Practical Arrangement by Sting
24. Song
Liz walked into the unfamiliar country house Red had been staying at recently. Dembe greeted her with a quirk on his lips and a nod before going out the door just as she went inside, leaving her to wonder what it was the he found so amusing. She shook her head and glanced around Red's current home for the next week or so. He usually tended to stay in rural areas for a week at the most.
The furnishing looked very simple and traditional from what she could tell. Obviously someone with good taste had decorated around here. Her eyebrows pulled together when she heard a deep voice singing somewhere in the house.
"Red?" She called in confusion.
The voice continued to sing, oblivious to the fact that someone else was in the house. It didn't sound like a person, it sounded more like a someone on the radio. It sounded too nice to to be someone in the house
She walked further into the living room and turned a corner to see a rather large kitchen with sleek utilities; the brightness of the reflections given off by everything made her squint slightly. Her heart jumped when she caught sight of him. There, with his back turned to her, stood Red at the counter mixing something in a big bowl.
"One roof over our heads! A warm house to return to...we could sleep in separate beds...or I could sleep alone-or learn to..."
She felt her heart jump at seeing him there, looking so relaxed and singing these words with such vehemence.
"Red?" She called again.
He turned to her with a slightly startled expression. With a wide grin he stalked towards her and continued singing.
"I'm not suggesting that we'd have some earthly paradise forever!"
Red grabbed both of her hands and his and kissed them gently, then pulled her closer towards him; making her heart jump to her throat. His hand was on her waist now as his other one guided them to the smooth tempo of his tune.
"I mean how often does that happen now, the answers probably never. Now we can come to an arrangement. A practical arrangement. And you could learn to love me..." He seared her eyes with his own.
He was trying to tell her something with the gaze he was holding on her, and she was trying to respond.
"Given time."
A/N: Practical Arrangement (as you can see above) is by Sting. The song comes from his musical called The Last Ship, I highly recommend that you listen to it!