Between the Cracks // 𝓕𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓦𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓵𝓮𝔂

41. Christmas Decorations

Chapter 41: Christmas Decorations

Leigh sat on the couch, legs pulled up to her chest and arms loosely crossed upon her knees.

Fred had disappeared into his room a moment earlier, saying something about changing his shirt, which Leigh's bloody lip had stained. Normally she might've felt bad about it, but her head felt empty – filled with nothing but exhaustion.

It was oddly comforting. She had let out so much in the last hour that her mind seemed to take a break, leaving nothing but a thick fog to crowd her thoughts.

Fred appeared from his room, now clad in a green long-sleeve, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. Still professional, in case any customers would enter, but comfortable nevertheless. He threw a gaze towards Leigh as he moved over to the kitchen area.

"How are we feeling?"

Her eyes snapped to his, and she shrugged faintly. "Fine." It was the truth, sort of. "Exhausted." Also true. She saw Fred nod as he turned back to the sink, placing their cups there before getting some glasses and filling them with water. She scrunched her face up as she found another suitable word describing how she felt: "Warm."

He chuckled faintly. "I can imagine. You are wearing two thick sweaters after all." He made his way over to the table and extended a glass towards her, which she accepted.

She nodded at his words, contemplating if she should get rid of one of the sweaters, or both maybe. She took a gulp from her glass before placing it on the table. She wiggled, trying to slip out of the two sweaters, instead groaning irritably when it didn't go as well as she'd hoped.

Fred, whose original plan was to take a seat, smiled and instead took a step toward her. "Can I?" He asked, receiving an exhale and a tired nod in response.

"Which one do you want to keep on?"

She didnt have to contemplate for long, the words exiting her lips quicker than she anticipated. "Yours."

He met her gaze and smiled softly. "Okay."

He pulled the sleeves and slipped Leigh out of the two warm sweaters before pulling the Christmas sweater over her head again. His arm reached into the sleeve, grasping her hand before pulling it through. He did the same to the other one, letting his hand linger on her palm a second longer before breaking their touch. Just like he had done an hour or so earlier, he leant forward to free her hair from underneath the sweater.

Leigh let out a relaxed exhale as Fred worked on her hair, giving it a last touch before leaving it lying upon the knitted material.

He stepped away. "Do you want anything?"

She gave him a polite smile and a slight shake of the head. She probably should've said yes - she had skipped breakfast after all, and dinner the day before, but the turmoil inside her had made her feel like she would throw it all up. She wasnt necessarily nauseous, just...overwhelmed. It was too much. Her insides didn't know how to navigate it.

He nodded at her answer, sinking into the couch beside her, careful to leave some space between them for her comfort.

A thick blanket of silence laid itself over them. Fred didn't seem to mind, but Leigh was never one to handle those quiet moments. Thoughts clawed at her mind, and she glanced over at him where he sat a small distance from her. She cleared her voice faintly.

"So that was...chaotic," she mumbled with a soft chuckle. Fiddling with her fingers, hoping her words would not only fill the silence, but also ease the tension, even though she might be the only one who felt it.