Tempted by my brother's roommate

Chapter Three – First Breakfast

Morning came too quickly. I woke up in my little borrowed room, the sunlight crawling in through the thin curtains. For a moment, I forgot where I was. I reached for the bathroom door like always, and then I remembered, the bathroom was broken, the ceiling was gone, and my home was just a wet ruin now.

The smell of coffee drifted under my door, warm and bitter. My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten much last night. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and stepped out, my heart thumping like a drum.

The kitchen was already alive. James was frying eggs, humming badly out of tune. He wore the same t-shirt from yesterday, and his hair was a mess. He looked normal, like always. But then, there was Nathaniel.

He was sitting at the table, leaning back in his chair with a mug in his hand. The tattoos on his arms showed in the morning light, black and sharp against his skin. He looked sleepy, but his eyes were awake, watching everything.

James spotted me. “Morning, April. Sit down.” He pushed a plate toward the empty chair beside Nathaniel.

I froze. Right next to him? My legs felt heavy as stone, but I made them move. I sat, trying not to look at him, but I could feel him there, just inches away.

“Coffee?” Nathaniel asked, his voice smooth, slow, like it was too early to rush.

I nodded without looking up. “Yes, please.”

He poured from the pot and slid the mug toward me. Our fingers almost touched on the handle. Almost. My whole body felt the almost.

“Thanks,” I whispered.

“Don’t mention it,” he said. His lips tilted just slightly, like he had a secret.

James was too busy clanging around with the frying pan to notice anything. He set eggs and toast on the table and said, “Eat up. You’ll need energy to deal with me all day.”

I forced myself to laugh, but my eyes betrayed me, sneaking quick glances at Nathaniel. He wasn’t looking at me now. He was staring at his coffee like it held some puzzle he had to solve.

Breakfast passed with James doing most of the talking. He told a silly story about his boss, and I laughed at the right times, but inside, I wasn’t really listening. I was too aware of the quiet man beside me, of the way his hand brushed against the table, of the way his arm stretched when he reached for the salt.

When breakfast ended, James rushed off to get ready for work, leaving dishes and crumbs everywhere. I started to gather plates, but Nathaniel spoke.

“Leave them. I’ll do it later.”

“It’s okay,” I said quickly. “I don’t mind.”

His eyes met mine, steady, serious. “I said I’ll do it.”

Something about the way he said it made me nod without arguing. His voice wasn’t harsh, but it wasn’t soft either. It was just… final.

As I carried my mug to the sink, I felt his gaze following me. Not heavy, not sharp, just there. When I turned, he was already looking away, as if he hadn’t been watching at all.

I walked back to my room, my heart buzzing with too many thoughts. It was only breakfast. Just breakfast. But it felt like something else had started. Something small, quiet, and dangerous.

And I knew, I was already in trouble.