You Want Brothers? Take. That. Back.

Vulnerable

I wake up to the sound of pouring rain outside my window. Squinting, I grab my phone and check the time: 2:00am. Groaning, I lie back down in bed for a few minutes before convincing myself a snack will make me feel better. Groggily, I get up and open my door, heading for the stairs. None of the lights are on so it's pitch black as I refer to my memory to lead the way. 

 After a few seconds of wandering I manage to tip-toe down the stairs. I'm almost to the kitchen when I collide into someone. Startled, I stumble backwards. How the hell did I miss a wholeass brother of mine?

"Watch where you're going." Justin mutters coldly, completely ignoring that I fell. 

Annoyed, I get up and attempt to shove past him, forgetting briefly about our major height difference in the dark.  His reflexes work fast as he defensively grabs my arm and twists it back, catching me off gaurd. Even in the pitch black we still manage to get in a fight. I gasp as he caught me off guard and flinch at the tight grip he has on my arm.

 His hold softens as he registers my size, and that I don't actually have the strength of one of our brothers. "What are you doing up?" he asks, softer, before releasing my arm. 

 I stand there for a few seconds. Their insensitivity was really starting to catch up on me, mentally and physically. I'm used to playing rough and can usually handle the pain they inflict on me, but I'm also treated just the same when size-wise, I'm really not.

"Nothing that concerns you." I say, turning to the kitchen.

I know he didn't like that. To my surprise, however, he doesn't come after me when I hear his footsteps retreating up the stairs. Either he's too tired to do anything or he doesn't actually care. 

I settle on a glass of water and a peanut butter nutella sandwich as my snack, devouring it in a few minutes, before returning to my room and falling asleep. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, I wake with a strange ache all over my body. I lie stiff in my bed for what feels like hours before getting up. That's when I feel a rush between my legs and I groan in annoyance. What the fuck. Women living through the patriarchy in itself is brutal, but periods, pregnancy, and the male gaze? Ridiculous. 

I shove a tampon in and decide to stay in my sweats, already planning out my relaxing day in bed. Slowly, I get back under the covers just as my door flies open. Great. Of course no knock beforehand.

"Wake up Ella you've slept long enough!" Evan announces as he walks over to my bed and pulls the covers off. 

"Evan please, now is not the time, I didn't get any sleep last night." I mumble, my head buried in my pillow.

 I can almost feel his eye roll. "I'm not letting you stay in bed past noon, you need to eat. Get up before I make you." 

I ignore his threat and pull my body pillow closer, sighing contently. But my bliss is interrupted again when two toned arms wrap around my waist as he easily picks me up and flings me across his shoulder. 

"Oh my god Evan let me down!" I yelp. 

"I just warned you, you had this coming!" he says, running out of my room and down the stairs. I immediately realize where this is going and take the stairs as an opportunity to distract him.

Grabbing his neck I suddenly swing my legs around his shoulder, practically falling out of his grip. My feet touch the stairs behind him before I slip and loose my balance from the change in speed and direction.