Lovely Hues | Fillie AU

Chapter Eight

The morning brought a much needed clarity to Millie's heedless thoughts from the night before and while she scrambled buttery eggs around a black frying pan, she let her gaze be carried back to the top of the fridge. That photo album that had caused such a genuine and surprising pain in her heart last night, no longer wielded so much power. She smiled at it victoriously before returning her attention to her family's breakfast.

Though she felt foolish for crying about a man she had just met, she had reconciled that with the knowledge that the late hours of night were often tumultuous in the brain. That went for anyone. Thoughts could swell in the mind at night in a way that they never could in the morning. And so, she was grateful that it was morning. And that she could put last night behind her because as she fell asleep last night, she was under the haunting impression that somehow, in some way, she had romantic feelings for Finn. That she felt that distant yet vaguely familiar sensation in her stomach that accompanied her first conversations with both Louis and Noah and no one else.

But as she woke up this morning, she became painfully aware of how far she let her imagination take her last night. How vulnerable she was to the power of her mind's persuasions. She was, however, grateful that she could see clearly now and was set on returning the small booklet of photos to its owner as soon as she could.

"Morning," Charlie said, meandering slowly into the kitchen, rubbing his face awake, "Is there bacon?"

"Over there." Millie pointed with her wooden spoon to the table where Louisa was sitting, "And good morning to you as well." She added, turning to smile at him.

"Fantastic." He said, "I thought I smelled some but I didn't want to get my hopes up."

"Well, Charl, I'm glad to have made such a positive impact on your day." she said, spooning the eggs into a dish and setting them at the table.

Charlie took the seat next to Louisa, tousling her hair as he did, "Hey kiddo. Have you already had your breakfast?"

The little girl shrugged her shoulders and Charlie looked to Millie for a translation.

"We've been up since five." she explained, giving Louisa a conspiratorial grin "We ate something a while ago so I think she's saying 'yes' to having had breakfast, but that she's hungry again and will be eating this as well." She spooned some eggs onto her daughter's plate, then her brother's, and finally her own.

"The boys?" Charlie asked.

"The reason we've been up for so long." Millie shared, "They decided five a.m. was the best time to get rowdy and are now sleeping peacefully, yet again, while Lou and I are sadly permanently awake. Right, Lou?"

Louisa nodded slowly with raised eyebrows and an expression more befitting of an adult who was worn down from too many years of working in a factory. Her expressions never failed to amuse her mother and reminded her, yet again, that there were more ways of communicating than one.

But of course, as soon as Millie sat down, she heard a long whining cry sound from upstairs and she let out her own long, tired sigh.

"I'll get them!" Charlie said quickly, his chair screeching on the floor when he stood up with haste. "Enjoy your. . .second breakfast?" he said, unsure of himself, then turned.

"Oh." She said, a bit startled, "Th-thanks, Charlie."

"Don't mention it!" he called to her, already half-way up the stairs.

She looked to Louisa, raising an amused brow at her. "Uncle Charlie." she said, "Always full of surprises, yeah?"

Louisa rolled her eyes and ripped off a chunk of bacon with her teeth, making Millie laugh. "My darling girl." she said, cupping her daughter's cheek in her hand, "Don't ever change, love."