A Thorned Rose

Episode 3: Crashing Walls

(Author's Note: Here's the house layout if you're interested in the setting of the story: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1rQYAk6vaJNH1r7O9YPKdiV0F6bXe21K1d5xKGe1udv0/edit?usp=sharing)

Your back ached.

It was another morning, this time with less light shining through the window than yesterday.

That's right, you remember. You patched some of the damage up.

You looked around you. Your PC was still on from last night.

 How long was it since you fell asleep?

The computer showed the time of a quarter past eight. Not so early, but not late at all. 

You stood up from your chair. Your lower back was still killing you.

Sleeping at that angle must not be good, you guessed.

You walked into the kitchen. Silent as it was, you knew the day was going to get going. There were a lot of things you needed to get through, and you figured that Olivia could help.

You popped some pieces of bread into the toaster and sat down to plan with a glass of water.

As you sipped your water, you figured that you had quite the to-do list. You needed to plant the potatoes for spring, give a proper burial to the ten dead soldiers, organize the gear, try that truck the UN so graciously left you outside your house, and maybe, just maybe, get closer to Olivia.

Ding!

The toaster was done. Out popped two pieces of bread. One for you, and the other for a specific somebody else. You laid out the toast on a plate with a glass of water, complemented by a small piece of butter for the toast.

You began enjoying your breakfast when almost on punctual timing, Olivia walked out of her room.

She was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, with one exception.

She wasn't wearing a shirt.

Her army issue sports bra was on, though.

The high cut undergarment revealed quite the toned stomach, with abs and all. Not so much for arm or chest muscle, but her shoulders were nicely fit as well.

She rubbed her eyes groggily, then looked at you.

You looked right back at her with a condescending grin on your face.

"Wha-what's so funny?" she asked sleepily.

You looked her dead in the eyes while still smirking.

Olivia slowly looks down and realizes her discrepancy.

She blushes redder than a tomato and quickly runs back to her room to cover her half-naked upper body.

You burst out laughing. You hadn't had a social interaction as good as this since you were in high school.

A minute later, Olivia comes back wearing the oversize sweater you lent her over her previously uncovered self. She sits down at the table with you.

"You didn't see anything there, did you?" She asks, a little timidly.

"Nothing that would warrant an 'R' rating," You nonchalantly respond.

Olivia leans back into her chair, looking up a the ceiling in relief.

"Hungry?" you ask as you slide over a plate with several pieces of toasted bread.