Daddy Issues

Not Exactly Morning People

Nico's POV: 

The minute I actually got myself to go to sleep, my alarm went off. Great. Just great. 

I sighed, switching out my sweatpants for my trusty black jeans and slipping on my old aviator jacket, not bothering to change out of the shirt I used for pajamas. The jacket was ripped in a few places and way too big on me anyway, but it was my dad's, so... It meant a lot to me. When I put it on, it almost felt like he still cared about me. 

Almost. 

Stop it. Stop moping around, you know he can't help it. He's a grieving man, and you shouldn't resent him for that. 

I slipped my shoes on, dark red converse, and stood up, letting my feet carry me to the door that separates us, turning the knob so I could wake her up. She looked so cute sleeping, hugging her pillow, her long golden brown hair sprawled out in a beautiful mess of tangled corkscrews, some darker, some lighter. I hated having to wake her up, but I knew she'd miss the bus if I didn't, and she wouldn't want to be late for her first day of sophomore year, so I gently shook her shoulder. "Hazy, c'mon... It's seven." 

"Five more minutes, death breath." She groaned, popping one eye open. "It'll at least give you time to brush your friggin teeth." 

My jaw dropped in mock scandal, my hand slapping my chest. "Hazel Levesque diAngelo, language!" I huffed theatrically. "I mean really, have all those years in catholic school taught you nothing? And it's only seven in the morning! You'll be using actual curse words by noon! Go to the bathroom and wash your mouth out with soap post haste, young lady!" 

By the end of my teasing session, she was sitting up on the bed and laughing hysterically. "Alright, alright, I'm up, I'm up!" She protested, still rubbing the sleep out of one of her eyes. "And if anyone's mouth needs soaping up between the two of us, it's yours. I'm not just talking about all the cussing either." 

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, fine. I'll go brush my friggin teeth." I echoed over my shoulder, opening the door to the bathroom, shared between our rooms. "Oh, by the way? Good morning, love you." 

I shut the door and squirted a glob of toothpaste onto my toothbrush, holding it in my mouth while I reached for the deodorant, because hey, why not? I've already gotten this far. I lifted one side of my shirt up and spread the stick under my arm, then the other, all the while trying not to focus much on the gaunt, pathetic body on display in the mirror, though... Of course I did. Thankfully, it was over in seconds, and I could let my shirt hang loosely off of me again, concealing my bones where my skin failed to. 

It didn't take long after that for her to join me, brushing her own teeth in parallel with me, trying her best to, I think, ask me a question, despite her voice being muffled by the building foam in her mouth. 

I spat in the sink and looked over at her. "What was that again?" 

She followed my spit with hers and rinsed her mouth with a paper cup before speaking again. "I was asking if there was any hot water left in the shower." 

"Oh, yeah, go ahead. I didn't take one." 

She gawked at me. "And you're not... Planning to?" 

I shrugged. "Who needs showers when you've got deodorant?" 

"Gross. Ugh, boys are disgusting." 

"Is Frank disgusting?" I asked, smirking. 

She rolled her eyes at me. "Frank is not a boy, Nico, he's a gentleman." She sighed, biting her lip and beginning to fan herself. "Golly, and they say chivalry's dead~"