Heaven's Humble House (Private)

"Seeking room mate, no smokers. Call Heaven Dupre for more information." His dark green eyes narrowed as his lips formed the digits of his cell phone number. Breath became a snort of rage, "I told him to put Mike Dupre, but the ass insisted on the driver's liscense name." Throwing the newspaper down onto the glass coffee table, Heaven rose to call the paper to complain. His watch caught his attention when he reached for the phone, too late to reach the offices today, but curse it, he had to wait until after school to even get his paper!

The male stalked across the living room of his rented house; pacing the floor, he muttered to himself. After a time, he realized even if he got the ad changed, it was too late, some one had seen it today. He groaned and threw himself onto the big comfy couch he'd had since moving here. There was nothing he could do now but pray for the best, that no one called until it was fixed.

The male looked over at the briefcase on the table under the newspaper and shrugged. Grading papers could wait until he'd eaten dinner, at least. Heaven stood and made his way over to the kitchen and began the makings of a salad and tomato soup meal.

Natsumi was looking through a newspaper ads for a available apartment space.or house space. She wanted to leave the house cause it was time to leave, she didn't want to leave the house because of her mom but she wanted to be close to her college. She keep looking until she a ad saying "looking for room mate no smokers. Call heaven dupre for more information." Natsumi thought that would be good for her she went into her room and got her cell and went back down and called the person."mmm heaven such a nice name" she thought while it was ringing.

He'd managed to get the salad into a bowl when his cell phone started ringing. He cursed under his breath as he rushed to answer it. "Hello?" Heaven put the phone between his shoulder and ear, balancing it while finishing dishing up his dinner. He set the bowls down on the coffee table in the living room. He nearly swore again when he realized he'd forgotten his drink and silver wear.

He grabbed the missing items and sat down on the couch. "What can I do for you?"

When Natsumi heard the person on the other line she thought to her self "mmmm this person sounds familiar." "Hello I was looking in the ads in the paper and I was looking for a place that os close to my college and it seems that your place is a good distance to the school. I was wondering how much would I owe you each month and I was hoping a tour of your place to?" She hope that this place would be the perfect spot. And hope things could work out.

He rubbed his tired eyes, knowing that was going to be a longer night than he'd thought. The girl, or at least he thought it was a girl, asked him a bunch of questions. He closed his eyes and counted to ten silently before answering her. "It's walking distance to both the middle school and a local college, whether it's your college I don't know." He leaned back on the couch, relaxing the body that was still too tense from class, and his earlier rage.

"Monthly payment would be roughly a third of the rent, which includes water, electricity, internet, and that kind of stuff. I can give tours on weekends or two hours after school ends." Heaven closed his eyes and his eyebrows furrowed; why did her voice sound familiar? He must have heard her in the market or something. He sighed almost imperceptibly when he realized his dinner was going to be stone cold by the time he could get to it.

"Mmmm okay" she was litening to the person talking about the place she he said that he could give her a tour of the place on the weekend or for two hours after he gets off from work. "Okaay then I would like to schedule a tour this saturday does that sound good?" Natsumi looked at the clock and saw that it was kind of late "well mr. Dupre it is getting late I shall see you this weekend then? Have a good day and ill see you soon goodbye." She hung up the phone she still couldn't put her finger on it as to where she heard his voice.

He barely had time to confirm the tour for Saturday before she was talking quickly and hanging up. Heaven stared at the once again silent phone in his hand. "Odd." He shrugged and closed the phone, tossing it down on the couch beside him. The male looked at the lukewarm soup and sighed; he picked up the bowl and placed it in the microwave to reheat, slamming the door and walking away when it clicked on.

Back in the living room, he glared down at the salad before eating it, his appetite basically gone by now. The papers could wait a while longer; he sighed as he stood to grab the soup when the microwave beeped. Heaven didn't feel like eating, but he knew that good nutrition was essential to brain power, and boy, would he need his brain functioning at its max for the next week. Middle school kids and exams didn't get along very well, plus he had that girl coming in two days for a tour of his place. He groaned as he sat the bowl on the counter; this week was going to be torture, and just thinking about it, he needed a nap. Instead, Heaven ate his soup, washed the dishes, and sat down to grade classwork.

Hours later, dark green eyes caught sight of the time, and a mutter crossed his lips; it was already one in the morning, and he had to be back up at five. Carefully, he piled the now graded papers back into his briefcase, made sure the doors and windows were locked, showered, and went to bed. It was going to be one of those days, and he knew it and knew he'd need his rest. His last thought before turning off the light was a hope that that girl hadn't gone to the park tonight without someone to protect her.

"Maybe I was going a little bit to fast for him"she said putting down her phone and going to her rom to get ready for bed. She thought about what heaven said "it sounds like a reasonable price for part of it." "Oh well we'll see how it goes down this Saturday." She said getting in her night gown and getting in bed.

He crawled out of bed and glared at the clock. It was too early to be up on a Saturday; then again, Heaven had no idea when the girl was going to show up. The past two days had passed in a blur, and he was having trouble remembering exactly what he taught in class yesterday. The days only got shorter, and the kids only got more mischievous. He groaned as he stood and stretched, cracking his back and neck before moving away from the bed.

The male made his way to the single bathroom and turned on the shower. He slipped out of his plaid night pants and into the water; the steam curled his hair, and he reveled in the feel of the hot spray on his skin. Guiltily, Heaven washed quickly and turned the water off. There was no telling how long he could have stayed standing there otherwise; however, he relaxed as he pulled on a pair of jeans and a tank shirt. He ran his fingers through his still wet hair and wandered into the living room.

Sitting there on his coffee table was the briefcase and papers he'd just tossed down last night. Dark green eyes narrowed as he passed by it on his way to get a cold coke; nothing else seemed to wake him up these days. He chugged from the plastic bottle and walked back over to the couch. He set the open bottle down and checked his phone; at least the girl hadn't called yet, so his morning wasn't too off-kilter yet. He opened the brief case and dug out the papers that still needed grading; he slipped on a small pair of glasses and settled into the process of scoring each paper, something that he could -and often did- submerge in for hours.

NATSUMI woke up with the sun shining on her. Her eyes fluttered open, she sat up in her bed and stretched. She looked around her room with the sun shining. Through out her room, she smiled and got out of her queen size bed, she stretched again and looked at her calender and saw that it was Saturday "wow its already Saturday? " she remembered that she had to meet with this heaven guy. She mad her way to her bathroom and turned on the shower,she sliped off her blue sky gown and went in the shower. After her shower she brushed her teeth and fixed her hair in a ponytail and went downstairs to fix her some cereal. Her mom was still sleeping she dosent get up til two. She sat down ate her cereal. Sje needed to see what time would be best to com and see it.she would hope that he call he first.

He'd stopped to eat an early lunch, but the girl still hadn't called. Maybe she wasn't as interested as she'd sounded, or perhaps she'd already found a place; still, Heaven figured he'd call the number that was still on his phone to find out. He looked around the room until he remembered that his cell was on the couch where he'd left it last night. He grabbed the phone and hit the call back button. He stood near the window, drinking from his coke occasionally while the phone rang; his nerves weren't the best, but he was determined to know what was going on.

Natsumi was in the living.room reading a book she was trying to finish. She fixed her mom some lunch while she was at the hospital helping patients. She had the house to her self and she was reading a book that she was trying to finish. After two hours she she finished her book "wow what a good book have to get the sequal." She put her book down and went to her room she wanted to see if she had enough clothes. She looked through her stuff and found out that she needed more Jean's "I think its timely to go shopping."she said with delightshe went back downstairs got her keys and phone just in case the guy calls about space. Went out locked the door and walked to the mall.



[Natsumi has left home and went shopping ]

[NOTE: This is a phone call. Natsumi is still in the mall at this point; that thread can be found here.]

He cleared his throat and listened to the ringing of the phone, would she never pick up the phone? He stared out the window and tried to find some calm and balance in his day.

"hello," her voice was music to his ears after the interminable buzzing of the phone ringing.

Finally! He heard her voice with a feeling of deja vu, but shook it off, "Hi. We uh, well, we never set down a time for you to come tour the place. I'd like to know when it'd be a good time for you?" He touched the window, unfamiliar with this unsure feeling.

"Oh um, we still got time," she paused for a short time. "How about I meet you right now?" she said questionably.

"Anytime between now and five tonight will be fine," he suggested, panicking that he wouldn't have time to clean up the little mess he'd had.

"Oh, okay," there was another pause before he heard her voice again, "okay it's two thirty now; lets say three thirty?"

He nodded once before realizing the girl couldn't see him. "Sounds fine. I'll see you then." He moved the phone from his ear and closed it with a solid click, effectively ending the phone call.

"Oh okay. See you soon." He heard distantly just before the call terminated. It sounded like she was sad, but he refused to call her back, and instead he put the cell down. There wasn't much to do, and the papers he had left would be finished before the hour was over; instead he cleaned the dishes and threw the empty coke bottles away before settling down to finish grading the papers. A sense of something filled him: a neighbor of foreboding and finality, but also related to accomplishment.

Natsumi was walking to heavens house. As she was walking she was thinking how this heven guy looked like. She was walking and thought that his voice sounded so familiar to her but she couldn't figure it out "oh well maybe it will come to me soon" she took out the paper where he tolder the his place was "ah here it is" she said looking at the place "its looks like a nice place to stay and he did say that it was a good walking distance to schools. She went up the stairs and rung the doorbell as she waited for him to come to the door. She straight her hair abd clothes so she could look presentable.

Heaven stretched and stuck the stack of papers into his briefcase, snapping it closed with relish. A smile crossed his lips before disappearing back into his usual serene look. He cracked his back and grabbed the latest bottle of coke, cracking his neck as he walked to the kitchen to throw away the leftovers from his snack. Then the doorbell rang.

Just what he needed to top off this perfect day! An unannounced visitor; he carefully set down his drink and took two slow breaths, calming himself down. He never knew what people saw, but his serene expression rarely left his face; it wasn't cultivated, it was the natural look he had. He opened the door, and stared in shock. "You're the girl looking for a place?" Heaven wasn't normally rude, but these were strange circumstances; the girl from the park was the girl from the phone. And now she knows my name.

The sun glinting on her silver -yes, really silver!- hair fairly blinded him. "Oh, ah, come on in, young lady." He had to squint so his eyes wouldn't water, even as he mentally cursed his sudden lack of manners. He opened the door wider and stood to the side, giving her plenty of room to enter the house.

As the door opened her smile turned into a shock face as to see who was at the door "m-m-mike?" She said pointing to mike or who is now heaven. "Wow this is a surprise " mi heaven invited her inside his house. She steeped in she looked around the place it was nice and big as she was walking she saw a big window that over looked the lake "wow this is pretty neat. I bet you look out here all the time." Sje said with a smile. She continued to walk and saw two bed rooms bother a good size she went into the empty room "this looks like the space that my room is" she said looking in the big room. She went back out and went into the dining room then into the kitchen, the kitchen was was really nice. Afyer looking around she looked at heaven "well this is a nice place I like it already"she said smiling "so when can I move in?.

Heaven couldn't get over his shock. This girl, Natsumi, was no longer roaming the dark; now she was wandering around his house too! She was at the window, so he spoke, "Sunsets are wonderful from that window, and there's no danger of running anyone over, either." He'd had time to finish the sentence, and she was off going through his house. He closed the door, followed her, and listened to her comments, occasionally nodding, but he had trouble finding his voice. Finally, the miniature whirlwind stopped after looking at every room in the house. "I'm glad you like my humble abode. There is no other room mate, so moving in anytime will not be much of a problem, but are you sure you don't want to think it over before committing yourself, Natsumi?"


His outer serenity held, but inside he was a jumble of nerves and conflicting emotions. Is it really all right to agree to have a girl move in? Especially one who I'm alternately comfortable with and confused by; one who leaves me breathless trying to keep up? He figured it wasn't a good idea, but she needed a place, and he did need a room mate. Dark green eyes watched the silver haired girl, wanting to gauge her reaction.

After looking at the and asking when she could move in, heaven asked if that's what's she really wanted to move in with him. Natsumi thought about closely why do I want to hurry and live here. I feel so comfortable and relaxed by him that I just didn't take it in. But then again I would like him to know me and not just some girl standing outside daze dreaming. She sucked some courage and said "well when you put like that, yes iwould like to move in as soon as possible, I know what your thinking a little to fast when I bearly know you. But I made up my mind and this is what I decided." She smiled "and besides my school is in walking distance I need to be somewhere near it so I wont be late." She smiled.

He watched the little mystery as she thought it over, and her answer, while it didn't really shock him, was still surprising at the least. He couldn't help but smile at her response. "I don't particularly mind; I just want to make sure you know what you want to do, and won't think of this as some sort of mistake down the road." He knew she had some solid reasons, even if she wasn't sharing them with him at this time; she didn't seem like some one who did things impulsively. Heaven hoped so, at least. He looked back out the window, "I can have a key made for you within the week, and I can help you with moving furniture and stuff."

Natsumi. Looked at him "I don't think that its going to be something I regret, but I probaly might think that because I'm leaving my mom in a house by herself. I know I'm a little protective of her but I need to leave."she said a little saddened "and don't try to make me change my mind cause I can see you doing it." She said smiling. "Okay I need to pack my thing well first I need boxed maybe there's boxes from when we moved here" she said thinking loudly. She turned around and looked at heaven she went up to him and smiled " so I guess we can call each other room mates now" she laughed she made her way to the door opened it and befor she walked out she turned her head and looked once a gain at heaven "oh and mike I think that heaven is a beautiful name for you"she smiled and walked home.

Heaven listened to the girl as she pretty much talked to herself. Had he really been trying to change her mind? The male didn't think so, but he couldn't be sure. Yes, room mates. We'll be living together. You better keep in mind how young that girl is, mister. Wait, why was he scolding himself? He didn't have any interest in her that way. He blinked in surprise; she...liked his name? What kind of oddball was he letting move in?

He watched her leave until she was out of sight. It wasn't night time yet, so she should be safe still. He locked the door and sat down on the couch with a thud. This was either going to be interesting, hell, or both. He couldn't go back now; the girl was probably already packing. He leaned his head back on the couch and remembered their first meeting. A walk in the park to see the sunset was probably the best stupid thing he'd ever done. He stayed that way until dark had fallen fully before getting ready for bed. His last thought of the night was a prayer for them to get along with a minimum of awkwardness.

~Fin Saturday Tour Arc~

Natsumi was finishing packing the last of her stuff. For a whole week after coming from class and makibg preparations, she she finished boxing the last box of her things. Now all she had to do was move her bed and that was it "oh boy now how am I going to move this" she said looking at her queen size bed, she packed her comforters in the truck now how was she going to move it. After about thirty minutes the bed was finalin the truck. She went back into her room and what was a full decorative room was now a empty room like time she moved in. She took a second look around her room to make sure she didn't forget anything. She picked up the box that she had packed and put it into the mini moving truck she rented for the day. She went back into the house and went back to her now empty room, she smiled and went back down stairs where she saw her mom in the living room with a smile on her face, she hugged her tightly "ill see you later mom, I love you." She let go of her and headed outside.


Natsumi went in the truck turned on the ignition, she looked back at the house where she saw her mom at the front door waving, she waved back and drove to heaven's house.

Dark green eyes watched for her from the window in the living room. She'd seemed like she was in a hurry, but he hadn't heard from her since Saturday. Maybe she'd been too busy to call, but what if something had happened to her? He nearly sighed in relief when he saw the truck pull into the driveway. He opened the door and nodded at the girl, his serene facade giving away none of his past worry or his current joy. It looked like the male was going to have Natsumi as his room mate, after all.

Heaven crossed his arms to keep from waving in an undignified manner as the truck stopped. He calmly made his way to the driver's door and opened it, "Would you like a hand?" He wasn't in any of his good clothes, so he didn't mind sweating in the least, and it'd get done faster with both of them working.

Natsumi got to heavens house in good time. She. Parked the truck in front of his house, she turned the ignition off. Once she did thar she saw heaven at the front door with his arms crossed and a serene face not telling her weather he's happy or what in seeing her. She smiled abd waved at him through the door. She didn't know why she was happy to see him, was it because she was goibg to be room mates with him? She didn't know but hopefully she would get her answer soon. She saw heaven come down the stairs and opened the door for her "thank you"she said with a smile. Heaven asked her if she needed any help "yes as a matter of fact " she got out the truck and went to the back of it to open it. She opened it and went inside of the truck. "Well first let's start on the hard stuff like this bed" she said pointing to the queen size bed "it me and my mom a while, so me and you can manage it" she said giggling. She went behind. The bed and put two of hands at the bottom of the bed "well here we go?".

He couldn't suppress all of his smile when she told him that he could help. Then she spoke of the mattress, and Heaven couldn't help but laugh, "Sure, let's get it out of here. It seems to be the most trouble." He watched as she went to grab the side of the mattress furthest back. He'd get the weight as it left the truck, which was fine with the male. He grabbed the mattress firmly, lifted, and pulled when Natsumi started moving it. It slid easily for a minute, then it was time to move it off the truck and into the house. Thankfully the only steps or stairs were outside going from the yard to the porch. Dark green eyes scanned the surrounding area for tricky spots; he did not want either of them to trip or get hurt. Though in the back of his mind lurked the thought that playing nursemaid or doctor to his new room mate wouldn't be such a bad thing, after all. Heaven ignored that part of his mind, as he always did.