Ed leaned back on the pillows letting Roy kiss him slowly. He felt the man's hands slide beneath the shirt he was wearing and grip his hips, keeping him still. He opened his mouth to protest this development when his wrist got tangled in – the sheet?
Ed flew awake as he wrestled the sheets from around himself. When he'd disentangled himself he lay still, gulping in air. He could feel his cheeks burning with heat, heat that didn't seem to be dying away.
He looked over at Al lying in the bed across the room before ducking into the bathroom opposite of their room. There was a knock on the door and Al's voice floated through, "Brother? Are you close to finishing?"
"Yes – give me a second." Ed wiped the last traces of toothpaste from his mouth before straightening and exiting the bathroom. Al gave him a searching look before saying, "Good dream, Brother?" and slamming the door as Ed gave and indignant yelp.
He heard Al laughing from inside the bathroom as he turned away. Ed could feel the embarrassment coming back from earlier this morning as he sat down at the kitchen table with a coffee mug in hand. Elysia and Gracia were already in the kitchen enjoying their breakfast. Gracia stood for a moment and retrieved a stack of papers and set them down on the table next to him saying, "These are the listings for apartments in the area."
He smiled his thanks at Gracia and looked down at the first piece of paper.
A few hours later he had divided the stack of papers into "no, not interested" and "I need to look at these in person".
The first of the apartments he visited was a nice loft style. It was mostly one room with a connected kitchen and living area. There were a set of stairs up to a small second floor with a bedroom and a bathroom. Unfortunately it was above a busy bakery and the bakers who lived on the floor below were noisy – especially since they woke so early in the morning.
The second place he visited had a small kitchen area with a dining room attached. It also contained a living room with a build in fireplace. However in this apartment there were two bedrooms and a single bathroom. He supposed he could turn the other bedroom into his study. The only downside to this place was that it was in a rundown portion of the city.
The third apartment was small, so tiny in fact that a bed would have barely fit into it. Besides the bathroom it was all one room. Ed knew that he definitely didn't want to live in this one.
The fourth place he visited was actually a house that had been converted into apartments. The house was four stories high and four families could live in it. The developers had essentially cut the house down the middle. On each side the first and second floor belonged to one apartment and the third and fourth to another. The place that was open was on the third floor. The downstairs had a separate kitchen and living room with a fireplace. It even had a downstairs bathroom. The upstairs had two bedrooms, a study, and a bathroom. Attached to the bathroom was a large walk in closet. He quite liked the house – it had an elegant feel to it. Of all the places he'd seen today this one was his favorite. There was enough space that he could entertain guests easily, could let a guest spend the night, had a place to store all his work materials and a decent kitchen to cook in.
While it wasn't cheap it was still the best looking place by far. He thought that he couldn't have found a better place to live. He and Gracia returned to the bottom floor where the manager lived with her family. He knocked on the door and stood waiting on the doorstep for a few moments before the door opened and a little boy peeked his head around the corner. He closed the door and ran back into the house calling "Mama! Mama! We have guests!"
From the inside they could hear shuffling sounds and the gentle voice of a mother reprimanding her son for yelling in the house. "Please use your inside voice Charlie – it's rude to yell." They heard the boy huff in irritation and repeat that "There were guests at the door."
When the door finally opened again a woman in her early thirties stood on the threshold looking a little exhausted. She gave them a small smile. "So, what did you think of the place?"
"I really like it," Ed told her. "It's spacious even if it is a bit too big for just one person inhabiting it."
The manager looked at him, "I'm sure you'll be expanding your family eventually. It's a great place for a new family."
Ed tried not to let his irritation show – why did everyone think he was ready to settle down anyways? – and nodded. "Perhaps. Although there does seem to be an issue with the water pressure…"
"Oh don't worry, don't worry, I'm getting that fixed this week!" the managed rushed to assure him.
Ed tapped his lip thoughtfully before turning to Gracia. "What do you think?"
"I think it's a nice place," Gracia told him. "But it's really up to you; whether you think you'll be comfortable living here or not."
Edward turned his stare towards the upper story again. The windows were really nice; they were big and let in quite a bit of light which was a plus in Edward's books.
The manager interrupted his thoughts. "I've got another interested party, so if you really want it I'd advise you to give me your answer as soon as possible. You were the first to show interest in it so of course you'll have the first decision but I still thought I might tell you that there were definitely other people interested in it too."
Ed cast one last look at Gracia an shrugged. "I'll take it then."
The manager smiled brightly. "Good! Let me get you the paperwork; also I'll need the first and last month's payments upfront."
She ushered them into the living room and towards a table set up in the corner. "Take a seat and I'll be back in a moment."
The woman returned with several pieces of paperwork in her hand and marked the lines that Ed needed to sign on.
When he handed the forms back the woman informed him that he could move in at the end of the week.
Finally, Ed thought, I've started my new life.