It was hard to believe that there was nothing going on between Marissa and Steve. Staying over to watch movies and lounge around together, her sleeping on the couch? Ethan had only raised his brows in suspicion but instead of teasing Steve about it any further than he had, he let it go. He supposed there were some cases in which a man and woman could have a completely platonic relationship, not that he ever experienced it for himself in adulthood. That could be because Ethan wasn’t the sort to spend time with a woman unless he was interested in her, friend or not. Back to the main subject at hand, his sister, Ethan was grateful that Steve was so willing to help out and keep an eye on her despite him not having to carry that burden, he still was kind enough to help his friend. 

“Thank you, it would be nice for her to have another girl around the house.” Hopefully, she would make friends her own age at school too. Ethan wouldn’t put it past her to, Olivia was social, but with their parents' death he was curious as to how that would impact her nature to draw people to her. Only time would be able to tell. 

It was getting late, and Steve wasn’t the only one who was becoming more tired as the minutes ticked by, his snooze earlier had been what had him wanting to trot off to bed as well, “I think I’ll be doing the same.” Ethan said, chuckling before giving a yawned “Goodnight” to Steve, finding it best not to tease the other man any further than he had earlier about his female companion. With a soft sigh, Ethan pushed himself away from the countertop where he’d been leaning against and put away the rest of the pizza before turning in for the night. On his way he’d checked on Olivia who was somehow still awake, busing herself hanging wall tapestries and string lights in whatever way appealed to her. 

After telling her not to stay up too late, he retired to his own bedroom, which was the same as he’d left it. It was strange being home after what felt like months but he was grateful to be back in his normal environment, as it was giving him a sense of normality that helped him sleep soundly through the night. 

Going against Ethan’s instruction, Olivia had stayed up too late, not that she had wanted to but she was too awake to close her eyes to let sleep tuck her in to rest. So she had spent a couple of hours past midnight finishing her room to her liking, trying to make it as comfortable and aesthetically pleasing to her eyes as she could. When Olivia was satisfied with the majority of her room decor she had begun to work on a makeshift vanity area where she would ready herself every day, but as she was organizing and arranging she had fallen asleep on a pile of decorative floor pillows that she used to sit on. 

When Olivia woke up, due to the chill she felt from sleeping on the floor, she was confused as to where she was, why she wasn’t in her room before she realized she was at her brother’s apartment. The realization of where she was now and would be only served to tug her lips into a frown as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. What was worse was that she had woken up before dawn, the sun hadn’t even crested the horizon, she saw as she peeked through the blinds of her window. 

Maybe a hot shower would help lull her back to sleep? Olivia took a bet on that option as she dug through her belongings still strewn across her new room to find her toiletries. Once found, Olivia had them gathered together with a change of clothes, a large red Marlboro sweater with black cotton shorts with a pair of her favorite fuzzy socks for her consistently icy feet, and plain lacy blue underwear that matched a blue sports bra she had managed to find at the last minute. Olivia was quiet as she snuck off to the bathroom from her room. It had taken her a minute to find the linen closet for fresh towels but when she did she was quiet about it. It was so strange to be in an apartment. Olivia felt as though every noise echoed and reverberated off the walls, unlike at her parents’ home where the sounds were muffled to a certain degree. 

She would miss having her own bathroom but she would have to readjust to sharing again like she had when she and Ethan were young. The concept was strangely comforting. After her shower, Olivia found herself wide awake again much to her dismay. But what could be done but nothing? Wrapping the length of her blonde hair into her towel she opened the bathroom door before brushing her teeth, letting the steam and scent of vanilla mixed with sandalwood escape the bathroom. When she was done she made sure the bathroom was as she found it, besides the edition of her own items that could be left, she cut the room’s light off and wandered into the kitchen with her phone in hand to see if Ethan still had a taste for any sort of tea.