A/N A big heaping thanks to wolfchick11, smite the mighty, IrishSaints, and IrishBoysareHott who have been spurring me on with their reviews :) Thanks much guys. Of course, if anyone has any questions, or any errors to point out let me know. I've lost my beta for a while sighs sadly
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The next morning, Julie woke up early. Not too early, only around seven or so, but it felt earlier. Her side had almost completely stopped hurting, but for a small bruise here and there. And the swelling had gone down a bit in her cheek. Pulling on a pair of jeans, she decided to sneak to the bathroom.
When she had finished, she walked back into the main room. The brothers were sleeping soundly, each one curled nearly into fetal positions on their sides. It made her smile to hear their gentle snores, all carefree and innocent. She wondered if she had ever looked so peaceful during sleep. With a soft sigh she knealed beside Murphy's mattress, lifting his tattered sheet to check his leg. It seemed to be doing okay, Murphy barely even squirmed when she touched it.
Julie wandered around a bit, before making her way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge again, she saw some eggs, bacon, and potatos. This gave her an idea. Quietly opening a cabinet and pulling out a skillet, she turned on the stove. She slapped some butter in to melt as she sliced a few of the potatos and cut them into small cubes. The bacon she ripped apart with bare fingers and set to frying around the edges of the pan.
The kitchen was starting to smell wonderful as she cracked the eggs and whisked them with a fork. Then she dumped them and the potatos into the skillet and started to prepare breakfast in earnest. There was the sound of creaking bed springs behind her, followed by shuffling footsteps and muttered Irish curses. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the brothers up and stumbling with each other over to the table.
"Didn't mean to wake you," she smiled, stirring the eggs to keep them from burning.
"The fuck ye didn't," Murphy retorted, scratching the back of his head with a yawn. "Who could sleep when something smells that good?"
Conner yawned and stretched, wincing a little at the wound on his chest. "Aye, what've ye got goin' on in there anyway? It smells like a bit o' heaven."
Julie chuckled lightly, making sure the potatos had cooked through before plating the food. She gave bigger portions to the boys as she was accustomed to, leaving just enough for herself to quell her hunger. After grabbing un-matching forks from one of the drawers, she set the steaming plates down in front of the brothers.
"Oh, fuck me," Murphy mumbled, staring in awe at the food.
Conner lifted the plate close to his face and let out a sigh. "I don't think anything this tasty-lookin' ever came out of that kitchen before."
With a giggle, Julie returned to the kitchen, hearing the brothers whispering prayers over their plates. She leaned back against the counter and stuck a fork in her food. She was poised to take a bite when one of the brothers cleared his throat.
"What're ye doin' all the way in there," Conner asked.
Murphy nodded. "There's plenty of room at the table for ye."
"I'm just," Julie began, shaking her head. "I'm just used to standing in a kitchen, is all. It's a comfort thing, I guess."
"Please, come sit with us," Murphy pleaded with his eyes.
"We won't bite," Conner promised, smirking.
Julie relented, taking her plate and sitting down between the brothers. They each smiled at her, Conner reaching up to tousle her hair as Murphy brushed his fingers over her knee. She smiled back, relaxing in their presence. With a glance to each other, both men started to dig in to their food. The first bite made Conner half-groan in pleasure.
"That's it," he declared with a smile. "You're going to have to marry one of us."
She nearly choked on her eggs before Murphy said around a mouthful of food "Or both of us."
Julie swallowed her food so she could laugh. Conner reached behind her and gave his brother a playful smack to the back of the head. "Oi, I seen 'er first."
"Aye, but I'm prettier," Murphy replied, slapping at his brother behind Julie's head.
Dropping their forks, the brothers stood and started to tussle. They tried punching each other, even though they were still laughing and arguing who would make a better husband for Julie.
"I'm better in bed," Murphy smirked, trying to get his brother in a headlock.
Conner grappled with him a moment. "Tha's not what yer last few girlfriends said."
"Children," Julie called, finally standing up. She smiled as they paused in a funny fighting tableau. "Neither of you guys would make a good husband for me."
"'N' why's that," Murphy asked with a smirk, loosening his grip on his brother's shirt.
"Because," she smirked back. "You guys are both a couple of loud-mouths with one wit between the two of you."
"Is that right," Conner asked, faking being insulted, but unable to hide the dark smile on his face. "Get 'er, Murph."
She almost squealed in fright as she turned to run, but the men were already on her. They grabbed her around the waist and started tickling her. She squirmed and laughed hard, trying to get away, but they held tight to her. Soon, they were all rolling on the floor, both brothers tickling her relentlessly, still being careful of her bruised side.
"Take it back," Conner ordered as he laughed.
Julie squirmed and twisted some more, trying to push them both away beween fits of giggling.
"Take it back, Julie," Murphy chuckled. "And we'll let ye up."
"Fine, fine," she laughed hard, finally twisting onto her belly on the floor. "You both would make great husbands for any woman."
"Especially you," Murphy urged her to add as Conner laughed.
Julie huffed a little, even as she giggle. "Especially me."
They both stopped slowly, easing her out of her laughter until they were all three laying on the floor beside each other. Conner pulled out two cigarettes, lighting both and handing one to Murphy as he smiled. "That wasn't so hard now, was it?"
Julie gave a playful pout and smacked his shoulder, watching as Murphy made smoke rings. She laced her fingers together behind her head and leaned back on them, looking up at the ceiling. Then she realized Conner was lifting a corner of her shirt. It wasn't high enough to expose anything too awkwardly. He genlty pressed his finger to one of the bruises on her torso.
"Yer healing nicely, Julie," he remarked, pulling her shirt back down.
"So are you and Murph," she replied, still watching the ceiling.
"Did ye just call me 'Murph,'" Murphy asked, sitting up with the cigarette dangling between his lips. He didn't wait for an answer before taking the cigarette out of his mouth, blowing the smoke away from her face as he leaned over her, one hand on either side of her chest. "Well, hallelujah, Conn. She's startin' to get comfortable around us."
Conner laughed, and Julie grabbed the sides of Murphy's face gently, pulling him down closer to her. She smiled sweetly and said "Your breakfast is getting cold."
"Aye, it is," he smiled back, leaning down to kiss her forehead, before pushing onto his feet.
Conner helped her off the ground and all three returned to the table to finish their meal.