16. X

X

C harles had made breakfast when they discovered I hadn't been down. Other roommates might have been annoyed when their usual breakfast spreads weren't there, but Dave and Charles understood why. There were no annoyed huffs when Clark and I entered the kitchen well after breakfast was over to find my friends sipping coffee and flipping through cookbooks.

"Well…" Dave raises an eyebrow and glances between us. "First, I'll say I'm fucking elated you found your missing piece." He narrows his eyes. "Second, I'll say your timing to steal my lube was terrible and you're lucky I didn't race upstairs and knock your fucking door down."

"Oh, he's overdramatic." Charles smacks him in the shoulder. "He still got a blow job. He was fine."

Dave grumbles, but Charles silences him with a whisper, and Dave shifts in his chair, concentrating on the recipe in front of him like it holds the mystery of the universe inside.

"You got your magic back?" Charles stands to hug me tightly, and I swallow around the thickness in my throat .

"It seems that way. I didn't even think it would work, but I just thought, what the hell? It was always easy for me to summon objects before. I just thought…"

I thought it would be nice to feel like a witch again.

"So, Clark. It seems you're part of our family of misfits now. How do you feel about all this?"

Charles motions for him to sit. He moves to take the seat next to Dave, then reconsiders and sits across from him.

"Um…thank you for including me." Charles places a coffee in front of him and his gaze finds mine. "I feel like I've found something I've always wanted. To watch X's magic grow these last few days has been…" He swallows and reaches for his mug. "It's been incredible."

"Awww." Charles leans into Dave as he smiles our way. "So the curse is gone then, right? You've slept and Clark obviously has no issue with you being non-human. What's next?"

"Well, I need to practice all my old skills and make sure I remember everything. I guess I don't need to worry about registering with the witch's guild since I'm in the human world."

Dave laughs. "You had to be licensed to be a witch? What the fuck is that about?"

"It was like, insurance? I think? To be honest, I never really got to find out what it was all about, but I think it was just a way to track us and our skills."

"That's so cool." Clark breathes as his eyes roam over me in a hungry gaze. Fuck, that's sexy when he does that .

"Don't do that at the table," Dave barks and slams the cookbook closed.

This is the first time I've seen Dave upset and irritable that didn't involve something going on with Charles. And I'm not sure how I feel about this hostility towards me.

"That's not fair. You and Charles came here after I was here first and practically shoved your sex in my face. While in my garden, my fucking sanctuary, no less. So fuck off with the attitude, Dave."

His shoulders drop, and he opens the cookbook again before sliding it over to me.

"I miss your cookies. You always had them here and I can't make them like you do."

Dave's sad voice is like a dagger. How am I supposed to remain angry at one of my closest friends simply because I've not made cookies for him?

"I'm sorry." Reaching over, I grab his hand. "Clark has to work today, and I'll stay home and make them. You can help me if you want."

Dave nods and if I'm not mistaken, he blinks back tears. Who knew the big guy was so emotional?

"Speaking of work, I should get going. Louis isn't big on mornings, and I don't want to leave him on his own for too long."

Clark says goodbye to Dave and Charles, and I walk him to the door.

"Will I see you tonight? "

Clark brushes his thumb across my cheek. "You'll see me every night unless you tell me to go away."

"Never," I breathe, and lean in to kiss him. "You're stuck with me."

Clark pulls me against him and deepens the kiss. When he finally releases me, it's slow, and he lets his fingers tangle in mine right until he steps outside.

"Call me when you get there."

"I will. Go bake with your friend. I'll talk to you soon."

Clark hesitates before lunging forward and grabbing me again. He smashes his lips to mine for a searing kiss that leaves me panting for more. With a laugh, he runs back to his car.

"If I don't leave now, I'll never get to work!"

With my fingers on my lips and a smile on my face, I wave as he pulls away and I don't stop until his car disappears around the bend.

Closing the door behind me, I collapse against it with a sigh.

Nobody warned me love could feel like this. The moment he's out of my sight, I feel like I left something important behind and an internal countdown begins until he's back in my arms. How am I supposed to function when all I can think about is Clark?

Returning to the kitchen, I find Dave by himself, searching the cupboards and checking the recipe. He wears an old apron, Will Cook for Sex, and I shake my head with a smile.

But my friend misses more than my cookies, I think. After all, he found me at night sitting by myself more often than Charles. Maybe I miss our random conversations in the dark a little, too.

"Hey." I bump into him with my shoulder, and he peers down at me with a smile. "Still want to follow a recipe, or do you want me to show you how I do it from memory?"

Dave steps away from the counter and smiles.

"I like Clark. He makes you smile, X. You're…" He gestures to me, making a circle with his hands around me. "You're so shiny now. Rested."

Dave has shown me glimpses of his heart from time to time, and I know he's a giant softie, but he usually saves that stuff for Charles. This is the first time I've really felt how much my happiness means to him.

Stepping closer, I wrap my arms around his waist and squeeze. He returns the hug, crushing me so hard I think a rib nearly snaps.

"Thanks, Dave. I really like him too."

"Don't you need to love him? And if you show me your recipe, I'll take notes. You do it better than any book can."

"Okay, my recipe it is. Let me try something." Surveying the countertop, I sweep my arm with the words, " Finio !" Everything Dave had gathered quickly disappears back to its place, but I point at the items I want to stay. The flour and measuring cups with bowls all float back to the counter without a hitch.

"Wow. You've got your groove back, don't you?"

"I still need some practice, but yeah. I do. And to answer your question, yes, I love him. I'm in love with him and he's all I think about."

"Dave's addiction come to the kitchen!" Snapping my fingers, the rest of the ingredients for my cookie recipe appear. Milk floats from the fridge without spilling a drop and the pound of butter settles on the counter from the fridge. With a quick check, it's already at room temperature and ready to use. "Fuck I've missed this."

It's been so long since I've not had a spell fuck up, I almost can't believe it's happening. Not just the magic, but everything. My future isn't a dark cavern anymore. There're all kinds of possibilities for me now, and it's because I found Clark.

"Don't worry about taking notes, Dave." Snapping my fingers, a paper flutters to the table, and he grins as he picks it up.

"Your recipe! And the step-by-step of what to do? This is great!"

"Now get over here and we can do this one together. No magic."

We work side by side; me instructing Dave how to measure the flour properly and to notice the consistency of the butter.

"Whatever you do, don't use margarine. It's the butter and extra chocolate chips that you love."

"Will you ever make these again? I mean…like, you have a life now and I'm so happy for you. But I guess I got used to having you around. And… I'll miss you."

Dave's voice hitches and I turn to face him. His apron has smeared flour handprints all over and it's just so Dave that it makes my heart ache.

"Why will you miss me?"

"I just assumed you'd be living with Clark and leaving here. He has a business and an apartment. I thought you'd want to be with him all the time. That's how I felt with Charles."

"We haven't even talked about that, Dave." I hand him the ice cream scoop. "Use the small scoop to measure them onto the cookie pan." Dave lines blobs of dough onto the sheet, tongue poking out with concentration. Of course I want to be with Clark, but leaving here had never been on my radar. "Should I leave here?"

"No." Mike, the man who rescued me and brought me to live here, appears like a vapour in the kitchen. We call him a ghost whisperer and it was by complete chance he found me near death, holding my dead friend in that forest. If he hadn't brought me here, I'd have died in that forest, too. He has a tendency to just…appear out of thin air. Or vanish if needed. It's a bit creepy.

"You're the sneakiest motherfucker with how you just appear like that, Mike. Scared the shit out of me!" Dave rests the scoop on the counter and turns to face Mike. "But you sound pretty firm. What's going on?"

Mike sits at the table and motions for us to join him.

"You look good X. I heard you broke the curse. How are you feeling? "

He folds his hands in front of him and for anyone who didn't know him, he'd appear clinical with his conversation. But he's the kindest person you'll ever meet. If person is the right word. He's immortal now, and I'm not sure what to call him.

"Like I'm on top of the world, Mike. I never knew it could feel like this, you know? My magic is back, and I slept. No nightmares or wake-ups. I've slept more the last few days than I have for the last few years."

Mike nods and a small, almost smile appears briefly.

"I had a chat with Faustus. It sounds like your brother might be up to something. You should stay here."

The bile rises in my throat. "W-what kind of something?"

Dave's firm hand on my shoulder provides support, but I reach out to Mike and grab his clasped hands.

"Don't keep anything from me, Mike. I deserve to know."

Mike, forever stoic, remains silent until he sits back with a heavy sigh.

"He has a lot of high-ranking friends, X. And he's not happy about losing his hands. His first target is Faustus, but his next is you."

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I almost ignore it, but it buzzes again. Pulling it out, I smile when I see Clark's first message that he made it to the store fine. His second message makes no sense though, and my world tilts.

"X? What's wrong?"

I hand my phone to Dave and his brow furrows .

"We need to get my dad here ASAP. This doesn't sound good."

He hands my phone to Mike and leaves the room, still with his apron on and a phone to his ear.

Mike reads the message on my phone and slides it back to me.

"Don't panic. We'll fight for you, X."

"Don't worry about me. Protect Clark. I won't…" My voice hitches and I swallow hard. "I can't have anything happen to him."