Second Ave Series: Ac-Counting on You (WLW)

Moving Day

Despite Brook's sadness in inevitably being alone in her big, spacious and now quickly emptying condo, she wouldn't deny Hersh the chance to be happy with his boyfriend. She was incredibly excited for him after all. He and Derrick had been together for so long and they were finally able to take the next step in their relationship with both of their careers having stabilized. They were both all smiles and she couldn't fight mimicking the gesture as she watched them walking hand in hand through her front door before they parted with a quick kiss.

"You both are so adorable." She remarked and received that bashfulness Hersh rarely showed as he blushed with wide eyes. Giggling as she lifted another box into her arms, Brook sent him a grin and watched the corners of his mouth turn up rather mischievous. "Don't start."

"Start what?"

"Pimping me out."

Hersh threw his head back in haughty laughter as Derrick walked into the room with a box under one arm and a duffel bag slung over his opposite shoulder. "What about Kendra? I thought you and she had a date? Should I call her for you, Brook?"

"Please, don't do that." She sighed and carried her box out of the door, taking the steps cautiously as she couldn't see much more than her toes from beyond its base. Making it to the bottom of the stairs, Derrick joined her there and both of them waited until Hersh opened the door for them. He sent her a caring gaze, but she tried her damndest to ignore it. "Seriously, I'm fine."

"Sure, you are. Just like before when you split from your CC girl and now when I'm leaving you here alone." He winced and began running his eyes all over the place. "Okay, now I'm not feeling fine either..."

"Seriously, bud, I'm alright. So I'm single." Brook walked up the ramp leading into the moving truck and set her box down atop several others before beginning to strap it down so that it wouldn't jostle around when he and Derrick left, which would be very soon as she was sure this was the last of his things. He wasn't meant to leave this early, but Hersh was just so thrilled to be with Derrick and she just wanted them both to be happy. It wasn't as if she wouldn't see Hersh anyways, working with him daily for probably the remainder of their lives, but she would miss their nightly relaxation together. The unwinding conversations they had each evening after work kept her functioning and she knew she'd be amiss without it, but Hersh told her to call him any time. Even if he couldn't be there physically, he'd always be there for their regular discussions. She finished settling the boxes in that particular row and glanced up to find Derrick and Hersh both watching her with concern. "Stop it, you two. This is your time, alright? So enjoy it."

Hersh hugged her and she chuckled as Derrick came around her other side and did the same, rocking them all from side to side. "What about the woman who came in recently?" Hersh pulled back and wiggled his eyebrows as he poked her belly. Sucking her lips into a tight line, Brook blew a long gust of air from her nostrils. It only made him and Derrick giggle as the latter joined in on poking her, though in the backs of her shoulders. "I saw you stealing glances toward her the other day and you might be delighted to know she was doing the same."

Releasing her lips with a pop, Brook felt her jaw hit the floor before Derrick reached around her and lifted it with a finger below her chin. "R-Really...?" She batted his hand away and focused on Hersh as he made his way out of the truck, following him closely from behind. "I mean, I saw her looking at me once or twice, but I figured it was just her being wary of her surroundings like usual. Was she... Was she really looking at me that much?"

"Someone's excited." Derrick teased as he hopped down to the pavement beside the ramp and she did the same.

Hersh raised the end by its cloth straps and began pushing it into its slot underneath the truck cabin. "That she is, babe. And yes, Brook, she was staring at you A LOT. In fact, it was like she was having a hard time keeping her eyes off of you from what I saw."