[I] Moving In

Safir staggered into the flat with the final box, dropping it on the floor with a heavy thud. He wiped his brow heavily, leaning back against the wall.

He did not look like his usual polished self. His shirt was clean, but an old one that he kept especially for rough wear, rolled up to the elbows. A couple of buttons were undone at the neck.

Not bothering to close the door behind him, he lay down on the bed with a groan, hands folded behind his head.

Joshua had been curled up in bed all day, listening to the sound of boxes being moved around next door, it had kept him awake for a while but it didn't last long as he swiftly fell back asleep.

When he finally feel well enough to stand he wrapped himself up tightly in a blanket and slowly padded next door, pausing as he stood at the open door.

Safir looked so different like that, like an actual person rather than a teacher.

"Hey."

Josh muttered softly, looking like a caterpillar all rapped up in his cocoon.

He chuckled lightly, propping himself up on his forearms as he looked at the boy.

"You look like a..." he paused, eyebrows knitting together as he tried to think of the word. Gravemaskin?" ... ca-caterpillar?"

He scratched his jaw with a yawn.

Ugh, he needed to shave.

Padding into the bathroom, he lathered foam over his chin before picking up his razor, giving it a long swipe over his skin.

Joshua offered up a small laugh as he looked down at himself, he supposed he did look like a caterpillar.

His gaze followed the man into the bathroom, gently sitting down on the unfurnished floor.

"This is probably a lot smaller than your old place, huh?"

He asked, looking around the room that Safir was now occupying.

He shrugged. "Not particularly."

Most of his life had been spent either in small flats or hotel rooms and a long time ago, ship cabins. He hated large houses. They always seemed so empty. When he was a tutor he had hated it, but it wasn't so bad since there were children running about the house.

They had made the old mansion seem more alive some how.

Big, old houses always seemed so dead.

"I lived in a flat before I moved here. So not much difference."

"Thanks for this by the way."

He muttered shyly, hugging the blanket to his softly shivering body, he kept going from hot to cold and back again, multiple times in a single hour.

"I do appreciate it."

That was true, he did, he didn't feel like he needed it but he knew he was just being too stubborn to admit that he couldn't handle being on his own, that he wasn't independent.

He shaved another stroke, tilting his head back a little further, eyes sliding shut in concentration.

"Well, I wasn't going to let my best student die."

Safir scratched the back of his head awkwardly, flashing a small, playful grin.

"I need the statistics. Might never get a promotion otherwise."

"I don't think I am going to die."

He muttered with a soft smile as he rested his head against his knees, looking up at the man.

The seriousness of Joshua's condition could take a turn at any moment, he knew there was a possibility that he could get worse, and if he did, he wouldn't be left with many choices.

"Now I just have to focus on remaining your best student."

He added with a chuckle, his grades had equaled out a little now that he had Safir's help.

"It shouldn't be hard."

He stopped shaving for a moment to turn and look at the boy, a small, playful smirk flitting at the edges of his lips.

"They're all thick as custard."

Normally he'd feel guilty for saying something like that. But that class was a pain in the ass.

He'd seen sloths that were more hardworking.

"Why do you think I have so many friends."

The boy explained with a small grin as he shook his head, leaning it against his knees lazy as he hugged them to his chest.

"Hard to get close to people when you resent them, or they resent you, either way works."

He added as he let his eyes slide shut, Josh couldn't stand the people in his class, they were so annoying, there was no way to hold a intelligent conversation with them.

"Well there goes all my possibilities at friendships."

He went back to shaving with a little smile. Giving a few more strokes, he tapped the foam off the razor before running the tap, splashing his face and patting it dry with a towel.

"One day you'll find someone more intelligent, don't worry."

The man smoothed some aftershave gel onto his now smooth skin and washed his hands.

"Or at least someone with a little personality."

"I doubt it."

He replied, he couldn't stand the people in his class, in any of his classes, it just seemed that so many of them were only interested in getting drunk.

"Doesn't matter, my books can keep me company."

Joshua added as he nestle comfortably up in his blanket on the floor.

"Fictional characters are much better company than any of them."

Safir laughed softly under his breath.

"Amen to that."

He hadn't really got close to anyone since he had lost his family. Watching from afar as they grew old and died like that had made him realise that he never wanted to get attached to anyone again.

Retreating into his books was the best thing for him. It had kept him going.

He padded into his room again, stretching out on his bed and staring at the ceiling, pale blond locks fanning out on the crisp white sheets.

Joshua suddenly felt like he was intruding as Safir retreated into his bedroom and lay out in his bed, this was weird, sitting on the floor of his teacher's apartment.

He didn't quite know what he was doing here, Safir was only here if there was an emergency, he didn't have the right to impose on him like this.

Being stuck inside all day by himself was making him a little hungry for companionship, it seemed.

Quietly he got back onto his feet and shuffled out the door without a word, making his way back into his own apartment and curling up on the couch.

He looked up as he heard the door close, an eyebrow hitching up.

O-K.

Rolling onto his side, his eyes slowly slid shut. He could hear Joshua's breathing in the room next to him.

It was odd. He wasn't used to hearing human breaths.

The last person he had shared a room with was Nikolai. A long, long time ago. And human breaths sounded different. They were deeper somehow. And the rhythmic sound entwined with the slow beats of their hearts.

It was a strange feeling, but not altogether unpleasant. He felt his consciousness slowly slipping away as he listened to those dull, slow beats, his breathing slowing to match the young man's in the room next to him.

Immense sadness slipped over the boy as he realized just how pathetic his situation was.

He was sick to the point where he needed full time care and the only person he had that would come to his aid was his tutor.

A soft sigh passed his lips after a few moment, tears welled in his eyes but he didn't let them fall.

He had said it before, the only thing he needed was his books, as such he simply grabbed one from the coffee table and began to read. He continued until he couldn't read any longer, falling asleep on the couch with the book laying open on his chest.

He stretched as he came around, rubbing at his eyes sleepily. Huh. It was 7 o'clock at night already?

Padding into the kitchen, he gave a low hum as he raided the fridge. It had been centuries since he had eaten anything other than blood but since that wasn't exactly an option right now, he would have to see what he could find.

A curious expression flit across his face as he pulled down a packet of coco pops.

Huh. He had seen these before in the shops.

His hand delved into the packet, letting them trickle through his fingers. They looked odd. Not like food somehow. Giving on a suspicious glare, he placed it on his tongue.

"Hm!" he exclaimed in quiet surprise. Actually not bad. And it... it crackled on his tongue. The vampire chewed silently. Odd.

Pouring himself a bowl, he studied the picture on the front before drenching them in milk.

He sat down in the armchair opposite the couch that Joshua was sitting on, crunching away on his cereal.

Josh's eyes flickered open as he heard movement around him, after living for so long on his own the sound startled him awake, causing another fit of coughing.

He lay back against the couch, coughing loudly as he clutched his chest, they racked him brutally, his breath coming in violent wheezes.

It took him a few moments to calm down as he lay back against the couch, panting softly.

This would happen countless times in a day, he was getting use to it and didn't panic so much now as he use to, though it was still incredibly painful.

He had fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning, just as the sun was rising and it was night time again already.

The boy groaned in annoyance at himself.
"I slept all day."
He cursed softly, he had wasted an entire day asleep on the couch.

He sat quietly, waiting for Joshua to finish coughing.

"Yes you did, but you need it."

The teen's chest really didn't sound good. The rattling wheeze sounded even louder to his ears. He couldn't stand it.

"I will go and get your inhaler."

Safir half-jogged to Joshua's room, pulling open the drawer which contained the medicines.

As he rifled through the drawers, something fell onto his lap. A magazine? He picked it up. That wa-

His eyebrows shot up in a mixture of shock and extreme embarrassment. Oh. He crammed the magazine back into the drawer and slammed it shut.

The drawer- No. Something in the drawer, started to buzz.

Leaping up the man virtually sprinted out of the room, striding into the living room to perch awkwardly on the edge of the sofa.

"I brought your inhaler." he muttered, thrusting the medicine towards Joshua, his face a deep shade of magenta.

Joshua forced himself to sit up slightly and took the inhaler from Safir, drawing in two large breaths as he took in the pumps from the device.

"Are you alright?"

He croaked as he watched him, he had never seen the man looking so flushed.

"Oh God, I haven't made you sick have I?!"

Worry filled his gaze, he couldn't even look after himself, how would he cope if Safir got sick as well.

He laughed quietly.

"No, no, I'm not ill."

His mind raced, eyebrows knitting themselves into a concerned frown. What would a teacher have to do in this situation? Just ignore it? He hoped so. Or have the tal-

No. Dear God, no, he would not be having the talk with a twenty two year old man.

Act casual. Casual.

"So. Um. Joshua. What are you reading at the moment?"

Fuck.

"Are you sure? You seem a little...off."

He muttered, Josh had completely forgotten about his stash of magazines, being this sick he didn't exactly have the energy for such activities.

"The Dark Heroine, apparently it was written by this teenage girl, people were raving about her talent but I don't really see it. Kind of just reminds me of a soppy fan fiction to be honest."

Josh shook his head and sighed softly as he lay back down.

"I wish I had brought something better, when I'm feeling better I'll go trade it in at the swap meet."

"Yes, that doesn't exactly sound like a thrilling read."

He coughed, shifting awkwardly.

"Er, Joshua-" he paused, deciding the best way for him to address the man opposite him. "Josh-Joshua. I do not usually like to talk about these things with my students but-"

The man let out a heavy sigh, fingers raking through his hair as he sat forwards.

"Since I am looking after you I feel somewhat responsible-"

Joshua sat up slightly, looking over at the other man curiously.

"Why do I feel like I am about to be told off?"

He replied, his brows drawing together, what ever the man was about to say couldn't be good, honestly he was a little bit wary of Safir's sudden awkwardness.

He chewed on his lip softly, wrapping his blanket around his torso protectively.

"I'm not going to tell you off, it's perfectly natural..."

He drew a deep breath, biting his lip, attempting to look serious and responsible, but his face was just too red.

His knee jiggled slightly, out of discomfort.

"I just wanted to make sure you're being safe."