Should've slept alone (Damon Albarn)

Chapter Ten

Charlotte had suddenly decided that Freddie was desperate for a nap as soon as the answerphone went off. To her relief, her son had been more than happy to climb into bed and fall asleep and Charlotte couldn't have felt more grateful for the sea air tiring him out if she tried.

She practically crept back into the lounge, where her eyes fell on Damon, who was still sat on the floor next to the phone. Their eyes met and she felt frozen as she forced herself to walk back to where she had been sat on the sofa. Their eyes were still connected but neither of them said anything, she couldn't completely recognise the look that had taken over Damon's face, it seemed to Charlotte to be a mix of shame, guilt and almost a hint of anger.

"I'm sorry" He choked out after a while longer of silence, she let her face soften into a smile as she processed what he'd said.

"You don't need to apologise to me" She responded softly, she wasn't completely sure how she was meant to feel after all, it wasn't her family. She just didn't want Damon to be in Freddie's life if it meant he was a secret from everyone else.

"What am I meant to do?" He sighed, his eyes were glued to the phone, as though he was expecting his mother to jump out of it at any given moment.

"Why don't you give her a call?" She suggested, thought she wasn't entirely sure how he was meant to make this situation remotely better.

"I can't do that" He shook his head in response, running a hand through his hair before turning to face Charlotte again, she hated just how attractive she thought he was. Especially at a time like this.

"Well what do you want to do?" Charlotte asked him, watching as he finally got up from the floor before making his way to sit down next to her.

"Pretend I never got that message?" He laughed forcefully, his blue eyes still laced with worry.

"If that's what you want to do" She mumbled, she knew that ignoring his mother was one of the worst things he could do, but she also knew that she was hardly in a position to tell him what he should do "But only until tomorrow"

He chewed on his bottom lip, playing with his fingers before inhaling deeply and turning to stare intently at the girl next to him, offering her an outstretched hand to shake.

"Deal"

Charlotte made the most of Freddie being asleep by starting to read the book Damon had gifted her for Christmas. She curled her feet beneath her as she sat in the corner of the sofa. Damon had sat himself down at the piano in the corner of the room and Charlotte had to try to focus on the book in her hand, desperate to try and get rid of the feeling of excitement brewing inside of her at the thought of getting to watch him play piano.

Charlottes heart was practically racing as the gentle sound from the instrument started to fill the room. Of course she knew he was a musician, but with how normal it had felt being with him over the past few days, it had practically slipped her mind. He hadn't been someone from blur, he had just been Damon to her.

She really did try to read her book, but after she re-read the same line, for what felt like, the tenth time she allowed her eyes to creep over the top of the book, so that she could truly take in the view of Damon in front of her.

"I can feel you staring at me Lottie" He smirked, turning around to catch a glimpse of her, before she quickly dropped her eyes down to her book again.

"Sorry" She grinned sheepishly, hating how red  her face had grown at his words. She could tell that he was still staring at her, but she didn't dare look up from the words she was pretending to read.

"I wasn't complaining love" He laughed lightly, before his head turned to the door where a cry from Freddie had come from "I'll go get him"

The three of them spent the afternoon together, just allowing themselves to create those bonds. Damon had attempted to play the piano with Freddie and all Charlotte could do was laugh every time Damon winced as Freddie's hands collided with the ivory keys.

They all had spaghetti bolognaise for dinner and they both discovered that it was a new favourite of Freddie's. He had his serving and then two more helpings on top of that. Charlotte could only laugh at his antics, though a part of her worried that he would expect this amount of food once they were home and she knew she wouldn't be able to give it to him.

They both bathed Freddie together and Charlotte let Damon read him his story again, as they both backed out of the room of the sleeping boy together, she couldn't help but feel like they were actually parenting together.

They both walked back into the lounge, but before Damon could tempt Charlotte into some wine and a cuddle on the sofa whilst some film played in the background, there came a loud knock at the door.

Charlotte wasn't concerned but Damon's face was instantly laced with worry as he stumbled over his words before going to see who was there. She took herself into the lounge, getting a bottle of wine from the wine fridge and two glasses before placing them on the coffee table and waiting for Damon to return.

However, her stomach dropped and he reappeared with three people behind him, she didn't recognise who they were but she could only presume, by judging the stressed look on Damon's face, that it was his parents and sister.

"Charlotte" Damon spoke, his eyes seeming like they were staring at her for an escape from this situation "I'd like you to meet my Mum, Hazel, my Dad, Keith and my sister Jess"

A/N
I'm sorry for the short update, I just wanted to get something out to start off the new year! I hope you enjoy regardless!