Once a week, Belle would go and pick up the mail from her apartment and do a little tidying up. At this point, she spent almost all of her nights with Eric, and a lot of her clothes were at his place as well. She would grab new or select items from her apartment on her trips to get mail, but there wasnât much that wasnât in her usual wardrobe left there. Any plants she had been tending to were either now at Ericâs place as well, or they had unfortunately died due to her absence. Her toothbrush, favorite books, and other items had also found a home elsewhere. Somehow, sheâd integrated herself into Eric and Lukasâ home, but she still had a place of her own. Or, well, she would if she renewed her lease. She sat on the couch, biting the corner of her lip as she read over the letter telling her that her lease was up at the end of the month. She would either have to renew it for another year, or she would have to move out. Her apartment had been her safe space after her marriage with Gaston had fallen apart, but it wasnât anymore. It wasnât where she felt at home.
@landlocked-ericâ
Eric had been in the kitchen for admittedly longer than necessary, tinkering with a dessert that had already been completed and was well up to his standards even before he futzed with presentation. The delay had been an excuse to just watch Belle and see if he could figure out what she was doing, though.  Eventually, slices of cheesecake were plated, complimentary wine was poured, and there was no other excuse he could make. He had to go interrupt her concentration. He felt intrusive and he hated it. Â
âTreat for your thoughts?â He asked, hoping that could take the obnoxious element out of what he was doing. Â
