House on the Vistula (an Ed Sheeran story)

Chapter Eight

We went back inside without a word after that. I hadn't wanted for him to let go. Not yet. But what can you do, eh? I desperately wanted to say something more but my mouth felt as if it were poison and I didn't know what to say without it being a product laced with said poison.

We didn't continue watching Gilmore Girls, but rather put the laptop away and lay in bed. We didn't speak for a good fifteen minutes and just lay there, sipping on our second bottle of wine. I was on the verge of dosing off when he suddenly rolled over.

"I have an idea." He told me.

"Oh?" I replied, following that with a yawn. I also rolled over onto my side to face him.

"I can't do it tonight because it's too short notice, but how would you feel about coming to my gig tomorrow night? We could go get some of your stuff tomorrow morning so you could change and such. I'll be performing some of my new songs." He said excitedly. He didn't even take a breath between his sentences, but rather rushed on, making his facial features strain and a bit of a double chin pop out. I couldn't help but smile softly at how cute and childlike he looked.

"That... That could work, if you can deal with me for that long. We leave for the trip at 7pm on Wednesday so it's definitely manageable. And I can go get my stuff tonight whilst you're at your gig?" I didn't have the heart to tell him I hadn't been able to bring myself to listen to his new album. The most I had heard of it was what he had jotted down and strummed out back in Tolo, and the two that played on the radio. I made a mental note to listen to it later on, when I was alone in the room.

"If you want, that's perfectly fine. That means no more drinking until you get back though, you hear? Don't want you stumbling the streets of London drunk by yourself."

I laughed, ignoring the sharp sting on my chin. "I grew up in London, don't you worry. But alright, that's fine."

"It's a plan then." He grinned, reaching over and stroking my arm briefly.

"Yes, it is. I can't wait."

***

A couple of hours later, we both started getting ready to go. It was 5 o'clock, and although it wasn't ideal for me considering it was rush hour and so TfL prices went up until 7pm but I didn't want Ed worrying about me walking around London late. He insisted on ordering me an Uber for my way back from the tube station when I got back. I didn't protest, considering I didn't know the way back from the station anyway. I comforted myself with the knowledge that I'd leave the amount he paid somewhere in his room that night.

The Uber he was taking dropped me off at High Street Kensington underground.

"Will you be okay from here? D'you know how to get from here?" Ed asked as the Uber stopped down the road from the station.

"Yeah, of course. Circle line to Paddington, Bakerloo to Baker Street and then the Metropolitan to Ruislip Manor." I reassured him with a hug. "You have a nice night, lovely."

"Okay, good. You have my number so call me if you need anything. I'll call you around 7 before I go on stage to check in if I don't hear from you, alright?" He questioned as he returned the hug and let go of me.

"Yes daddy." I rolled my eyes then winced as he laughed.

"Yeah, save that for later." He winked before laughing again.

"Cheeky, I think your fans should know about your daddy kink."

"Oh come on, I wasn't serious."

"You keep telling yourself that! See you tonight." I told him in a sing-song voice before getting out of the car and waving him goodbye.