SHATTERED

seventy-five

saylor

the next morning, i woke up before alex did. i was curled into their left side as they kept an arm around me. they were laying on their back with their right arm up by their head with their hand in a fist. their lips were parted slightly, but no noise came out besides their faint breathing.

i don't think i'll ever get over how calm and at peace they look when they sleep. or how cute they are when they're asleep.

i shamelessly stared at the side of their face for a moment and watched as they slept. they seriously have one of the cutest side profiles i think i've ever seen. their nose is adorable.

i laid there for a bit longer until i tried to get up. i was going to use the bathroom, brush my teeth, then go downstairs to clean the small mess that alex had made last night; their empty whiskey bottle, their cigarettes, and the cigarette ash that was on the floor.

when i turned and tried to get up, alex wrapped their arm further around my waist and pulled me back into their embrace. they sleepily grumbled something as they turned on their side and rested their chin over my head.

i guess i can stay in bed just a little longer.

•

i'm not sure how much later it is when alex woke up. i turned to see their face scrunching up as they stretched their arm, that wasn't around my waist, out. they yawned and rubbed at their eyes for a moment.

they briefly turned to me before they draped their arm across their eyes. "how long have you been up?" they asked lowly in a raspy mumble.

jesus christ.

"not long," i answered softly. truthfully, i had fallen asleep for a little longer after alex had pulled me back into bed.

they hummed. they were silent for a few seconds before they let out a breath. "i feel like shit. my head and my stomach are killing me."

"when's the last time you ate?" i quizzed.

they pinched the bridge of their nose as they thought for a second. "when i got us breakfast yesterday?" they replied.

i frowned. not only was that at least twenty-four hours ago, but also because they had hardly ate any of that food to begin with. they had only took a handful of bites before everything went down.

"how about, we go to my place; i'll cook some breakfast for you, and then we can talk about about yesterday?" i suggested

they swallowed. they answered with a small nod instead answering verbally. i sat up, and i got out of the bed. "alright. i'ma brush my teeth real quick, and then we can go whenever you're ready."

they gave another nod as they draped their arm back over their eyes. they yawned once more as i stepped into the bathroom. i used the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and fixed my hair.

when i stepped back, i saw that alex was sitting up now, but they were rubbing at their face. they glanced over at me. "gimme a minute; i'll get up," they mumbled.

"take your time," i chuckled as i walked around the bed to get my shoes.

after i had my shoes on, i walked downstairs. i walked over to the couch, and i started to clean up alex's small mess from last night. as i was sweeping up the cigarette ash, alex walked downstairs.

"you didn't have to clean that."

"i know, but i don't mind," i shrugged. i dumped the cigarette ash off the dustpan and into the trash, then put the broom and dustpan away. "are you ready?"