his curly head.

"Well thanks, i guess i appreciate it" He lay down again. "But for now i just think i want to get some sleep, i really am tired"

"Well being sad can be exhausting, i know"

"Thanks for understanding" He replied, falling asleep.

"Of course. I'll always be here for you" She whispered and gently tucked him into his bed and leaving, but not before watching his expression, which was a contented one as she quietly shut the door on her way out.

"Did you talk to him yet?" Ned asked as he saw her.

"Yeah, don't worry about him, i'm sure he's going to be just fine" She smiled, still feeling wamr from the love she had distributed with her stepson.