Crumbling Cakes

Part XL (40)

The words started to blur. Letters and numbers mixing to form one long incoherent line. I couldn't keep the names straight anymore, there were just too many.

My frustration and exhaustion echoed through the taps of my pen against the wood grain dining room table. Surrendering to the inevitable, I placed the ballpoint tip to the page and filled out the questions I was trying to avoid. My plan clearly had some hurdles.

"What's that?"

I jumped. My hand twitching and leaving a scribbled line across my carefully charted notes. Fugderuckers. I frowned at this desecration. My penmanship will never be this neat again.

"Lia." Sweet's interrupted my mourning.

"This?" I looked at him. "Nothing. Where'd you come from? I thought you were doing our Christmas Eve dinner run?" I rotated to face him completely, my arms dragging against the top and effectively shifting the notes under my folder.

"I'm done," Sebastian's eyes narrowed. "I've been home for over an hour. Now don't change the subject, what is that?"

Oof. It was apartment listings, that's what. But Strawberry Fields need not know because then he'll think I'm bolting. Which given our week is a plausible outcome. But I'm not bolting, I'm apartment hunting.

For the misfits...and maybe myself? Ugh, admit it, bitch, you ain't leaving this love den.

I fought the urge to slap my forehead. Okay so maybe no one has said the L word yet. I mean we weren't even technically dating. Hell, we haven't even had a repeat of the dry humping because it's been holiday hell with our schedules.

At most, we've managed to both end up passed out on the couch after takeout and pints. We are going places people! Although, when we'd go slump off to sleep, Sweets would follow me to my bed where we would commence the spooning in glorious fashion.

He makes such a good pillow. The most wonderful, loveliest, best-scented pillow, just saying...

I'm getting off track here. The point is that I'm trying to keep my end of the bargain. Now that I know what's happening on the fight-Bathilda front, I need to find a place for my ducklings.

Only Sebastian STILL doesn't know about the ducklings...for now.

"So fast? Wow, you are a wizard. Get me anything good? I am starving." My sentences came out stilted. I stood up grabbing his arm in an attempt to drag him to the kitchen.

I forgot I was dealing with a fucking brick wall and ended up getting pulled back.

Sweets twirled me into his front, locking me with one arm across the chest as I watched on helplessly while he picked up my list of apartments. I heard him swallow, felt him stiffen as he registered the list. Reaching across and moving my printed emails out from under the notebook.

FUDGERUCKERS.

"It's not what you think." I hurried to explain.

"So this isn't a list of available apartments." He said flatly.

"Well...it is...that." He let me go, dropping the sheet back onto the table. I swayed in place at the loss of his anchor.

"Unbelievable." Sweets, headed across the living room.

"Wait, it's not like that. I just—"

"Just want to move out?" Sebastian offered helpfully, swirling around to face me—hands resting on his hips. His posture imposing, his jaw clenched. He looked magnificent, annnnnddd now was not the time to get distracted with his sexiness. I need to get it together. "Darlin' if you want to move out I understand. I get that this might be a lot for you right now and maybe you need some space. But I thought we were passed this. I just wish you weren't afraid to be honest with me."