Buds

Chapter 3

Matthew woke up confused. His mind was foggy as he tried to remember where he was. He had woken up on a couch, a pillow under his head and a blanket over his body.

He sat up slowly, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the light peeking through the blinds. He looked around, finding he was in Danny's living room. He must've fallen asleep before she got back. Guilt immediately seeped through him, thinking about how he had imposed on the family.

Matthew groaned as he swung his legs off of the couch, hunching over. He sat up straight, stretching his arms over his head with a yawn. He heard a light pop from his back, feeling a little better. Looking forward, a few things registered in his mind. The tv was now off, the black screen staring back at him. He could also here the clang of pots and pans coming from the kitchen, as well as a sizzling sound. The sweet smell of bacon also wafted around the room. It smelled like heaven.

At that moment, Danny walked down the stairs, a smirk spreading across face as she noticed him. "Morning sleeping beauty."

Matthew turned to look at her with tired eyes. She was already dressed and ready for the day. Hannah must've been the one cooking. He gave her the only smile he could manage, pushing himself up off the couch.

"And where do you think you're going?" she demanded, arms crossed as she approached him.

Matthew only grabbed the blanket off of the couch beginning to fold it. "To the shop. Where else?" His voice was quiet and groggy, as could be expected.

"I don't think so. Not before breakfast at least," she chastised. He gave her a plain look, but quickly looked back to his blanket. Her gaze was sharp, and it was hard to ever refuse her—a mistake, too. "It's your day off anyway, and you need to get more sleep. The bags under your eyes make you look like an emo high school kid."

Matthew tolled his eyes, muttering a "whatever" as he finished folding the blanket, setting it down atop the pillow.

"Hannah's almost done with food. You wanna do the honors of waking the twins?" Matthew smiled, not bothering to respond as he went straight for the stairs.

He was practically leaping by the time he reached the top. He walked down the hallway, heading for the twins' room. He made sure to be quiet as he opened the door, but he couldn't control the cream of the door.

Luckily, the boys were heavy sleepers, so they were still sound asleep. He made his way to Elliot's bed, his being closer to the door. Lightly, he shook the boy, softly telling him it was time to wake up.

"Uncle?" Elliot whispered, his eyes scrunching up as he began to wake up.

"Yeah, it's me. Breakfast is almost ready, so we gotta get up, okay?" Elliot nodded tiredly, opening his eyes to look at the man.

Matthew picked the boy up, sitting him down at the edge of his tiny bed. He turned and walked over to Ethan's bed, repeating the process. He helped both boys get dressed, letting them pick out their outfits for the day.

Ethan picked out a green shirt with a spaceship on it, paired with dark blue shorts. Matthew was able to convince Elliot that his tiger onesie was for special occasions, like movie time. Instead, he wore a yellow shirt with a dinosaur on it. He paired it with a pair of dark green shorts.

Matthew held the boys' hands, leading them out of the room and down the stairs. He let them go as they arrived in the kitchen, each running to hug a mom.

"Well don't you boys look adorable?" Hannah gushed, crouching down to pick up Elliot. She looked over to Matthew, giving him a smile. "Morning, Matthew."

Danny picked up Ethan, kissing his head and pinching his adorable little cheeks. "Are you boys ready for... pancakes?"

Matthew joined the twins in their cheering, chanting "pancakes" as he followed them to the dining room.

The pancakes were delicious, as expected from Hannah. Unfortunately, Matthew had to go without his coffee. Danny didn't like any of the many sweeteners Matt drowned his coffee in, preferring to drink it plain black. Hannah, somehow, didn't like coffee.

When they finished their meal, Matthew stood up to wash his dishes, however it was quickly swiped away by Danny who was carrying her own plate to the sink. "Don't think I didn't notice how neat the house was when I got home. I'm not letting you do anymore cleaning for us."

Matthew huffed, turning back to the twins. He ruffled what little hair they had, telling them he'd see them soon before wishing Hannah and Danny goodbye.

"Hey!" Danny called. "What'd I say about you leaving. You're gonna relax today. No work." Her voice was stern, but Matthew didn't stop walking. He simply turned back, a mischievous grin on his face as he walked backwards.

"Have to get new clothes somehow, don't I?" He was out the door before she could respond.

Matthew headed straight for the shop, not paying attention to the busy streets around him. He picked up the paper that was thrown at the entrance of the shop, rounding the corner to the back entrance. He held the paper in his teeth, trying to work the old lock. He jiggled it a few times before it finally clicked. He pocketed the keys, tossing the newspaper onto the desk as he headed for the break room. He grabbed a slightly nicer outfit and headed for the bathroom.

When he was finished freshening up, he exited the bathroom. He wore a pair of dark blue jeans, one of the only pairs that had no tears or stains. He paired it with a pale pink button up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He wore the boots that he didn't work in; they were a clean black.

Matt grabbed the paper, letting himself fall back onto the chair. It rolled back a few feet with the impact. He leaned back, unfolding the paper and reading the headline. His eyes widened as he stared at the words, quickly reading the article.

"Holy shit."