Chasing Butterflies

Ready... Set... Dress

Izzy groaned and turned her face further into the hard pillow. Since when did her pillow smell this good? She ignored her thoughts and just stretched her legs out across the couch, trying to fall back to sleep.

"Well isn't that just adorable," a quiet voice teased just as Izzy was about to drift off again.
"Oh shut up, she needed to sleep." The pillow underneath her cheek shifted on its own, making her face scrunch up in confusion. Why was this nice-smelling pillow moving?
"Shut it, guys. Let her sleep," another voice joined the conversation as Izzy eavesdropped, not feeling very sleepy anymore.

Izzy huffed out a breath and tried to punch the pillow to make it softer.

"Ow! Damnit Izz!" Her eyes shot open and took in the sight of a now wrinkled white shirt.
"What the—"
"Next time you punch a guy at least give me some warning," Jungkook rubbed the spot on his ribcage that Izzy had just assaulted.
"Oh crap," her hand smacked itself onto her face and dragged down it slowly. "Sorry, Kookie. I thought you were a pillow," she chuckled sheepishly, making him laugh as well.
"It's okay, just try not hit me anymore, please? For a small girl you hit hard." He still rubbed at the sore spot on his ribs.

Izzy smiled awkwardly at him and pushed herself up into a sitting position. The other boys were back, bags of food now littered the kitchen counters and they chattered happily amongst themselves while sorting through a massive supply of takeout containers. Izzy smiled at the sight of them. This felt like home. As Izzy pushed herself off the couch and stretched her sleepy limbs, Jungkook took the opportunity to stretch his feet out on the space that she had previously occupied and shut his eyes, settling in for his own nap. She walked slowly over to the kitchen and creeped up behind Jimin. Izzy leaned her head down so her forehead touched his back and she felt him stiffen.

"Hi," she greeted in a tired voice.
"Hey." Jimin pulled away from the contact, moving to the other side of the counter without sparing her even a glance. Izzy didn't know why her heart clenched a little at the way he ignored her.
"Okay..." she let her voice trail off, hoping no one heard the twinge of pain behind it.

"Hey Izzy, we got food, help yourself." Namjoon shot her a dimpled smile as he was loading up a plate for himself. She shook away the tense moment and began to gather her own plate, as well as one for Kookie, who was pretending to be asleep on the couch.

The TV channels flipped at lightning speed when Taehyung got a hold of the remote, he sat on the wooden floors with his plate untouched in front of him, he couldn't start eating until there was something good to watch. He finally settled on a channel as Izzy sank onto the floor beside him. Leaning back on the bottom of the couch she turned and placed a full plate on Jungkook's chest. His eyelids peeled back lazily and he cast a sleepy smile at Izzy, mumbling a quiet "thanks" before digging in. Izzy ate slowly, watching the boys around her as they ate and chattered happily. She saw Jimin's hard expression as he flopped down on one of the stools at the counter, the furthest spot from everyone else. Izzy pushed her plate away; she wasn't very hungry anymore, but she was worried about Jimin. Had something happened to put him in a mood? Had she done something?

***

When Izzy's eyes peeled open that Friday morning she realized three things: she had to be at the café for work in thirty minutes, she had been sober for a full 48 hours now, and she would have to see her parents tonight. She turned over onto her stomach, shoved her face into the pillow, and screamed until her vocal chords were numb. Hopefully none of the boys had woken up. Letting out a very ladylike groan, Izzy flopped off of the couch and dragged herself to the bathroom for the quickest shower of her life, then proceeded to dress at the speed of light before she dashed out the door. The boys were still sleeping, thankfully, so she was able to get out the door without Jin nagging her to eat breakfast, Jungkook poking at her sides to tickle her, Taehyung begging to braid her hair, or worst of all, Jimin ignoring her. She didn't know what she'd done to make him suddenly decide to hate her, but she hoped that she could figure out how to fix whatever it was, and soon. Izzy was going crazy not talking to him.