9 - Morning after and Pizza

"Oh, but you must travel through those woods again and again... said a shadow at the window... and you must be lucky to avoid the wolf every time...

But the wolf... the wolf only needs enough luck to find you once."

― Emily Carroll, Through the Woods

. . .

Zavier picked me up by the waist, making my eyes wide, and sat me down on the counter.

He smiled at me.

I tried to keep my eyes away from his very naked tatted torso. "G-Good morning," I stuttered, blushing because even his sweatpants were how on his hips. I had taken one glance and I knew it was going to make me blush the whole day.

He cupped my cheek with one warm rough hand. "You are burning up,

Kitten. What's wrong?" He mocked softly, stepping closer.

"I-I-" I got off the counter from the other side so that it came between us. He raised an eyebrow at me, putting his hands on the counter, making his muscles flex. "I sh-should go," I mumbled. "Bye!"

I turned around, ready to charge towards the lift which was across the giant living room, it was visible because the kitchen was open.

"Wait," he ordered and I froze automatically. I bit my lip and turned around. He was leaning against the counter, black eyes watching me and strong inked arms folded over his impressive chest. I could spot some tattoos on his body - different Viking runes littered around his abs, a small ying-yang symbol on his right bicep. That was all I could gather in one glance. I liked his tattoos, I liked that they were symbolic.

Realizing I had been starting for way too much time, I tore my eyes away from his abs and looked at his face, knowing mine was blowing up.

"I will put on a t-shirt," he said as if knowing his nakedness was making me act up. It made me nervous and a little...scared. Rumors about them again infiltrating my mind. Cruel ruthless killers. No one had proof. That did not necessarily mean that they were innocent. "And you will eat. Then, I'll drop you off. Yes?"

I nodded. He hummed and walked away, climbing the dark staircase which led to the upper rooms. I looked around the penthouse. It was dark with sharp and solid furniture. A chandelier was in the middle of the black ceiling of the living room, its golden lights looking beautiful on the dark ceiling. The couches were in the middle were arranged into a rectangle with a giant table in the middle. The walls were plain with photographs on them,

large and small black and white photographs. I inspected them closely. Some of them were of animals, some of the birds, some of just nature.

I inspect one closely, it was of a butterfly. I looked at the initials in the corner of it.

A.M.

I frowned. A.M.? Zavier's initials were Z.M.C. Were these Ashton's? I

highly doubted Zavier would put these up if they were Ashton's.

"Kitten." I jumped at the sound. I turned around. Zavier was walking towards me with a gray with had two plates of pancakes and two glasses of orange juice. He looked at me and then at the photograph I was looking at. His jaw flexed. "Come on, let's eat."

I followed him to the dark couches. We sat down and he arranged the petals on the table. The pancakes looked so good with chocolate syrup dripping off them. He remembered that I loved chocolate.

We ate in silence. I could feel his gaze on me, which somehow made me think of his half-naked body, which then resulted in the deep blush on my face.

I did not even know what I was doing here. I was scared as heck of them and now I was having pancakes with Zavier?

After breakfast, Zavier led me to an elevator and soon enough we were in a Ferrari, one of the many cars in the large private parking he had, on our way to my apartment in Brooklyn.

"What...what did you want to ask me yesterday?" I asked him after a few minutes of silence.

"There is a party on Monday," He spoke. "My brothers and I want you to accompany us." He sneaked a glance at me. "Would you like to? It's on Christmas eve. If you don't have plans, join us."

I bit my lip, running a hand through my hair. "I'll t-think about it." I will text you no. I can't say it to your face.

He nodded. Soon enough we reached my apartment building. He got out of the car before I could and opened the door for me, extending his tatted hand to help me out. I took his hand, his fingers tightening over mine, and stepped out.

He bent down and pressed a kiss to my cheek, making me blush furiously. "Stay safe and give me an answer soon, yes?"

I nodded. "Okay."

He smiled a genuine smile. "Good. See you later, kitten. Go up now."

I nodded and walked inside the apartment building. I unlocked the door and went inside. I looked out of the window and waved at Zavier. He waved back with a smirk and got inside his car, driving away.

I looked around my mess of a room. I hated cleaning Saturdays.

. . .

It was hard work to clean. I spent about an hour cleaning my easel, which didn't look like a mine after I was finished. I picked my clothes and embroidery stuff and paintbrushes and tubes of colors and music records and jewelry and many random things which did not make sense up from the ground, reviling my yellow carpet. Was that a half-eaten ice cream tub?

I needed to clean more. I had ditched like three previous cleaning Saturdays.

It was two in the afternoon when I was finally done. I threw myself at my bed and snuggled under my sheets.

My phone buzzed. I ignored it. It buzzed again.

I groaned.

Ashton - Check your heater.

Ashton - Now, little one.

I frowned. I got off the bed and walked to the wall heater which was right beside my bed. I turned the dial. It was working.

You got it fixed?

Ashton - I got it checked out while you were sleeping.

That was...really nice. Zavier let me stay at his place, in his own bed. Ashton got the heater fixed for me. They were nice. It didn't make sense. They were nice.

Thank you.

Ashton - Have you had lunch? Not yet.

Ashton - We are coming over with some pizza.

I just looked at that text. They were coming over with pizza? We?

Just when I was about to reply, my phone died. I sighed, dropping face-first on the bed. I was tired and I was hungry.

I was almost asleep when I heard a knock on my apartment door.

I shot out of the bed and looked at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a large dark pink t-shirt and white shorts which were not even visible because of how large the t-shirt was.

Pulling some leggings on as quickly as I could and running my hands through my mess of hair, I opened the door.

Ashton grinned at me. Xerxes smiled.

In their hands were like six boxes of pizzas. "Hi!"

"Hello, little one." Ashton kissed my forehead, making me blush. Xerxes kissed my cheek and they walked inside the apartment.

I was proud of how my apartment looked. Even though it was a little messy. Ashton set the pizzas on the counter and suddenly I was reminded of how big their office and Zavier's penthouse had been. They must think that I lived in a shoebox.

I walked inside the tiny open kitchen as Ashton opened the pizzas boxes. "I decided to go safe with the pepperoni because someone-" he looked at me, arching up an eyebrow. He looked really good, dressed a black turtleneck in leather jacket and denim, his glasses on his nose. "-decided to not reply."

I bit my lip. "My phone died."

He looked to where it was on charging and nodded.

"You cleaned up?" Xerxes asked. He was wearing a simple black shirt with denim and a jacket, his black hair down. "You need to buy a new bookshelf." He eyed the bookshelf I had and the long stack of books beside it.

I huffed, bringing over the plates and the extra chilling flakes and oregano I kept. "I-It's too much work."

"Don't mind him, little one," Ashton said, sitting down on a stool. I sat down across him and Xerxes said down beside me. "He's a neat freak."

"Shut up, Ashton."

"And absolutely lacks the art of comebacks," Ashton continued, putting a large pepperoni pizza in front of me. It smelled amazing.

Xerxes grumbled something under his breath, eating his pizza while Ashton gave me a look that said 'see?' I giggled quietly. He smiled widely.

. . .