Mess You Made

6.

Miguel.

I like runs. Through the city. Like them with my brother but he's not in the mood for me recently — deserved, to be honest.

So I get to my next best option.

His girl's already awake since I saw her in the kitchen with her tote bag on, ready for morning ballet practice. I don't need to knock heavily on their bedroom door, lest they're fucking. Because— I'm not exaggerating when I say this apartment's a minefield of sex.

I breeze through the door, wonder for a moment if I should take a nicer approach. I mean, very cute when he's sleeping. On his stomach, blonde hair strewn over his pillow and I can make out the small fawn tattoo across his hipbone. All his tattoos, as small as they are, they're all dedicated to Violet — so cute.

And then I yell, "Rise and shine! Your favourite brother's here!" My brows furrow, because that just echoed off the walls and he didn't even flinch, so I pull back, "Everest Ronan Jones, I expect a better reception when I walk into a room."

Still nothing.

I yank the covers off him, smile, "Sweetheart, get the fuck up, maybe—"

He groans, turns his face into the pillow the way a puppy would, smacks my hands away, "No, sleep, let me beauty sleep—"

"You're awake!" I grin, "Missed you."

His voice is muffled into his white pillow, "We live together, I saw you last ni—"

"Did you not miss me back?" I pull my face back, shocked.

Everest groans a bit, trying to wake himself from his sleepy daze and then he lifts his head, turns it towards me. When a lopsided smile touches his lips, I already fight a smile, "Course I missed you, baby. How could I not?" He slaps the side of my face, blue eyes tired, "Look at that face."

"I see you two are up early." Violet says mindlessly as she glides in, picking up her shoes from the floor.

Everest grins just at the sound of her voice, turns his head towards her whilst lying on his stomach, "Wife." He reaches for her, "Come back—"

Violet, like this is routine, knows exactly when to pull back before he can reach for her cardigan to tug her towards him, checking her hair bun in the mirror, "No. Hands down. I'm already late, Ev."

"Cuddle. One more. Slight one, even— I'll be happy with a five second spoon, baby—"

"I'll take a five second spoon." I say.

Everest winks back at me, "Wait your turn."

I smother a smile.

Violet shakes her head at him, fighting one of her own smiles because he's the type of ridiculous that she's delicately in love. Her cheeks flush at basically everything he says, like he's still her first biggest crush — no matter how long they've been together.

I love their love. Always have. So soft in the way they love each other, you know? The gentlest.

It's in her eyes when she briefly looks down at him, tilts her head. Makes this little face where she starts to smile at how cute he is, then reaches down, tenderly brushes back a few strands of his hair.

"I'll see you after rehearsals." She says softly.

Everest groans a bit, tilts his head back to her, says he wants her to stay without having to say it — because send off a nationwide emergency if you ever see these two anything but conjoined at the hip.

Violet kisses his bottom lip, holds his face the way you hold the most precious thing to you, "Always so cute in the morning, Everest Ronan."

He smiles a bit against her lips, "Want me to drive you?"