Apartment 13 (Paranormal Slash, MxM)

Apartment 10

        Heinrich opted out of going to apartment eight because the kids were in the middle of getting an earful from their mother about breaking the television. How they managed that, who knew? So instead he went to check on Mrs. Eisenberg in apartment ten. She was an old woman but spritely. Even though she wasn’t in terribly poor health death would come to knock on her door in a year or two. Because of that, along with traces of fae blood in her, she could see Heinrich. They both enjoyed each other’s company and relished in their shared German heritage. She was interesting and engaging and sometimes Heinrich wondered, if his circumstances had been different, that would have ended up with someone like her and grown old as well.

                He phased through her door and his eyes widened when he found that she wasn’t alone.          

                “Now, Mrs. Eisenberg, you know why I’m here don’t you?” A man about Leslie’s age or a little older in ugly blue scrubs asked as he sat across from her. In his favorite chair no less.

                She waved a hand dismissively.  “I told you to call me Rosalinde, Miguel.” She tugged at her burgundy sweater and sighed. “And yes. Because my good for nothing daughter insists I need someone to take care of me. Can never leave me in peace, that one.”

                The man, called Miguel, stopped a smile from forming on his lips. Everyone knew that Mrs. Eisenberg was inclined to insult those she cared about the most. Her daughter being one of them. “Now you know that’s not true. She cares about you. And you know you haven’t been taken care of your health like you should. I’m here because she asked me to stay with you and make sure you do what you need to.” He reached over and grabbed her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I care about you, Mrs. E.”

                She looked at him and the scowl on her face visibly softened. She sighed and pulled her hand away. “Alright, alright. Go fix me something to eat if you’re so keen on caring for me.” 

                Miguel just grinned and shook his head before he got up and wandered into the kitchen.

                When he heard the tell tale banging of pots, Heinrich decided to make himself known as he phased into the chair the mysterious man had just vacated. He didn’t say anything at first, just rose an eyebrow at Rosalinde.

                “Oh, I didn’t see you there Heinrich. How are things?” She asked nonchalantly.

                He didn’t answer her, just cocked his head to the side slightly.

                She made a face and rolled her eyes. “Oh don’t look at me like that you old coot. I have been taking care of myself just fine thank you. Miguel is just a friend of my daughter’s. As crazy as her too. He insisted on staying with me to make sure I'm alright.” She offset her own words by hacking out a cough. “Honestly, when you’re young you have to be babysat, never thought the same thing would happen when you got old too. Now enough about that. How’s Leslie? He still driving you mad?”

                Heinrich crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair. He decided to let it go. “Not anymore than usual. We have a new roommate though, surprisingly. Reginald apparently arranged it without our knowing. His name is Edwin. A bit of a spoiled brat if you ask me. I will be glad for the day when they leave.”

                The old women snorted. “Oh you don’t mean that. You get as lonely as I do sometimes.”

                He frowned. “I prefer being alone. You know that.”

                “If that’s the case, what are you doing here?”

                Before he could answer, Miguel walked into the room. “Mrs. E, you have hardly anything. I’ll do some shopping tomorrow, I guess. Would you settle for some soup?”

                Her eyes flickered from the chair to the man and she grinned. “That’ll do fine dear.”

                “Alright. It’ll only take a bit.”

                Heinrich watched the man turn and head back towards the kitchen. Miguel stopped in the doorway and looked around the room, his eyes staying on the empty chair next to her for a bit longer than necessary. “Is there anything else you want? Water, maybe?”

                “Sure. Sure. Hop to it, I haven’t got all night, you know.”

                Miguel gave her a grin that Heinrich most certainly did not find charming and disappeared into the kitchen.

                “He’s going to think you’re in need of hospitalization if he catches us talking.” Heinrich said easily. He was a master at changing the subject.

                Rosalinde smiled at him. “Well I must be a loon for putting up with you for as long as I have.”

                Heinrich just smiled back.

                He spent a bit more time talking to Rosa before Miguel came back with a hot bowl of soup. He watched as the young man doted on her like she was a fragile old thing before she swatted him with a spoon. Miguel was smart enough to know when enough was enough and instead set about to clean the apartment.

                 Rosalinde was a bit of a clutterholic. She attached feelings to almost every little object and when Heinrich was alone he often wondered that when she did pass on that her memories would live on in the broken coo coo clock on the shelf, the music box that no matter how much scrubbing would always have a thin layer of dust on it, and the beautiful floral scarf she tied around the doorknob of the closet but never wore. It made him miss his own things. Though at this point he couldn’t even remember what they were.

        He stayed there until she fell asleep and eventually, Miguel, who had opted to sleep on the couch because he decided he wasn’t cleaning out Mrs. Eisenberg’s guest room any time soon. Heinrich had often stayed in the living room while Rosalinde slept , simply enjoying the atmosphere of her apartment. He felt like he could feel the warm of the cozy little apartment despite being a ghost. Yet he somehow felt like he was invading the man’s privacy by being in the same room with him while he slept. He watched Miguel for a brief moment. Something was different about the young man but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He stared at the way the man’s dark eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks and the way his black haired curled slightly, especially around his ears. His naturally bronzed skin was flawless and blemish free except for a quarter sized birthmark on his jaw that didn't take away from his looks so much as give him character.

       Heinrich froze. He was ogling. Shaking his head, he vanished in a mist of vapors back to his apartment.

       He made it just in time to see Edwin and Leslie stumbling in, a broomstick in tow. Edwin disappeared into the kitchen to feed and Leslie plopped down on the couch exhausted, dropping the broom on the floor.

       "Ah so you've taken up Quidditch?" Heinrich asked.  Leslie gave him the finger.

I've made a tumblr page for my writing. ^^ It won't have full stories on their but one shots, prompts, and stuff like that. Also information about my stories and such. http://blankpapyrus.tumblr.com/ I promise to follow back, as well. <3 Comment?