The inside of the home was relatively quiet. It was still a bit early; the sun had just barely peeked over the horizon through the kitchen window above the sink. The only thing that betrayed the fact someone was awake was the sound of a coffeepot brewing on the counter.
A small woman moved carefully around the kitchen.
She looked for something and couldn't find it.
Where had she put that damn thermos?! Last she recalled, she was the last one to touch it. She had washed it... but it wasn't sitting in the drainboard next to the sink. It wasn't in the dishwasher, or in the sink. Nor was it with the rest of her coffee and tea cups.
She might have taken it to her room.
A quick search revealed no.
Was it in her car?
No.
When she came back in, she had her hands on her hips and was tapping her little socked foot against the floor.
Where in the fuck is it?!
Growing increasingly agitated that her stuff was not where it was supposed to be, she began hunting through the cabinets in silence.
She didn't want to wake up the likely hungover brother who had decided to pass out on their couch instead of his bed upstairs.
Well, at least he didn't bring a girl home, this time. That was always a fun time...
The little woman finally found what she was looking for after several minutes.
...
On a high shelf that she couldn't reach.
"How the fuck did it get up there?!" She asked aloud, quite upset she had to climb to get her favorite cup just for coffee "Gods dammit..."
Now she had to go find her fucking stepladder...
She could just use another cup... No, it wouldn't be the same. She wanted her own cup.
No longer caring if she woke her brother or not, the little woman stomped over to the broom cabinet to get her step stool, slamming the cabinet door as she did.
A snort and a groan from the living room told her he was awake. Good. Bastard.
"Ugh... What time is it?" the man mumbled, glancing at his watch. Fuck, it's too early for this bullshit...
The little woman stopped just before she opened the broom closet.
"Oh good, you're awake," she snapped, walking to come stand in front of the couch, arms folded over her chest as deep blue eyes of sapphire glared down at him. "You can get my thermos down from your shelf."
"The fuck...?" The man murmured, scrubbing at his eyes with a hand before peering up at her. "Slower, please."
"My. Thermos. Your. Shelf. Go. Get." She repeated, speaking slowly and deliberately, making sure he understood her this time.
He just stared at her, hazel eyes tired and red-rimmed from the previos nights drinking. She looked mad. That was unusual for seven in the Gods damn morning...
He asked, not moving just yet. "Do I smell coffee?"
"Yes, and you can have some as soon as you rescue my damn cup," she said, turning on her heel and heading into the kitchen, snow-white hair swaying over her shoulders.
The man snorted and chuckled slightly. Okay, so she was just annoyed. Annoyed he could work with.
He yawned and said, "Give me a minute."
Fuck, coffee sounded amazing right now... Sis always made good coffee...
"The longer I go without my caffeine, the more I'll bug you!" she threatened.
"All right, all right..." he grumbled, getting himself off the couch with a loud groan; several pops and cracks ringing out.
"Mara's sake, Theo..." She murmured. "Was that your back, your knees, or your shoulder?"
"Yes..." He replied as he got to his feet, swaying slightly. Ah jeez... Well, at least she'd kept all the lights off save for the one above the stove. "Good idea."
"I know a chiro-"
"Nope," he cut her off and shambled into the kitchen, rubbing at his itchy and achy eyes again. "A hot shower will fix it."
She asked, "Are you still wearing the same clothes you left in?" as he entered the kitchen.
He was still wearing his jeans, a black shirt, and even his sunglasses were perched askew on top of his head...
At least he had taken off his boots.
"Guess so." He answered, coming to stand near her.
The height difference was criminal. Granted, he was tall, but she was very short.
"You always been this short?" he asked. He could've sworn she used to come up higher than his armpits.
"Yes, which is why I need you to fetch that." She said, pointing at the cup onto the shelf she couldn't reach.
The man would squint in the direction she was pointing.
On the highest shelf, and by itself, stood a single metallic blue thermos with a handle, engraved with a silver letter M within a circle.
He would then begin laughing.
He said to her, "It took you long enough!" He added, "I hid it there a week ago!"
"Why?" She demanded, moving to try and reach it, but even jumping, she couldn't reach it.
"Shits and giggles," he replied, still laughing. "I get a kick watching you reach for shit."
"You. Are. An. Ass!" She would say, still hopping.
"Hang on..." He said, coming forward. Though instead of simply reaching for the cup, he would hoist the smaller woman up by her waist.
He didn't think this through... he forgot she was a squirmer... and his balance was absolute dog shit at the moment...
She didn't weigh enough to bother him; it was the movement...
"Ah, put me down!" she squealed.
He grunted, trying his damnedest not to fall. "Grab it, before we both fall," he said, feeling the strain in his voice. She better hurry; otherwise, this was going to hurt.
The woman would huff and grab her cup. As soon as she had it, he'd let her back down onto the floor. Only to be rewarded with a lighthearted slap on the shoulder.
"You could've just reached up there..." She whined.
"You're welcome...?" He'd reply. Not sure what the slap was for... "And that was more fun." He'd add, grabbing one of his coffee mugs and closing the cabinet door.
"Just because I'm small doesn't mean you have to pick me up all the damn time... I'm not a doll." The little woman muttered as she headed to the coffee pot. "Do you manhandle all the women in your life?"
"Eh, but I bet it's nice to see things from a higher perspective every now and then, huh?" he'd tease her. And he'd ignore that last part.
"Oh, shut up!" she snapped, though he could see the smile on her face.
"There's that safeword, means I'm right." He'd say, ruffling the top of her hair.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it," she'd respond, using a hand to shoo his away before smoothing out her hair as her other hand began making her coffee.
The man would just chuckle and wait patiently, watching the little woman.
"You're dressed kinda early." He noted, seeing she already had normal people clothes on. Basic T-shirt and jeans, but still... It was more effort than he'd seen her put forth lately. Lately was sweats and either a tank top or hoodie. One of his hoodies, to be more specific.
"I felt better today." She'd say, adding her sugar before moving to the fridge to grab her creamer. "Your hoodie is in the wash, yes, I remembered to wash it your way." She added, pouring the creamer into the thermos before closing it tightly and shaking it. "Last thing I need is you complaining it itches cuz I didn't do it right..."
"Wasn't that worried about it, but thank you." He replied, making his own coffee.
Black, because fuck all that extra stuff...
And he wasn't going to harp on her about it, regardless of whether she'd fucked it up. She felt good, no need to complain about her doing him a favor and risk another episode...
She said, "You want to come sit outside with me? The weather looks nice on my phone."
"Sure," he said, patting his pockets to see if he had his cigarettes. He did; coffee and a cigarette, breakfast of champions!
The little woman would just shake her head and smile as she carefully opened the thermos to take a sip. Ah... Liquid motivation.
"Come on then." She'd say, heading for the door and-
"...can you try to remember to lock the door when you come home?" She asked. "And pick up your keys?" She added as she bent down to pick said keys up from the floor and hang them on the hook.
"That's what that noise was..." He'd respond. "And I thought I did. Oops..."
The little woman would sigh and open the door, propping it open with an extra shoe before opening the screen door and heading out.
Theo would groan as the brighter light assaulted his eyes, but he would soon follow her out.
The weather felt nice; cool and kind of crispy with a slight breeze.
"Autumn's almost here," she said as she headed for the porch swing and inspected it for moisture before sitting herself down on it, curling her legs up beneath her, and resting against the armrest. "I wonder if I can get the kids for Halloween."
"Sounds like something to ask." He'd reply, moving to nudge a milkcrate along the concrete before he'd plop his big self down onto it.
Yeah... Ya know, one of these days, I'm gonna laugh when you either miss that thing, or it breaks on you." she said. "We have chairs here."
"Bah..." Would be his response as he set his cup down and reached for his smokes. Oh damn... He was almost out. Oh well, had enough for breakfast, at least.
He'd pull one out and light it, eyes closing briefly as he let the smoke flare from his nostrils.
All right! Now it was time for coffee!
The two sat in silence for awhile, Mer watching the bird feeder in the yard whilst Theo just kinda stared at nothing. Though he did notice a bird near the feeder. Didn't look like a jay or pigeon...
"What's that one?" He'd asked.
"I think...a Swallow?" She'd answer. "Hard to tell from here..."
"Swallow? They named a bird after-"
"Better than a Great Tit..." She'd reply.
"...do what now?" He asked, looking over to see if she was joking.
She was not.
"It's a tiny little bird. I forgot where it's normally found, but I swear it's called a Great Tit or something like that. I was watching a YouTube video about weirdly named things..."
The man would sit in silence for a moment debating.
"Is it bigger than yours?"
"Theodore Dwayne!"
"Judging by that reaction, I'm going to say yes." He answered with a laugh.
"Shut the absolute fuck up..." She'd respond, laughing all the while. "You're mean!"
"What? I just asked a question!"
"Oh.. my God, I can't deal with you this early in the morning..."
"Shouldn't have woke me up then!"
The pair would fall into quiet laughter, scaring off the bird in the process.
Theo would finish his coffee and cigarette quickly before getting to his feet.
Ysmirs Jewels... that was a long way to stand up...
"Awe...done already?" She'd ask.
"Gotta piss." He'd answer, flicking the cigarette butt into the ashtray bucket before heading for the door.
And the sun had decided to peek up from behind a cloud to mercilessly rape his sensitive eyes...
The woman frowned slightly but let him do. She was enjoying the company.
"Hey..." He say as he reached the steps. "It's good to see you feeling better." He told her. "I was actually starting to get worried."
The little womans frown only deepened.
She said. "I know... I'm going to talk to my therapist about my medication. It doesn't seem to be working like it used to. I don't want to, but..."
"Hey, you do what you gotta do." He told her. "I'm sure she can find something that'll work for you. That is her job, after all."
Mer would just nod. "Yeah, maybe..." She said. "Was I always this bad? I don't remember much from when I first diagnosed."
He said. "You were worse though. But I don't think school helped. All the other kids and shit going on... You're better now than back then. Fuck, you're better now than when you and Ronnie... were together."
"Really?" She asked.
"Really. You're making progress. It's not quite at the rate you'd like, but some is better than none, right?"
"...Yeah, I guess you do have a point." She agreed, frown ceasing and a very tiny smile forming. "Thanks, Theo."
"Anytime." He told her, heading into the house before his bladder exploded.
Mer would just continue to sit on the swing and sip her coffee. The weather was nice, her mind was behaving itself, she felt like she could take on...well, maybe not the world... Not right now.
She'd start with the house. She could take on the house chores. Maybe.
All in all, though, she felt really good today.
