Bittersweet

xiv.

Val jumped, her heart racing from the fright. She flung side to side, trying to figure out where to go in that moment, as she listened to the man step inside and shut the door. She turned and dashed to the stairs, up the stairs and down the hall before she could be in his line of sight.

"Todd?" the man called again, "Is that you running around?"

Val, still naked, passed Todd in her journey up the stairs. With hands covering her boobs, she gave him a look to say, 'what the fuck?' to which he replied with a frantic shrug and gestured for her to continue to his bedroom.

She did so, finally dressing herself back into a pair of his boxers, his socks—which did have frogs on them—and his blue button up shirt, before rushing to the top of the stairs to listen carefully below.

Todd, now clad in his black sweatpants and slides, was surprised to see his younger brother stood in the kitchen. His eyes lit up when Todd walked in, which was the same time Todd realised he and Val's clothes were still scattered across his kitchen floor, and Cody was laughing ecstatically at them, almost jumping up and down as he pointed with giddiness.

"You dog! Where is she? Did I interrupt something?"

Todd could tell Cody was thrilled by this. They had spent a lot of their growing up together, Todd having only moved into his own place a year ago, and it had become an ongoing joke how often Todd would walk in on Cody with a woman—mostly because Cody didn't understand the concept of closing a door. It was clear how excited Cody was to finally have it the other way around.

"Come ooooon," Cody droned, slumping over dramatically, "you have sex hair! I haven't seen you like this in years!"

Todd began to hush Cody as he yelled about his previously non-existent sex life. "Shh! Do you ever be quiet?"

"Oh," Cody said in a more hushed voice, "she's still here? Strutting around somewhere naked? Her underwear is right here..."

Cody bent down and reached for the pair of panties strayed on top of grey sweatpants before Todd quickly swiped them from the floor and tossed them into his washing machine. Todd glared at him, although Cody just continued to laugh.

"Did you just come here to taunt me or is there something I can do for you?" Todd sighed. He leaned over the sink to crack a window open, the smell suddenly engulfing him.

"Yeah, actually... I need a favour," Cody said, his voice more serious now. "Can I stay in your spare room for a few nights? No more than a week?"

Todd stated at his brother, brows furrowed as he crossed his arms.

"I mean-" Todd stopped himself, his mind racing to Val for a moment, if she'd be okay with this; and then to Cody, and if he'd be okay with Val. "You know you're always welcome here, but why?"

"I've found myself in a bit of a pickle that I just needed to get away from for a few days, nothing serious, promise."

Cody was always sincere, and he and Todd always told each other the truth, which is why Todd never questioned Cody's vague response or what it meant. Instead, he nodded slowly, before awkwardly looking around the room, as if searching for what he clearly needed to say.

"What is it?" Cody asked, interrupting Todd's nonchalant avoidance.

At the other end of the house, sat at the top of the stairway, Val listened carefully while playing with a loose string on Todd's sock, racking her
mind to figure out why this man's voice sounded familiar. Val had settled on it just being one of those voices; basic, like everybody else.

As the men's voices got lower, Val began to creep down the stairs, closer to the cracked open kitchen door to get a better listen.

"Well, like I said, you're welcome to say," she heard Todd speak, "but I guess you need to know, uh, you aren't the only guest I have staying at the moment."

She could feel herself becoming more anxious as she twiddled her fingers, sitting comfortably on the end step of the staircase.

"Wait, the girl?!" Cody quizzed excitedly. "Do you have a girlfriend you're not telling me about? She lives here?"

"She doesn't live here, she's just staying for the moment, and she's not my girlfriend."

Val didn't know why she statement offended her. She was well aware Todd wasn't her boyfriend, but she had hoped that Todd would have wanted it to be different; maybe he just didn't at all. Maybe he didn't actually like her that much at all.

She stood abruptly, preparing to march herself back up stairs but instead her phone slid from her lap and crashed onto the floor. With the loud bang she froze, waiting to see if the two men in the kitchen would react. Her question was shortly answered by the kitchen door swinging open, and a miniature Todd stood in the doorway.

Val suddenly felt a lot less comfortable stood in Todd's boxers and button up shirt. She quickly moved to button it up higher as Todd also came into view in the kitchen doorway.

"Uh, Cody," Todd started, with a hand on Cody's shoulder, "this is Val. Val, this is my brother, Cody."

Cody's eyes were wide as he stared at Val, as if she was the last person he expected to see. Val pretended not to notice and instead smiled and stepped forward, "Hi Cody, nice to meet you."

Cody nodded slowly as he examined her, his cheeks beginning to turn a shade of salmon, but it was as if she could see him shake it away before speaking, "So nice to meet you. I've heard so much!"

"Oh, have you?" Val chuckled and eyed Todd, who rolled his back whilst shaking his head.

"Yes, loads, hard to get him to stop talking! Love and wedding bells and whatnot, he's infatuated."

Cody had this way of speaking; everything he said was so sarcastic and so sincere and rolled off his tongue like he'd rehearsed it in a mirror a couple times first. He had this charming whit about him that most people fell in love with quickly—it was his trick, but Val just found sly.

"Uh, Val," Todd began, finally directing attention away from his newfound housemates, "I hope you don't mind, Cody might hang around for a few days."

"Of course I don't mind."

The two brothers spent the afternoon catching up; Val took this as her opportunity to shower and relax, leaving the pair to their devices. As she pitter-pattered throughout the house, showering and drying her hair and sorting her freshly washed laundry, she took every chance she could to eavesdrop. She listened to parts of a conversation Todd shared about teaching, and parts of a conversation of Cody describing a recent big night out, until the afternoon slowly became evening and their conversation became quieter.

After some time alone Val slipped from Todd's bedroom towards the kitchen for a glass of water before she prepared to sleep. Part of her wished her and Todd could have spent some quality time together after their mini argument and make up sex, but she didn't blame him; she'd drop everything for Lucas.

The living room door was still open a crack and the boys were still in there talking. Val tried to sneak past as to not interrupt, but froze in her steps when she heard her name come up.

"You haven't just sat here down and asked her?" she heard Cody whisper.

"I've been meaning to. How do you even bring something like that up? Like, hey, I think you were raped, can we talk about it?"

Val felt a lump begin to ball in her throat, she tried her best to steady her breathing and stay quiet.

"I mean," she heard Todd continue, "I don't know, Cody, I feel kinda crazy. I haven't felt like this about someone in a long time. I don't even really know if she feels the same, we haven't talked about it. I just keep feeling like I need to keep her safe. I sound like a pussy."

She could hear them both chuckle, both ultimately sigh. Val crept to the kitchen, retrieved what she needed, and rushed quietly back upstairs.