Not Long At All

Chapter Twenty Four

David's POV: 

      I rolled over, the smell of food pulling me from sleep. I laid still, pausing before pushing myself up, my eyes still asleep. Somewhere in the apartment I could here voices and for a moment I was confused. I wasn't used to waking up with other people.  

      Taking a forceful breath, I stretched my arms in front of me, yawning. Despite wanting to go back to bed, the voices and smell of food felt like peer pressure. It was clear I was the only one not fully awake. I laid back down, rolling myself to the edge of the bed before scooting my legs off the side. I paused for a moment, taking in my last moment before the day started. I'd seen the way Sarah and Ziggy looked at each other. And Hedgel was a whole other ordeal. But it was just one day. One day, a few hours of sleep, and then a plane ride. We could do this. 

      Reassured, I heaved myself up so that I was standing and stretched one last time. About to leave the room, I paused, looking down at my boxers and sleep shirt. Would it be weird if I didn't change? My tired brain tried running the calculus. It was morning, Sarah saw me last night, and after everything we'd already gone through... The thought of changing out of my warm clothes swayed my reasoning. If we weren't already beyond this level of familiarity, then we were about to be. 

      Turning the corner to the kitchen, I found Sarah, still in pajamas, leaning over the counter, partly obscured by the bar in front of her, pursing her lips at a bag of pancake mix. Higgle stood on a the bar stool that had been moved to the stove and frowned into a pan, "They look fine to me."

      Sarah shook her head, a small streak of the white mix running across her forehead, "They're too watery. I think I forgot something."

      Watching her make breakfast, I was struck by a feeling. I couldn't place it, but there was something homey about it. Something oddly casual. Safe. Sarah looked up, her eyes finding me, "Oh. Hi, I didn't know you were there."

      Embarrassed at being caught, I raised my eyebrows, "Oh no, I just got up. You know, I was just..."

      She watched me fall quiet, and I tried a different approach, "I smelled the food."

      Sarah threw a glance over her shoulder to where Hedbel stood, "Oh yeah. I mean," She frowned back at the bag, "I think maybe I put too much water in."

      "They look fine to me." The troll still stood, intently watching the pan.

       Eager to get a leg over him, I made my way to the bar, "Have you ever even had a pancake before?"

      Higpill turned, not missing a beat, "Don't need to lick a tree to know one."

     My triumphant smile faded, and I was left without a comeback. The troll went back to the pan, "Ya spoiled root."

      I looked to Sarah, "Do you see the things he says to me?"

      Sarah shrugged, a smile tugging at her lips as she pretended to focus on the bag, "You started it."

      Her amusement was contagious and I stared at her in playful offense, knowing she was watching me from the corner of her eye. Making my way around the bar, I moved to stand next to her, "How much water did you use?"

      She glanced up at me before going back to the bag, "I can't remember." She paused, "Should we just do waffles?"

      Haggle nodded, "Let's do waffles."

      Sarah looked up at me out of the corner of her eye, smiling. I smiled back before nodding at the troll, "You ever had a waffle?"

      He surveyed the pan, "No, but it sounds better than this."