When The Nights Get Long

Breakfast and Silence

All it took were two weeks of living under Andrew's roof for Blue to grow accustomed to their new living arrangement. There were quite a few things to be cautious of when it came to bunking with the author. For starters, they always had to make sure breakfast was ready and set on the table exactly at nine a.m., because no matter how much sleep he may have gained the prior night, he would burst out of his bedroom in a groggy mess the moment the clock struck nine.

Sure, the man was able to make a bowl of cereal, but that was it. He couldn't even fry an egg without causing the stove to catch on fire. It was no wonder the kitchen was spotless when they moved in. But with their agreement to eat their meals together, they knew they would eventually have to start cooking. And with them needing to get in shape for work, waking up early to cook was the least of their concerns.

When it was lunch time, eating together was a bit more challenging since Blue would be at school while Andrew was typically working. So, they would precook meals for him to eat when they knew they wouldn't be there, and since the author usually wasn't home for dinner, as he was out for work meetings, they would eat alone. Breakfast was at least the one meal the two knew they could count on to eat together, so breakfast truly became the most important meal of both their days.

Like clockwork, the clock struck nine, and the bedroom door thrust open. Dark, purple bags hung under his eyes, his whole body stumbling as he dragged his feet to the dining room table. "Good morning," he grumbled.

"Morning," they whispered, afraid to look him in the eye.

In no way was Blue scared regarding their safety. They knew there was nothing to worry about, as Andrew was quite protective of them. Blue was terrified to become an inconvenience to the man through talking, so conversations at the table were typically nonexistent between the two. Most of the time, they wanted to say something to him. Back when they lived with Luke, there was always something to talk about. Whether it be a strange dream they had or their plans for the day, the breakfast table was always lively with random discussions.

Blue was far too afraid to engage in a conversation. It wasn't fear for speaking out of place, rather annoyance. The light in his office always seemed to be on. Even in the early hours of the morning when they got up to use the bathroom, they spotted him hard at work, typing on the keyboard to make his deadlines. To talk when he may not have been in the mood too would be rude on their end, so they chose to keep their mouth shut. Better safe than sorry.

The behavior, however, did not go unnoticed by Andrew. He always sat at the end of the table, expecting them to open their mouth and spill just about anything on their mind to him. The way they stared at him, eyes wide and hesitant, there was no doubt something was always on Blue's mind. He remained quiet, waiting for them to speak. But after weeks of them not saying a word, he realized he would have to be the one to get the conversation rolling.

What was he supposed to talk about, though? The only times he ever talked during a meal were during his business meetings. The rest of the time was him eating alone, minus the exceptions when he ate with Luke and Blue back at the old apartment. Even then, though, he didn't speak unless someone asked him a question. Thus, breakfast resulted in an awkward time for them both, yet it was still time they treasured.

As he watched Blue clean up after breakfast, he couldn't help but smile at them. Their face was stoic, as it usually was whenever he was in the room. He wasn't sure if he had done something to upset them, but he intended to make them smile once again. He wanted them to smile every time he walked into the room, because whether they realized it or not, he always smiled the moment he saw them.

"What do you have planned for today?" he asked as he carried his empty plate to the sink.

"Rehearsals. Aiden and I have a new job for a live karaoke bar. I'm the drummer, he's the guitarist," they replied as they continued to scrub grime from a pan.