Chapter Text
Your eye practically pops out of the peephole at the newcomer.
You open the door a little too fast.
"H-hello. The heat doesn't b-bother me. I'm just looking for a quiet place to rest...
Might I find some p-peace in your home?"
With the heat and everything, it's a little odd he's wearing a winter coat. But given his sickly pale blue skin, maybe all his winter clothing is protective.
You further inspect his eyes. They're vertical shaped. His short, messy black hair frames everything. His eyes especially give you red flags but you'll still bite.
"Who are you?" you ask.
His eyes visibly twitch upon your voice.
"It doesn't m-matter anymore. Are you wondering if I'm a Visitor?"
Oh I know you are buddy, you answer internally. Not sure why I'm still talking to you.
"I'm n-not. But I do have a request."
Anything.
You blink twice as your face warms. That can for sure be blamed on the heat though.
"I'll ask you later. I'm not sure I can tr-trust you with it yet."
You quirk a brow, shifting on your feet to lean on the doorway.
"The heat doesn't bother you?"
you've been wondering that.
"I'm always c-cold."
Yeah you can see it in his scrunched posture. His arms are crossed, preventing you from observing his nails.
"Others b-b-burn in the sun. I wrap myself in layers and still feel on the verge of fr-freezing."
You idly look around him, making sure nobody is trying to sneak up after.
"I'm afraid to take any layers off."
You refocus on him. Noticing his eyebrows almost look drawn on.
"What if it just gets worse? And there's no d-death to ease the suffering?"
"Damn, that's a bit off from clothing," you murmur, not even sure you make sense.
"Come in."
Because why not? You step back to the side.
"Th-thank you," he almost seems surprised by your choice.
"Ceiling is a b-bit low. But it's fine."
He turned his head as you so happened to. Resulting in unneeded closeness. Your noses nearly touched, hadn't you flinched back, with your fingertips touching your rifle.
You need to relax.
He was just walking past you- not going to bite your face off.
His unusual pupils lingered on the rifle as you brought your hand back at your side.
You kept eye contact, until he turns left to enter the living room.
Fuck was that? You criticize. People are definitely dying tonight.
Assuming you're letting humans in.
You've gotten into a rhythm of watching the news in bed. It blares in the brightly lit room. Honestly it's too bright to look out the windows during the day. The sun reflects everything.
You need more channels or something, because you can't shake last night off. That neutral look, with his attentive eyes.
You haven't worn proper pajamas in days.
Ever since the world went to shit, it's been easier not changing from your day clothes.
You leave the room, and close it behind you.
He's the only one in the living room. Delirious, and flustered, you let two other people in last night, but you're not concerned about them.
"If only there was a little w-warmth..." his voice got louder as you approached.
Shit.
You forgot your gun in your bedroom.
Well... "Green suits you." you gesture lightly at his sweater.
"S-s-suits me?" he's stunned once more, yet his expression is anything but.
There's so much more I could say.
"You're keeping the jacket on?" you interrupt.
The jacket guy is released from his stupor,
"Y-Yes, there's one thought that frightens me."
You idly shift your weight between your feet.
"What happens if I t-t-take it off? I can't get warm, even in the h-heat.
If I remove the jacket, will I d-die from the c-cold?"
He's scrunched, sitting on the couch holding his head in a satisfying way. From an photographer perspective.
"Or worse. Remain alive and feel even c-c-colder?"
How complicated. You hesitantly do something different. You sit next to him- an arm's length away, but still closer to anyone before.
A small snort escapes you at the passing thought.
"So you don't shower?"
Coat guy remains scrunched. His shoulders sag slightly.
"I'm n-not going to answer that question. S-Sorry."
He doesn't say anything.
You don't say anything.
What if you showered together? Goodness gracious- you wish you could leave the house.
You abruptly stand.
"It's too hot in here for me."
"Really?" he lifts his head without a stutter. It's a little jarring.
His arms are quickly crossed.
Unfortunately reminding you how- not once- you noticed his nails.
"I need to check you," you blurt, "your hands."
"N-Nails? Sure, I’ll show you." He shows you without issue.
Goodness gracious, you can't look away. Why does the blood look fresh??
"Hmm. I t-tore them all off."
Why?? You wanted to ask, but it's caught in your throat.
"Still, you can t-take a look...
Do you think my n-n-nails fit what they say about the Visitors?"
You rush to a specific part of the living room drawer.
"Mm, you can't really ch-check my hands when they're like th-this-" His eyes widen, do you have guns in every room?
"Forgive me... P-please don't shoot. There's s-s-something I'd like to tell you... But.. But..."
You freeze, the only thing moving is your head over your shoulder. It's odd hearing something so obviously not human, sound... afraid.
Instead of a gun, your hand rose to reveal a roll of bandages.
Bandages? His mind grows blank.
"You know, I'm t-tired of living like this," he watched you approach closely. His vertical pupils haven't changed.
"But you chose not to k-kill me."
You push the empty lounge chair closer to him, and sit down with scissors and the roll. You open your left palm to him. Incredibly squeamish with the nail-less beds of his hands.
"M-M-Meanwhile, somewhere else, someone else was k-killed in their own home," he kept going as he slowly left his hand on yours. His head tilts up. "Ever think about why that is?"
It could your mind playing tricks, but his hand is heavier than it's supposed to be. He's cold. It contrasts nicely against your warm, slightly sweaty palms. You focus entirely on wrapping. You've never had to bandage a hand before, or anything really, which explains why the roll of bandages look so new.
Once you're done with his first hand. His fingertips slowly push up your sleeve, then stay, right on your veins. The warmest part of you he can reach.
He can feel your heart beat spike when you looked at him, but said nothing.
Without a word, just heavy eye contact, he swapped his hands. He held his bandaged one across his side, while his untouched one rests back in your palm.
You repeat the process. Time feels slower this go around.
What was that about? You- what is going on. Eventually you'll name it, right?
"You feel nice," you whispered exactly what he was thinking.
"I mean, because it's severely hot outside and everything." Though there are no windows in the living room. "You're,"
The coat guy unfurls his hand from his side and felt both your hands. Even through the bandages, he felt your heart stutter like he would've had he pointed it out.
He's so cool, almost like an ice cube, your fingers intertwine with his vertically.
No, you'll play dumb. "You're the most unique person I've met." He'll just deny being a Visitor anyway, you reason.
Is all of him cold?
Holy- you need to get up, question others. You're spending too much time with him.
You stand, letting your hands lax, but then coat guy stands with you. Looking down at you slightly, he's focused on your hands together.
You're not about to shuffle all around the house, holding hands. At least not yet.
The image is funny.
"I..." Or, just check him. You know, to officially rule him as a Visitor. No other reason. "Need to check your eyes."
You'll get tired of standing. You awkwardly shift back on your chair across from him. He doesn't even look back to see if he lands back on the couch, but he does. Your hands are still lax, his aren't.
The cooling sensation is too nice to decline right away.
"Now... Eyes are a window to hell, not to the s-soul."
Coat guy mumbles, like he's not all there.
"My soul b-burned out long ago. Maybe that's why I'm so c-c-cold."
You lean, your hands tensing, almost bringing him closer with you.
His pupils are solid black, with no color. Elongated, yet steady on you. You couldn't see your reflection like you sometimes could with others.
Your pupils dilated slightly to make up for the light. That's it.
"Narrow p-pupils? Probably because the c-c-cold has tightened my skin."
Is it a lie? You'll never know.
"Shame the sun still b-burns me like everyone else. At least my flesh was w-warm as it charred."
He saw you look at his mouth, but he's not sure why. Are you going to check him again?
"Everyone speaks so cryptically," is all you murmur. "Show me your teeth."
"Mm... t-teeth?" Does he need to sound like that? So... what's the word? "Sure... T-take a look."
He had to unfortunately remove his hands from yours to show you.
Perfect white.
He's a Visitor. But you already knew that.
He brushes his hands on his legs.
"I bite my lips until they b-bleed sometimes..." he looks away for once. Like he's sharing a normal story. "Just to feel the warmth of my own b-b-blood."
You took his hand before he could curl it around himself. I'm definitely washing my hands after this, you internally wince at the germs, but keep it anyway.
"A reminder that I'm s-still alive..." he finishes his thought.
It's getting late. The light under the door is gone. Goodness, how much time did you spend with him?
"If you're so cold, why don't you join me?"
"Join y-you?"
"-In my room."
It's the apocalypse- you can shoot your shot. Assuming it lands.
"I have blankets. Maybe something could help." Your heart races. He slides his cold fingertips up your wrist to feel it.
"Okay," he's almost too quick with it. Like, going to maul you in your sleep, too quick with it. Oh well. He lets your hand go for once, crossing his arms as he stood. Ready to follow.
You push the chair back into place before opening the living room door. He follows with his arms crossed.
It's too dark to check the office, your second favorite room. First being your bedroom.
Especially now that you have company.
You check the blinds while coat guy waits like a vampire waiting to be verbally invited into your room.
There’s a deathly silence outside.
There’s no one there.
Even the drunks have decided not to go out.
Are they afraid of something?
Probably the same something you're about to let in your room.
"Ready?" you ask like it's a big event. You open the door.
It's cozy, in realtor terms.
He pretends to be more interested in the box TV.
"Oh, did you want blankets, or did you..." why is this so damn embarrassing? Knowing what you know about him. "Did you want to, y'know, lay parallel to me, at an appropriate distance?" I'm a loser, is what your mind defaults to. What kind of person says that? Goodness, maybe I'm the Visitor.
"I'm probably warmer." What am I even going on about?
"Yes." The coat guy answered so crisply.
"Yes?" you echo, your shock evident.
"Y-you ha-have more of a ch-chance of b-being warmer. I a-a-accept."
You blink.
He clambers on the bed, further from the door, closer to the TV, with his arms wrapped around his midsection.
You slowly close the bedroom door. Genuinely surprised by your charisma.
"I haven't slept with blankets since it's so hot, but I'll get you some," you give a little nod.
I have a Visitor in my bed. You clumsily close the bedroom door as you leave it.
"And he's fine??" you ruminate with yourself.
There's a knock at the door.
Your shoulders sag with a groan. You'll put a sign up.
You know the living room is empty so you waltz in there, searching for marker and something to write on.
"With fine shyt, do not disturb!" you whisper aloud your scribbles. "Exclamation mark. Done." Who cares if no one understands it but you?
You dig for tape.
You dismissed the stranger at first glance. In your defense, they looked like a Visitor. The perfect teeth is a giveaway.
Now... coat guy's perfect teeth... a total different story.
You rub your hands together with a cheesy expression; before locking in with a handful of blankets, and a small cough to clear your throat. "All the blankets from the living room. There's some more in the office, but I don't want to wake anyone."
You carefully walk around to coat guy. Who's laying there like you're going to bury him in a coffin of blankets.
"Okay." His hands don't leave his midsection.
You fan out each blanket, specifically on him. Ten whole blankets. Many of them were random gifts before the apocalypse. Each different holiday themes. The last one, ironically being winter themed.
"Slightly better?" you ask.
He shrugs now, but he's tucked in. Embedded even.
You're fine in your jeans and long sleeved shirt. No blanket can hold you down. It's too warm for that.
"Shit, the lamp is on your side." you won't ask him to leave his cocoon.
You spring up and turn it off, feeling the TV stand to know your direction in the small room. You feel relief the moment your palms touch the empty spot where you'll be.
The room is drowned in cyan light. The white sheets, and lamp cover almost look radioactive.
You shift on your back; staring at the peeling ceiling you should've gotten fixed before the world went wrong.
"I've never shared a bed with someone before," you whisper, the deepness of the night making you feel looser. Plus just having something to listen.
"It's nice so far," you yawn. But you're still awake.
"Any ideas on what to do for your temperature?"
Coat guy is quiet for a bit, taking in the scenery.
"Hmm... I d-don't believe I can change this.
A hot bath only b-burns me. I don't feel any warmer."
How unfortunate.
"You know... I thought of a m-m-metaphor."
You shift on your side, showing your full attention.
"Picture deep space. Vast and fr-frozen. Galaxies are born. Stars c-collapse. ...And I just observe."
"I sort of get that," you murmur, not wanting to interrupt entirely.
Coat guy lingers, noticing your eyes closed to picture it.
"I'll never feel the heat of the s-s-sun. Or the w-warmth of an embrace.
It seems neither s-space nor society need me."
Your eyes pop open. Lazily adjusting to focus on him.
"I think... I... need you," you offer. "In the sense that I like your presence! Nothing else. Unless, no- that's crazy. Unless? No, I'll shut up- go on?"
But that's all he had to say.
His expression never changes. You're not sure it can.
His eyes paint your face.
Actively seeking your meaning.
Okay, he's not speaking, so... "You said something about a warmth of an embrace?"
You're shooting everything without a gun!
Coat guy opens his mouth, then closes it. He looks at his midsection. Even buried under blankets, he's still got his arms around himself.
"Another t-time."
"Right, cool. Another time."
You echo.
You shift to face the other side.
HOLY- another time??
You need to chill out.
Hey, you put up that do not disturb sign.
Nobody else should knock tonight.