Atlas' POV:
It's been a week since Miles was shot and he's been in recovery. The wound is slowly healing, but he's still in pain and Calin has been panicking over him instead of getting a job like Miles asked him to.
Bailey and Toast went home, and I'm honestly considering getting a cat of my own. Having Toast around was great, but Bailey was a bit of a hassle. She's sweet but it's hard to handle a dog when I'm not at home all the time, so a cat would be preferable. They're way more independent.
Everything is going pretty fine for me personally; Sean has been staying with me for the past week and I love having him around, but he's going to give me grey hair at some point!
He's been stressing over all of Miles' businesses and has been trying to act like he's perfectly fine (he's not). Most of Sean's waking hours are spent stressing and visiting all of the pubs and clubs that Miles has, and his sleeping hours are spent disturbed and he tosses and turns a lot.
I only know this because I've been waking up later and going to sleep when he's already in bed so I see how disturbed his sleep is. Thankfully, I've been able to get to sleep but I feel terrible that Sean is doing so badly with his own sleep schedule.
My eyes open when I hear movement and I see Sean getting up and getting ready for work.
"Sean, it's six in the morning."
He jumps a bit, hearing my voice, but he doesn't lay back down. "I've got to go check on the Royal Garden."
"Why? You were there three days ago!" I exclaim and Sean shoots me a dirty look. "Come on, you were up late at the Ember. You need more sleep."
"I'm fine," Sean tries to insist, but the bags under his eyes betray him. "I promise."
I get up and grab Sean around the waist, carrying him back to the bed. It's pretty easy because he doesn't put up much of a fight, but he's huffing and pouting the whole way.
"Sleep," I order, sitting on top of him. "Or I'll crush you."
"Get off! I've got shit to do!"
"I can't hear you," I say childishly, covering my ears and closing my eyes. "I only listen to good boys who sleep."
I shriek when I feel Sean's fingers dig into my sides and knock me off balance. I fall onto the other side of the bed and glare at Sean as he gets up and continues to get himself ready.
"Sean, sweetheart, please just sleep."
"I will later."
"Okay, liar."
Sean gets huffy again and grabs his backpack. "I have a lot of shit to do today, Atlas. Miles is still out of commission because your best friend won't let him leave the house."
"He means well."
"Oh, I know. I completely respect him for dealing with Miles' whiny ass and I'm glad Miles is healing, but I'm ready for him to take over again."
I am too because I'm tired of watching Sean stress over everything when he just wants to be a bartender and have his job back. I'm not to stoked about him working at the Ember right now because apparently the new guy there keeps flirting with him, but I'd rather him be there than run around stressing out over tasks that aren't his.
"Have a great day," I say, hugging Sean and kissing him. "Keep me updated on what you're doing, alright? Maybe we can meet for lunch."
Sean nods and kisses me once more before he disappears out the front door.
![letters to my love • [bxb] by Kliarr](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/212723398-80-k201634.jpg)
I don't need to be at the pub until noon, so I stay in bed for a while, but I can't fall back asleep. So, I get my computer out and begin to contact colleges on the east coast because if there's an opening I'm going to take it.
Miles knows this and has been helpful getting me the contact information for several college presidents. He seems to know everyone and has been a great friend and help to me.
I'm working on job searching and emailing colleges when my phone rings.
"Hello?" I ask after seeing that Miles is the one calling me.
"I assume Sean is already gone?"
"Yeah, he said he had shit to do and refused to go back to sleep. I know he's trying to help you, but he looks like shit."
Miles groans. "He stopped responding to my texts. The brat thinks he can do it all on his own but he was trained to keep an eye on everything for a few days. Not a whole week."
"Well, tell Calin to get off your dick and-"
Calin's voice rings in the background. "He's on speaker dipshit!"
"Let Miles go back to work!"
"No! He's injured!"
Miles speaks up. "Baby, I'm well enough to-"
"No," Calin grumbles.
Miles sighs. "Atlas, why don't you come over? I have a few things I want to talk with you about."
"Alright, sounds good," I say, opening the closet door and grabbing a button up. "I'm getting myself a coffee on the way. Do either of you want one?"
Calin chirps out a 'yes' while Miles turns down my offer and explains that the doctor only wants him drinking water for now. He does accept my offer to get him a cinnamon roll, though.
When I get to Miles' apartment, (I'm not sure if I can call it Sean and Miles' apartment anymore because Sean hasn't really stayed there for the past week and he doesn't seem to be too keen on going back) he and Calin are sitting on the couch, Miles' head in Calin's lap.
Calin is playing with his hair, his eyes locked on the television. He doesn't react when I place the coffee on the table in front of him, but Miles moves so I can sit on the couch.
"Baby, you need to go get ready for work," Miles murmurs. "And I need to speak with Atlas."
Calin pouts but he gets up and walks off to Miles' room, dragging his feet the whole way.
"Job?" I ask because Calin didn't tell me anything about a job.
Miles hums. "He got a job at a pet shelter not long before I got shot. It's not for money. It's just so that he has something to do and can figure out what he wants to do with his life."
"Well, I'm sure he's not complaining if he gets to play with puppies all day."
"Yeah, but I've had to tell him several times in the past week not to take any home." He rolls his eyes fondly. "It's more stressful than recovering from a bullet wound."
I'm glad my friend has something to do, since he definitely has no clue what he wants to do with his future.
Calin is responsible enough that he doesn't blow the fortune his parents left him, but he knows it won't last forever and he wants to make his own money and be an adult. He just doesn't want to be stuck at a boring job that he doesn't like.
"Bye, baby," Miles says, kissing Calin and handing him the coffee on the table before he leaves. "Text me when you get there."
Calin hums and hugs me briefly before he leaves.
"What's going on?" I ask Miles, sitting back against the armrest of the couch.
Miles sighs. "Good news and bad news."
"Oh, joy."
"Well, it's up to you how you take it."
I stay silent and wait for Miles to continue.
"I got in contact with one of my old friends in California. They have an opening for a psychology professor at University of California in Berkeley. I told them about you and she wants to speak with you if you're up for it, but obviously California is a big move."
My heart is pounding in my chest. "Really?"
"Yes, but it wouldn't be until fall of next year, so you still have a good four or five months until you would need to move."
This sounds like my dream job... California is a nice place and I've heard great things from people who have worked at the colleges there. But how am I supposed to leave New York?
Leave Calin and Sean?
My family?
I've grown up here and Sean may be a new boyfriend to me, but I can see us going steady for a long time. He's perfect to me and I want to stay with him, but he's in love with his work here.
Plus, if I move I want to stay there for a while and long distance won't work forever for Sean and I.
"I know it's a big decision, but I'll forward you the contact information. That's all about you for now, but I'm concerned about Sean because of his current sleep schedule. I need him to relax and take a few days to rest. He'll listen to me if I get on him about it, but you're important to him and I think you should be the one to talk to him- if you want to that is."
I nod eagerly. "Of course!"
"I'm going to call Sean and send him home. I'll be back at work next week and everything can handle itself for a few days, with how competent my workers are." He readjusts in his seat. "When Sean moved in with me, he was feral and definitely a bit crazy. He's mellowed out now, but my old methods still work on him. He needs a relaxing environment to help him calm down."
I sit and listen to Miles as he explains how best to help Sean relax and he gives me the day off to focus on my boyfriend. I can still go in, but Miles says he'll call the manager and let him know something came up and that he told me to take today off. Thankfully, it's a week day so it won't be crazy busy anyway and I'll be able to easy catch up tomorrow.
"Well, let's hope he is willing to relax and just listen to me for a little bit. Stubborn brat."
Miles takes a bite of his cinnamon roll. "Yeah, I doubt he'll ever grow out of that. He's been like that since I took him in. The one thing that never changed."
I chuckle and think about teenager Sean trying to fight Miles at every chance he got. It reminds me of how he kind of is now, stubborn and resilient, but I love that about him. He's a bit of a feisty mess at times, but I know he means well and Sean means a lot to me, so I will take his with all of his little flaws.
Miles raises an eyebrow. "What're you smiling about?"
"Nothing," I say, but I'm sure Miles knows exactly who I'm thinking about.
