COMPLETED // i don't want to hurt anymore - enoch o'connor x reader

Chapter 17 - Toast

(Y/N)'s P.O.V

I was left standing in shock, my lips still tingling after his touch. I could not believe what just happened. Enoch O'Connor. The great sarcastic, sassy, closed off, brooding, dark, fucking sexy as hell (wait what) dead-riser had actually just... Yeah. Well. Not a bad first kiss, I decided.
I left the cold garden and retreated into the warmth and safety of the house.

The next morning, I awoke to whispers at my bedside. I opened my eyes groggily and peered around.
By my pillow was a small gathering of the peculiar children; from what I could see, everybody apart from Enoch had decided to congregate in my shared room.
"This is not a communal meeting place," I groaned, sitting up and shaking the hair out of my eyes. I looked up at Emma, the closest and oldest child to me. She looked concerned, but mostly just surprised and shocked.
"What's going on?" I said, leaning on my elbow. Emma knelt down next to me and whispered, "It's Enoch. He's gone all... Weird."
I cursed silently. This was probably my fault. "Has he retreated into his basement again? Is he caked in dirt?"
"No, quite the opposite, actually..." She cocked her ear and screwed up her face intently. And then I heard it: loud and cheerful whistling coming from somewhere around the kitchen.
It dawned on me that this was my fault, as I had suspected, but in a good way. "That's Enoch?" I asked, and Emma nodded.
"He's been like this since 7:00. Usually Enoch's still in bed at that time, fast asleep. He even said good morning to me! An actual morning greeting!"
"That is odd. I wonder what brought around that sudden a change in behaviour?" I lied.
Emma shrugged, and glanced behind her at the whispering children. "There's all sorts of crazy theories going around. Millard thinks that Enoch found the secret to making a doll stay alive forever, but I think that's not extreme enough. Claire and Olive think that a fiery dragon visited him in the night and gave him a treasure chest of jewels, but that's unrealistic and a bit too extreme.. I suppose there's only one way we're going to find out, though. We've got to ask him!"
I shooed the others away to let me change into my clothes, before joining them as they stared down the stairway and at the unusual sound of Enoch whistling. We crept down the stairs, scared of disturbing him or putting him out of this fantastic mood, and headed to the kitchen. There we saw him, standing by the stove, making... Was that toast? I had never seen Enoch cook anything in the entirety of my being here.
Millard cleared his throat. "Um... Good morning, Enoch."
Enoch turned around and smiled. "Morning, all. Slept well?"
We all stared at him. This was so unlike him, I'm sure it terrified the hell out of everybody who didn't know the reason. At least, I thought I knew the reason. Knowing Enoch, however, I could be wrong. I could mean as much to him as one of his dolls, which, in itself, may not be a bad thing.
I walked up to Enoch as everybody filed out and took their place at the dining table, and looked over his shoulder.
"Nice toast you're making, there, Enoch."
He stiffened slightly, and turned to look at me. "Look, about last night... I mean, if you didn't want to... Well, I do, but of course it can be your choice..." He sighed and attempted to start over. "What I'm trying to say is that... Well, you are a wonderful person, and I would like to... Court you... But I will respect your decision and stay away if that's what you wish."
I laughed at his old-fashioned language, but didn't mention it. "I would, actually, if you'd like to. Enoch... I - I really do like you. A lot."
His expression turned serious. "I like you a lot, too, as you put it. And I'm sorry for running away last night, and how much of an ass I've been to you since you got here. You make this house a nicer place." He gently held my hand in his, and for a few moments, we just stood in silence, enjoying each others company. And then Enoch, being Enoch, had to break this silence with an awkward cough.
"Well, anyway, I'm sure the other children would like their breakfast. We'd better crack on...".