His Aresthai

{12} A Challenge to Work For

"ROSSY, TIME FOR school," my sister-in-law, Melia, yells as she bangs on my door.

"I hate that nickname," I groan, pulling the covers off my body and swinging my legs over the side of the bed.

"Too bad, I happen to love it," she chirps before she goes across the hall to wake up my twin brother, Adonis.

"DONNY! WAKE UP," she screams at the top of her voice.

I chuckle, standing up and stretching. School mornings are always funny, hearing Melia attempt to wake up my brother, who sleeps like the dead.

I hear Melia say, "I'm gonna eat all the pancakes I made," before a loud thump from Adonis' room and he yells, "I'M UP. DON'T EAT MY PANCAKES YOU GREMLIN!"

"What did you just say," Melia says, her tone dangerously low.

I cover my mouth to stifle my laughs when I hear Adonis' stammered response.

"J-Just that y-you're the...b-best sister in the whole wide world."

"Damn right I am. Be down in ten."

I wait until I hear her footsteps fade away before I let the laughter spill from my lips.

"Shut up, Eros," Adonis yells, and I grin in amusement.

"Not a chance, bro."

***

My mouth waters when a plate of steaming golden-brown pancakes, fluffy yellow scrambled eggs, and tenderly smoked bacon is placed in front of me.

I glance up and grin at my sister.

"Have I told you how much I love you and your cooking, Melly," I say, before stuffing a forkful of food into my mouth.

She laughs and ruffles my hair. "Every time I give you food."

"Well, it's the truth."

"Don't talk with food in your mouth," she reprimands, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"Yes, Mom," I groan, rolling my eyes.

Adonis finally stumbles into the kitchen and collapses on one of the island stools before dramatically dropping his face on the table.

"Nngghh."

"What?" Melia says, laughing at his antics.

"Nnnngggghhhh."

I burst out laughing, my hands coming up to grip the island and steady my weight.

"You wanna try that again," Melia says, crossing her arms although the grin doesn't leave her lips.

He raises his head and moans, "Foood," before dropping his head back down.

She fills a plate with food and places it in front of him, but just as he is about to grab it, she pulls it away quickly and tut-tuts.

"What do you say?"

He looks up and pouts before murmuring, "Please.."

She smiles and places the plate of food in front of him.

I blink and the food is gone, the only evidence of it being there is a scrap of bacon which Adonis promptly picks up and puts in his mouth.

I turn and stifle a laugh when I see Melia's shocked expression.

"Y-Your an animal," she manages to say, her eyes still wide in shock.

Adonis shrugs, licking the syrup off his fingers.