"Home sweet home."

The small apartment was just right in size, space, tone, and feel. There was a small living room with a brown couch and a light brown chair facing a flatscreen in the corner. Two windows illuminated the pale, creamy yellow walls and the honey-coloured wooden floor. To my immediate left was the kitchen, right by the front door, with a passthrough extending over the sink to the granite counters on either side to create a dining place. The counters slid all around the wall until it reached the fridge next to the door.

Soul watched me as I looked around, grinning that cool, relaxed smile of his. "Your room is to the left there," he said, pointing. I lifted my bag and shuffled to the doorway on the left wall behind the chair, turning the handle and clicking it open. Behind it lay a dark interior with plain white walls, a bed on the far wall, a small white bookshelf to the right of the door, and a desk on the wall between the bed and the shelf that sat beneath a window. On the wall to my left behind the door was a small bathroom with only a shower and a sink.

Leaving my bags on the bed, I nervously walked back to the bright living room to find Soul lounging on the couch, still grinning. "Do you like it?" he asked.

"Yes, I do," I whispered back and then cleared my throat. "Yes, I like it very much. Thank you." I bowed low.

"Hey, hey," I heard him say. Glancing up, his red eyes were looking into mine. "Don't need to be so formal."

Oh. I blushed and regained my composure, muttering something like "Sorry," or "Understood," or something. Some default response. He's so calm... He just chuckled and stood, stepping a couple feet closer. "If you need anything, that's my room," he pointed to the door across from mine by the kitchen. "Just let me know. We might as well get to know each other if we're going to be partners."

I nodded, still blushing. "Thank you." Oh wait. I need to get some clothes. I remembered that my two bags were 93% filled with books, writing material, and a computer. Leaving 7% for clothes. And toiletries. I had one other outfit and that was it.

Fiddling with my shirt, I asked, "Could we go looking around town now, if that's alright? I don't have many clothes and I think it's probably imperative that I get them sooner rather than later-"

"Where'd all your clothes go?"

I gulped. This is going to sound so stupid... "I only had two bags," I began, staring at the floor, "and... and I had to take all my books with me, so there wasn't enough room for many clothes..."

I heard him laugh, and looked up to find him bent doubled-over with non-discriminating laughter. It made me smile a little. "Wow!" he managed between laughs, "you sure sound like a geek!" He looked up at me and smiled like I was part of some inside joke that we'd created. I'd never been in on a joke before. Let alone be a part of the CREATION of an inside joke. "Well then I think we'd better go get you some clothes!"

And so he waited by the door, still chuckling at me, as I ran to grab some money from my room, shoved it in my pocket, and fast-walked back to the door, which Soul held for me as we walked out. The entire time I felt my face as hot as an overworked generator.

And then it felt like a volcanic eruption was taking place in my head when he placed his arm around my shoulders.

This year is going to be my best. I could just tell.