> It's been three days since Aria feel asleep on you.
> Three whole days and no one has mentioned it.
> Not even for some good natured ribbing.
> Which is really strange in this household.
> When the girls first invaded your home, you noticed that they tended to trade insults and jibes freely amongst each other.
> But they always watched their words around you, or even when they thought you might hear.
> Always trying to stay polite, like the slightest misstep would have dire consequences.
> You originally thought they might actually be that callous and dismissive, while not wanting to risk being kicked out.
> But watching them it quickly became apparent that it wasn't genuine malice, but rather the total ease of a long, stable relationship.
> You've never been able to figure out just how old they are, but you get the feeling these girls have been together for a looooong time.
> Realising that them being uncertain about where you stood with them was the root of the issue, you had made a bigger effort to integrate with the girls.
> Once you started joining in the the verbal sparring things relaxed a whole lot.
> And none of the girls has even tried to take a dig over the living pillow incident.
> Which makes no sense!
> In the world of verbal jousting, new material must be constantly supplied to support the classic fallbacks.
> WHY has such a prime incident been left untouched?
> It's unsettlingly out of character and disappointing too.
> How are you supposed to use all these great comebacks if they don't bring it up?
> You'll just have to hope you remember them.
> You put a lot (very little) of effort into these burns, it'd be a shame for them to go unused.
> Still there's nothing you can do about it.
> Might as well get on with the very important business of bumming around the house.
> Being that Aria is the only one with a full time position the rest of you have been varying degrees of unproductive today.
> Adagio has been doing something on the back porch.
> Judging by the hardware she brought home yesterday, you figure she's been hanging up that hammock she's had lying around for ages.
> Ye gods you hope those noises have been from hanging a hammock up.
> You're slightly afraid of getting confirmation either way.
> You don't know where Sonata has been.
> Scratch that, apart from a note saying she'd be back late you have no idea where she is now.
> She does this sometimes.
> Leaves a note and disappear for most of a day, only to appear dishevelled and tired around dinner time.
> Actually scratch the scratching, here she is now.
> There are twigs in her hair. You're not going to ask.
> You are. Not. Going. To. ASK.
> In this household we do not ask Sonata where she has been and what she did.
> That way madness lies.
> She walks past with a wave that you return with a smile.
> There is a whole, thick branch in her ponytail.
> It looks for all the world like a freeze frame of a giant blue squid battling a drab brown whale.
> You open your mouth...
> NO ANON! DON'T DO IT! IT'S NOT WORTH IT!
> Your mouth shuts with a click. That was too close.
> The front door is opened again.
> Leaning over the edge of the couch, (because who stands up? Certainly not you.) you catch a glimpse of purple hair in the hallways.
> Aria's gotten home early.
"Hey."
> "Hey."
"How was work?"
> "Slow day. Boss let me off early. Said it was thanks for busting my ass last week."
> Ah, that's good. You were worried there for a moment.
> With a shrug Aria heads off to claim the shower.
> Normally you'd have something prepared but with Aria home so early you haven't even started.
> Luckily dinner tonight is just leftovers from yesterday.
> Settling back down with your book you end up so engrossed that you miss the end of Aria's shower and her subsequent exploration of the refrigerator.
> What you don't manage miss is her sitting down next to you as she puts a gently steaming plate on the coffee table.
> She then proffers you her hairbrush.
> You stare dumbly at the tool for a short eternity, then glance up at her face.
> When you meet her gaze you /think/ she flushes a little before looking away.
> "Just tell me if you don't want to."
> Oh, right. You're kind of an idiot sometimes.
"Right, right, sorry."
> You take the brush and get to work.
> It's pretty gratifying that she wants you to do it again and you can help but smile as you gently brush.
> Just like last time Aria has finished eating before you're done with her hair.
"All done."
> She gently shifts her hair over her right shoulder before sitting back against the couch and leans left till her shoulder if resting on yours.
> "Thanks. Anything interesting happened?"
"Dagi has, I think, hope, hung up that hammock of hers and Sonata did her disappearing thing. Came home just before you with a branch in her hair. Like an actual branch, thick as her arm, just jammed through her ponytail like it's supposed to be there."
> You can feel Aria giggling silently next to you.
> After the giggles have stopped she wiggles on the couch for a moment.
> Then shifts herself so that her legs are resting against yours as well as the shoulder contact.
> You can feel her warmth through her, YOUR, bathrobe.
> It's nice, comfortable. Warm.
> You figure you'll stay that way for a while.
> But then you hear the shower stop, followed by the fan.
> A minute later Sonata appears in her pajamas, hair wood free but messy.
> Looking oddly apprehensive, she holds out a hairbrush.
> "Anon, would you brush my hair too?"