Taking 10: A Boys of Tommen Fanfic

f i v e

Ella:
When I'm in my room, I start to get into some comfier clothes, so I can get started on the dinner and be tucked away in my room by the time my brother arrives home.

My brother is twenty-four and has been my legal guardian for four years, since our mam passed away in a car crash.
We have different fathers, and neither of us ever knew them, but mam was enough for the two of us, she was great. Although she had some questionable boyfriends throughout the years she was a great mam.

Her passing was really tough on me but it was even worse on my brother.
He fell into a state of depression, relying on alcohol.
He was great, taking up the responsibility of providing me with a home and schooling, but that's pretty much where our relationship ended, we rarely speak.

We used to be close before mam passed but ever since the summer two years ago when he hit me, we haven't spoken since. I keep to myself, and he keeps to himself. He hasn't touched me since, and we don't share many words. As long as I provide his dinner for when he's home, stay out of his sight, and keep his house clean, there's no trouble.

Never again will I slip up as much to forget to make the dinner, which led him to getting angry mid whiskey-tantrum and hit me. He didn't mean it. He won't do it again. As long as I stay away. And he hasn't done it since, so I just need to stay away, and everything will be fine.

I miss my mom. More than I can say. Life was perfect when she was around. We still live in the same house, but it doesn't feel the same, she used to always have something baking in the oven, and I still tear up at the smell of baking. Me and Ciaran- my brother were like two peas in a pod when she was around, inseparable.

She had that kind of aura, that you could never be upset around.
At one point she had a really bad boyfriend, Ciaran was about seventeen and I was nearly seven.
He hit mom. Badly.

And then he came for me, and that's when Ciaran had walked in. He beat him, and we never saw him again.
I wonder if Ciaran remembers that, if he thought about how he used to protect me from getting hit, and then turned into the one who hit me.
I wonder if he even remembers hitting me.
Or was he too drunk?

Tadhg:
I head into the house to the smell of beef stew wafting around.
"How was school love" Edel says peeking out from around the kitchen door.
"Good, went into town with Ella after" I respond heading towards the stew on the stove where dellie is serving me up a portion.

She smiles down at me as I absolutely scarf down my food.
"Ollie's out waiting for you in the treehouse, with the Hurley's"
"I'll head down to him now" I say putting my bowl in the sink.

"Thanks dellie" I say walking past her as she reaches up to give my forehead a kiss.

I run down to the treehouse and climb up looking for Ollie, only to see him passed out in the hammock.
"Christ ols" I mutter.

Hopping into the other hammock I lie down. Just for a second.

I open up my eyes and see long dark hair tucked under my arm as Ella smiles up at me. Before I can say anything to her I open my eyes for real this time.
Jesus Tadhg.
Now you're dreaming of the girl.
She's meant to be your best friend.