SKYFALL, Johnny Kavanagh

Like a koala climbing a eucalyptus tree

Johnny's Point of View

Maeve was asleep.

She hadn't made a single sarcastic comment in at least twenty minutes, which, for Maeve, was highly suspicious.
At first, I thought maybe she was just getting lost in the film, but when I glanced down, I saw her head resting against my shoulder.

She was out.

I stayed completely still, staring at the screen, trying to act like I hadn't noticed.
Because if I did acknowledge it, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do.
Wake her up?
Shift away?

Pretend I didn't care that she was curled up against me like she trusted me?
Jesus.
I was overthinking this.

I exhaled through my nose, shifting slightly so I could grab the blanket and pull it up over her shoulders.
Maeve stirred, mumbling something unintelligible, but she didn't wake up.
She just sank further into the warmth.

I turned my attention back to the film, though I wasn't really seeing it anymore.

Her deflection.
Her bitterness.
The way she looked when she talked about her cousin.
The way she never talked about anything that mattered.

Maeve didn't trust easy.
And yet, here she was.
I had no idea what to do with that.

I scrubbed a hand over my face, then shifted slightly, making sure she was still warm before settling back against the headboard.
I could feel the steady rise and fall of her breathing against my arm.
I wasn't tired anymore.
Not even close.

So I stayed there, watching the rest of the film in silence, the weight of Maeve against my side making it impossible to ignore just how much of a terrible idea this was.

I turned my eyes back to the screen, but it was useless.
The film might as well have been playing on mute.
My thoughts were too fucking loud.

Because the truth was, I didn't know what to do with her.

Maeve wasn't like other girls I'd been around.
She wasn't sweet, she wasn't flirty, she didn't try to impress anyone.
She wasn't looking for attention—she was avoiding it.
And if someone did give it to her, she either ignored them or bit their head off.

I swallowed hard, forcing my shoulders to stay relaxed.
I didn't move.
Not because I couldn't, but because I wouldn't.

The credits started rolling, and I let out a slow breath.
I could reach for the remote and shut it off.
Get up, move, do something.

But I didn't.
Instead, I just sat there, staring at the screen, listening to the quiet sound of her breathing.

I was officially in trouble.

I was pondering in just how much of it when I heard footsteps.
Loud, heavy footsteps.
Uncaring if anyone was asleep Gibsie threw open the door to my room and I swear I felt Maeve jolt against me because of the noise.

"She barely lifted her head before groaning and flopping back down against my shoulder.

I turned a murderous glare toward the doorway.

There stood Gibsie, who blinked at Maeve, his sleep addled brain trying to figure out what was going on.
Then the bastard's face split into a grin.

"What is it that my eyes are seeing." He said, his voice thick with sleep but his tone dangerously delighted.

"Why is he still talking?" she muttered into my sleeve, her voice muffled.

I exhaled sharply. "Gibsie."

"Johnny, my brother, my love."

"Stop."

"How can I when I just caught you two cuddling?" He shouted.

Maeve lifted her head enough to look Gibsie in the eyes. "We were watching a film. I fell asleep. It's not that deep."

"Not that deep? You're wrapped around Johnny like a Koala climbing a eucalyptus tree."

"Now you're just exaggerating." I could feel Maeve's eyeroll against me.

I shot him a warning look. "Gibsie."

"No, no, no, Johnny, you don't get to talk." He pointed an accusing finger at me. "You've been holding out on me! And here I thought we told each other everything."

"We don't."

"We should." He said dramatically, stepping further into the room.

I groaned, rubbing a hand down my face.
Maeve, meanwhile, had already flopped back onto her pillow, clearly over it.
I really should have seen what Gibsie was about to do.
And had I been paying attention I would have.
Unfortunately I was solely focused on the fact that without Maeve next to me, I felt cold.

Then Gibsie flopped himself on my bed.
In the middle of it.
Between me and Maeve.

Maeve let out a noise when the bed shook under Gibsie's weight, before she half-heartedly tried to push him away.

I gaped at him. "What the actual fuck?"

Gibsie stretched his arms behind his head, making himself very comfortable. "What?"

I gestured at the entire situation. "Get out of my bed."

"Nope."

"Gibsie."

"Nope."

Maeve made an irritated noise, turning her face into her pillow. "Lower your voices."

"It's a Sunday morning, and I just caught you two in the most compromising situation I've ever witnessed. We're watching a film. As a family."

"I don't even remotely believe this is the most compromising situation you found Johnny in." Maeve interrupted. "Watch whatever you want. I'm going back to sleep."

Less than five minutes passed before her breathing evened out again.

Gibsie tilted his head, watching her for a moment.

Then he turned to me and whispered. "Lad."

I ignored him.

"Lad."

I turned up the volume before realising it could wake Maeve, at which point I turned it back down.

Gibsie grinned wider.

"You are so fucked."

I exhaled slowly, staring at the screen.

Unfortunately, I had a horrible feeling he was right.

"You're down bad, Johnny. Down horrendous."

I clenched my jaw.

Gibsie leaned even closer, until I could practically feel his smirk burning into my cheek.

"You like her."

"I do not." I said evenly.

Gibsie let out a slow, exaggerated groan. "No, yeah, sure, I totally believe that. That's why you let her fall asleep on your shoulder. That's why you–"

I turned to glare at him.

He was already grinning.

"–are still staring at her."

"I'm not staring at her," I muttered.

He gave me a pitying look.

"You like her."

"I don't."

"You do."

"I don't."

"You do." He said stretching the o at the end.

"Gibsie."

"Johnny."

"Shut the fuck up."