Chapter Twenty-three: Atmosphere.

Once they had packed up and returned to the farm with Buddy, Sebastian then had the awkward responsibility of calling his mother off the landline once they were settled. Elspeth had made sure, repeatedly, that this was something that Sebastian was completely on board with, and that she wouldn't be offended in any way if it was something he didn't want to do. Sebastian had then repeatedly told her that it was something he was looking forward to it, if she understood that she would have to take his money. Elspeth had pulled a face at that particular point but half-heartedly agreed, planning to just put the money aside.

'So, you have a choice, you can have this room,' Elsie said as she walked through towards the back of the house. 'Or the one that's across the hall,' she said as she opened the doors to each of the rooms. 'Choose either, or even both if you want. I don't have plans for them and I'm just using them for storage at the moment,' she admitted as she leaned against one of the doorframes.

Sebastian chuckled as he peered into the rooms. He previously has had no need to come to the back of the house so he had no idea what the rooms were like. 'Elsie. I'm not going to take both rooms, and this room is for some reason, bigger than your actual bedroom?' He pointed out in question as he walked into the one on the left. 'Why is your bedroom not in the biggest room?'

She shrugged, 'I've just always preferred being at the front of the house. Which is good because it means you can be in this dark one that backs onto the forest, you troll,' she said, playfully.

He raised a brow and leaned on the doorframe, pinning her against the wood as he looked down at her. Elspeth went quiet as she looked up, catching his amused expression; her heart was racing with his proximity and the way he easily dominated her train of thought, almost effortlessly. 'Excuse you,' he said with a chuckle, his voice low. 'I'm a fish hybrid,' he said, completely deadpan. 'Not a troll. That's racist.'

Elspeth looked at him and for a second, there was silence before they both burst into laughter and he moved back from her, pushing off his forearm and standing up straight. Elspeth almost snorted as she giggled and shook her head, giving him a playful, light push. 'Fish hybrid?' She laughed.

'I couldn't bring myself to say, "merman",' he replied with a wince and disgusted facial expression. 'Yoba, it sounds so… childish,' Sebastian shuddered. 'It's not even like "merperson" sounds any better. They both sound so derivative.'

'And fish hybrid sounded better?' She asked in disbelief.

'Couldn't have been worse?' He said shrugging a shoulder. Looking around the room once more before he turned to her, 'Elsie, are you really sure about this?'

She rolled her eyes and nodded, 'Bazz, we've been over this like ten times. This will be your room, your space. We'd be like roommates. Not a couple that are living together,' she says, simply and matter-of-factly. 'We can even have some silly agreement or lease drawn up if it makes you feel better,' she added.

He shook his head, 'alright. Okay. You've made your point,' he said, smiling a little awkwardly at her. 'Sorry, Elsie. This is all new and well, fast,' he mumbled as he looked around the room once more. It had large windows and there were a few boxes at the far end but that was about it.

Elspeth walked in and opened the curtains; they were old and clearly not part of the permanent décor. She looked out the window to the trees and small bushes at the back of her house. With a deep inhale, she crossed her arms over her chest. 'We've known each other properly for about what, six or seven months?' She said, more of a hypothetical than anything. 'I kinda decided we were dating on the down low, yesterday,' she added with a smile to herself. 'And now, twenty-four hours later, I know your greatest secret and I've asked you to move in with me. Half, because I want you around and the other half is because, honestly? I think it would be really good for you. To be out of that house. Away from Demetrius who… has kept things from you and lied to you,' she mused. Not to mention the manipulation and experimentation he's put you through for the last fifteen years, she thought. 'I mean, it could be a stepping stone to better things. Either you'll like living with me or you'll wanna move out to the city like you always wanted.'

Sebastian walked up behind her and slowly and gingerly, wrapped his arms around her as he rested his head on top of hers; still wary of real touch. 'I've always known that living in the city was a fantasy,' he admitted. 'I can't go for long without having to return to the ocean. To be honest, the whole city wish was just something I thought of to distract myself. If I really think about it,' he said as he does put actual thought into it, 'moving in with you seems like the actual dream.'

'Awwww,' Elspeth said as she placed her hands over his. 'You, sap,' she teases, feeling her face flush bright red and hoping that he couldn't see from his angle. 'You're quite a romantic, aren't you?'

In response, his own face goes a deep crimson and he cleared his throat as he moved back from her. 'I um, suppose… I should make that phone call now, huh?' He said, feeling Elspeth's arms tighten on his; she wasn't going to let him get away that easily.

'Nu-uh,' she teased as she pulled him back. 'You created this atmosphere, you gotta sit in it. Romeo,' Elspeth grinned, hearing him groan in reply.

'Elsie,' he whined but did indeed come back to her and rest his head against hers once more. She hummed pointedly and he sighed. 'Alright, alright,' he said, defeated. 'Yeah, I tend to be a little more… vocal and unintendedly… uh-'

'Romantic?' Elspeth suggested.

Sebastian groaned again and squeezed her a little tighter. 'Do you not like it?' He asked, wondering if it made her uncomfortable. Because of his aversion to physical intimacy, over the months where he was trying to keep her attention, he had become creative with what he was saying.

Elspeth shrugged, 'honestly? If it came from anyone else it would be cheesy, or cringe. Coming from you though? –' The end of her sentence was mumbled and he tilted his head as he looked down at her.

'What was that?'

'I said…-' Elspeth repeated but her words became mumbled again.

'One more time?' He asked, knowing that it was winding her up.

'Oh for-! Yoba!' She swore. 'What I said was, coming from you. I like it,' Elspeth said, painfully. 'Okay, enough said!' She said as she attempted to leave but Sebastian held her in place.

'Nu-uh!' He said in payback. 'You created this atmosphere! You gotta sit in it. Juliet,' he teased making Elspeth moan in defeat and literally hang like a ragdoll in his grip. She hung from his arms while he laughed and then she eventually came back to life. 'Come on, I've gotta make that phone call. I have no idea how my mum is going to take this,' he added. 'She's either going to be horribly upset or over the moon.'

She squealed in delight and clapped her hands, 'she's going to lose her mind. In a good way. We might as well be telling her that we're getting married!' Elspeth teased making his face flush. Elspeth snorted in laughter and batted him on the arm, 'gotcha,' she said, playfully. 'Come on,' Elspeth added. 'I've got to feed Buddy, anyway.' He followed her back to the kitchen and he picked up the phone to make the call. A thought hit Elspeth and she turned to him, 'wait,' she said simply.

'Something the matter?' He replied, he was halfway through dialling.

'Do I need to refurbish my entire bathroom? Am I going to have to block out certain times of the week to get scales out the plughole?' She asked, half serious. Buddy was whining at her as she was holding open the freezer looking for some meat for him to chew.

Sebastian stared at her before covering his mouth with a hand as he tried to stifle a laugh. 'Oh, uh, no,' he said, as he chuckled.

Elspeth frowned and grabbed something random for Buddy; everything in her bottom freezer drawer was for him so she wasn't concerned about it. She gave a large chunk of meat to him and Buddy's eyes lit up like he won the jackpot. 'Hey!' Elspeth said as she shut the drawer and gave Sebastian a look. 'It's a fair question!' She added, trying not to pout.

He smiled brightly and walked over to her, placing his lips against her temple; clearly thinking about every movement he made. 'It's incredibly sweet that the thought came to you,' he murmured, his hand on her waist, the other holding the phone. 'But, it's not needed,' he assured as he moved back and she looked up at him, the flush of embarrassment clear on her cheeks. 'I only shift in natural water and even then, I can control it. Now at least. When I was a teenager, it was a different story.'

'Natural water?' Elspeth repeated, making a mental note to come back to the whole "teenager" bit, at a later date.

'Yeah,' he nodded. Elspeth wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her chin on his chest as she looked up at him, comfortable with the intimacy they were sharing. Sebastian smiled at her softly, 'sources of water from natural means. I can't shift in a pool, or a bath, that sort of thing. Not even if the water has a mineral substitute to mimic natural waters. It just doesn't work,' he explains.

She giggled and Sebastian raised a brow. 'I'm sorry, I was thinking of those silly mermaid films where if the mermaid even got wet a little bit, poof! Instant tail!' She said with a grin.

Sebastian shook his head, 'well, fear not. There won't be any surprise poofing over here,' he said making her snort with a giggle. 'Any other concerns in regards to sudden appearances of my tail?' Elspeth shook her head and he raised the phone once more. 'So, I can make this horridly, anxious phone call?'

'Yup!' Elspeth said as she let him go. Sebastian exhaled heavily in nerves and dialled the number of his mother's mobile phone and it wasn't long until she picked up.

'Elspeth!' Robin said perkily as she answered.

'Actually, mum, it's me,' Sebastian replied. Elspeth looked at him with a grin, she motioned to him that she could leave if he wanted but he shook his head and grabbed her hand. Sebastian pulled her closer to the point where she could hear what was Robin was saying.

'Sebby!' She said, brightly. 'Hello, darling. Is everything okay?'

'Uh, well,' he said and then a thought hit him. 'My phone is broken, Elspeth's one is broken as well. It was a whole thing, we… fell into some water while hiking,' he lied. Elspeth winced but nodded in agreement to his dishonesty.

'Oh, that's a shame. Are you able to get new ones?' Robin asked.

'We will,' Sebastian replied. She doesn't seem concerned that I'm still with Elspeth. I mean, I know we hang out a lot but it's been over twenty-four hours and I thought she'd have a comment at least. This should be easy then, he thought. 'So, uh. I have some news,' Sebastian said, getting to the crux of the phone call.

Robin gasped. 'You're dating!' She guessed; her voice happy.

Elspeth had to cover her mouth to hold in her giggle. Sebastian rolled his eyes, in amusement. 'No mum,' he said, lying again. He really didn't want to have that whole conversation seeing as he hadn't given Elspeth a bouquet, yet. Elspeth grinned at him and playfully poked his side in response to his answer.

'Oh. That's a shame. You'd be such a sweet couple,' Robin replied.

'Awww,' Elspeth whispered, making Sebastian roll his eyes once more.

'I'm sure,' Sebastian said to his mother, with a chuckle. 'Well, seeing as you're happy about the possibility of us becoming a couple, I'm hoping that it won't upset you too much when I tell you that, uh, we've decided to become roommates,' he said, a little awkwardly. 'I'm moving into one of Elspeth's back rooms.'

Robin was silent for a moment and Elspeth bit her lip but her fears were unfounded. 'Oh. My. Yoba!' Robin squealed. Sebastian had to move the phone away from his ear. 'Are you two serious?!' She cooed down the phone line. 'Oh! Sebby! This is wonderful!'

'I'm glad you're happy about it,' Sebastian said, with a laugh. He gingerly moved the phone back to his ear and smiled brightly at Elspeth, who was doing a happy wiggle in response and holding his hand tightly. 'Uh, I know Demetrius might say-' He began.

Elspeth froze, shit. If Demetrius kicks up a fuss, a lot could be revealed- she begun to think but Robin interrupted that train of thought.

'Oh, pssht,' Robin said, dismissively. 'Demetrius doesn't have a donkey's leg to stand on. He made such a complaint about you moving to the city, he can't complain about you simply moving down the road. I think this is fantastic!' She said in happiness. 'Oh, it won't be long until you two start dating and then you can get married-'

'Mum!' Sebastian butted in, knowing that his mother was going too far. 'One step at a time,' he said, almost pleading.

It was clear that Robin wasn't listening. 'Do you want me to bring some of your things down? Furniture and things in the van?'

'Thanks, but no,' Sebastian said, smiling. 'We're going to go out tomorrow and grab some things, to decorate and things. I'll pop up afterwards for clothing and other bits. If that's okay? If you don't want my furniture there, I'll make arrangements to have it removed,' he added.

'Sebby. You're always going to be my son, which means you're always going to have a room. Keep your furniture here and get some new stuff, that'll be exciting,' she said, her voice clear with happiness. 'OH! I'll transfer you the money you've been giving me-' she said.

'No, mum, that was for rent-' Sebastian tried to explain.

'-That'll be a nice little nugget of change for your new décor! Oooh! Tell Elspeth that I'm so happy for you both! I'll arrange the transfer now. I love you! Bye, darling!'

Robin hung up without listening to Sebastian's protests and he put down the phone slowly onto the table. 'Well. That went well?' He said, a little surprised. Sebastian cleared his throat and shook his head a little. 'So, turns out that she's ecstatic about us living together and she's going to give back the rent I've been paying.'

Elspeth smiled brightly at him and squeezed his fingers. 'I'm proud of you, Bazz. That was a hard phone call to make and I'm glad it went smoothly,' she said, honestly. 'How long have you been paying rent?' She inquired, letting go of his hand as she looked at Buddy. 'Oh damn, I gave him the lamb. That was supposed to be for his birthday,' she muttered, annoyed at herself. It's not the end of the world, she thought in the end.

Sebastian thought for a moment, 'well, I've been paying since I was eighteen, though I don't expect her to give all of that back. She's not supposed to give any of it back, it was rent,' he said, bluntly. 'I suppose it means that I can give you some as a deposit,' he mused.

Elspeth put her hands over her ears. 'La-la-la-la,' she sang. 'Not listening!'

'Elsie-'

'La-la-la-la,' she continued, ignoring his look. 'That's a conversation for another daaaay!' She sang. 'Let's talk about this after we've gone shopping!' Elspeth grinned at him, slowly moving her hands away from her ears. 'Ooh, you can buy me lunch!'

He laughed and shook his head, 'that's not really on par to a deposit,' he pointed out. Elspeth shrugged her shoulders and Sebastian made a mental note to draft up a lease agreement and make sure that it was something fair so they at least had something in place, even if she was being stubborn. 'I'll sleep on the sofa for tonight,' he said as he thought about it.

Elspeth gave him a look, 'like hell you will.'

Be well. Stay safe.