Just Like Nicotine

Chapter 9

( Wilbur POV )

I awoke to the usual crashing around of Celia attempting to make breakfast, her spurts of anger occasionally yelling at the scales or the bowl for measuring an ingredient just a gram over. I didn't want to get up just yet, maybe I could try to go back to sleep? I rolled over, closing my eyes again. If I just thought about sleep, then maybe it'd come back.

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep, Sleep, Alaeia, Sleep, Sleep, Slee- wait, what?
Did I just think about Alaeia?
I can't, I won't.
But-
Stop it.
Just go back to sleep you idiot. It's not like she's sleeping in the room across the hall. It's not like that at all.

I eventually gave up on the extra sleep and got up before walking out of my room and into the kitchen.

~

Will had stumbled into the kitchen, groggily rubbing his eyes. He was still wearing his pyjamas, which consisted of a pair of joggers - though in place of the shirtless-ness,  he'd shoved on a random t-shirt. Of course, he hadn't expected for his pregnant roommate to be waddling past him after she had left the guest room, therefore his expression was of slight shock.

"Morning, or should I say good afternoon?" She giggled, ruffling his hair slightly as she moved past him to grab a few bowls. Celia had made cheesy hotdog pasta, from what he could smell and see.

"Want some?" He nodded, his stomach almost answering for him. Although he couldn't taste it that well, - or anything for that matter - he knew it was good. Celia's cooking was always nice, especially since she made it with love.

~

By the time the clock on the kitchen wall had struck 1:15 pm, Celia and Will were sat on the couch, content with their fill of cheesy pasta. A cautious Alaeia had quietly wandered out of the spare room, her curly hair slightly tousled from sleep, and the same shirt Will had offered up the night before was hung loosely on her body. Celia was the first to notice, and waved, the smirkiest smile growing on her lips.

"Hey hun, there's some pasta in the kitchen if you're hungry. Did you sleep well?" She asked, a soft, motherly tone put in place as she spoke. Alaeia nodded lightly, a small wave following a smile. By now Will had turned to see who Celia was talking to, and was hit like a truck with the immense blush that crept across his face at the sight in front of him. The quiet girl he liked was wearing his shirt. His shirt.

He managed to turn away in time for neither of the girls to notice his red face, and excused himself to the bathroom with a swift "I'll be back in a sec".

He could hear Alaeia mumble something about her sleep as the closed the bathroom door, locking it and resting his hands on the sink. The mirrored cabinet above it was surprisingly clean, perfectly displaying the boys' face back to him. Some would say he might've shape-shifted into the contents of a McDonald's ketchup packet if they could see him right now. Of course, he couldn't have that. Will decided on cool water to lower the amount of redness, and splashed his face harshly with freezing water from the cold tap.

What he hadn't anticipated though, was the radiator directly opposite the sink being turned on, and blazing hot. So when he stepped back from the sink to feel around for a towel of some sort to dry his eyes and face, the entirety of his lower legs were met with a scorching heat and that led to him accidentally yelping out of surprise and yelling, 'shit!'.

Just on cue, a knock came from outside the door, and a muffled voice asking if he was okay. "Yep! All good!" He replied, though he couldn't hide the painful tone.