The world was built for two

It was a fine day today. He had woken up to a crisp morning, to good coffee and a beautiful stroll to class. The professor had always been a morning person, he loved the sounds of bird’s morning calls and the smell of wet grass from the sprinklers, so much so that he set out an hour before his class was to start and he just walked around campus to enjoy the day and clear his mind before going to class. And he loved to teach, he didn’t go on his walks before to brace facing bratty college students, he enjoyed teaching and having discussions with his class. He had a smile on his face and nodded a good morning to people he walked by. He just wasn’t anything like the fae side he knew nothing about.

He finally made it to class primly on time and opened the door, walking in and letting his gaze roam over the class quickly “Good morning, everyone” He said warmly as he went to his desk and set his brief case down. He took a few moments to take his things out and put them on his desk, silence his phone and pocket it then take out his laptop and connect it to the projector to put the notes up. “Alright, I hope everyone did the reading last night and the assignment” He glanced up at the class and gave them a look before he looked back down to his laptop and made sure his power point presentation was open before straightening and addressing the class completely “Please pass up your assignments to the front” He instructed, stepping out from behind his desk.

He collected the assignment from the students in the front and then turned back to his desk and put them inside his bag “I should have them graded by next week sometime. Don’t forget the next paper is considered as a test score, I hope you all have been keeping your graded essays to help guide you” He told them before pulling up the notes and flipping through the power point to the right page then leaving it there and moved back from his desk. “I believe we left off last class on the teachings of Plato and Descartes on the idea of the soul” He began, grabbing the projector clicker to move through the power point as he moved away from his desk to the front of it and then leaned back against it as he started to lecture., clicking through the power point to show the bullet points of his lecture. He had always been a no frills kind of professor, he lectured and the students took notes, he didn’t make it fluffy like some others did. You either were interested and listened, or not.

As he spoke he looked around the room, watching out for any cell phones being used (he hated those things in his class!) or people sleeping or goofing off. Students have a habit after the first week of class to sit in the same exact place, and his class was not completely full, there were empty chairs. He knew by now when a student was absent by a certain chair being empty…and he also knew when someone was sitting in a chair typically not occupied. He noticed this towards the back and glanced over this person curiously…and then found himself doing a double take. He stopped in the middle of his lecture to stare at her, and the class looking around confused, wondering what was wrong. “France?” He said in surprise, moving forward to stop leaning against his desk.

He hadn’t seen in her in…his head immediately started to hurt. The human side only allowed himself to see back so far, he restarted his life fresh every twenty years or so. He knew her and knew it had been a long time ago…but it was blocked from him just how long ago it was. He frowned and gave his head a little shake, but it didn’t help clear his head. He could remember her, but not a complete memory, just bits and pieces but not why he hadn’t seen her in so long.

He felt so…surreal. Was this really happening? Was she really sitting there or was this one of his many dreams that plagued him at night? It felt real, he really did feel like he was standing here and looking at her so…he had to be. He was just so taken off guard and his mind so overwhelmed that for quite a while he just gawked at her until his students confusion brought him back to Earth. He looked around from her to the rest of the class and cleared his throat “I, apologize” He forced a quick smile to them but didn’t bother to make an explanation for his odd behavior. He glanced at France a few more times than he tried to continue on with his lecture, and he managed too, though not very smoothly for his eyes kept going to France and his students kept making funny faces at him. The professor was all calm, cool and collected and his behavior was throwing everyone off.

He managed to force himself through the lecture, but he cut class short twenty minutes early because really, he was having trouble concentrating and he knew the students had to be as well. He dismissed class promptly, not even bothering to give them a reading assignment or essay like he did every class period. Some students questioned it but others quickly hushed them as they all shuffled out of class. One student came up to ask him if he was alright and he nodded and reassured them he was perfectly fine, but that was far from the truth. As the students started to leave his eyes went straight back to France and stayed glued on her. What did he say to her? What hadn’t he seen her in such a long time? He was used to this confusion before but…this was France. This was the woman he had been in love with, the only woman he had ever fallen in love with, and he couldn’t even remember why they had broken apart.

He watched her in awe as the students filed out of the class. What did he say to her? Was she mad at him? Maybe she’d slap him or would she embrace him or did she really not care much about him at all? But why would she come and sit in his class like this and not just, come and tell him hello? And damn it what couldn’t he remember the last time he saw her! Why did he stop seeing her? He felt very frustrated that he couldn’t remember that. Had it been his fault or hers? Too many questions and one he could find answers for and he couldn’t ask her, that would probably upset her and make her think he had utterly lost his mind or that she hadn’t been important and God yes she had been important. When she started down towards him he smiled and walked a little closer to the steps, looking her over as subtly as he could before back to her face.

He chuckled “I am very old fashioned in my teaching” He said then nodded and frowned slightly “It has been a long time, hasn’t it?” he couldn’t remember how long but he knew it had been a while. He watched her as she approached his desk, turning to better look at her and look at her he did that was for sure, but he was always a gentleman. “I’ve been well, just starting teaching here a few years ago. What, are you doing here? How have you been?”

“Years…” How many years? He reminded himself he knew better to ask but, he just felt so dazed seeing her standing here before him. He waited for her to be angry, to demand to know why he had done something he couldn’t remember or question him why they didn’t work and he feared this because he had no answer. But when she didn’t and seemed open to starting fresh he felt a great flood of relief and he smiled more and nodded “I would love to” Start fresh from what exactly he wasn’t sure but maybe she wanted to avoid whatever happened in their past and just move forward from this point on. He had missed her, he really had. He hadn’t thought about her before but seeing her now his heart ached for to be with her again. But he was getting ahead of himself, she could very well be with someone, happily married either. He at least wanted to be friends again.

He looked surprised “You have?” He looked utterly proud of her “Congratulations, that’s wonderful! What are you teaching?” He was happy to see she had gotten a job here, that she had gone to college and gotten a degree. When she said business he chuckled and nodded knowingly “I should have assumed, yes. That’s great” When he stepped closer her felt himself hold his breath for a moment as she fixed his tie, smelling her perfume and found himself remembering falling asleep next to her with the scent of her in the air. But he quickly put those memories aside and didn’t let it cloud focusing on her now. He was more than happy to hear her offer dinner “I would love too. I would like to be able to catch up on what you have been up too”

“You know, maybe even a better idea. Why don’t you come to my apartment, I will cook us dinner. I learned how to cook you know, more than just toast” He smiled easily even though having her so close to him was driving his senses wild.

He smiled knowingly “I do remember” In fact the more time he spent around her the more he remembered many things. He remembered what it felt like to touch her bare skin, to kiss her, to stroke her hair as they lied in bed together and the thrill he felt every time he removed her clothes, as if it was the first time every time. But he knew he shouldn’t remember those kinds of things, she was probably just being proper and polite by not avoiding him and just letting them have some friendly terms with one another since they were now working at the same school. So, that’s what he told himself. They were just being civilized people who had once been in a relationship and were now mature enough to regard one another as a friend. That was all.

He chuckled a bit awkwardly “Ah, yes, right. Of course” Her being a Vampire...right. It had been something that had never bothered him nor had he ever thought much about, so sometimes he forgot she just wasn’t just a gorgeous human. When she ran her hand over her figure those pesky little memories popped back up in his head and he sighed on the inside. He really thought he had better control than this “Wonderful, then we shall do that. I live here on campus, in the staff housing. It’s a very nice walk to the building”

He shook his head and looked back at his desk “Not really. Just have to put my things away and shut off the projector” To be truthful after ever class he did have a twenty minute little routine, because he was simply just odd like that, but he would skip very much over it if she wanted to spend time with him now. He grinned and laugh “I remember that as well” He went around his desk and put his papers and things away, then turned off the projector as he put his laptop in his bag. Damn…he was actually going to make dinner for France. She was here, actually here at the school and wanted to catch up with him so eagerly. He felt like a teenaged boy. Once he got all of his things together he lifted his bag and promptly went over to open the door for her. He remembered that too.

He gave her a light playful look as he pretended to look prideful “When I realized that eating like a bachelor for too long was going to kill me. I have gotten quite good” He chuckled. He had always been a microwave dinner kind of man, quick and simply, just pop it in the microwave and that was it. But he had taken up cooking lately, it started as just something new to try like a hobby and then he found he enjoyed it and began cooking all of his meals and getting away from the unhealthy pre made dinners. He opened the door for her because he was a proper gentleman and for no other ulterior moves, but that didn’t mean he didn’t admire her body as she walked ahead, it just meant he hadn’t opened the door for her simply for that purpose. When she touched him it sent stirrings all over his body, but he kept himself composed.

He found himself stopping and staring at her bluntly as he saw her in the sun for the first time. She was lovely regardless, but to see the sunlight hit her like it was…she was breathtaking. He was so struck in watching her that he didn’t register her question at first, but then he cleared his throat and forced himself to look away and was a bit embarrassed by his behavior. He chuckled “I live alone. You know how I am. Quiet and keep to myself” He didn’t have friends come over, mostly because he didn’t have any really. Acquaintances yes but no one he went out with or invited over, nothing like that. He woke up alone, spent time alone, ate alone and went to bed alone. It didn’t bother him either, he liked keeping himself secluded.

As they walked together he could not wipe the smile off his face as they spoke. He just couldn’t get over the fact she was really here in front of him. As they reached the building he once again held open the door for her, and then went to the elevator and up to the third floor. He took out his keys as they walked down the hall “I apologize for any mess, I wasn’t expecting company” he opened the apartment door and allowed her to walk inside first. Luckily the fae side didn’t spend too much time in his apartment, so it was kept just the way the human side liked: spotless and tidy. It wasn’t possible for him to have a mess, he kept his home in absolute wonderful condition. It was simple, mostly beige and dark wood, not many decorations but many books and some paintings.

He laughed “Yes, that’s why I needed to learn how to cook. That food was grease, I never really liked it but then again, I never went because of the food” He gave her a knowing smile, though a headache pounded in his head. The memories he saw of Fern’s and of France did not add up to the timeline in his head thinking maybe the last time he had seen France was, what, ten years at the longest? But what he kept seeing was far longer than that and it made pain shoot through his head but he tried to will it away. He was just confused, he got like that, though he could never figure out why. He chuckled at her question “I have seen Vampires in the sunlight…just not you” And by the tone of his voice it was evident he was in awe of seeing her in the sunlight for the first time.

He watched her walk into his apartment and walked in after her, closing his door and setting his things down neatly beside the couch like he did every day. When she used the old nickname it caused some stirrings in him but he just smiled and looked around at everything before back to her “It could be neater” It honestly wasn’t possible, there was not a speck of dust anywhere and everything had a place. He had always been a neat freak, the only thing he subconsciously had any control over because of his fae side. “But thank you, I try my best to keep it nice” When she wanted the wine he shook his head in amusement and went to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle he had stored away “It’s probably not the fanciest but, it’s still good” Simple man he was with his simple tastes, but he wasn’t cheap.

Her brushing against him was driving the man wild…well, as wild as Khalid could get, he got as wild as an eighty year old man on Nyquil. He took out two glasses and poured the wine smoothly before putting the bottle down and corking it, then handing her her glass and picked up his “We should toast He gave her a warm smile and raised his glass to her “For meeting old friends again and rekindling friendships” Yes…friendship, that was the lesser word to use for what they had been but that was all he was expecting them to be now. He rarely ever had wine, when did he ever have an excuse too? But when he tasted it he realized he had missed drinking it, it had been a while.

He laughed “Can I say both?” Khalid actually teasing? Call the Vatican, it was a miracle. He leaned back against the counter and watched her, his eyes sweeping over her body to admire the way she moved before quickly snapping up to her eyes as she spoke and he chuckled “No, no cults or mafia. Quite honestly, I haven’t changed much. Just…the same old boring me” He knew he wasn’t exciting, he wasn’t fooling himself, he acted like an old crinkly man and he was fine by that. “I see you have been accomplishing much. That’s wonderful” She was definitely far from where he remembered her, from a waitress to a professor at a prestigious school, it was amazing. He shook his head and took a sip of his wine “No, never married. Yourself?” Her question on his sexuality made him choke on his next sip of wine and he chuckled a bit oddly as he gave her a strange look “What?”

Her statement made him gaze at her for a long time. How was he supposed to interpret that? He was never the kind of man who knew how to make smooth come backs to a woman teasing him in the way she did. He never even understood how France had fallen for him the first time, he wasn’t the type of man he assumed a woman like her would want, those suave mysterious men who knew the right things to do and say. He wasn’t anywhere near that, maybe that’s why they hadn’t lasted? “Well, you must also think drying paint is fascinating too” He joked, because everyone found him boring. Charming? Playful? He quirked a brow and nodded to her glass of wine “Did you slip in some extra alcohol in that wine?” He then shook her head “Don’t sell yourself short. No matter the reason it’s not an easy feat that many can accomplish. You should be very proud” Then she took off the cardigan…he forced himself to drink some more of his wine so he wouldn’t gawk at her.

She broke hearts…did she break his heart? He found it so odd he couldn’t even remember who left who. When she touched his tie again he sucked in a breath but tried to play it off as it was at random “I am not gay” He said with a smile, watching her intently. Having her this close was nerve racking and although he felt a little relieved when she leaned back he also felt longing. He cleared his throat and nodded, setting his glass down “Yes, yes, dinner” He glanced around the kitchen then motioned to the living room “Please, sit down and make yourself comfortable or look around the place. Whatever you like.

Had he changed? He didn’t think so. He still wore the same plain type of clothing, listened to the same classical music, read the same kind of books and did the same thing he did every day. Not even his morning routine in getting ready for the day changed. Maybe people saw that as a bad thing but not him, he liked staying the same, it was…comforting. It was who he was, a part of him that was solid and reliable. Deep down he had always felt something was wrong with him, and he could never understand what. Staying the same and not allowing himself to change or take risks kept a feeling of stability he could count on. He knew who he was and no one could argue him on that. “I don’t think I have” he told her honestly, but he was glad she had changed, only because even though he stayed the same for his own comfort he felt it was healthy for people to grow and expand out with their lives and it seemed to have worked very well for France and her life.

He laughed when she wanted to stay and watch him and he found himself…well, he found himself nervous, like a boy going to play basketball infront of cheerleaders for the first time. He wanted to impress France even if she couldn’t eat the food he made, but she seemed interested in the fact he said he could cook and now he wasn’t so sure. He thought he could cook but maybe he was actually awful at it, it’s not like he cooked for anyone but himself, he never had a critic tell him he sucked. But he couldn’t tell her no, that was rude so he just shrugged “Of course, if you want too. Might be a bit boring” He didn’t do anything fancy like TV cook’s did on their programs, but if she wanted to watch he wasn’t going to deny her.

He began taking out pots and pans and ingredients, perfectly lining them up on the counter in the order he was going to use everything. He glanced to her as she sat on the table and felt his insides twist again. He had always found her so sexy in every little thing she did, it had driven him crazy back then and it still did now. He shook his head at her offer and he started to turn on the stove “No, no, I am more than happy to cook” Anyway, he liked the view where she was “And not really. I’ve been here for several years teaching, I do summer school so, I haven’t go on any vacations since I came here but Havelock is very eclectic, there’s always something new to do or see” Art shows, carnivals, flea markets, jazz festivals…he kept himself entertained.

When he came to her side he just grinned for he knew she wasn’t just going to sit there, she was far too curious. “A white wine sauce with penne pasta, thick sliced garlic bread and a tossed salad” He glanced to her as he spoke and chuckled “See? Told you I could cook” He said as he moved his hands make and fourth as he cut vegetables, poured things, drained them, stirred the cooking paste. He shifted when her hand touched him and he looked over at her again. He was going to tell her she didn’t need to worry about helping, but then suddenly her hand moved to his and he stared at her. He looked all over her face then moved his hand away from stirring to touch her face “I’ve missed you too” He murmured, looking down at her lips as well then her eyes “You’re so beautiful…” A kind of beauty that made him ache so badly he had to have her. He began leaning forward towards her lips…

And then suddenly her attention was elsewhere. He didn’t hear anything, so he looked puzzled for a moment before stepping back and wondering if him trying to kiss her had upset her “I’m…sorry, France, I-“ he began then stopped when she spoke and looked towards his door “What?” he asked in confusion then suddenly she was gone and he stood there frozen for a few moments. Had he angered her? What was she doing? Without even thinking he quickly followed her and once he went outside he could see the commotion off in the distance. He quickly ran over behind France then stared in horror at the scene “Good God!” He gasped, moving closer to the body and kneeled by her then looked at the footprints. Had one of the werewolf students done this?! He looked at the others “Did anyone see what happened?” He asked firmly.