Chapter 14 - b-books?

"Did you get the recipe?" Faun peeked out of the kitchen to ask.

"Yeah." He muttered, making his way into the kitchen. "I just realised that I might have to go out for some ingredients."

Faun looked immensely concerned by this. "Is that okay?" He asked with a furrow in his brow.

Declan kept a straight face, "Yeah."

He didn't fancy going out so soon again but he didn't mind; the entire day was gone at this point, he might as well use the time to keep his promise.

His phone dinged after he was done with breakfast, Isla had sent the recipe and just as he feared, there were some things missing.

He would be better off buying more than was needed because he had a feeling that Faun would be baking a lot. He could even get a couple cook books, something to keep him occupied.

Faun stood quietly as Declan left for the store, he had no interest in going to the town and he doubted that would change anytime soon.

Declan might be different but other humans were all the same, he had to watch out for his own safety.

He had been worried when Declan wouldn't wake up, usually he woke up with the sunrise but it was three hours after that and there was still no response from him.

Faun decided to make breakfast and then tried to wake him up but Declan was still out cold.

It must be nice to feel so safe that you can sleep peacefully without a care in the world.

Faun didn't think he could ever do that, his instincts were too strong for that.

He had been embarrassed for panicking and making a big deal about nothing so he escaped to the backyard and then Declan had come looking for him.

But as usual, he didn't make a big deal about what Faun had done earlier. Declan made it so easy to coexist with humans.

He was still pleasantly surprised that Declan had chosen to go through this much trouble for him, it made him want to smile and maybe cry a little.

The excitement of getting to bake though overwhelmed that and he paced impatiently, waiting for Declan to come back.

So as soon as he heard the front door open, he hurried there, barely banked excitement swirling in his eyes.

Declan was caught off guard by this but he let Faun take the grocery bags from him.

He had bumped into Lou while grabbing the ingredients and he immediately winced, Isla was definitely finding out.

Baking had gone surprisingly well, mostly because Faun had done basically everything. He had just hovered around him while Faun deftly moved around like he had done this multiple times.

He had just told him what to do and Faun had taken it from there.

The brownies were currently in the oven while they waited in the living room, Declan suddenly remembered that he had gotten a couple cook books on his grocery store romp.

He quietly got up to get it, Faun's curious eyes following his movements.

"I got you this." He dropped the books in front of Faun, sitting at the end of the couch. "So you can make stuff yourself." He muttered awkwardly, clearing his throat.

Faun sat up, reaching for one of the books with curious eyes.

He knew very well that he couldn't read but Declan didn't know that and he didn't want to blow his cover, so he stared at the cover of the first book with mixed emotions.

"Check it out, or don't you like it?" Declan asked with traces of worry, wondering if he had crossed the line. It wouldn't have hurt to ask first.

"N-No… I do, it's just…" Faun trailed off, looking longingly down at the book. "I'll check it out later." He managed to say, lifting his head up to give Declan a reassuring smile.

Declan frowned hard; he didn't want to be the one to ask if he could read, although he knew very well that there was no way Faun would be able to read so he had gone for cook books that had a lot of pictures.

If he couldn't read it, then at least he could manage with the picture depictions.

Declan's frown deepened, he should seriously consider teaching Faun how to read, he thought briefly, thinking nothing about teaching him.

He wouldn't push though. "Sure." He shrugged. "Ask me anything you don't understand and if there's anything you need."

The oven was ready so they both went to check it, the matter of the cook books long forgotten.

The brownies turned out perfectly, but it was evident that Faun could still use a bit of practice.

Faun retired to his room after and Declan let him go, beating himself over offering him the books. There was nothing to be done about it now though.

It was already late in the afternoon on a Tuesday, he might as well try to get some writing done. Knowing Isla she would be at his front door first thing on Friday morning.

He glanced one last time at the hallway that Faun had disappeared into, striding to his work place to get some writing done.

Faun settled on his bed, reverently placing the cook books in front of him. They were big and glossy, not to mention all his.

He didn't bother to open them, it would only sting because he couldn't understand the words in them.

They were nice to stare at though, he was still happy that Declan had bought them for him simply because he thought he would like them.

He got up to carefully place them in his closet for safekeeping, maybe he should try to learn to read?

The cartoons he watched often put words on the screen, recognizing them wasn't difficult and he could remember the basics?

He thinks he even went to school for a while? When his parents were still alive?

That was too far back to remember and he obviously didn't stay long enough in school because he could remember absolutely nothing that he was taught.

His memories of going to school were also so blurry that they could have just been made up by him.