"We're not sleeping together."

The carriage carrying tiny elf, large man, and worldly possessions rocked gently as it was pulled along gravelly roads by two somewhat large steeds. Carley inclined her head to regard Bothe suddenly, lips pressed into a thin line. "Me and CyCy. It's not like that." Given the misunderstanding that was going on around the Luinista currently and the fact that it was Bothe's fault, she felt a need to clarify. "I just got evicted from my place, Bothe. CyCy was just nice enough to offer me a place to live temporarily so I don't got to live on the streets or in an inn with all my crap in storage."

Bothe's look was actually somewhat sympathetic, with a heaping of thoughtfulness on top. After a long moment of ponderance over Carley's words, he nodded to her. "Bothe understands. You're not sleeping with Cy." Then he winked.

He winked? Why would he wink?

"The hell, Bothe?? No, I really mean it! I ain't sleepin' with CyCy! We're not even datin'!" Carley was already beginning to get agitated with the man. "Why would I sleep with someone I'm not datin'?"

Bothe's calm demeanor twisted as if he had eaten something sour. "I do it all the time!"

"Yeah but not everyone is like that!" This seemed a foreign concept to Bothe, judging by his new expression... Carley sighed, exasperated. "Boooothe." Drawing his name out in a whine, she turned to stare ahead. "I promise to you faithfully that what ya think is goin' on isn't going on. It's embarrassing having all the guys thinking I'm sleeping with CyCy. I don't think he's exactly thrilled by it either, with all the... what the hell was Nort even doing?" Lifing her hand, she feigned the fist pump she had seen thrown Cy's way many times since the 'news' had spread by way of Bothe's infamous Big Mouth.

"Oh, that?" His grin wide, Bothe imitated Carley's fist pump, with gusto! "Nort's just congratulating Cy for a job well done!"

It was as if everything she had said went through one ear and out the other. Everything!

"Bothe is that mullet of yers clogging yer brain or somethin'?" His grin not relenting, Carley shook her head and turned away. "Nevermind." Falling silent, the little elf stared out of the carriage, gaze lazily taking in the environment for some time as they drew closer to their destination - Cy's apartment.

"Yo." Startled as Bothe suddenly broke their shared silence, Carley turned towards him, wide eyed. "Why aren't you and Cy sleep-" Pausing, he amended his question. "-dating?"

Rolling her eyes, she opened her mouth intending to answer Bothe's question. However? No words came. Not so easily at least. She just couldn't pinpoint an answer to that particular question. "Well..." Trailing off, her nose crinkled as she pondered. "How many female friends do ya have, Bothe?" He pointed at Carley to answer that question. "Heh... no wonder ya don't understand. I could explain it, but I don't think you'd really get it." Shaking her head, she sighed. "Guys and girls can be friends, and friends only. Just 'cuz you prefer not to do it that way, or... can't control Little Bothe there-" She indicated 'Little Bothe' with a sweep of her hand. "-doesn't mean everyone else is that way?" Her gaze sought out Bothe's pretty blue greens, seeking a sign of understanding. "Do ya get what I'm tryin' to say?"

Furrowing his brow, Bothe slowly turned from the elf to look directly at his crotch before his gaze snapped back up towards the elf. "Bothe isn't little down there!"

In one ear. Out the other...

"Nevermind."

Standing in the midst of Cy's apartment, Carley was starting to feel tinges of guilt as she looked around. Not for the amazing poster of The Crimson Flash on the wall, or the superb figurines of The Crimson Flash hauling some serious tail scattered about. No. More so for the large corner her boxes of things and clothes and violin case ate up. She couldn't help but feel she was invading, but Cy wasn't the type to make an offer he didn't mean.

Regardless, this was a pretty big change in their lives. This has to be awfully ...inconvenient for Cy.

Carley shook the thoughts and guilt and doubts away. It was temporary. She'd have a new home in no time! It would just take a bit of shopping around the various apartments and complexes Rhydin City had to offer. Still, it was a shame. Econ-Omni was rent controlled, after all. Though having to pay only half of the rent at Cy's as opposed to full would help her save a little money.

Having located some stationery, her favorite blue pen and a blueberry scented marker, Carley seated herself at the work table in the living room. Missing having a desk of her own, she frowned as she felt the pains of loss. Her apartment hadn't been much, but it was hers. It was what she was used to. What she had grown comfortable with. But what good would it do to pin for it? She sighed. What was done was done.

The bulk of her stationery set aside on the table, one sheet of the vanilla colored and scented paper was pulled close. Thinking to herself for a few moments, Carley began to pen something of a note to her new roomie, snickering in amusement.


*A'maelamin,

I keep meaning to ask you for the spare key to this place, but I keep forgetting. I figured I would ask you while I was thinking about it, but you're not here. That's where this handy dandy note comes in! So can I get a spare key? Picking the lock to get in is easy enough, but having a key would be much more convenient if you got it.

And on the account of it being so easy for me to get in, I figure it'd also be easy for thieves to get in too. So I'm gonna head out now to a locksmith and have a sturdy chain and deadbolt lock made to install on the door. I hope that's okay with you? If you don't want it, that's okay, I just thought it'd give us both some more peace of mind. But I understand if you don't or if you think I'm overstepping any boundaries. Lumji cited the locks I had put in at my old place as one of the reasons he wouldn't return my security deposit to me. Considering that whole floor is getting trashed for renovations I know that's a load of crap, but there's not much I can do about it.

Anyways I shouldn't be gone too long. I'll definitely be back in time to cook something up for dinner! I was thinking some fried fish and rice would be good. You can pick the veggie- and there will be veggies. If I'm gone too long it'd be nice if you could take the fish out to thaw a bit.

XOXO

**A'maelle

PS. Bothe helped me move my stuff in finally, but I'm sure you can tell. Sorry it's taking up so much of your space.

PPS. Mille said she'd be happy to make your shirt so long as she can get enough thread for a quilt afterwards! Assuming things work as you planned and the shirt doesn't catch fire. But I'm sure they will. Sounds good doesn't it? I know I'd love a heated quilt. Anyways I'll take the supplies to her place tomorrow!


To top off her little 'joke' Carley used her blueberry scented marker to draw a little heart in the corner of the note and colored it in. With that done and Cy's work table now in disarray, she departed from the apartment to run her errand.


*My Beloved
**Your Beloved