Monochrome

Chapter 5: Breakfast

Monochrome

Chapter 5

Breakfast

The alarm on the nightstand went off and Emmet hopped up as hyper as always. Ingo took a bit of coaxing. The infant between them looked to be bundled up in his arms.

Ingo was most certainly a cuddler. Emmet was the kind of person that slept all over the bed making it impossible to cuddle him.

Emmet went back over to his own bed and picked up the blanket and promptly began to make his bed.

"What should we have for breakfast?" He asked, patting the pillows in an effort to fluff them.

"Coffee." It was always his answer, even though Emmet always asks.

"Come on Kitten. Let's go get you something to eat while I thaw out the sausage." He said as he plucked the half asleep infant from the tired twin.

Emmet picked out one of the outfits Elesa got her and walked her into the bathroom.

Ingo tiredly went down the stairs not too long after. He stopped in the bathroom before making his way toward the kitchen. Having freshened up he looked and honestly felt a whole lot better.

"Ah, coffee smells gre..." the front door bumped open and Ingo could see someone going by with a mattress. The young girl was at least chest height to Ingo as he looked out to see her pulling the mattress alone.

"I beg your pardon." She said to him, Her hair was a brown color and her eyes were a soft green. She stopped when she realized who it was. "Oh, Ingo." Ingo knew her as one of the custodial workers at the subway.

"Ah you must be the new tenant at 2C." He said as he picked up the corner of the mattress and helped her push it into her home which mirrored their own except the fact that it had two less bedrooms. Technically she had to move out of her previous home. It was far more expensive and this place was a stone's throw away from the subway. At least that was the story she told everyone. Living day to day sleeping where you felt safest was what she had been doing.

"Yup, this is me. Hopefully for a little while anyways. I'm still trying to find a place that sticks." She said as she slowly leaned the mattress against the wall.

"Do you need help with anything else?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Just a night stand, and a bag of clothes with pots and pans in it." She motioned to them already in the room. "First time away from my parents." She lied, she just couldn't afford anything else at the moment.

Ingo knew she was lying, he had a really good ear for these sorts of things. But this itself wasn't a bad lie, it was a scared one. One where she was too afraid to admit she was poor.

'Why would someone like her have the need to hide this?' Ingo thought before brushing it off. She obviously had a reason and it had nothing to do with him...soooo.

"Oh, how about dinner?" She asked looking up at him pulling a small pot out of the bag that was wrapped up in clothes. Probably a way to keep them quiet. Wow, she packed everything in a hurry.

"If you are alright with cooking? I'm afraid my brother is..."

"I burned the eggs Ingo!" Emmet called out.

"Not good at cooking, as you can see." He chuckled calling into the apartment. "Don't let Akari near the stove!"

"You have a cat?" She looked in to see an infant in a papoose on Emmets chest. Okay that was definitely not a cat.

"Oh...nope, although we do have pokemon." He gestured to the large spider type pokemon curled up in front of the fireplace.

"You let them free roam? I've always wanted a pokem..." A small yellow type pokemon lowered itself on a string in front of her. "Pokemon..."

"Yes, we let them free roam, they are our partners after all." Emmet said as he put the slightly charred eggs onto plates. "I remember you, your Miss Ari aren't you..."

"Ariel, yes. I've been employed at the subway for about three years now." She told him.

"Ariel...it's lovely to finally meet you properly. I am Ingo and my brother Emmet, and our small guest is an infant we found in the subway last night. We have been calling her Akari for now."

There was a soft beep from Ariel's phone. She looked at it and jumped.

"Oh shoot...I gotta go. Work soon. Just wanted to drop these off on my way there. I'll see you later, gentlemen."

Ariel trotted toward the elevator. She walked in and stood there for a moment letting the doors close. She took a deep breath, then another, trying her best to push back the emotions. She thought...she would never see her daughter again.

The tears that ran down her face hurt her so much, she had prepared her heart, she had really stowed the feelings she had.

Her body was shaking, and her head was hurting.

It was temporary. They said it was...but wouldn't it be nice...if they could have her? They were excellent with children, and she could watch her baby grow over someone's shoulder.