Heart Buffs, Coffees & Cats

18

I stared at the tiny 'Echeveria' sitting adorably on the bedside table, its tiny, fluffy rosettes soaking in the morning light that filtered through the window. The air was crisp, and a soft veil of clouds cast a foggy glow over everything. It felt peaceful—almost suspiciously so, especially for a workday.

Everyone was still sound asleep, as usual. In the two days since I'd been here, one thing I'd quickly learned was that none of the guys were morning people. It was odd, how fast I'd started feeling comfortable here, blending in like I was part of the routine. Something I hadn't expected at all.

A part of me felt grateful; the other part, though, felt sad.

Maybe it was because I knew I'd have to leave eventually.

I sighed, stretching before heading downstairs. As I reached downstairs, I found — Canella and Biscotto, wrestling like tiny, furry warriors. My heart practically melted on sight, filling with so much love that I wanted to scoop them up and squeeze them.

The moment they spotted me, they darted over, practically announcing their hunger with wide eyes and insistent meows.

"Yeah, of course love!" I cooed, giving each a pat before grabbing their food from the pantry. They pounced on it, occasionally pausing to swat at each other and meow between bites.

Mornings couldn't be better than this.

After snapping a quick picture of them, I moved to the kitchen to make coffee. I'd just started to enjoy the view out the window when a soft thud came from the stairs.

Luca.

He stumbled in, eyes mostly shut, shuffling straight toward me like a zombie. "Good morning."

I laughed. "Good morning, Luca. Thought Ryan was usually the first one up?"

He gave a sleepy nod, eyes still half-closed. "Water,"  he mumbled. "We're out… need it."

Trying not to laugh too hard, I handed him a bottle. He downed a few sips, then turned and crashed onto the couch, instantly asleep again. The cats, meanwhile, finished eating and darted around the kitchen in bursts of energy, playing some sort of game that they never got bored of.

The grumpy Ayden got a sunshine brother and two happy fluff balls in his life and was still grumpy as ever. any girl dating him would definitely suffer.

good for me because it wouldn't be me.

Finishing my coffee, I opened my laptop and sorted through a few listings for dorms and rentals, making a mental note of which ones to follow up on later. By the time 08:30 rolled around, I decided I might as well explore the house a bit.

Honestly, there wasn't much to see. Four rooms upstairs, a kitchen, the hall, a dining area, and a gym room. Then, my eyes landed on a closed door, one I hadn't noticed before. My curiosity bubbled up, so I strolled over and tried the knob. It was unlocked.

Opening the door, my eyes widened in surprise. the room was huge Inside was a large, setup — a sleek table with five chairs, each with a high-end gaming PC complete with headsets, monitors, and other gear. It looked professional, like a gaming studio or something.

A separate gaming room? Really?

I smiled to myself, closing the door. Guys and their games — I'd never understand. But, whatever floats their boat. Maybe the extra chair was for a friend who stopped by now and then.

When I got back to the kitchen, I found Ryan making coffee, Biscotto cradled in his arms. He looked up and grinned.

"Oh, hey,” he said, smiling as he saw me. “Morning!”