Elijah's Son Chapter 4: "Goodnight, Son"

(JOSHUA'S POV)

Luckily Uncle Nik came down soon and I was sitting on the couch with Elij- Dad on one end while I was on the other. Uncle Nik had decided to sit on his usual one-seater. The two talked about business or something while I played with my fingers trying to figure out an excuse to leave.

Before I could, however, Uncle Nik got up and said, "I have some business I need to attend to, you two should talk," he sends a pointed look in Elijah's direction before patting my shoulder as he walks away. Shifting so I could face him, I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind, "Do you always wear suits?"

Immediately, I close my mouth as a blush settles across my face and I shrink back some more. Except, it doesn't look like Dad (wow, that feels foreign to think about) minds as he nods and answers,"I do, yes." I nod and look around the room before catching sight of the time on my watch.

"Uhh, I need to go finish some homework. If you don't mind," I add the last part and he smirks before shaking his head as he says, "Of course I don't but what do you have to do?" I think about what is immediately due tomorrow and say, "Math and English, I think." He nods before asking me, "Do you need help?" I shake my head but recognize his attempt to spend more time together and ask, "I don't but you can come and keep me company."

I didn't know if that was exactly what he had in mind but luckily, he just smiled before nodding and telling me, "Sure," I lead the way to my bedroom and thank god that my room is usually clean as we walk in. While I take a seat at the desk he wanders over to the library Uncle Nik and I built together when I was younger before asking"Do you enjoy reading?"

Turning to face him from where I was sitting at my desk I nodded "Uh, yeah, a lot. I read any opportunity I get," I say and he takes out one of my books flipping to a random page. Realizing it might be impolite to keep him standing I clear my throat before asking him "You could sit," before he raises an eyebrow at me and I add," I mean, I-if you want."

Nodding, he takes the book and sits on the edge of my bed. Flipping through it he looks up as he asks me, "Are you into a lot of classical literature." I look at the title as he holds up the book and nod before getting off my chair and walking over to the bookshelf. Scanning the plethora of books, I found what I was looking for and picked it out before handing it to him, "I am, but you can never go wrong with a little bit of Harry Potter."

He takes the book from my hands as I settle back into my chair before grabbing my notebook and binder from my backpack. Deciding to start with math because it was just a problem set, I take out the worksheet and open a clean sheet in my notebook to start working on the problems.

As I chewed on the edge of my pen trying to figure out the equation to use for the first problem my phone buzzed and without looking up I put it on speaker before hearing, "Hey, cutie." My eyes widen as Alexia giggles and before she could say anything else I turn off the speaker and hold it against my ear, blushing as I catch sight of Dad’s raised eyebrow.

"Hey," I stretch out the word as I massage the back of my neck and we make small talk for a while before she exhales and groans out, "Help. Math, please." Smiling, I laugh to myself and nod before asking, "What do you need help with?" Looking at number nine, I raise an eyebrow as it's the challenge question our teacher puts in and it takes the both of us a while before we're able to come up with a somewhat suitable answer.

"Are you sure that's right," I ask her as I scratch the side of my head and my eyes roam over the page and can almost see her shrugging as she says, "Well, it looks right." I smirk and am about to say bye before she asks me, "Have you started the English project." I groan and smack myself in the forehead before muttering, "Haven't even started."

She laughs at my misery which makes me narrow my eyes as she says, "Well, it seems like you have an all-nighter." Not wanting to focus on my own misery at the moment, I lean back and ask her what homework she has left and heard some shuffling before she answers, "After math and English, which is just editing, I have more editing for another project."

Deciding to tease her I rhetorically ask, "So you have an all-nighter," she must have picked up on my tone as she lightly growls before muttering, "I hate high school."

I laugh and she sighs before I tell her, "Anyway, I got to go but if you have any questions just text me," I hear her laugh and smile as she says, "Such a gentleman. Good night handsome." Closing my eyes I whisper, "Night, Beautiful," and hear her giggle before she hangs up.

I sit back before jumping in surprise when Dad clears his throat, I may have forgotten he was there and he doesn't look up from his book as he asks, "Was that a friend from school?" Awkwardly, I nod before elaborating, "I've known her since elementary school."

I think I see a ghost of a smile on his face before he looks up from the book and closes it. Standing up he says, "That's nice. I should probably let you get back to work. So, I'll leave you to it," I nod and freeze in surprise as he places a fatherly kiss on the top of my head before brushing the top of my hair back and saying, "Goodnight, son."

Not knowing how to react, I stay silent and he takes that as his cue to leave but before he can walk out I stutter out, "Thanks," he freezes at the door and I take the opportunity to continue, "Goodnight, Dad." He turns back and smiles at me before nodding and walking out.

Once my door is closed, I groan once I remember all the homework I have left to complete and speed through math before starting my English project that I was supposed to start 2 weeks ago. Luckily, being a vampire I didn't need to worry about hunger or thirst except for taking a drink out of the water bottle of blood that I had in my room.

As I finally manage to finish the project I catch sight of the time on my phone, 1:30 am. I look at my bed before yawning as I think that falling asleep on my desk wouldn't be a good idea and muttered, "I should get up," to myself before laying my head down on my desk and muttering, "In a minute."

Just one minute...