Compulsions (Kellic & Cashby)

Chapter One

Alan's POV

I woke up at 9am which felt weird cause I swear it's Friday and I should be waking up at 6am, not 9am. This was already bringing panic into my body as is. I sat up and stretched before getting out of bed and going to the kitchen to get some coffee. It was the same routine every day and I loved it.

I grabbed my mug and filled it almost to the top, adding milk and sugar. I make a cup for Vic and plant it on the counter before heading down to get the paper. I walked slowly, tapping the wall three times every three steps. It was a process to get downstairs, but we only lived on the third floor so it wasn't terrible. I was actually pretty thankful we lived on the third floor.

When I got downstairs I grabbed the paper and stopped when I saw a moving truck outside. Weird. I headed back upstairs, taking a little bit more time than usual. I sighed as I looked through the mail carefully, most of it was bills.

"Vic?" I called walking back into our apartment, locking the door behind me.

"Yeah?" He asked, walking to the door, his hair messed up from sleep.

"Did you get your coffee?"

"I was just going to get it-yes I know, I'm a couple of minutes late," he said, giving me a tired look. "I accidentally hit snooze on my alarm."

I smiled, "Here's the paper, paper, paper."

Vic smiled and took it from me. "Thanks," he murmured. "Newspapers and coffee is the best mixture in the world."

"What's your plan for the day?" I asked sitting at the table.

"To get most of my grading done," he said and took a drink of the coffee and smiled at me. "Perfect like always, Al."

"I know that. I make it the same every since day."

"And it's perfect every single day."

I nodded quickly, tapping a finger three times on my mug.

"Wanna help me grade?" He asked, reading over a page.

"What time do you leave for work?"

"It's Saturday Alan."

"Saturday!? No, it can't be Saturday!"

He gave me a slow nod. "Yeah, it's Saturday, I'm off."

"I have to finish three manuscripts today. I thought today was Friday!"

"You should probably get to work then," he said.

"They, they they-" I stopped, "They are due in less than an hour."

"I'll help you," he said and set his coffee down.

"Will you?"

"Of course, I mean, if we're being honest, I do have an English degree so I can be pretty useful."

"Trust me, I know."

He flashed me a smile and finished his coffee. "Let's get to work."

"Yeah, yeah." I said my leg bouncing quickly, "Yeah."

"That means get up," he said, standing up himself.

"I'm working on it."

He chuckled and went to grab the manuscripts.

"I'm probably gonna lose my job now." I said holding my head in my hands, "And then I'll have no income, income, income and then I can't pay bills, then you'll kick me out and I'll have to live outside with all the germs and watch them fester on my skin!"