Ethically Speaking

1.6

•- Quincie Jackson -•

Over the next few days, I spent my nights at Elijah's apartment caring for Max and eating a lot of his food. I had made a list and intended to buy everything I'd eaten to replace what I took but when I told him of my plans one evening on a video call, he told me it was unnecessary and that he was thankful I was finally eating some of the things he found too tiring to make after long workdays.

We would call almost twice a day where he would check up on Max and I would ask about his mother whose health was improving greatly and she swore up and down it was because of me.

I thought it was kind and a wonderful thought to have.

Elijah would be arriving home in the next few days. Our coursework had been managed online and he'd send assignments via email for completion. Mine were always turned in on time and tonight especially he chose to tease me for it.

"You're always the first to submit your assignments," he points out with a humored laugh, "I'm just saying you are a lot more motivated than I ever was."

I roll my eyes at him with a smile before jotting down my notes from another class.

This was how I'd spend my evening. Elijah and I would be on call while I did my homework. We'd occasionally work on our project but it proved difficult as he didn't think to pack his novel in the panicked rush of him leaving not that I blamed him.

I was sat on the floor with my laptop on the coffee table. Max was laying on the couch behind me groaning every so often in his sleep which came to not bother me the more I was around him. When I'd returned from my last lecture of the day I traded my clothes for one of Elijah's shirts and a pair of shorts so I wasn't lounging about in my jeans and whatnot.

"I'm an overachiever. You and I both know it," I sigh as I drop my pen to my notebook as I had lost interest in what I was writing.

"Yeah but it fits you. Kind of like my shirt," his eyebrow lifts as if he'd just realized I was wearing his philosophy pun shirt once more. I had washed all the clothes I'd worn and folded them. I put them all in their appropriate drawers and I never snooped as much as Grace tried to convince me I should.

I had a bag of my clothes sitting on the floor by his bed but for some reason, my pajama never brought me as much comfort as his clothes did and so I'd disregarded my pajamas and chose to wear his shirts instead. It was a bit inappropriate as he was my professor but I was not going to change my ways anytime soon.

Comfort above all else.

I look down at the shirt itself and smile. "Are you fond of it?"

His shoulders shrug, "I've got lots of nerdy philosophy shirts, why?"

I feel my heartbeat pound against my chest as the next words leave my mouth, "I'm stealing it."

He laughs a hollering laugh at this and it was music to my ears.

"Alright, fine. It looks better on you than it could ever on me."

My body ignites with a flame at his comment and to try and conceal the blush brought on from my sudden hit of heat, I turn my head to look at Max who was sleeping soundly on the couch after we'd just gone on a walk together.

"So," I clear my throat, "What time are you coming home? So I can hide the body and flee the scene and set you up for murder?"

Elijah shakes his head amusedly, "You found my Law and Order Collection, haven't you?"

I shrug my shoulders in response and look up to the TV where a paused episode was waiting for my return.

"I'll be home on Thursday and prepped and ready for Friday's class. My plane gets in around 4."