Closed A Convenient Arrangement

[Professor Angel Castillo]

What it boiled down to was a matter of practicality. Angel's lease was ending, Josephine had a little extra space, it seemed silly to look for a new place. It just made sense. And as long as Angel kept repeating that mantra, he wouldn't freak out as he set his trunk down in Josephine's living room. His and Josephine's living room? The living room.

Despite the lingering voice in the back of Angel's head that wanted to make a big deal out of this, Angel was surprised to find he was quietly excited about his new living situation. He'd already accepted his fondness for Josephine that resulted him spending far too much time lurking around the hospital wing. Now that they were living together, he didn't need to make up excuses to see her anymore. She'd just. Be there. Every day. Angel was starting to freak out again.

Shaking his head, Angel focused on the other person who was going to be there every day, carefully checking on the fanged geranium he'd gotten Ella as a peace offering. He liked to think he'd gotten pretty good at ready Josephine, but her sister was a mystery to him and Angel couldn't quite shake the feeling she was just waiting for the right moment to take him down a peg. Which was why he was sure her and the geranium would get along, he surmised, flinching when it took a snap at him as he moved the protective paper he'd carefully wrapped around it for the move. "I can see you two will get along swimmingly," He said dryly.

 

[Josephine Arora]

Josephine had dated before, she’d definitely had a few boyfriends she would have considered ‘serious’ at the time, but she had never moved in with any of them, not even after they asked. Which was what was making this such a big deal. It was a new step, a new step with Angel. An admittance that being with him was more than just a casual relationship, and that they were going to take the next steps in their life together. Josephine knew it shouldn’t make her as nervous as it did, but she was used to her independence. Even having Ella move in a few years ago had been an adjustment, and she was her sister. But while she was nervous, she was excited too. Excited to share more with Angel, as terrifying as it was. As she watched him place down his trunk in her living room, their living room, Josephine felt a burst of fondness for the man. She knew it couldn’t be easy for him either. As well-matched as they were in many things, they also seemed to have similar histories when it came to commitment and relationships. Neither of them were very good at it.

She approached Angel and laughed softly as she heard him talk to the fanged geranium, which had been trying to bite him. Josephine wondered why she had surrounded herself with people who loved plants so much. Between Ella and Angel, Josephine had a sinking feeling the house would be filled with various magical plants before long. As long as they didn’t bite or strangle her, she supposed she could live with it. “Are you going to be talking to your plants every day? Because if so I may have to reconsider this living arrangement.” She teased, but she took his hand and squeezed it to let him know it was a joke.

 

[Professor Angel Castillo]

Angel withdraw his hands from the geranium, spinning around when Josephine spoke and smiling at her. "I only have eyes for you, I swear," He said, stepping over to her so he could wrap an arm around her waist and gently tug her close. "You're far less likely to bite," He added slyly. "Plants and plant talk all stays in the office, I swear," He said, quieter this time, bringing up a hand to gently stroke the side of Josephine's face.

As terrifying as the new arrangement was, Angel couldn't ignore the definite upside of being to see and touch and talk to Josephine any time he wanted, day or night. He was aware that it was very likely that small detail was the only thing stopping his brain from completely flipping out on him and provoking a full blown evacuation. It wouldn't be the first time he'd bailed when things got serious, but perhaps he'd truly grown up in the time he'd been in New Zealand. The idea of running now seemed more messy than freeing. He'd settled into his job, his office, his life. And now, possibly, here, with Josephine.

 

[Josephine Arora]

Josephine laughed softly and leaned into his hug. "I actually wasn't jealous of a plant until you just put that into my head." She murmured jokingly before pressing a kiss to his lips. She took his hand in her own and squeezed it. "Let's... get some of your things unpacked, make this official." She said softly. "Ella will be home later, so we have some time to... make this place ours, together, for a bit." She said softly, squeezing his hand again and looking at him carefully. She knew this was a big step, and it would probably be even more strange for Angel, as he was moving into her space.

 

[Professor Angel Castillo]

Angel snorted at Josephine's comment about being jealous of his plants, shaking his head. "You're much better conversation, trust me," He said quietly after she kissed him, pulling her back in for a deeper kiss when she mentioned unpacking. Focused on holding onto Josephine, Angel still absently drew his wand, giving it a vague flick to shunt his luggage around, in the name of making some progress. "Unpacking later, kissing now," He said distractedly, brushing her hair behind her ear and kissing her again. Angel didn't want to think about 'official' things or settling in or being domestic. Or more specifically, didn't want to think about how keenly he wanted that with an equal mix of tenderness and giddy excitement that scared him if he dwelt on it too long. Instead, he was going to kiss Josephine a bit longer until he got over whatever mixed up version of cold feet he was or wasn't feeling right now.