Chapter 6

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Light filtered through the cracked windows, seeping through the room, landing on dusty furniture and two huddled masses curled under piles of ratty old blankets. The only movement in the room was pieces of little nothings floating about the air, and the gentle rise and fall of the couple's stomachs.

Had Cress been awake, she would've sighed at the peacefulness that entered along with the morning.

Her sleeping figure slowly shifted, turning onto her side and causing the covers to fall onto the floor, right over Thorne's face. A loud groan resounded as he sat up, blindly (Te he) reaching for the fabric to cover his reddened and bruised eyes.

"Cress." She responded with a mutter, rolling over once more to have her arm flop over her chest. Her skirt had ridden up during the fitful night, showing a flash of skin.

It was a good thing Thorne couldn't see any of this.

"Cress, come on. We have to get up now. There is no way I'm missing Scarlet's breakfast."

She blinked a few times, his words running through her muddled head as she tried to figure out what it meant. When her vision cleared, he was standing by the door, buttoning up his shirt. She flushed deeply, realizing that at some point while she'd been sleeping, he'd been changing shirts.

Cress should've woken up earlier.

Her mind screamed at the thought, and she let out a puff of air, wishing the stain would leave her cheeks.

"I'm up, I'm up. Do you know what time it is?"

He stopped attempting to shove the top button in the third hole and glared in her general direction.

"Really, Birdy? You're gonna rub this in? You?" At that moment, nothing sounded better than shoving her head into the wall. She cleared her throat and stood, ducking her head as she felt her temperature. Must. Change. Topic.

"Do... d-do you need help with that?" He tugged on his shirt self-consciously, then nodded. She gulped and approached him, watching his eyebrows furrow as he tried to tell where she was coming from.

A pang of pity surged through her as he jumped under her hands, which were landing on his chest to redo the buttons. The silence was as thick as a snake, and she tried desperately to ignore the smooth skin mere millimeters from her cold fingertips. His breath was warm on her hair, brushing through and landing on her neck.

He stiffened at the last button, and as she glanced up she caught a glimpse of pure frustration on his face before he left without so much as a thank you.

Internally, she let out a scream of vexation, planting her fists on her hips. So we're back to this now?! Cress humphed in confusion and braided her tresses, trying to distract herself. The thick tangles hit the floor and curled several times around her ankles. She'd need to wash it soon, the weight was always heaviest when it wasn't clean. Oh well.

Downstairs, the kitchen was full of amazing smells. Sizzling frying pans were filled with roasted tomatoes, cheese, and herbs being wrapped into omelets. Croissants were baking in the double ovens, and a vat of syrup was being poured into several glass serving jars by a wide awake and only slightly moody Ze'ev. Scarlet was doing practically everything else, looking sweaty but happy to be doing something worthwhile.

"Can I help at all?" Cress asked as Thorne sat down at the counter. Scarlet looked up at the pair, blowing hair out of her face as she stirred a pot in one hand and cracked eggs into a bowl with the other.

"Morning you two! 'Ow vas your night?" Thorne let out a harsh laugh, and Cress bit her lip while shaking her head slightly under Scarlet's question.

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