"Won't be back here tonight."
West stated as he changed into his work uniform in front of Brittany's full length mirror. A worn out green golf shirt tucked into some light blue straight legged jeans and black high top converse sneakers.
Brittany abandoned scrolling through her facebook feed to spare West a questioning glance.
"What kind of flower shop opens until late anyway? Are you sure you're not being taken advantage of? There's this thing called child labor and I'm pretty sure it's illegal in the state of Maryland."
West almost laughed at that, "Yeah, well, I like working in the garden."
"Is, uh... Killian... going to be there?" Brittany asked, trying to sound as indifferent as possible.
West sighed, rolling his eyes in annoyance as he watched Brittany try to suppress a grin through the mirror. "I should've known."
"What?"
"Yes, he's going to be there." He answered through gritted teeth. "I'm training him, remember? Why are you so interested in him anyway?"
"Jesus, what's got you in such a sour mood?"
Seeing Killian. Being around Killian. Working with Killian. Just... Killian.
West kept that to himself, though.
He grabbed ahold of his night bag, scanned Brittany's room to make sure he got everything before flinging it over his shoulder. He was already halfway through the door when she spoke up again.
"Text me when you get to work, douchebag!"
--
That night, West was arranging bouquets of white roses in the storeroom for an upcoming wedding as a fascinated Killian watched from the doorway.
West wrapped the stems of the flowers with red silk bows, his eyebrows pinched and his lips pursed - the ultimate look of concentration. He enjoyed his job, more so than he ever thought he would. Even with Killian in his personal space, scrutinizing his every move.
"You need any help?" He offered.
West's response was a curt and dismissive "No." Like Killian wasn't hired to assist him, like Shirley hadn't tasked him with training Killian and showing him the ins-and-outs of her little business, just like she'd done with him when he first began.
Quite frankly, West's immature behavior was starting to get on Killian's nerves.
"What's your deal with me, man?"
"Whatever do you mean?"
"I don't get you, I was obviously hired because YOU needed MY help! Even I can tell you have too much work on your hands, it's not a crime to ask for fucking help, you know."
A ghost of a smile danced on West's lips, he was amused at Killian's sudden outburst, "I'll consider it."
"What the--did you just smirk at me?"
West slid out his work desk, then stood a couple of inches away from Killian. "Yes."
"You're enjoying this, aren't you? Making my life here a living hell?"
"I certainly don't hate it." West returned.
He liked working alone, he was used to it. Adding Killian to the mix would complicate shit. He knew he had to do it, there was no other choice, he just had to make things hard first.
"You're an ass." Killian spat, disappearing out the shop's front entrance.
West couldn't deny that. He was unreasonably being an ass.
I mean, yeah, the dude was insufferable, over confident and unbearably giddy, but West could at least be civil. That's all he could spare.
He swallowed his pride, then joined Killian outside, where he found him leaning against the wall, cigarette in hand. He also seemed to be texting someone on his phone. He was so engrossed in whatever conversation he was having with the person on the other side of the screen that he didn't notice West advancing.
"Hey."
Killian side-eyed West, ignoring him, then went back to messaging his friend.
"Look, I'll let you help from now on, okay?"
Killian scoffed, "I'll believe it when I see it."
He then extended his hand to offer West a drag of his cigarette, to which he gladly accepted.
"But we'll have to establish some ground rules."
Oh boy, here we go. "What kind?" He questioned warily.
"First of all, I already kinda hate you, so don't bother sucking up to me."
"What--"
"Actually, that's the only rule." West concluded. He finished the cigarette then walked across the street to the recycling bin attached to the lamppost so he could dump the butt.
"Whatever, man." Killian mumbled as West made his way back.
Another message came through on his phone, directing his attention back to his dimly lit screen,
Harpð¤: is he still being weird?
Killian A: yeah but I think he'll actually let me pull my weight around here from now on
Harpð¤: he better... or else...ð¶ð»ââï¸ðâ â°
Killian A: Harperð
Harpð¤: alright, alright. goodnight or whatever.
p.s here's something to get you through the night
Harper attached a silly photo of himself to his last text, one that made Killian break out into a soft giggle, although it managed to sound louder than it actually was in the dead of the night. He vastly preferred Harper's weird selfies to his memes.
"Something funny?" West questioned.
"Harper... he sends me these real goofy selfies sometimes."
"Oh... he the guy you were with at the skate park the other day?"
"You saw us?"
West nodded, "Is he your..."
Killian immediately knew where that question was headed, "God, no."
"He's my best friend, and he's as straight as a pole."
"Are you?"
He raised a brow at West's question, but he was a naturally open guy, so he didn't mind it. "I like who I like."
"Hmm."
"What about you?"
West's cheeks tinged, "What about me?" He asked none-too-casually, averting his eyes.
Killian's mouth lifted into a poignant smile when he picked up on West's hesitation on the topic. He had once been where he was, so he wasn't about to pick and prod for answers.
"Okay." He nodded.
"Okay."
--
A body slammed into Killian, wrapping it's arms around his waist the second he stepped foot inside his house. The force was enough to knock him back a few steps, slamming him against the front door, the fatigue from working all night evaporating into thin air.
"Kiki!" A tiny voice exclaimed, muffled against his hip.
Killian smiled, wrapping his arms around Trenton, his youngest brother, before ruffling his already messy dirty-blonde hair. "Hey, little man."
Trenton pulled back with a pout, "Hey, I'm not little anymore. I'm 6. And I can make my own breakfast, now."
And true to Trenton's word, Killian could hear the sizzling of something cooking in the frying pan from across the room. He got ahold of Trenton's hand and pulled him into the kitchen.
Inside the pan were 2 eggs, slightly burnt with what looked like the entire bottle of salt piled on top. Killian set aside the eggs on a plate, washed the pan then got ready to make pancakes alongside his little brother.
-
When the food was ready and everybody else in the house had woken up, Trenton set the table like Killian always taught him, and placed the tray stacked with pancakes on the table for everyone to enjoy.
Before Trenton could join his mom and siblings, though, Killian pulled him aside to have a word in private.
He knelt on one knee in front of him, his hands resting on the sides of Trenton's arms.
"Listen..." Killian began,
Trenton's stunt earlier had scared him. He didn't want to imagine what would've happened if he hadn't come home when he did. It was easier for children to burn an entire house down, easier to go down with the house, too.
"I know you're a big boy now, and you know much I trust you to do things on your own--"
"Like when you let me take out the trash by myself last night?" The little boy offered.
"Exactly." Killian would never tell Trenton this, but he watched him through the blinds to make sure he was safe and to make sure no child stealer was lurking in his driveway. "Or when I finally convinced mommy you were old enough to give yourself a bath."
"I am!"
"I know, you are. You're 6." Killian chuckled,
"But next time, wait for me to come home before you make yourself something to eat, okay? Because as much as I trust you, I don't trust this kitchen. Stoves are evil, they burn you sometimes. Knives are worse, they're like, the villains of the kitchen, they could cut you and make you bleed real bad."
"Does that make me the hero?" He asked enthusiastically, a glimmer in his eyes.
"Heck yeah. I'm the Batman to your Robin, we're stronger together. Which means no cooking for you unless your sidekick's here to keep an eye on things."
"But... what if I'm hungry?"
Killian stood up, placing a hand on Trenton's warm cheek before dropping his voice, "Tell you what, I'll stash some chocolate bars and crisps in the drawer in our room. But you can't tell anyone, and they're for emergencies only, deal?"
Knowing his little brother, Killian knew he wouldn't tell a soul.
"Deal."
-
"Thanks for this." Killian's mom said as she sat back on her chair with a full stomach, sated. "Dove, you mind doing the dishes?"
Sparrow had hurriedly eaten his breakfast then vanished along with Trenton. Killian was pretty sure he was avoiding being on dish duty.
Dove groaned, but nevertheless, got up and started filling the sink with warm water. Killian followed her into the kitchen with his own plate in one hand, maple syrup in the other.
"Soooo... your birthday is coming up soon." He said, matter-of-factly.
"Yayy, the big 1-3." Dove drawled.
"C'mon, you're not even a little excited?"
"Birthdays are unnecessary."
"Are not."
"Are too. Sparrow's gonna be the center of attention, anyways." She dipped the plates and utensils into the soapy water and started to scrub.
Killian placed a hand over his chest, gasping dramatically. "I give you attention!"
"More like suffocate me." She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.
He noticed it, and could guess why she was in such a melancholy mood.
"You know mom's been struggling ever since Dad died, She's been too busy with work to pay attention to any of us. She doesn't mean any harm."
Dove's face contorted into a grimace, and she started scrubbing with a little bit more force. "Except she's jobless, now."
"Dove--"
"No. We both know the truth. Even when she had a job, she'd pay more attention to Sparrow than to the rest of us. You're more of a parent to Trenton and I than she ever tried to be. How long has it been since she went to one of your football games? Or my basketball games? She doesn't even pay attention to Trenton anymore, for God's sake!"
Killian wanted to come to Linda's defense, but his mouth snapped shut when he couldn't find an arguable point.
"That's what I thought."
She threw the washcloth in the now empty sink, then stormed out into the backyard, slamming the door on her way out.
Killian sighed. He missed the days when his little sister was oblivious to the things happening around her. But she was growing up, and soon enough, she'd have an opinion on everything.
_________________________________________