A/N So glad I could entertain everyone for so long :) And I'm glad everyone thinks the story is cute. I mean, I know the MacManus twins aren't all shs and giggles, but I imagine that they'd act a bit like this with a female friend. Please keep reading and reviewing, you have no idea how happy it makes me XD
Julie woke the next morning and quietly slipped into the shower. All the bruises on her side had become that yellowish-green color that showed they were almost completely healed. She washed her face and was relieved to feel that most of the pain in her cheek was gone. There were few toiletries in the shower; soap, shampoo, and a rubber duck. She giggled and squeazed the rubber duck to make it squeak.
When she cleaned herself enough to feel human again, Julie stepped out and checked her face in the mirror. The swelling had gone down completely, and the color matched the few bruises on her side. If she were inclined to wear make-up, it would be easily coverable. But she was rarely inclined to, and there was really no need since the boys already knew how it looked. She brushed her teeth, squeazed the water out of her hair, everything that people normally do when they've taken a shower, before she realized she hadn't brought a change of clothes with her.
There was no way she was putting the dirty ones back on again, so she wrapped up in a towel and decided to sneak out of the bathroom. She started passing through the main room, trying to go unnoticed. When she reached the door, something stopped her from turning the knob. Turning around, she saw that the boys weren't on their mattresses. Confused, Julie walked over, looking around the room and in the kitchen. There was no sign of them. Then she saw a piece of paper tacked to the apartment door.
Pulling it off, she read out loud. "Went to Church. Be back at 7:30. Love, your heroes."
She smiled at the signature, wondering who had taken the time to write it. The thought dawned on her suddenly. The note said they'd be back by 7:30. By the time on the clock, it was almost nine. It worried her to no end as she went to the bedroom and got dressed. Remembering the last time she had been left alone, she went to the bedside drawer and pulled out the handgun. She slid the clip in with a gentle click.
Breakfast was a bowl of Honeycombs with the gun laying naked on the table as she ate. Afterwards, she made sure the door was locked before going to her room and pulling a book out of her jumbled bag of belongings. It was a vampire romance she had bought while out with high school friends and snuck into her house so her parents wouldn't find it. The fact that the brothers had grabbed it attested to how thorough they had been in picking up her things.
Julie brought the book out and sat in a patch of sunlight near the door, gun resting on the stand beside her. She got in a good two and a half steamy chapters before the doorknob started to jiggle. It being locked gave her an extra few tense moments to walk up to the door and check the peephole. She saw Conner and Murphy rummaging through their pockets for a key. With a sigh of relief, she unlocked the door and opened it wide.
"Welcome home," she said, pointing the barrel of the gun down and away as the boys stepped inside.
"Did something happen while we were gone," Conner asked, eyes moving from the gun to Julie's face.
She shook her head, watching them as they slipped off their rosaries and hung them on wall hooks. "I feel better with it when no one else is here."
"Is that right," Murphy said, smirking. "Well, we're home now to protect ye. So ye can put it away."
Julie fought the urge to flip him off as she returned to the bedroom and put the handgun back in the drawer. When she came back into the main room, the brothers were milling about in the kitchen, fixing themselves bowls of cereal.
"So, mind if I ask where you guys were," Julie said, leaning against the wall as she watched them.
"Just takin' care of a wee bit a business," Conner replied, looking up at her with a wink. "Nothin' dangerous, but somethin' we'd like to keep secret for a little longer."
She nodded and couldn't stop the smile that crept across her lips. Murphy walked over to where she stood and brushed his fingers across her cheek, studying it hard. "Bruise's nearly gone. And my does yer face look so much prettier without it."
Julie batted his hand away, but gave an appreciative smile. He smiled back and looked at the chair she had been sitting in while they were gone. Picking up the novel, he went back to the table and his bowl of cereal. Julie felt the face on her skin flush as he started flipping through the pages, eating his cereal while he read little snippets. Conner watched him with an amused face, as if expecting him to share. Murphy did not disappoint.
"Conner, read this," Murphy laughed around a mouthful of food.
Conner swallowed his bite and took the book from his brother. He perused the page and started chuckling. " 'She wanted him with a deep sexual hunger that made her clench her thighs around her need. All her adult life she'd longed to be with someone who could make her scream in uncontrolled completion.'"
Julie knew she was blushing terribly as both men looked up at her. Conner raised an eyebrow at her. "Is that how ye feel, Julie?"
"Scream in uncontrolled completion," Murphy laughed. "I think I could manage that if ye really wanted."
"You guys are insufferable," Julie huffed, walking over and ripping the book from Conner's hand. "Incorrigible, and just plain mean."
"Ah, we were only teasin'," Conner assured. "And seriously now, sex is great fun and all, but hardly worth writin' a whole book about when ye can go out and get laid in real life."
"I wouldn't know," Julie pouted a little, turning away and walking back to her seat by the door.
"Ye mean ta tell us," she heard Conner begin cautiously behind her.
A hand slammed down on the table, making Julie jump a little before turning around. Voice sounding almost frustrated, Murphy said "Christ fukin' sake, Julie. First ye tell us ye don't drink and don't smoke. Ye hardly ever curse. And now yer tellin' us ye've never even been with a man?"
Julie shook her head, a bit shocked. "I got kissed once by a guy in college."
"Christ," Murphy repeated, covering his face with his hand. "That's it! We're takin' ye to the pub tonight and showin' ye a good time if it kills ye."
"No, guys, really," Julie shook her head, waving her hands as if to wipe the comment away. "I appreciate the offer, but it's just not the kind of thing I'm used to doing."
"Ye gotta live a little, Julie," Conner replied, before slurping the milk from his bowl.
"Aye," Murphy added. "'N' besides, we'll be right there next ta ye."
"Yeah, drinking yourselves stupid," Julie quipped, sitting back in her reading chair.
The brothers laughed at each other a bit before Conner remarked "Ah, come on. It'll be fun. Me and Murph here'll even buy the drinks."
"I told you," Julie replied. "I'm not old enough to drink."
"No one'll card ye at the place we go," Murphy said. "Walk in with us and they'll probably give ye half yer drinks free."
"And with as pretty as ye are," Conner smirked. "There's bound ta be a nice stranger willin' ta pay for the other half."
Julie stuck her tongue out at him and both men got a kick out of it.