SLEEPSONG (BoyxBoy)✔️

Chapter 171

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy One

I was beginning to feel like my desire to please everyone was going to get me killed.

"Get up," Tobias ordered. "Come on."

I lay flat, breathing hard, fighting for air with stray strands of hair sticking to my sweat-plastered cheeks. I felt his hand trying to raise me, but I was exhausted, I couldn't even move properly anymore. My nephew sighed and finally flopped down on the ring's mat beside me, pulling me into a sitting position and keeping me steady while I fought for air and energy alike.

His hand kept me upright, the only thing between me and passing out cold.

"I... don't... think... I can... keep going," I eventually panted, squeaking my eyes open and giving him an exhausted, sore, unhappy look. "I'm... all... out... of energy."

"You did better than exemplary for someone of your size, health, and build," Tobias said in a quiet but stern tone, patting my back. "I didn't think you had it in you. I thought you'd have thrown in the towel after the first hour, but you plowed through it for a full six! I'm impressed!"

"I just... don't... have as much... stamina... as you do," I panted, giving him a tired smile; I winced and patted my sternum as a bit of pain twinged through my left lung. "I think... I need... to start... exercising... a little more. I'm... so out of shape... that my lung... is hurting again."

"Don't overdo it," Tobias warned, rubbing my back. "You didn't need to push yourself."

"But I did, and I do," I whispered, pushing my hair back. "I'm scared, okay? I'm scared that I... won't be strong enough... to protect everyone... if something bad happens again."

"Well, you won't be able to do anything with that kind of attitude," he snorted, rising to his feet and holding out his hand. I looked at it, then glanced up to see that he was at ease. "Come on, that's enough of a workout for today. You did good, but there are other ways to... connect."

I beamed at the praise and set my gloved hand in his own, letting him pull my wobbly self upright. I was a little surprised when he straightened my sweater and smoothed the wrinkles out of it, but his face sank into something contemplative as he looked down at me.

"Something wrong?" I asked, but to my surprise he nodded.

"Yep," he muttered, looking me right in the eyes. "Doing this with you gave me a bit of insight about what sort of person you are. You're willing to learn from me despite being who knows how many years older, and you push yourself past your limits for the sake of those around you. You listened to my every word, made direct eye contact, and when you didn't understand something you asked me questions about it. There wasn't a single trace of hesitation. You're... a clean cut."

I blinked, confused, and asked, "um... that's how people are supposed to act, right?"

"Exactly," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "That's my point. You're not a person. At least, not in a typical sense... but at the same time you behave exactly like one. My impression of vampires from stories predetermined my expectations and now... I'm... flabbergasted."

"Oh," I said, taken aback, but then I just shrugged and squeezed his hand. "Well, get used to it! Books and television don't get everything right! Take it from the guy who spent years avoiding the horror genre because of how badly vampires are portrayed in movies."

Tobias gave me a look of surprise, but then his face twitched and he grinned a little.

"Yeah, I get it," he muttered, slinking towards the edge of the ring and stepping over it. I watched as he hopped to the ground and dragged his shirt back on, rolling his shoulders. "Come on. Let's get out of here. Since you've spent such a long time doing shit I enjoy, it's only fair that I do the same for you."