Life 1-1

The shrill blare of an alarm cut the silence of the morning apart. No sooner was it set off that a pale hand shot out from under the bed's comforter and slammed the clock into silence.

"Already? I was out way too late," the occupant groaned as he pushed the blanket aside. Golden eyes flashed under messy locks of red and white as he stretched the sleep out and rose from the bed. The teenager yawned as he strode to his door, plucking the school uniform and red hoodie hanging from his closet door off as he stepped into the hallway. Next time I take a job like that I'm charging extra for late-night work. He thought as he ducked into the bathroom, intent to get his morning routine underway.

Once a splash of water made sure he was definitely fully awake, he set the part in his hair by taking some longer strands and taking them into a braid that went back from the point above his left eye, leaving the rest to hang loosely from there. While throwing his uniform on as he left the bathroom, he passed a particularly ornate door in the hallway leading to the living room, taking a second to loudly knock on it as he passed.

"It's mornin' our here old man! I'm starting breakfast in a sec so don't crash in the office again alright? Mom'll be pissed if she found out you fell back into that habit!"

"G-Give me a second, Noé…" A tired reply echoed out from the old wood. "Last night… well, you know what it was like."

"I'm surprised I made it to my room honestly," Noé sighed, flicking his hood out from his blazer's collar. "Just at least get out here and eat breakfast."

"Will do."

Noé rolled his eyes as he turned back down the hall. Though before he could turn into the kitchen, rather loud snoring caught his attention. [Ah, right.] He thought. [I forgot he crashed here last night.] Walking up to the back of the couch and leaning over it, the source of that loud rumble calling itself a snore came into view. Another boy about his age, still wearing his own uniform despite his state of sleep, a black beanie pulled over his eyes which blonde hair fanned out from.

"Oi, Tsuno, wake your ass up," Not even bothering with courtesy, Noé elected to wake the guest up by giving him a not so slight smack on the cheek. In the same second as the sharp smack that echoed in the room, Tsuno shot upright with a yell, his beanie somehow not flying off as he sat up. "Couldn't even bother to take your uniform off? Or use a guest room?"

"Ah fuck off, Noé," Tsuno groaned as he lifted the beanie, revealing his sharp blue eyes as he set the cap into place. "Last night's job was exhausting as fuck! Like I could be bothered to go down a hall and up some stairs just to take a room. Nope, the couch is where I stay! Besides your couch is comfortable as hell."

"Well then at least go clean yourself up a bit, sheesh," Noé whacked Tsuno on the head again as he turned. "Since you're already here I'll make extra for you. It's gonna be the usual breakfast today since I got errands to run after school."

"Whatever. Food is food, I'll scarf it down all the same!"

Noé chuckled as he ducked into the kitchen while Tsuno left the living room. If it wasn't for the fact he knew well enough Tsuno had his own place, his friend was there so often he may well have just been another member of the household. It wasn't unusual for Noé to get home from something and find the blonde boy watching TV or playing games well before he'd even shown up. So it was as much a normal part of his morning routine to start prepping breakfast for a surprise third as it was not to as far as he was concerned.

As Noé was busy cooking up some eggs, bacon, and toast, a new yawn drew his eyes from the stove. Dragging himself in was a man just reaching the point his age was starting to show. A face still holding the last bits of his youth, black hair taking on bits of grey, and with a certain bedraggled look to him thanks to the mess of his hair, prominent stubble, and the dark circles marking his bright grey eyes. His father, Van Edelweiss. The man may well have flopped into his chair at the table for what it was worth. [He was up late working on more formulas, I bet.] Noé shook his head as he started prepping plates.

"Alrighty, I am what one could define as presentable now!" Tsuno came in next, sniffing the air as Noé set the plates onto the table. "And grub smells good! Still using that spice your mom got ya' during one of her trips eh?"

"If it works, it works," Noé stated, tapping his father on the shoulder to rouse the man. "You seem to like it well enough, so I'm gonna use it."

"Ahh, you're such a good kid. Eh Mr. Van?" Tsuno chuckled as he shoved some of the bacon strips into his mouth. Van gave a nod as he let out another groan and tapped his cheeks to try and get the sleep out.

"If it wasn't for Noé I'm sure my mornings wouldn't flow nearly as smooth as they do," Van said, taking a long swig of the coffee Noé had also set out.

"If I wasn't around I'm sure you'd barely leave your office," Noé remarked through a slight mouthful. "But after that mess last night, we should be good on contracts for a while yeah?"

"You still mad we had to take care of some bugs?" Tsuno laughed and ducked as Noé took a swing at him. "Still don't like them eh? C'mon, it was one time that you woke up with one stuck in your ear! And that was years ago," Tsuno went quiet when the butterknife Noé had came right between his eyes next.

"I said we never talk about that again," Noé growled, clicking his tongue when Van snickered.

The chatter died down as the three finished eating and dropped their plates into the sink. As Noé and Tsuno were gathering their school items, Van followed them to the door, then clearing his throat to get the boys' attention. "Noé, hair and eyes."

"Ah, right. I need to place that back on," With a snap of his fingers near his head, his hair faded from it's white and red coloration into a muted shade of black, his eyes following suit into an equally muted brown. "See ya later!"

"Thanks for the stay over as usual!" Tsuno took the lead out as he waved, Noé shaking his head as he followed the other teenager out. Van waved the two boys off as the door shut, then turning and stretching his arms as he made his way back to his office. As he threw the ornate door to it open, a slat on the outside of it flipped open: Open. And no sooner did that slat flip over that the door faded away into the same kind as the rest in the ordinary home.