They Have Always Lived In The Castle

Chapter Five

♪ We're engaged to be engaged, 

we're not merely going steady, 

we're just waiting till we're ready ♪

The sound of the door chime stopped you humming along to the song playing on the radio. 

"Charles" You smile as he sits down next you, ordering a cup of coffee. 

"Y/N" He gives you a look as you sit down. 

"Something is on your mind..." You put down the book you were reading and turn in your chair to face him properly. You watched the cogs turning in his head as he thought about telling you about Merricat's box of buried money, or Julian's instances that working in the kitchen was too loud or why on earth they didn't have a phone... but he decided you'd already know all that and opted to talk about you...the you he couldn't quite get off his mind. 

"I didn't see you this morning... you weren't at the house." He sips his coffee casually but not taking his eyes off you. His intense gaze makes you feel fluttery so you try and focus on his tuff of Carmel highlighted hair but that doesn't help.

"I had to grab some supplies..." you motion to the small brown bag "... can't nurse people back to health if you haven't go the supplies..." 

"Back to health? You do know that...?" 

"I'm aware..." 

"They all need help..." he mutters rolling his eyes a little before looking back at you "So why are you doing it..." 

"Out of the goodness of my heart, why else?" You say a little cheekily putting and hand to your chest as if to suggest your heart and intentions were pure. 

"Right, of course" He scoffs playfully "has absolutely nothing to do with the money?" 

"The money?" 

"I assume she pays you, from that big old safe of hers?" He gives you a questioning look. 

You smile then, widely a giggle coming up you can't suppress. 

"What?" He looks at you bemused. 

"I know why you're here.... it has just hit me." 

"Oh yeah and why is that?" He looks slightly worried but also intrigued. 

Just as you're about to say something more, Bobby walks in whistling, looking back though the door at the red car, at Charles's red car.

"That's a nice machine." He says heartily as he sits down on the other side of Charles. "Four-speed? What's under the hood?"

"Six-cylinder." Charles replies smiling. 

"Ooh!" Earning a grin from bobby " How do you get a car like that?"

"Ace-high straight."

"Not around here you don't." He chuckles taking a sip of the hot coffee Stella just poured.

"This little trouble maker giving you grief newbie? Or did they see your car" He winks at you.

"Bobby always a pleasure...." You give him a tight lipped smile. 

"Trouble?" Charles raises an eyebrow at you. You shrug back teasingly. 

"You look familiar." Bobby suddenly turned back to Charles. 

"Do I?" He says opening the paper, hoping not to engage in any further conversation with this guy. 

"Where from?"

"I'm from right up on the hill." He say nonchalantly as the room goes dead. 

"Ah so that why you know him..." Bobby points at you "say, I didn't know there were any more Blackwoods, eh?....Wonder how long before this one ends up in the boneyard." He makes a dark snort like laugh.