𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃𝐒 .

27.

unedited

third person

"can i see the lighter?"

mahi'ai obliged silently, shaking his head as he grabbed nina's pink lighter off his vanity before passing it to the girl who sat comfortably on his bed, her dark brown eyes lingering on the boy who seemed to be slightly off that morning. nina wondered if it was perhaps a hangover- but mahi'ai's swollen eyes sung to her a different song- one he obviously didn't want nina to listen to. the salvadorian girl didn't say anything, instead only lighting the small joint inbetween her lips mahi'ai had suggested as soon as they finished getting ready, a clear sign he was bothered.

even so, her friend was just as stubborn as her, so nina didn't push up against what seemed to be a sore spot for mahi'ai who didn't even recognize the extent of language that could be detected just from his seemingly saddened eyes that attempted to brighten when the girl nudged him with the joint, presenting a smile.

"here."
"i get firsties?"
"mhm." the girl smiled sweetly over at her friend who obliged calmly before nearly dropping the burning thing onto his rug when the door was torn open. both nina and mahi'ai glared vividly, smoking blowing out of the hawaiian's nose as he turned around, fuming at his older brother that the immediate recongition of quickly wiped any anger off nina's face, who's eyes seemed to soften as they darted away.
"w'at?" mahi'ai asked calmly, trying his best not to project his anger.

"fuck you mean what?" adonis asked, mirroring the same exact stank face his little brother wore. the older wore his curls freely that day, which meant their resemblance was especially uncanny. the eighteen year old eyed the girl on his borther's bed who seemed to be silent, scrolling upon her phone. "you eatin backwoods fa breakfast a sumn now?"

"wake and bake." mahi'ai joked nervously, his heart pounding in his chest. despite the fact that it had been a month since he started, he had never smoked with or around adonis and had no idea what to expect from being caught red-handed.
"yo foreign ass don't know shit bout no wake and bake." the older boy tutted, snatching the joint much to his younger brother's distain.
"uh," mahi'ai tutted angrily. "nina's neig'bor, dick'ead."

"unt unt, since when you start cussin?"
"i can't cuss?" mahi'ai glared, wondering why nina said nothing. "i'm n-"
"not a baby," adonis mocked, making his voice higher-pitched, making himself completely comfortable. the quiet girl on the bed seemed to gather into herself, swallowing silently as she pressed her chubby thighs together. adonis stared directly at her before plopping himself directly across from her, sprawling out without one regard for her comfort as he leaned against the headboard before passing her the joint with an infuriatingly knowing smile the younger didn't even acknowledge, snatching it back from him. it wasn't as if she could really complain when she had gotten it from him, and hadn't been paying since she started smoking. "we fuckin know. do you want a ride to school or not?"
"mm-mm." mahi'ai rejected, completely oblivious to his best friend's nerve as he began to take down his braid.
"why not?"

"please don't make me go. my 'ead 'urtin." mahi'ai said with a deep exhale, obviously expecting a lecture from his brother who said nothing. it was obvious that there was more to his decision, but adonis didn't say much. the only reason why he was so hard on his little brother in the first place because of his love for him, and his need to see hmim suceed- something adonis had failed at.
"just don't make a habit of getting hungover on school nights, goldie. you just need to eat. let's go somewhere and get sumn." adonis suggested, finding amusement in the silent way the two skipped over him in the rotation. mahi'ai turned around, a genuine smile amassing his features at the comfort his brother always seemed to provide him with.
"okay." mahi'ai said as he passed the joint back to with a gentle smile. "just lemme pee."