Trustworthy help

17. Changes.

I don't hear anything all night.

It's Monday so I'm at work again. The day goes by slowly as lecture the new group about what is going to happen in the next week. After half the day, Marksen takes the group over and I head to the classroom. I didn't prepare a proper class, but I'll make do. The group comes in and takes their seat. I start class and explain the basics and why it's important to know first aid. Along with that I give them some examples of situations they may come across. Luckily, after two hours I'm done, so I'll be home early.

I sigh as I sit down in my car and take off my beret. I look at my phone to see I have no messages.

The drive home seems to take forever even though it's thirty minutes. I stop at corpse's place to check on him.
He gave me a key, in case something happened and I need to come, or simply when I want to stop by. So I unlock the door and step inside. 'Corpse?' The living room and kitchen are empty. 'Corpse?' I pop my head into his office, but he's not there either. Though his computer is on, showing for sale apartments. They're small and cheep, not the best looking places. I knew he was having problems with money, but is it so bad he has to go that far? I should ask. I want to ask if he wants to move in. I have two extra rooms.

I carefully open the bedroom door, to see him laying down. The braces on. Is he asleep? I walk over and kneel down next to the bed. His eyes peek out from behind the sheets 'Hey.' I say softly. He smiles back, maybe tired to say something back knowing it takes effort for him. 'I came back to check how you're doing.' I tell him. His hand moves from under the covers, brace around it. 'How are the arms?' He moves his fingers stiffly to show there's no difference at all. How come he's still in bed? He normally gets up at seven. I take his hand in mine as I lean against the bed. 'Nice uniform.' He says. He surprises me by the extreme rough voice. He's not feeling well. 'I wouldn't have worn it if it weren't for wanting to see you first.' I say embarrassed. I'm not one to show off the fact that I'm in the army by walking around in my uniform. 'I wanted to suggest something.' I say. 'Yeah?' I nod and shift around so I'm facing him. 'How about I return the favor?' I ask. He frowns, probably confused by what I mean. 'Stay at my place till things settle down. It'll be better for both of us.' He moves to sit up 'I don't want you to ask out of pity.' He says. I chuckle, I knew he would say that. 'Who says I am?' Again he frowns, not understanding me. 'What if it's because I want you to stay?' He looks away, not able to hide his smile. 'It doesn't have to be permanent, if you still want to go looking for a place to live, you can. But you can say up this apartment and stay with me till you do. If you want to.' I say. 'It doesn't have to be permanent?' He asks as he raises one eyebrow. 'What if I want it to be?' I look at him, shocked by his words. 'Uhm.... I mean.....' I feel my face heat up 'if you want, it could be permanent.' I say.

And there we go.

About a week later, his stuff is in my apartment. The big furniture isn't yet besides his computer and desk, his bed, and night stands. His bedroom is completely set up though he hasn't slept there. He's unable to end the rent on his apartment for a couple of months, but him living here makes the water Bill and the electricity Bill a lot less. It'll be a hard time for him. He's out of his usual place, paying for an apartment he doesn't live in while having to pay extreme medical bills. I want this place to feel more like home to me, seeing how he refers to it as a house, like he did to his own apartment too. I got all my stuff in place and unpacked, but everything is mine. So we stand in the kitchen deciding who's cups are better. His stay, mine go. For the plates it were mine who were better, so his go. We do that with everything we have double.

'The kitchen is both of ours now.' I say happily. Corpse chuckles 'you know I really didn't mind that it was your stuff, right?' He says. 'But I did.' I say. There is a walk in closet in the hallway upstairs where both his and my clothes are in it. It starts to look more and more like our apartment, instead of mine. Pebbles had already found her way to the bed, purring on his side. Though he seems happy about living together now, he seems unhappy about something too. His arms are doing a little better but he's still not doing any work. He spends his time in bed, mostly. Or helping me out around the place.

I sit on the couch with him as I go through files for work and he watches tv. 'We need to get your tv.' I say as I read the name on the file. 'You sure you can't change the brightness on yours?' He asks. 'I tried a couple of times, but I don't think so.' I say. He hums. A short silence falls again before his phone rings. He hesitates to pick up. I don't listen to the conversation as I read through my work until he sounds shocked. 'Wait what?' His eyes are wide open as he leans forward. 'Since when?' He holds his hand on his forehead as he leans on his knee. 'Okay, I will. Keep me updated.' He says before hanging up. He sits in silence, staring at the ground for a while before tearing up and breaking down. 'Why that too?' I move closer and hug him, having laid the files down. He shakes a little as he sobs 'I don't fucking know anymore. How fucked up can things get?' He says. I move back a hold his face, making him look at me. I wipe his tears 'what happened?' I ask. 'My mom has cancer. She got diagnosed a couple of days ago.' He says. I sigh and look at his sad expression. 'They told me nearly two weeks later.' He says as he moves his head away. That's probably what hurts him the most right now. I move to I sit on his lap and hug him tightly. 'What do I do?' He says as he pulls me even closer. I rub his back, not knowing how to answer.
I don't know what he should do.

And worse, I don't know what I can do for him.