joe's foster home // fillie

f i v e

chapter five

7:01 am,  december 21st

waking up was weird, millie decided.

because you were transitioning from a period of unconsciousness to consciousness. your brain doesn't understand what's going on during that transition period, and normally, it didn't matter because you were in an environment where you felt safe and secure.

but as soon as millie regained control of her brain, she shot up.

because she felt the cold and unfamiliar brush of air against her skin and the cushions of the couch that weren't exactly comfortable under her figure. she looked around her and saw that there were two people on the couch across from her, with the names gaten and noah appearing her mind.

their heads snapped towards her the moment she sprung up.

millie met their eyes quickly. she stared at them for a few seconds, both of them seemingly very confused, a remote control in gaten's hand. millie looked towards the television and saw that spongebob squarepants was playing on the screen.

millie looked back at the boys and opened her mouth to say, "hi,"

"hey....." gaten said.

suddenly joe came from around the corner and saw millie awake, then their eyes went to gaten and caleb, his eyes piercing through their souls.

"guys,"

then gaten started, talking fast, saying, "we didn't mean to wake her up, you know how we are about our saturday morning cartoons, this is a new episode and i didn't know how loud the volume was on for, how could we know--"

joe's hand rubbed his forehead, "i know, but what did i say?"

"uh....it's fine. i'm was awake anyway," millie said, cutting off whatever gaten was going to say, sitting up on the couch. she looked down and suddenly noticed a blanket draped over her body, keeping her warm. she didn't remember that.

joe just shook his head and beckoned millie towards him. millie stood up, feeling a little dizzy, trying to regain her balance before walking towards joe.

joe said quietly to her as they walked to the kitchen, "how was your sleep?"

millie shrugged, "i slept through the night. it was nice,"

"how'd you get down here, exactly?" joe asked as he went to the coffee machine to grab his full mug, "all i got was a note from finn. and it wasn't very explicit,"

millie drew her eyebrows together, "what'd it say?"

joe pulled out a neatly folded pink post-it note from his pocket, and his finger flicked it open and he read it in a very flat voice, "she fell asleep on the couch, joe, don't flip your shit. -finn"

millie found herself smiling.

she leaned against one of the kitchen counters, then she cleared her throat, trying to wipe her smile away, saying, "i heard him playing last night, so i came down. and i guess, i fell asleep,"

joe nodded, his teeth pulling back his lip, "okay. sorry that the melatonin didn't work. we'll try again today, and if it doesn't work, i'll call for something stronger,"

millie nodded, letting her head rest on her folded arms as joe walked around the kitchen cooking, the sounds of sizzling meats and toast and butter and cereal and milk.

she liked it.

at hopper's house all she ever had was oatmeal.

as he started finishing up, finn walked through the kitchen door, giving a small wave to the both of them.