A/N: Well, Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year to you all! It's 2 for 1 chapter week here at CFG, as a thank you for over 100 follows! That's insane, thank you all so much! I hope you all had a great holiday! Have fun with Mr. Masen's musings.

Disclaimer: I own a refrigerator, which is an accomplishment. But I do not own the Twilight characters.

*

Edward had never spent so long in his closet as he had this morning. He was struggling to find an appropriate "furniture shopping with the girl I like but it's not a date but I have to look good" outfit. Unfortunately for Edward, he had no idea what that meant. And it was already 9:45, and he was standing in the middle of his closet wearing nothing but his boxer briefs and a panicked expression. His problem was obvious: he didn't know what to wear to a non-date date-like event with a girl who could very possibly maybe be the most important and wonderful girl he'd ever met. He was aware that this was a problem. He was aware that he had only fifteen minutes before he was supposed to be downstairs. He was acutely aware that he was out of options.

So, he texted Alice.

I need fashion advice. -E

Her reply was almost instant, as though she were expecting this.

Of course you do. Everyone around me is so pathetically hopeless. -Ali

Edward snorted.

Helpless, huh? Say, tiny, how's your head this morning? :p

Do you want my help or not? /

I am at your mercy, dearest cousin. Take pity on the clothing-challenged.

Fine. But only because I'm your dearest cousin. Tell Tanya to suck it!

It might be incredibly inappropriate for me to do so.

Plus it would make Bella incredibly jealous.

Edward flushed a deep red as he decidedly ignored that statement and all of its assorted weird and gross implications (Like Bella possibly ever being jealous of his literal cousin). He instead laid out his options to Alice, even sending a few pictures. After she made some helpful pointers, Edward was dressed in jeans and a heavy knit sweater (a gift from Carlisle upon the news he was moving to Seattle) and on his way down to the girls' apartment. He knocked once, twice, and was going for a third when the door flew open, revealing a slightly disheveled Alice.

"Please do not make that noise again, it's incredibly annoying."

"You stole that from Chandler Bing." Edward was grinning at his cousin, who had bags under her eyes and what appeared to be barbecue sauce in her hair.

"Well, when he's right, he's right," she said, making way for Edward to enter the front room. "How do you know so many freakin' references anyway? Yesterday you got The Parent Trap right off the bat." She folded her arms across her torso and grimaced as Edward turned on the light in the living room. "I had to watch that stupid touchdown dance at least twelve times before it clicked."

"Well," he said, feeling suddenly small, "uh, she was out a lot. And my major was communications, so I watch a lot of TV, a lot of movies, listen to a lot of music. It's incredibly handy knowing exactly what everyone's talking about."

"I'll bet it is," Alice said, running her tiny hand through her short locks. She stopped abruptly and brought her hand close to her face for inspection of the thick brown substance stuck to her fingers. "Oh, for fuck's sake!" she said, stomping her way to the kitchen and running her hand under the sink. "It's not enough that I had to drive with the maniac, but now I've got barbecue sauce in my hair?!"

"Hey, you made it home okay!"

"Where I promptly threw up."

"Might have been the copious amounts of alcohol, but sure, blame me." Edward made his way into the kitchen and leaned with his back to the counter, shooting his cousin a smug grin.

"I will! My God, the mental spinning is bad enough without adding actual spinning!" Alice had a wad of wet paper towels now, and was pressing it to her head, searching for stray sauce. "How did this even happen?!"

"Pretty sure it was Henry."

"Dammit! I can't even be mad at him! He's too adorable!"

Edward reached out and took the paper towel mass from Alice, passing her a fresh set. He dumped the sauce-stained bunch into the trash, before turning back to Alice. "Why don't you just take a shower?"

"Bella's in there, getting ready."

"Oh." He wondered then what Bella looked like in the morning, or when she was getting ready, or when she was making breakfast. A morning with Bella was immediately added to his bucket list, which was becoming increasingly clogged with Bella-related activities.

"Hey Ali, are you sure-" Bella said, entering the kitchen in a cloud of freesia and strawberry scent, her hair just slightly damp and starting to fluff out into waves, dressed in a thick, oversized sweater, thick socks, leggings, and boots. "Oh." Bella glanced at Edward as her cheeks pinked up. "Hi."

"Hello," he said, but he couldn't remember telling his mouth to move. She was… beautiful. He thought that a lot but it didn't make it any less true. In her business attire, she was a delight: professional but still fun. In her club outfit, she was sexy: curves and soft dimensions everywhere, and yet so sweet. On game day she looked like a goofball in her jersey and sneakers, ready for the stadium inside the comfort of Emmett and Rose's place.

Bella in her casual wear was comforting. Like a hot drink on a cold day, or like rain on the windows as he watched a good film. She was like coming home. He wanted to see her in casual wear much, much more often. Something about knowing that she was both comfortable and still breathtaking was so alluring. He loved that she wanted to be comfortable for a day out with him, that she wasn't dolled up and decked out, doomed to a day of itching and aching instead of enjoying their time together.

He suddenly found himself desperate to know what her pajamas looked like. How she looked when she was sleepy, how she looked just before she fell asleep, what she looked like when she dreamed.

Lovely. Another bucket list item.

He realized then that he had been staring at her for an inordinate amount of time, so he reached out and tugged gently on a lock of her hair. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Just gotta get my coat," she said, smiling and removing his hand from her hair, holding on for what he suspected was longer than absolutely necessary.

"I'll get it," he said. "It's on the hook, right?"

"Yeah," she said, biting down on her bottom lip, driving Edward to near-distraction. "The blue one."

"Well, I figured the hot pink was probably Alice," he countered, moving around her to exit the kitchen.

As he crossed the living room, he heard Alice say softly, "See? I told you to be you. Comfortable is good."

"Well, thanks for the tip, Ali-Bee." Bella's voice was quiet and full of gratitude. It seemed he hadn't been the only one having trouble finding an outfit this morning.

Edward returned with Bella's coat, and assisted her as she put it on. He gently reached in and pulled her hair out from the back of the jacket, smiling as the silky tresses ran through his fingers. God, he loved her hair. Bella turned and smiled up at him, a silent thank-you.

"You two have fun!" Alice said, and they both seemed to simultaneously remember that she was there in the kitchen with them. "No drinking, have her home by eleven, and make good choices."

"That is quite possibly the most hypocritical thing you've ever said to me," Bella said, voice deadpan as she grabbed Edward by the arm and started leading him to the door.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you 'Do as I say, not as I do'?"

"Only when I found her stash."

Alice was guffawing loudly as Bella grabbed her keys and her bag out of the entry and dragged Edward out of the apartment.

Outside the door, she whirled on him, grinning.

"Hey, boss, look," she said, fingering the sleeve of his sweater, "we match."

Edward looked down at himself, and let out a chuckle. His green sweater and hers could have been on the same shelf in a store. His brown boots matched hers, though hers were tall, reaching almost to her knees, paired with fuzzy white socks with a blue stripe at the top stopping just above her knee. The laces on both pairs were the same, though, and the color was spot on. She didn't know it, but he had blue in his socks too.

"So we do," he said, smiling back at her. "You're pulling it off much better than I am, though."

She blushed prettily at his compliment as they began to head to the parking lot, and Edward started fiddling with his phone.

"What are you doing?" she asked, attempting to peek over his arm to see his phone.

"Mind your own business, Swan," he said, moving his phone away with one hand and tugging a lock of her hair with the other. He seemed to be making a habit of that gesture, but Bella didn't seem to mind. He was glad. Her hair was soft and he liked the excuse to touch it.

"Oh it is on!" she said, and she started jumping up at him, reaching for his phone, which he deftly held out of reach. An easy feat, considering he was a good ten inches taller than her. He was laughing, and she was both laughing and making little sounds of effort as she jumped. She tried tugging on his sleeve, she clung to his arm and pulled, but she was so small he just raised his arm higher and lifted her off the ground. She squeaked at that, curling slightly into a ball before dropping back down to the floor and resuming her jumping. Edward reached out with his free hand and placed it on top of Bella's head, causing her to cease her efforts.

"As much fun as this is," he said, "and it is, good things come to those who wait, Miss Swan."

"Have you seen that video of Chris Hemsworth where he's eating soup and he keeps taking sips and saying 'still hot'? That's patient compared to me." She was looking up at him around his arm, because his hand was still planted on top of her head. "Waiting is not my strong suit."

"Well, luckily," he said, "it's one of mine. And you don't have long to wait on this one." He shook his phone for her benefit. Edward removed his hand and kept moving toward the car, leaving Bella in the dust.

He thought he heard her mutter, "I really hate waiting," but it could have been "The roller skate dating" so he didn't respond.

She caught up to him quickly, and he nudged her with his elbow. "You can wait a little. I promise it's worth it."

She got a funny look in her eye then, like she was somewhere else entirely, far away from him. "That's what I'm counting on," she said, the dreamlike quality of her stare causing Edward to pause. She shook her head, and when she looked up at him once more, he knew she wasn't talking about the coffee that he'd ordered for them a minute ago. Not just because she didn't even know about the coffee, but because she was looking at him like he was the only other person on the planet.

No one had ever looked at him like that. Not Victoria, not his high school prom date, not anyone. His stomach did one slow somersault.

Edward realized then that they had arrived at his car. He opened Bella's door first, making a grand hand gesture that caused her to giggle. She folded her small frame into the vehicle, and he gently shut the door before hustling to the driver's side. When they were both in the car he handed Bella the aux cable, indicating that she should choose the music.

He roared out of the parking lot and started heading for the Starbucks just as the first notes of a Florence and the Machine song started to play.

Bella looked out the window at the passing street signs, before turning back to Edward. "You have no idea where the Ikea is, do you?"

"Well, you're navigator today," he said, shooting her a quick smile.

"Okay then. You're going the wrong way."

"Not quite yet." He smiled as he pulled into the Starbucks drive through, which was miraculously empty.

"Oh yay! I need caffeine!" Bella was bouncing up and down in her seat, undercutting her statement a bit.

"When don't you?" Edward asked with a smile at the hyperactive girl in the passenger seat.

She settled back in her seat as they approached the ordering screen. "When I'm dead, I suppose."

"Hi, welcome to Starbucks, can I take your order?" came the crackling voice of what had to be some bored teenager.

"Edward, do you know my order?" Bella asked, leaning toward the screen, eyes scanning a menu she was never going to use anyway.

"Do I know your- my God Bella, I'd have to be some sort of idiot not to know- jeez woman, do I look- you know what? Never mind," he replied, unable to properly articulate the fact that he could and probably did recite her Starbucks order in his sleep. He'd seen it on eight cups in the past week, and she spouted it off to Jessica every time she went on a coffee run. He would have to be incredibly unobservant not to know her Starbucks order. That, and he'd confirmed it with Alice earlier this morning. "Mobile order for Edward, please," he said to the screen.

"Next window, please," the voice said, somehow managing to sound condescending and even more disinterested all at once.

"She seems delightful," Bella said, smiling as the screen disappeared from view. "So that was what you were doing with your phone, huh?"

"Well, that or I was telling the contract killer where he could find us at exactly 10:13 AM, Pacific Standard Time." Bella slapped Edward's arm and he let out a chuckle. They reached the pick up window and the definitely bored teenager appeared with one hot cup and one cold cup, her wild turquoise hair spilling out of her green cap and several rings dangling from her ears and nose. "Thanks," Edward said as he took the coffees, handing Bella hers and settling his into a cup holder. "Could I get a straw, please?"

"It would be the highlight of my day," she said, disappearing briefly and reappearing with the aforementioned straw. She handed it to him and he handed it to Bella, whose lips were pressed together to suppress a smile and eyes watering from the effort of holding in her mirth.

"Thank you," Edward said.

"Have a happy caffeinated Monday," said the cashier, voice devoid of any emotion.

Edward sped out of the drive through just as Bella burst into laughter, and he soon joined her, that now familiar sound of their giggling mingling together over the dulcet voice of Florence Welch. "Oh my God," Bella said, still giggling. "She was like someone forced the soul of Oscar the Grouch out of its Muppet body and into a nineteen year old girl!"

"I wonder what she'd be like at Disney World?" Edward mused over his own chuckles.

"'This place is for babies and the idiot masses who ascribe to the belief that growing up is synonymous with untimely death'," Bella said, her laughter cutting off abruptly as she put on a slightly too happy impression of their barista.

Edward glanced at her as he drove, a little impressed, eyebrow raised, before succumbing to renewed giggles, Bella joining in shortly after. She stopped to take a sip of her coffee. "She makes a damn good coffee, though. Thanks for this, Edward," she added, staring appraisingly at the cup. Edward took a sip of his own coffee and nodded in agreement. "Ooooh, hang on!" Bella said, and she snatched the coffee out of his hand and set it next to hers in the console.

"Hey!"

"Shh."

She arranged the cups just so, with the labels that said "EDWARD" facing her, and whipped her phone out. She lined up a shot of the two cups, took a photo, and then started poking at her screen and giggling.

"Can I have my coffee now?" Edward asked, casting her a sidelong glance.

"Yes, you can," she said, sounding satisfied. "What's your instagram?"

"Why?" His eyebrows raised as he kept his eyes on the path.

"Just tell me, Mr. Mysterio."

"Fine. It's e dot a dot Masen." He really hoped she wasn't going to go through his feed. He didn't have anything particularly embarrassing on it, but there was a shot of Victoria that he'd taken of her sitting under the Bean in Chicago. (Edward exclusively called it "The Bean" instead of its actual name: "Cloud Gate". He did so because the artist, Anish Kapoor, was a total art snob and Edward loved the drama of his feud with another artist, Stuart Semple, over the use of the blackest pigment known to man. He'd read several articles on it and followed Semple on social media. None of that was important to whether or not Bella would see the Bean photo, but he did caption it "The Bean" and tagged Kapoor in it.)

"The one with the rainy glass as the profile picture?" Bella asked, sounding a little judgmental.

"I don't do selfies."

Bella let out a giggle and then looked up out the window. "Hey, you made it to Ikea!"

"I can read a map, yes," he said, turning to smile at her. "Looked it up last night."

"Good, because I am a terrible navigator."

Edward parked and they made their way into the giant furniture store. He checked his phone and saw that he had two instagram notifications.

bellmarieswan followed you!

bellmarieswan tagged you in a post

He opened the post and saw the photo of their coffees. She'd framed it so you could just make out Edward driving in the background, slightly blurred. The caption read: Two types of coffee drinkers ft. Edward. It already had several likes and one comment from m.alicebc: "Why does Edward hate flavor?" which Bella had replied to with: "Too late, I used that joke three days ago." Edward smiled and hit the follow button next to Bella's name. Then he hit the heart-shaped like button below the photo.

When he looked up, Bella was smiling down at her phone. She held it out to show him and he saw the notifications on her home screen:

e.a.masen followed you!

e.a.masen liked your post

Edward smiled back, and they wandered into the displays, being sure to follow the large arrows on the floor to avoid getting lost.

"I'm scared to buy things after Aunt Esme said that Jasper's delivering things. I have no idea what she's sending."

"Oh, don't worry," Bella reassured him. "She sent me the list. I'll let you know if you don't need it."

"Can't you just tell me what she's sending?" he asked.

"And ruin the surprise?" She held a hand to her chest, scandalized. "Esme would kill me. Kindly, but I'd still be dead."

Edward sighed and shook his head. "Couch?"

"Yeah, you need that," she said, wandering into a living room display and flopping unceremoniously onto the couch in it.

"How's that one?" he asked, amusedly as he moved to stand in front of her.

"Good, but not perfect. Don't even sit on it. It's not the couch for you." She was rubbing the arm of the couch as she said it, apparently to console it for the rejection, because she added: "Sorry, buddy."

"Alright then." He extended his hand, and she took it to pull herself up, and he felt it yet again, the electric buzzing. He loved the electric buzzing.

They meandered through the aisles, looking at various furniture items, taking photos of items and codes for potential winners. He allowed Bella to pick his guest bedroom furniture, though there wasn't much. Apparently Aunt Esme was providing the dresser and the bed. He let her do it because he valued her opinion, and because the happy expression she made while she found pieces for him made him want to let her furnish the entire place. She wouldn't, though. She only took the guest room because "Well, you're not gonna spend time in there anyway!"

"And you are?" he'd asked, and then enjoyed the way her face flushed red.

"Well, no, but it could use a woman's touch!"

So she'd picked, and he'd observed.

They were in another living room display when a middle-aged kind-looking woman wearing a name tag that read Shelley approached them.

"Can I help you two find anything?"

"We're furnishing a living room!" Bella said excitedly, grinning at Shelley and gesturing to the display. "This one's not quite right though."

"No, I don't think so either," Edward added, smiling over at Bella before returning his attention to the employee.

"Well, aren't you two adorable?" Shelley cooed. "Did you just move in together?"

"Actually-"

"Yes, we did," Bella interrupted, twining her arm with Edward's and leaning her head on his shoulder. "All of our old furniture was our old roommates' things, and we wanted to start fresh." She used her free hand and ran her fingers along Edward's arm.

"How sweet!" Shelley clapped her hands together, and then indicated they should follow her. "I think I know just the set!"

Edward stooped down and whispered in Bella's ear. "Quick question: what are you doing?"

"Having fun," she responded, beaming up at him. "Come on, you want to disappoint the nice lady? Us not being together would have devastated her."

"I don't think she holds that much stock in strangers."

"Of course she does. She's a baby boomer. That's all they hold stock in." Bella shrugged once. "That and Microsoft." And she grabbed Edward's hand, holding tightly, and dragged him off after Shelley.

"How long have you two been together?" Shelley asked as they made their way through the store.

"Three years," Bella responded.

"How lovely!"

"Now, love, you know it's three and a half," Edward added helpfully, and Bella squeezed his hand to keep from laughing.

"I don't believe in counting months. It's all or nothing."

"Every day with you is an achievement, dear, I'm just being sure to document them."

"My word, he is a keeper." Shelley had her hand over her heart, as she led them into another display.

"I think so," Bella said, smiling softly up at him, eyes full of sincerity. He suddenly felt very warm.

"Well, this is it, lovebirds," Shelley said, gesturing to the room.

It was… perfect. The couch was low and U-shaped, with a matching coffee table that fit neatly into the U's divot, and the crowning glory: a wall sized entertainment center that housed shelves for CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays, and whatever else he could find. Everything was black with dove grey and gold tone accents.

Edward looked at Bella, who was watching him as he took the room in. She grinned and nodded, and Edward closed the distance between them and swept her up in a hug, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around. When he set her back on the ground, he turned to Shelley, whose smile looked like it was going to break her face.

"We'll take it!" he said.

*

Wallet feeling significantly wider and trunk full of lamps and kitchen accessories, Bella and Edward left Ikea with delivery scheduled for two hours from then.

"Let's get some food. My treat!" Bella said from the passenger seat, a large clock in her arms.

"Okay, but nothing Swedish. I don't think I could take it."

They ended up at a burger spot that Bella loved, discussing Edward's purchases.

"I am so jealous of that entertainment center. It's a thing of beauty." Bella said before taking a long sip of her Coke.

"Well, I do have about six thousand CDs and movies that need a home. Might as well be that home."

"Six thousand?!"

"Yep." Edward took a long pull of his Dr. Pepper. "Six thousand one hundred and thirty-two to be exact."

"Jesus H. Christ. You… really like media." Bella rested her head on her hand, levelling Edward with a stare.

Edward rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze. "I, uh, like to keep up. For communications, you know? Plus…" He looked at Bella, eyes sparkling with curiosity, and he couldn't bring himself to say it. "Never mind."

"Oh no, you don't get to pull that one," she said. "We never finished twenty questions! Question thirteen: Plus what?" She folded her hands on the table, waiting.

Edward held her gaze, holding his breath. When she quirked her eyebrow, defiant, he let his breath out in a gust and said, "Fine." He shifted slightly in his seat, uncomfortable. "My, uhm, my ex was out of the house a lot. I watched movies and listened to music to pass the time, and because she didn't really like them."

"She didn't… like movies and music?"

"Or TV."

"What kind of crazy person doesn't like movies, music, or TV?" Bella asked, mouth agape.

Edward figured since he never wanted to mention Victoria again, he might as well go all in. "The kind that cheats on you because you're inattentive and a little lazy."

"I'm sorry… What?!" Bella was sitting up straight now, no classic leaning, and she looked almost… angry.

"Yeah… uhm, she did that." Edward stared into his Dr. Pepper, praying for a distraction. Maybe the waiter would return with their food.

"What… a…"

Edward waited for her admonishment. Waited for her to ask what kind of man can't satisfy a woman. Waited for her to say all the things Victoria said. Waited for the questions about laziness and inattentiveness. Waited for what he was so irrationally (even he could recognize that) afraid of.

It didn't come.

"Bitch!" Edward's head shot up at the word. Bella looked so mad she could spit. "Trying to blame you because she cheated?! Oh my God!" Bella gasped. "This is why you think I won't like you, isn't it?! This is why you don't realize how great you are! I've never been one to hate somebody, but sweet Christ, I hate this chick!" She paused to take another sip of soda. "I mean, you're not inattentive! I've been working with you all week and you've been incredibly caring and attentive to everyone at work. And lazy?! Hell, she obviously never saw you with Henry! I was exhausted just looking at you trying to play with that kid. And you work so hard at the store, and you learn so fast. Ugh! Edward," she reached across the table and took his hand, and he looked up into her eyes. "You're wonderful. Don't let some redhead jerk make you think otherwise."

"Checked my instagram, did you?" He smiled at their joined hands.

"Actually, Alice mentioned it, but you bet your ass I'm checking later. I love cyber stalking hot guys." She ducked her head into his eye line and smiled.

Edward raised his head once more, grinning widely. "I've never had someone try to defend my honor. It's nice."

"You've got honor worth defending." She squeezed his hand.

They sat like that, hands joined, grinning at one another, until the food arrived.

"Just so you know," she said, dipping fries into her ketchup, "I love TV, movies, and music. Keep that in mind."

He would.

*

They were in his empty living room, assembling furniture, when there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Edward said, dusting off his hands and heading for the door.

"Good, cause it's your house and I probably shouldn't answer doors that aren't mine." Bella was fitting shelves into his new entertainment center, and glancing critically back at the couch every few seconds. He could tell she wanted to switch up the placement. She'd already done it twice, but the wall the entertainment center was on was the best wall for it, meaning the couch had to stay put.

"Don't even think about it," he told her, eliciting a pout, before opening the door.

In front of him stood a man about his height, with sandy blonde hair and blue-grey eyes, grinning at him. "Hey there, Masen," he said, extending his hand. "Jasper Whitlock, in the flesh." Edward and Jasper had met twice over the phone. Once when Bella got so frustrated with Jasper that she shoved the phone at Edward and made him figure it out, and once again on a conference call with Rosalie where they both had to act like they didn't know each other because they didn't want to rat out Bella.

"Jaaaaaaaaaay!" came Bella's voice from behind him before she barreled past Edward and slapped Jasper, hard, on the arm. "You were supposed to be here at two!"

"Dangit woman, I'm sorry, okay?!" Jasper was rubbing his arm, and Edward let out a chuckle. "Now I got guys and furniture here, where do you want em?"

"Bring up the bed," she said, before returning to her task with the shelves.

Jasper rolled his eyes at Edward, who let out another laugh, and went downstairs to get the furniture. Ten minutes later he reappeared at the door with a bed frame, ornately carved and made of a dark, rich wood. Bella, who finished with shelves and was now organizing CDs by genre and then alphabetically. (As a side note, Edward had never been more sure than in that moment that she was the perfect woman). "Hey, Edward is Mumford and Sons folk or alt?" she asked, turning to him and noticing the bed. "Oh my God! She didn't!"

"Who didn't what?" Edward asked, confused.

"I told her you were gonna freak out," Jasper said, shaking his head.

"Oh my God!"

"What is going on?!" Edward asked.

"This bed is my favorite piece in the entire store, and they've never been able to sell it because it's too expensive." Bella was running her hand along the curved headboard, admiring the carvings. "I can't believe she gave it to you!" She smiled up at Edward, but then her face fell. "Oh fuck! It doesn't match the stuff I picked out!"

Edward reached out and tugged a lock of her hair. "Funny enough, it matches some of my stuff."

"Oh man, we'll have to rearrange everything!" Bella couldn't even look away from the bed though, and Edward wasn't about to let it go.

"Just the nightstands," he said. "I'm switching rooms. This bed and my nightstands, the dresser Esme's sending, and the armchair you picked out at Ikea."

"But I only picked it because you weren't going to be spending time in there. Why would you switch rooms?"

"So? I still like the armchair. And have you seen this thing?" He gestured to the bed. "There's no way I'm not using that bed."

Bella beamed up at him and she immediately ran to the bedroom. He heard scraping and he assumed she was moving his nightstands.

"Well ain't y'all the sweetest?" Jasper said, smirking at Edward.

"We're good friends, yeah," he responded, refusing to give up any intel to the man who was never on time.

"You tell yourself that," Jasper said, looking smug. Edward just rolled his eyes.

They were genuinely terrible at hiding the way they felt about each other. Edward liked her. He liked her more than he'd ever liked anyone, and he was attracted to her like he was a really dumb moth and she was a bonfire. It was too early… too soon to say he loved her. But it didn't stop him from feeling it. He loved her the way you love people you want to be in your live forever. He loved her like he wanted to take care of her. He loved her like he wanted to know everything about her. Like he wanted to spend all of his time with her. Like he wanted to make her smile. Like he wanted her to love him.

He wasn't in love with her, not yet.

But he was well on his way.

*

It was about eight o clock, and Edward's apartment was finally settled. Bella was perusing his movie collection and drinking one of his 805s. Edward was putting pizza onto his new plates, and he grabbed an 805 out of the fridge for himself.

"Find one?" he called out to Bella.

"Found, like, eighty. I want to live in this entertainment center!" She was surrounded by movies and TV season box sets. She took another drink and resumed her search.

"Sounds like we'll need to have movie nights."

"Yes. Plus, I know for a fact that you have stuff Ali, Jess, Jake, and Angie all want to see, so we can fill up that nice new couch of yours." She turned and smiled at him as he settled on the aforementioned couch.

"That would be nice," he said.

"Okay, I got it! We're watching That Thing You Do! because I love Tom Hanks, and because 'I am Sparticus'." She popped in the DVD, and went to settle next to Edward on the couch, tucking into her pizza.

"Oh that's a good choice," Edward said, "You know my biggest musical inspiration is Cap'n Geech and the Shrimp-Shack Shooters."

They watched the movie for a while, laughing and enjoying the campy, fun film. When Faye admonished herself for giving away her kisses to Jimmy, with her eyes closed so tight, he could see the sheen of unshed tears in Bella's eyes, and her lips were forming the words. Well, that was adorable.

"Hey, Edward?" she said.

"Yeah?"

"She was wrong, you know. Your ex."

"Oh." He stared at his hands as Shades asked Jimmy why he couldn't have dumped Faye in Pittsburgh.

"You're wonderful, Edward. She was wrong." Her hand reached across the couch, grasping his.

"She was right. She was right about how I was with her. She's not going to be right about how I am now." He squeezed her hand.

"Okay," she said, and he saw her smile, illuminated by the glowing screen of the TV, and he knew she was right.

He would be okay.

*

A/N: Well? What's the verdict? Don't leave me hanging! Tell me what's what!