closed starter for @jcksoncharā
The moment that the sun started rising, Nathan had found himself wide awake. This was something that he was used to ever since middle school trying to push his training to the limit in order to make the varsity team freshman year. It was a routine that had stuck with him throughout his teen, college, and professional years. Waking up with the sun to put in the extra work. That wasnāt something he needed now at thirty one, but old habits die hard. The last thing that Nathan wanted to do was pull himself away from a peacefully sleeping Charlotte, but there was only so much laying around and staring at a ceiling he could do. Plus, he needed to find some Tylenol for the pounding between his head.Ā
It had been a few hours since Nathan had woken up for the day and he had been able to get a few things done. He was able to pick up all of the empty cups and bottles around the house, take the trash out, and straighten up. Penn was let outside to enjoy the fresh air, fed the cat, and coffee was made. In all reality, Nathan just wanted to make Charlotteās life a little bit easier today as he was sure that she would be experiencing some form of a hang over like him. It wasnāt until he was making breakfast for the two of them, pancakes and eggs (really the only food he knew how to make and not screw up), that he heard life within the house. The moment he heard footsteps in the kitchen, Nathan smiled turning to look at the brunette.Ā āHow are you feeling?ā He asked softly, before flipping the four pancakes on the skillet.Ā āThereās a glass of water and two Tylenol on the counter over there for you. And before you fight me on getting coffee, itās made but you need to drink that entire glass of water before I make you a cup.ā Nathan smiled, giving her a look as though he meant business.Ā
Charlotte had never been a morning person. She could understand why people would be - the rising of the sun, starting a day early, getting more done - but sheād always been a late to bed, late to rise. Growing up in a house of nine other people, she learned to tune out just about everything in order to sleep. Talking, music, lawn mowers - it took seven alarms to get her out of bed during the week so sheād make it to work on time. With a painful hangover and a night that didnāt end until nearly the break of dawn as it was, she was sure the clock was in the double digits and the sun high in the sky before she rolled over, aware that her bed was empty save for herself.Ā
Not that she was surprised - when Nate did sleep over, he was almost always up before she was. Old habits died hard, she supposed, though she would have liked him to lounge with her sometimes. Still, she knew he wouldnāt just leave - not the morning after her birthday party, when sheād promised they could spend the whole day to themselves. A cleaning crew would come take care of most of the mess - Charlotte wasnāt organized to deal with it herself, and she refused to let Natalie - but for today, her focus was on Nate.Ā
The lines theyād put up when they started were getting blurrier and blurrier;Ā āfriends with benefitsā probably didnāt spend half their time on dates, or curled up on the couch watching TV, or taking their niece / god daughter out for fun. If he hadnāt been Natalieās twin, if he hadnāt been Emmaās uncle, she was pretty sure she would label them asĀ ādatingā. But those other little labels....they made things a little more complicated. After all, Nat and Emma were the two most important people - in both their lives - and neither were willing to risk that.Ā
The smell of eggs pulled her from her thoughts, her hair mussed as she yawned and made her way to the kitchen. She shot him a grateful smile, though he was focused on making sure the pancakes werenāt burning as she downed the pills and drank the whole glass of water in one go. She knew he would be serious about not allowing her to have coffee until it was done.Ā
āCoffee,ā she murmured, her voice groggy and full of sleep, moving around him to pull down her favorite mug - one that Emma ( Nat ) hadĀ āmadeā at a pottery shop last Christmas, the size of a soup bowl and just what she needed for the moment. She kissed Nateās shoulder as she passed him, before preparing her drink - a small spoonful of sugar, a drop of milk, the beverage turning a medium brown instead of itās natural black as she pushed herself on the counter, watching him quietly while she sipped.Ā āHow long have you been up?ā she asked when she could get her words to work again,Ā āplease tell me you didnāt clean. I have someone coming to do that.āĀ