Lila checks on a hungover Murphy and Murphy gets jealous of his brother as he jumps to conclusions.
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Lila chewed her lip as she stood in the elevator going up to the boys' place. It was dinner time now and her granda was having a nap, giving her some time to check on the very hungover twin. She had a thermos of chicken soup with her, not sure what else he would be able to stomach after all he'd drank the night before. She didn't know if he would even be here, for all she knew he could have gone to work anyway, but she had a feeling Connor wouldn't allow it. Despite Connor loving to take the piss out of his brother, it was obvious the pair did care about each other very much and looked out for each other.
The elevator stopped and she got out, walking to the boys' door. She knocked firmly, not sure if he would be asleep or not and she heard some faint curse words on the other side. No one answered though so she knocked a little harder this time.
"Fuck off Roc! Ain't in the mood!" Murphy yelled from inside. She snorted a little and just decided to open the door anyway. She saw Murphy lay on his stomach in bed and he scrambled to sit up as he saw her. He hadn't expected her to just turn up. He'd spent the morning throwing up and feeling like he was dying. His head hurt like a bitch. It didn't help that he remembered every painful detail of the night before and he felt his cheeks flush a little just seeing her, remembering how her body felt pressed against his when he pulled her on him as he laughed like a fucking girl and called her pretty.
She blushed slightly too, seeing him sat there in just his boxers. She tried not to stare but the man was fine as hell. She shut the door behind her and walked over, sitting down on his mattress in front of him as he just blinked at her, unsure of what to say.
"I wanted to check you were still alive." She snorted. "I bought some chicken soup. I know you probably don't feel like eating, but you need to get some food in you." She smiled softly at him. He looked at her like she was a fucking angel, helping him the night before, now helping him once again. She was heaven sent, he was fucking sure of it.
"Thanks, ye didn't have te." He replied, smiling himself despite feeling like at any moment he was going to keel over and die.
She opened the thermos and poured some soup in the cup lid, handing it to him. He took it gratefully. He didn't think he was hungry but as soon as he smelt it, his mouth watered and his stomach growled. He started to sip it gingerly as he watched her take off her boots and cross her legs, sitting right in front of him. She was in her usual jeans and boots attire he'd come to adore but today she was wearing an off the shoulder black top, and he realised his thing for her neck wasn't his only new thing. Her collarbones and shoulders were just as delectable.
"How are you feeling?" She asked softly, breaking his train of thought.
"Been better." He snorted lightly, still sipping the soup. He was feeling better already at having some food in his belly. He watched her curiously, as she rummaged around in her messenger bag. He'd never really looked at it before but there were a bunch of hand sewn on patches on it, most of them curse words. It made him smile.
She made a little happy noise when she found what she was looking for and his lips quirked up at the sound. She was too fucking cute sometimes. She pulled out a packet of aspirin and got some out, handing them to him.
"What would I do without ye love?" He asked with a grin, using his soup to take them with.
"Be really hungover and miserable?" She offered with a cheeky grin. He huffed a laugh at her as he leaned to sit against the wall. Her hair was down again today. It didn't matter what style she had it in, every time he saw her it was his new favourite but he knew it would change each time he saw her.
"Too fuckin' right sweetheart." He laughed lightly before finishing the cup of soup. He screwed the lid back on and set it down next to the mattress.
"I can't stay too long, I need to check on my granda. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, and help, even if it's just a little." She smiled. He gave her a weak smile, disappointed she would be leaving again so soon. He hadn't hidden his disappointment very well and she wondered why he seemed so sad that she had to go. It was nice though to have a friend that seemed to genuinely enjoy her company.
"More than a little love, it's appreciated." He said softly, taking her small hand in his and squeezing it affectionately. She was used to the boys by now despite the short time she had known them, their little touches here and there, so she didn't think anything of it.
"Good, but when you come to the bar tonight, you're only allowed a few drinks." She grinned teasingly, making him groan playfully.
"Can't ye at least wait for me te feel better before ye start teasin' love? It's mean to kick a man when he's down." He whined, failing not to smile. She laughed at him and shook her head.
"Sorry, sorry. Besides, I'll leave it to Connor, I think he'll be teasing you enough for the both of us." She grinned, eliciting another groan from Murphy.
"Fuck me. I'm never gonna live it down am I?" He asked, pouting at her a little, it just made her laugh harder but that's what he hoped to achieve. Her laughter was like music to his ears.
"Nope." She smirked, squeezing his hand before letting it go and grabbing her boots. She slid them on and laced them up before getting to her feet.
Murphy went to get up to see her to the door, but she held her hand out to stop him.
"You need to rest." She said firmly. He wanted to protest, to give her a hug since he missed out the night before, but she crouched down, giving him an unexpected hug. It had been the first one she had initiated and he felt smug about it as he held her tightly, enjoying how her hair smelt like cinnamon. He blanched a little when he realised he didn't actually know if this was the first hug she had given out to the boys, he didn't know anything that happened between her and Connor from the night before after he passed out, he hadn't been awake for Connor to rub his face in it. He had a dull ache in his chest combined with a surge of jealousy. That was new. It was never that way with Connor. But he'd never actually liked a girl for more than their body enough to be bothered if Connor had swooped in before him to take her away. He frowned, still hugging her, as he realised he and his brother needed a very serious talk about the pretty redhead and where things might end up.
There was no way the boys would ever pick a girl over each other, even one as perfect as Lila, but the thought of her picking one over the other, it hurt him more than he'd care to admit. Of course his thoughts were running away with him, the girl might not want more than friendship with them both, but still, he needed to talk to his brother to make sure they were on the same page if anything was to arise. Murphy idly wondered if some kind of arrangement could be made, the three of them. They'd never done it before, not like that, anything more than sex, he wasn't even sure if she would go for it. Once again he had to remind himself that was even if she was interested. His head started hurting again but this time not from the alcohol.
She moved away from the hug, it was longer than usual and when she looked at Murphy he looked troubled. She furrowed her brow a little and stroked his cheek. Murphy felt butterflies bloom in his stomach at her soft touch as he blinked at her. Again, that was fucking new. He gave her a smile, leaning into her touch.
"Are you sure you're okay? I can...I can stay if you need me. I can call my granda and-" She started, looking almost guilty for leaving him and it made him feel like such an asshole. She had enough to worry about with her sick grandfather without him piling on top of it. Although he was touched she was willing to stay for him because she was worried.
"Nah love, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." He gave her the best smile he could muster, and she seemed satisfied, yet still hesitant. She kissed the top of his head sweetly before standing up and Murphy swore his head was fucking tingling from it. He felt like such a fucking girl. She was just being an affectionate friend.
"Alright then, I'll see you tonight. Don't let Connor give you too much shit." She grinned, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. He laughed and shook his head, she already knew them both so well.
"I won't, trust me." He smirked, making her laugh a little. She walked over to the door, giving him one last beautiful smile before she slipped out. Murphy heaved a sigh and rested his head on the wall behind him.
By the time Connor was due home, Murphy was dressed and pacing the apartment. He felt heaps better from his hangover but his head was whirling with emotions and thoughts, and it wasn't made any better when he found a scrap of paper on the table with Lilas name and number on it. In his mind, she gave it to Connor, not for them both, but just his brother. It only fuelled the jealousy inside of him and he fucking hated it. He had never been jealous of Connor like this before, it was driving him mad, and now he felt like he had some fucking proof that she did indeed like his twin and not him.
Connor opened the door and saw Murphy looking much better than when he left this morning and he grinned at him.
"Well look whos back in the land o' the livin'!" He laughed as he took his coat off and threw it over the couch. His smile faltered though when Murphy glared at him, he looked pissed and upset all rolled into one and then he saw the paper in his hand and he knew right away what was going on. He could feel it from him, anger, jealousy, confusion. But before he had the chance to talk, Murphy beat him to it.
"Did Lila give ye this?" He asked, his low tone suspicious and accusing and Connor didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Aye but-" He started, wanting to explain how Murphy had it all wrong.
"I fuckin' knew it! O' course the lass I like has to be interested in you, it would be too easy te get what I fuckin' want wouldn't it?! I should have fuckin' known this would happen!" He yelled, his voice getting higher as he booted the coffee table and sent it flying across the room. Connor heaved a sigh and walked over, only to get shoved a little too harshly for his liking off his brother. He was trying to be patient with him. He was used to Murphy's temper. He was the irrational twin out of the two of them.
"Murph-" He tried again, but Murphy was having none of it.
"Why?! Fuckin' why you and not me?!" He tugged his hair as he paced like a caged animal and the raw hurt in his voice made Connors' heart break.
He grabbed Murphy's arm roughly and turned him to face him, his hand grasping the back of his neck to keep him in place and look him in the eye.
"She gave us that number, not me, us. She said in case we need anythin'." He stated firmly. Murphy wanted to scoff but he looked in his brother's eyes and saw nothing but truth there. He felt like an idiot and his shoulders slumped a little.
"So...nothin' happened last night? After I passed out?" He sounded like a lost little boy and Connor resisted the urge to squeeze him.
"No. I called her a cab, she went home." His words made Murphy relax, all visible tension leaving his body and Connor led him to sit on the couch with him.
"Murph, I think we need te talk." He sighed, and Murphy knew he was right, he was thinking the same thing. He nodded and wiped a hand over his face, inhaling deeply.
"I don't know what te do Connor, I really fuckin' like her, and I know ye do too...it's different te the others. I know ye feel it." He said softly, chewing his thumb anxiously as he glanced at his brother.
"Aye, I know. She's damn near perfect but I won't be havin' her come between us brother. Even if that means we can't see her again." Connor stated firmly, as much as it pained him to say it. Murphy felt panic bubble inside his chest and he looked at Connor almost pleadingly.
"Please Connor, can't we just...figure somethin' out? The three o' us? I know we ain't ever done it before, not like this, but it could work." He was almost begging and he would have felt embarrassed if it wasn't for the gut-clenching anxiety at the thought of cutting the pretty redhead out of their lives. Connor scratched the stubble on his chin for a moment, mulling it over in his head, it wasn't like he hadn't thought about it himself.
"I thought about it too...it could work. But ye realise she might not even like us that way aye? We're just friends Murph, think we're both gettin' way ahead o' ourselves here just presumin' it would turn inte more." Connor sighed, always the responsible one, looking at his twin carefully. Murphy's face fell visibly, he knew that but it was hard to remember when he was so caught up with how she made him feel. But he would settle on being her friend if that's all she wanted just to keep her in his life.
"Aye, I know." He whispered, looking down at his hands.
"Alright, so we agree, no more jealousy aye? Ain't no need for it brother." Connor gave him a stern look and Murphy nodded resolutely. He felt better now the air was cleared, now he knew where they both stood on the matter. They'd either both pursue her or neither, and that he could live with.
They ordered take out and watched tv whilst they ate, the usual relaxed atmosphere coming back. Connor smirked to himself remembering how jealous Murphy got. God help anyone who tried to fucking pursue the lass. It wasn't like she didn't have the right to see anyone, they were just friends after all. But he wouldn't like it and he knew Murphy wouldn't either. But Murphy had always found it hard to hide his feelings. He wore his heart on his sleeve and what you saw with him was what you got. Lila was a pretty lass, Connor had already noticed the looks Murphy doled out just from guys looking at her, he had a feeling there would be some broken noses in the near future.