Outside the Condo {OPEN}

[grantmiddleton]

Grant glanced up from his phone when he felt a shadow hang over him and found a giant, behemoth of a man who didn't speak much but grunted a lot at the other two movers. "Hmm? Oh, just put everything in the living room. I'll take care of it all later. Thanks."

He went back to his phone, typing rapidly as he replied to text after text from his mom. He grinned to himself. She was a worrier, always had been, always will be. And this was the first time her only child lived further than an hour away from her. So he was distracted when he heard a crash and looked up to see a hundred year old dresser on the ground.

"Hey! Careful! That dresser is worth ten times your pay today!" The movers all grunted, which Grant assumed was an apology. He swore under his breath, immediately tattling on the movers to his mom who was, unsurprisingly, pissed at the thought of any Middleton furniture being treated so carelessly. He shook his head. It was a shitty old dresser that belonged to his uncle and really not worth getting angry over. He hated the thing anyway -  it was fifty shades of ugly. He hated most of the things coming out of the truck. But appearances are key, and if any of his family happened to come for a visit, they'd expect to see certain key pieces on proud display in his home. Even if the crap clashed horribly with his home.

He sighed and asked how much longer the move would take. When he got a "One more hour" out of the movers, he groaned. Moving sucked. Moving really sucked when you were slightly hung over and wanted a nap.

Comments

[bewitchinghaze]

Val grunted quietly as she adjusted to the weight of ridiculously large potted plant she was delivering across town.

"Really need to learn to drive some time..." she muttered, pulling a face as the leaves brushed her nose, basically blinding her to the world in front of her. "God, I hope no one's on the side wa-"

As the words left her mouth, she crashed into someone, falling back on her ass and dropping the plant. Swearing vividly in Korean, she reached a hand out to the pot, praying it wasn't broken.

"You idiot!" she snapped at whomever she'd run into. "You'd better hope this thing isn't broken or you'll be paying for it!"

[grantmiddleton]

The impact surprised Grant and he dropped his phone, immediately bending over and clutching his stomach. He was pretty sure he just got the wind knocked out of him.

When he finally did catch his breath, he heard another language and...what was that? The person was blaming him for this?

"Idiot??" He grabbed the pot, more to try to figure out what the hell he'd been impaled with than to be helpful. "I was just standing here, minding my own business when I was viciously attacked by...is this a juneberry?"

[bewitchinghaze]

Val groaned quietly, rubbing her elbow where she smacked it. "I hardly viciously attacked you. What kind of person just stands in the middle of the sidewalk?? What about the 'walk' part of that confuses you?" she snapped, getting to her feet.

"Yeah... I'm delivering it." She stuck her hands into the branches, sending waves of healing magics through it as she pretended to feel to broken branches. "You know plaann..t...s..?"

She trailed off, finally looking up at his face and turning red. Shit. He's hot.

[grantmiddleton]

"Viciously...casually ran into...same difference. I'm standing here because I can't stand in my driveway where a ten-foot truck is currently taking up space. And I think sidewalks are generally made to handle more than one person. If you look where you're going." He had already glanced her over to make sure she wasn't seriously injured. The little tantrum she threw proved otherwise.

"Yeah, I know plants." After handing her the pot, Grant bent down and picked up his phone, looking it over. Cracks all over the screen. Shit. This would be the fifth phone he replaced in just as many months. He ran a hand over his face. "Wait, delivering? Is there a flower shop no-" he noticed her flushed face. "...are you okay?"

[bewitchinghaze]

She took the pot, clearing her throat and wishing she could fix her hair right about now. "I'm fine! Just a couple bruises and a scrape on my elbow. No biggy. It's hard to see around some of these. I... uh, sorry." Val glanced at the moving truck. "Are you moving in here?"

She began to mentally pray he was, and that he needed a lot of plant deliveries...

[grantmiddleton]

Grant was surprised by the apology. She seemed more like she was going to keep fussing at him. "Apology accepted. I'm fine too by the way." He gave her a joking grin.

He looked back at the moving truck and groaned as another piece was dropped. "Guys, come on, I'm not asking for miracles here." He sighed and glanced at her. "Yeah, I'm moving in. I used to live here. Many, many years ago."

[bewitchinghaze]

"Ah ha... I figured you were fine. You didn't exactly fall ass first onto concrete." She laughed, covering up her embarrassment. "I can't believe you went with that moving company. They're awful. My parents hired them when we moved here and they almost broke an urn with my grandfather's ashes in it."

Val cocked her head slightly, curious. "When did you move away?"

[grantmiddleton]

"No, but that pot didn't feel too great against my stomach. I'm glad your ass is alright." He made a frustrated face and typed something into his phone. "Always read the reviews, lesson learned."

"Uhh, it was at least ten years ago."

[bewitchinghaze]

Val grimaced slightly. "Oh. Um, sorry. I didn't even realize it hit you. It's a lot bigger than I am, kind of obscures my view." she shrugged.

"That explains why I don't know you. We moved here about 9 years ago. We must have just missed each other." she reasoned, adjusting the pot with a grunt.

[alfiehaywood]

Alfie was still at the stage where wandering around the town meant he saw new shops and houses. Slowly mapping the area to memory. He should have bought Penny, but she’d gotten out the house the other day when he was working. Before he’d fully finished a cabinet and cleared up, she’d managed to get a splinter from the wood chips lying around. Therefore she was moping at home, after a visit to the vets who’d had to pull the splinter out. But she’d definitely like this area of town, near the sea.

In the distance he could see people moving into a house with furniture, presumably movers. His own relocation had been a much simpler affair where he left essentially everything at home. If he hadn’t been able to carry it himself, it was left in Arkansas for a later time. As he approached the property with all the activity, he winced when he saw the movers dropping what appeared to be an old drawer, based on the colouration of the wood and the style. His suspicions confirmed when, presumably, the owner yelled at them. The guy looked pretty unimpressed and judging by the amount of stuff still coming from the truck it was easy to tell why.

Ever the overly helpful guy, Alfie wandered over to him. “Hey man, I noticed you’re moving furniture in. Do they need some help?”

[grantmiddleton]

Grant really shouldn't have told his mom about the dropped furniture. Now she threatening to drop everything and fly up there to give the movers a piece of her mind. Which was the last thing in the world that he wanted, because that meant she'd have his dad in tow. He had to flick on the charm and talk her down....well, text her down. He told her he inspected the dresser and it was undamaged (it was falling apart) and the movers were horrified when they dropped it. It seemed to appease her, because she closed the conversation with a sweet "Well, let me know when you need me, honey" and he decided to turn off his phone.

He looked up when he heard a new voice, surprised it wasn't another grunt. He was used to minimal conversation after today. "Hey. Um, you wouldn't mind? These guys have been milking the whole 'pay by the hour' thing."

[alfiehaywood]

Glancing at the movers he couldn’t help shaking his head. They did seem to be moving slower than expected. If he carried customers’ luggage at that speed to their cabins at the lodge, he’d receive a lot of complaints. “Not at all.” Stated Alfie, “Moving is exhausting enough without having to deal with furniture and movers. I’m Alfie Haywood by the way.” Taking his jacket off, he slung it gently over the nearest raised surface. “Just point to where you want things to go and I’m on it.”

Moving over to the truck, he glanced at the furniture. Much nicer than he’d ever be able to afford, but then his parents’ house was filled with this kind of stuff. Things that had likely been passed down from grandparents. Alfie just had lots of silly little things from his grandparents. Things that everyone else didn’t appreciate the sentimentality of and were happy to throw out. Turning back to the other man, he asked, “Have you travelled far?”

[grantmiddleton]

"You are a godsend, Alfie Haywood. I'm Grant Middleton. I think I'll just have everything hang out in the living room for the time being." He gave Alfie an appreciative smile and followed the new acquaintance over to the truck. That's when he realized most of this stuff he didn't even ask the movers to pack up! Mom. He groaned to himself. Like he didn't have enough random furniture to move, but his mom had apparently filled in pieces she felt like her son needed when he wasn't looking. Grant planned on just buying new furniture if he realized he forgot something. At this rate, he wouldn't have room for everything. "Orrrr I'll be having a yard sale."

"Across the country, thankfully. I'm hoping familial visits will be minimal," he gave a grin.

[alfiehaywood]

“Cool, sounds like a plan.” Moving into the truck, he picked up what appeared to be some sort of chair or seat. Propping his arm under the seat. No doubt he’d be able to work out where the living room was, there’d likely be some sort of couch or electrical to give it away. He remembered the first day in his new flat, the realtor had arrived to drop off the keys and had looked stunned that the only pieces of large furniture he seemed to own were a mattress and a widescreen TV. Priorities, Alfie liked to think he had them.

Hearing the comment about a yard sale, he grinned, nodding at the next comment. “I hear yah, left mine down south in the hope it’d be too cold up here for them. They’ll no doubt keep finding excuses for me to go back down though.”

[grantmiddleton]

Grant felt a bit bad about taking up Alfie on his offer to move and decided to help as well. Which would be...the first time in his entire life to actually move furniture versus telling someone "I think that looks better on the opposite side of the room." He picked up the matching chair.

"Man, I wish mine were averse to cold. Unfortunately they lived in Siren Cove before, so I'm pretty much counting on a surprise visit in the near future." He carried the chair into the condo and tucked it out of the way. "What part of the south are you from?"

[alfiehaywood]

Despite not being the most obviously built individual, Alfie was pretty used to carrying large or heavy items around. It came from years of woodwork, helping his grandfather and benefitted his current line of employment. Walking in through the front door, he tried not to be too obviously nosey. Based on its location near the sea, it was likely to be really to be impressive but still, a little discretion. Walking into what he believed to be the front room, he carefully placed the furniture down.

Grinning, Alfie nodded his head, “Well, I wish you luck with the surprise visits. I wouldn’t put it past my Mum though.” Rolling his sleeves up, he added, “Arkansas, tiny place no-one has ever heard of.”

[grantmiddleton]

Grant surveyed the room. He'd definitely have to get rid of about half the furniture if he wanted to be able to freely move around and not stub a toe at night.

"A true southerner. And full of that southern hospitality I've heard so much about. How long have you been here?" He went into the kitchen, pulling an ice cold bottle of water out of the fridge. "Want anything to drink?"

[bachjones]

Bach was pretty sure he recognized that dresser. Which was silly, because when put to the question, he wouldn't even recognize his own furniture.

He had walked into that dresser while holding his guitar, chipping a piece of wood of the instrument. That's why he recognized it.

So why was that dresser in Siren Cove?

[grantmiddleton]

Grant fussed a bit more at the movers, swearing under his breath. What's the point in paying good money for professional movers if they weren't professional in the least?

He huffed and turned away from them, glancing around the area and looking annoyed. That's when he saw someone he thought was familiar. But not Siren Cove familiar,

"Well. Look what the cat drug in."

[bachjones]

He looked behind him, but Cinderella was busy sniffing at the door post of the fancy house.

Oh. Not literal. Bach met the man's eyes and waited for the penny to drop.

"Cinderella's strong, but not strong en- aren't you a Middleton?" The Middletons paid well. He liked this turn of events.

[grantmiddleton]

Grant smiled. That was a face he never expected to see in Siren Cove.

"The youngest, actually. Grant. You used to play for my family a lot."

[bachjones]

"Your grandmother used to be my favorite tipper. You grew a couple of sizes."

He nodded. "Do your parents still organize parties? Are they moving here?"

[grantmiddleton]

"That I did. Sadly, my grandmother passed away a few years ago."

"Please. That's a weekly thing with them. No, they're not moving out here, just me. Gotta say, you're the last person I expected to see in this place."

[bachjones]

"Oh. Oh." He searched his mind for a fitting comment. "I'm sorry for that. She was ..she had other qualities as well, of course. Besides being .. a good tipper."

Bach took a deep breath. "Family, sort of. And somehow you get stuck in a rut of daily life and before you know it life just goes on, don't you think?"

[grantmiddleton]

He shrugged. "A good tipper is about as good a compliment as you could give her, really."

"I guess. I take it you've been here awhile?" He grimaced as the movers dropped a box of valuables. "At least I bought the insurance."