Chapter 5

The drive home was quiet. The hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of bags in the backseat were the only sounds filling the car as we made our way through the evening traffic. Elijah was driving, as usual, his hands resting easily on the wheel, while Easton stared out the window, lost in thought and the rest of my brother just talked loudly. I sat in the back, trying to ignore the lingering heaviness in my chest. It had been a long day, and even though the teasing had died down, the weight of it still clung to me.

When we finally pulled into the driveway, the house stood in comforting silence, but I knew that wouldn't last long. As soon as we stepped inside, Easton made a beeline for the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves before even setting down the bags. Cooking was his way of unwinding and no matter how tired he was, he always insisted on making dinner himself.

I tossed my jacket over the couch and sank into the cushions, grateful to be home. Elijah and the others started putting the groceries away, but I didn't have the energy to help. Instead, I let my eyes drift shut, trying to block everything out for just a moment.

It didn't last long.

Henry sauntered into the room with his usual smirk. "So, how's my favorite little bunny?" he teased, dropping onto the couch beside me.

I groaned. "Not in the mood, Henry," I muttered, though I couldn't quite fight the small smile tugging at my lips.

"Aww, come on, Adrian. We were just looking out for you today." He nudged my shoulder. "If you keep acting like a baby, we might have to start treating you like one."

Before I could protest, Miles and Alex poked their heads in from the kitchen.

"Hey, Adrian," Miles called, grinning. "Want us to mash up your food for you? Maybe feed you with a little spoon?"

Alex snorted. "We could even get you one of those cute little bibs."

I rolled my eyes. "Hilarious," I deadpanned, though the warmth in their voices made it impossible to be genuinely annoyed.

The teasing continued as Easton worked in the kitchen, the smell of sizzling garlic and butter gradually filling the air. Despite their jokes, my stomach twisted at the thought of eating. But when Easton finally walked in with plates of food, his expression made it clear he wasn't about to let me skip dinner.

"Here," he said, setting a plate in front of me. "No excuses."

I sighed, picking up my fork, and predictably Miles leaned over, making an exaggerated sniffing sound.

"You're actually gonna eat this time, right?" he teased.

Henry smirked. "If not, I think we have a sippy cup somewhere."

I groaned, but a small chuckle escaped before I could stop it. Even with the teasing, even with the weight in my chest, I knew one thing for sure.

They weren't making fun of me.

They were reminding me, in their own ridiculous way, that I wasn't alone.

"Boys leave your brother alone and eat your dinner," Elijah said in a stern tone.

With a resigned sigh, I picked up my fork and took a small bite. The food was, as always, amazing. Easton had made grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables, simple but perfect. The teasing died down as everyone dug in, the usual clatter of forks against plates and quiet conversation filling the dining room.

Henry and Miles bickered over who got the last bread roll, Elijah sat back in his chair with his usual quiet amusement, and Easton kept a close eye on everyone's plates, making sure we all ate enough. Despite everything, the warmth of home settled around me, and for the first time that day, I let myself relax.

When dinner was finished and the dishes were stacked in the sink (which Easton insisted he'd clean later), we all migrated to the living room. Miles flopped onto the couch first, grabbing the remote and scrolling through the movie options.

"Nothing scary," I said immediately, already predicting where this was going.

Miles smirked. "Oh, come on. You're not scared of a little horror, are you?"

I scoffed. "No, I just don't feel like dealing with your nightmares later."

That was clearly the wrong thing to say. Henry let out a loud laugh, leaning forward with a wicked grin. "Bunny, what happened last time?" he teased, nudging my shoulder.

Alex gasped dramatically. "Ohhh, right! Wasn't it that one movie? The one with the creepy doll?"

Miles grinned. "Yeah, and Adrian totally freaked out—"

"I did not," I cut in quickly, crossing my arms.

"Oh, you so did," Elijah said with a smirk, finally chiming in. "Didn't you sleep with the light on that night?"

I groaned, sinking deeper into the couch. "You guys are the worst."

"Hey, we're just looking out for you," Henry said, draping an arm over my shoulders. "Wouldn't want you getting nightmares again, baby bro."

I elbowed him lightly, but my face was burning. They were definitely never letting that one go.

After more back-and-forth teasing, Miles finally settled on an action movie, something safe that wouldn't have me questioning every shadow in my room later. The room gradually fell into a comfortable silence as we all watched, the occasional comment or joke thrown in between scenes.

Somewhere along the way, my eyelids started getting heavy. I tried to fight it really, I did but the warmth of the room, the steady hum of voices, and the exhaustion from the long day all worked against me. My head dipped forward, and before I could stop myself, I drifted off right there on the couch.

The last thing I heard before sleep fully claimed me was Henry's voice, low and amused.

"Guess the baby's out for the night."

.......................................................................................

Word count: 994

Hey Guys Thanks for reading this story so please be nice and kind. I am sorry if there are any spelling mistakes or bad grammar.

Thanks for reading my fifth chapter and please vote and leave a comment.

More chapters will be coming out soon and sorry for the short chapter.

*EMMA HETHRON*