Cosy Christmas ✓

6 / all i want for christmas

For the first time in a long time, Connor woke up once the sun had already risen and he stretched out his arms as he arched his back and screwed up his face in a yawn that took over his whole body. Duke unfurled himself from the end of the bed, where he usually ended up making himself comfortable for the night, and he slowly dropped to the floor, mimicking Connor's stretch. He nuzzled against his owner's knee until he was acknowledged, and Connor scratched between his ears.

"Morning," he said, and he crouched down to wrap his arms around the dog, nuzzling his face in his fur. "Time for breakfast, I think." He stroked Duke and got to his feet, yawning once again as he headed into the bathroom and tried to wake himself up. The pale sun streamed through the bathroom window and he peered out at the mild morning weather, momentarily lost in thought until the sound of movement downstairs dragged him from his reverie. Something smelled good, and the scent that wafted up was enough to tease him downstairs.

Duke lolloped down the steps behind him, paws thumping on each step, and Connor pushed open the door to the kitchen to see that Cass was up before him. That was a rare sight, and he did a double take when he saw her standing over the oven with a pan on the hob, bacon and eggs sizzling in hot oil. She turned to grin at him, her lips breaking into a wide smile that showed off her teeth.

"Morning, sleepyhead," she said. "I thought you'd be out with your girlfriend by now, but then I realised you were still here, so I figured I'd make breakfast and we could catch up." He hand paused over the pan, spatula dangling from her fingers. "You're not rushing straight out, are you?"

"I don't think so," Connor said. He dug his phone out of the pocket in his pyjama bottoms, unlocking the screen to see one new message that had popped into his inbox at twenty past six that morning, over two hours ago.

Posy: only up to pee, I fully intend on sleeping in for as long as I can so I'll text you when I'm up! Maybe 10ish? I was thinking we could do that food shopping, and maybe put together some of the furniture ...? See you later xx

Connor smiled automatically as he read the message, his heart fizzing at the two kisses she had signed off with, and Cass stood on her tiptoes to read the message upside down.

"Oh, man," she said, shaking her head and turning over the bacon. "What did I tell you about falling for her? You can't do it, Con. You'll only get hurt."

He sighed and tucked his phone back into his pocket. He didn't want to reply in case he woke her up, and clearly she needed every moment of sleep she could get. "Easier said than done," he said, and he sloped over to the kettle. While it boiled, he took out a mug each for his sister and himself and prepared the same order he was now used to: like Posy, Cass was a fan of milky coffee, though she took hers fully caffeinated.

"What're you gonna do though?" Cass asked. "Realistically, I mean." She grabbed the two plates she had prepared, a couple of slices of buttered toast on each, and scooped bacon and eggs on top. Connor joined her at the table with the two mugs, and he shrugged. Cass sighed, as though the age gap between them was reversed. She was smart; Connor knew that, and sometimes her maturity exceeded her twenty years. There were times when he forgot that he was seven years older, times when her advice was exactly what he needed to hear.

"I don't know."

"Are you gonna tell her you like her?" She tore at her toast with her knife and fork, inexpertly cutting it into pieces. "Are you gonna rock up at her bedside right after she's given birth and tell her you like her? Or are you going to drop it on her now and freak her out?" Eyebrows raised, she glanced at him as she ate, and Connor slowly moved into action. He pierced the yolk of his egg, the delicious yellow liquid oozing onto soft toast, and he mashed it into the bread.