ephemeral // matty healy

note

The light flitted through the sheer curtains and cast bright beams across the hardwood floor. Bo was the first to open his eyes, at first shielding them from the sun, then opening his eyes in disbelief. His watch read that it was nearly nine in the morning. Carefully, he shifted Stella off of his shoulder and onto the couch below.

She was peaceful, despite snoring like a lumberjack. Her lips hung slightly agape and her springy curls twisted into every direction around her face.

He left the flat in a hurry, quickly shoving his feet into his shoes and pulling his jacket on before stepping outside.

Blair was the next to rise. She stretched in her bed with a slight arch in her back and a wiggle in her toes. After negotiating with herself for a moment, she got out of her comfortable duvet and braced the chill of the kitchen before the sun had warmed the flat. She noticed Stella on the couch, but dared not wake her up - she knew how unproductive and angry she gets when she is tired.

She only had a cup of coffee before getting dressed and rushing out the door. Maybe Ronan wouldn't suspect cheeky behaviour last night if she hurried to work.

Stella woke up in silence. Slowly, she rose and walked into the kitchen, noticing a sticky note pasted to the front of the fridge. In jaggedy lettering, she read aloud:

"Thanks, I love you so much. B"

Matty also woke up alone, in his own bedroom. He couldn't help but think about Blair as he changed into his clothes, ate his breakfast, brushed his teeth. His mind was jiggly and useless, as he pranced around his home. He was light as air until he flopped onto the couch in his sitting room.

He sighed and stared up at the ceiling as a stupid lopsided grin crept onto his face.

Matty almost instinctually picked up his phone to call Blair. She was walking into work when she answered him.

"Hey," she said. She had a smile in her voice.

"Hello," he replied. "Hope I didn't keep you too late last night."

"Don't be ridiculous." She spotted Ronan putting his lunch in the office fridge, waved and pointed at her call. 'It's Matty,' she mouthed. Ronan skipped over to her with his eyes aglow and leaned into the phone in an attempt to listen in.

"I'm glad," he said smoothly. "I'd like to see you again sometime soon." Ronan's face scrunched as his mouth made an 'O' shape. Trying his best to stay quiet on the phone, he couldn't help but smack Blair's arm repeatedly.

"Yeah, that'd be nice." She pushed away from Ronan, who was now sitting in his chair but keeping one ear open.

They made plans to see each other again over the weekend. Matty invited her to a friend's party and then promised to return her home safely at the end of the evening. At least, that's what Ronan could interpret from Blair's whispers. They said a quick goodbye and she sat down in her chair, ready to work.

"So," he said knowingly. "I thought you didn't have any plans last night." His eyebrows shot up like fireworks.

"Oh no," Blair wiggled a finger at him. "You aren't getting out that easy, you still have to tell me about your date."

"It was great, I'm going to marry him," he said quickly. "But let's get back to you two."

Blair just laughed at him. "We should get started on our actual work."