Three's Not A Crowd (Revamp)

Chapter One-Hundred and One: [Isiah VIII]

    It was four in the morning, close to five, when Isiah inhaled deeply, slowly opening his eyes. His back was faced towards Maria. He blinked softly, eyes searching his dark room. Maria slept soundly, hands laying on him as she breathed rhythmic huffs into his back.
    He blinked again, slowly moving to sit up. He looked at his bedside table, opening the drawer quietly and grabbed a pack and a lighter before standing. He bit at his lip, going towards his window and opened it. He glanced at Maria, who looked calm, hands moving around the empty space before curling up at her chest, turning to lay on her belly.
    Isiah turned back around, sitting on the windowsill and grabbed a cigarette out of the pack, setting it down before lighting it. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply before leaning his head back and looked out the window. His mind wandered elsewhere.
    He bit at his lip, looking down at the cigarette before looking back out. He watched one of the guys walk across their balcony, eyes trailing him. Luckily, the man was too drunk to even notice he was there. He looked back down, taking a hit before turning his head to Maria. She was still quiet, occasionally moving or making a sleepy groan or mumble. He leaned his head back again, quiet. He closed his eyes for a moment, hearing footsteps approach as he turned his head to look out the window.
    His face shifted as he sat up.
    A man from earlier approached with his arms crossed, standing at the balcony beside Isiah, reaching over to look into Isiah's apartment for a moment then at him. "What're you doin up, hm?" He whispered to him.
    Isiah frowned, moving to look down at the cigarette and shook his head. "Nada. . ."
    "Well, in that case; should wash my work clothes. Need em in a few hours."
    He sucked his tooth a bit, afraid to deny as he nodded and looked at him. "Fine,"
    The man smiled. "Good answer." He then walked away back inside his own apartment.
    Isiah watched him walk away, sighing softly as he glanced at Maria and flicked the cigarette out the window. He stood and closed it, locking in as he shut the curtain,  brushing off his hands, grabbing his hoodie and slipped it on. Maria turned over, groaning soft, mumbling his name into the quiet.
    He turned, walking over and kneeled quietly, kissing her forehead. "I've gotta go do laundry. Just sleep, okay?"
    "'S t'early for that. . ." She grumbled. "Come back. . . come back t'bed. . ."
    He shook his head softly. "I'll come back after. . . I gotta do this now." He blinked. "So I don't forget. . ." She turned over to face him, eyes barely open. He stroked her hair. "I'll be quick."
    She shuffled closer, eyes closing again. "Don't want you to go. . ." But he only moved back.
    "I know, I promise I'll be quick." He slipped his slides on as she barely opened her eyes to look at him, watching with her face smushed to the pillow. He walked over to the window to make sure it was locked before grabbing a basket and headed out of the room. Maria looked around the room, looking at the window he locked. She pulled the covers closer as she drifted off again.
    Isiah ran a hand through his hair, grabbing his keys and walked out, turning and locked the door as his bird, Guerrero hopped around in his cage, chirping.
    Isiah glanced around before quickly making his way towards the laundry area. He opened the sliding door, stepping in and shut it, turning around and flipped the light on. He turned again and set his basket down, looking at all the baskets of clothes waiting, speechless. He started doing the laundry, glancing around at his surroundings every now and then.
    He flinched to his phone ringing, tensing before closing his eyes and reached, grabbing it as he looked at the contact. He tilted his head, answering it as he spoke quietly. "Hello?"
    A boys voice came through the phone. "Tío! Te extraño. . ." He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes.
    "Niño, it is four in the morning. . ."
    "I know, but I can't sleep. . . it's crazy here, Tío. Come back. . ."
    He shoved the clothes in the washer. "You know I can't."
    A woman stood near the door, arms crossed as she watched him quietly.
    "Even mamá misses you, she's been thinking about flying you in but. . . money is tight."
    He frowned, putting the soap in. "Yeah, here too. I'm working two jobs right now; You get a job yet?"
    "Not yet, Abuela says I'm not ready."
    "Tch. Tell my mother to hop off it." He scowled slightly, shutting the washer before sitting on the bench.
    The boy laughed softly. "Nah, I can't do that she'll beat me." Isiah smiled a bit, holding his arm and looked down. "Hey, do you think I can go there?"
    His face softened as he looked around the laundry room. "Uh, you know that is uh. . . up to my sister. . ."
    "I'll ask her whenever she wakes up, I'll let you go now, Tío."
    He nodded to himself. "Yeah alright, Te amo, compañero. . ."
    "Bye!" He hung up. The woman walked away, putting her hands into her pockets. He looked down at the phone, frowning as he inhaled deeply and stood. Two men stood nearby, seemingly waiting as Isiah turned off the light and walked out, shutting the door behind him.
    The men stepped forward, crossing their arms as one looked up at him. "Where's my shit Isiah?"
    He looked down at him, scowling a bit. "What shit?"
    The man scowled. "Really?"
    Isiah put his hands into his pockets. "Yyeaaahh?" He made a face. "I haven't sold to anyone in like, a week."
    "So what, your boss is lying out of his ass or somethin'?"
    His face shifted, staring at the man. "What?"
    "Yeah, he said you had shit for me. So, where is it?" The man beside him exposed a gun, raising his eyebrows.
    He glanced down at it before looking at the man. "I don't have shit for you. I don't carry and I haven't been."
    "Tch. Right." They stepped back, pointing at him. "We'll be back once you do get it." They then left. Isiah watched before taking a deep breath, holding his chest and rushed back to his apartment.
    Isiah approached his door, eyeing the man who has been giving him trouble for quiet some time now. He slowed down, swallowing before stopping, gripping his key. The man was leaned against the railing, head turned to face him as he smoked. "You off to work soon?"
    He stared at him, moving as he grabbed his doorknob and started unlocking the door. The man watched, scowling a bit. "It's not polite to ignore your elders, is it now?"
    Isiah continued to ignore him as he gripped the knob, unlocking the last lock before quickly walking in and and shut his door, relocking it.
    Guerrero chirped and moved his head to look at him, lowering his head as he started nomming on the bars.
    Isiah exhaled shakily, knowing full well that was a mistake as he stretched his shoulders. Guerrero looked back at Isiah, clicking his tongue before speaking. "What doing? Snack?" He then mocked kissing sounds.
    He turned to Guerrero, shaking his head and held his hips. "Sleep, Guerrero. Snack later." But then he began to do a little dance while holding onto the bars. He put a towel over his cage before walking back to the room quietly. Maria was sleeping, mumbling his name and making soft noises, stretched out on her stomach with a leg raised to her chest.
    Isiah shut the door quietly, closing his eyes for a moment before going and slipping off his slippers, laying back down and curled up under the blanket. She mumbled his name more. He held his arms, thinking to himself quietly before turning over to face her. He listened to her breathe softly, grumbling.
    He watched her face quietly, she then reached out a hand. She touched him, hand softly curling his shirt as her eyes slowly open. He blinked slowly, examining her face.
    She didn't seem to register who exactly he was given the dark room and jolted awake, moving from him in an instant, shielding her body with the blanket.
    He went wide eyed, sitting up as he stared at her. "Woah,"
    "Isiah?"
    "Who else would it be?"
    "I was scared you were a stranger. . ." She admitted in a low voice.
    His face softened. "Oh. No, I'm not. . ." she moved closer, curling up. He pulled her in, closing his eyes as she wrapped her arms around him, face pressed to his chest.
    "Isiah. . .?"
    "Yeah?"
    "Would. . . would it be a bad idea if. . . if I booked you a room at the hotel while I'm here?"
    He kept his eyes closed. "Mm. . . I don't know. . . I'll think about it. . ."
    "Please. . .?" She looked up at him.
    He looked at her, blinking softly. "I'll think about it. . . I don't want anything happening to my place. . ."
    She blinked, lifting up. "What? What kind of things?"
    He frowned, moving a bit. "It's difficult to explain."
    "Isiah. . ." She reached a hand to hold his arm, but he only looked down and went quiet. "Hey. . ." She lifted her hands to his face. "You don't have to tell me, you don't. . ." He kept his head down, nodding softly. She lifted his head. "Baby," he looked at her, eyes glossy, she looked at him. "Hey, hey don't cry. . . don't cry."
    "I'm sorry. . ." He whispered, the glossiness of his eyes turned to tears.
    "Baby. . . oh. . ." She wiped his eyes, shushing him. "Hey, hey no need to be sorry, it's okay. . ."
    Isiah furrowed his eyebrows and forced himself to look down, moving his hands to his lap. "Isiah. . . please look at me." She moved closer, lifting his head again, but he closed his eyes and looked up again, letting the tears roll down his face. She frowned softly. "Isiah please look at me baby. . ."
    He finally looked at her, keeping his eyebrows furrowed as she looked at him. "Honey, sweet boy don't hide from me, please. . ." He stayed quiet, wanting to say something but nothing came to mind while she lifted her gown, scooting closer and used the softer fabric underneath to wipe his face, speaking soft and gentle to him.
    Isiah swallowed, holding in cries as he examined Maria's face as she looked at him with a gentle look, dropping her gown, hands back to hold his face. She softly kissed the top of his head.
    He closed his eyes again, finally letting out a sob as he quickly covered his mouth to quiet himself, she put her arms around him in a hug, sitting down and pulled him in. He buried his face into her, definitely embarrassed as she rested her head on his shoulder, rubbing his back.
    "Why are you like this to me. . .?" He whispered shakily, holding her arms as he quieted his sobs, now holding them in.
    She lifted her head and moved to look at him. "W-what?"
    "Nice," he wiped his face, looking at her. "Why are you so nice to me?"
    Maria stared at him, her face a look of anguish, confusion, and sadness. "Because, because I love you? Because I want to be. . .?"
    "Why. . ." He furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm, so unstable and-and everything around just, collapses." He exhaled quickly, looking down at his slightly shaky hands.
    "You're not unstable. . . please don't beat yourself up. . . nothing is, collapsing. . ." Maria tried to reassure and comfort him as she lowered a hand to hold his. Isiah watched her hand before swallowing. He wanted to say more but closed his eyes, leaning back into her. "I've got you baby. . . nothing is collapsing. . ." He held onto her, lip quivering as she held him, combing through his hair. He started feeling sleepy again, breathing softly as silent tears rolled down his face.
    She kissed his forehead as he drifted off, hands relaxing as they dropped into her lap. She rocked him, slowly stopping to lay him down and curled him up in the blanket, stroking his face. Maria felt to awake to go back to bed, looking around quietly.
    Isiah's cockatoo was going crazy in his cage, chirping and dancing while chewing the bars and kicking his toy around. She listened, looking over and then got up from the bed and walked over, peeking beneath the blanket, her eyes widen in curiosity. "Hello. . ."
    He looked at her, blinking before dancing again. She smiled soft, pulling back the blanket and looked for the door. "Don't, bite me, okay. . .?" She unlocked the door, slowly inching her hand in as an invitation. Guerrero stopped and watched her hand, leaning down as he hopped over to it and hovered his beak over her fingers.
    Maria stopped, watching as he pressed his beak into her hand and made a kissing sound before leaning back with his wings open and did it again. He did that a few times before speaking. "Snack."
    "I don't have a snack,"
    He wiggled, chirping. "Please? Good bird!"
    "I don't know where Isiah keeps your snacks." She chuckled, looking over at the room.
    Guerrero hopped out of the cage, flapping his wings before landing on the ground and waddled to the room. "Daaaaad, snack." He then said other scrambled words, hopping around the door. Maria smiled, following.
    She walked over to the bed, getting on and leaned over him. "Isiaahhh," he hopped on Isiah, tilting his head to look at him before jumping on his belly as Isiah inhaled deeply, pulling the blanket over his face.
    Guerrero hopped onto his chest and leaned down to his face, making more kissing sounds before reaching his talons over and poked his face. "Snack."
    Maria hid her laugh in her hand, smiling as she nudged him. "Don't make me say the word mister, your bird wants a snack."
    He groaned a bit. "Guerrero. . ." But the bird only continued to cry.
    "Snaaaack, dad, snack, dad snack!" Maria laughed softly as Isiah moved the blankets off of his face, looking at him with the most disappointed face.
    "You know where the snacks are."
    He poked his nose with his claw. "Please?" Maria glanced at Isiah.
    Isiah sat up, putting his hand under his feet and lifted him up. "Fine, fine. . ." He then stood, lookin absolutely wiped as he walked out towards the kitchen. Maria watched, got up, and followed.
    Guerrero suddenly screamed, bopping his head up and down as Isiah let him, smiling softly as he set him down on a small wooden post. "Berry?" He flapped his wings, dancing from side to side. Isiah chuckled, taking out a small bag of berries and put them in a tiny bowl. "One bowl of berries for Guerrero." Maria hopped up in the counter near, watching.
    The cockatoo reached for the bowl, holding it with his claws before leaning down and started eating as Isiah pet him softly, watching him. "Good bird. . ." He spoke quietly. Maria looked at Isiah, legs swaying softly.
    Guerrero then started banging the empty bowl on the wood. "AhhhHHHHhhHHH"
    She jumped, laughing a little. He watched him, blinking before opening his hand. "Are you done?" His bird screamed once more before he placed the bowl in his hands, swaying.
    Isiah chuckled, setting the bowl aside before opening his hand. But instead, Guerrero jumped onto his head, ruffling his feathers in his hair before getting comfortable. Sge smiled, looking at then both as Isiah looked up at him with his eyes before looking at Maria. "This, is Guerrero. THE menace to society."
    "The menace you say?"
    "Yes!"
    He ruffled his feathers. "Shit."
    Maria looked up, snickering as Isiah went wide eyed, looking up. "Oh no, bad." He pointed.
    "Mistress." Guerrero then repeated a laugh, standing and opening his wings. Maria looked at Isiah, eyes a little wide.
    Isiah went red, covering his mouth as he reached and took him off his head. "Guerrero, we don't repeat that!" But Guerrero kept laughing, his crest lifting as he made a kiss to his hand.
    Maria couldn't help but give a little giggle. Isiah also laughed, shaking his head while Guerrero flew towards Maria, sitting on her shoulder as he bopped his head around. She jumped, taken aback.
    Isiah watched, crossing his arms. "He loves cuddles and giving kisses."
    She smiled, looking at him. "Like father like son, huh?"
    He smiled softly. "Yeah,"
    Guerrero looked at her, tilting his head as he opened his beak. "What doin'? Pretty." She looked at him, smiling again.
    "He also loves dancing. I'll play my music and you can hear him singing along and dancing."
    "Oh?"
    "Watch, I'll show you," Isiah turned and reached into a cupboard, grabbing a speaker and his phone, connecting it. "Guerrero, pick a song." Maria looked at him and then the bird.
    He looked at him, shaking out his feathers. It took him a moment to answer. "Mujeriego." Isiah grinned, nodding and played it, setting his phone down and crossed his arms.
    "Good pick." He tilted his head, looking at the main door before turning it up. He hopped onto the counter, going insane. Maria smiled, watching. Isiah watched him as well, laughing. "My neighbors hate me for this reason."
    "Oh goodness " Maria replied as Guerrero then screamed, wiggling around quickly. She watched, looking at Isiah as he danced with Guerrero, grinning from ear to ear.
    Maria watched them both with a smile. Isiah looked at her, still grinning as he took her hands. "Dance with me."
    She giggled. "Okay okay," he held her waist and her hand, looking down at their feet as he talked her through the steps. Guerrero flew onto Isiah's shoulder again, dancing with them.
    Maria held his other shoulder and hand, laughing while she followed him as Isiah picked up the pace, grinning up at Guerrero. She looked over as there was a pound of the door and a woman's voice was muffled from behind it.
    "Chico! Es temprano! Tranquilo!"
    She looked at Isiah as he turned, grinning more as he shook his head. "No can do! Me estoy divirtiendo!" His bird repeated him, tilting his head.
    "Isiah!" She whispered.
    He looked at her. "Whaaaat? If my neighbors can have their babies screaming at three am, I can blast my music at five am!" She rolled her eyes, tilting his head with her finger and stole a cheek kiss. He smiled at her, turning the music up more. The lady cursed before leaving. Maria smiled back, laughing softly. He continued dancing, starting to sing along while she followed his dancing, smiling. As Maria danced, she stole quick kisses, smiling and giggling.
    Isiah laughed as the pair danced the morning away.