Sunday mornings were, by all accounts, the laziest days of Nikolai’s week. And still he rose early. He hadn’t gotten enough sleep the night before, having rolled into bed later than planned, but he had stubbornly refused to change his alarm. So when the clock began beeping insistently at him, he let himself indulge in that fog of sleepiness and pressed the snooze button for another ten minutes of sleep. By the time the alarm sounded again, Nikolai reluctantly sat up in bed and switched it off with a yawn. Already the pace of this morning felt slow and relaxed, something he could appreciate after such a hectic week. It meant he would probably show up at Emily’s slightly later than usual, but since there was really no set time, he wasn’t terribly concerned.
This Sunday morning found Nikolai at his most casual: hair loose and wavy around his face without its usual gel, a comfortable if slightly worn pair of jeans, and a loose long-sleeved shirt. Any of his usual formal trappings would wait until later. Nikolai slipped his phone into his pocket, after sparing a moment to see if he’d received any texts or calls in the last few hours. Surveying his shoes that were organized in an orderly line next to the door, he decided to continue the theme and opted for a pair of slippers instead of a proper pair of shoes. Besides, Emily’s apartment was literally across the hall, not much of a walk. As a last minute check, he patted his pockets, ensuring that his keys, phone, and wallet were all present, then left his apartment. The sound of Emily’s voice reached his ears before he’d even stopped outside the door, so he continued seamlessly into her home, entering as if he lived there himself.
“Hey Em,” he greeted as he toed off his slippers next to her couch and wandered to her kitchen. He waited to answer her question until he was standing in the doorway, arms crossed. “Hmm, vanilla today, I think.”